Sonia Uvezian: Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen A culinary journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Excerpt: "According to the Syrian geographer Abu'l-Fida' (1273-1331), in Harim near Aleppo a unique variety of pomegranate was cultivated that was seedless, very juicy, and transparent, 'so that you see the inside from the outside.'"
Miles Morland: A Walk Across France Memoir of a Londoner who retires at age 45 from a Wall Street firm and decides to walk across France with his wife. I like his wit. Very enjoyable read.
Marlena de Blasi: A Thousand Days in Venice A memoir from a chef and food critic who was running her own cafe in Minneappolis until she fell in love while on vacation in Venice...
I received the May issue of California Home+Design in the mail. I am on page 86 in the Designer Watch section. They bungled a lot of the facts of my profile, even though a "fact checker" phoned to make sure this would not happen. Oh well. Put it down to a Gemini personality moving in too many directions to be pinned down. It's like a shell-game trying to interview me..."Which one is she hiding under?" Anyway, here I am, looking very tense, my migraine immortalized...
Actually, I discovered Emma Cassi, a French artist living in London, on Design*Sponge, among many places lately. Grace featured her home in D*Sponge's Sneek Peeks. She's an interior stylist and prop maestra...
I had the sweetest surprise the other day. A woman who had been reading my blog drove "over the hill" from Santa Cruz bearing a homemade gift (see above). Her name is Stacey Costello and she is a self-proclaimed paper fanatic. She makes the most delicate and whimsical vintage flavored paper boxes and botanical artwork. Here is a sampling of what you'll find at her Etsy shop, Stacey Costello Studios:
a fanciful fairy box...
a botanical collage...
a princess party hat...
and a donkey decoupage...
Thank you ever so much Stacey for the thoughtful gift. I love it!
We had a visit by an editor and photographer from California Home + Design Magazine at our shop recently. The coverage is due out in the May issue. I had so many projects to finish in time for the visit...embroidered wall art, settee cover, pillows, damask drapery panels, and a lighting fixture, just to name a few!
photo: close-up of one of my embroidered wall panels.
The photo session was a bit rough on me as I was fighting off a migraine, but the photographer, Jennifer, couldn't have been more sweet and understanding.
photo: Jen and my Marcel
Below is a vignette in the shop that includes my embroidery art, an Eastlake settee that I covered in burlap with one of my block print pillows on it, and a pair of silver metallic plaster lamps that came out of the famous Monte Carlo Hotel in Las Vegas:
I would love to have a studio where I can work on all of my projects...large scale textile embroideries and block prints, sculptural lighting, furniture fancies, etc. Must make that happen. It's what feeds me.
I got a call from my doctor late last night. He says I have to go back for more surgery. They didn't get all of the cancer. Damn that luck o' the Irish. Just gotta keep moving forward. Springtime is here to help me through. Etta James' song Out of the Rain comes to mind for some reason. It's a powerful song, from a powerful woman; maybe that's why.
Keeping the sun on my face.
Photo: Prayer shop on Jackson Street in San Francisco
Dare I say, "she has risen"! Grazie mille and merci beaucoup to all of you for your kind words of support. Physically the surgery was a breeze. Emotionally it's been tough. The worst part of my recovery has been that the surgery hastened my period, and hence my menstrual migraine. But at least it kept me in bed for two days solid, otherwise I might have been tempted to get right back to my routine. The silver lining of a migraine, ha!
This is what I look at from my perch on the sofa:
I must say, springtime is a great time to be reborn! Warmest wishes to all of you. xo xo xo
P.S. My soundtrack right now is Stevie Wonder- A Place in the Sun (1966).
Tomorrow is my cancer surgery at Stanford Hospital. I feel good, other than the fact that I have to get up at 4am, ugh. Must be washed, dressed, and have had my coffee (black only) and be out the door by 5am. Let's hope I have the luck o' the Irish.
I am so incredibly pleased that the song Falling Slowly from the movie Once won the Oscar for best song. The Oscar show, which is all too often so commercial, found some heart last night. Twice in fact. The song's female singer/pianist Marketa Irglova of the duo The Swell Season was cut off from giving an acceptance speech. I pleaded outload, "They have to bring her back...someone should give up their time to her...let her speak instead of showing another silly montage. Pleeeeeease." My partner Richie says he continues to be stunned by my psychic directoral powers over the television. Ha! They brought her back out!
It's been almost two months now since I spent three and a half hours (partly due to my computer still being very buggy) writing a post all about the film ONCE. When I finished writing the post and clicked "preview" the whole thing disappeared. I haven't been able to return to posting til now.
I can't say enough about this sweet story. Everything about it really does inspire hope; the music, the $100,000 budget, the use of handycams, and non-actors (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova), the simple, unpredictable writing and directing (John Carney), and all made in three weeks on location in and around Dublin, Ireland (without permits!). Real people getting together and making real art. That's why it's a film that moves me like no other in a very long time. It's very real.
P.S. Bassist Alaistair Foley and I share the same surname :)
Congratulations to all involved in the process of making such a fulfilling and simply lovely piece of work.
"Raise your hopeful voice...you have a choice...you make it now"
I'm back online. Whew! I have so many kind people to thank. First of all thank you to Lillian and Helmut. The many hours spent by Helmut repairing my computer were embellished by the gift of massage and a lovely meal granted by Lillian. Thank you both so much! I want to give honorable mentions.... to sweet Tina for her genorous offer to pay for all of the neccessary repairs, unbelievable!...to Scott, Mitchell's "Dad" (pictured below with my Marcel), for his special offer to tackle the repair...to Colleen, from Saffron and Genevieve, for propositioning her friend Ray...and to Ray, of course, for his offer to fix my computer gratis. If you're in the Santa Cruz area please patronize this kind man's computer retail and repair business, Serengeti Systems.
Marcel & his friend Mitchell
I count my lucky stars to be surrounded by such special people. I can only begin to express how much I appreciate your support. Merci for your prayers, your offers of help, and your beautiful uplifting words. I have been touched by you all. All of the people who have taken the time to comment here, and to share. Being in touch and feeling connected is so important. People taking pause, in the middle of daily strife and routines, to make a difference. Connecting. Taking time to be real and humane. It's what really matters, afterall. Merci to the thoughtful people who made dedications to me on their sites...Sharon from Vintage Studio; Sheri atDesigner Junk Finder; andHolly at decor 8, who psychically chose me for Blog of the Week on the day that I was diagnosed. And mucho merci to those who have sent me gifts. I will share them here shortly.
And big hugs and kisses to my family for keeping me smiling and giving me reason to be. I am the patient, but you are the ones who are patient! I love you!
