What's Inside! The Art Of Dallas Exhibits by Blind Artists What’s Hot in Greenwich Caffinated & Decaffinated WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW! Inventing future Careers! Travel The Art of Miami
Celebrating A Year!
CONTENTS
table of contents 6
art
Dallas Contemporary
lifestyle
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Image is Everything
fashion Luxury
8 10
Art Of Miami Becoming an artist
food
Top Benefits of playing
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Roar Africa
business
Culinary Caffinated Drinks & Decaffinated
58 62
Inventing Future Careers
the piano What’s HOT in Greenwich
travel
Carloway Harris
Anniversary Vocal Training
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CONTENTS
Alex Trimper Editor In Chief Deputy Editor Fashion & Beauty Brian Vieira Director Of Design & Art Ashley Aldana Managing Editor Jacyln MulĂŠ Editorial Interns Sophie Kossakowski Maddy Schulte Marc Greenawalt Liz Bouton
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COPYRIGHT 2017 BY IG INTERNATIONAL LLCALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE ART OF IS A TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK OF IG INTERNATIONAL LLC REPRODUCTION BY PERMISSION ONLY THE PUBLISHER AND EDITORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED
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Dallas Contemporary
What is the mission of the Dallas Contemporary and how has it evolved? Dallas Contemporary is a non-collecting museum and a non-profit organization that presents the local community with thoughtprovoking exhibitions that challenge the way we think about art. Dallas Contemporary offers the public the opportunity to engage in lectures and “chit chats” with artists, along with our key focus on educational programs for its younger audience. The exhibition openings are always a must-attend gathering for members, with special events such as our annual fundraiser MTV RE:DEFINE. Previously a Texas-focused institution, and now under the tenure of executive director Peter Doroshenko, Dallas Contemporary’s exhibitions over the last seven years have evolved to feature regional, national and international artists, including Ross Bleckner, David Salle, Julian Schnabel, Mario Testino, Dan Colen, Helmut Lang, Bruce Weber, and Nate Lowman. All of these exceptional exhibitions are carefully curated by Peter and Justine Ludwig, the senior curator and director of exhibitions. How did you come to be involved with the Dallas Contemporary and what is your role? What is the best part about your role? I’ve been a board member since 2008 when a friend recruited me to join, and I’ve been passionate about the Dallas Contemporary’s position in the city’s art landscape ever since. This past January I became president of the board, and the best part is recruiting new board members. I love to share the excitement of new exhibitions, and to inspire other board members to support this organization, which showcases world-class contemporary exhibitions within our community.
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ART The Dallas Contemporary just opened its exciting fall season of exhibitions. What can you share? There is much to see this fall, starting with New York-based artists McDermott & McGough’s retrospective, I’ve Seen The Future and I’m Not Going. This is the duo’s first major American museum survey exhibition that coincides with the public installation The Oscar Wilde Temple in New York City, curated by Dallas Contemporary’s adjunct curator Alison M. Gingeras. This exhibition highlights their iconic “queer” view of history and culture, juxtaposed with their self-immersed obsession of the Victorian era, with works of art from over four decades in photography, sculpture, film, and painting. Next, multidisciplinary artist Kiki Smith’s solo exhibition Mortal explores the theme of the human life cycle, curated by Justine Ludwig with works of art featured from the last ten years of Smith’s career. These works focus on the human condition that Smith’s work is known for, such as learning, birth, love and death, reflecting on spiritual and religious iconography. Finally, the exhibition Invisible Cities, in partnership with the Crow Collection of Asian Art and the Moving Image Archive for Contemporary Art in Hong Kong, will exhibit over 20 contemporary video installations by both emerging and renowned artists from countries across Asia to include South Korea, Taiwan, China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines. This exhibition captures the splendor and tension within real cities, using a compilation of fragmented urban images. This is the first time that Dallas Contemporary has co-curated with the Crow Collection and I’m eager to see the stories this video art will reveal about Asian culture. The fall exhibitions opened at the end of September and will continue untill December 17.
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Miami Lighthouse for the Blind Celebrates
Photo Credit: Copyright Bill Baggs State Park
It is often said that art is created from the heart, with the help of the muse that guides us through the process. Miami Lighthouse for the Blind - a nonprofit organization with close to 13,000 members and proudly celebrating its 85th anniversary this September beautifully demonstrates this philosophy with an amazing exhibit by blind artists. Presented at the Miami Center for Architecture and Design (MCAD) building in the heart of Downtown Miami, the show includes creatives like Victor Brown; who stood before a crowd attending the opening reception he could not see, but could see him. A detached retina retina caused the artist to at first be visually impaired, and ultimately blind; which resulted in him attending Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Little Havana District for over eight years. His woven American flag - made with macrame and stretching at
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about five feet - will lay proudly displayed through the month of October alongside a variety of other art pieces created by the center’s members. Brown shares that the center taught him to see colors through touch rather than sight; and jokingly stated, “you have to fit in, you can’t wear purple and orange everyday.” The comment shared by the institution’s CEO, Virginia A. Jacko, echoes the philosophy at the very core of the artistic life: “A blind person can be independent and be productive and live on their own; they just do it differently.” The do it differently part is the thread that ties the long line of creatives since the dawn of time - seeing and blind. As do experiences like Brown’s where tactile and sensory engagement guides artists through the sometimes dark tunnels of the onset of concept and idea to the light of dawn of completion.
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When Miami Lighthouse for the Blind opened its
door to a much, much smaller Miami community in 1931, its membership was under 400, and attendants made brooms and sold them on the streets; today they proudly display their art in iconic institutions. Other art on display includes ceramic figurines of clowns and cars, and a papier-mache flower boutique plastered against a picture frame. Photo Credit: Copyright Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
The coordinator for the center’s arts and craft
program, Nelba Gonzalez, shared that she introduces rough materials such as beads and yarn to awaken and enhance her student’s sense of touch. She tells us, “people who read Braille recognize shapes and textures; their art establishes a connection for people with sight.” She also encourages her students to paint familiar images to keep their memories sharp and fresh. “My main goal is to help my students see through their hands.” Photo Credit: Copyright Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
The exhibit, part of Exile Books and MDAD’s Listen
to this Building art project, is focused on addressing visual impairments, independent publishing, accessibility, and a broader understanding of Miami Architecture.
This collaboration is the perfect example of a city
whose cultural and artistic sensitivity have matured into a level of greater understanding of the intrinsic value of art in its many forms, and of how the magic of creativity can connect people in inspiring ways. Photo Credit: Copyright Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
Fatima Canovas Art Daily News Miami, Florida
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Becoming an artist By: Liz Bouton
Daniel Anderson “Converging Forces” Mixed Media Rose Gold Chrome Sculpted Canvas
It only takes a few minutes of conversation with Daniel Anderson to understand why he considers himself to be,
above all else, an “idea person.” He is continually seeking to expand and evolve his own potential, pushing the creative boundaries of both his mind and his materials with an energy that is palpable in his work. Daniel’s constant flow of ideas results in a remarkable rate of production, and he concedes to feeling limited only by his access to materials.
Despite highly cerebral concepts, Daniel’s work (which includes oil paintings, sculpted canvases, and high-concept
installations) forms an overall minimalist expression, encasing layers of mesmerizing subdivisions. Exploring the depths of energy, movement, color, light, and form, Daniel’s imaginative work pursues the common thread within these elements while still offering “an individualized narrative unique to each viewer.”
Narratives and storytelling are at the heart of Daniel’s visualizations, and he is passionate about communicating
his unique concepts through equally unique methods such as sculpted canvases and chromed sculpted canvases. Building connections with those who share his vision is another of Daniel’s passions, and he is excited to create lasting relationships with supporters of his work.
When he is not actively developing new concepts and methods, Daniel is busy meeting with investors, connecting
with his larger-than-ever audience, and writing. In his interview with the ART of, Daniel admits that he is at an extremely exciting point in his career, and looks forward to connecting with potential investors and project collaborators.
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ART TAO: How did you get your start as an artist? Well I have a little bit of a Cinderella story which is pretty funny. My mom rigged a coloring contest that I never won. Mother’s instinct, I guess. I was very observant, I always used to look around and observe things. So with the coloring contest, she self-addressed a beautiful letter to me (not that I had any grammatical standards at 7 years old) along with a huge box of crayons, saying I won first place in the supermarket coloring contest. My brother actually legitimately won second, but I illegitimately won first. So I bought all these drawing books, and then later I actually won a bunch of contests and got a lot of accolades. I took accelerated classes, one thing led to another, and I got a scholarship to Syracuse University, for Fine Art, and I’ve continued with it ever since. TAO: Is there a particular way that you like to describe or classify your style?
