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by Richard Silverstein
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September 28, 2007
Maroon Voices: Yet another reason not to read The New Republic Maroon Voices: Yet another reason not to read The New Republic
August 05, 2003
Adios to Blogger
I've moved my blog to Typepad Tikun Olam: Make the World a Better Place.
My photoblog has moved to Pbase http://www.pbase.com/richards1052.
Please visit both sites.
July 19, 2003
Mason Lake--Mt. Defiance trail (Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA)
My dog & I yesterday did the Mason Lake-Mt. Defiance trail in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. This is hike of terrific extremes-you get a maximum of enjoyment from a maximum of pain. The views from Mt. Defiance are among the best in the Snoqualmie area (except for Kendall Catwalk) and they include Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt. Clayton, Mt. Rainer and countless other peaks in a 360 degree view. But getting there is not easy. This is an extremely strenuous ascent. The trail begins easily enough & the first 1.25 miles are pleasant. But then, at a trail junction unfortunately not noted in 100 Hikes in Washington (the trail Bible I use for my Washington hiking), the trail begins it ascent to heaven or, as I thought to myself hours later while I was still ascending, the ascent to hell. The trail is barely a trail--a "boot-beaten path" as Spring & Manning call it. The trail consists of rolling rocks and sand with very little solid ground beneath your feet. When descending, if you misstep in a place like this you easily end up on your seat or perhaps 10 feet lower than when you took your last step. If you miss the correct trail as I did and take the "wrong" one, you will end up ascending (or bushwhacking) an old stream bed through dense, prickly shrubs which will whip you all over your body. Despite its strenuousness, I almost prefer this ascent to going up the "stairway to hell" which is the other trail. Besides missing an important trail junction, 100 Hikes makes another serious mistake when it notes that the trail from Mason Lake to Mt. Defiance gains 900 feet (rising from 4,500 to 5,400 feet). In actuality, when I got to the top of Mt. Defiance a fellow hiker told me his GPS told him we were standing at 1,900 meters which comes out to be over 6,000 feet. Perhaps Manning & Spring meant to say "6,200 feet?" At any rate, what I expected to be an easy 2 mile, 900 foot elevation gain hike turned out to be a monstrously difficult and long ascent through exposed terrain and in blinding summer sun. But when I arrived at the summit, I was richly rewarded by an east-west view from the Olympics across the whole Cascade range and north-south from Rainier to Baker. Who could ask for anything more? And on the way up, the wildflowers were in full, gorgeous bloom. I saw penstemon, lupines, Indian paint brush, toad lilies, butterflies and so much more. I will have pictures to prove it when I develop my film roll (and I will post them here when I do). Mason Lake is a small, but very attactive alpine lake. It doesn't have the magnificent cirque surroundings of Rachel or Melakwa, but it is pretty in its own right. Must haves: bug juice (there were bugs of all kinds including big, stinging black flies), walking poles (preferably two), much water
July 18, 2003
Privacy hedges: "an act of aggression against oneself and one's neighbor"
Sarah Lyall wrote a great piece about an growing problem in English social relations As Privet Rises, Neighbors Take Sides in the New York Times. Apparently, tensions have risen to such a pitch that one disgruntled neighbor actually killed someone who refused to trim his garden hedge. I feel in the gardening community not enough attention is devoted to gardening etiquette, good manners and good behavior. It's just assumed that since gardeners are good souls engaging in a spiritually rewarding pastime, that it would go without saying that gardeners would be good, reasonable and caring souls. Well, it ain't true. Gardeners can be stubborn, willful and downright pigheaded fools (I sometimes count myself among them). The issue of using hedges as barriers in order to maintain privacy is one that affects me personally. I garden in my home in Madrona (Seattle). The entire southern side of my property is dominated by an English laurel hedge that at its top height reaches between 40-50 feet high. Some books say 30 feet is maximum, but that isn't the case with this monstrous specimen. The hedge's length is about 60 feet. The research librarian at the Miller Library at the University of Washington helped me do some botanical research on English laurels and two books in particular (I'll have to dig up her e mail in which she names the titles & authors) warn against using this plant as a privacy hedge. One rather telling phrase was (& I've memorized this!): "Using English laurel as a privacy hedge is an act of aggression against oneself and one's neighbor." Plus, I think the hedge is just plain ugly! English laurel according to various botanical websites is mildly poisonous (leaves, stem & bark). I have a two year old son and I don't want him to be endangered by something like this. It can grow up to 5 feet per year. It throws seeds at least 40 feet (well into my yard) forcing me to pick out 50-100 germinated seedlings each year. It sheds leaves profusely and leaves scatter far from their source (forcing me to rake them up on my own property). Which all leads me to the fact that my neighbor who owns this monstrosity does (in his own defence) trim this hedge once every two years. But in the year when he doesn't trim I essentially lose about 25% of my yard for gardening purposes since the hedge wipes out that much sunlight. I offered to pay for the trimming in years when he didn't choose to. He refused. I think he's being downright selfish, bad mannered and unneighborly.
July 17, 2003
New York Times No Friend to the Blogger
Why doesn't the New York Times --and all those other publications which Bloggers quote daily--realize that Bloggers are doing them a huge service by increasing online awareness of both the publication and specific articles quoted in blogs. Instead, these publications treat bloggers like the general online public and deny access to many of their best articles after a short period (a week in the case of the New York Times). Here's a case in point: Frank Rich wrote a memorable piece on July 6th about the media's incessant drumbeat of patriotism and how this rush to wave the flag did a great disservice to the nation and the the quality of journalism in this country. I waited till yesterday to write my post which would've publicized this article. But I'm too late & my only access to the article is if I pay for it. Well, sorry. I want to write about the piece, but not if I have to pay for it. Months ago, I wrote to the New York Times webmaster & suggested that they have a different policy for bloggers, allowing them access to all articles as long as use was guaranteed only in a blog. Do you think anyone responded? I know that this system would rely on quaint notions like honor, which are no longer honored today--and perhaps bloggers WOULD pervert this arrangement if given a chance. But a blogger is in a different category than a regular online viewer because his blog will be read by others, in some cases many others; and they, in turn will create buzz both for the paper and the particular article in question. Does anyone out there have this article for use in my blog? I guess I could scan it, but my scan software leaves a lot to be desired when scanning column articles like those in newspapers.
July 15, 2003
Umbria Travel Diary--September, 1996
ITALIAN DIARY: Friday, August 30-Sunday, September 8, 1996
ORVIETOLA BADIA: 8th century monastery turned into a hotel. Stately building with long, dark corridors. Surrounded by rolling hills and farmland and olive trees everywhere. Orvieto produces some of the best olive oil in Italy.
Lunch in La Badia restaurant was not especially good. But olive oil was unlike anything I’ve had in U.S. It was bright and fruity, a surprising taste!
Dinner at Volpe e L’uva (Wolf and the Egg) recommended in Fred Plotkin’s book (without his guide I would’ve been lost gastronomically): also not great. Concierge at hotel recommended Trattoria Etrusca. What a wonderful dining experience! Thin slice of steak grilled rare and smothered in herbs. Followed by three dessert sampler: delicate cake, tiramisu and rather gooey fruit/pie sort of thing. Waiter was helpful (no English!), impeccably professional. Recommended wineries to visit (one where a relative was the manager) but they couldn’t take me because they were in the middle of a harvest.
