The Curateur

Remarkable Music to Move your Soul

2011-06-12T20:58:00.000-04:00

Leave it to Daptone Records to give voice to an unlikely star...really incredible life story bellies serious talent.

Welcome to the stage Charles Bradley:

Road Trip!!!!

2011-06-07T11:34:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that I love a good road trip...there's really nothing as liberating as just getting in the car and going.

And while my favorites have always been the Pacific Northwest and New England, I'll be living vicariously through a few friends as they make their way to Bonnaroo and beyond.

http://thisisaboutmyroadtrip.tumblr.com/

My Favorite Things: Today

2011-06-02T21:54:00.001-04:00

Let me just say, I borrowed the idea for this list from someone else. I just can't quite remember who started the idea, though it's entirely possible it was the creation of a young woman with a penchant for singing in the hills who ended up marrying the father of the six children she was a nanny for. (Rather scandalous when it's put that way, don't you think?)

Here's a list of some of my favorite things in no particular order:

Ivanka Trump's new line of shoes. Clearly she's a city chick; hot shoes that are affordable, exactly what you want in your closet, and with inserts so you can actually walk in them!
Rachel Platten's debut album, Be Here Now. (Hint: If Sam Cox at BMI ever suggests you go check out an artist. You should.)
Chen Lo and the Liberation Family. I don't know that much about them except to say that they wanted to release an album after touring the world as part of The Rhythm Road, and Kickstarter helped them raise the funds to head into the studio and get to work.
Biking in central park on sunny days (minus tourists)...sorry guys, but you're a traffic hazard.
"NCIS" marathons on USA.
Fish Tacos with lime and cilantro.
Afternoon naps.

So Said Obama..."The Audacity of Hope"

2011-04-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

I was on the train home tonight and as this song played on my iPod, I thought how ironic that the touch points of this song are "Safe. Prosperous. Free." and the push to be audaciously hopeful of the future by a soon-to-be President Obama.

MC Yogi - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

I'm still an Obama advocate. But between this Huffington Post article today, what I can stomach of what's going on in the world, and a reminder of what this administration was born of...I can't say I'm not wondering when we'll come back to the place we started with a boldly inspiring President Obama.

To be audaciously hopeful. Dream.

A Lesson in Customer Service

2011-03-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

I went to the tailor today, because I realized a dress he had just altered last week was I'm-about-to-pass-out tight. I was just hoping he would fix it without charging me; but to my surprise not only did he fix it in a few hours, but he gave me money back because I didn't like it the first time around.

This tailor is not Best Buy or Sephora, and yet, rather than have me unhappy with the job he did, he wanted to make sure I felt beautiful (and could breathe) in my dress.

So although today's revenue went down as a result of the refund, I will only be taking my alterations to him. And when someone asks for a referral to a great local tailor, you know where I'll be pointing them (don't ask me the name of the place--it's one of those tiny shops on 84th street just off of York on the North side of the street). And I just took time out from my day to alert anyone who stumbles on this blog to the wonders of exemplary customer service from a lovely Greek tailor on the Upper East Side.

A pretty smart way to deal with a pain-in-the-ass customer (me) if I do say so myself!

REDESIGN!

2011-03-06T18:16:00.001-05:00

I was inspired by today's just-revealed redesign of The New York Times Magazine to institute my own redesign.

Thoughts?

You Oughta Know Vol. II (Complete Fun Facts Edition)

2011-03-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

Without further ado, I give you volume II of the You Oughta Know Artists Playlist...cheers to a mix of nostalgia and revelations!

And as always, what's a Curateur playlist without a few Fun Facts...

This song from Gotan Project is featured in my favorite scene from a not-a-great-remake Shall We Dance with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. This scene is great though and made me want to try ballroom dancing (I did, at Dance With Me Soho...a really fun non-intimidating studio with instructors that make you feel like you don't have two left feet when it comes to ballroom dancing.)

Melody Gardot has one of the most intriguing paths to a music career, as a result of music therapy, following a near fatal car-bike accident that left her bed-ridden for almost a year and with ongoing challenges. Even beyond the incredibility of her history, I am absolutely in love with her voice and phrasing style, and this is one of my favorite albums of the past few years.

Taj Mahal is one of the greats of blues. Surprising to discover that this very talented dirty old man was actually born in Harlem and raised in Springfield, Mass. and not Down South as his music would insinuate.

Mumford & Sons are the one of few bands that killed it with their performance at this year's Grammys. And admittedly, seeing a Glassnote Records artist (a small label that up until a few years ago had only 1-2 artists) on stage with a [disappointing] Bob Dylan at the Grammys was a shining moment for new music.

"Home" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros is the cool kids' wedding song of the year; evidenced by two very cool kids who used it for their wedding site theme song and were married yesterday. Congrats my sweet friends Stephy & Jeff!

Local Natives and this album are one of the best finds I've discovered in years. And I still love that I got Jess from MVY Radio (one of my favorite radio stations) hooked on them.

Clare & the Reasons were the special guests during a talk given by a McGill professor last month at the 92STY who wrote the book "This is Your Brain on Music". The talk was something of a disappointment (poorly structured), but the band was an absolute highlight.

Rosi Golan was featured during the music placement panel moderated by Josh Rabinowitz of Grey WorldWide at Billboard's Music & Advertising Conference 2 years ago. I fell in love with her album, and then turns out, ended up sitting next to her manager at another dear friend's wedding brunch last summer who thought I was pulling his chain when I gushed on her/her album (she is unsigned).

One eskimO is Ellen Degeneres' favorite band. But I swear I liked them first.

Citizen Cope is an artist I have a very long history with from having been around for his very first show at Sin-E...he plays a 3-night residency this week at City Winery and Sheryl Crow recently covered one of his songs on a duet with him on her album.

K'Naan opened on Lenny Kravitz's recent tour and blew people away. Somehow I'd already heard this track and bought the album. Don't ask me how.

Adele was introduced around the same time as Lily Allen a few years ago, and frankly I think she got lost in the UK girl-power explosion. Adele is in the same camp for me as Alice Russell, another phenomenal voice from the UK, that until recently has been overlooked. She doesn't look like a lot of other artists, and so her presence in music videos has been [in my mind] somewhat marginalized. I'd like whoever has a say in that to stop. Take your stage woman!

My Dear Disco's "Replaceable" is perpetually stuck in my head (and a great song for the gym). It is also the theme for MKG's online office tour. The band just signed with the management team of one of my favorite live bands of the past 10 years (Mute Math). So all signs suggest you should pay attention (unsigned).

Ah Diplo, oh how I adore everything you do. Though I have to admit I prefer your own projects to your artist productions, though everyone else seems to love them (Santigold and MIA to name-drop a few). Nicely done on the Blackberry Torch sponsorship, though I hear they switched agencies shortly after they ran. Something you said?

Clare and the Reasons...you are officially added to next You Oughta Know installment

2011-02-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

Clare and the Reasons performed as special guests at a talk/jam session given by a McGill professor, producer and author of "This is Your Brian on Music" David Levitin at the 92STY on Wednesday night. I didn't stay for the entirety of the event...if Clare and the Reasons had performed more than one song though, I just might have. Where did this band come from and why were they guests of David!! The mind reels...I'm in love and embarking on some research into the band, but while I do there's no reason to deprive you of some tunes I've stumbled upon.

Don't get me wrong, David and Adam Gopnik of The New York Times have great chemistry that obviously bellies a collegiate friendship, but I would have liked a little more performance/story-telling, and less two very intelligent music heads geeking out on stage. (David let it slip that he had spent the previous evening getting guitar lessons from Paul Simon and had had songwriting help from Joni Mitchell...whhaaaattt??? Tell me more, fellow Alumni!)

Thank Goodness for Susan Stroman & For The Love of Duke!

2011-02-05T19:20:00.000-05:00

For everything that the Wall Street Journal seemed to hate about Susan Stroman's ballet for Lincoln Center, I LOVED it for! From the music (Duke Ellington) to the dancers (exuberantly talented) to the set (reminiscent of a Gene Kelly classic) it was a wonderful note to end the evening on.

The evening got off to a great start, thanks to Ed's Chowder House in the Empire Hotel across the street from Lincoln Center...all-in-all such a terrific pre-theatre dining option! The food was delicious, the service a bit over-attentive (every time I put down my fork there was someone hovering asking if I was finished), and the room is beautiful. My only suggestion? Ed needs to decide if he's a white table cloth restaurant or a chowder house; the middle is a bit confusing. (Oh and as Mother Pogue pointed out, the hostess stand is a lawsuit waiting to happen...space for about 5 people to stand, though tends to have more like 15 people at the top of a staircase and next to a coat check. Food for thought China Grill Management).

The 3rd piece of New York City Ballet's performance last night was Susan Stroman's "For the Love of Duke", and judging by the audience's reaction upon exiting Lincoln Center, we weren't alone in thinking her piece was the evening's highlight. I enjoyed Tschaikovsky's "Mozartiana", the opening vignette immediately grabs you, though it then looses it's hold by the 2nd act. The dancers are lovely, but I don't remember there being so many flaws, missteps and disregarding of hand positions (makes me appreciate Fosse even more).

If this means that musicals a la Gene Kelly are making a comeback, I'm a very very excited girl.

You Oughta Know Music LifeStyleLetter PART 1

2011-01-13T17:39:00.000-05:00

VH1 began the new year featuring Sia in their "You Oughta Know" Artist program. Which befuddled me. Honestly, I even said as much in my Facebook status update...I was convinced VH1 was screwing with me as I've known and loved Sia for at least seven years and a handful of albums; her voice is powerful and yet naive at the same time; and there has been nary a better live show than the one I saw her perform at SXSW in neon dayglow a few years ago. However, according to a cross-section of responses to my posting from Facebook friends, it would seem there is actually a fairly large group of people who don't know her.

So New Year's Resolution Number 1; inspired by VH1, I am sharing artists and songs that I hope to become household names in 2011, in the event they've mysteriously slipped through the cracks until now. Turns out there's a lot, so consider this Part 1.

And since everyone likes the fun facts that I seem able to remember easier than the names of people I meet at parties, here's a few random ones:

The Pogues, Love you Till the End - My namesake that just happens to be an iconic band. The song was amply used in a sweet film with Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler; "P.S. I Love You"

Sia, Breathe Me - The featured song in "HBO's "Six Feet Under" final montage of the series.

Zero 7, In the Waiting Line - This album featured Sia and was when I first fell in love with her vocals. And you might remember it as part of the soundtrack from a little film called "Garden State".

Florence + the Machine, Dog Days are Over - A good song, and likely the most recognizable given it was featured in the trailer for Julia Robert's film version of "Eat Pray Love" (My mom loved the film, my Aunt Caroline asked me to never mention it though did have an amusing story about a local T-shirt it inspired in Bali, "Eat Pray Leave").

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Hot Summer Night - This band's new album reminds me of the jumping off point that Kings of Leon's Only By the Night album was for that band. Plus, it's the first band that seems to have captured the same mix of talent, fun and sex appeal this year. Paris (Ooh La La) is the more recognizable song, but it's chilly out and this song helps to trick me into thinking it's warmer.

Pink Martini, Hey Eugene - I have no idea how I stumbled upon this band, but it was this year and is a cherished find. Any band that describes themselves as what the house band for the United Nations in 1962 would sound like if there was such a thing, is worth a listen.

Alice Russell, Hurry on Now - Hands down one of my favorite songs. I was introduced to Alice while working at 456 by Matt Life (one half of the epic A&R duo alongside Schott Free who make up East Village Radio's "Frozen Files" (On air TODAY from 4-6PM).

Eli Paperboy Reed, Tell Me What I need to Know - I've tried to catch a show at least five times and it's always a near miss for one reason or another. At this point the band is my unicorn.

Raphael Saadiq, Keep Marchin - Probably one of my most favorite albums overall. Who knew a founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone! and Lucy Pearl would pull together one of my go-to albums?

Part 2 coming soon. I'm impossibly impatient when it comes to sharing new music...especially when half my friends have admitted to knowing less than 75% of the names on this list.

MyFoodMyHealth Newsletter

2011-01-11T10:03:00.000-05:00

I like the topics covered in today's newsletter, so decided to share. If you'd like to receive your own newsletter direct to your inbox, visit MyFoodMyHealth to sign up.

Vital Choice: Naturally Healthy and Delicious Seafood and Organics Delivered Right to Your Door

We'd like to draw your attention to Vital Choice (www.vitalchoice.com.) Vital Choice is MyFoodMyHealth’s recommended source for fast, home delivery of the world's finest wild Alaskan seafood and organic fare, harvested from healthy, well-managed wild fisheries and farms. Why do we recommend Vital Choice?

• Top Quality – Vital Choice is the very best quality available and backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
• Certified Purity – By nature, Vital Choice wild fish and shellfish are free of hazardous levels of contaminants.
• Great Nutrition – Fish is rich in protein, omega-3s, vitamin D and other nutrients.
• Well-managed and Sustainable – All Vital Choice seafood comes from well-managed, sustainable wild fisheries, certified by the State of Alaska, the Marine Stewardship Council, and independent organizations like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program.

10% Discount on One January Purchase from Vital Choice

Readers of the MyFoodMyHealth newsletter can enjoy a 10% discount on a single purchase placed with Vital Choice during January 2011. Use the Promo Code MFMH10 to enjoy 10% off any single purchase at www.vitalchoice.com thru Jan. 31, 2011.

MyFoodMyHealth Recipe for Orange Balsamic Basil Marinated Salmon

Use naturally delicious Vital Choice salmon for this MyFoodMyHealth Recipe for Orange Balsamic Basil Marinated Salmon. It is deeply nourishing, easy and delicious.

Download Recipe Now

A Note from Our Chief Nutrition Advisor: What’s The Big Deal about Gluten and Casein?

by Kathie Madonna Swift MS RD LDN

Gluten and casein are components of the typical American diet that some individuals with chronic health complaints may be better off without. This is most likely because gluten and casein ingestion in sensitive individuals can stimulate a cascade of events that deteriorates digestive function. Every system in the body can be affected as the fragments of gluten and casein go on a digestive rampage. The immune system and the nervous system in the gut are negatively impacted by this dietary duo which leads to a host of ailments including headaches, behavioral changes, chronic fatigue, irritable and inflammatory bowel, weight gain or weight loss and more. The good news: following an elimination diet that excludes these dietary antagonists can restore balance and optimize your health.

What are the sources of gluten and casein in the diet?

Gluten: An umbrella term for a family of proteins found in certain grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut and other grains/grain products that are “cross-contaminated” with gluten

Casein: One of the major proteins in milk and milk products (cow, goat and sheep)

If you think you might be gluten or casein sensitive is there an easy way to check?

Try eliminating one of the items (gluten or casein) from your diet for three weeks and then gradually re-introduce it into your diet. If you notice a difference in bodily functions and how you feel, you may be sensitive to that item.

How much time does it take to start noticing the difference from a gluten and casein free diet?

The time varies tremendously. Some people may experience noticeable differences in symptoms within days to weeks. Other people may require a mega dose of patience because they may not experience a change in their condition for months.

Want to learn more about a delicious gluten and casein free diet? My Foundation Diet is a delicious gluten and casein free elimination diet solution. Enjoy this luscious recipe for Shiitake Soup with Bean Thread Noodles and get started on the path back to robust health! Download Recipe Now

My Foundation Diet Expanded Second Edition

Now with flexitarian and vegetarian recipes & meal plansThe My Foundation Diet created by Kathie in conjunction with MyFoodMyHealth is a seasonal, delicious, whole foods approach to optimizing your health and genetic potential.

Learn more about the My Foundation Diet

Learn more about Kathie

www.vitalchoice.com

Spinning Wednesday Away...

2011-01-03T16:13:00.000-05:00

Granted, I'm Team Bethenny, but I'm pretty dang excited to see what hilarity will ensue on Wednesday. Even better is that I've never been to a class at SoulCycle and am hoping I don't fall off the bike.

Paris vs. New York Style

2010-12-16T18:38:00.000-05:00

It doesn't matter how well you dress in New York. People still dress better in Europe. The Sartorialist proves it. Over and over again. An example of how unbalanced the fight is even at its best...