Untitled (Silver #1) Mixed Media Chromed Sculpted Canvas
I’m very influenced by Dali and Picasso, and I love surrealism, cubism, and futurism. All of my work basically holds the common thread between motion and energy as they relate to color, light and form. There’s energy in everything, and I love to explore it, to create original ideas about energy and movement. I love to alter form and get into dimensional alterations like surrealism, which is rooted in the deconstruction of matter and the breakdown of material, surfaces, and objects as we know them. But I actually have a platform and my own coined term: it’s called supreme abstraction, which is a hybrid of surrealism, cubism, and futurism, as it relates to energy and form and movement, with the elements of light, color, and form, and a even a little of abstract expressionist. On a secondary platform I have many high-concept visualizations that get into storytelling and narrative, which I call “epoch visions,” meaning: “pertaining to a time period.” Those are my two most notable platforms. The oil paintings, as collected as they are, and as theoretically parallel as they are to my other works, I keep them limited to one or two a year, and probably will do a surrealist painting every two or three years. I definitely see myself as an oil painter, but I guess you could say I’m a visionary.
Chromed Sculpted Canvas (Variation #1)
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Tree of Life (Hidden Tree)
Can you tell us more about your vision, and why you consider yourself to be “an idea person”?
and what I feel is there. So I’m not going to paint an apple photo realistically, I want to paint the apple and make you look at it totally differently. I visualize forms and objects in various I see myself as a visual thinker and a problem solver because my shapes and altered states, and play with the physical make-up mind interprets things in so many visual manners. I think my of form. I think my vision is very different not only in making mind organizes this information into “problems,” sometimes the pieces, but also because I have a vision to connect them. A very mechanical and complex problems, and then sometimes painting will adapt into a sculpture, and into a mixed medium I get a beautiful execution. There’s a unique interplay and piece, and throughout my life I hope to show the connectivity narrative that exists within all the visual information that I of my work. process, and I’m grateful for this experience. Conveying this to others is really the joy of an artist - you make things so You approach your work very intellectually and meothers can feel that same energy and expansion. And there’s a thodically. Does your process begin with a high level mystique with how you did it. I take progressive pictures of my of planning and organization? work, but they aren’t going to be shown until a much later date because I like to keep a sense of mystery: “How did the artist I literally have the next 60 years of my life planned, ha ha. paint this, in what manner?” I think I can really organize my thoughts because I’m always having ideas. I jot them down and have files where I organize Is there a particular medium that allows you to be them. I always get new ones and I’m always creating, so it’s up more expressive with your vision? to dealers, society, and I guess my managers to decide what they When I paint, as complicated as the painting might be, it’s really expose when. I don’t really want my ideas to be controlled, but just an expansion of energy that I’m putting on the canvas, so I like them to be organized so I still evolve the work smoothly, I don’t like to stay in one style. I’ll visualize movement to be that way I’m not going from one totally different style to another. complex forms and I’ll express them in whatever ways my mind is seeing. I don’t paint what is there, I paint what I see is there,
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Is there anything you do that especially boosts your creativity? How do you keep the ideas coming? It’s really just life, and passion and energy. I let my mind evolve and be on autopilot. I guess that’s not so romantic; I wish I could say I had a muse who inspires me, but you know it’s really just creative energy. Sometimes I’ll just visualize energy, and I really seem to see and feel it. I almost feel like a conduit for it, and I’m constantly trying to catch up. I always say that it will take my hands half my life to catch up to my mind, and it will take my mind the other two halves of my life to catch up to my imagination. Obviously I’ll never be caught up because there are three halves. When you are working does it feel that you can’t keep up with your thoughts? You know it’s funny, because that never happens. I’m in my own zone, and it happens at its own pace. And at the end of each day when I look at the work, I test it in different lightings to really look at the movement, energy, contrast, and color, I’ll say to myself: “Let’s get this done.” But I never feel rushed or scatterbrained; I really compartmentalize and focus with intensity. But there is
so much to do that I look forward to the day where there’s more people managing each project, and I’m just creating as much as I can. Although your platforms are varied and your works are all unique, do you have a favorite piece? I think I like my oil paintings the best, because there’s so much to look at. As far as creation goes, and in terms of collectability, there’s really nothing like an oil painting. And there’s something in the very raw under-drawings, an experience that only I have as the artist. But as far as creating an impact with people and making them feel the expression of the work, there’s nothing like telling a story through installations, because you don’t have a style to be biased with or prejudice to. When I’m telling stories, it excites me to share visuals that people have never seen, that are so original and intense. To me, that’s such a unique experience. Telling stories through such a visual capacity is something I’m really grateful to be able to do, and something I love experiencing myself. To me it’s so profound, and I’m really grateful for this ability.
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Image is Everything
Kristen Jensen, founder of Kristen Jensen Productions, LLC., is a lifestyle photographer, videographer, image
strategist, and spokeswoman for Panasonic Lumix cameras. Over the course of her two decades in the “image business,” Kristen has mastered the creation and branding of images, including her own.
Kristen began her career in Manhattan as an international fashion model with Ford Models. She soon became
deeply familiar with recreating brands to keep up with the fierce competition in the ever-changing world of fashion. Often on a moment’s notice, Kristen had to cut or color her hair or lose weight to fit the part.
“It was challenging at best, but it was my profession and I wanted to be good at it,” Kristen explains. “I had a
long and successful career because I was willing to change and rebrand myself to stay relevant and in demand.”
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Kristen has worked for Bill Blass, Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Liz Clairborne,
among others. She has been featured in international magazines, including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, McCall’s, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Vanity Fair and New Woman. She has also appeared in hundreds of catalogs around the world, including Victoria’s Secret, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Spiegel, Sears and Nordstrom.
Currently, Kristen is a contributing photographer for Ridgefield and Bedford Magazines. One of her
recent lifestyle assignments of the Amish Country in Pennsylvania is featured in Swiss Air Magazine. Kristen brings an enlightened, gracious style to her assignments and specializes in portraits of celebrities, artists, and business professionals. In addition, she supports many local and national charities, including Kids in Crisis and Autism Society of America.
Kristen stays on the cutting edge of technology, shooting in high-resolution digital image files and high definition
4k video. She continually studies her craft, has developed an expertise for pictorial documentation of clients’ portraits, and takes tremendous pride in her business and career.
“I’m in the business of making people feel and look their best,” says Kristen.
Image is Everything
The key to creating the perfect personal brand is often simply common sense. I can’t stress enough how critical
it is. In the age of Google, everything from your Facebook posts to your online dating images matters. And, of course, the most vital media footprint is your website. Whatever you put online is accessible to the entire world.
This can be overwhelming, but I am here to help. I work with clients on their personal brands by helping them
strategize how they want to be perceived, as well as how I can customize their personal brands for a more effective outcome.
We may be living in a “fake news” era, but people still desire to see the real us. I believe that we should showcase
the real us on social media, as it brings people closer together and lets the world know who we really are. The biggest mistake is coming across as robotic or inauthentic – that just pushes people away. In addition, using social media for solely marketing purposes can alienate our followers. Don’t be afraid to show off that fun family vacation photo or to post about your hobbies and interests. Just make sure to keep in mind that the people you work with now or in the future will see all of it, too!
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My next tip is about controversial topics. Make sure to steer clear of focusing on the negative, or posting potentially inflammatory posts on religious or political views – it’s a huge mistake. You’ll wipe out half of your audience with one post. Although authenticity is key, you don’t need to tell the world how much you drank last night. Be appropriate when posting. That includes good, clean, simple images and videos, too. Another faux pas is the absolute absence of images or online presence. Whether you’re a college student or re-entering the workforce, there is nothing worse than having a LinkedIn profile without a picture. I always say to never trust a “ghost” or “headless horseman.” Almost worse than that is the dreaded “selfie.” None of us want to see these, and yet they pop up everywhere. Professional images will always impress those viewing your content. What you post lasts forever. Oh, gosh, the thought of that is daunting, isn’t it? With technology growing at a rapid pace, video is on the forefront and will be the ruler on all platforms before we know it. Videos will never totally replace images, but having a video of the “real” you is the key for all social media, as well as for your website. The trick is to make it authentic but not too commercial – as if you did it yourself. That’s where I come in to assist in creating your images and videos to show you off in your best light: sincere and real, but polished to perfection. Is it an art form? Absolutely. And something I am passionate about. I want to help you reach your personal and business-branding goals successfully, and without any glitches.
