The Books of 2014

December 30, 2014 – The Books of 2014

At the end of every year, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to look back over a list of the books that I read during the previous 12 months.  Keeping track of my reading is a habit that I developed in high school.  It stuck with me over the years and grew into a full-blown obsession.  For several decades, I used index cards alphabetized by author’s last name, but I switched over to an Excel spreadsheet (and transferred all the earlier data) six or seven years ago. 

I still remember quite vividly sitting in the library of Eagle Avenue School, on one of those low stools, pulling “real,” i.e. not picture, books off the shelf.  What a thrill it was when I discovered that I could read chapter books!  From that moment on, I was addicted to reading.  I plunged into various series, such as The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew (girl detective), and Cherry Ames (student nurse). 

My goal this year was to read a book a week.  I didn't manage to read 52 entire books, but as 2014 comes to an end, I see 43 titles, both fiction and non-fiction, on my list.  Thank goodness for the Fairfax County library system!  Without their books and e-books, I’d be broke.  The list doesn’t include books I read for my classes at George Mason University.  In addition, I felt I couldn’t list many of the non-fiction books that I merely skimmed or read in part.  This included several cookbooks, travel books, history books, etc.  I always note which books I particularly enjoyed, and I’m pleased to share a few of the highlights with my fellow reading enthusiasts.  Here they are, in no particular order:

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert – fiction – a long, fascinating novel with beautifully drawn characters.

Longbourn by Jo Baker – fiction – retells Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from the point of view of the servants. 

Guests on Earth by Lee Smith – fiction – a novel set in a North Carolina mental instutition; one of the characters is Zelda Fitzgerald.

My Promised Land by Ari Shavit – non-fiction – an Israeli perspective on Israel – both controversial and eye-opening.

Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart – memoir – wildly entertaining and touching memoir by the writer who immigrated from Russia to the U.S. as a young child. 

An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris – fiction – based on historical incidents related to the Dreyfus case and the investigation into a cover-up involving top officials in the French government and military. 

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan – fiction – based on the true relationship between an American woman and the writer Robert Lewis Stevenson. 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin – fiction – a somewhat quirky novel about a quirky bookstore owner, sure to appeal to lovers of literature. 

Lovers at the Chameleon Club by Francine Prose – fiction – set in Paris before and during World War II, based on some actual historical characters and events.

My Notorious Life by Kate Manning – fiction – historical setting, based on true events involving the struggle for women’s reproductive rights in the 1800s. 

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Klein – fiction – a compelling story of two women covering several decades.

What is Visible by Kimberly Elkins – fiction – based on the life of the first deaf-blind woman who was learned to communicate, before Helen Keller. 

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriques – fiction – focuses on the lives of today’s immigrants as they struggle to fit into American society. 

The Medici Boy by John L’Heureux – fiction – set in Renaissance Italy, this novel follows an apprentice in the workshop of the sculptor Donatello.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – fiction – a moving account of World War II in France by a young blind girl.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – fiction – life for a group of women in a contemporary Australian suburb.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters – fiction – suspenseful novel set in post-WW I London.

I Always Loved You by Robin Oliveira – fiction – based on the relationship between the American painter Mary Cassatt and the French artist Degas. 

Happy reading!

Approaching Year's End

December 28, 2014 – Approaching Year’s End

It’s hard to believe that it’s the end of December.  We’ve had several recent days where the temperatures reached 60 degrees – and it’s officially winter!  Now, I’m not complaining.  I’ve enjoyed being able to spend more time out of doors.  I can get my exercise by walking through the neighborhood, or even by taking a long walk in DC, which is how I spent the day after Christmas. 

On the morning of December 26, the sun was shining brightly and the air was mild when my friend Cheri and I hopped on the Metro.  It was a perfect day for an urban hike. Right away, we noticed the absence of cars on the roads and the paucity of passengers on the trains.  Our first stop on our agenda was the Sackler Museum of Asian Art, a gem of a museum that is often overlooked by the hordes of tourists who throng the more imposing Smithsonian structures on the National Mall.  As a result, we were able to view two very interesting new exhibits without having to battle crowds.  

The Smithsonian Castle, decorated for the holidays with birch trunks

The first exhibit we saw, called The Traveller’s Eye, presented over 100 works from the museum’s collection that were created over a 500-year period.  They ranged from Chinese scrolls to Japanese woodblock prints to contemporary photographs from the Indian subcontinent.  Through these works, we gained an insight into both commercial and tourist travel across Asia over the centuries.  