Orvieto Duomo: amazingly huge scale and ornately decorated. Inside, however it is very simple box-like structure. Heard powerful cathedral organ. Most shops closed on Sunday.
Never in my wildest dreams did I believe Umbrians would know so little English. I thought only in remote, “primitive” places they knew no English! Here all TV stations are in Italian. Sometimes there is no CNN, no BBC, no Sky TV, no Herald Tribune and certainly no New York Times. All signs, even in museums are Italian-only. It doesn’t help that I left my excellent guide book somewhere at home. I bet it’s on the stairs or in my car, one step away from joining me on this trip, where it’s supposed to be...alas!
I suppose I should be happy about the lack of English. It means these people are still fully native Italians, not under the spell of some international, cosmopolitan influence which would dilute whatever makes them Umbrian.
Driving through the narrow alleyways of Orvieto yesterday night, trying to make my way back from the restaurant to the hotel, I tried to turn a corner and scratched the paint on the rental car. Disaster! I seem to have a knack for damaging cars (my own car is in the body shop back home waiting to be repaired after a nice fellow cut me off on Lexington Avenue). It’s nothing that a little touch up paint wouldn’t fix. I know exactly how I would go about getting it done in the States (parts department of auto dealer). But who knows where you go here? Something to worry about...just what I need on a wonderful Italian vacation.
La Badia is somewhat disappointing. Soft, cheap mattresses, no shower heads. It does have a beautiful pool on the hillside with comfortable lounge chairs. Nice to laze about under the warm Umbrian sun. There is a cool breeze on the Orvieto plateau. Down below at La Badia there is less breeze and stronger sun.
Found a carnozzieri (auto body/paint shop) to fix scratches on car. They mixed paint for an hour, applied it, cleaned off my scratched mirror and sent me on my way. No charge! What a blessed, unspoiled country!
Todi
Drove to Todi and saw interesting Duomo. Church organs seem to always be ornately and sumptuously appointed. Had good meal at Ristorante Umbria: wild boar and polenta. Rucola (arrugula) salad so salty almost inedible. Very good torta with pine nuts and cream. Umbrians don’t seem big on desserts—usually fruit salad, torta, tiramisu or maybe gelato. That’s it. Fairly disappointed in restaurants so far. Mike Rose (co-owner of Semifreddi’s Bakery) cooks better than 80-90% of chefs I’ve sampled here. That’s a compliment to Mike, but a real insult to Umbrian chefs. Is it possible that Italian food and chefs have become so sophisticated in the States that our Italian cuisine rivals or even surpasses theirs?
Deruta
World-renowned for majolica ceramics. Plotkin recommended Grazia & Co. Walked there in the rain (why did I think Italian summer weather would be as dry as Israel or California?). Grazia has many rooms...first was modern garish garbage. God, why does he feel he needs to “keep up with the Joneses” by commissioning a “Toucan” parrot/jungle theme? The 15th century designs and colors are the best and will always be. Saw beautiful dinner plates with floral motif. Outer rim filled with luscious looking fruit—pears and pomegranates (with skin peeled back to reveal ripe red seeds within—connected by yellow vines. Asked price of four plates. They don’t sell them that way. Only in sets. Talked with Mr. Grazia about set of four. He said: “$146” and I thought he meant for a set of four, but he meant for a single set! Full set of four and shipping would come to (get this!) $1,000!! Yikes!
Bought small teapot for Suzanne and painted tile which came to $90. That’s the last I buy of majolica for a while—that’s for sure. Majolica museum closed...as everything is in Italy on Monday.
Now staying in Lo Spedalichio (which in the past had something to do with being a hospital) in old elegant hotel in a drippy little town halfway between Perugia and Assisi—but really in the middle of nowhere. Hotel sits next to dumpy little highway. When I booked the reservation, I thought it was much closer to Perugia than it actually is.
TUESDAY
Called La Badia in AM and asked them to search for missing CD player and—guess what?!--they found it! Umbria...what a place! Unspoiled by wealth and privilege, people live by a simple honest code.
Drove to Gubbio this AM. Market day with wonderful foods sold, mostly salad greens and lots of flowers. Huge priory building with beautiful view from balcony overlooking city. Mountains, mountains everywhere! Had wonderful lunch at Federico de Montefelcro (named after medieval duke): turkey breast scaloppini with caper-parsley sauce (delectable!). For dessert, waitress called it pane cotta, but to me it seemed like smooth as silk crème caramel. Orgasmic!
Afternoon to Perugia: most cosmopolitan city thus far in Umbria. God, they even sell the Herald Tribune at the kiosk! A really big town compared to Gubbio, Deruta, etc. More English in evidence, but not much. Rained again...man, do I need an umbrella! That’ll be the last time I assume Italy’s climate is like Israel’s or California’s.
Sat in Cathedral of San Lorenzo for one hour while it rained and before restaurants opened. Here restaurants don’t open in PM till 7:30. Hard to adjust to. Had gnocchi with tartuffo nero (black truffles) and cheese (Mmm!) and minestrone filled with small pasta and legumes.
Sitting in church I realized that for me Italy is delightful mix of sacred and profane. Italians are planted firmly in the earth (hence the wonderful cuisine, farming and gardening) and their heads mount up to heaven (hence the serene cathedrals and sacred art).
Watching Italian TV: how weird to watch Hollywood Westerns with the cowboys and Indians speaking Italian! What would Geronimo and Sitting Bull make of that!
THURSDAY
Assisi—city of churches even more so than other Italian towns...full of them. Saw wonderful sanctuary, Hermeo del C ? , hillside convent with beautiful walking paths.
Read in Assisi guide booklet that you can hike 15km from Assisi to Spello (seven hours) and take train back. If I ever did this I might reserve hotel room in Spello and train back to Assisi next day.
Basilica of San Francesco is so big, reminds me of Pentagon. Isn’t it strange to take a simple down to earth man like St. Francis and build a whole spiritual industry around him? I read in the Assisi booklet that when St. F. lay seriously ill messengers were sent from the town to where he lay, asking him to return home so that no other town could lay claim to his remains. How odd!
Staying at Le Silve (2000 feet up) near little hillside hamlet of Armenzano. Way out in God’s country. Drove in yesterday on roads barely wide enough for one car, let alone two. Also, rainstorm lashed at me. Kept mumbling to myself: “you must be crazy...this is insane.” I was angry at hotel and my hotel guidebook for not making clear how remote a place it is. But when I arrived I saw how spectacular the scenery is. High up on flanks of Mt. Subasio. On a sunny day it must be like sitting on flanks of Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, it’s been overcast, but you still get idea of how perfect it can be. Great place for honeymoon or “love tryst.” One quibble...there is hotel-wide PA which plays romantic jazz standards—mostly dull piano-style ballads. How odd to hear “Georgia” in the middle of the Umbrian mountains. I’d rather hear Umbrian folk music.
For breakfast, tasted freshly made ricotta cheese. What a wonder! Cheese by the same name in the States is a pallid imitation. This was so delicate in flavor, so light and moist in texture that it almost fell apart as soon as it touched the fork. What a pity I can’t bring it back with me to the U.S.!