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the ART of … Anniversary
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Anniversary, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is the annual recurrence of a date marking a notable event, broadly: a date that follows such an event by a specified period of time measured in unites other than years. The triumph of the one year anniversary of the magazine got me thinking about anniversaries. When I think about an anniversary, the first one that comes to mind is a wedding anniversary, which is marked by icons like silver and gold, with just paper marking the first, which doesn’t lessen the significance in any way to me. In fact, the first anniversary is one that is met with awe and is certainly never forgotten. In fact, it is often the later anniversaries that have often been mixed with the humor and sometime utter humiliation of spacing out with those that may, after many years, ’forget’ until jostled because the rhythm if life and the business of one’s life can eclipse the recall of date on the calendar, but never of the memories cemented to it. Remembering and savoring the past is a positive, although in today’s preset day trending the concept of mindfulness, the importance of being in the ‘moment’ is a
continual refrain. This doesn’t mean that the past defines you. For me it’s more so the importance of its role without being stuck in it. This was my ‘aha’ moment. I started to think about all the many hard and soft events that happen throughout life. One such softer anniversary is after leaving my last job and began shortly after to pursue a number of ideas for an independent business venture. One especially delightful celebration for me is the mark of the day I held my own first anniversary of the launch of Après Divorce. Thinking back I can also say that after the job loss I think of it as the anniversary of the simple but fruitful shift in my thinking, of the fact that I would even conceive of starting this business is still often hard to believe. Not so much the idea alone, but the birth of it and the many months of seeing it thrive. And this anniversary happens to coincide with the conclusion of my second marriage. As they say, when one door shuts, you look for another to open, and this door has opened so wide. It’s brought joy, new friends and a freedom of celebration and ideas.
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Of course the most frequent mark on our calendars is when we think of birthdays, the anniversary of the day we were born. Celebration of the years that we have lived life along with the changes that occur each time we say Happy Birthday, wishing for health, wealth, and always many more... The day our children come into this world is an especially significant milestone, and each year we celebrate the anniversary of this event there is, at least for me, vivid recall of all of the specifics that surrounded the birth of my two sons. First anniversaries are the most memorable. Especially at the time that it happens. A whole year to look back on. Last September was the first anniversary of my divorce becoming final. Last October was the first anniversary of moving into my new abode. Last June the first anniversary of the launch of my new business. The end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. And both were celebrated. It’s not every day we get to experience the first. But how does one celebrate when the events are so different? Looking back, I remember celebrating them in the same way. Friends and prosecco and a sense of wonder.
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Sylvia Beckerman Founder & CEO of Après Divorce www.apresdivorce.com
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the ART of …
Vocal Training By Neil Fuentes and Billy DiCrosta
V
ocal coaches are not just for professional vocalists. Anyone who uses their voice for a living—whether they work as a DJ or a newscaster, a teacher or a lawyer—can benefit from a good vocal coach. People take for granted the power of vocal cords. As the only species capable of complex language, humans owe more than a passing debt to the tiny but important anatomical feature. Like any other muscle in the body, the vocal folds require training. Daily vocal routines can keep the folds healthy, strong, and ready for that upcoming speech or lecture. Out-of-shape vocal folds lead to higher fatigue, sapping speakers of their oratory potential. Below are some tips to keep your voice in prime condition for that big speech or presentation. Acid Reflux One of the most common problems faced by public speakers and singers, acid reflux often produces heartburn. Other typical symptoms include a sensation that something is stuck in your throat or the constant urge to clear it (which, by the way, damages your voice). Acid reflux begins in the stomach as the result of eating acidic foods such as peppers, onions, coffee, chocolate, tomatoes, milk, cheese, spices, and sodas. First, acid forms in the stomach. The horizontal position of sleep causes the acid to travel through the esophagus and into the larynx area, where it attacks the vocal folds. The vocal folds and the muscles surrounding it then create thick phlegm. If you are experiencing symptoms of acid reflux, avoid these foods: 1. Carbonated drinks such as soda not only contain excessive sugar performance. If you must drink milk, follow it with plenty of water but also create acid reflux, since they dry up the vocal folds. to keep your throat clear. 2. Alcohol dehydrates the elastic tissue of the vocal folds, which 5. Ice water feels good, especially on a hot day. Drinking that cold need hydration. Years ago, I thought that a nice shot of Grand glass of water, however, stiffens your vocal folds, making talking or Marnier would warm my throat before I sang. I was wrong. singing more difficult. Stick to room-temperature water before and during your vocal work. 3. Coffee and caffeine dehydrate. Plus, coffee is highly acidic. If you drink coffee, just avoid it before your speaking engagement. 6. Spicy food, tomatoes, peppers, and onions quickly activate acid reflux. Watch the consumption of these vegetables a couple of 4. Dairy products increase the production of mucus, which affects days before your speech or lecture. the sound of your voice. Limit dairy products, especially before a
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Steam
body first. The same logic applies to your voice. Preparing the Hydration is necessary to keep your vocal cords healthy. vocal folds and apparatus is essential for a good performance. This is where your vocal coach comes in handy. Yes, you Although most singers go through the process of steaming on a could follow YouTube exercises, but most of these videos are regular basis, it is relatively uncommon for non-singers to do so. Drinking water is the way to go, but we also recommend created for singers. Vocal coaches tailor the exercises to your steaming at least one hour before your event. You can accomplish specific needs and give you the proper exercises to perform on this by inhaling the steam from a hot shower or from an inexpensive your own. gadget at a drugstore. The water we drink doesn’t go directly to our vocal cords— Neil Fuentes solidified himself as a Connecticut power talent in both the entertainment and culinary worlds through “The the body needs to absorb it first. Therefore, if you’re feeling under Sensational Singing Chef,” which has aired on Connecticut Style the weather—or even just over-worked—you should hydrate and on WTNH Television in New Haven, Connecticut since 2009. He steam early. has also been featured on the Food Network hit show Chopped!, Steaming is the best way to directly hydrate your vocal and returned to Food Network in 2015 to become a Food Network cords. As you breathe in the steam, the moisture soothes the Champion on the show Rewrapped!. Neil currently operated the cords. Steam may also reduce swelling and improve the condition New Haven Academy of Performing Arts with his husband, and of your voice. continues to appear on TV.
Vocal Warm-Ups
Singing teachers throughout the world have devised thousands of vocal exercises, all with different purposes. Some focus on vocal agility, while others extend your range. All of them, however, center on relaxing your muscles, letting go of vocal tension, and preparing your voice for a safe and healthy singing performance. Vocal warm-ups are equally as important to non-singers. An athlete would never play a sport without warming up his or her
International Vocal Artist and Coach Billy DiCrosta has been performing professionally for over 28 years. In 2013 he opened the Billy DiCrosta Vocal Studio and has spent countless hours using his knowledge to develop a unique method. Billy is one of the most sought-after vocal coaches in the Northeast and is available both in person and over Skype.
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the ART of … Why Play Piano? Let Me Count the Ways…
Top Ten Benefits of the Piano to Body and Soul You know the feeling: the tightness in your body, the hectic thinking in your mind, and the nagging emotional discontent that plagues us all from time to time in the modern world. Work stressors, aging, and the demands of personal relationships can leave us all feeling mentally tapped out, not to mention physically depleted. But there’s good news: one route to better physical and mental health comes from an unexpected source…the acoustic piano. The physical, mental, and social benefits of playing music have long been recognized. The piano, in particular, has been an unparalleled outlet for those seeking creative expression, with evidence linked to a healthy body, a healthy mind, and a healthy life. While the wide-ranging benefits of piano practice and performance may be innumerable, the top ten are easy to identify. Playing piano: 1. Sharpens the Intellect. Piano practice boosts cognitive and intellectual abilities by activating parts of the brain used in spatial reasoning, which figures heavily in math, science, and engineering. Playing piano, in other words, makes us smarter. Research through the years has demonstrated that kids who continue their playing through their teenage years average about 100 points higher on the SAT. In a study conducted at the University of Toronto in 2011, researchers split 132 first-graders into four separate groups for after-school activities. One group was given singing lessons, one was given drama lessons, and another was given piano lessons. The last group was offered no after-school instruction. At the end of the year, those who participated in the piano lessons saw an IQ increase of 7 points, while the other groups saw an increase of 4.25 at most. 2. Develops Passion and Diligence. High achievement has been linked not to innate talent, but to a combination of passion and discipline. Playing piano builds these good habits through dedication and goal-setting processes. In the Toronto experiment referenced above, researchers concluded that it was the fact that piano education requires one to be focused for long periods of time that contributed to the greater IQ gains in the piano-playing group. 3. Maintains an Aging Brain’s Health. Good news for those who worry that “senior moments” might be a sign of cognitive decline. Research has shown that piano lessons for older adults have a significant impact on increased levels of Human Growth Hormone, which slows the adverse effects of aging.