Paris

vs. New York

It's an unfair fight really...

The Sexiest Song of 2010

2010-12-10T11:32:00.001-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of end of the year lists. Everyone does them and they tend to be predictable and an editorial ego contest of who can reference the most obscure creations amidst revelations that Katy Perry's songs stick in your head like Cher strutting on a navy boat singing "If I Could Turn Back Time".

However, this song oozes sensuality much like Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody" do, and since that band held the Sexiest Song title for the past year or so, I felt a Sexiest Song of 2010 Recognition should be given and the torch passed.

Sexiest Song of 2010 is "Paris (Ooh la la)" by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Is Margaritaville in Jamaica?

2010-12-08T17:11:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the brattiness of posting these glorious tropical photos, but with the cold weather in NYC I'm clutching to the memories of last weekend spent celebrating the world's best mom. And is it just our experience, or are Jamaicans the nicest and most hospitable people you've ever met too?

The only thing that would have made the weekend better? I little more sunshine and a little more reggae...but other than that, thank you Round Hill and Jetsetter!

"I don't have a go-to bar..."

2010-12-03T21:05:00.000-05:00

I've become something of a fountain of uncategorized information for my friends and have decided that when I pass along a referral or suggestion, I might as well share with everyone (when I can remember of course:)

Request: For a go-to chill / fun bars for sneaker wearing guys and gals who like to drink beer and possibly dance around with other chill / fun people:

Drop Off Service
13th street and Ave A
Great beer selection. Serves wine in the correct stemware. Fun jukebox. No attitude. Lots o Laughter. Awesome staff.

2A
2nd street and Ave A
It's a bar. There's fun people. It's near lots of really delicious restaurants.

Niagra
7th street and Ave A
It's dirty. You will do stupid things here. You will dance to at least 3 Madonna songs. You will likely see at least two groups of girls leading around a gal with condoms attached to her shirt. You will wish you drank more to remember less of the evening.

Marshall Stack
Rivington and Allen
The standard go to bar. Jukebox. Great beers. Eats. Cash only. Dark. Just a great bar.

Sometimes you just want to say...

2010-11-28T12:46:00.001-05:00

Thinking of you.

Dreaming...

2010-09-01T23:38:00.001-04:00

Dreaming of a carefree summer day...courtesy of Ashley Said That

The Curateur's Lifestyleletter...Comments

2010-08-16T12:38:00.000-04:00

I decided to post this immediately, even though it just went out, because of this response I got back from a beloved reader that made me laugh so hard I that snorted...

Please do not review Eat Pray Love next or I may throw up !!

Much love,

Aunt C

ROUTINE!

Ever notice how that word carries with it, if not a negative, than a somewhat cranky connotation? I just contributed an article to Green Monkey for an upcoming issue on the topic of "routines", which led me consider my routines; cherishing the ones that make me smile like this photo from We Heart It,

and considering leaving the others that illicit a reaction like this one from Amadika's Flickr behind.

These are a few of my faves...

Travel Routine: When I return home to NYC after a traveling spell, dinner is almost always takeout from Chicky's, a glass of wine and sitting at my kitchen table watching the world go by. I also have a tendency to randomly shout as if anyone is listening, "I love my apartment! I love being home!" Somehow I think my apartment needs the reassurance...

Weekend Routine: This routine isn't so much particular to me, as it is particular to New Yorkers I think, and centers around a quiet Sunday morning with the Times, a cup of coffee, a delicious breakfast, and jazz emanating around me. The source of said jazz tends to either be; a) Kind of Blue on my iPod (If you don't own some version of this entire Miles Davis album, you really REALLY should), b) God Bless the Child on the turntable, or c) WBGO on the Tivoli.

If you don't like listening to the radio, invest in a Tivoli. It has changed my world.

Roadtrip Routine: I drive a lot and enjoy road trips, but certain songs and albums make the ride so much more enjoyable and tend to be on constant rotation (some, i.e. Linkin Park, may even promote a lead foot). My little brother also recently discovered that I like driving with the windows down, the music turned up, and the seat warmers on. Hey, everyone has their quirks.

Mind-Body-Spirit Routine: Five days a week I roll out of bed and onto my yoga mat. My home practice lasts between 20 minutes and an hour; involves pranayama, asanas, and a selected mudra* to try for the day (Here's some tips on ways to integrate these quiet moments into your lifestyle.). And whether I'm the only person who notices the difference in a day that doesn't begin with yoga, or anyone else can tell the difference in my demeanor, it's a routine that I treasure.

*A mudra is a yogic hand pose rooted in Hindu teachings. Their lineage is somewhat mysterious and their affects disputed, but if you have ever had a hand or foot reflexology session or acupuncture, you can appreciate its thesis. An easy reference may be found here.

Roadtrip Routine

2010-08-16T11:26:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday!

2010-08-16T10:32:00.000-04:00

If this video doesn't make you at least crack a smile, you may seriously want to consider saying you have a doctor's appointment, instead going home and try waking up on the other side of the bed to start the day over again.

Yoga routine tricky tool #1: Music

2010-08-05T20:41:00.000-04:00

A playlist to practice by...

What's your soundtrack?

2010-07-31T13:47:00.000-04:00

Blogging yogis...

2010-07-29T19:03:00.000-04:00

Just in case you don't follow Traveler's Yoga...NYT loves yoga.

The bigger question then being; ummm, why not?

Living Vicariously

2010-07-25T12:17:00.000-04:00

Mosaic chic is on an epic European journey and she's allowing her friends and followers to live vicariously, myself included. I suspect the trip will inspire some amazing new pieces from the mosaic and jewelry artist, and can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

I love these images...keep up with her neverland

Top 5 Reasons I will stop making fun of the Upper East Side

2010-07-13T09:50:00.000-04:00

I've been known to lament my residency on the Upper East Side as it's been my home for most of my life, even though I spend most of my time below 14th street. For the reasons below, it may be time to retire the schtick.

2/3 of the Upper East Side have summer homes elsewhere...I don't really care where, because wherever they go it means that the park is quiet, Madison Avenue serene, and the few people left in the neighborhood seem to walk around with an ease that doesn't happen any other time of year.
For my monthly sojourns to the Cape, coming home couldn't be easier; 5 minutes after I cross the bridge I'm in front of my building. If I lived in the neighborhoods I've been known to covet (West Village, Cobble Hill) it'd be another 30 minutes to an hour...which is the last thing I want after 5 hours on I-95.
My apartment is buffered by two amazing patches of grass and bodies of water; Carl Shultz park that sits on the East River, and Central Park's Jackie Onassis Reservoir.
There are no cool bars, lounges, or clubs in my immediate vicinity. Ergo safe and relatively quiet evenings to fall asleep.
And the final push to loving my neighborhood? The Upper East Side is no longer a foodie's Siberia thanks to standby's and recent additions: Luke's Lobster, Cascabel Taqueria, pio pio, Shake Shack, Cafe d'Alsace, Vermicelli, Zebu Grill & Vinegar Factory!

Lifestyle Letter: The beach is not the place to work.

2010-07-09T11:48:00.000-04:00

When the sun is shining this bright and there's a heatwave blanketing the Northeast, I tend to "forget" my blackberry at home and head for the closest body of water to dunk into. So here's a few tips from my Blissful City / Beach / Country Summer:

Got a favorite sandbar? Mine is about 4 hours Northeast of NYC. A bus ticket to Cape Cod is about $70, or you can make friends with the local car rental location and ask about best rates. Debora @ The Hertz Wareham location has THE BEST service and rates for one way rentals from Cape Cod to NYC. I lucked out this week and rented a car for the same price as a bus ticket, which meant detours along US1 to Noank and Madison, Connecticut for strolling, shopping, and sun-worshipping. (I think Noank is my favorite of the two--I'm a sucker for any town where people say hello as they pass you on the street, and the fact that there's a family living in the house that was once the town jail in the 1800's is pretty awesome--though feng shui-wise probably not a great idea.)

Plan an epic summer beach day. On a recent Cape Cod excursion, the day began with a spectacular early morning nature kayak tour of the saltwater marshes with great friends, a pool party BBQ, and ended on a longboard at Marconi Beach--catching baby waves and practicing my French with two nomadic Montrealers searching for waves. (some photos are posted below...I spent most of the day shouting inappropriately, "This is beautiful!" Thanks Bryan!!!)

Be kind to yourself. If you're working hard during the week, forgive yourself your regular workout and swap it with a restorative yoga practice, therapeutic massage, or an evening stroll. When works slows, chances are you'll be excited to push the limits of your chosen activity and exercise with joy, as opposed to contempt.

And in a related but slightly obscure note, I can't believe I didn't actually write this...Anne Morrow Lindbergh's 1955 Gift from the Sea hits every emotion and every thought I'm having with such poignant accuracy that it's startling. And of course, I want to share:

I began these pages for myself, in order to think out my own particular pattern of living, my own individual balance of life, work, and human relationships. And since I think best with a pencil in my hand, I started naturally to write. I had the feeling, when the thoughts first clarified on paper, that my experience was very different from other people's. (Are we all under this illusion?) My situation had, in certain ways, more freedom than that of most people, and in certain other ways, much less.

from "The Beach" Chapter:

The beach is not the place to work; to read, write or think. I should have remembered that from other years. Too warm, too damp, too soft for any real mental discipline or sharp flights of spirit.

More here on Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Gift from the Sea"

Live the moment...

explore cape cod

2010-07-09T11:10:00.000-04:00

more coming...

Balance is...

2010-06-29T10:41:00.000-04:00

...currently being re-established so that my unintended, and yet much-needed, hiatus from blogging/writing can come to an end. So if you've taken The Curateur off your blog roll or however you read the posts, perhaps now is a good time to start checking back in.

I'm just sayin...

The power of music, of the internet, of women...

2010-05-17T20:50:00.000-04:00

Change happens faster than I realized and I've barely been able to catch my breath after recent [all good] events.

What this sudden change has allowed, however, is insight into The Curateur's readers' lives. The realization is this: you have to really WANT to be your best self, in order to set your alarm for 6:00AM instead of 8:00AM just for a daily yoga practice or run around your neighborhood, before heading to work. Realizing this, I've recognized that I may have been bordering on flippant with previous promotion of a mind-body-spirit practice thinking, as many people do, "Just do it. Make the time." And yet, when time away from work is so precious that it's a question of yoga/therapeutic activity, or spending time with friends & family, sleeping, eating and mindless time on the couch watching Bravo...it's not always an easy intention to follow through with. And this coming from someone who KNOWS how beneficial a regular yoga practice is to a person's peak performance!

So here's what I will say before moving onto my other "love affairs": I went a week without doing yoga or any physical activity because of change...and I had more headaches, less energy, more neck and lower back pain than I've had in awhile. Inevitably, I asked myself the same question I posed above about whether I want to be my best self, and that drove my butt outta bed at 6:30AM for 3-consecutive mornings and onto my yoga mat for a 45 minute practice. And wouldn't you know it, the pain and tension lessened...so we really do preach what we need to learn.

My advice for this lovely Monday morning: Consider how you feel midweek, and if you're not at your peak performance; try setting the alarm 30 minutes earlier and do some gentle hatha yoga. If, after a few days of doing this you don't notice any difference, you can go happily back to setting your alarm 35 minutes before you have to be at work.

A few recent love affairs that I want to share:

The Local Natives (A sweet share from The Curateur's community c/o Broken Tambourine) - The live show is phenomenally soulful and almost sensual...these are a few of the songs that I chair dance to when I'm "working". (Not the best performances, but audio quality is good and you're just going to have to trust me on the live show.) Talking Heads cover "Warning Sign" & "Airplanes"

The power of the internet - I wrote this post almost 2 years ago, and people are still commenting on it! (Mostly to tell me I'm wrong, but hey--dialogue is dialogue.)

The graceful strength of a woman - Last weekend I was walking behind a woman in a wheelchair as she was making her way up a street with an impressive incline. Not only didn't she have either of her legs and was stunningly beautiful, but she declined my offer to help push her to the crest with a smile and a polite "No thank you, I'll make it myself." Needless to say, I thought of her when I started to whine to myself about waking up at 6:30AM this week.

So here comes the mantra..."You have more strength than you give yourself credit for. Tap into it and work towards being the best version of yourself, whatever that means for you."

The end of LaLa...

2010-05-02T21:24:00.000-04:00

This is an automated message. Please do not reply.

Dear The C.,
The Lala service will be shut down on May 31st.
In appreciation of your support over the last five years, you will receive a credit in the amount of your Lala web song purchases for use on Apple's iTunes Store. If you purchased and downloaded mp3 songs from Lala, those songs will continue to play as part of your local music library.
Remaining wallet balances and unredeemed gift cards will be converted to iTunes Store credit (or can be refunded upon request). Gift cards can be redeemed on Lala until May 31st.
Thank you.
Lala

Grandpa's Vinyl Music Box: Nancy Wilson's "Son of a Preacher Man"

2010-04-25T13:25:00.000-04:00

Remember that episode of Sex in the City where Carrie admitted that she sometimes bought VOGUE instead of food because she felt it "fed her more"...No? Am I the only non-closeted SITC fan? Well, that's how I feel about music. And a good vinyl spinning on a rainy Sunday is like savoring a great glass of red wine paired with a divine cheese (I'm a fan of the Malbecs from Argentina that seemed to have become the most popular thing on the wine list in the past few years, and splurging on a wedge of mimolette).

So, I finally got the speakers working this morning and pulled out the first vinyl to catch my eye from Grandpa's Vinyl Music Box (only now it's been supplemented by Mom and Dad's respective Vinyl Music Boxes as well). Nancy Wilson's Son of a Preacher Man...

Sourced from Soundstagedirect.com

I didn't know much about her, and certainly not that she's one of the originators of this classic song. So I stretched out on the floor like a 1950's teenager in "Bye Bye Birdie" letting the crackling audio envelope me, and found that the lesser-known tracks on the album are perhaps even more stunning than Son of a Preacher Man. Check out By the Time I Get to Phoenix...

You went to Coachella. I heard...

2010-04-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I wonder whether Facebook isn't actually the devil; who else would take such pleasure in letting me know all the good times my friends are having without me? So for all my friends shaking off the less-than-positive effects of a weekend music festival; desert sand in places that will remain unnamed, hours spent traveling dusty highways and across time zones, and detoxing from too much of whatever you indulged in while listening to Jay-Z and Beyonce (I heard, they were awesome.) go here for Traveler's Yoga tips. You don't need any prior knowledge of yoga to practice, and the tips that Meredith and I post can help you shake off the negative effects of travel faster than Tylenol. (Ok, that's a somewhat gross overstatement because the effects are more long-term, but your liver and kidneys might appreciate the break).

Thinking about the beverages consumed this weekend by all my Coachella Festival-going Facebook friends (it is the desert after all...hydration is key), I began to wonder whether Coachella employs biodegradable cups and containers, it being the month that we celebrate Earth Day and all. Which then led to this article that I wrote for Green Monkey's Balance Living Guide that offers sustainable living tips from someone far from perfect when it comes to environmental-friendliness (I'm a work in progress), examples of how to utilize the Jewish guilt your grandmother taught you for good, and spots of humor inspired by my mother's philosophy of "laughter at your expense" when it comes to family.

And here's a Green Tip for today: I carry a raw cotton tote bag with the words "Reduce. Recycle. Renew" because it's light, it fits everything, and you can't imagine feeling like a bigger jackass when you have to walk home from the grocery store with arms full of plastic bags, because you forgot your reusable shopping bags. Let's just say that you don't forget the shopping bags on your next run to the market.

