VENÜ #24 Jun/Jul/Aug 2014

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Contemporary Culture

June/July/August_2014

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Contemporary Culture

June/July/August_2014

People + Ideas 16 A True Turkish Delight

Pinar Oner Design Atelier

Spotlight 20 COMMITTED TO MODERN ART

Gallery 19, a New Art Gallery

in Essex, Connecticut 22 FRED GIAMPETRO GALLERY

William Bailey “Paintings & Drawings 23 Heroic Stainless Steel Sculptures

Artist Babette Bloch is both an artist

and an engineer 24 Spa...AHHH

Facing The Future with Radiant Skin

Events + Gatherings 26 Parties, Art Exhibitions & Activities

Travel + Leisure 32 LATIN AMERICA:

Travel Can Be Life Changing

Style 34 FASHION:

How to Find the Perfect Party Dress...

Katy Fong Style!

38 ARCHITECTURE:

The Washington Square Arch

Wine & SPIRITS 41 ALTANEVE:

Crisp, Sparkling, Elegantly Italian

Appetite 42 EATING ICELAND:

An Eruption of the Touristy Kind

Features 44 Bucket List Bonanza: Petra’s Ancient

Pagan Sites Inspired Indiana Jones and

Lawrence of Arabia 46 The Healing Power of Weston

ON THE COVER: Using safety pins – thousands of them – Japanese-born artist Tamiko Kawata makes stunning sheets of “fabric” that are hung on a wall or fashioned into sculptural spheres and other shapes.

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Symphony in G, Oil On Canvas, 36" x 60"

JULIE LEFF FLORALS . ABSTRACTS . PORTRAITS

www.julieleff.com

203.434.8655

julie@julieleff.com

BROOKRIDGE DRIVE, Greenwich, CT Luxurious Retreat with In-Town Convenience and Back Country Privacy This magnificent stone and shingle residence, bordered by an enchanting brook, was custom designed and built with superb quality and craftsmanship.

Offering exceptional luxury and privacy on one of the most beautiful in-town streets, the stunning architectural style of its gracious façade is complemented by a 9,800+SF state-of-the-art interior resplendent with European-inspired appointments, handcrafted mantels, paneled wainscoting, coffered ceilings, herringbone pattern oak floors, intricately detailed millwork and ceiling medallions.

Sensational, granite-appointed gourmet kitchen with large center-island is superbly equipped with top of the line appliances. Luxurious comfort is afforded in the sublime master wing comprising a sitting room with wet bar, hexagonal bedroom chamber with tray ceiling, cove lighting and marble fireplace, two custom fitted walk-in closets and exquisite, mosaic-inlaid honed marble bath with barrel-vaulted ceiling, Palladian window, steam shower, whirlpool tub, separate his/her vanities and water closets, one with a bidet.

There are five marble or stone fireplaces, formal and informal powder rooms, four en suite bedrooms, and an extensive garden level encompassing spectacular entertainment areas including recreation and media rooms, a wine cellar and elegant tasting room.

A long Belgian block-lined drive approaches a formal front courtyard overlooking the rushing streams of Brother’s Brook. The high, very private 1.54 acre setting is accentuated by beautiful landscaping, extensive native fieldstone walls and perennial gardens.

Only 45+ minutes from Manhattan, Greenwich is considered one of the nation’s most prestigious residential areas. Don’t miss the opportunity to own this fabulous home!

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The “Go-to-Gal” for Greenwich Real Estate Call Today 203-622-4000 denise@therelocationgroup.com The Real Estate market is constantly changing and Denise is the “Go-to-Gal” who keeps you well informed as she truly has a pulse on the market. Her in-depth real estate knowledge along with strong work ethic inspires everyone. Work with a knowledgeable agent!

The Relocation Group is licensed in both CT & NY serving on the Westchester Board of Realtors, Greenwich Board of Realtors, Consolidated Multiple Listing and New Canaan Multiple Listing Services. Denise is a member of the National Association of Realtors & Connecticut Association of Realtors.