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LIFESTYLE 4. Exercises the Body. Even though you’re sitting down, playing the piano is a workout all its own, improving fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Mitchell Gaynor M.D., in his book Sounds of Healing, demonstrates that music has therapeutic physical effects including reduced anxiety, heart and respiratory rates; reduced cardiac complications; lowered blood pressure; and increased immune responses. 5. Encourages Creativity. All of this mental and physical stimulation has another benefit: music affects our creativity through enhanced brain activity. This can inspire innovative solutions and evoke memories, emotions, and experiences—all powerful catalysts for ideation. 6. Strengthens Memory. Studying piano has been shown to have a remarkable effect on memory—particularly with language. Children who have a few years of piano study can remember twenty percent more vocabulary words than their peers. Dr. Arthur Harvey, retired professor at University of Hawaii at Manoa, published a study through the American Music Conference that details how playing music “activates the cerebellum and therefore may aid stroke victims in regaining language capabilities.” 7. Elevates Moods. When you’re playing piano, you’re doing more than tickling the ivories. You’re also tickling your own funny bone. Have you ever experienced a sensation of “chills” when listening to music? Playing piano can alter emotions through the release of serotonin and dopamine, “feel-good” neurotransmitters that provide the brain with positive emotions. 8. Calms the Mind. Time spent playing piano improves mental health: people who make music experience less anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Barry Bittman, MD, of the Body-Mind Wellness Center in Meadville, Pennsylvania, created a study to gauge stress levels among 32 volunteers. The volunteers were put through a stress-inducing puzzle activity and then were told to relax afterward using a variety of different methods, including reading magazines and playing keyboards. The volunteers also gave blood during the study, and the blood was tested for the activity of 45 stress-related genes. In the group that played keyboard to relax, the results showed a significantly higher reversal in the markers for stress-related genes. 9. Fosters Community. Gather round the piano! For more than 300 years, the piano has been a staple of the home, bringing together families and friends, and strengthening communities with the power of music. Participation in piano lessons, recitals, performances, and piano festivals is a sure ticket to becoming involved in a positive and productive community of musicians and music-lovers. 10. Boosts Confidence. Playing piano provides ample opportunities to bolster self-esteem. The ability to respond to constructive criticism—and learn from it—helps generate a positive outlook on life. This is particular important for children and young adults, who seek constructive ways to feel confident, competent, and ready for further challenges. How to choose a piano? Let the experts at Steinway Piano Gallery Westport help you find the right grand or upright piano for your needs, your style, and your budget. The Family of Steinway-Designed Pianos includes the iconic Steinway piano, the mid-priced Steinway-designed Boston, and the entry-priced Steinway-designed Essex.
For more information visit www.steinwayct.com.
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What’s HOT in Greenwich Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
How a reader feels about Carmen Maria Machado’s debut collection of short stories, Her Body and Other Parties, will
probably be decided by how the reader feels about the collection’s longest piece, “Especially Heinous.” The story reimagines the first twelve seasons of Law & Order: SVU as a surreal nightmare. Machado structures “Heinous” as a compendium of episode summaries, though some of the summaries cover only a scene and others not even that. Stabler and Benson are haunted by their doppelgängers (named Abler and Henson), girls with bells for eyes, and debilitating existential dread. For some readers, the exercise will wear thin over the course of sixty pages. For others, Machado’s combination of the low culture of procedural television shows and the high culture of literary fiction will offer a feast of postmodern imagination.
This reviewer falls into the former category, though I must note that even Machado’s misfires contain more electric
inventiveness than most authors’ successes. There are roughly two kinds of stories in the collection: stories, and stories about stories. The latter category provides indubitable proof of Machado’s cleverness, if not much else. Echoes of David Foster Wallace’s short fiction are heard in “Especially Heinous,” as well as “Inventory,” structured as a series of short blurbs about every person with whom the narrator has had sex. Like Wallace, Machado employs writing modes outside of exposition and scene. Also like Wallace, Machado fails to imbue her unusual structures with sentiment, narrative spectacle substituting for heart. Even when “Inventory” transmogrifies into a post-apocalyptic tale, the genre and formal ingenuity do not compensate for the absence of compelling human drama. Machado’s writing is always intellectually keen, but with her more experimental stories, that intellectuality overshadows and hinders aesthetic concerns.
Machado’s best stories abandon reflexivity and trope twisting and rely instead on self-contained storytelling. Women fade
out of their bodies, strange voices play in the background of pornographic videos, a woman inseminates her girlfriend. Machado’s stories use fantastic elements as a springboard to mount refreshingly original stories about women’s relationships to their bodies and to sex. Machado’s handling of sex deserves commendation. Lesser writers use sex in their fiction as a plot device, but for Machado, sex is often the whole point. In the way that some writers write about heartbreak or ambition, Machado writes about sex. By treating sex as an end unto itself, Machado explores her theme with an honesty and insight that are lost by authors who use sex as a means to create drama.
Though some stories fail to connect, Her Body and Other Parties is a winning collection by an author who never takes the
easy way out. Relentlessly inventive, Her Body is a captivating read.
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Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan Describing Jennifer Egan’s new novel, Manhattan Beach, requires none of the explicative acrobatics that her novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad, demanded. Gone is the short story structure, the hyperlinked characters, the PowerPoint slides. Beach is a more or less traditional historical fiction novel, shedding much of the postmodern wonkiness that lent Goon Squad its kaleidoscopic quality. Most of the novel takes place in New York City during the second World War, following Anna Kerrigan as she struggles to become the first female diver while supporting her single mother and disabled sister. Also, she suspects that gangster Dexter Styles can explain the mysterious disappearance of her father. And a significant portion of the novel takes place on the Indian Ocean. Egan does not write the straight-forward mid-century Brooklyn coming-of-age story Beach might purport to be, imbuing her novel with perspective and genre changes that are less drastic than Goon Squad but still mark Beach as a uniquely Eganian venture. Egan has done her research. For the type of reader who reads in order to approximate physical and temporal transportation, Beach delivers. Egan includes the kind of details that one usually needs to live through to notice, the kinds of observations rarely integral to a story but that nonetheless establish verisimilitude. In rare cases, like Egan, these details can be plucked from research or from thin air and used to turn a fiction into a document, a testament to what it was like for certain people at certain moments in world history. While Egan’s transportive powers are impressive, the author fails to convey the relevance of her story. As James Joyce famously noted, fiction illuminates the universal by depicting the particular. Egan’s story adds up to a finely detailed particular with no clear relation to the universal. In Goon Squad, each character is a human burdened with their own hopes and travails, but they are also more than themselves. They are examinations of how time changes people, of human intimacy, of the possibility of leading a meaningful life. The characters in Beach are no more than what they are, their actions lacking the resonant implications that make good literature compelling. The multi-character structure that worked so well in Goon Squad here reveals Beach’s muddied sense of purpose. As Beach jumps between character perspectives, it also jumps between genres in a way that robs the whole of stylistic cohesion. The novel is part coming of age tale, part gangster drama, part lost at sea survival story. While each strand thrills on its own terms (a submarine attack on a cargo ship is as close to edgeof-the-seat action I have ever experienced reading a book), they fail to weave together into a meaningful whole. Handled with
more attention to the interplay between different characters and genres, these disparate elements could have granted the book a sprawling scope. Instead, these elements make the novel scattershot and pastiche. The contrived manner in which Egan attempts to bring together her plotlines contributes to their failure to cohere. Neither Anna nor Dexter betray surprise at the string of chance encounters that form the backbone of the novel’s plot. Anna’s escalating romantic interest in a gangster who she believes had something to do with her father’s disappearance is never explained. With restricted narration, an author can get away with depicting confounding behavior without explanation, presenting the behavior as manifestations of the mysterious mechanisms of the human heart. But Egan commits to revealing the thought processes of her central characters, and so Egan’s lack of explanation for Anna’s bewildering actions comes across as an unawareness of their bewildering nature. The unbelievability of these moments upsets the plot like drops on the surface of water while you are trying to see to the bottom. The ripples reveal the illusion, needlessly reminding the reader of the medium. What is worse, the ripples spread to the rest of the novel, casting doubt on the plausibility of everything the characters do. These moments of unbelievability rankle worse for their proximity to Egan’s successful articulation of the ineffable workings of thought. Egan understands that sometimes we act without thinking, that we often do not know why do what we do and that sometimes there is no reason. The author’s ability to communicate that most incommunicable of observations, the inarticulateness of thought, is a feat. Knowing that Egan has this ability makes Anna and Dexter’s more incomprehensible actions all the more baffling. The author’s occasional failure to acknowledge the bizarreness of her characters’ actions indicates to the reader that she does not find them bizarre, and, consequently, that Egan has lost control over her reader. There is a lot to love in Manhattan Beach. The novel’s commitment to engrossing dramatic storytelling over exposition makes it a page-turner. Egan proves (again) she can write with equal deftness in different genres, even if she here fails to synthesize them into a unified vision. Her imagination for detail allows for a near touristic experience of the locales, situations and time period she describes. These successes make the novel’s failures all the more frustrating. Despite the talent on display, I still find myself asking: So what? Manhattan Beach is entertaining more than it is fulfilling, diverting more than compelling, a book that will move through you like a breeze, refreshing and then gone.
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13 Books to Get Excited About This Fall By Marc Greenawalt A Dinner at the Center of the Earth by Nathan Englander Knopf / $27 / September 5 What it’s about: For his second novel, Englander has crafted a political thriller dramatizing the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Englander weaves together the stories of a disparate band of characters to explore the moral ambiguities involved on both sides. Why you should be excited: Englander has staked his name on his two inventive short story collections, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. His new novel should feature more of his folklorish approach to storytelling as well as the deep compassion and emotion that make his prose incandescent.