Green Monkey "Balanced Living Guide" April Newsletter Excerpt

2010-04-15T19:13:00.002-04:00

How to get Sustainable in Honor of Earth Day

By Sam Pogue, Green Monkey Contributing Writer

This month′s topic is Sustainable Living in honor of Earth Day...and let's just say that my “eco-friendliness” is still on a learning curve. My idea of sustainable living is pretty simplistic: Consume less, conserve more. And as it turns out, the economic recession actually helped actualize this theory, as according to a poll in the New York Times "16 percent (i.e. 50 million people) live in multigenerational households, the highest since the 1980′s". You′re likely thinking, what does that have to do with sustainable living? Well, more people sharing space = less people taking up space. And here′s my first-hand account of how sustainable a multigenerational family can be...since somehow I ended up sharing a three-bedroom former vacation home on Cape Cod, with my grandmother and mother for the past year.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING TIP #1

When I decided to abandon my adorable Upper East Side apartment almost two years ago in search of the unknown and to help care for my grandmother in Cape Cod, I donated almost everything I owned, save for the important things (I define "important" as clothing, accessories, books and music). Furniture that passed muster went to Housing Works; an amazing organization that supports innovation in HIV and AIDS research through the sale of donated items. Salvageable electronics and an old laptop went to Per Scholas http://www.perscholas.org/support.html.

The tip? Just because you′ve decided you don′t want something, doesn′t mean it belongs at the top of a garbage heap. See what local organizations are collecting and donate before trashing.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING TIP #2

Okay, this isn′t perhaps the nicest use of Jewish guilt, but it sure was effective! My grandmother has a habit of running the dishwasher half full of dishes that have already been washed. She likes things super clean...so I might have told her that she could possibly be single-handedly responsible for creating a draught similar to those in Africa on the Cape if she kept it up. Sure she stopped talking to me for the rest of the day, but I take solace in knowing I′m doing my part in environmental conservation.

The tip? Jewish guilt is usefully applied to environmental conservation, in addition to it′s more common use for making you feel bad for not calling your mother more often and not giving her grandchildren.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING TIP #3

Three women + one car = a smaller carbon footprint and less gluttonous shopping sprees. Granted it does create some tension and an abused calendar scribbled with everyone′s car-related activities, it also ensures less consumerism.

The tip? If possible pool your car-related errands into one afternoon, instead of daily driving. Oh, and walk more.

Read the rest of the tips here.

Good hip-hop thaws the soul, just as Spring thaws the soil.

2010-04-07T15:39:00.000-04:00

(Note: I think this title is possibly even better than the one from this morning's LifeStyleLetter.)

Thanks to music projects by friends like Schott Free, my argument that there is very little good hip-hop being played on the radio may have to relent.

Free and Matt Life are reminding listeners what hip-hop used to be about and what it can still be on Frozen Files, a show on East Village Radio that blends the best of old school and new hip-hop with spots of soul and funk. And yeah, they know the difference between the good and the bad; both have had a hand in hip-hop for so long that the list of artists they've worked with and helped bring to light could fill an independent record store. Remember record stores? Those places where you could go and ask the staff for suggestions, peruse listening stations, and spend hours digging through racks of CDs and vinyl? Gosh, those were good times. I digress...So if your Venti Latte isn't doing the job of perking you up from 4-6pm EST, tune into Frozen Files on East Village Radio and savor the hip-hop happiness.

Hey wait a minute, isn't TODAY Wednesday and isn't it earlier than 4pm? You are good my friend...and if you can't wait till 4pm, check out the archives from past shows. You may even hear my shout out. Think it was somewhere around an Alice Russell track. And there's a rumor that the guys are taking the show on the road this summer for a few dates, so stay tuned.

(Side note: Alice Russell is one of the most phenomenal and under-appreciated voices in soul with an edge and funk that just oozes from her songs. So if you're tired of waiting for Amy Winehouse to straighten herself out enough to warble a lyric, or think a few of the other "It" girls are slightly lacking in raw soulfulness, check out some of my favorite Alice Russell tracks here.)

Happy hip-hop hump day folks! Yup, just thought of that one. Oh the craftiness...

Impact.

2010-04-01T12:29:00.008-04:00

Ever wonder about your impact on the world around you?

April celebrates Earth Day, and highlights just this question as to how who you are and what you do affects those around you and our longevity on this earth. Sure, you can stick your head in the sand and ignore the implications, or as my grandfather so poetically put it a few years ago as we were watching a TV special Tom Brokaw did on the effects of global warming potentially recreating Manhattan in 50-100 years as the city of Atlantis; 44ft underwater, "Sucks for you, I'll be dead." I've been thinking about my impact ("our" seems presumptuous so I'll stick to my own hand in all this) since I visited MoMa last week and checked out Rising Currents: Project for New York's Waterfront which promotes a variety of scenarios to stave off Manhattan drowning in the Hudson and East Rivers.

What moves one person to action doesn't necessarily inspire another, so in the interest of supporting whatever you're passionate about, I pulled up this Barron's article from last Fall that highlights their version of the best givers. Normally I go on Charity Navigator to see what programs receive the most of the fundraising dollars, but Barron's selected their list by the organizations getting the most results. There are quite a few helmed by recognizable names, so I wonder if impact is less about the money and more about the results that celebrity can yield. Food for thought...

The Best 25 Givers

Barron's
Nov. 30, 2009

By SUZANNE MCGEE

With money tight, top philanthropists insist on more bang for the buck. Meet the 25 most effective givers.

THE NAME OF THE GAME IN PHILANTHROPY this year is to make your dollars go far -- very far. With the recession squeezing donors and charities alike, it's more important than ever to make sure your giving really makes a difference.

Ideally, each dollar you give will transform itself into $3 or $4 of benefits for your chosen causes -- from improving local schools to easing world poverty. That's high-impact giving, and some philanthropists are raising it to a high form of art.

The best of the best are ranked and profiled on the following pages. Barron's developed the listing in collaboration with consulting firm Global Philanthropy Group. While rankings in other publications highlight those who give the most money, we chose to focus on those who are getting the results.

Some of the findings will surprise you. Who would imagine, for instance, that a targeted effort to alleviate the worst poverty in a single country, Ethiopia, could end up having a greater impact than the massive $34 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its myriad education and health programs worldwide? By our standards, the Ethiopian initiative, launched by Donna and Philip Berber, wins by dint of immediacy.

It could take a decade for some of the Gates Foundation's research into vaccines to translate into an impact on people's lives. By contrast, when the Berber's Glimmer of Hope digs a well and provides clean water to an Ethiopian Community, people's lives are improved immediately and critically.

Of course, if even some of the Gates' long-term initiatives bear fruit, the foundation would tower over all other philanthropic efforts in terms of impact. But for now, we rate it No. 7.

Global Philanthropy Group and Barron's considered scores of philanthropists, rating them on such criteria as innovation, quality of alliances with other groups, the ripple effects of their giving and the extent to which their successful projects can be replicated. We gravitated to philanthropists whose causes address severe problems, like children's health in high-poverty regions of the world, but a broad range of causes, even in the arts, are reflected in the final cut.

By its nature, this exercise involves a lot of subjective calls. Facts and figures about philanthropy are much harder to come by than data on corporations. One giver's definition of success can differ sharply from another giver's -- or from ours. But even if you disagree with some of our judgments, you are bound to learn some useful lessons from each of the 25 philanthropists on the list.

Many of them are fixtures in American business, such as billionaire Eli Broad, a huge supporter of education and the arts, and Paul Tudor Jones, the commodities trader who founded the Robin Hood Foundation, one of the country's most high-powered anti-poverty crusades.

Nearly 20% of the list is from donors overseas, like Indian telecom entrepreneur Sunil Mittal, a big supporter of schools. Though America has long stood out for its philanthropy, the tradition clearly is taking root around the world.

Some of the top 25 are true celebrities, like Brad Pitt and Magic Johnson, while others are people you've probably never heard of before, like John Wood. The former Microsoft executive distributes a book every three minutes to children in nine developing countries.

The two philanthropists we think are having the biggest impact happen to have each made their fortune at eBay, the giant flea market. Pierre Omidyar, No. 1, and Jeffrey Skoll, No. 2, have similar missions, too: They focus on supporting the work of other philanthropists and providing them with networking and leverage opportunities. That is a hallmark of a high-impact practice known as venture philanthropy.

The best strategies have a real ripple effect. Says Maggie Neilson of Global Philanthropy: "A key ingredient here is what we call connectivity -- does the cause the philanthropist supports have implications for other issues?"

Britain's Chris and Jamie Cooper-Hohn are a case in point. By helping to prevent a woman in a poor country from dying in childbirth, they also help her children, her broader family and her community.

for more tips on effective giving, read on.

Inspired: A Glimmer of Hope

2010-03-31T12:39:00.000-04:00

A Glimmer of Hope Foundation

What should you care?*

Every three seconds, somewhere in our world, a child dies because they are too poor to live.
Every 15 seconds, one of those children is dying from diarrhea.
In an era of unprecedented global wealth, four out of every five people on the planet do not have access to running water.
Almost half the world’s population (2.7 billion people) lives on less than $2 a day.
One million people every year die from malaria – a mosquito bite.
In Africa, 5,500 die every day from AIDS.
The statistics on Global Poverty are endless and mind-numbing.
But there is hope and we are the generation that can end extreme poverty forever.
You can help. Start today.

*excerpt from A Glimmer of Hope

The Curateur's Lifestyleletter: Embracing Pura Vida

2010-03-29T09:07:00.000-04:00

(Note: if you'd like to receive the letter right to your inbox, subscribe to the mailing list on the right!)

There are two responses I typically get when I mention that I've just gotten back from a sojourn to Costa Rica and they extend to the accusatory "How'd you manage that?!" to the wistful, "Gosh, that sounds amazing. I'm jealous.". Only here's the thing, my life is not (yet) so fabulous that hopping planes and heading South without a care to budget is my reality. So in the interest of transparency, I'm going to let you in on a few hints that we'll call "pura vida tips" in the Tico spirit to help rid your lustful or vengeful thoughts for my fortune, and just seize the moment and head South yourself.

Pura Vida tip #1: Get resourceful when purchasing your flight.

I've been to Costa Rica annually for the past two years and I don't see that pattern changing anytime soon (increasing stay or frequency, however, quite likely). The first time I used my CHASE Freedom Rewards for a free flight between NYC and San Jose. So while some people say credit cards are the devil, I have to say false! Just pay your monthly bill on time and in full, and they can be your ticket to paradise, literally. (This year I used Jetblue Trueblue points for my roundtrip flight instead.)

Pura Vida tip #2: There are worse things than traveling solo. And they are...not traveling.

I love the idea of traveling with a gaggle of friends to share experiences and silly photos. However, trying to get everyone's schedules synced can drive me to a bottle of Jack Daniels faster than anything, so sometimes seizing the moment and booking a flight solo is just the way to go. It's how I first traveled to Costa Rica, and while traveling to a foreign country where I don't speak the language (sad but true, I took French all through high school) is scary, it's usually possible to find someone you can gesticulate with to get the information you need. And you might find you learn a little bit of Spanish along the way...

Pura Vida tip #3: There's a reason you have an instinct. Trust it.

When I booked my first trip south, I decided to forgo my idea of bumping around to different areas because one hotel owner was just so helpful and welcoming. And it ended up being one of the great calls of my life...because I made a friend for life, and got in with the locals. The Easton-Strebe family are now dear friends, Emily and I have plans for a life swap a la "The Holiday" in the near future (sans relationship drama), and in the meantime, I get to visit my friend in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida tip: #4: Keep it simple and leave your prissy side at home.

You're in Central America. Embracing a more rugged lifestyle will keep costs low and usually only enhance experiences. For instance, in Hermosa there are hotels that line the beach at $80 a night; which is really not bad. However, one block off the beach is a hostel called Rancho Grande that's $15/person per night. And you still get this view of the beach.

Sure, the room A/C is more for decoration than function, but there are worse things than a cold shower and passing out on well-worn sheets while watching the Olympics.

Pura vida tip #5: Be thoughtful of how you spend your money, not scrooge-like.

Whether you'd rather get from point A to point be in style, eat out every night, or have multiple spa days--choose one indulgence to focus your finances on, and just go with it. Because there are very few places on the planet where I enjoy food more than I do in Puerto Viejo, that's usually what I put my funds into without trepidation (having a local to guide me to the best places doesn't hurt either:)

Getting from San Jose to Hermosa:

by bus 1970 colones ($3.75) vs. by private car $140

Getting from San Jose to Puerto Viejo:

by bus 4800 colones ($9.13) vs. by private car $180 + tip

Breakfast in Hermosa:

5000 colones for the best blueberry pancakes and caffe you'll ever have in a lofted room overlooking the beach at the Surf Inn Hermosa ($9.51)

Breakfast in Puerto Viejo:

3700 colones for the best breakfast you'll ever have at Bread & Chocolate. Anywhere. It doesn't matter what you order. ($7.03)

Staying in Hermosa:

$15 person/per night at Rancho Grande

Staying in Puerto Viejo:

$90/night or $450/7 nights for your own house with a kitchen and walking distance to the market and town (saving on eating out every night) at Cashew Hill Cottages (Photos of the pool, one of the cottages and the horses who were wandering the beach on one of our morning walks).

Meals in Puerto Viejo:

From chocolates and appertifs at Oshi's, to Cafe Viejo and Loco Naturale dinners, and Pecora Negra for a special night out with the girls, I have yet to have a meal that isn't STELLAR in this tiny town. Prices average between $15 to $40 a meal per person.

(This was my dinner at Pecora Negra...I didn't actually open the menu. The owner greeted us warmly and asked what I liked to eat and created a plate with three different fish dishes. Amazing dinner. Seriously, A-MAZING.)

So there you have it. That's how I live as "fabulously" as I do. Keep it simple and be friendly and you could end up on a morning walk along Playa Negra on a spectacularly sunny day in March...

This week's Honorable Mentions:

If you're a Cape Cod local and craving some Costa Rican vibes...I'm doing everything I can to conjour them in a pura vida flow yoga class I'm teaching at BLYS next Saturday (the visual Casey chose for the announcement CRACKS me up!).
Have you checked out The Collective yet? New magazine, hot photography and fashions proving that husband and wife creative teams can be innovative, productive, and joyful.
Oh and in a repeat shout-out, I have dined at 2 Immaculate Infatuation suggested spots this week and so far, they're 2 for 2 (il buco on Bond St. and The Redhead on 13th street).

The Collective Magazine Inaugural Issue...PLAY!

2010-03-22T16:22:00.000-04:00

Remember that little project from a few months ago that some awesome friends helped me out on? Well, it turns out that the Gramcracker logo that Rich created was but one of his projects...this was the other.

Rich and his lovely and talented wife, Eryka, just launched The Collective Magazine, with the "Play" issue. Stunning photography and compelling fashion come to mind immediately, and I've only just started roaming the pages. Check it out!

Dear NYC Tourists...

2010-03-16T17:29:00.000-04:00

Tourist Tip: If you are wandering the Central Park Reservoir on a glorious day like today, don't interrupt joggers using the track for their exercise. Ask another tourist.

Trust me on this...you won't like their response.

The Curateur's Lifestyleletter: Be present* (an excerpt)

2010-03-10T08:34:00.000-05:00

The decree to exist in the present moment promoted by mind-body-spirit practices like yoga should come with a disclaimer*.

When I first began focusing on my intention to appreciate the present moment, instead of constantly planning for a future that is known only when itbecomes your present (Trippy thought, huh?), someone should have given me a heads up that the desire and ability to "multi-task" would lose some of its luster. In the past, I've taken pride in being a fairly consummate multi-tasker. And yet, as my intention to absorb fully the essence of each day's journey became more of a focus, I've decided to give up juggling a dozen To Do's and instead stick to about six, while marveling at multidextrous friends like the ones below who have made it look easy...

How's that working out? blogs, freelances, Tweets interesting music and entertainment news more often than I check the little red blinking light on my Blackberry, and is writing a book for the ladies on building your record collection. (I could probably use a consult.)

The Lil Bee has a must-read blog, freelances, created an ingenious App called Feather (Fashion + Weather = Feather), has a new house, and a new baby.

Immaculate Infatuation is the only site I visit when picking out restaurants in NYC. Considering it's just two dudes I swear they spend twenty hours a day eating to post new spots as frequently as they do.

Full post available as a LifeStyleLetter subscriber. Join by clicking here.