A Japanese print from the exhibit, The Traveller's Eye

The second exhibit, Unearthing Arabia, offered a fascinating window into early civilization in the southern Arabian Peninsula.  It focused on the archaeological expedition of a team organized and led by Wendell Phillips.  In the early 1950s, Phillips and his crew unearthed the ruins of an ancient capital of the Qataban kingdom in Timna, located along the Biblical spice route in modern-day Yemen.  Unfortunately, the volatile and dangerous political situation in Yemen forced the group to abandon their work prematurely.  It wasn’t until the late 1990s that a team returned to the area to carry on the work of Phillips, who had died in the interim.  It was especially interesting to see the carvings of South Arabian writing on many of the sculptures.  South Arabian had 29 letters but no vowels, much like Hebrew.  The South Arabian script (where a character represents a syllable) was abandoned on the Arabian Peninsula with the advent of Islam, but survives to this day in Amharic, the language of Ethiopia. 

Outside once again, we finally saw crowds along the Mall – a huge line dominated by families with children, waiting to get through the security entrance for the Air and Space Museum.  We continued on in the direction of the Capitol, stopping at the National Botanical Gardens to see the holiday exhibit.  We skipped the snaking line (more families with more restless children) waiting to see the model trains and headed straight into the moist tropical heat of the main hall.  The airy space was decked out in a refreshing palette of hot pink (poinsettias with tiny leaves) and cool silver and blue (ribbons and sparkly balls).  We stayed just long enough to snap a few photos.  

Part of the holiday exhibit at the National Botanical Gardens

Since our goal was to combine museum-going with exercise, we kept walking over Capitol Hill and then down Pennsylvania Avenue to Eastern Market, a walk of close to 2 miles from the Sackler.  The Hill was pretty deserted, and it turned out that Eastern Market was closed for the holiday.  There were certainly no tourists in sight.  But the restaurants near the market were open, and we treated ourselves to delicious galettes de sarrasin (buckwheat crepes) filled with salmon, cheese and veggies at Montmartre, a charming French restaurant on Seventh Street SE. 

When I got home, I was so energized from being out in the fresh air that I sat down at the computer and tackled a job that I’d been avoiding for weeks, i.e. writing our annual letter.  The task had taken on a sense of urgency because Elliott, tired of my procrastinating, had shown me a 3-page draft that he’d laboriously penciled.  The problem with his letter was that it dealt exclusively with his medical issues, in great detail.  I managed to write up a more positive and balanced overview of our year and sent it out before the day was over.  It felt wonderful to check that off the To Do list.   

The good weather and my energy level lasted a couple of more days.  We set out to run some errands on Saturday morning, and found both Costco and Wegman’s relatively deserted.  Obviously, a lot of local residents were out of town for the holidays, which made shopping an unexpected pleasure.  In the afternoon, Elliott and I went off once again in search of a push broom, and finally, after several unsuccessful attempts, located a suitable specimen at a small family-run hardware store in Falls Church.  As you can see in the photo, he is delighted with his purchase. 

We spent a very productive day at home on Sunday.  With Marshall’s help, we moved the flat file and drafting table from the garage into the rec room.  I’m very excited to have a comfortable, spacious studio downstairs where Matt and I can work on our fused glass.  In the photo above, you’ll notice two paintings propped up on the brick ledge.  The one on the right is my painting of an interior scene in our home in France.  The painting on the left is a still life by Elliott Thompson, painted when he was living in Paris back in the 1950s.  

Mon atelier (my studio)

Norwegian Jul

December 25, 2014 – Norwegian Jul

Elliott and I are enjoying a calm December 25 after a festive Norwegian Jul on Christmas Eve (or as I sometimes call the day, erev Christmas).  Yesterday, Marshall, Matt, and our friend Judy joined us for a holiday celebration in the spirit of Elliott’s Norwegian family.  The event was relatively low-key and definitely food-oriented.  Starting in the afternoon, the aroma of cardamom-scented julekake baking perfumed the whole house.  My experiment with cooking a roast beef was semi-successful:  it took longer in the oven than we expected, but it turned out to be edible.  While the roast was in the oven, we nibbled on two Norwegian cheeses, gjetost and nøkkelost, and sipped warm spiced cider. After a brief consultation with our guests, we decided to skip the herring course since none of them was a fan of “fishy” fish.  However, the potato latkes, string beans with shallots and mushrooms, braised red cabbage, and cucumber salad were big hits with everyone.  The red cabbage, in particular, was a revelation – melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious.  Let me know if you’d like me to send you the recipe. 

  

We’re not big gift-givers at holiday time so I was a bit surprised when Elliott cajoled me into taking him to Home Depot earlier in the week, before Hanukkah ended.  I asked him if it could wait, but he insisted that it was urgent.  It turned out that he was looking for a special type of broom called a “push broom,” which would be ideal for cleaning the new tile floors on the lower level.  While I appreciate his thoughtfulness, I don’t believe that this item was on my Hanukkah wish list.  However, I can’t complain.  A week ago, my wonderful husband made a 2-mile round trip trek with his walker just so he could surprise me with a card on our anniversary. 