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LIFESTYLE Five-Carat Soul by James McBride
Riverhead Books / $27 / September 26 What it’s about: This collection of previously unpublished short stories features an American president inspired by an overheard conversation, an infamous toy commissioned by Robert E. Lee, and members of the Five-Carat Soul Bottom Bone Band recounting the stories of their lives. Why you should be excited: McBride’s first work of fiction since his National Book award-winning novel The Good Lord Bird is also his first collection of short stories. Fans of his novels should enjoy reading how McBride has adapted to short-form fiction.
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LIFESTYLE Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss Harper / $28 / September 12 What it’s about: A sixty-eight-year-old retired lawyer and a novelist with writer’s block converge in Tel Aviv. Alternating between her two protagonists, Krauss portrays lives in motion on the brink of immense change. Why you should be excited: Named one of the New Yorker’s “20 Under 40,” Krauss’s rose to prominence with her novel The History of Love. Though her follow up Great House did not make the same impact, Krauss remains a writer to follow.
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LIFESTYLE Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich Harper / $29 / November 14 What it’s about: Echoes of The Handmaid’s Tale abound, this dystopian novel follows Cedar Hawk Songmaker as the world begins to devolve. Women give birth to primitive babies, rumors swirl of mass roundups, streets are renamed after Bible verses. As Cedar seeks out her birth mother and her origins, the rest of society plummets toward its devolution. Why you should be excited: Erdrich is on a roll. Her last two novels, The Round House and LaRose, won the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, respectively.
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LIFESTYLE The Golden House by Salman Rushdie Random House / $29 / September 5 What it’s about: An aspiring filmmaker takes as his subject the mysterious and strange Golden family. As he digs deeper, family secrets float to the surface. All the while, political turmoil roils the country as a presidential candidate known as The Joker gains ever more popularity and power. Why you should be excited: Billed as a Great Gatsby for the Obama years, Rushdie’s twelfth novel promises a timely take on New York City and the United States as a whole.
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LIFESTYLE Heather, the Totality by Matthew Weiner Little, Brown & Co. / $25 / November 7 What it’s about: Heather Breakstone comes from a wealthy Manhattan family and should, by all appearances, be happy. However, as fans of Weiner’s work on Mad Men know, there is no such thing as a happy family, and it is only a matter of time before the cracks begin to show. Why you should be excited: Weiner is perhaps the best screenwriter of his generation. In addition to creating Mad Men, he also wrote for The Sopranos, racking up 15 Emmy nominations for his writing alone. It remains to be seen whether Weiner’s talent for screenwriting translates onto the page, but if even a fraction of his storytelling ability remains intact, Heather should make for a captivating read.
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LIFESTYLE Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado Graywolf Press / $16 / October 3 What it’s about: A collection of short stories that falls somewhere between science fiction and magical realism, Her Body includes tales surreal and erotic. The collection includes the novella “Especially Heinous” which reimagines the first twelve seasons of Law & Order: SVU. Why you should be excited: Though Machado has published a few stories, this collection marks the promising debut and of an intelligent new writer.
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LIFESTYLE Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng Penguin Press / $27 / September 12 What it’s about: Elena Richardson leads a no-surprises life in the suburban community Shaker Heights, until Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl arrive. A custody battle divides the community, dredging up Mia’s mysterious past and testing Elena’s credo that following the rules suffices to stave off all disasters. Why you should be excited: Ng builds on the themes of her debut, Everything I Never Told You, pushing past the suburban veneer to reveal the wormy depths concealed beneath. While her first novel held more promise than perfection, Little Fires Everywhere is a chance for Ng to improve upon her touching debut.
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LIFESTYLE Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado Graywolf Press / $16 / October 3 What it’s about: A collection of short stories that falls somewhere between science fiction and magical realism, Her Body includes tales surreal and erotic. The collection includes the novella “Especialå√Why you should be excited: Though Machado has published a few stories, this collection marks the promising debut and of an intelligent new writer.
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LIFESTYLE Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta Scribner / $26 / August 1 What it’s about: A salacious text by an anonymous sender changes the life of Eve Fletcher, a middleaged divorcee. Meanwhile her son, a new college freshman, must contend with a campus culture that disapproves of his party lifestyle and retrograde notions of sex. Why you should be excited: Perrotta’s first novel since he helped turn his book The Leftovers into one of the most critically acclaimed dramas in recent memory, Fletcher is Perrotta’s return to the novel.
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LIFESTYLE My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent Riverhead Books / $27 / August 29 What it’s about: Fourteen-year-old Turtle Alveston lives in isolation from the world, her only close relationship the one she shares with her controlling father. A highschool boy will change all that, motivating her to escape everything she’s ever known in pursuit of a more expansive existence. Why you should be excited: Early buzz has been good for Tallent’s debut, with one Stephen King going so far as to call it a masterpiece.
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The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott Farrar, Straus and Giroux / $26 / September 19 What it’s about: The suicide of a young Irish immigrant in his Brooklyn tenement causes a fire that will change the lives of his family for generations to come. Why you should be excited: McDermott won the National Book Award for her novel Charming Billy and remains a prominent voice in American letters.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward Scribner / $26 / September 5 What it’s about: Following drug-addicted Leonie and her two children as they journey across Mississippi, Ward investigates the underpinnings of the American narrative while focusing her lens on a family in turmoil. Why you should be excited: Ward’s last novel, Salvage the Bones, won the National Book Award and her memoir, Men We Reaped, was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She remains a talent to be watched, a quintessential American voice.
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the ART of … The Dishonest Documentary By Marc Greenawalt
E
arly in Orson Welles’s 1974 documentary film F for Fake, Welles looks into the camera and claims, “During the next hour everything you’ll hear from us is really true and based from solid fact.” This claim might come across as a statement of the obvious in an ordinary documentary, but Welles has more complicated ambitions. At the end of the film, Welles notifies the audience that the hour of truth has expired, “For the past seventeen minutes, I’ve been lying my head off.” F for Fake is a film that defies categorization. Ostensibly, the film is a documentary about famous art forger Elmyr de Hory. More broadly, the film covers Elmyr’s fraudulent biographer, Welles’s radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, and a completely fictional story concerning Oja Kodar and Picasso. Welles makes a seemingly self-defeating piece of art: an untruthful documentary. While there were documentaries with questionable veracity before Welles (famously, Nanook of the North), few are as honest about their dishonesty. Documentaries, by definition, purport to be “documents,” not renderings of the truth so much as the truth itself. F for Fake scoffs at such a notion. An editing studio provides the background for Welles’s on-screen commentary, calling attention to the filmmaking process and the filmmaker in control of that process. Celluloid spools and unspools, camera crews show up in mirrors and in shots of other unseen cameras. F for Fake is a film as much about fakery as about filmmaking. The film does not subscribe to the possibility of objective “documentation” in art. Truth must always be filtered through formal and aesthetic concerns such as editing, framing, lighting, etc. But if documentary films cannot provide viewers with documents, then why make documentary films at all? Penny Lane’s 2016 film Nuts! takes up this question. Nuts! tells the stranger than fiction story of Dr. John Brinkley who in the early 1900s rose to fame transplanting goat testicles as a cure for male impotence. Brinkley was, of course, a fraud, a purveyor of what Welles describes as “hanky panky.” In addition to performing an ineffective surgery hundreds of times over, Brinkley sold miracle cures at exorbitant prices that consisted of nothing more than colored water. But what makes Lane’s film a spiritual heir to Welles’ is its subterfuge. The film opens with an animated origin story, covering Brinkley’s marriage and the anecdotal beginnings of his “goat gland” surgery. These scenes are taken from the real-life Brinkley biography The Life of a Man by Clement Wood, which the film claims to be based on. Only within twenty minutes of the film’s ending does the audience learn of the fictitiousness of these opening scenes, The Life of a Man revealed as a for-hire biography payed for by Brinkley. Lane puts the viewer in the place of Brinkley’s customers. We buy the fiction peddled by Brinkley and rehashed by Lane until a climactic scene depicting the lawsuit that brought Brinkley’s criminal medical activity to light. In order to unmask a fraud, Lane commits fraud herself, lying to her audience before unveiling the bigger truth.