"The Resistance" by Please Feed The Animals

2010-03-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

The Resistance

Posted using ShareThis

A great read for those moments when you start questioning bold steps. My favorite excerpt from this particular post that was inspired by Seth Godin's Linchpin is:

Look back at your own life, and you’ll see a string of failures. You’ll also see a string of successes. You’re walking. You’re writing. You graduated. If you’ve been laid off before, it also means you’ve been hired before. If you’ve failed at something, it also means you attempted something. You’re alive. There are people around you who love and support you.

Embrace failure. Believe you can recover. It’s the only way to resist the resistance.

Farming and Ping-Ponging in NYC tomorrow night

2010-02-11T14:29:00.000-05:00

Since living on Cape Cod, my black thumb is morphing into a green one thanks to all my farmer friends' natural influence. So this idea that Stephanie started with some friends of hers, seems like a great outlet for city-dwellers. And there's a party to help the fundraising. And it's on my birthday. So even though I won't be in NYC, if you are, this sounds like a pretty fun night out and something more interesting than "Let's do happy hour and get toasted."

Ananda Harvest Ping Pong Fundraiser!!

Posted: February 8th, 2010 | Author: jchou | Filed under: Interesting | 1 Comment »

Winter’s a good time for indoor games as we rest up and get ready for spring planting. And with Valentine’s day around the corner, we figured, why not play ping pong and show some love for your farmer instead of buy lots of stuffed teddies?

So we’re hosting a Ping Pong Fundraiser this Friday at New York’s only private ping pong club and we’d love you to stop by!

It’s a final push for our kickstarter cabin fundraiser – there are only 6 days to go so if you haven’t donated, do it now! If you’ve already donated, we thank you from the bottom of our harvest baskets. All tickets from the Love Thy Farmer event will go toward the Ananda Harvest Cabin Project. Either way, you should come out, have some fun and learn to love your farmer!

The event will include everything from a doubles ping-pong tournament to DJs, and more!

Won’t you be our Valentine?

TICKETS: Advance Ticket Donation on kickstarter of $20 or more!) Door price ( $25.00)http://lovethyfarmer.eventbrite.com/

WHEN: February 12th, 2009 8pm- 11:30pm

WHERE: SPiN New York 48 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010

MORE INFO: http://lovethyfarmer.eventbrite.com/

Spirit of friendship in black and white...

2010-02-06T14:44:00.000-05:00

Marie Claire Interview and photo shoot

Yes they are famous and perhaps only "acting" like best friends, but I love the spirit of this gorgeous photo.

It seems to emote such a great sense of ease, humor and intimacy that can really only be shared with someone who has seen you giddy from a really great first date, but has also dunked your head in a sink of water after you drank too much SoCo at your senior prom.

The Curateur's LifeStyleLetter: Let it be

2010-02-03T12:13:00.000-05:00

You can't fit a square peg into a round whole. That's what comes to mind when I think of the advice a friend gave me recently that was simply to "let it be". She's wasn't intentionally quoting Lennon, she had just suggested that I stop forcing something to happen just because I wanted it to. And with those three little words, she helped to reframe my thinking and liberate me from fixating on that one issue. And not only did it allow me to focus on other more productive endeavors, but by letting that situation breathe, it has evolved in ways that I never could have predicted. So perhaps take a moment on this Hump Day aka "the most productive day of the week", to look around using the somewhat rosy "let it be" filter and see if there are projects, friendships or relationships that you've been consistently hitting your head against the wall in trying to make happen. And consider stepping back and just letting them be. I'm not a betting girl, but I would hazard a guess to say that a few surprises may be in store.

And like a song that strikes just the right chord at the right time, the words "let it be" have continued to reverberate through my core, illuminating new opportunities and increasing my overall productivity. Cause I've noticed that as fun as fixating on making something happen is (yes, that is intended to be thick with sarcasm), it a) doesn't make it happen any faster than it's meant to, and b) if it's not meant to happen you just wasted a hella lot of time that could have been utilized more productively. A playlist can be found here of songs that distinctively strike a chord like those few words of great advice "Let it be" do. I'm as attached to these musical mantras as most people are attached to their morning coffee...(Fun fact: There's a great bar on the Lower East Side called Marshall Stack. It's just a sweet all around hang. I haven't been back since they took The Allman Brothers' "Melissa" out of the jukebox. Nuts? Sure. But that's just the way it is.)

Giving weight to the argument that getting a tattoo on my arm may not be the best idea

2010-01-18T10:36:00.001-05:00

Now I'm not saying that I won't, but this photo of George and his newest lady is a pretty good argument as to why getting tattoos on parts of the body that can be covered by formal wear isn't a bad idea. (Then again, after seeing some of the gorgeous, albeit barely there dresses from last nights awards show, that may be more difficult to do.)

(Photo as seen on Socialite Life)

Yes the lady is pretty, but the tat on her forearm with that dress makes her/it look, well...is cheap the right word? With the Grecian style of the dress I'm getting less of a goddess vibe, and much more Vegas.

To each her own, but it definitely made me pause as I contemplate my next tattoo placement. And yes, that is the deepest thought I have, and likely the only one I will share about an awards show. Cause while it's pretty to look at, watching it is just sort of silly to admit to and does very little to exercise the mind (not like, say, Jersey Shore...now there's an educational experience if I ever saw one.) Although Ricky Gervais was pretty amusing as a presenter from the parts that I watched. Ok, there. I'm done.

Greeting 2010 with Fearless Compassion

2010-01-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

Compassion is something we don't seem to feel easily; for ourselves or others. If someone bumps into you on the subway and doesn't say "Excuse me", it's easier to assume they're the worst person on the face of the planet who enjoys bumping into people, instead of considering that something may have happened in their day to make them so absentminded they were oblivious to how they were affecting others around them. Or how about having compassion towards yourself? It's near impossible to be forgiving towards ourselves given the influence of social pressures. If you are working on losing the pounds that added up at the end of 2009 and are having a hard time, it's easier to get down on yourself than to be proud of any nutritional or lifestyle changes you've made.

And to be fearlessly compassionate? To plunge towards helping others without getting stuck on the what-ifs, or how you'll be affected, is awe-inspiring when you see it. I was lucky enough to witness fearless compassion this weekend from a group I like to think of as the warriors of kindness, who inspired me to consider how I might mirror their generosity of spirit. And given the events in Haiti this week, fearless compassion is a phrase that came up again for me.

I would love to invite you, Dear Reader, to accept the challenge of being fearlessly compassionate today, and notice if things shift and how. It doesn't have to be towards anything in particular; it can be to a nation, a community, a group, a friend, or yourself. I have to believe that if en masse we made a daily exercise out of being fearlessly compassionate, the sky might actually not be expansive enough to be the limit.

And it's still the first month of 2010, so setting high expectations feels completely appropriate and not at all absurdly optimistic...and because music is the most eloquent expression of all the things I would love to spend the rest of the day writing about and reflecting on, feel free to wander this way and let the ears soak it in.

Top 2009 Lists...I'm not buying it this year; good or bad.

2009-12-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

I never realized how many Top of the Year (and in some cases, Decade) lists there are.

Mediabistro has "A new decade, a new wealth of opportunities"
Socialite Life has everything from 2009 Top Romances to Hot Bodies of 2009
Apartment Therapy is running all their "Best of 2009" Features
Stereogum has the 14 Best Band Beefs of 2009
New York Magazine has consolidated all their end of the year lists here...

I had been working on putting together my own Top 2009 list of some sort, but couldn't get interested in limiting my choices to a year (or even a decade) and found the motivation barely wafting to my core. And frankly, if I can't get interested in what I'm writing, that doesn't bode well for engaging readers. So I let the list sit there, unfinished until this thought popped into my head..."What is the point of a Top of the year list?" Didn't we all experience it together? Do we really need a recap, and are our memories THAT short?"*

This year has been a remarkable one; complete with challenges and revelations alike. And reflecting on those moments helps to inform the next step I take, the next move I make, and every breathe I take (Thanks The Police). But I don't need to spend the last few days or weeks of the year looking back. Every moment is precious, and if we take up the last few ones of 2009 talking about events that have already happened to the point that every site and magazine is dwelling in the "what was", that's a chunk of your life that you're forfeiting. Does that make sense? Or is my food/wine/sugar holiday haze just a bit too thick and impeding the flow of oxygen to my brain? Cause to be entirely honest, that's completely plausible based on the amounts consumed in the past week.

*Some of the lists are actually quite entertaining. So if you're not buying into my argument of why do we bother spending the last two weeks of December rehashing the last year when we could be creating new memories and simply engaging in the present moment, do check them out.

Sincerely,
Scrooge
(I kid!)

This week's wisdom...sometimes context is as rich as the sentiment itself

2009-12-16T13:05:00.000-05:00

"The future is pulling you towards it."

- Diane Kovanda

My yoga teacher shared that thought over the weekend, and I tend to believe that timing and context to a pearl of wisdom, are as crucial as the thought itself. When I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Colette's Earthly Paradise, I was in a specific headspace and period of my life, that allowed the literary and philosophical fruits of those sages to seep beyond my intellect and connect directly to my heart, and have stayed with me throughout the years. Time will tell if this idea will have the same lasting impression, but for the moment, I can't tell you how the wisdom that "the future is pulling me towards it" has helped to reframe my thinking.

Last night I taught my first solo Therapeutic Yoga class to a group of 20. It was an abbreviated version, but the feedback and support that I received from the group following the session was humbling and empowering...and the reason it happened was in part because of Diane's shared wisdom that struck a cord that motivated me to "Just do it." (Those NIKE marketers tapped into a ridiculous goldmine with that slogan.) It's not to say that this wisdom will ring true for everyone, but it was just the kick-in-the-pants I needed to take the next step with my training. And as 2009 comes to a close, and everyone is wondering what new surprises 2010 will bring, perhaps this will help to reframe your thoughts about the new year and look forward with commitment, enthusiasm, and determination.

"Yoga" has many many many incarnations...it would make your head spin if I listed them all here. But needless to say, if you've tried a class and hated it, that likely doesn't speak to the reality of every potential yoga experience you can have. The yoga I tend to gravitate to incorporates a gentle flow, attention to alignment using props to support the body in its fullest expression of the pose, breathwork, visualization, and bringing in elements of music, scent, and lighting to help bring your awareness inward (if that sounds dreamy, know there are classes out there like this and you just need to ask the questions and look for those teachers).

I made this playlist for the class to help to "drop everyone into safety", and I think it succeeded fairly well in helping everyone to ease into the moment. Everyone responds differently to music and for me the challenge with creating a yoga playlist is not to default to what most people think of when they associate music and yoga, which can take people out of the moment more than a head stand. I like putting the familiar into an unfamiliar context; that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be adding a Lady Gaga song to the mix anytime soon, but for this playlist it did involve a balance between classical, ethereal and lesser-known tracks from alternative and folk artists, from Zero 7 to Sufjan Stevens and Ray LaMontagne. (Two tips: 1) limiting vocals and string instruments can help keep people focused on the experience and not the music. I love strings and some wind instruments, but have found they can pierce a bit too shrewdly to your core, especially during a yoga practice that focuses on opening the body. 2) because I knew the timing of the playlist and the sequence, it helped to keep the class within the desired time frame without having to rely on a watch...which if you keep glancing at can make people uneasy.)

Use this playlist as your yoga tool and play it when you need a little push to help your body relax. You can even put it on in the car as you commute home during the holidays, or on your iPod as you sway on the subway. In essence, bringing yoga into your everyday...and yes, simply breathing and bringing ease into your body IS YOGA. At least it's my yoga...and I'm getting better at sharing my toys everyday.

Chatham, MA feels like a vacation

2009-12-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a quick vacation is closer than you thought...I spent a day in Chatham last week and it was accessible enough to be a day away, yet far enough that I spent the day wandering and exploring, instead of checking the red light on my Blackberry.

Here's what I can say about Chatham:

It's the East Hampton of Cape Cod, as impossible to navigate in the summer as the L.I.E. and the one lane road that takes you out to Montauk. However, thanks to chilly temperatures, the trip gets quicker in the winter and somehow motivated me to wander my way down last week.

The shops are adorable, have great "beach cottage" home furnishings, and are so expensive you'd swear you were actually IN the Hamptons.

Had lunch here...a lovely stop that I just happened to stumble upon (I love it when that happens). Cafe owner was very nice, the lobster bisque was rich and dreamy, and the salad filled me as if I'd just chowed down on a steak (Ok, that's a bit of literary license, but you get the idea).

I have a fascination with photographing churches. I don't know where it comes from, but this has to be one of my favorites after a church in Charleston and another in St. Thomas (that I think may have been the first color photograph I ever took that was shown).

The Chatham Bars Inn takes up a huge chunk of the coastline and is exactly what I pictured when someone said "New England Homestead". It's picturesque in every sense of the word, and seriously, how many hotels spend the time creating a winter wonderland of gingerbread houses just for the holiday draw?

3 Ways to End this Year with Grace (Quoted)

2009-12-10T09:53:00.000-05:00

The following was written by Cynthia James on the Gaiam Blog...and it just resonates.

1. Be open

What we expect manifests. What we “see” becomes a reality. What we seek finds us. We all want to love and be loved, to understand and be understood, to give and receive, and to be held in the highest regard. That means that we must be open to receive the infinite grace and goodness of the Universe in every situation.

When we start focusing on prosperous and abundant living, everything shifts. We move into a state of awe and wonder — just like children. We become excited about what is coming, and we look for it. We stand in a place of knowing that whatever is unfolding is for our good. From that kind of consciousness, the Universe responds to our attention. We begin to experience more unexpected good than we could possibly imagine.

2. Be available

In every moment, there is the opportunity to stand in a place of joyous living. This is especially important during the holidays when we are with family and friends. If we have changed or are in the process of changing, it may be difficult for others to accept the “new you.” They may want you to stay in the old dance of relating. They may work to trigger you into old behavior and activate your inner judge.

Judgment operates a lens of perception that engages our inner critic and invites the ego to move into a dominant space of fear and separation. We look at the world from the “half empty” perspective and create barriers to happiness andpeace.

Joy is a natural state of being. It is the essence of who we are. If you look at children, they naturally laugh and play without any apparent reason. What if we were available for amazing joy filling every aspect of our living experience.

3. Be willing

Every moment is an opportunity to grasp the enormity of the wonderful things that exist in our lives. Flowers, trees, birds, children, friends, food, breathing, walking, seeing, rain and snow are constant reminders of God’s incredible gifts. Allow yourself to be immersed in the knowledge that you are alive and surrounded by grace. Your willingness, even to be willing, will open a portal of grand experience and joyful expression.

Take a moment to remember this:

Today, I claim a powerful ending to this year. I am open, available and willing for unexpected good to flood every area of my life.

-Sourced from Gaiam Life, December 9, 2009

Monday's Deep Thought...

2009-12-07T16:53:00.000-05:00

Facebook is essentially great for finding out about all the things you weren't invited to...and telling others about all the fun things you're doing that you didn't include them in.

The GREAT Gramcracker Announcement = Embracing the true spirit of the holidays...Commercialism!

2009-12-01T13:13:00.000-05:00

(I'm kidding about the spirit of the holidays being commercialism, though looking around it's easy to get confused...while the "announcement" is commercial, it's also about a renewed and rejuvenated life force in a grandmother I adore. And for that, I'm hoping you'll forgive the sales pitch that follows.)

I promised a Great Gramcracker Announcement a few weeks ago, and here it comes...the inaugural Gramcracker Limited Edition T-Shirt is for sale through the holidays! Cue the parade!!!

What? Not what you were expecting? Tough crowd. Let me see if I can tempt you to put a Gramcracker t-shirt on this year's Christmas list before you send it off to Santa...

The T-shirt is made by Alternative Apparel (no more American Apparel for me; between the founder's antics and what the brand has come to embody, it just didn't seem an authentic fit for a brand built around an 87yr old grandmother from Cape Cod).

It's organic material, the ink is water-based (which according to the designer at VG Kids was more environmentally friendly).

It's a Unisex style so anyone can wear it! (Note, they size big.)