Holiday gift shopping at Home Depot

And now we have a day without company to cook for, which seems quite strange.  We were originally planning to go to the movies and then out to a Chinese restaurant.  But with the appearance of sunshine after several gloomy wet days, I’d prefer to stay home with the sun streaming through the windows, eat yummy leftovers, and take a nice long walk in the neighborhood (especially after all the butter I used in yesterday's meal).  And I guess I’d better write that overdue annual letter before the day is over! 

Welcome to Latkaville

December 21, 2014 – Welcome to Latkaville

‘Tis the season for latkes in the Thompson household.  I’m feeling very festive about the holidays this year.  Due to the timing of Hanukkah, I’ve had time to recover from Thanksgiving before gearing up for the Jewish festival of lights.  A long strand of twinkling blue lights, visible from inside and outside, adorns the living room window.  My dreidl painting is propped up on the piano’s music stand.  I’ve been exercising vigilantly, eating carefully, and limiting my subbing, so I have plenty of energy for cooking and entertaining.  

  

For well over a week, my kitchen has been a latke factory.  It started when I made 126 latkes in a single evening for last weekend’s Hadassah Hanukkah party.  A group of 30 Hadassah friends and (plus a few husbands) joined me at home for a latke brunch.  In addition to the traditional potato latkes with the requisite accompaniments, apple sauce and sour cream, we sampled curried sweet potato latkes; leek and potato latkes; spinach latkes, including a gluten-free variation made with ground walnuts; and finally Thai corn latkes, an example of culinary fusion if there ever was one.  This is what I imagine Jews living in Thailand after the year 1500 would have eaten.  They were one of the crowd favorites, and I can understand why.  Flavored with ginger, garlic, and cilantro – what’s not to like? 

For the second night of Hanukkah, Matt and some neighborhood friends came over for a special dinner.  The meal featured the afore-mentioned curried sweet potato latkes, which complemented the pot roast (for carnivores), roasted turkey breast (for non-red-meat eaters), and veggie-chickpea stew (for vegetarians).  Donuts, which are fried in oil, provided the Hanukkah-themed dessert.  And last night, I tried a new latke recipe that uses zucchini.  Shhh!  Don’t tell anyone that these are baked in the oven rather than fried in oil – a Hanukkah heresy. I wish I had more latke photos to share, but the yummy pancakes, regardless of variety, seem to vanish before I can put down my spatula and get out my phone.  

Zucchini latkes

Meanwhile, we’re busy planning for our Norwegian Jul celebration on December 24 with Marshall and Matt.  Elliott recalls Christmas Eve celebrations from his childhood when his mother would make a roast beef, string beans, and potatoes along with several varieties of Norwegian cookies.  This year, the boys will come over in the afternoon, and we’ll bake Julekake, a cardamom-scented Christmas bread, and Jødekager, Scandinavian “Jewish” cookies, together.  I will attempt to recreate the dinner with some trepidation since I’ve never cooked a roast beef before.  I’ll also make a few minor modifications, such as substituting potato latkes for boiled or mashed potatoes, and serving spiced cider rather than gløgg (mulled red wine).  Other possible Scandinavian-inspired additions to the menu include herring as a starter, braised red cabbage to accompany the meat, and pickled cucumber salad with fresh dill.  

Elliott got off to a head start on his Norwegian Jul celebration.  Thanks to the kindness of the very accommodating staff at the Nordic Deli in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn (where there was a thriving Norwegian immigrant community in the early years of the 20^th century), my 102-year old Viking husband is already enjoying nøkkelost, his favorite cheese and a reminder of his childhood.  It’s flavored with cumin seeds and cloves, and it’s very difficult to obtain nowadays in this country.  

That's one happy Viking!

Another event we’re celebrating this month is my mother’s 89^th birthday on December 23.  Elliott and I will take her out for lunch that day.  This is in addition to the birthday dinner party that Greenspring hosted for assisted living residents with December birthdays last Thursday, December 18.  December 18 also happens to be the date of our wedding anniversary.   Elliott and I managed to squeeze in a celebratory lunch that day at Villa Mozart, a lovely northern Italian restaurant in Fairfax City. 

Katie looks good for 89!

Anniversary lunch at Villa Mozart

Since Workhouse Arts Center glass studio is closed for a two-week winter break, Matt and I will be working on our fused glass at home.  We each have a piece in the student-faculty art exhibition, which runs from December 20 through January 11.  There’s a closing reception on January 10 from 6-9pm, so stop by if you have time.  For those of you who can’t make it to Lorton, I’m also hosting an in-home show/tea party on January 1^st or 2^nd – more details to follow. 