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Complicating the documentary’s relationship to fact even more, Lane published the website Notes on Nuts! which provides near shot-for-shot coverage of the veracity of the film, each assertion assigned to one of eight truth value categories. The category “Invention” includes sixty claims, a high amount for a documentary. One note marked as “invention” refers to Brinkley’s first wife, a figure unmentioned until the climax to make the film seem, according to the note, “untrustworthy.” Welles’ and Lane’s movies serve the primacy of truth over fact and the necessity of such a hierarchy in art. In an article published in Filmmaker Magazine, “Notes on Truth,” Lane describes the difference between fact and truth, “Facts are things that are observable and provable. Truths are logical propositions that cite facts to describe generally held states of reality.” Facts sustain truth, but they are not truth. Without narratives or a greater understanding, facts mean nothing. When Don DeLillo writes in Libra that “facts are lonely things,” he means that without context, facts are useless. We can know from observation that the sun appears in the morning and disappears at night, but these two facts have been interpreted differently over time. First, the truth of the sun was that it orbited the earth as one of a series of crystal spheres. Then advances in math and science brought about our current understanding that the earth orbits the sun. Such an obvious and inarguable fact as the rising and setting of the sun can lead to two different “truths.” The closing monologue of F for Fake affirms a distinction between truth and fact as a reason for the untruthful documentary. Welles says, “What we professional liars hope to serve is truth. I’m afraid the pompous word for that is art. Picasso himself said it. Art, he said, is a lie, a lie that makes us realize the truth.” As facts sometimes do not serve the truth, lies sometimes do. This understanding is a justification not only for the untruthful documentary, but for fictional storytelling in general. Why do we tell stories? Why do we care so much about characters we know are not real? Because lies can have a purchase on the truth. With Nuts!, Lane concerns herself less with the facts than with the general truth that people want to believe whatever makes them feel better. In order to demonstrate this truth to her audience, she lies to them. With F for Fake, Welles cracks the looking glass again and again to bring attention to the lens with which we turn lonely facts into larger truths. The aesthetic and formal necessities of art preclude any possibility of objectivity, regardless of the medium. However, as Welles and Lane attest, art’s inability to present objective facts does not mean it cannot depict the truth.
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Secondhand Buying, Luxury Style By Madelynn Schulte
Yulia Omelich, founder and CEO of COUTUREDossier, a luxury resale store in Greenwich, CT, is redefining what it means to buy secondhand. The store opened their doors eight years ago and has been a success ever since. Winning Best of Westchester in handbags, COUTUREDossier is known for the luxury handbags that they carry at a fraction of the normal price. The store contains brands such as Hermès, Chanel, Prada, and Luis Vuitton. The business is built upon three things: retail, resale, and upcycling. Most of the store’s merchandise comes from company inventory or through a brokerage agreement. “We act as broker on behalf of a high profile or celebrated person,” explained Yulia. “Once it sells, she earns the commission.” Incorporating the brokerage side of the business came easy to Yulia, as her she formerly worked at Barclays Capital and United Nation FCU. “On Wall Street, my portfolio consisted of Chanel corporation, Luis Vuitton, Ann Taylor, and all of these brands,” said Yulia. “It was an easy transition from intangible stock on Wall Street to tangible stock at COUTUREDossier.” Beyond admiring the luxury brand name companies in her portfolio, Yulia has always loved and admired the American Girl Doll company. Yulia has made it a tradition to visit the headquarters in New York City when the Omelich family houses foreign exchange students. “I love that business—I love everything about it,” said Yulia. “I wanted to create a world for women, such as what the world created for the little girl through the American girl doll.” Yulia’s goal was to create a place where adult women can bring out their feminine side. Instead of re-creating older versions of the American girl, Yulia transforms her clients into Codo girls. Codo is derived from the “co” and “do” in COUTUREDossier and means “smart with your money” in Spanish. “Once someone becomes a Codo girl, we invest in them,” said Yulia. Not only does Yulia transform her clients into Codo girls, but her clients have transformed her. While Yulia was once known for her trademark bland colors, she can now not stay away from vibrant patterns and colors.
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FASHION “My son used to call me Madam Pastels,” said Yulia. “I came here, and I am now into florals and the bright greens and pinks. Greenwich brought it out in me.” The first time Yulia walked down Greenwich Avenue, she spotted what is now the space that occupies COUTUREDossier and hoped that one day it would belong to her. She gives credit to her husband for the help that he has put into the business, and because of that, she considers it family-oriented. The belief that Yulia and her husband shared in the business gave them faith that it would eventually grow, even in difficult times. “When we started, we started from scratch,” said Yulia. “It took off within a year and now the business has some of the most beautiful bags.” Although COUTUREDossier sells the luxury bags at a fraction of the original price, they are all real. COUTUREDossier stresses the importance of purchasing real handbags versus faux handbags, and the dangers of supporting the faux industry. Yulia believes that in order for a woman to stay true to herself, she must avoid faux at all costs. If COUTUREDossier lacks the bag that the customer wants, she can wait to place an order. “We try to educate our clients on how to purchase something that is valuable and authentic,” said Yulia. In addition, COUTUREDossier carries accessories to match the handbags. For example, they have handbag scarves and embellishments that can dress up or dress down any certain look. The store also sells clothing and shoes, but the biggest part of the store is their handbags that they love and celebrate.
The Art Of (TAO): How did you come up with the name COUTUREDossier?
Yulia (Y): COUTUREDossier is a gorgeous name. Couture means high-end and dossier means files that can also be a portfolio.
TAO: How do you market COUTUREDossier?
Y: We are very big on social media; we invested in it and we figured it out. It helps our company a lot. In our partnership with Instagram and Facebook, we use the hashtag OOTD, outfit of the day, and have a wall dedicated to the OOTD. Our most amazing pieces are always featured there. So what’s in the store always corresponds with what’s on social media. It’s our best sales ambassador.
TAO: Why did you choose handbags to be the center of COUTUREDossier?
Y: We love them and we celebrate them. We know that the ladies can use them to deliver a message and create an opportunity. For example, the perfect handbag can help you land a better job. It’s a final touch to any outfit or look and women believe it’s super important.
TAO: Where are you from?
Y: I am from Russia and my husband is from Ukraine. If you go to Russia, you will see that all of the fabrics and the grandeur of our collections are inspired by my Russian surroundings. Beautiful skirts, the leather, embellishments, and the flowers—its stunning. People are beautiful there and they dress very nice. It’s a very sophisticated community and people really care about who they are on the inside, and that transforms to what’s on the outside, so I learned from them.
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“Small Textile Mill With Big Dream” CARLOWAY HARRIS TWEED MILL By: Brian Vieira
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In a small village on the far western coast of
the Island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, off the western coast of mainland Scotland stands a small Harris Tweed Textile mill with big ambition. “Harris Tweed Textiles,” or “Carloway Mill,” in the village of Carloway is an independent company that uses traditional craft machinery to produce a unique, individualistic and bespoke Harris Tweed Cloth.
Gaining insight into the production of this
world famous cloth is a history lesson in itself.
This one hundred-plus yea- old industry started
as a local practice. Crofters on the island would dye wool using natural dyes from moss and lichen, then hand spin the yarn and weave this robust fabric for their own use. The thick tweed fabric was heavy, rugged, and warm, and protected them from the bitter-cold northern Scottish weather. Crafter traded surplus fabric to the mainland, used as payment for rent, along with other Island products such as hides of goat and deer.
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By the mid 1800’s, Harris Tweed had become popular in aristocratic circles, used for clothing on the large estates of Scotland. Hunting and shooting parties of the Victorian era had their gamekeepers and ghillies wear it as part of the party. The landed gentry then took it up when they recognized its value for outdoor sporting. Eventually, this singular fabric found its way to the emerging fashion industry and bespoke salons of London and Saville Row. Its hand woven rugged appearance with subtle multiple color effects became highly prized, as a gentleman without a Harris Tweed jacket in his wardrobe would be found wanting. Over the years, Harris Tweed became recognized as a specially produced product found only on the Island of Harris and Lewis. Because it was the main industry and relied on so much by the islanders themselves and essential to their existence, the government of Britain declared it must be protected by an Act of Parliament. As a result, the Harris Tweed Authority oversees the authentic production of this famous cloth and inspects and certifies all fabrics made on the Island before being exported. Today, the Carloway Mill, still overlooks the cold crisp waters of the Irish Sea, and the mill still employs to this day the use of machinery that is almost 200 years old makes fabric as close to its authentic state as possible. This process is similar to its origins: raw, thick fiber wool comes into the mill where it is dyed into a myriad of colors, and these colors are then blended together to make the distinct mixture, or “Crottle” combinations, that is the signature of this cloth. Wool fiber is then spun into yarn , whereafter the yarn is then layed out on a metal beam creating the “Warp” or vertical threads that will form the fabric. The warp wrapped around this metal beam is then transported to the crofter or weaver, who has a loom
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Culinary Pierre Loti
258 West 15th Street The Poetically-named Chelsea wine bar has picturesque decor for a great first (or second date). The low candle glow and exposure brick create a special ambiance where you can really enjoy one-on-one time. The world wine list and Turkish tapas options make this a perfect place to enjoy evening company. Casellula 401 West 52nd Street A pint-sized wine and cheese bar make for a quiet place to enjoy amazing wine and charcuterie. The staff is quite knowledgeable, which adds to the wonderful date night experience.
Alta Restaurant:
64 West 10th Street This amazing West Village small plate Mediterranean restaurant has all the elements to make your evening out a romantic one. The natural river stone walls and the glow of candle light radiating throughout the double floor dining room strike you with the perfect mood from the moment you enter from the street. The staff is on point and guides you through the food and wine menus with complete full knowledge of both. The menu consists of creative Mediterranean- and Spanish-influenced small plates that will accommodate all types of dietary needs. The goat cheese fritters with honey sauce or the grilled octopus (slightly seared) and crisp tentacle with chickpea and cilantro sauce are “must-haves,” and don’t miss the great spin on a classic braised short rib with horseradish- and beetinfused pasta! This gem in the West Village is perfect for a date with innovative food and great wine, and the rustic decor gives you the feeling of being in the Mediterranean.