The shirts come wrapped with a recipe card for Gramcracker's FAMOUS CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CAKE.(and let's be honest, it'd be worth it for this alone)

If you buy a shirt, you may just have a smile as big as this little ladies'.

The shirts have already begun selling, thanks to a little holiday called Thanksgiving and a lovely family...and so far the feedback has been:

"These feel so good." "It's so soft." "It even hides the muffin-top!"

So lots of reasons to buy multiple shirts and give them as gifts. Purchase via PayPal, on What Gramcracker Says..., or just email me direct.

And if you're loving the logo and design, check out more from the designers Mike Pargas ("Gramcracker" logo) and Rich Clayton (Gramcracker character and Blog header).

I think that's sufficient purchase-pushing for today...as a wise woman once said (actually she says it quite often), "I'm so full I can't stand myself!" It has nothing to do with buying a T-shirt, but it's quintessential Gramcracker and just came to me.

The Curateur's LifeStyleLetter: Turkey, stuffing and some humble pie

2009-11-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

Note to anyone who received the LifeStyleLetter mailing...I'm humbled yet again. Jack White and Alison Mosshart's collabo (alongside Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence)--a "supergroup" if you will, is actually The Dead Weather (NOT "The Dead Winter"; someone should probably name their band that though, I'm loving the imagery). But you probably already spotted that error and are chuckling at the poetry of it's presence in a letter entitled "Turkey, stuffing and some humble pie". Apparently I got a second serving of dessert today.)

Ever notice how the minute your head begins to swell with ego and accolades, that a lesson in humility tends to warp your head back to somewhat normal size? I've had a few moments over the past week that lifted me so high I was convinced I was the smartest person in the room, and that were swiftly followed by a kick in the rear that gave me a much-needed reality check.

This seems a particularly poignant lesson as we stampede towards the holiday season--knowing that just when you are feeling particularly boisterous about your recent performance (professional, artistic, or otherwise), leave it to your cousin to remind a Thanksgiving table of friends and family of the time you fell in the lake head first while trying to catch a fish. You weren't always the best, and yet there were people who still loved and admired you...even as they mock you across a table laden with equal parts Thanksgiving deliciousness and sides of anxiety, nostalgia, and embarrassment.

A few lessons in humility within the context of recapping last week's mtvU Woodie Awards show (airs 12/04/09):

Sometimes the up-and-comers have a lot to learn from the seasoned artists; i.e. Dead Winter blowing out the mtvU Woodie Awards and putting a few ego-tastic new artists in their place, Cyndi Lauper graciously greeting a few fans after presenting, while Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester made her way to the exit flanked by a very large security man.

I don't know everything; i.e. Asking someone who the band that opened the mtvU Woodie Awards were and realizing everyone in the room knew them except for me (Matt & Kim set an amazingly fun and free mood that really set-up the evening better than I've ever seen at an "awards show"), I didn't even know there was an upstairs to the after-party and it looks pretty sweet!

Even established artists can be out of the loop; i.e. Being asked why everyone at the after-party was going nuts for Jay-Z & Alicia Key's "Empire State of Mind"by a well-established artist who had never heard the song before.

Some people are inspired to create music, others are inspired to create community and hope; i.e. the fact that mtvU even has an award for the "Good Woodie" highlighting non-profits making a mark in music...and that the only non-artist founded movement was the winner. Congrats to Jamie & To Write Love On Her Arms.

The moral...
ask questions.
be open to learning from people you would have never expected to be teachers.
bask in every essence of the present moment.
let assumptions float out of your mind, like the storm clouds moving over the ocean.
and most of all...honor the mistakes made as lessons' learned, and allow them to help you be better.

Thankful for the people in my life,Sam

The Curateur's LifeStyleLetter: Customer service is not a prison sentence

2009-11-23T14:04:00.000-05:00
A great way to build community is through customer service; whether that service is to your fans, your students, or the consumer en generale. And yet, as the economy spins in every direction but up, one of the things I've noticed that has suffered the most is customer service. So to honor the few that have excelled despite all the reasons to fail, below are my Top 5 Customer Service Experiences of 2009 and the lessons we can always use a reminder of:

Cafepress: "The customer is always right." When my order arrived with a defect, they responded to my email within 12 hours and sent out the replacement. When it arrived, I realized I had given them the incorrect item #, and instead of saying "Too bad", they said "No problem, keep the double and we'll send you the correct replacement on the original defective order". Who does that? No one.

United HealthCare: "Do what you say you're going to do." I have been told "I'll call you back with that answer" so many times when dealing with healthcare providers that it's almost enough to prefer not to have insurance at all. However, not only did I get a call back with an answer that the issue I was dealing with had been resolved, but during the ridiculously long and convoluted process that had taken me to five different departments, instead of just forwarding me along to continue repeating myself, each service rep stayed on the line with me.

JetBlue Airways: "Actually care about the people you are giving service to." Those iPod Shuffle's are tiny, aren't they? I lost mine on a flight, and not only did the flight attendant go through 2 bags of garbage because I thought I had accidentally thrown it away, he then made me a homemade gift bag of in-flight hospitality items with a note saying the attendants were sorry. I don't care how expensive Jet Blue flights get, or the number of times my flight has been delayed, that's incredible.

PURE Yoga: "Feedback is the key to improvement." I took a yoga class at a new yoga studio this week and within three hours of the classes' conclusion, I received a follow-up phone call from one of the studio's managers asking how I liked the class and if I had any questions about other classes offered. Smart. Really smart.

VG Kids: "Make the customer feel like family." I'd never worked with the merch company before, but the correspondence with Erin and Sean has been familiar, informative, patient, and welcoming. They even signed the submitted order with, "Thanks! We love you!" I'm feelin the love...

Bottom line of successful customer service: LIKE PEOPLE, enjoy providing service to them, and chances are they will reciprocate by helping your business through their patronage.

mtvU Woodies get fancy...and, oh, I LOVE YOU DIPLO!

2009-11-20T10:17:00.000-05:00

The mtvU Woodie Awards were filmed on Wednesday night at Roseland Ballroom, and I have to admit, they were the best I've been to yet. That doesn't mean I didn't head straight for the bar the minute I got there, though (Survival tip to anyone not famous and older than 21...when attending a show choreographed around artists and college kids--a cocktail, along with slow, belly breathing are your best assets. It may be a lesson in contradictions, but guess what? So is life.)

Lot's to highlight; from the naked people to why I'm a ridiculous geek when it comes to DJ/Producer Diplo, but I'm travelling today so will stick with some photos and save the good stuff for Monday's LifeStyleLetter (Note to anyone not yet on that mailing list: join here!)

Nostalgic for TGIF...Happy Monday because of MOMA and Mute Math

2009-11-16T08:16:00.001-05:00

Phenomenally inspiring Friday. Seriously, TGIF hasn't rung this true in a super long time. Why wait until Monday to fill you in? Cause cardinal rule of blogging is it's my blog and I'll do what I want.

Went to the MOMA for the first time. (Insert reactionary GASP! here) What can I say, when I lived in NYC the mentality was, I can always go and check it out. So it took me moving to appreciate it. And let me just say, WOW! I honestly don't know what's more compelling, the building itself or the art it houses. Either way, I wandered and found it impossible to soak it all in at one time. So I took pictures. Just like every other tourist. Here's a few of my favorite pieces; largely because of the voyeuristic component the photos communicate.

And then Mute Math at Nokia that night. Ah, Mute Math, how your energy and harmony do inspire me. And yet, I'm fairly certain at least 75% of music lovers have never heard a note. Yup, that's going to be a topic for coffee talk. Cause that's just wrong.

Just bought the new album. Too early to share my thoughts beyond that I'm loving Burden the most so far....

Mute Math

For some reason when I think Mute Math (at least if you isolate the singer's vocals), I think of Simply Red.

What Gramcracker Says...the birth of a brand built around my 87yr old grandmother

2009-11-06T10:17:00.000-05:00
What began as a way to amuse my family, has taken on a life of its own.

What Gramcracker Says... began one morning a few months ago to document the running commentary elicited from watching music videos on VH1 with my 87 year old grandmother. (We had dubbed Grams gramcracker, because my cousins and I refer to her as grams and she just happens to crack us up. Between her unique mannerisms, splattering of Yiddish, and a saucy tongue, there's few people who can make me laugh harder.) Her comments are so priceless in fact, that a blog was born. It started off as something to do in between her Mahjong games at the library and working on puzzles, and has blossomed into a destination frequented by people other than those related to me.

Ever the marketer, I thought Gramcracker should have a logo, and herein lies the golden nugget of entrepreneurship; when starting from scratch, you need absurdly talented friends who don't mind cutting into their sleep time to help you out. Pandora founder, Tim Westergren, had said as much in his keynote at the New Noise festival. (Granted, I think asking people to work for free for two and half years is a stretch.) Jimmy P. offered up his brother, Los Angeles-based graphic designer, Mike Pargas; whose patience despite my hemming-and-hawing about the hook on the "g" is nothing short of saintly. Then another friend from across the pond, London-based designer Rich Clayton offered to create the Gramcracker character.
So two months and ten time zones later, we have a phenomenal logo and one of the best examples of what community and collaboration can inspire. (Sometimes images don't load correctly, in which case head to What Gramcracker Says...)

(I fear fame may have gone to her head as Gramcracker can be found telling passerby in Falmouth that she is "known nationwide as Gramcracker"..I'm not kidding, she really said that to someone.)
In anticipation of THE GREAT GRAMCRACKER ANNOUNCEMENT next week (Think of it with the same fondness with which you might revere Charlie Brown's "Great Pumpkin" and that will be an excellent launching point!), below is the 1st Gramcracker Recap Playlist

Twitter insight isn't a foreign idea...

2009-11-05T10:15:00.000-05:00
Not going to lie, had begun wondering if my time on Twitter was coming to an end. Between living life in full, and the growing number of fake followers, disenchantment was running thick.

And then I saw this tweet from Rachel and I thought, "hmm, perhaps not so bad afterall". Give it a second, I think you'll appreciate it.

RachelPlatten

I love this. :) RT @julsmarietells "Take full advantage of this beautiful mess, my dear. Chaos this fertile is hard to come by."

Yoga + Music - Self-care tools after Halloween Weekend of Vices

2009-11-02T12:00:00.000-05:00
Two different yogis, both with an eye towards helping musicians balance their mind and bodies for peak performance sustainability.

Preview: The Curateur's LifeStyleLetter: Pen Pal Edition with Miss Meyer

2009-10-29T11:49:00.001-04:00

Similar to a "Friendly Spotlight", but with questions and insights exclusive to The Curateur's LifeStyleLetter Mailing List...curious? Join the community by entering your email on the right!

One of the basic tenets of The Curateur is community. It is with the intention to inspire community and collaboration that I introduce a new periodic series.
The Curateur's LifeStyleLetter: Pen Pal Edition; invites one of the talented and amazing people within The Curateur's Community to step into the spotlight. The questions will stay the same, I guarantee that the responses will not!

Pen Pal: Miss Meyer
Pen Pal Geographic Location: Gramercy, Manhattan--packing for a weekend trip to LA at the moment.
What I'm particularly attracted to that makes my life full is...Current cultural trends & applying them to brand marketing during the week, and dining on pounds of cheese, sipping champers, and exploring on the weekend.

1. What is the current song playing in your head? Empire State of Mind, by Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys
2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally? Raw, honest truth

Join the list.
Warmly,
The Curateur

One eskimO "Amazing": how musical discovery actually happens

2009-10-26T12:53:00.001-04:00
I have a complicated and highly-personalized method of discovering new music. One eskimO* is my latest "discovery", and today I'm loving the song "Amazing" in particular. Curious?

Two weeks ago...

Listening to Steph's mix echo on the car speakers as we glide down PCH on a blissful afternoon, a song comes on and catches my ear. I ask "Is this new James Blunt?"

"No. One eskimO", she responds.

"Really? His vocals sound like James Blunt."

A few minutes pass, and I drop back into my own thoughts, snapping photos as we coast along. Another song catches my ear and I ask,

"This is James Blunt, right."

"Still One eskimO", Steph responds.

"Really? Does James sing in One eskimO?"(At this point, she pretty much wants to throw me out of the car, and I make a mental note that is lost somewhere between Long Beach and Boston to check out their music.)

A week later...

As I'm falling asleep listening to MVY Radio, I hear a song that I like. It's called "Kandi" by a band named one eskimO. As the song ends, I wonder how I will remember to look them up in the morning. Then my friend Jess comes on-air, and I make yet another mental note to ask her in the morning over Facebook, who the band was that was playing as she got to work the night before.

Next morning...

Mental notes getting lost everywhere. But for some reason midday, the name of the song "Kandi" resonates, and I go searching on iTunes. Lightbulb!

I think, "Hey, this stuff is pretty good...and it's $5.99 for the whole album. It's risky, but I can invest six dollars in a new band I may end up hating."

Luckily, I am loving the album. And that's how my musical discoveries tend to happen these days. With the loss of record stores where I could walk in and say, "I heard this band, the vocals sound like James Blunt, can you tell me the name?", it takes me that long (sometimes longer) for music to saturate to the point that the name and the music join.

Got a better method or story of discovery? I'd LOVE to hear it!

*Side note: there better be a really good reason for spelling your band name One eskimO. Otherwise it's like one of those girls who spells their name Typhanie, instead of Tiffany, with a heart in place of the dot above the "i".

Let Love Rule...rethinking my take on chanting mantras thanks to one of the most smoldering Jewish men I've ever seen

2009-10-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

I never would have expected a Lenny Kravitz show to inspire a jam-band like environment, but the evening was eerily reminiscent of another evening not long ago spent at NYC's Hammersteim Ballroom with The Black Crowes. Then again, Chris Robinson has a lot of soul, but nothing compared with the heat emanating from the Orpheum's stage. (Have to be honest, never thought a man named "Leonard Kravitz" could inspire such ecstasy from a crowd.) There were moments during the concert where it seemed as if Lenny was as entranced by the music being performed as we were...listening to the organist or any one of the four horns taking center stage, he swayed and pumped the air like many of the other audience members. From the moment K'Naan took the stage to open for Lenny, through to the final chant of "Let love rule", I never stopped moving.

"Let Love Rule" is one of my favorite Lenny Kravitz songs, along with a few selected below. What I hadn't realized until the other night is that it is essentially a mantra being chanted over and over again. This became clear when, at the end of the concert, Lenny led the audience in a euphoric ten minute chant of the words "let love rule". Typically, chanting is not something I enjoy. When asked to chant "Om" in a yoga class, I follow suit half-heartedly, trying to convince myself of it's merit even though it often feels like a shirt that fits too tight in the sleeve. I appreciate the power of chanting a mantra to the point that it reverberates to your core, but I usually spend that portion of class trying not to cringe. And yet, when Lenny Kravitz asked me to repeat this mantra that he had contrived in a room of a few thousand, I happily and enthusiastically followed along. Was it Lenny's enthusiasm that made it palpable? Was it the joy in seeing his reaction to our output in euphoric spasms? Or maybe it just felt like a comfortable arena to repeat the mantra; I could forget I was surrounded by people and just let the words flow through and around me; it was dark, my dristi (fancy yogi word for "focal point") was Lenny Kravitz, I had been dancing for almost 2 hours, and could dissolve into the sea of fans.

Let love rule

*Fun fact: I included (2) of my favorite Vanessa Paradis tunes from the album that Lenny produced. See if you notice his influence...this was the first CD I ever purchased along with Janet Jackson's "If". I realize I just dated myself, but oh well.

I'm uncertain of where I stand on chanting mantra at this point. Listening to my mother's CDs of Celtic monks chanting still creeps me out, but listening to Lenny Kravitz repeat his mantras of love and peace could be an entire afternoon's activity.

Today's words of wisdom: If you think something is just "not for you", perhaps you should reconsider it in a different context as I was encouraged to the other night. Let love rule my friend...

I love this homemade video from the other night. Lenny has a crazy amazing smile, but the commentary by the camera person is pretty hilarious.

