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Herbes De Provence & a way with seasoning

March 21, 2019 — Leave a comment

I love cooking.

There was one special person in my life a long time ago that actually said to me while he was enjoying the dinner I had made, “You have a way with seasoning.” The way he said it it was as if I was seducing the salt, pepper, rosemary, tarragon, and whatever I could get my hands on! And it kept me interested in cooking. I related seduction to cooking.

One item I will always have now, is Herbes De Provence. I am not sure when we first met, when I first laid my hands on the very special blend of herbs, all I know is it is an enduring relationships. And not all glassed HDP are the same, not by a long shot. My favorite these days is Citarella, and it is close to where I live in the West Village, NYC.

Spring 2019 & Herbes De Provence

Make no mistake about it, the art of cooking is alive and well in my most tiny kitchen. You have no idea…

Nice vs ridicule, mocking and violent video games.

March 16, 2019 — Leave a comment

Late night hosts making fun of politicians, and yes politicians doing the same. Sniping.

There is a very disturbing presence of not nice out there in the media world. It puts me off and it has become second nature. If it happened once in awhile, OK maybe it would have more impact, however the barrage of constant criticizing and tormenting through words through media outlets – when will enough be enough or will it just become more and more not nice. Let’s not underestimate nice.

And all these young men going into public places, including sacred spaces for worshipping, with guns and killing for the sake of it. How many of these young men watched these violent videos games over and over and over, as they were young boys. And they played these games alone. Their brains were saturated with close up combat and violence. Flashing lights, sounds, hypnotic.

How many of the men that have brutally carried out these acts, have actually served in the military?

And the films making millions, the sci-fi Captain Marvel, well now a woman is kicking butt, big time and there will be more and more.

It seems everyone is kicking somebody and we hear about it on a moment to moment basis. And there are some cruel criminal acts as well. In real life. Crime shows all over the TV networks. Advertisers paying lots to have 30 seconds in between scenes.

Why is there such a hunger, thirst, market for violence?

We Are Our Environment.

When’s the next shuttle to Mars?

And have a nice day.

On the corner of Waverly Place or Things in Common

March 11, 2019 — Leave a comment

“You can thank your Lucky Stars…” I spoke and then stopped. Father Graeme finished – speaking in his slightly soft Irish accent, “That we’re not as smart as we’d like to think we are.” I gasped and smiled.

Here I was for the first time ever meeting with a clergyman from the church (for a music event my PR company is organizing) and we had something in common. Lyrics to a song.

What if before every meeting, big or small, 4 people or 400 people, in an office, school, convention center, tent, court, street or in the Senate– everyone recited the lyrics of the same song before all the discussions and negotiations began.

What lyric, from which song, would you suggest?

What if…

Writing Producing Recording Strangers No More

February 13, 2019 — Leave a comment

I love all 3 and have been working over the past few months on a new song I wrote with a new young male artist Tobe Baer singing it. He and I and his brother in Germany are producing the track. The song is being recorded in my apartment in the West Village, NYC, Tobe’s apartment in Brooklyn and in his brother’s Janosch Roth’s studio in Germany Lautstumm. It has been a great experience so far, we are diving into the track full steam ahead, it gets better and better as it grows and our creative collaboration has been pretty extraordinary. Strangers in the music…music in strangers. After all we were once strangers. No more.

I feel good about it. Feeling Good. In honor of Black History month…Ms Simone expressing good, in a perfect way.

Words

January 29, 2019 — Leave a comment

With two new songs just completed since my return from London, my infatuation with songwriting continues. There is a way I feel before a song comes and then as it arrives and a way I feel when it is done and being heard.

Watching Paul Simon last night on Stephen Colbert and his admitting what may be for the first time to my ears, that he actually updated, changed lyrics in a few of his “older” released songs on his new release The Blue Light. He felt the songs did not get their deserved attention and and he changed what he thought might needed to be changed? Words. Interesting idea, songwriters going back years later and changing their songs. Recording them. Hindsight. “Understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened or developed.” What would you rewrite? What would I rewrite?

He performed one of them live with a very cool music project Why Music. Loved the presentation.  ‘Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War’

Disillusioned: How new young artists can start off being ready to handle the illusion of it all…

January 23, 2019 — Leave a comment

I looked up disillusioned: “disappointed in someone or something that one discovers to be less good than one had believed.” And so many artists/ creatives get there, successful or not. They are disillusioned? Why?

As I continue to consult and mentor new artists, it is even more important to speak emphatically into the calm of knowing who you are. Doing at any time, what you can live with and what adds soul to your soul and heart to your heart. Wisdom is water to our bodies; we grow. Reality circles around the illusion. Eventually reality either supports our dreams or takes them down. Tackled by the force like a defensive lineman. Art needs the heart and soul of its creators. Or so it seems on this day.

Found this fascinating interview with Marilyn Monroe.

APAP 2019

January 5, 2019 — Leave a comment

Educational and inspiring experiences thus far at NYC’s APAP 2019. The Power of WE. The Power of ART. 

How to navigate agent, presenter’s relationships and communication very key in developing relationships. Always always learning.

Finding the appropriate collaborators, theaters, venues…this is now the task at hand for me and my show THE PASS. Work is never done…

Arguing Italian Style

January 2, 2019 — Leave a comment
Arguing Italian Style

My friend has his young Italian cousin & his girlfriend from Italy staying in his home next door. We met New Year’s eve briefly and they seem sweet and adorable.

This morning they were arguing in Italian for a few moments and it sounded so lovely. It was as if they were singing their disagreement. Hearing people argue is really not one of my favorite things and not knowing the content of the argument, added to the charm of my being in ear shot of their arguing Italian style — on this second day of 2019. Ahhhh, city living. Love it.

May 2019 be all you wish it to be! Happy New Year!!