A Not So Terrible Day

December 3, 2014 – A Not So Terrible Day

This seemed to be one of those days when everything goes wrong.  I didn’t get a good night’s sleep last night, for some unknown reason, and I struggled to emerge from my warm cocoon of a bed this morning.  My brain was in a fog all through breakfast.  At least I had my weekly Wednesday morning Zumba class to look forward to.  That usually puts me in a good frame of mind.  Except that when I got to the gym, I found that today’s class was cancelled because the exercise room was being painted. 

All right, I thought.  I won’t get stressed out.  I’ll just drive home, pick up my Kindle, drive right back to the gym, read Big Little Lies while I do a half-hour run on the elliptical machine, take a quick shower, and drive down to Greenspring to meet with my mother’s doctor at 12. 

All went well for the next hour.  I even made it down to Greenspring by 11:45 a.m. and got a terrific parking place.  While I waited for the doctor to arrive, I straightened up my mother’s room, arranging her arts and crafts projects, her Bingo Bucks, and her packages of candy – Raisinets and Milk Duds (prizes for games).  Then I waited, and waited, and waited.  A little after 12, I checked with the nursing station.  The nurse looked puzzled.  He didn’t know anything about a doctor’s appointment.  And no, the doctor was busy with patients at the medical center and couldn’t see me today.  Clearly there had been some miscommunication. 

Take a deep breath, I reminded myself, and get back into the car and listen to some nice music.  Sure I was hungry, but I’d be sitting down for lunch in half an hour.  However, I didn’t anticipate the major traffic backup on Braddock Road due to some kind of roadwork that had one of the two lanes closed.  Finally, I got home, determined not to let the earlier events spoil the remainder of my day. 

First of all, I laughingly told Elliott about everything that had gone wrong.  Right away, the gloom started to lift.  And I couldn’t help smiling as I showed him some recent photos of Katie taken at the Dancing with the Stars event at her assisted living facility.  No surprise that she was the winner!  After lunch, I brought out cups of Trader Joe’s Winter Blend coffee (subtly spiced with cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns) and the last slices of Teri’s wonderful banana bread, lightly toasted.  What’s more, I have time to relax this afternoon before going into DC with my friend Kathy for dinner and a Shakespeare play.  Maybe this isn’t such a terrible day after all.  

Is It Thanksgiving Yet?

November 29, 2014 – Is it Thanksgiving Yet?

Oops!  This was supposed to be my pre-Thanksgiving post, but I’m obviously running a little behind schedule.  No need to stress out, however.  There’s just more to tell you.  It’s no surprise that I so busy getting ready for the holiday that I didn’t have time to sit down at the computer.  It seems as if my Thanksgiving preparations started earlier than usual this year.  As soon as the stores started featuring the traditional Thanksgiving foods (which was right after Halloween), I began my grocery shopping in earnest.  Over the past few weeks, I made daily trips to Trader Joe’s, Wegman’s, or one of the other supermarkets in the area.  Sometimes I even went to Trader Joe’s twice in a single day. 

In addition to getting ready for some major cooking, I also had to put the guest rooms back in order.  We had taken out all the downstairs furniture before we had the new floor installed.  And then the painters came last week, so the downstairs guestroom was looking pretty bare, with just a chest of drawers.  If we hauled in the bed from the garage, at least Elisa and Christian would have a place to sleep when they arrived on Tuesday, but I wanted the guestroom to look more inviting.  Thank goodness for IKEA.  Elliott and I dashed down there Monday morning.  It didn’t take long to fill up a shopping cart with assorted furnishings (new bed linens, lamps, curtains, rugs, etc.).  We even had plenty of time left over for Elliott to fill up his tummy with a lunch of Swedish meatballs and lingonberries. 

Wednesday started with a final grocery run for pies and New England cod.  Elisa’s helped by setting the dining room table.  And with her encouragement, I also got rid of a lot of unnecessary items that had accumulated in the upstairs guestroom where my brother and sister-in-law would be staying.  It had become the unofficial Room Where Miscellaneous Stuff Gets Dumped (and then forgotten).  For example, I found boxes full of old videocassette tapes that had already been digitized.  With less clutter, the room certainly looked a lot better. 