Bringing your music into your yoga practice

2009-10-20T13:22:00.001-04:00
Yoga is what you make it. Yes, there are basic elements that contribute to a balanced practice, but for the most part, once you learn the fundamental poses, learn how to intuit your own most perfect alignment, and remember to breathe purposefully throughout the practice, you can adapt it to fit any environment, demographic, and body-type. Some people enjoy an austere and meditative environment--there are times of the week that I crave that kind of serenity. And sometimes I'm looking for something more playful that appeals to the fact that there is a constant soundtrack playing in my head (ie. When I'm bored or waiting in line, I find myself humming AC/DC's "Thunderstruck". I have no idea why.)

So with tongue-in-cheekiness, below is the first volume of The Curateur's Indie "Rock" Yoga Series. (On reflection, I probably should have labeled the playlist more accurately "Alternative" as not all tracks are indie or rock or indie rock. But the indie rock genre has been bastardized to the point that I'm not really sure what music falls under that heading. Case in point: I've heard the band The Killers referred to as indie rock. Great band, but they're signed to Island Def Jam...pretty "major" rock if you ask me.)
There is some sensitivity to the kind of yoga practice being done while listening to recognizable songs, in that you want to avoid negative connotations during your practice. Yoga asanas (fancy yogi word for "pose") help to expand the body and listening to a song that brings up nostalgia can seem like a physical assault. To begin, I would use this playlist during a more active practice like Ashtanga Vinyasa, or if you're into it the more Westernized-style of Power Yoga. (I suppose you could do it during a Bikram class, but for the most part you couldn't pay me to take a class that fashions itself after what I envision Purgatory to be.)

Bottom line: Yoga is what you make it and I decided today I would make it indie rock....Here's to a perfectly imperfect yoga practice.

Friendly Spotlight: MySpace just got really, really lucky

2009-10-16T14:24:00.000-04:00
This spotlight isn't so much mine as it is the Wall Street Journal's, though it seems MySpace is undergoing a massive PR shift between yesterday's post noted below, and this article posted on WSJ.Com, MySpace Tries to Recover Its Cool. The "cool" in said article is namely the introduction of newly-appointed Chief Revenue Officer, Nada Stirratt, former Executive VP of Digital Ad Sales at MTV Networks.

Ms. Stirratt, who earlier in her career directed sales at Internet-ad company Advertising.com, has a reputation on Madison Avenue as a savvy businesswoman who understands the technical side of the Internet business but also knows how to build creative ad sponsorships that attract dollars from big brand advertisers.

Nada is a rare find in the world of business; strategic, informed, creative, and with such style and grace that when she's talking to you, she's really talking to you (an attribute with unassignable value in most people, and covetable to the point of extinction in the executive class). I may be slightly biased as she is someone I've known and gone to for advice; both personal and professional, but no bs...MTV you lost out. Nicely done MySpace, you may pull up alongside Facebook just yet.

Music discoveries take longer to infiltrate than you would think...Passion Pit

2009-10-16T10:42:00.000-04:00
Admittedly some people will likely be totally put off from the first note of this track. However, I've pledged to open my eyes, heart, and ears to anything that inspires me. So let's break it down...

It's Friday, mid October, and people are talking about frost and snow storms. So a song entitled "Sleepyhead" immediately fits my head space, as that's pretty much what I'd like to spend the rest of the day doing. Add in the fact that the band are from New England, and it just feels poetic. (I'm now addicted to this song. But I wouldn't suggest watching the video if you get car sick.)

Chances are if you work in music, the band Passion Pit are not new to you; especially given that they played two packed shows with hipster darlings, Phoenix (the album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is pretty brilliant) last month at Central Park's Summerstage. But something I've learned over the past year is that music industry insiders, along with New Yorkers and those crazy LA kids, average six months to a year ahead of the rest of the country when it comes to new music. Clearly, the ball is getting dropped from industry to consumer, and I would like to help bridge that disconnect and get everyone on the same page and listening to (and buying if you're so moved) great new music...consider this my first-and-ten. (Side note: I know at least a few people will be impressed by the football reference knowing ice hockey is more my game.)

--Case in point, I was told last week by a guy from Orange County, California that he was loving the new Kings of Leon single, "Use Somebody". While I'm a huge fan of the band's album, Only By The Night, it dropped on August 26, 2008.

Digital Music News highlights difference between MySpace & Facebook due to marketshare...bands take note.

2009-10-15T13:43:00.000-04:00

The gap between Facebook and MySpace is now widening substantially, according to data surfacing Tuesday. The US-based researcher Hitwise noted that Facebook tripled its share over the past year, leading to a dominant 58.6 percent chunk of the social networking world.
The competitive group includes 154 others, most principally MySpace. But in just one year, MySpace has slipped from a 66.8 percent share to just 30 percent. Facebook was at 19 percent last year.
On the music end, the marked shift challenges the dominance traditionally enjoyed by MySpace Music. At present, the conventional logic is that a band missing from MySpace is missing from the world, and that still holds merit. But bands are wise to diversify, and a band missing from Facebook is now equally unacceptable. Additionally, the critical mass paves the way for a potentially huge move by Facebook to compete head-on with MySpace Music.
Incidentally, Twitter has also been exploding, though its share is just 1.84 percent of the networking pie, enough for a fourth-place ranking.

cited from Digital Music News

DIPLO DJing Roxy cottontail's Williamsburg party tonight!

2009-10-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

It's moments like this that I REALLY miss living in NYC.

Diplo is one of the only DJs I've seen who can make an entire room bounce; not just by jacking the bass up to make your body vibrate, but because his beats are so good that it is physically impossible to stand still. I spent one SXSW in Austin hitting every single party he played (3 in total; one that my buddy and I bumped into a very high high high Perez Hilton...she's a fan. She made me take a photo of them together. I'm guessing that's not a photo he'd post on his blog but it made her happy.)

So go. And dance. And sweat. And do as you'll do and I'll be there in spirit.

New Noise Santa Barbara speaks to the heart of what working in music is about...

2009-10-14T14:33:00.000-04:00

I understand that this statement may be overly sappy for some of the more hardened music industry vets, but for me, who has worked in the world of entertainment for the bulk of a decade, New Noise Santa Barbara reminded me of why I first began working in music. While the panels and many of the side discussions revolved around the present state of music and some wistfulness for the T&E accounts of the 1990's, the overall mood was upbeat, collaborative and inspiring. As quoted from Keynote speaker, Tim Westergren, CEO of Pandora, "I'm generally quite an optimist about the music industry right now." (Even furthering the idea that collaboration and support of one another is making a comeback in the music industry, the initial reaction and positive reinforcement that I received from colleagues about the newly-launched The Curateur's Mind-Body Wellness Network (which supports artists and their support staffs' peak performance through holistic health practices) was overwhelming, unexpected and thoroughly inspiring.

In between panels and performances, I was even able to assist a Restorative Yoga class with Cheri at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center, and when I came back literally buzzing from the amazing energy exchanged during the class, I was able to do a brief restorative session with a friend who had been working on festival prep all day and wasn't sure she'd be able to make the shows that night. Instead of crashing, she was rejuvenated by the yoga session, and we headed to the Arlington where we were both mesmerized by Cherine Anderson's style and bounced around in the aisles dancing.

For a glimpse into some of my favorite nuggets of insight gleamed from the panels, check out the below or head to @Newnoisesb on Twitter for the full account of NEW-isms...

NEW music genre call-out: Accordian metal. Look into it. (Needle in the Hay)
NEW decree: "Green is the new black. It's super sexy and people want to be part of it." (Green Musician)
NEW resource CD Recycling of America (Green Musician)
NEW music terminology: pipeline income --"Is a writer who already has a song on radio, on TV, with an established presence." (Mo Money, Mo Problems)
NEW rule: "When budgets go down, the first thing cut is catering and music." (License to Ill)
NEW music terminology: mailbox money--"I paid rent for 1-2 years from gratis MTV Networks song uses because of mailbox money from PRO's." (License to Ill)

As for my favorite performances during the festival (save for Saturday night's festivities as I had coasted down to LA to visit with a few friends before heading back East), here's my Top 3:

@ The Arlington Theatre
Cherine Anderson with Michael Franti

@BMI showcase (where I played one of the worst games of pool ever...sorry Tavi!):
Actress
I actually didn't realize until their 2nd song that we weren't listening to the jukebox. The singer's voice has a Bono-like quality (to my ears) and considering there were only 2 band members, I'd love to see what they would do with a full band.

@The Velvet Jones
Ellwood
This is one of those great moments that you hope to catch. It is impossible to find out anything about this band. I'm fairly confident that the singer is a member of the Mad Caddies who played the night before on State Street, but this was the band's first show together, there is no recorded music, and had more than one music supervisor in the audience pulling his hair out trying to figure out how to get music for his project. Me? I just danced. Sorry you couldn't be there...

And ps, this is the view from the top of the Canary Hotel where the conference was held. I snuck upstairs for a quick reboot Friday evening, and it was as spectacular as you would imagine. So now would be a good time to mark the festival for next year on your calendar alongside CMJ, SXSW and all the other industry "musts".

New Noise Music Conference : And so it begins...with Michael Franti, Cherine Anderson and MURS

2009-10-09T11:37:00.000-04:00
Yesterday was perhaps the most auspicious beginning to a music festival I've seen yet. I have to give the New Noise folks huge credit for launching something new and squarely aimed at both music lovers and the music industry, during a time when most conversations about the state of the music industry are depressing as all hell. On top of it being in Santa Barbara, which is just one of the most lovely SoCal beach towns, The Canary Hotel is part of the Shutters Hotel Family and those of you who know of Shutters, may recognize it as the celebrity hideaway in Santa Monica, so to imagine that a event in its first year of existence would hold a conference here, definitely makes you think these guys are onto something with some serious legs.

As for me, I've been trying to help while staying out of the way (and tweeting along the way...@TheCurateur). I've also realized that the marriage of music and holistic wellness isn't that difficult to understand. For instance, yesterday I took the afternoon to assist my fabulous Therapeutic Yoga instructor, Cheri Clampett's yoga class at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center. Aside from having a chance to catch up with Cheri before the class being a wonderful respite among the craze, taking the hour and a half to help work with her students allowed me to jump back into the festival fray without a power nap or cup of coffee. It also allowed me to be helpful to my friends, in releasing some of their stress with a quick session upon my return, as I was quite literally buzzing from all the energy being shared by Cheri's students during her yoga class (side note: Santa Barbara Yoga Center has one of the most amazing class spaces I've ever been in).

I went into the show at the Arlington Theatre cold...I hadn't listened to Michael Franti before, but did have a brief brush with MURS last year at a private performance in San Francisco held by Warner Bros to showcase a few of their artists. (MURS had taken the stage in a room of about 45 people at 11am to perform 3 songs; alongside a boombox! For me, he seemed to fit in with the Nas, Lupe's and Commons; consciously rocking the mic with sway and swagger).

Cherine Anderson followed and is probably the most dynamic hype woman / opener I've seen in a really, really long time. In addition to having an amazing style, powerful vocals, and a hella lot of sway, Cherine got the crowd going by inviting a local guy "to represent for all the Santa Barbara boys"...which he did well from my understanding; very little rhythm and lots of eagerness. Thanks John, you gave us one of the best laughs of the night.

Michael Franti has soul. And joy. And a level of grace when interacting with his fans that he really needs to share with Kanye. I loved swaying and dancing about in one of the prettiest theatres I've ever been in with PinkStephy and loads of Santa Barbara folks; hippies, surfers, moms, and coeds alike. He even has a song about friends that he dedicated to anyone who was there with one (instead of it always being about the honeys...it was sweet and reminded me of a cooler version of a Sesame Street "Friends" song...is it really off the air?

New Noise SB - Thursday

The day & night was just a great vibe and as if it could get any better, on my way out of the theatre I found a dollar bill on the floor! Seriously?

New Noise takes over!

2009-10-08T17:01:00.000-04:00
This is the weekend.

I gave fair warning, so if you don't check this blog, your Inbox, Facebook, Twitter, or your phone, I'm not responsible for you missing out on all the goodness that is the Inaugural NEW NOISE MUSIC FESTIVAL & CONFERENCE in Santa Barbara, CA this weekend brought to you by a group of passionate music heads including the sweetly entertaining PinkStephy and awesome Mr Theimer.

The Curateur Blog and Twitter (@TheCurateur) will be overtaken for the next 3 days and be all New Noise, all the time. So if you want to live vicariously, tune in and be easy on yourself when you start kicking yourself for not being here in person. Cause it's Santa Barbara. And it's music. And it's at the Canary Hotel (of Shutters Hotel Family Fame). And I've eaten at least one fish taco every single day. Yeah, it's that good.

TGIF: Words of wisdom, moments of beauty, thoughtful thanks...and the music to listen to along the way

2009-10-02T14:08:00.009-04:00
I didn't wake up greeting the morning with any particular burst of excitement. In fact, I lay in bed thinking how great it would be to stay there all day cause it was warm and cozy, and my room was not.

But when I did rise, I ended up having a great hour-long phone conversation with a long-lost ski buddy of my father's, who just happens to be on a holistic wellness journey of her own. (Only hers began alongside complementary medicine luminaries like Dr. Andrew Weil, when their spotlights were just specks; unlike the glow that seems to illuminate them and their teachings now.) Nancy and I had a great conversation of many things, and the call left me feeling rejuvenated and with new ideas on how to hone my expertise further (More on that later, though to note, it's bringing my background in music marketing and strategy together with my interest in mind-body-spirit wellness in a way that will make sense to more people than just, well...me).

With my mind racing, I decided the best thing to was to let my body do the same, and I headed out for a "run" under a cloudless sky, along the Upper Cape Bike Path, through the marsh and along Black Beach. (I note "run", because every time I mention running, people get impressed and while that's nice, it's important to specify that there is a good deal of walking and sitting involved.)

Glorious doesn't begin to describe the view, the feeling, the joy. Seriously. I'm pretty sure I had a goofy smile on my face the whole time, and intermixed with the epic quiet was this mix of tunes; new and old and all just somehow fitting the day.

The sun is shining

It's as the man says, "A moment, a love, a dream, a laugh, a kiss, a cry, our rights, our wrongs"*...it's all part of the day, the life, the joy of being.

*Lyrics from Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition"

Friendly Spotlight: Caroline Nation and My Food / My Health

2009-10-01T14:11:00.006-04:00

Caroline the spotlight is yours...

Caroline is many things; among them former publisher of W Europe, an internationally certified nutritionist, an online entrepreneur, and my adopted godmother.

Her foodie destination My Food / My Health was launched with the intention to make healthful eating delicious, accessible, and easy; regardless of whether you're a family with a variety of dietary constraints, or a single person negotiating how to eat gluten-free. The site is user-friendly, and along with Caroline at its helm, has some of the most noted culinary and dietary experts providing the best recipes to keep you and your family healthy, and meals as stress-free as possible. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Yeah, I thought you'd like it...dig in! (Pun intended;)

Here's a sample Free Recipe for Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup that helps with "Acne/Asthma/Eczema/Psoriasis"...

Friendly Spotlight: Nancy Shapiro @ Napa Valley's Open Studio (last day tomorrow!)

2009-09-26T21:25:00.005-04:00

Nancy the spotlight is yours...

I've known Nancy for a huge chunk of my life. Her work has taken on a myriad of incarnations; from mixed media, to oil on canvas, to packaging (for clients like Estee Lauder), to graphic design, to wine labels for garage wines...so if you're someone who's not sure what you're looking for or what inspires you, delve into her work and perhaps you'll find it.

My favorite recent pieces are her Wearable Art (which I've always known as "happy bracelets") and the oil on canvas from her "Prairie" Series, which even though they're reminiscent of the plains, they seem to move like the ocean before my eyes (it's all in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?).

Something really awesome is launching on 11-11-2009 from hitrecord.org...just not totally sure what.

2009-09-25T22:15:00.005-04:00
I've experimented, but never fully delved into recreational drug use (College, ever heard of it?).