Just now had breathtaking visual revelation. Here on Mt. Subasio looking across small valley to another hillside with undulating line of trees rippling across it. Sky filled with enormous, hightop clouds. Sunlight towards sunset is crisp and bright, flashing off clouds. Reminds me of Italian Renaissance painting (which I never really liked that much because it seemed so ornate and embellished—but this is real!) filled with heavenly figures enveloped in sun-drenched clouds. Now I see where that bright light came from! As sun sinks lower, tops of clouds are orange and bottoms are dark blue. Off to the western sunset the sky between clouds is most delicate shade of light blue. Ah Italy! Ah Umbria!
Being in the mountains is so invigorating. The senses are heightened. You’re on the edge of the world and also at the edge of existence. The struggle to live is more intense here than down below. That makes life that much more rewarding. The quiet, the simplicity, the purity of air...all make for a bracing, life-enhancing experience.
Spoleto didn’t seem to agree with me today. I arrived just as everything closed for afternoon siesta, and when I say closed, I mean closed. The whole city shut down tight, unlike other towns like Assisi or Perugia where some businesses and institutions stayed open all day. I couldn’t find the tourist office which wasn’t clearly marked. Automobile traffic in Spoleto is more intrusive than in any other place I’ve been. Cars are everywhere. What about a little traffic and city planning here?
Decided to take off early for Norcia because road was winding and also spectacular. Wanted to arrive with plenty of daylight. Spent several hours sitting in Piazza Benedetto outside the Norcia Duomo dedicated to him. It was delightful to watch Italian families, both local residents and tourist visitors promenading in the Piazza, communing with each other...girls walking their puppies, boys giving each other bike rides, and older men standing by St. Benedict’s statue and joking, talking. Italians are a social people, communitas is a central value to them.
Ate at Tric-Trac (the Italians delightfully pronounce it: Trica-Trata) for lunch in Spoleto, just outside Festival of Two Worlds office, which is in the piazza in front of the Duomo. Italians sure know how to grill vegetables: tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, etc. Dinner at Granaro del Monte (Norcia)...wonderful pork sausage stuffed with black truffles and wrapped in prosciutto and cheese. Got my monthly supply of salt in the process. Dessert was sfogliatine *, light pastry shell smothered in custard, raspberries, blackberries and berry sauce. Wow! Watching waiters scurrying around ensuring each customer was either eating a course, cleaning up after finishing a course and preparing for a new one. It was like ballet—a very strenuous ballet, but ballet nonetheless. Head waiter racing in and out of kitchen shouting at his assistant: “Mario! Mario!” This wouldn’t do in France or America, but it’s fine here.
SATURDAY
Hotel reception useless for advice on how to entertain myself. Sent me to Cassa del Parco—the Sibilline Mountain National Park office. Wonderful young woman advised me to go to Castelluchio (4,500 feet), crowning the Pian Grande (Great Plain), which produces the best lentils in the world. I bought a bag, and at $4/lb. They ought to be best in the world! Thousands of acres of them are grown and harvested in summer. As I drove over the mountain pass from Norcia to Castelluchio, the great bowl of the Pian Grande spread before me as far as the eye could see. It looked something like the Great Salt Lake plain in Utah. An impressive sight.
Park guide also directed me to Mt. Vettore (7,500 feet) near alpine lake. Began the hike, but dark, cold clouds and vendi furiosi came up with light lashing rain. I thought better of going on, especially without warm coat or raingear. Instead I went to another town, Perci, with a cloister, Abbazio de St. Eustizio. There was a wedding in progress which I snuck into (otherwise it would have been closed). In Perci, every single person, except one boy riding his bike, was off the afternoon streets. Eerie quiet broken only by a dog and cat lurking in the street.
Returned later in day to Norcia to give update to lovely National Park ranger. Turns out one can rent an English speaking ranger guide for 12,000 lire/day. That would’ve been a great plan that would’ve enabled me to learn a great deal more about flora, fauna and geology of the region. Asked her name and she said something that sounded like “Juicy.” I asked: “Like the orange?” incredulously and disappointedly; to which she replied: “Yes like fruit.” She learned English at the University and during a month she spent in London two years ago. She charmingly thanked me before I left for allowing me to help her practice her English.
Up at 6:15 AM Sunday in order to race from Norcia to Orvieto to pick up CD player and sweater which I left at La Badia (and which, of course, no one stole after I left). Then raced to Rome Airport to make 12 noon flight home.
I had endless bags of food, wine, and majolica to bring back and which weighed me down terribly. Bag broke on plane. Thank God car and driver met me at Kennedy. Just as I emerged from terminal with my bags, the heavens opened and the remnants of Hurricane Fran descended. Driver drove car through three foot high lakes on Grand Central Parkway. Finally, home and to bed at 11 PM (New York time) or 5 AM (Italy time), meaning I was up 23 hours in a row!
What a wonderful journey!
July 05, 2003
Snow Lake (Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA.)Snow Lake looking west
Snow Lake looking north
This is a 7 1/2 mile round trip hike in the Snoqualmie Pass area of western Washington about 45 minutes by car from Seattle. I took the route to Snow Lake beginning fr. the Alpental parking lot. In getting to the trailhead, be careful if you're using 100 Best Hikes in Washington. The directions are wrong. Trailhead is ONE mile (not two) fr. the freeway exit. Trailhead is at the first main parking lot you reach on this road (don't continue on past to a higher parking lot). Also, you have to make a turn fr. the freeway exit onto the Alpental Road (there is another road at this intersection that you might mistakenly take). 100 Best Hikes warned me how popular this trail is--and they were right. On a Thurs. in early July there were scores of hikers on the trail. Most were nice, unassuming, friendly folks but there were a few loud parties which tended to ruin it for the rest of us. I guess this trail is popular because it has relatively low elevation gain & is an easy trail with a big payoff at the end. I wish the trail were harder or longer to discourage some of the masses of people that clog it up a bit. Snow Lk., as its name implies, still had snow & ice both in the lake & on surrounding slopes. Some snow on the trail itself (bring a hiking pole). What a gorgeous site to see the lake cirque surrounded by Cascade peaks. Be prepared that temps. can descend 5-10 degrees once you descend fr. the saddle to the lake below. Winds & clouds pick up & it can be quite a bit colder than the Snoqualmie Valley side. There is little direct lake access but nice spots above the lake for lunch. The log bridge over the outlet stream is beautiful with the detritus of logs & rocks creating a striking setting; along with the thundering outlet stream rushing straight downhill through a narrow shoot. My Lab had a great time fetching sticks I threw into the freezing cold, clear green lake waters. Bugs are just starting to become a problem so bring insect repellant. If you're a hearty dad with a strong back & a good toddler backpack, I think this would be a great hike to bring a toddler on. Not too long, not too steep but with beautiful views along the way. A great introduction to the outdoors for a little one. One small drawback is that there isn't a lot of flat open space for a child to run & play in once you get to the lake. There are steep drops to the lake below, so if you take your child out of the backpack you'll have to be mindful.
July 02, 2003
These are Days to Remember
I am heartened that Israeli-Palestinian relations are on such positive footing these days. The image of Abbas and Sharon speaking together yesterday outside the Prime Minister's office and shaking hands (with gusto-as opposed to the Arafat-Rabin reluctant handshake) afterward...plus the warm, humane words spoken-all of this gives me great hope for the future. Yes, there is a long road to go and groups like Hamas can stain that road with much blood. But the end is in sight and I am confident that there is a good chance that both sides will reach it.