Elliott getting a few extra calories at Whole Foods two days before Thanksgiving

Cooking began in earnest on Wednesday evening and continued for several hours on Thursday.  While all of this activity was going on at home, Elliott helped by staying out our way.  I squeezed in a trip to Greenspring to pick up my mother around mid-day on Thursday.  My brother and sister-in-law, who drove down from New York, arrived early in the afternoon.  Matt came over and took charge of seasoning the sweet potato oven fries (good job!).  Our friend Judy, accompanied by our favorite canine, also joined us for the Thanksgiving feast.  Of course, everyone ate a lot.  We also ate a lot of leftovers on Friday.  So how is it possible that half a chocolate cream pie and nearly three quarters of an apple pie are still sitting in my refrigerator?  

Ready to sit down for Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but I felt a little differently about it this year, thanks to what I’ve learned in my Native American and Indigenous Studies class at GMU.   

Like most Americans my age, I associate the Thanksgiving holiday with soberly dressed Pilgrims in tall buckled hats and Indians with feathers made out of construction paper.  As far back as elementary school, we learned about the Pilgrims’ search for religious freedom, their voyage on the Mayflower and landing at Plymouth Rock, the beginnings of democracy in the Americas (the Mayflower Compact), and those helpful Indians who showed the Pilgrims how to plant corn and later shared their harvest meal.  Thanks to the Indians, the Pilgrims survived and more European settlers arrived in the Americas.  Our history classes taught us how the colonies gained their independence, how the U.S. grew bigger and stronger, fought wars (including against those pesky Indians), and sent a man to the moon.  But the long-term impact of European settlement on the Native American population wasn’t part of the story in our textbooks.

Now, of course, I’ve had an opportunity to learn about the cultures of indigenous peoples before the arrival of Europeans and to understand the devastating consequences of European settlement in the Americas.  No wonder that for Native Americans, our Thanksgiving Day is a day of mourning rather than a day of celebration.  It signals the beginning of the end of their way of life.  First the explorers and then the settlers brought diseases that nearly eradicated the native population.  From the very beginning, Native Americans were faced with prejudice, condescension, and broken promises on the part of Europeans.   Government leaders who proclaimed freedom and equality instituted policies that led to mass removal of Indians from their homelands, and destruction of their families, languages and culture.  These actions resulted in a shameful legacy of poverty, unemployment, disease, and substance abuse.  There’s no question that my previous education didn’t expose me to these troubling aspects of American history.  

By the turn of the 20^th century, the Indian presence had become invisible as far as many Americans were concerned.  Right here in Virginia, many residents would be amazed to learn that there are actually Indians living in our state today.  Lately, however, I’ve noticed a number of newspaper and magazine article calling attention to the shameful living conditions on many Indian reservations and the myriad problems that continue to plague Native American communities today.

So this year, Thanksgiving gave me a lot to think about. Although Turkey Day has come and gone, I hope the spirit of gratitude will continue throughout the year so that very single day becomes a day of thankfulness.  One of the many things I’m thankful for is my safe and comfortable home with its newly renovated kitchen, bathrooms and lower level.  Although we seem to be running a squirrel and mouse hotel in our attic, I’m grateful that the raccoons have not moved in.  On a more serious note, I’m thankful with all my heart for my wonderful family and the love we share.  We are so fortunate that we were able to be together to celebrate two recent special occasions:  Elisa and Christian’s first anniversary, and Elisa’s 30^th birthday.  

Salted caramel crunch cake at Choices by Shawn in Fairfax - and Elisa and Christian

Elliott and Matt at Elisa's 30th birthday dinner

I’m grateful that my mother, whose mind continues to deteriorate, still finds pleasure in seeing her children and grandchildren.  I’m very, very thankful for Elliott’s love and companionship.  In spite of frequent nerve pain in his legs and chronic back pain, he has been out taking short walks and even blowing leaves on occasion.  Considering everything, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.   

Looks Can Be Deceiving

November 15, 2014 – Looks Can Be Deceiving

Everyone wants to know how Elliott is doing.  I wish he felt as good as he looks.  If you judge from a photo taken a couple of mornings ago, you’d assume he’s doing fine.  However, that dapper façade is hiding the reality of his present condition.  His back pain is more intense, more frequent, and less responsive to pain killers.  Facing the pain everyday is slowly wearing down his spirit as well as his body.  It is terrible to see someone you love suffer.  As I’ve said before, he doesn’t ask for sympathy.  Instead, he distracts himself whenever possible with work around the house.  For example, today while I was out selling my fused glass at the Mantua arts and crafts sale (more about that in a moment), he stayed home and watched the paint dry – literally.  You see, we’ve just had the downstairs painted, and Elliott wants to make sure that nothing has been neglected.  It looks pretty good to me – clean and white, just like its name, “Powdery Snow.”  Of course, it makes the rest of the house scream out for a fresh coat of paint, too. 