However, after watching this video, I have some idea of what it must be like to be high on speed. Although I don't think he's actually on speed...I just think that JGL is ridiculously stoked on fulfilling creative desires he's had for what would appear to be 4 years. And I applaud that. Seriously. Being inspired and finding an outlet are probably two of the most essential parts of our existence. That said, I need to go lie down because watching JGL bounce around for 9 minutes and 18 seconds detailing "his plan" made me dizzy enough that I may puke.

So congrats, Joe, on whatever it is that you all at HitRecord.org have up your sleeves. Still not totally sure what HitRecord is, but I think more people should be this excited about what they're passionate about. Even if it only makes sense to them.

Stay tuned. Apparently innovation is at our doorstep November 11, 2009 at HitRecord.org

I dare you not to get excited. Honestly, dare you to not get pumped watching the video of Regular Joe explaining his plan...And then if you can explain it to me, that'd be great.

Burnout Queen announces she's "Breaking the Cycle!"

2009-09-24T21:38:00.014-04:00

A rather dubious title but one, after much introspection, I think I have earned and a cycle I am working to break. I aim high, confident that I won't burn-out, that I don't have a breaking point...only to be proven wrong over and over again.

Sound familiar? I don't think I'm any more unusual than most people in this regard. In fact, I think most people would echo my sentiments. But ever stop and wonder why? Whether you've been forced to stop and smell the roses, or have chosen to do so, ever wonder why we have to be forced to take time for ourselves, to slow down? Why, unless we're crippling ourselves with stress and work and fears and challenges, we don't feel like we've been productive? When did just being, simply existing, stop being enough?

Think about it for a minute.

The fact that you exist matters.

It matters to more people than you likely realized, and with greater weight than you likely give credit to.

I'm not suggesting you walk out of a steady job and not look back just to spend the day floating in the ocean, but if your lifestyle is actually hurting your well-being, chances are there's an alternative you haven't considered fully. I think we get fooled into thinking that things are the only markers of our success; money, status, titles, luxury...when I think if most people took time to recognize what they'd like to define their life, chances are few would list any of those items when looking back on a life lived well.

So this is my reminder. And I'm sharing it. Because I think it's that important to remember that enjoying the moment, living your life, laughing with friends, taking care of yourself, being comforted by family, or watching a sunset from a mountain top should not be considered luxuries, but a productive day well spent.

Friendly Spotlight: The Lil Bee launches Feather Report iPhone App

2009-09-23T13:09:00.005-04:00

Hey Bee, the spotlight is yours...

The Lil Bee is a favorite read created by the lovely Melisa (aka Lil Bee). She recently crafted yet another blog, Feather Report (Fashion + Weather = Feather...hmm, does someone work in marketing?)

It's a pretty sweet creation for style-savvy ladies who would rather not think about what to wear, and yet instantly be weather and activity appropriate. And now, as if to prove just what an industrious bee she really is, Melisa has just launched Feather Report: the iPhone application! In her own words, this is what it means (basically because I am still fairly clueless about apps since I have a crackberry)...though I have to admit it sounds like having a mini Rachel Zoe in your pocket.

"If you have an iPhone, or if you’re thinking about scooping one up, you can now think of Feather Report as your personal style consultant no matter where you live or where you’re traveling. Here is the scoop...
Using a GPS weather tracker, Feather Report serves up a new outfit to your iPhone each day, based on your specific location.
You can shop all of the looks directly from your phone.
Outfits are categorized based on body types, occasions, and weather patterns.
You can search for outfits based on your individual needs. So, let’s say you’re a Curvy Cathy, going on a Date Night, and it’s a Hot Mess outside. Plug in that info and voila! An outfit emerges, just for you.
Plus, you can store your favorite looks, get weather forecasts for your upcoming travel plans, and score the inside scoop on deals & steals from amazing stores.
If you have an iPhone and would like to download the app, you can do so here: http://appshopper.com/lifestyle/feather-report.

If you don’t have an iPhone but want to check out Feather Report, just visit my blog, http://featherreport.blogspot.com. In the coming weeks, I’ll have giveaways and updates, so check back in regularly.

Cheers to a sweet New Year

2009-09-20T18:51:00.002-04:00
I don't know how to explain how perfect this weekend has been. No ground-shaking moments, just life at its best; with ease, joy, and the most serenely amazing Fall weather imaginable as the consistent theme since Rosh Hashanah. There were moments of giggles, contemplation, gratitude, and love...which of course makes me wonder why every day can't be like this, so with that intention I'm looking forward to a sweet and healthy New Year (whether it starts for you now or at the end of December)

My mind is drawn back to a quote I read a little bit ago from Jack Kornfield, "The courageous heart is the one that is unafraid to open to the world."

With an open heart,
L'Shana Tova

I almost don't know what to write...

2009-09-17T14:52:00.006-04:00

I did say ALMOST.

I am devouring any and all research related to stress and a variety of holistic healthcare options for a few projects I'm working on, and the mind is beginning to spin. Coupled with all the action I get to witness outside my window, I'm beginning to understand why few people get offices with windows. The distractions are too much, though at least I'm uptown where most of my diversions are relegated to moms pushing strollers, kids coming home from school and fearless taxi drivers. If my viewpoint was over the Meatpacking District or the Lower East Side, I'd pretty much need to get one of those blinders that the guys down on Central Park South use for the horses.

So that's my two cents for the day. Mostly because I wanted to post something other than what the redundant streams on FB and Twitter seem to be these days; the weather (they're mad, they're happy, they're sad) or Mr. Ego (whose negativity emanates off of him sort of how I envision this guy...

(a somewhat misunderstood Master of Evil named Scorcher)

In which case, I envision myself as She-Ra, should we ever meet (have no idea where this is going, but let it flow)

Fun fact: that She-Ra, one of my favorite childhood action figures (along with Jem, let's be honest now) has superhuman strength and a healing touch. Hmmm...maybe my current path isn't so out-of-left field as I thought.

AND...this is my favorite track of the day. It just makes me thoughtful, which is helpful when the crosstown bus chugs by every 10 minutes...and yes that's a whole lot of randomness. But what's the ONLY rule of blogging? "It's my blog and I'll write what I want."

Trois Gymnopédies: Gymnopédie No. 1 (Lent et Douloureux) - Frank Glazer

Jivamukti; from the perspective of a leather-wearing carnivore with alignment issues

2009-09-14T18:28:00.008-04:00
I found myself on this absolutely perfect Fall day at Jivamukti in time for their "Transform yourself in 45 minutes" class. I didn't have enough time to take the longer Open class, so I signed up. I know Jivamukti by name, but for the most part I was unfamiliar with their teaching style, save for the scene in Someone Like You where Hugh Jackman goes looking for Ashley Judd's best friend there. (See all the wonderful things that can be learned from sappy romantic comedies?)

Here is perhaps where yoga centers like Jivamukti lose the interest of 85%+ of the population...As I sat down to remove my leather gladiator-like sandals to prep for class, I looked up and saw this posted on the wall opposite me:

"Jivamukti is a fur-free zone"

...after which I noticed numerous postings about cleanses and vegan lifestyle. I'm not knocking anyone who follows either (and in fact have many friends who follow a variety of lifestyle and nutritional choices, and to each his own). But for a first time student with a healthy obsession of vintage fur-trimmed coats and wearing leather sandals, Jivamukti managed to make me feel like an unwanted barbarian within the first five minutes of being in their space due to my wardrobe aesthetic. Yes, I love and honor aspects of yogic lifestyle like the mind-body connection, the tools for self-care and healing, the community, the joy and ease it inspires in the individual...but I also love a nice steak, red wine, decadent chocolate, and occasionally sitting on my couch all day watching bad TV after a night out with the girls dancing, drinking and being silly. I believe in experiencing life however it fills you up and helps you along your path, whatever it is and wherever it goes. It's life. It's all good.

Anyway, immediately feeling shamed for my fashion aesthetic, I shoved my sandals into my bag and settled on the bench to wait for class to begin. The class had it's ups-and-downs. I went in with an open mind and enjoyed the brisk flow through the basic asanas, but was quite surprised when the instructor massaged tiger balm into my neck while I was in a post. Forget that I'm hesitant about adjustments from yoga teachers to begin with, but to apply a topical cream to someone without asking in advance "Are you allergic to anything? Would you mind if I use some tiger balm to ease the strain in your neck during the practice?", pretty much blew my mind and made me appreciate even more the thoughtful teachers I've been graced with to this point.

Overall, I'm happy that I stopped in and experienced a Jivamukti class, if anything in pursuit of finding the best yoga discipline for my optimal wellness. Everyone should try all sorts of yoga to find what works for them, it's about the journey isn't it? It also reminded me of a few important lessons I've learned along the way that I want to share with any prospective yoga students before taking a class:
It's YOUR body. Be confident in listening to yourself, and when certain poses feel unsafe, ask the instructor how to modify it (this doesn't mean you should be a wimp, but as a rule, sharp pain = bad).
If an instructor does manual adjustment (ie. "Your arm should be here...(and moves it for you), and you're not comfortable with that, speak up. Remember, a yoga teacher is a guide to understanding your body, but you're the expert.
If you go to a class and after the first 15 minutes you're hurting, do not leave. Learn child's pose or another restorative asana, and enjoy the gentle stretch until there's a pose that you like/think you can do. If anything, seeing that your body needs something different from the class, a good teacher will modify the instruction or work with you to find ways to follow along in your comfort zone, but still with benefits to your body. If you get up and leave, it'll disrupt the class and won't give the teacher a chance to test their teaching skills.

Namaste dear Readers.

Sunday Funday: Free MP3s from AMAZON!

2009-09-13T12:06:00.004-04:00

I got sucked in and thought you might too. Ridiculous amount of FREE MP3s from AMAZON all in one place. I always forget to look here for music, clearly I've been doing myself a disservice. Click on the link and have fun NOT SPENDING MONEY!

Friendly spotlight: Emily Easton Colors the World Mosaic

2009-09-10T19:29:00.000-04:00

Emily the spotlight is yours...

Talk about a life less ordinary. Imagine moving to the jungle in Costa Rica with your family and running an inn, instead of moving into your college dorm room. Cause that's essentially what Emily did and it brought her to the path of mosaics. I envision the town of Puerto Viejo eventually being a life-sized mosaic installation, and how amazing would that be! Emily's work varies from interior pieces to their own standing structures like this outdoor shower she just finished for the bungalows at her family's Cashew Hill Cottages.

I cannot wait to go back and indulge! There is nothing better than a beautiful day and an outdoor shower, and this installation has just upped the ante! Here's a few more of my favorite pieces but I'm sure there's plenty for the eyes on her website.

New Noise Santa Barbara...do you really need me to tell you to get your ticket?

2009-09-09T19:47:00.004-04:00

Austin has SXSW
New York City has CMJ
...and now Santa Barbara has New Noise thanks to an inspired and proactive group of music heads.

As if you need more reasons to spend an October weekend in Santa Barbara; you've got a sweet surf spot, 30 of the hottest bands in music, thought-inducing discussions, and good people sharing laughter and tasty beverages...I'd even hazard a guess to say you can spend 3 days eating only fish tacos. Yeah, I'll be there.

Practice what you preach: what happens when the Mind-Body Connection isn't observed

2009-09-09T08:46:00.004-04:00
Ever since I began my journey to uncover insights into holistic health, I've been talking about how beneficial yoga, nutrition, meditation, and yoga therapy are to our well-being. Cause it's worked for my body, which includes more aches and pains than most women my age (that's 30 for those of you who don't know me...yikes! Did I just write 30 years old? Crikey time flies. Moving on...)

Here's what I've noticed; that our mind is malleable and can be convinced of many things...like that watching hours of Bravo marathons on TV is good for us, that another drink won't hurt us the next morning, that sleeping more than 7 hours a night is for wimps. But the truth is that we are just ignoring the signs our body is sending to our brain and that eventually, our body will throw a tantrum and just put a kibosh on everything.

That happened to me this past week and forced me to practice what I preach, getting me to this morning, which happens to be the first that I've managed to get out of bed without a sharp pain running through my body in almost a week. After spending the last two weeks hustling about town; seeing friends, doing an intense study of reflexology, and doing some private therapeutic yoga sessions, my body had enough. How do I know? Well, it started with what might be the silliest case of a staph infection, because I cut my own finger nail cuticle too short. Awesome. A visit to the ER at NY Presbyterian and a round of antibiotics.

This was closely followed by a foreign lower back pain that grew into the most intense and sharp pains I remember experiencing, and my contemplating a second visit to the ER that week. (To be honest, it's not that the pain wasn't severe enough to warrant a visit, it was more my embarrassment at being an ER frequent flier.) So I thought to myself, what can I do?

And that's when my brain seemed to wake up and casually mention to my body, "Hey genius, remember all that holistic health you've been studying?" So slowly I began massaging the relative points on my feet from my reflexology course notes. And then I dipped into some herbs that I've been experimenting with and, low-and-behold, basil is known to clear blockages and combined with lavender dispels muscle fatigue. Plus they smell nice. And then I gathered a bunch of pillows and did some therapeutic yoga stretches. And slowly the pain eased. I'm not kidding. In fact for the past few days, the only times I wasn't in pain was in asana (yoga postures).

And then somehow, things aligned so that I scored a waiting list spot for the only yoga teacher training course on the Cape. I was skeptical. I still am. What had intended to be a few months' hiatus back in July 2008 on the Cape, is fast turning into two years. And last night was the first class in Centerville, and the practice led by Megha, a Kripalu staff teacher made me appreciate that I'm exactly where I need to be in this moment, wherever the path leads. It was essentially a moment of mindfulness.

And when I woke up this morning without any pain in my body for the first time in a week, I knew...wherever the path leads, my body and my mind are back in sync and I plan on keeping it that way.

Friendly spotlight: Crazy/beautiful photographs by Crazy/beautiful Kristian Schmidt

2009-09-07T22:22:00.012-04:00

Kristian, the spotlight is yours...

If after seeing those photos you aren't intrigued and subsequently dying to see what else the globe-trotting, time zone-hopping, costume-carrying Kristian is working on...I'm sorry but it's just possible that you've contently created the box that you will live in for the rest of your life. You should probably delete your email account and stop surfing online too though, as you will inevitably encounter a myriad of fantastic things that will open your eyes to what could be.

I think that's why I love Kristian's photos; for the alternate universe that they portray, that is in fact, his reality. He really does spend afternoons playing in the California surf dressed as a chicken, getting as close as possible to a lion on safari in South Africa...for the sake of capturing a moment that not everyone has the chance to experience. Through his lens, the viewer gets a glimpse of what it would be like to jump down the rabbit hole and see where it goes...I don't know about you, but the jump is looking pretty fantastic to me!

Click here for his website. I purposely chose this landing page for the photograph featured. I had the pleasure of seeing it up close, and it is stunning.

Supporting innate goodness from Jack Kornfield's "The Wise Heart"

2009-09-04T16:11:00.004-04:00
I started reading this book "The Wise Heart" by meditation teacher Jack Kornfield this morning, and I just may have shed a tear when I got to this excerpt. If anything, since the school year has just begun, a bit too soon for students and teachers alike, I thought it worthwhile to share. Mr. Kornfield, the microphone is yours...

"When we bring respect and honor to those around us, we open a channel to their own goodness...Some years ago, I heard the story of a high school history teacher...on one particularly fidgety and distracted afternoon she told her class to stop all their academic work. She let her students rest while she wrote on the blackboard a list of the names of everyone in the class. Then she asked them to copy the list. She instructed them to use the rest of the period to write beside each name one thing they liked or admired about that student. At the end of class she collected the papers.

Weeks later, on another difficult day just before winter break, the teacher again stopped the class. She handed each student a sheet with his or her name on top. On it she had pasted all 26 good things the other students had written about that person. They smiled and gasped in pleasure that so many beautiful qualities were noticed about them.

Three years later, this teacher received a call from the mother of one of her former students. Robert had been a cut-up but also one of her favorites. His mother sadly passed on the terrible news that Robert had been killed in the Gulf War. The teacher attended the funeral, where many of Robert's former friends and high school classmates spoke. Just as the service was ending, Robert's mother approached her. She took out a worn piece of paper on which the teacher had so carefully pasted the 26 things his classmates had admired.