June 29, 2003
Seattle Weather
We woke up one morning last week and my wife looked out the bedroom window and it was cloudy, dark and cold. She dressed accordingly. She then went downstairs, got ready for work and left out the front door where...lo and behold...it was a warm, sunny beautiful day. She called up to me: "It's raining in the back of the house, but it's sunny in the front!" She had to come back upstairs and change clothes for a nice, warm, sunny day. Seattle weather for you!
Seattle's Marion McCaw Hall: a Triumph
My wife suggested we go this morning to the opening celebration of the new Marion McCaw Hall at the Seattle Center & I’m glad she did. We have subscribed in the past to the Symphony and Ballet while they were resident companies at the old Opera House, which preceded this iteration. The old building was pretty much a horror show. It looked like it came out of the sleek, anonymous architecture of the 1950s. The acoustics were abysmal. In order to get to the top tier you had to wend you way up a zigzag maze of tunnel like ramps. Once up in the top tiers you were so far above and away from the action you almost didn’t feel you were in the hall. I must admit I was a doubter about this project. As former New Yorkers, my wife and I are used to venues like Carnegie Hall and performances like those of New York City Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera. While Seattle’s cultural scene is fairly good, it just can’t measure up to New York’s. The Symphony, while playing in a great hall, doesn’t measure up to the sound of its own hall. While PNB is an excellent company, for some reason most of its performances seem to be half-full. It gives the impression of a community that doesn’t appreciate its own artistic resources. Therein lay our doubts about whether Seattle could really pull this project off. In addition, the old hall was so bad, I just didn’t see how it could be rescued or revived. The old hall was razed down to its I-beams and then rebuilt from within. I don’t know how they did it, but they’ve accomplished something remarkable. I predict that like Benaroya Hall and EMP, McCaw Hall will become another “destination” magnet for tourists and art lovers alike. Everything about the old hall is a distant memory once you see the new one. It is magnificent. It has an undulating glass façade and the interior lobby has a set of tall metallic columns that is contemporary in style without being completely impersonal & antiseptic (as much clean, sleep contemporary architecture can be). The hall itself is gorgeous and elegant. The sound for musical performance is miles better than the old hall. It may not equal Benaroya Hall’s, but then again McCaw was built for opera and ballet and so has different requirements. The hall’s visual lines are harmonious and consistent. The site lines are excellent. While I didn’t like the boxes because they were raked at a steep angle & felt like you were on top of the performance, all the other seats were great. Even the food quality is a vast improvement over the old hall’s (though a tad pricey). I’m not sure I like the metallic scrims lining the passageway in front of the hall. I understand that each of these scrims will be lit at night and the sight promises to be impressive. But the scrim wall of metal blocks the view of the beautiful glass façade, which is unfortunate. For more, see Marion McCaw Hall. I say, go and enjoy!
June 28, 2003
Orchestra Baobab Plays Seattle
Orchestra Baobab, the seminal Senegal musical ensemble, played Seattle's EMP Museum in the Sky Church (The Church of Rock 'n Roll-get it?) tonight before an audience of about 300 people. I've seen many African bands, but I'd never seen this group, since they disbanded in 1982 and reunited for a world tour in 2001. On a sultry, sweaty Seattle night, they were inspiring. Orchestra Baobab is an all-male ten-piece ensemble with lead, rhythm & bass guitars, alto & baritone sax, three percussionists and two singers. They sing in French and Senegalese. The playing was tight-this is a mature band that knows where it's been and knows it has something to say musically. These guys played as if they'd known each other for years. They respected each other's contribution to the band's sound. The lead guitarist had a fluid and supple sound like the best African guitarists (Nico and Franco). The two sax players were brilliant with the baritone sax player being especially boisterous and exuberant in "taunting" and encouraging the crowd to join in the musical festivities. Orchestra Baobab's musical influences run from Afro-Cuban rumba to reggae to North African rai with other stops in between. They mostly play in a slower, quieter groove. Like the best African bands, they work into a nice, cool musical groove and gently sustain it with repetitive musical phrases that both lull and stimulate the listeners' senses. The crowd was dancing and grooving to the music with some couples doing slow, sexy dance steps. It was that kind of evening. Judging from this concert, their current record, Specialist In All Styles, is well worth buying. Learn more about the group at their website Orchestra Baobab My only quarrel is that with an all-male ensemble (as almost all African groups tend to be for some reason-aside from male chauvinism, why is that?), it's nice to see female dancers break up the testosterone monopoly. That didn't happen tonight, unfortunately. I saw several children in the audience including toddlers in their parents' arms. While I applaud their desire to introduce their children to the sounds of the world's cultures, as a father of a 2 year-old, I have to wonder what they were thinking? This was a concert that lasted till 9:30 PM!! Am I just an old fogey or what? EMP deserves credit for hosting this concert. It has hosted some other fine world music concerts in the past and one hopes it will do more in the future. Coming soon in this blog: Seattle's world music resources--concert venues, world music concert hosting organizations, world music on radio, etc.
June 22, 2003
Sharon's Twisted Logic: Killing Hamas Leader Will Bring Peace
There is a peculiar element to the political thinking of Israeli right wing leaders like Sharon and their media mouthpieces like Leslie Susser: no matter how bloody and heinous Israel's actions they can all be defended (in a twisted Orwellian way) as advancing peace. In other words, if I kill a a top leader of my enemy, then I make him more willing to embrace me and the peace process. Makes sense, right? So here's how Leslie Susser presents the argument in After Cease-Fire Talks Stall, Israelis Kill a Hamas Leader on the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) website: In an ironic twist of fate, the lethal post-Aqaba wave of terror might finally get the road map on the road. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon maintains that Israel´s decision to target Hamas leaders like Abdel Aziz Rantissi yielded two dividends: It forced Palestinian terrorist groups to consider a temporary cease-fire with Israel more seriously, and it pushed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas closer to taking immediate responsibility for security in some of the Palestinian areas. Now, if you followed that--the Rantisi assassination attempt made Hamas more serious about negotiating a cease fire. Despite the fact that the next day a Hamas bomber blew up an Israeli bus killing 17; despite the fact that Hamas immediately announced it was calling off talks for a cease fire with the PA. To top it off, today's New York Times headline says: After Cease-Fire Talks Stall, Israelis Kill a Hamas Leader To read Susser's article go to: Did air strikes help the ‘road map?´Cease-fire now seems more likely Lest you think the worst of Sharon's motives in trying to kill Rantisi, Susser sets your cynical mind at rest: "Palestinians and some members of the Israeli opposition maintain that Sharon, in trying to kill Rantissi, Hamas´ No. 2, deliberately was trying to scuttle a peace plan he ultimately distrusts. Sharon sees things very differently" Any reputable journalist would, at this point in their article run some kind of quotation from Sharon or one of his advisors to support this unsustained characterization. Not Susser. Not a shred of evidence to support this supposed characterization of Sharon's thinking. How do we know that Susser's surmises reflect Sharon's real beliefs if he won't provide any material to support them? At best, this is bad editorial oversight at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, which published the story; at worst, it reflects Susser's delusional thinking about how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