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Medi Wine Bar 811 9th Ave
In the ever-evolving Hell’s Kitchen area of New York City, the Medi Wine Bar outshines the other numerous wine bars and creative kitchens in the neighborhood. Nestled in a cozy, romantic nook on 9th Ave, the open kitchen creates traditional and artistic tapas-style dishes with a complementing Mediterranean-inspired wine list. The fresh panseared branzino with sautÊed olive tapenade, toasted almonds, and broccoli rabe is a dish that brings you back to dining in the Mediterranean on the sea, with its simplicity and perfect flavorings. It is also a great brunch spot that offers a quaint back patio, the ideal place to enjoy the perfect NYC autumn weather.
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Beef tartare 1 teaspoon capers garnish 1 egg garnish 1 Brussel sprout toasted
Recipe
2 cloves of crushed garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 1 pound freshly minced Waygu beef 1/4 cup minced shallots 4 tablespoons brunoise red onions 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves Salt and pepper to taste Thin sliced ryebread, crust removed, tossed in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and toasted till crispy
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Shayan Pistachio crusted gamish corn hen with honey roasted turnips, figs with truffle potato 1 Cornish hen 1/3 cup crushed pistachios 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, fresh grated 1 tablespoon butter, melted salt and pepper Clean and rinse the corn hen and dry off and use the melted butter to glaze the hen and pat the pistachio and parm cheese on the hen and roast at 350 for 20 minutes till 160’f the internal temp of the hen Peal and large dice the 2 turnips 4 fresh figs sliced thin In a mixing bowl tossed the turnips and figs into 5 table spoons of Vermont honey and roast for 20 minutes till turnips are tender Take 4 oz of mash potato and mix 2 table spoons of truffle salt and pipe on plate with a diced parsley and rosemary garnish
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the ART of ‌ Caffeinated and Decaffeinated Coffees What You Should Know
Many of us drink coffee not only for the taste, but for the boost we get from the caffeine. Not all of us can handle the stimulus from caffeine and choose to drink decaffeinated coffee instead. Here are some things you should know, so you may choose the best beverage for yourself.
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All About Caffeine
Caffeine is considered the most widespread stimulant in the world. The chemical compound was isolated only in 1819, about two hundred years after the arrival of coffee in Europe. It was discovered by the doctor and chemist, Ferdinand Rungela, after consultation with Wolfgang Goethe, who, besides being a great writer, poet and playwright, was also a chemistry, biology and mineralogy academic. Caffeine is part of the methylxanthine family, a complex term that indicates the energizing substances present in plants such as coffee, cocoa, guaranà, tea leaves, cola leaves and mate leaves. Caffeine in coffee has a close kinship with the theobromine found in chocolate and theophylline of the tea leaves, although these ones do not have the same stimulating activity on the human body. Caffeine can be toxic if an average adult consumes more than 10,000mg/day; the average cup of coffee contains 80-175mg, depending on the preparation method. This means you would have to consume 55-125 cups in a day to reach lethal levels and it’s not likely that any of us consume that much coffee, no matter how much we love the taste! What Is Decaf ? Some people, such as insomniacs, heart patients and hypertensives, can be more sensitive to the stimulant that caffeine provides. Decaffeinated coffee was invented in Bremen in 1905 by Ludwig Roselius, the son of a coffee taster, for a coffee company named Kaffe-Handels-AktienGesellschaft. Drinking decaffeinated coffee is a way to avoid this drawback while still enjoying its flavor and ritual. Keep in mind that decaffeinated coffee contains a low percentage of caffeine; it’s not caffeine-free.
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How Decaffeinated Coffee is Made Green coffee beans can be decaffeinated using various extraction processes, which are mostly differentiated based on the solvent (water or chemical) used for the extraction. Filicori Zecchini uses a water-based process for decaffeination to keep our coffee as natural as possible. The processing stages apply to all the methods, and include: • Steaming - the coffee is treated with water and steam, which starts the extraction process and makes the beans expand. This stretches the cellular structure within each bean, and facilitates the extraction of the caffeine. • Extraction - the coffee is then rinsed with a specific cleaner, such as water or dichloromethane (a chemical cleaner that dissolves oils), which ‘captures’ the caffeine and removes it from the bean. • Recovery - Almost all the cleaner can be recovered from the coffee, and can then be re-used. This stage is carried out with great care, both for financial (the products used are expensive and waste is kept to a minimum) and for legal reasons, since there are legal limits concerning the maximum quantity of residue. • Moisture removal - almost all the moisture in the coffee is removed. • Packing - the coffee is packed into bags, ready to be sold or for re-packaging into smaller quantities. • Testing - the coffee’s residual caffeine content (not more than 0.1%, as allowed by law in Italy and most of Europe), residual cleaner content (not more than 2 parts per million (PPM) of dichloromethane for roasted coffee) and moisture content (no higher than 11%, as allowed by Italian law) are tested and confirmed to meet or exceed the standards. A cup of coffee is meant to be savored and enjoyed, whether you choose “regular” or “decaf.” To learn more about our approach to the consumption of caffeinated vs. decaffeinated coffees or to experience your own personal tasting, please visit our boutique at 24 W. Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT. You may also visit us online at filicorizecchini.com.
Boutique Filicori Zecchini 203.340.9651 retail@filicorizecchini.com filicorizecchini.com
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the ART of …
Napa and Sonoma
T
he city of Napa has been rejuvenated within the past 10 years and is full of shops, restaurants and river walk. This is the first area you would come to if you are heading up route 29 which is the main route north. You could choose a cute Bed & Breakfast on first street with delicious breakfast included and wine and cheese tastings at 6 pm at night. Though this area is a little out of the way, if you want to enjoy wine tastings throughout the day up a bit north you must eat at Morimoto in Napa City and make reservations way ahead. Food is spectacular along with their wine list If you decide to go north, put Domaine Carneros winery into your GPS. It is in the Carneros region of Napa. Owned by the Taittinger family from France, our good friend Eileen Crane is their main winemaker. It is a large chateau that was built to replicate Versailles. Stop there and have a glass or two of the Domaine Carneros Brut, Rose, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir with charcuterie and caviar. Another winery near there is Bouchaine winery is Buckley station road which has superb Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs. No appointment necessary. Certainly, mention Horseneck Wines in Greenwich If you are feeling rich, the Carneros Inn has wonderful accommodations, but their restaurant The Farm is very romantic and delicious. The Boon Fly Cafe sits on the road just at the foot of the Carneros inn has fantastic breakfast and lunch with the best bloody Mary’s in the valley, but the fill up quick. So, if you are in the area be prepared to wait, but it’s really good. Heading north you can choose route 29 or the Silverado trail. Less traffic on the trail and there are lots of wineries to pop in for a taste all the way up to Calistoga Hotels and Resorts Silverado resort is well priced has golf and spa. This is on the Silerado Trail which is not too pricey. Trip advisor has good deals as does platinum and centurion American Express if you book through them. They give you food credits and spa credits. Silverado would also be able to set you up for a day of wine tastings with their transportation if you want to go that route. As you get North into Yountville there are a number of places to stay, but it is the area to stay so you pay the price. Following are some of your choices: The Petite Logis, only 8 rooms, very cute and you are just a walk away to Bouchaine Bakery for fresh AM pastries. North Block hotel on Washington street. It has gotten expensive Bardassono resort and spa Vintage inn on Washington Auberg de Solail nice views and really good food and great pizza! A must to see even if you don’t stay there
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FOOD Restaurants in Yountville 1. Redd 2. Bottega owned by Michael Chiarlo. Great outdoor dining! 3. Bouchon 4. AdHoc (one dish every Night). Always busy. Monday night is fried chicken night! 5. Redd Wood. This is next to the North Block hotel and has great pizza and pasta 6. Mustards Grill on RT 29. Very popular. One of the originals
steaks, great atmosphere, but can be pricey. Gotts Roadside on route 29 famous for lunch, usually always a line. Eat on picnic tables, but you can order and also order half bottles of wine More wineries
Raymond winery owned by Jean Charles Boisset (from the French Boisset family in Burgundy) is probably the most unique winery in the valley. Go to the website to check out all the different areas Wineries to visit in that area. You can stop in or call within their facility. for a tour. Hall winery. (Kathryn Hall has done a great job). Highly recommend the tour and tasting! Ch. Montelena, may need to make an appointment, Right on route 29. There is a large Rabbit Statue. but is a great setting and have delicious wine. You can’t miss it Cakebread is right down the road which has a nice Pride Mountain has tours and that is interesting. It tasting room is about 1800-2000 feet up a mountain and it is right Titus winery on Silverado trail. New winery. Eric where napa and Sonoma split, so half the winery is Titus good friend. Call for an appointment and use on one side and half on the other my name if you can get to Eric Charles Krug, owned by Peter Mondavi is doing Opus one on route 29 and Quintessa on Silverado a phenomenal job and their tasting room is new a trails also do tours. You may need my help beautiful You will really enjoy his wines Palmaz winery, also off the beaten track near Napa Calistoga is a cute western looking town that has city is unique with their gravity fed winery and some neat little shops. At the end of the shopping layout district on the right side there is a building that doesn’t look very attractive, it is called Sams social Kuletto winery top on mountain with beautiful club! We now eat breakfast there when we can views and wonderful wines every day when we are in the valley. It has the BEST breakfast you can imagine! They also have outside dining in the back and very good dinners and great May Champagne be a part of your daily cocktails at the bar Palate exercise. Too much of a good thing is wonderful!! St. Helena has some great shopping and good restaurants. Goose and Gander, downstairs cocktails and outside dining. Excellent! Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch on route 29 has great cocktails and good BBQ along with other farm to table foods. This restaurant is closer to the beginning of St Helena.