As for the Mantua Made Market, our neighborhood arts and crafts fair, Matt and I introduced our joint venture, Thompson Family Glassworks.  We’re such neophytes to the world of commerce that we didn’t even have a price list ready.  Since this was our first attempt to sell our fused glass, we didn’t want to get our hopes up too high.  Of course, we would have been disappointed if we hadn’t sold anything.  Matt and I agreed that we’d be satisfied if we sold a single piece.   

So, thank you, Pam, our first customer, for letting us reach our goal.  And thanks to Kate and Dave, our best customers of the day.  By the time the fair ended, we had sold a total of seven pieces, far exceeding our expectations. Matt and I are feeling elated and we can’t wait to get back to work in the glass studio tomorrow. 

A Dance Weekend

November 10, 2014 – A Dance Weekend

My weekend was filled with dance, but Elliott didn’t feel much like dancing this weekend.  The problem wasn’t shingles, but back pain, a very intense pain that has been plaguing him more than it usually does.  Even his strong painkillers don’t seem to provide relief.  Elliott doesn’t complain very often, but I can see his grimaces and hear his groans.  This prolonged pain is wearing down his spirit and keeping him less active, which, in turn, makes him weaker.  However, it didn’t prevent him from working on the downstairs renovation project.  Now that the floor is finished, we're ready to paint.  So he directed the boxing up of the contents of the closets.  In the process, we came across some real treasures, such as Elliott’s old painting box, purchased from Sennelier, the art supply store in Paris, when he was living there in the 1950s.   

Elliott offered his old paint box to Marshall.

In addition, Elliott managed to measure every wall and ceiling on the lower level – twice – in order to calculate how many gallons of paint we’ll need.  And his pain didn’t keep him from making at least two paint-related trips to Home Depot in the past few days.  Now that we’ve selected the shade of white, we just need to find someone to do the actual work. 

For me, this weekend revolved around dance.  I had invited Elisa, a former dancer (9 years of ballet and 4 years on the high school precision dance team), to join me for two very special performances.  The first was a Friday evening performance by the Martha Graham Dance Company at GMU.  Of course Martha Graham’s name is well-known, but until I took Dance Appreciation this past summer, I didn’t know anything at all about her signature style – angular, emotionally intense – and I had little appreciation for how she revolutionized modern dance and influenced a whole generation of choreographers.  I was hoping to be transported, but while the performance was interesting, it didn’t affect me strongly. 

However, the second performance of the weekend exceeded all of my expectations.  This was Little Dancer, a new musical making its world premiere at the Kennedy Center.  The show was inspired by the story of the young ballet dancer who posed for Degas’ famous sculpture in the late 1800s.  The original wax cast of the statue is in the collection of the National Gallery Art.  From beginning to end, Little Dancer was a thrilling, riveting, dynamic piece of theatrical art.  It was beautifully conceived, staged (down to the very last detail) and performed.  Directed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman, the show featured an immensely talented cast, including top Broadway singers and actors, and one of the principal dancers from the New York City Ballet in the title role.  After the final curtain went down, Elisa and I left the Kennedy Center with a feeling of elation that lasted for hours afterwards.

On the Kennedy Center terrace after the show

Mmmm, pizza rustica at Campono - it's worth all the calories

Of course, there’s more to life than dance.  On the food front, we dined out (that fabulous Rustica pizza at Campono before the Kennedy Center show) and cooked together (garlic shrimp, broccoli rabe, roasted beets with goat cheese and pistachios, pumpkin muffins).  We also planned the menu for the first of the season’s annual carb fests, i.e. Thanksgiving.  So far, the menu includes roasted turkey breast (for the carnivores), New England cod (for the pescatarians), Elliott’s favorite mashed potatoes with herbed goat cheese, Matt’s preferred sweet potato oven-fries, everyone’s favorite casserole of cornbread-veggie stuffing, Elisa’s favorite green beans with miso-mustard sauce, my favorite raw cranberry-apple-orange relish, and at least two kinds of pie – I’m sure the Pilgrims enjoyed chocolate cream pie back in 1621 in Plymouth. 

A Challenging Week

November 3, 2014 – A Challenging Week

This has been a challenging week for Elliott.  On Tuesday evening, while we were entertaining dinner guests (Tony and Marshall), Elliott complained of back pain so excruciating that he couldn’t bear to have anyone touch the affected area.  Halfway through dinner, he abandoned his plate of partially eaten kofta and Swiss chard with tahini-yogurt sauce and got into bed.  When I looked at his back a couple of hours later, I noticed a cluster of three raised red spots on one side of his lower back.  I had seen enough commercials on TV to make a diagnosis of shingles.  Even he’d gotten a shingles vaccine, was certain that he had shingles.  The following morning, our family doctor confirmed the diagnosis.  Fortunately, we had gotten a shingles vaccine within the past couple of years, and we were able to start treatment immediately, before any of the red spots had started to blister.  Elliott began a regimen of anti-viral medication and prednisone, which helped prevent the shingles rash from spreading to other areas of his body.  The intense pain subsided within a couple of days, but he’s had to deal with the unpleasant side effects of the prednisone.  He took his last pill this morning, and he’s looking and feeling much better now.  