June 20, 2003
Summer culinary delights in Pacific Northwest
Seattle is an all year round food paradise, but summer is extraordinary. Here is a list of some of my favorite foods which are now, or will shortly be available (actually some are available all year, but I just love telling people about them): Copper River salmon: if you've only ever eaten Atlantic farm raised salmon, you haven't really eaten salmon the way it should be. The frigid waters of the North Pacific make this Alaskan king salmon the best in the world (lots of tasty fat). The flesh is the darkest orange you've ever seen (& it's natural, unlike the color of farm-raised). I read an article in the New York Times saying that the freshly caught salmon is taken from port to waiting helicopters who fly it to a major Alaskan airport, from which point it is shipped to New York, London and Tokyo within 24 hours or less. The prices in restaurants in these cities are astronomical, but here in Seattle a Copper River salmon steak sells for $12.99 a pound. Rainier cherries: these are the sweetest (and IMO the best) cherries in the world. They'll be available here in about three weeks. I look forward to them all year and they never disappoint. If you've only ever tasted a Bing or some other variety like it, you've never really had a cherry. Dahlia Bakery ice cream sandwiches: Tom Douglas has just begun his summer season in which he makes ice cream sandwiches. Don't think of Good Humor, think of something silky, smooth, rich & huge! I recommend the peanut butter crunch with vanilla ice cream. I prefer chocolate to vanilla, but this combination works beautifully. Kudos to Tom! Gerard & Dominique smoked salmon: these French folk in Woodinville are smokers par excellence. This smoked salmon is as smooth and elegant as fish flesh can get. For more of my favorite Seattle foods and restaurants look at Seattle food favorites
June 19, 2003
Folks Music for children
If your kids have been listening to too much Raffi and watching too much Teletubbies and you're going glassy eyed & eared, then try some intelligent and entertaining music for kids. Here are my recommendations (along with those of the Rootsworld discussion group): Arlo & Woody Guthrie, This Land is Your Land. A beautiful picture book which recounts Woody's musical life and hard times through the lyrics of the song. The companion CD is a Natalie & Nat King Cole-style collaboration between father and son which is quite good. Los Lobos, La Bamba Sleep My Child (Blue Hill Recordings): a collection of Jewish lullabies in HYiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English performed by male and femals cantors. Greg Brown, Bath Tub Blues, Red House Records. This gruff blues-oriented singer carries off a children's record with great verve and style. Most songs are accompanied by an accomplished child choir. Pete Seeger, Abiyoyo & Other Story Songs for Children, Smithsonian Folkways. The story narratives make this more appropriate for kids over 3 or so. Pete Seeger, Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little and Big, Smithsonian Folkways Family Folk Festival: A Multi Cultural Sing Along, Music for Little People. An anthology of great songs & folk singers including Sweet Honey in the Rock, Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, Taj Mahal & others. John McCutcheon, Howjadoo, Rounder Kids. What a great CD with a memorable banjo-accompanied version of Woody's Howjadoo. All You Need is Love, Music for Little People, Beatles' songs sung by a children choir. Not as rich musically as the original, but lot's of fun nonetheless. Judy Collins - Baby's Bedtime Rabbit Ears disks by Windham Hill, especially the Rudyard Kipling stories with the likes of Jack Nicholson doing "Elephants Child", "How the Leopard Got its Spots", "How the Camel Got His Skin", etc with music by Bobby McFerrin Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Gift of the Tortoise: A Musical Journey through Southern Africa, Music for Little People. A wonderful sampler of Ladysmith's incredible vocal music with accompanying narration. A Child's Celebration of Folk Music, Music for Little People. Another great anthology including the memorably funny, There Aint't No Bugs on Me. Family FolkGarcia and Grisman - Not for Kids Only American Folksongs for Children, Mike & Peggy Seeger, Rounder. Ninety-four songs compiled in the 1940's by their mother, Ruth Crawford Seeger, in a book of the same name). These are lovely, short folk songs many or most of which you've never heard before. A Child's Celebration of Song; includes: House at Pooh Corner Garden Song (Inch by Inch, Row by Row) Jelly Man Kelly (James Taylor) St. Judy's Comet (Paul Simon's lullaby to his son) Banana Boat Song (Dayo Dayo -- Taj Mahal) Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland version) ...and many other great ones And some great videos: Goodnight Moon HBO Kid's Video
June 18, 2003
Israeli Attorney General Attempts to Derail Major Israeli Concession to Paletinians
The New York Times reported in Palestinians Raise Hope of Cease-Fire Deal With Militants that: There were many reports today of what would be a major concession from Israel: the possible release of the most prominent Palestinian prisoner, Marwan Barghouti. Mr. Barghouti, head of Yasir Arafat's Fatah movement in the West Bank, who is often considered a possible successor to Mr. Arafat as Palestinian president, went on trial in Israel in September on charges of murder and of belonging to a terrorist organization. Israeli officials declined to comment on the reports of his impending release. But the possibility seemed real enough for Israel's attorney general, Elyakim Rubinstein, to send a scathing letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is already under pressure from his right-wing supporters who oppose the peace plan. "The person in question is an architect of terror,' Mr. Rubinstein wrote. 'It is unthinkable to integrate Barghouti into any deal with the Palestinians. The voice of our brothers' blood prohibits such a thing. Experience shows that men of terror such as Barghouti do not return to an honest path. How will we be able to face the families of the victims?" Does exerience really "show that men of terror...do not return to an honest path." Ridiculous. Obviously, Rubinstein has forgotten the history of national struggles throughout the 20th century including his own nation's history: 1. Yitzhak Shamir, a prime minister I detested, coordinated the assassination of the UN's primary Mideast negotiator, Count Bernadotte prior to 1948. Shamir must have "returned to an honest path" because he was elected Israel's prime minister. 2. George Washington and the members of the Continental Congress knew that if their cause failed they would be at the ends of British ropes. Hence the famous phrase spoken by a signer of the Declaration of Independence: "If we do not hang together we shall hang alone." Doubtless, George III described the Americans in terms that would be familiar to those used today to describe Palestinian militants (not that I'm defending their cause--far from it). 3. Indonesian nationalists fought the Dutch for independence as guerilla fighters; then became the governors of their own country. 4. Jomo Kenyatta led the Mau Mau revolt with a British price on his head. Later, he became his nation's first leader and father of his country. There is no reason that Marwan Barghouti might not turn out to be the same type of figure for the Palestinian people. Rubinstein is engaged in the same old right wing Palestinian bashing that has always gone a long way in Israel's insular political system. The rule has always been: "bash a Palestinian, make a few brownie points with the right wing Israeli electorate." But now, such rules should be suspended because there is a real chance for peace. To continue playing the Palestinian card and attempt to narrow Sharon's manuvering room in the upcoming peace negotiations is unconscionable. I hope that Israel's political leaders will steer clear of the grandstanding typified by Attorney General Rubinstein.