Theresa Rogers Horseneck Wines 203-869-8944
Press restaurant, one of my favorites is owned by the people that own Dean and Deluca which is right next door and near Farmstead. Press has great
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TRAVEL
The Private Jet Safari
The continent of Africa contains a multitude of environments and potential adventures. From witnessing the wildebeest migration to encountering African painted dogs on a hunt, visitors to Africa will be absorbed into the landscape through a new opportunity offered by ROAR AFRICA.
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The travel agency ROAR AFRICA has mastered the art of the private jet safari. ROAR AFRICA’s deep African roots give them a unique vision of African travel, fusing luxury with authenticity to create the one-of-a-kind Singita Private Jet Experience that caters to both seasoned and first-time safari-goers. “We constantly strive to show our guests the raw beauty and diversity of the Africa that we know and love,” says ROAR AFRICA’s CEO Deborah Calmeyer. “Our objective for this very special safari is to give our guests the opportunity to visit three extraordinary wilderness areas in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.” The Singita Private Jet Experience gives the traveler the opportunity to view the diverse breadth of game unique to each area while staying in the high-end Singita Lodges. “Integral to the experience is an entirely customizable itinerary, the benefits of our hands-on expert travel coordination, and the experience and insights of ROAR AFRICA’s master guides,” says Calmeyer. Perfect for a family vacation or a trip with a group of close friends, the weeklong journey will begin in Kilimanjaro, where eight guests will fly in a private jet to Singita Grumeti Game Reserve. A 350,000-acre private concession in the SerengetiMara Ecosystem, the reserve consists of breathtaking plains. The still grass bears witness to the migration of more than two million grazing animals each year. Chosen for its prime location on the plains, Singita’s Sabora Camp offers ringside seats to this spectacle. The elegant ambiance of the camp will remind the traveler of a 1920s explorer tented camp, where one could watch wildlife forage in the grasslands.
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TRAVEL The next destination is Singita’s Pamashuna Lodge in the Malilangwe Reserve, a 130,000-acre spread of land in the southeast of Zimbabwe. Nestled beneath the shade of ancient trees, the lodge is a collection of stone buildings redolent of the Zimbabwe Ruins. Views of the Malilangwe Reserve greet guests from every vantage point. Home to an abundant population of animals and birdlife, the area also boasts rock art dating back two millennia. The Pamashuna Lodge is a must-visit for those wishing to immerse themselves in the African experience. From there, guests will fly to Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa, where they will stay at Singita’s Ebony Lodge. The original grande dame of the Singita Group, the Ebony Lodge is said to have forever changed the face of the safari experience when it first opened almost 25 years ago. Ebony Lodge is a contemporary interpretation of the classic safari lodge, featuring an architectural design blend of canvas, glass, stone, and thatch. Situated on the banks of the Sand River and the heart of “big cat country,” the lodge is a feast for the senses. The grasslands overlook lion cubs playing in the shallow sapphire waters. From their lavish suites and private plunge pools, guests can watch the vivid sunsets as the sky blazes with red and gold. The experience will inspire adventure in the guests through a connection to the raw beauty of the land, interweaving three distinct bush experiences with luxury travel. In their quest to leave no detail unchecked, ROAR AFRICA’s on-the-ground team combines a wealth of knowledge, experience, and local connections in order to master the logistical and financial complexities that often accompany African travel. “The idea,” explains Calmeyer, “is to immerse yourself in the wonder and excitement of each and every incredible moment, while we take care of the details.” With more private jet experiences in the making, ROAR AFRICA will soon offer a private jet trip to Antarctica. For more information on the Singita Private Jet Experience or the Antarctica Private Jet Experience, Call us on +1 (855) 666- 7626 or email us at welcome@roarafrica.com
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BUSINESS
Inventing Future Career(s)
Nanopharmacist? Lunar tour guide? Robotic ethics consultant? Augmented reality content designer?
Have you heard of these jobs? If not, you will. These are some of the jobs that you, your children, and your children’s
children will be doing sooner than you realize. It is now projected that 85% of the future employment opportunities for today’s workers have not yet been invented. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most young people entering the workforce today will have experienced 8-10 jobs by the time they are 38.
Factors like continuing globalization, the development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented/virtual/
mixed reality and robotics, as well as the emerging gig economy and contingent worker paradigm, are all intersecting to disrupt traditional job roles. The good news is there are tremendous opportunities for those who are excited about creating their own futures.
How can you predict future careers? As Alan Kay, former Xerox PARC software visionary once said, “The best way to
predict the future is to invent it!” To help high school, college, business school, other advanced-degree students, as well as the currently-employed invent new careers, former IBM futurist Chris Bishop and I have developed a “career-reinvention workshop.” The workshop combines Chris’s deep understanding of evolving trends in technology, culture and business with my innovation agency’s creative techniques to help companies invent new ideas and products, all with the goal of empowering people to envision future job possibilities.
One of the career-invention techniques that has been particularly enlightening – and empowering – for our workshop
participants is what we call “Future Career Naming.” This process is based on a word-combination creative technique called semantic intuition, which we use in our new product ideation sessions. Here’s the simple, three-step method:
Step 1: Create a list of items in the following three categories: “Leading-Edge Technologies,” “Industries,” and “Job Titles/Competencies.” For “Leading-Edge Technologies,” some examples might be: Robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, reusable rockets, implantable chips, nanomachines, solar energy, wind farms, quantum computing, fusion reactors, wired fabrics Examples of “Industries” could be: healthcare, travel and transportation, tourism, legal, education, manufacturing, technology, fashion, energy, telecommunications, logistics, communication, marketing, and security. And finally, here are some “Job Titles/Competencies:” manager, director, strategy consultant, sales director, curator, analyst, customer service rep., hacker, financial advisor, commentator/reporter, designer, repair leader, writer, and biologist.
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BUSNIESS
Step 2: Pick items from each of the three columns, • and combine them to create a word triad that • • “names” a new career.
For example: “Implantable Chips, Healthcare, Strategy
What are other possible career paths? What other skills would they need to advance? How would they acquire necessary knowledge to improve their value proposition?
Consultant” or “Wired Fabrics, Fashion, Designer.”
An IoT-fashion-designer MBA student told us after our workshop: “I was at the point of not knowing what to pursue my Step 3: Use these word combinations to imagine a degree in. This exercise gave me the wider perspective I needed!” new job, field of study, or career path. So, what future career path could you envision? Using this simple So, the combination—“Implantable Chips, Healthcare, exercise could help you or a family member realize that the Strategy Consultant”—might suggest a career as “a strategic possibilities, like the future, are indeed endless. business advisor to a company in the healthcare industry on As Chris and I travel the country spreading the gospel of the how to exploit new implantable medical technologies to drive importance of creative career re-invention, we’ve even discovered innovation and new revenue growth.” a new job title for ourselves: “Career Invention Provocateurs!” The second combination: “Wired Fabrics, Fashion, Designer” (an actual combination created by one of our MBA Bryan Mattimore is cofounder and Chief Idea workshop participants), could inspire a career path “integrating Guy at Growth Engine, www.growth-engine.com, an the emerging field of IoT (Internet of Things) with clothing design.” innovation agency based in Norwalk, Ct. His most recent Both MIT’s Media Lab, and Google Ventures have scientists, book is 21 Days to a Big Idea, Creating Breakthrough engineers, and designers now working in this new “field” (Check Business Concepts. out the Google X Moonshot called Project Jacquard). Chris Bishop is the Chief Reinvention Officer, at Once workshop participants have created a personalized the Improvising Careers consulting firm, https:// “future job” for themselves, we encourage them to develop it improvisingcareers.com/. He was formerly a social further by imagining: media futurist at IBM, a digital media entrepreneur, and a touring bass guitarist and studio musician. • What would they do every day? • Who would they interact with?
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