Even shingles can't keep Elliott down for long.

Not all the medical news was bad, however.  The doctor’s scale revealed that Elliott has gained a couple of pounds.  It must be attributable to the increased calories in his diet.  In fact, right this minute, I’m being summoned back to the kitchen to prepare his turkey bacon and fried egg. 

(Back from brief interruption)  Elliott’s breakfast is a prolonged affair.  First of all, it’s a multi-course production.  But more importantly, he reads the newspaper while he eats, which means that his consumes on average one bite per minute.  But a leisurely breakfast is one of the pleasures of retirement.

Despite the physical and mental distress of the past week, Elliott has been able to stay active.  In fact, as soon as he finishes eating, he’ll be back to his supervision of the downstairs cleanup crew (that would be me).  He monitors my dusting and vacuuming to ensure that they meet his exacting standards.  I have to monitor him as well.  Yesterday I found him standing on a stepladder, taking down the mini-blinds from one of the windows.  At least he didn’t argue when I told him that I’d take over that particular job.  After we finish the cleanup, the next job will be painting, a job that Elliott will not attempt himself. 

Halloween was uneventful.  Unlike our children, we didn’t dress up in costumes, but we had plenty of trick-or-treaters.  Still, there was leftover candy, which is now safely stored in the specially designated Cabinet of Forbidden Foods, i.e. Elliott’s cabinet. 

While Elliott was homebound, I found that the Workhouse Arts glass studio was a great escape for me.  In addition to spending time on my own new pieces, I pitched in with the Workhouse glass artists and students who are slumping wine bottles as a fundraiser for the glass program.  We’re washing hundreds of wine bottles, scraping off the labels, slumping them in the kiln, and then preparing them for sale in the Glass House.  I was great at label scraping, but my raffia tying skills were abysmal.  

Bottles in the kiln - to be "slumped"

I just couldn't get that raffia tied right!

Even with all the hours at Workhouse, I managed to find time to try a new recipe (an adaptation of Thai chicken salad, for which I used squid), and to get out for dinner (Thai again) and a concert (Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Allen Toussaint) here in Fairfax.  

Love those Thai flavors - lemongrass, mint, Thai basil, cilantro, lime

Thai dinner at Sisters Living Room Café

That extra hour over the weekend was most welcome.  In fact, I think everyday should have an extra hour.  Let’s start a campaign for the 25-Hour Day. 

Although I don’t post to my blog on a daily basis, I write everyday.  All around the house I have scraps of paper with my notes.  However, someone needs to invent a device (perhaps a waterproof keyboard?) that will allow me to write while showering.  That’s where I get all of my best thoughts.  As soon as I turn off the water, I jump out shivering and dripping, grab a pencil, and start scribbling on a soggy piece of paper.  And I’m always afraid that I’ll lose the words before I can get them down. 

Well, Elliott has finished his coffee, so it’s time to get back to work downstairs.  Until later. 

Back to the Blogosphere

October 27, 2014 – Back to the Blogosphere

So, I took a little break from blogging – I’ve been so wrapped up in daily activities that writing fell to the wayside, but everything here is fine.  The past few weeks have been quite busy, with another house project, a little road trip with Elliott, a visit from Elisa and Christian, and more time in the glass studio. 

Matt and I have both been enrolled in a weekly class at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton since last June, and we’ve become quite serious about this medium.  In addition to attending our Sunday class, we try to work during open studio time at least once during the week.  We’d love to do some work at home.  However, we don’t have the kilns, sandblaster, diamond saw, lap grinder, belt sander, etc. 

It’s wonderful having a partner in this creative endeavor.  We’re looking forward to making our official commercial debut as fused glass artists at the upcoming Mantua Made Market (November 15, 10am – 1pm).  We’re still trying to come up with a name for our business.  Unfortunately, Thompson Glassworks is already taken.  Maybe Convento Glassworks?  Any suggestions?  We’ll also try to get a website set up within the next few weeks.  In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures of recent pieces:

Elliott has been busy on his latest project, i.e. the new floor on the lower level of the house.  After several trips to Home Depot and various tile showrooms, we settled on a beautiful porcelain 18 by 18 inch square design.  The tile has already been installed and the shoe molding will be in place by the end of the day.  It looks great, and the best part is Elliott didn’t do the work himself.  Of course, that doesn’t mean he didn’t supervise.  Also, he insisted on purchasing the shoe molding himself at Home Depot.  In the process, I learned that shoe molding is not quite the same as quarter round.  While we were in the store, I also was tempted to purchase a Disney Princess headlamp for Elliott.  (No, I didn’t get it, but I want to thank Elliott for letting me take his picture with it.) 