Can Peacekeepers Work for the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
One thing is for sure: the current ideas for ending (or even easing) the conflict aren't working. Both sides are at each others throat and seeking the faintest advantage over their enemy. No proposal has worked, there is no trust on either side, things are a total mess. Perhaps out of desperation (a good idea borne out of desperation is still a good idea), two powerful Republican senators have floated a new trial balloon: American troops could be placed between the warring parties to keep the peace. M.J. Rosenberg in his Israel Policy Forum weekly column wrote: That is why Senator John Warner is calling for the deployment of NATO troops to the area, and Martin Indyk, the former US ambassador to Israel, is suggesting that the West Bank and Gaza become a US trusteeship, with US troops serving as peacekeepers. In the words of former NSC staffer and author Kenneth Pollack, "separating Israelis and Palestinians physically will give breathing room to the new Palestinian administration trying to fight terrorists and protection to Israel. Israel has over the years always nixed this idea for fear of diminishing its own sovereignty and lessening its ability to deal with security issues in any way it chooses. But things may be desperate enough now (or perhaps the Israelis are more trusting of the idea that the U.S. will protect Israel's interests), for Sharon and the Israelis to embrace this idea, if not willingly then at least grudgingly. First, Senator John Warner and last week, Richard Lugar endorsed the idea of U.S. forces playing a peacekeeping role in the conflict either alone or alongside international forces. Their statements are important because Warner is the leading Republican senator on military issues and Lugar the leading foreign policy figure in the Senate. I wouldn't be surprised if this initiative might have been initiated or at least coordinated with the White House in an orchestrated campaign. Bush may be laying the groundwork for the period later down the line when both sides may be ready to advance to the stage of disengaging and allowing other forces to keep the peace between them. I, for one, have always supported the idea of outside military forces maintaining peace & security for both sides. It's clear that neither side can impose its will on the other militarily or in any other fashion. Nothing either side does to the other diminishes the will to resist and fight back. So, like in Kosovo, Bosnia and so many other places, peacekeepers are needed to do what neither side is willing to do on its own. You may ask what happens if the peacekeepers are unwelcome, even attacked in their peacekeeping posts. Well, we've dealt with these situations before especially in the countries named above. It will be up to the Arab nations to impose upon recalcitrant Palestinians the idea that peacekeeping MUST be allowed to work. The U.S. can do the same for the Israelis. The message must go forth that resistance to the peacekeepers will not be countenanced. I believe that this message, if delivered consistently, will work. And if it does work, it may allow two peoples who detest each other some breathing room. This in turn may allow enough time to intervene for both sides to begin to see some good in the other. This would be the beginning of a lasting peace. It may be the only way to bring lasting peace.
June 13, 2003
Orchestra Baobab performs in Seattle--Sam Mangwana releases Cantos de Esperanca
Senegal's great band, Orchestra Baobab will make a rare Seattle appearance at Experience Music Project on June 28th. For concert info click on: Orchestra Baobab at EMP. For more about the band visit: Orchestra Baobab online Sam Mangwana is one of the seminal soukous guitarists of his generation having played with most of the greats of the past few decades including Franco & Tabu Ley Rochereau. Every new recording presents new and exciting musical expression. For an album review go to Afropop review
Israel's Schizoid Policy: Eliminating Hamas and Unauthorized Settlements
News sources report that Israel continues to dismantle unauthorized settlements in accordance with the mandates of the Road Map. Yet at the same time, Israel prosecutes a policy of extermination against Hamas and its militants. This seems like schizoid behavior. Israel must be telling Abu Mazen: "We DO want to make peace with you. Look at what we're doing in dismantling settlements. As for Hamas, we will eliminate them completely. But that doesn't mean we don't want to make peace!" Well, I'm sorry--you can't pursue an overall policy of pursuing peace, while at the same time trying to eliminate an entire sector of your "enemy's" population. It just doesn't work that way. Only one person and one entity can eliminate Hamas and that is Abu Mazen & the PA. I completely understand Israel's frustration that he isn't doing more to physically confront them. But if he doesn't do it no one can. If my enemy kills me, it only makes my cause stronger. Only my brother can tell me I am wrong and compel me to change my path. Israel's right wing believes that Israel CAN eliminate Hamas. But Israel's been trying to do this for THREE YEARS & more! Has the violence stopped or even abated? No. Our goal should be to strengthen & empower Abu Mazen and Dahlan so that they can do the job themselves.
June 11, 2003
Israelis and Palestinians: Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory The latest cycle of murder and countermurder in Israel and Palestine is a horrifying and saddening reminder of so many similar times in the past when some positive development in relations between the two peoples is followed by the response of the radical extremists on both sides which destroys any chance for peace. This is what is happening now: Hamas desperately wants to block any serious effort for peace so it bombs and kills. Sharon, who genuinely appeared interested in reaching some kind of compromise with Abu Mazen last week has reverted to his former butcher mentality in approving an assassination attempt on the Hamas leader, Rantizi. Now we have more Hamas violence today in the form of the Jerusalem bus attack. What is doubly troubling is that if we go back a short few days to Aqaba we remember that the leader of Israel's government and the leader of Palestine's government were negotiating and making an honest effort to bridge their differences. Now, what we have is the Israeli state ignoring Abu Mazen and the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people. It's as if the only representative of the Palestinians that matters to Israel is Hamas with whom the Israelis are embraced in a dance of death. The only way to destroy Hamas is to get Abu Mazen to do it. If Ben Gurion could rein in the upstart Irgun (led by Menachem Begin) by confiscating the Alta Lena and its boatload of weapons (this represented the Irgun's attempt to arm itself and become a competing political-military force to the Palmach), then Abu Mazen can do the same to Hamas and the other extremists on their side. But Abu Mazen can do nothing against Hamas until Israel gives up on the idea of doing the job itself.
June 09, 2003
Folk Favorites
There are so many songs one likes. But what distinghishes a song you merely like, from one that absolutely mesmerizes you upon hearing it? For me, there is a subtle interaction between melody and lyrics. A beautiful melody with mundane lyrics is merely a pleasant song. But the songs below have that rare quality that marries the two in perfect harmony (so to speak). Here are some of my favorite songs currently (most of which I heard on KBCS FM [Bellevue, WA]): Killing the Blues--Roly Salley The melody of this song is so slow, mournful and elegaic that it matches perfectly the tale it tells of faded dreams and lost love. Leaves were falling, just like embers, In colors red and gold, they set us on fire Burning just like moonbeams in our eyes. Chorus: Somebody said they saw me, swinging the world by the tail Bouncing over a white cloud, killing the blues. Now I'm guilty of something ... I hope you never do Because there is nothing Any sadder than losing yourself in love. Chorus And then you've ask me ...just to leave you To set out on my own And get what I needed. You want me to find what I've already had . My Old Friend the Blues--Steve Earle I guess I'm a sucker for a long, slow ballad. The melody and lyrics of this song interact in a very similar way to Killing the Blues. The tablature and lyrics are from E-Tabs.org G Just when every ray of hope was gone C G I should have known that you would come along D D7 I can't believe I ever doubted you C D7 G My old friend the blues G Another lonely night in this town C G The Sleep dont take me first you'll come around D D7 I know I can always count on you C D7 G My old friend the blues G7 C Lovers leave and friends will let you down G But your the only sure thing that I found D D7 No matter what I do I'll never lose C D7 G My old friend the blues SOLO G7 C Lovers leave and friends will let you down G And your the only sure thing that I found D D7 No matter what I do I'll never lose C D7 G My old friend the blues G D D7 Just let me hide my weary heart in you C D7 G My old friend the blues --From Steve Earle "Guitar Town" MCA Records 1986 June Carter (Sure Can Sing)--Kieran Kane While this song came out around 1997, it couldn't be more apt today just after June Carter's death a few weeks ago. June Carter is a terrific antidote to all the lame singing and gaudy, flashy fashion statements made by country's reigning divas (Twain, etc., you know who I mean). They can't sing, sure can't write a song; but they look pretty good (well, actually kinda cheap & tawdry) in a sexy outfit. June Carter was the opposite of that in every way. She & Johnny were the heart of country. I couldn't find the lyrics online. But you can learn a whole lot more about Kane, his music and this song at either TakeCountryBack.com or SomeKindofParadise.com GREEN SUMMERTIME Robin & Linda Williams, Jerome Clark This is one of the perfect summer songs with a slow, soaring melody and beautiful instrumentals by Robin and Linda Far off in the by-and-by I see a traveler in the sky But my dreams do not take wings For I'm captive to familiar things In this world of mine In the green summertime On a gravel country road By the bed of the old railroad The dust follows turning wheels And blows away across the fields In this world of mine In the green summertime BRIDGE: Though I know them all too well And I have heard all they have to tell My steps will always walk this ground To these old friends I am bound On the streets of my little town The moonlight comes streaming down The dead wait in their graves For the Lord their souls to save In this world of mine In the green summertime BRIDGE: Far off in the by-and-by I see a traveler in the sky But my dreams do not take wings For I'm captive to familiar things In this world of mine In the green summertime Silly Sisters: The Grey Funnel Line [Cyril Tawney] Another beautiful, slow ballad with an elegaic air. The "Grey Funnel Line'' is - of course - the British Navy. For more, visit Infomatik From Maddy Prior and June Tabor's album Silly Sisters Lyrics Don't mind the rain or the rolling sea The weary night never worries me But the hardest time in sailor's day Is to watch the sun as it dies away It's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line. The finest ship that sailed the sea Is still a prison for the likes of me But give me wings like Noah's dove I'd fly up harbour to the girl I love It's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line. Of Lord if dreams were only real I'd have my hands on that wooden wheel And with all my heart I'd turn her round And tell the boys that we're homeward bound. It's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line. I'll pass the time like some machine Until blue water turns to green Then I'll dance on down that walk ashore And sail the Grey Funnel Line no more. And sail the Grey Funnel Line no more.