Seeing this, Robert's teacher's eyes filled with tears. As she dried her wet cheeks, another former student standing nearby opened her purse, pulled out her own carefully folded page, and confessed that she always kept it with her. A third ex-student said that his page was framed and hanging in his kitchen; another told how the page had become part of her wedding vows. The perception of goodness invited by this teacher had transformed the hearts of her students in ways she might only have dreamed about.

We can each remember a moment when someone saw the goodness in us and blessed us...This possibility is voiced by Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela: It never hurts to think too highly of a person; often they become ennobled and act better because of it."

-Taken from The Wise Heart, pages 18-20

Friendly-Spotlight: Immaculate Infatuation's Steinthal & Stang

2009-09-03T22:56:00.005-04:00
I'm starting a feature where I highlight people I know who do interesting things. Again, it's that whole "It's my blog and I'll write what I want to" principle. I will try not to repeat myself, unless they continue to do spotlight-worthy things, in which case you'll just have to bear with me...genius deserves a little extra love.

I'm an avid reader of Immaculate Infatuation's Foodie Blog...mostly because it drops into my Inbox fairly frequently and what can I say, Mr. Steinthal is an eloquent and oft-hilarious writer.

In addition to reviewing restaurants in NYC and classifying them as originally as Chronic Brunch, Full on Pork Indulgence, and Action at the Bar, the pair of Steinthal & Stang (never met Stang but he's a winner by association within this context) also create nifty foodie Challenges. The most recent challenge is what made me think, "I should really give a little love to Mr. Steinthal...he's onto something:

"The High Line Challenge" had the pair coercing neighborhood delivery out of anyone who didn't hang up on them, while they spent the day sunning on the new High Line. "Been to The High Line yet? We made some calls and found a few places that will dodge the tourists and bring food directly to your lazy ass twenty feet above the street. You're welcome."

Nicely done and keep up the good work! (All 4 eyes that read this blog are on you--or rather 4 sets of eyes, so 8 eyes in total and...when did this become a math problem? I'm an English Major for chrisssakes).

Side note: I am enjoying liberal use of the word "chrisssakes" though when I write it, it's intended with a North Dakota accent, so it would be helpful if you read it in context of the accent. And I should probably stop writing late at night. Noted.

Sometimes I write as if I'm talking to my best friend...but it's out there. For everyone to read. Oy...

2009-09-02T23:15:00.010-04:00
I've embarked on a new journey and if I didn't openly admit that I get nervous about it, this wouldn't really be a blog about the twists-and-turns of said journey, now would it?

I have spent the gross of my career supporting the arts. But somehow over the years, my passion and fervor for being part of the scene began to dissipate and somehow I ended up, Oh for christsakes I'll just say it, lost. But life has a way of knowing better than we do for ourselves at times. And the universe (or whatever greater forces you believe exist), helped to guide me along a path that just seems to work for me.

It began as a solo journey, but I seem to have collected a few friends along the way who had likewise fallen out of love with the way things were, and questioned the way things could be. And now I feel like there's a rogue community of amazing friends doing amazing things and not settling. And it feels pretty great. I mean, it's not all daisies all the time, sometimes I ask the question I'm sure a few people have wondered about decisions I've made (ie "What the hell is she thinking?"), but overall I feel like I'm on generally sound footing. And I've found my way back to music in a place that just feels right.

Looking back on the past year and decisions made such as donating & selling everything I owned that I could, abandoning the apartment I called home for over five years, moving to a remote beach community in New England, spending the bulk of my time caring for someone else, heading for destinations on the map simply out of curiosity, and learning to trust...don't seem so out of sync. To be honest, I'm not quite sure where the journey is headed. But I've decided to follow the lead of a few friends who have put it all out there-good or bad; their insanity, their uniqueness, their fears and have ascended to heights no one imagined possible.

Rosi Golan's The Drifter and The Gypsy is a new friend who has come along my journey. And this song just sort of sounds like the road less traveled. Then again, I could totally be misreading the lyrical intention...but isn't meaning of music in the ear of the beholder?

I Dont Wanna Wait - Rosi Golan

The Standard Grill...the new Cheers?

2009-08-30T21:26:00.006-04:00

Checking out the new High Line and The Standard Grill reminds me simultaneously why I love New York, and why I try to avoid the Meatpacking District.

Meyer and I stopped at the High Line before dinner and it's pretty nifty. It sort of made me think of Sweden or Germany, one of those cities that manages to marry architectural innovation with style, which forgive me for saying, NYC has forfeited to this point on behalf of building height (skyscrapers are rarely pretty and all the glass is beginning to look like we're creating a city of Bubble Boys).

As for The Standard Grill let me say this...it has every reason to be as pretentious as the other Meatpacking spots. The design is interesting, sleek, and somehow homey at the same time (don't ask, I think I have a warped sense of "home" since I don't really have one). The staff are all insanely attractive, the uniforms likely designed by Marc Jacobs, and it's packed with the few investment bankers still pulling salaries. However, Meyer and the late arriving Fischer and I had such a good time that we stopped keeping tabs of the drinks (Dangerous. In fact, every time I hang out with those two it's trouble. The good kind, but trouble nonetheless.) and laughed our way through the evening.

We had the mojito and Summer muddle or some such drink, that were EXACTLY what you want for an August Happy Hour with girlfriends. The Lobster Louis was super tasty, it took us 5 minutes to snag seats at the bar, our fellow patrons were fun and as boisterous as we were, and the bartenders seemed so amused that I'm fairly certain a few cocktails were on the house. Jillian is behind the bar Thursday and Saturday and seems to know EVERY customer who walks past the bar; shouting out to them and exchanging jabs...it conjured up what I imagined Cheers would have been like...granted a Cheers with a DJ and a clientele that looks like they stepped out of a showroom in the Garment District.

So if you go, tell Jillian and Tim "Hi" (lovely British bloke behind the bar--at least he sounded British over the dull roar of the restaurant) and be sure to chat with your neighbors. There's enough spots in the Meatpacking district catering to cranky wannabe hipsters--I'd love this place to not turn into one of them.

Cariad Harmon's "Four Letters"

2009-08-29T21:58:00.005-04:00

You know what's a great feeling? When you go see a friend's concert and not only is the place packed to the gills, but there are people craning their necks from outside for a peek at what all the fuss is about. Cariad's gig to celebrate the release of her album, "Four Letters" was just such an experience. I couldn't actually see her on-stage thanks to the rather cute and TALL gentleman blocking my view, but I can only imagine how great it must have felt to see friends and fans out and showing their love.

I think this is most of the tracks on the album..."Jennifer" and "Goodbye" are favorites (her songwriting style reminds me of John Mayer's first album and lyrics on songs like "City Love" that just seemed to get it, you know?). There was actually a song she debuted this week about dating in NYC that made me chuckle. Next album though I suppose:

Cariad is A-dorable. This video is a testament to her completely disarming and jovial nature, though unfortunately she's not singing and seems to be lost on MTA. (It's understandable, the subway construction on the weekends pretty much insures a treacherous journey should you choose to leave a five block radius.)

Attend a show. Buy an album. Whatever you're inspired to do listening to a British expat crooning about being an artist and a single woman in NYC, go for it...it's all lovely.

(500) Days of Summer: A romantic's tale

2009-08-29T17:38:00.003-04:00
My heart hurts. I blame the following culprits in order of the level of pain inflicted:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Zooey DeSchanel
Andrea Von Forester
Marc Webb

Allow me to explain...I'm a romantic. With a very healthy dose of cynicism. After watching (500) Days of Summer, I have realized that I am a "Tom" in a world populated mostly by "Summer".

Actually, I was going to delve into how, but after writing the above, and watching the film, it's pretty self-explanatory. If you haven't seen the film, I'm not proposing that you do simply to understand my meanderings, it would just be helpful should you desire clarification.

As for the entertainment value, I will say that I am really digging the trend in filmmaking where quiet is as powerful as the loudest explosion. It's funny really, somewhere I think "entertainment" came to be understood as whoever is making the loudest noise, but I'm realizing that the subtle can be just, if not more, powerful. I think Andrea did a really fantastic job on the music supervision, and props to her partners in the soundtrack and studio for allowing it to come together just right. It rarely took me out of the scene, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I name-checked every cue.

Apparently I'm in a bit of an odd mood (the doorman asked if I was okay). So clearly the movie stirred something up. What it is though, I can't imagine. (500) Days of Summer Standouts:
When Tom stumbles into the middle of the street after leaving Summer's garden party and he becomes a silhouette in a black & white city.
Tom doing kareoke to Pixie's "Here comes your man"
Tom & company dancing in the streets...with a surprising amount of rhythm and soul.

Love love love Tom and Summer's wardrobe. Timeless and I wish I could dress that sharp.
Tom's 14yr old sister is his confidente and the sage of the entire film.

Clearly I'm crushing on Tom despite the neurosis. Tom, call me.

Mind-body wellness...it's not just for yogis and Californians

2009-08-28T21:06:00.005-04:00
In the past few months I've become more acutely aware of the state of our universal wellness. Perhaps it's the focus on healthcare and the debates its legislation have inspired. Perhaps its seeing an industry that I've loved and called my community for so long (namely music) fragmenting to the point that it's hard to say whether it's still an industry at all. Whatever the reason, mind-body wellness and the practices that it's defined by, are top of mind these days.

I had the privilege of studying with Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal earlier in the summer, and just finished the first phase of my study with Wendy Coad (oddly enough I was the class' de facto photographer so you can see some photos on the Open Center's website). I believe in practicing what I preach, so have used myself as a tester before sharing my education with others, and I not only see a difference, I feel it. It's funny, we are a complete package (mind and body), but somewhere along the way we started treating our minds and our bodies as two distinct properties and I don't think we've done ourselves any favors. I like the idea of bringing the two together to help manage pain (chronic or episodic), regulate stress, aid the body in its own healing properties, and in essence be a support that so many people don't have. The examples of people who haven't been supported and whose bodies have entered crisis mode are endless...highlighting them is just furthering the negativity that surrounds us.

Now maybe all this is just babble to you, but maybe something will ring true somewhere for someone, and it is just the catalyst they need to do something for themselves. I don't know. I know I hit that point and it took me over a year to find the right people to guide me to the tools for self-care and holistic health. If you don't want to wait that long, just email me at lacurateur@gmail.com and I'll help however I can...

Handbags seem to be on everyone's minds

2009-08-28T12:38:00.003-04:00

Last night it came up twice, and today I opened the new issue of body + soul that supported my point of view from a conversation last night...now is the time for the ladies to change up our summer handbags for fall ones, and it wouldn't hurt a few of us (hint, hint) to not pack them with everything necessary for fleeing the country (A quick pass by the apartment on the way to the airport will suffice).

So if your shoulders, neck, back and knees are feeling achy, try carrying a purse that weighs under 3lbs fully loaded.

(Sadly that means foregoing the Chloe bags with the locks that weigh 2lbs alone...nice accessory Chloe. Maybe try something next time that won't mean we all end up as hunchbacks).

Bag-a-day ladies. Bag-a-day (inside joke, don't be bummed...one day we'll have one too)

Sometimes a great find really has no expiration date: "Swallow vs. Sparrow Tattoo"

2009-08-22T13:23:00.004-04:00
It's pretty great having a blog...generally cause I can write whatever I feel like and sometimes people read it.

I'm reposting a link to a blog that is nearly a year old, because it still gets people commenting on it. Swallow vs. Sparrow

In this case, I think it's the topic of the Sparrow vs. the Swallow tattoo and the work that I posted more so than my writing that's drawing attention. I don't remember where I found the work featured, but have been asked by the owner of the second tattoo design (pretty sweet if you ask me) to credit the artist, which I shall happily oblige here (mostly cause I can't figure out how to repost the post with comments without deleting it)

...Apparently Deidre [Doyle] is a Beantown artist. Hmm, maybe it's time for my next tattoo?

The Curateur's Somewhat Spontaneous New England Road Trip 600-1,000 miles

2009-08-18T09:20:00.000-04:00

You'll notice that the last land-logged portion of my journey covered double the amount of road in the same amount of time...to say that I was stir-crazy by the end would be an understatement and probably had something to do with my hopping on a boat to spend some time on a few islands just off the coast of Cape Cod immediately after.

But back to the road trip...so I stopped in Brunswick NY after hitting up Montreal. You're likely thinking, "Good god, why?". Excellent question and easily answered. Some family members thought it'd be a nice place to maroon themselves and open a provencal cafe called The Epicurean that caters to road-weary travelers, such as myself, who commute on the weekends between the city and the country.

So my little brother fit me into his busy social calendar for the evening and managed to play a Coldplay track by ear on the piano, played us an original song on the acoustic guitar I bought him a few Christmas' ago (minus one string), before picking up his trumpet to accompany a Wynton Marsalis CD...three instruments. I know. I'm plotting out his musical career now.

The next morning it was up early and heading through The Berkshires to Litchfield, Connecticut to check out Charym. Despite the drive taking two hours longer than anticipated, it was pretty and gave me a good idea of the geography of Upstate (There's a portion of Connecticut that is without highways, along route 7, where the road fluctuates between 25 mph and 45 mph every 5 miles and is enough to make me never go back to Connecticut). Charym is a lovely oasis that integrates yoga, spa, and mind-body wellness in the middle of moneyed-Litchfield, and after a brief visit, I got back in the car and let my internal compass point me towards the ocean.

Two hours later I landed in Stonington and inhaled the familiar waft of ocean air. I spent a bit of time in the area growing up, so it's long been a favorite stop along I-95. I headed straight to Skipper's Dock for some food, a glass of wine and a sunset.

Relaxed and slightly rejuvenated for the last stretch of highway, I landed back on the Cape in my own bed with over a thousand miles of road under my belt.

Practice what you preach: and other Peak Performance lessons

2009-08-14T13:34:00.004-04:00
This week I participated in a Harvard University-sponsored conference at the Sea Crest Resort in North Falmouth (I can now say I've been educated by "the Harvard of Canada" and the real one!). It was given by an accomplished academic who has co-written books with the Dalai Lama and studied the Buddhist tradition of Mahamudra. The course was to focus on Visualization, Meditation & Peak Performance. To say I was excited about what I would learn would be an understatement.

While I wasn't completely disappointed by the flow of the course, there were a few glaring missteps that I'd like to highlight in the hopes, that if you're about to give a lecture to a roomful of enthusiastic students, that you won't risk losing their faith in your content by a few glaring errors in communication. The delivery of your message is as crucial as the content itself. So to help insure effective communication, try to avoid doing any of the following:
After leading a group exercise in meditation where people are encouraged to be "open" to the experience, do not ask "Are there any questions?" and then commence to look down and surf through slides in your presentation, or begin to pack-up as the session is nearing an end (What comes to mind is, "I'm sorry, are we taking up your time?"). A course designed to educate individuals on how to focus the mind should really do better, don't you think? In other words, Walk the Talk.
The quickest way to make someone think you are not listening to them is to interrupt their thought with your own. Case in point, someone is giving feedback on the lesson you've just taught and before they've finished the first sentence, you interject with "Yeah, I know that."...and go on to describe your own experience.
Be prepared. If you arrive without a cohesive presentation prepared, instead flicking through various presentations to locate the next slide, it is as disorienting as sitting in front of the television while someone channel surfs. Not only that, but it sends the message to the once-enthusiastic participants that you didn't put much forethought into the curriculum (and perhaps agreed to teach the seminar to spend a week at the beach).
Engage with the audience immediately; eye-contact, standing up, and articulating speech are all effective ways to illustrate that you are really "present". Spending the first twenty minutes of the seminar seated and talking into your coffee cup, however, do not.
I've now participated in two different courses where meditation was a component, and have noticed a distinction in style that I think is significant to note; one focused on the energy being put out into the room and the idea of community, while the other focused on the ego's inner focus. Each person's experience varies, but the difference for me is that I left one feeling connected, curious and appreciative of life, and I left this week's needing to take a swim and let the sunshine reconnect me to my environment. I'm not sure who failed whom and where, but I did re-learn a valuable lesson this week: whatever you do in life, Practice What You Preach.