Most of the labor on this project was done earlier this past week while Elliott and I were away for a few days in Winchester.  This small city in the Shenandoah Valley is only 63 miles from home, but it felt like we were in another world.  Our base was the historic but comfortable George Washington Hotel in Winchester’s charming Old Town, just a block from the pedestrian mall, where we found an abundance of interesting shops and eateries.

On our first night, we enjoyed superb northern Italian food at Violino.  Elliott consumed nearly every bite of a generous portion of veal scaloppini.  My meal included a very unusual preparation of escargots (served on polenta) and a plate of house-made ravioli with three different fillings (pumpkin; pear-gorgonzola; and pheasant), all garnished with orange zest and Asiago cheese.  For dessert, we shared a scrumptious warm lemon cake.  

The following night, we dined at La Nicoise Café.  As soon as we walked into the restaurant and heard the music of Enrico Macias, one of my favorite French singers, we felt like we were back on the Riviera.  It turned out that the chef and proprietor, a native of Nice, was familiar with our hilltop village. 

One other culinary highlight of our visit deserves special mention.  Red Fox Creamery, located on the pedestrian mall, makes the most amazing fresh raspberry ice cream.  I indulged on two separate occasions.  And Elliott says their mint chocolate chip is pretty good, too. 

Outside of eating and strolling, our main activity was a visit to the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.  Their current exhibition, Second Time Around, features art created from hubcaps found in landfills.  It was fascinating to see the variety of approaches taken by different artists.  And the museum’s permanent exhibit on the history of the Shenandoah Valley is definitely worth seeing.  Since I’m currently taking a course at George Mason University on Native American history, I was especially interested in learning about the lives of the indigenous inhabitants of the region, both before and after the arrival of Europeans. 

Now that we’re back from our mini-trip, Elliott and I are both looking forward to settling in at home.  What a difference a year makes!  This time last year, we were in pre-wedding mode.  I was making hotel arrangements and practicing walking in high heels.  There were nightly phone calls with Elisa to discuss the minutest details for the ceremony and the weekend.  This year, minus the stress of wedding planning, we were able to enjoy Elisa and Christian’s recent visit to DC. 

While Christian spent most of his time working at his law firm’s DC office, Elisa was able to join Matt and me for a day of museum-hopping on the National Mall.  Our first stop was the Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery, where we saw an exhibition of Persian calligraphy.  We took a lunch break at Paul Bakery for sandwiches, pastry, and coffee.  

By popular demand, our next stop was the Natural History Museum, which brought back such memories of earlier visits when Elisa and Matt were young children.  Of course, we took the obligatory photo in front of the enormous elephant in the rotunda.  We skipped the dinosaurs this time (thankfully) but we were all fascinated once again by the gems and minerals exhibit.  In addition, we discovered the relatively new Qrius hands-on lab (completely interactive) where we could easily have spent several hours. 

With Elisa here, I finally had a partner in the kitchen.  Like me, she’s an adventurous cook who truly appreciates good food.  One day/evening, we spent about six hours in the kitchen, preparing dinner, then eating and finally cleaning up.  The first course was a curried cauliflower and chickpea soup (recipe from Wegman’s).  The creamy (but dairy-free) purée was very simple to make but it was packed with flavor.  For a main course, I marinated boneless chicken breasts in a mixture of Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic and tarragon.  After being pan-seared, they were baked in the oven.  We tried a delicious vegetable recipe from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook, Swiss chard topped with pine nuts and a garlicky yogurt-tahini sauce.  The second vegetable dish was rings of delicata squash brushed with butternut squash seed oil and pomegranate molasses, then roasted until meltingly tender.  Our salad was roasted beets in raspberry vinaigrette, topped with goat cheese and orange zest.  We finished up with fresh fruit and ice cream.  Even Elliott, who is sometimes reluctant about trying new food, raved about the meal.  

 With all of this eating, I’ve been trying to keep up a regular exercise schedule.  This perfect fall weather is ideal for long daily walks.  Whenever possible, I walk in the woods.  I love the golden light and the rustle of leaves at this time of year.  If I look carefully, I often spot deer searching for greenery to nibble.  And it must be mushroom season.  Do you think these are edible?  

  

The weather has been so glorious that even Elliott is getting outside and walking more.  And I’m hoping that he’s gained a few pounds.  Big weigh-in tomorrow.  Check back to find out more.