June 06, 2003
Arafat, Hamas and the Settlers: The Spoilers Today, Yasir Arafat and Hamas denounced Abu Mazen's peace efforts at the Aqaba summit. They contend that he gave away too much to the Israelis and didn't get enough (or anything) in return. They contend that Mazen didn't address the big issues that are important to Palestinians like Jerusalem. The Israeli settler movement has also made its vehement opposition to the summit known in the streets of Jerusalem, where they demonstrated en masse. They worry that Sharon is prepared to "sell them out" by giving up the settlements in return for a peace agreement. The truth is that they are right to be worried about their respective positions and power bases. Because a peace agreement will undermine, if not destroy their roles in their respective communities. With Israel and Palestine at peace, the demeaners, the spoilers will not be needed. What will be needed are politicians and activists who can get practical things done on the ground that materially improve the lives of their constituents. And each of these individuals and groups, unless they profoundly alter their views, will fall by the wayside of history and become a mere footnote (which they should be).
June 05, 2003
Mideast Peace: Reason for Hope
I am more hopeful for the cause of Mideast peace than I have been in at least three years. I am even more thunderstruck at such optimism because two of the three political leaders who carry the hopes of the world on their shoulders are politicians who I deeply & fundamentally mistrust: I speak here of Ariel Sharon & George Bush. But I do have to admit that both men have (at least in the past week) challenged my previous negative views of them. Ariel Sharon has done the unthinkable by saying the unsayable (at least in right wing Israeli circles): he has acknowledged that Israel's domination of Palestinians and their lands is a "conquest" (not "occupation" as mistranslated by James Bennet of the New York Times) and not a dispute (the term used by right wing Israelis). He stated clearly that it is not in Israel's long term interests to rule the Palestinians against their will. This is extraordinary political rhetoric for the godfather of the settler movement. In fact, it is verbatim political rhetoric of Peace Now and the Israeli left. If the right and left in Israel can start to sound similar in their views and rhetoric, then we may yet find a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. I continually feel like pinching myself to make sure all of this good news is real because so much of the conflict has been bleak and bloody for so long. But things look good & one hopes that they will continue to be so. I never thought I'd hear myself saying this...but I wish Sharon, Abu Mazen & Bush all the best; and great strength and fortitude to overcome the obtacles ahead.
May 31, 2003
Peace in the Middle East: This I Believe Since 1968, I have been intellectually and politically absorbed by the issue of Middle East peace. The only way to achieve real and lasting peace between Israel and the Arabs will include: 1. An independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza 2. This state must be neutral politically and not have a standing army 3. Both Israel and Palestine must have their respective capitals in Jerusalem 4. Palestinians must give up their idea of a right of physical return for those refugees who fled or were expelled in 1948. In return, Israel must recognize a right of financial compensation for the properties confiscated from its Arab neighbors inside the Green Line 5. For a time, international peacekeepers will have to patrol the border and maintain peace between Israel and Palestinians until each side has confidence that the other wishes to abide by peace agreements. Currently, I believe that both sides are on the wrong road and will never achieve peace with their respective agendas. The Palestinian Islamists must renounce terror. It gets them nowhere and is not a legitimate means of resistance. Israel's settlements are an obstacle to peace and should not be enlarged. In a final peace agreement, Israel will have to dismantle and downsize some of these settlements. The settlers who lose their homes will have to be resettled within Israel. Until each side recognizes the inevitability of making painful and difficult compromises, there will not be peace. Jewish Peace Resources: If you'd like to learn more about Israeli-Jewish groups working to promote peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, please visit the following sites: Americans for Peace Now: A U.S. group that supports Israel's Peace Now movement--http://peacenow.org American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam (Oasis of Peace): An Israeli communal village which contains members who are Jewish and Arab. Their mission is to educate the world about the possibilities for Jews & Arabs living together honorably and peaceably--http://oasisofpeace.org New Israel Fund: An international group dedicated to promoting social justice and equality within Israel. It supports projects both in Israeli Jewish and Arab communities within the Green Line--http://www.newisraelfund.org/ Brit Tzedek V'Shalom--Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace: A U.S. Jewish group devoted to Mideast peace which supports a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict--http://www.btvshalom.org/ In spite of everything I've stated here, I believe that peace can and will come not in decades, but in years--perhaps less than five years.
Arts & Crafts Period Details in Madrona HomeTom Stangeland China Hutch with Deruta Majolica When we moved into our home in 1998, we decided to furnish our main floor with Arts & Crafts furntiure. We saw Tom Stangeland's Greene & Greene dining room table (modeled on one in the Blacker House in Pasadena) at NW Fine Woodworking here in Seattle and this was (to quote Casablanca) the "beginning of a beautiful [creative] friendship." While we bought several of Tom's "set" pieces, the most exciting part of our partnership involved asking Tom to make pieces he'd never made before. He'd never designed a sofa, so we sketched out a Chinese-influenced settle with pencil & paper. Lo & behold, it turned into the beautiful piece you see below. As a wedding present, we bought Majolica dinnerware crafted by Ubaldo Grazia of Deruta, Italy. We needed to showcase these magnificent ceramic pieces so we decided we needed a China hutch. Tom researched an Arts & Crafts hutch, drew the design in pencil on a cardboard cutout, then placed it in the dining room space where the hutch was intended. This eventually became the amazing piece you'll also see below. Steve Helberg of Eastern Washington created the beautiful reading lamp (which we helped him design for this space). Yes, it has a fern frond encased in mica sheets for the lamp "shade." He is amazing craftsman in copper, metals and wood. The entry lockset is in the Eastlake Style, a late Victorian design style that anticipated the richly intricate geometric shapes of Art Deco. It is stamped with an 1885 patent which dates its manufacture to sometime after 1885. If you love Arts & Crafts and Greene & Greene as much as we do, like magnificent craftsmanship, and need a new piece of furniture--do think of Tom. By the way, Tom designed two of the Arts & Crafts suites in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel.
Seattle Arts & Crafts Style: a Home in MadronaA home in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood near Lake Washington. For photos of Tom Stangeland's magnificent Greene & Greene reproductions and other home interior details visit Madrona interior. We live in a 1906 Craftsman home in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood overlooking Lake Washington. We have a gorgeous view of the Cascade Range which lies about 40 miles east of us. We are also just across the lake from Bellevue, a Seattle suburb. The home was featured in the 2000 Madrona Home and Garden tour. We moved in in 1998 after moving here from New York. We bought the house just before we were married. Although a previous owner had done a remarkable renovation (though unfortunately not a restoration), we have been able to make our mark on the house in other ways. My friend, Michael Rose (co-owner of one of the Bay Area's finest boutique bakeries, Semifreddi's), inspired me in the early 1980s to love the Arts & Crafts architectural & design style (& wonderful food!). One of my dreams has been to create a home that is truly in that style. We did this with furniture we commissioned from Tom Stangeland, a renowned local furniture maker (for photos of Tom's work go to http://www.nwfinewoodworking.com/artisans/stangeland/stangeland.htm). He designed an extraordinary China hutch, a settle, coffee table, entertainment center, and dining room table. The dining table is a reproduction of the one in the Blacker House in Pasadena. The captain's chairs, with their curved arms & intricate cutouts and inlaid ebony pegs are an extraordinary exhibition of craftsmanship. Collaborating with him on the design phase of the hutch made us feel that we were helping Tom to create a truly wonderful piece of art. Now, we feel that we live in a Craftsman home with Craftsman furnishings! I am a gardener too. I tried to make a garden that has a Northwest native plant influence. There are perennials and flowering plants in the front yard; fruits or vegetables on the side; and the same in the backyard with an herb garden. After four years of hard work this garden has come into its own. But it requires careful editing (as a gardener might say) to take out the disappointing, decomposing or just plain overgrown. You may view some garden photos at Madrona Home Garden
Food favorites of Seattle & the Pacific Northwest Food: These are a Few of My Favorite Things Seattle is an amazing food town, which somewhat contradicts its small town, provincial past as a Scandanavian lumber and fishing port. These are a few of my favorite things here: Harvest Vine: a Basque tapas bar & possibly the best restaurant in Seattle on one of its good nights (which are many). The mustachioed Chef Jimenez is an elfin genius. His wife is the extraordinary pastry chef. Her goat cheese cakes are divine. Dahlia Bakery: dig those breads, chocolate kisses, chocolate truffle cookies and pop tarts. 60th Street Desserts: Joan Williams is perhaps the finest pastry chef in Seattle. Try the blackbotton cupcakes, ranger cookies, and any of the tarts. Farmers Markets: we attend the Columbia City & University District Famers Markets. We prefer Columbia City because the clientele is more diverse and it has more of a "village" feel compared to the packed U District. Fish: Seattle's fish is legendary thanks to the proximity of Alaska's frigid North Pacific waters. Copper River wild king salmon in June and July is the most amazing fish you've ever eaten. If you've only eaten farm raised salmon, you've eaten nothing compared to Copper River. Pure Fish in Pike Place Market serves uniformly excellent quality fish. Arosa: a small cafe tucked into a shopping center between Madison Park and Madison Valley. It's specialty is fresh waffles and they're the best in Seattle. The owner is German and has a magnificent recipe. Le Pichet: One of Seattle's finest French bistro serving elegant, yet simple meals. The service is uniformly gentle & helpful. Prices are truly moderate considering that you're eating such wonderful French food. The desserts are amazing. Coffee: Try Queen Anne Thriftway's house roast. It's hand-roasted in the Tacoma store. Stay away from megasauras Starbuck's coffee unless you like beans roasted well past bitterness. Seattle Food Guide: Katy Calcott has written The Food Lover's Guide to Seattle, the definitive guide to Seattle's best food markets, bakeries, wine shops and ethnic foods. I agree with almost all of her choices of what's best in food here. Another helpful feature is a food glossary for the various ethnic cuisines. My only quarrel is she intentionally omits restaurants and I don't see how you can write a food book about a city & omit its restaurants. Sooke Harbor House: One of our favorite hotels in the whole world. But it's like no other hotel you've ever visited. First, it's terribly relaxed and laid back. Staying here is like being invited to join the party of friends enjoying the great manor house in the seminal Jean Renoir film, Rules of the Game (Les Regles du Jeu). The hotel is in Sooke, B.C. just outside Victoria; on the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (where the Puget Sound meets the Pacific Ocean). Whales & seals bask outside your balcony door! Each suite has an ocean view and a view of the gorgeous gardens and grounds. Hiking along the coastline is magnificent. Now we come to the food: Ahhh! This is one of the five best restaurants in all of Canada. It's certainly one of the best at which I've ever dined. All ingredients are fresh and local. Fish, of course predominates, but everything including the meats are unbelievably good. Sooke Harbor House maintains an extensive garden which provides much of its produce & fruit. Spicing of the dishes is unusual and creative (& delicious too). The wine list is very large and specializes in local wineries. For a romantic experience; for an amazing culinary experience; for great hiking: spend a weekend at Sooke Harbor House. Most Overrated: for snooty French attitude, try Rover's. Everyone says it's the best restaurant in Seattle. Maybe they're right. But of the two times I've dined there, once the service was incompetent (what do you call it when the waiter forgets to serve the fish course in a 5-course meal; and then disbelieves you when you politely tell him of his mistake?) and the second time it was uncooperative and somewhat snooty. No doubt, Rover's food is elegant and incomparable. And dining al fresco on a summer evening is delightful. But the truly great restaurants don't wear their greatness on their sleeves and remind you of it at every opportunity. Pet Zagat Peeve: Why are the Seattle Zagat food ratings inflated? I always reduce the point rating by a few points to derive the true food quality. Most absurd Zagat rating: Le Pichet's "23." Seattle's best French bistro deserves at least 26, if not more. Best food writing: The best short story about food ever written (as far as I'm concerned) is I Was Really Very Hungry by M.F.K. Fisher, one of the world's greatest food writers. You can find the story in As They Were, a collection of her essays. I paraphrase Susannah Indigo's description of the story, its setting and plot in her online review, M.F.K. Fisher: A Poet of The Appetites: In 1937, Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher, a young girl spending a heady year learning all there is to know about France and its cuisine, is hiking through northern Burgundy. One morning, she arrives thirsty and ravenously hungry in her dusty clothes at an old mill that a Parisian chef has turned into one of France's most famous restaurants. But it is off-season and Fisher is the only lunch patron The servant girl who will take care of her is obsessed and passionately devoted to good food, wine and, more than all else to "Chef Paul." During lunch, Fisher and the servant engage in a subliminally libidinous duel in which they egg each other on to greater heights of gustatory passion. In the end, the young girl with the "odd pale voluptuous mouth" triumphs over Fisher, the poor, sated culinary pleasure seeker. "Permit me!" the servant girl says near the end, "and I thought she was going to kiss me," Fisher writes. But instead the servant pins a beautiful bouquet of snowdrops on her jacket, in one of the great scenes of sublimated culinary eros ever written.