Contemporary Culture

June/July/August_2014

COVER STORY: 48 Art + Pain + Women = ?

“Pins & Needles” Show Asks Some

Prickly Questions

Indulge 53 Motoring:

After E comes F 55 Yachting:

Wider unveils New 50-Meter 57 Decorative Arts: On The Block - Time for a Change.

Cutting Edge. Sealed and Delivered.

Art + Objects 59 Venü Magazine’s marketplace for

furniture, lighting, textiles, jewelry,

art, antiques and accessories

Gallery + Museum Guide 66 Gallery and Museum listings in Connecticut and New York

Pulse 72 Music:

Man of Steel - Doug Walker, Steel

Drum Artist, The Man with the Feel Good drums 74 ART:

PAMM, Miami’s first World Class Museum 76 THEATER:

54 Below - A Revolviong Door of

Broadway Fun

Film + Entertainment 78 Fox on Film & ENTERTAINMENT:

“PINK” The Truth About Love Tour

Society 80 The Daisy Column: Miami society, The powerful, The chic, The unique

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CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

Showcasing Contemporary Culture without any contrived formality.

VENÜ is as a fresh yet discerning guide to contemporary culture. Not too artsy or too fussy, we’re thoughtfully written for the curious, the acquisitive, and those devoted to the one-of-a-kind and hard-to-find.

WANT IN?

Get Featured in Venü If you’re an artist with some work to exhibit, an entertainment coordinator with an event coming up, or a business with some exciting news or a new product launch get in touch. We’re eager to feature interesting content that’s sure to entertain our readers. editorial@venumagazine.com

Advertise in Venü It’s a dirty word to some folks, but it’s what ensures that every issue of Venü remains available to our loyal readers. If you understand the value of marketing and promoting your business, contact us for a media kit.

1.203.333.7300 advertising@venumagazine.com

We Want You!

Contributors Wanted Artists, designers, photographers, writers, illustrators, etc., if you’ve got it, flaunt it! We’re interested in hearing from all of you that have some great things to share...

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...Get in touch!

President, Creative Director J. Michael Woodside Vice President, Executive Director Tracey Thomas Senior Arts Editor Philip Eliasoph Film & Entertainment Editor Peter J. Fox Decorative Arts Editor Matthew Sturtevant Florida Content Editor Daisy Olivera Copy Editors Cindy Clarke, Marc J. Miller Publisher Venü Media Company Art, Design & Production Venü Media Company Contributing Writers Susana Baker, Cindy Clarke, Phillip James Dodd, Laura Einstein, Philip Eliasoph, Peter Fox, Janet Langsem, Daisy Olivera, John Sebastian, Lisa Seidenberg, K.L. Sinanoglu, William Squier, Patricia Syvrud, Matthew Sturtevant Business Development Shelly Harvey/Connecticut, Liz Marks/New York Advertising Sales Gregory Finke, National Accounts Manager Legal Counsel Alan Neigher, Sheryle Levine (Byelas & Neigher, Westport, CT) Distribution Thomas Cossuto, Man In Motion, LLC Office 840 Reef Road, 2nd Floor, Fairfield, CT 06824 Tel 203.333.7300 Fax 203.333.7301 Advertising Inquiries advertising@venumagazine.com Editorial Contribution editorial@venumagazine.com Subscriptions Call 203.333.7300 or email subscribe@venumagazine.com

The small print: No responsibility can be taken for the quality and accuracy of the reproductions, as this is dependent upon the artwork and material supplied. No responsibility can be taken for typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to refuse and edit material as presented.

All prices and specifications to advertise are subject to change without notice. The opinions in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright VENÜ Magazine. All rights reserved. The name VENÜ Magazine is copyright protected. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without written consent from the publisher. VENÜ Magazine does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. This is a bimonthly publication and we encourage the public, galleries, artists, designers, photographers, writers (calling all creative’s) to submit photos, features, drawings, etc., but we assume no responsibility for failure to publish submissions.

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PEOPLE + IDEAS: Pinar Oner Design Atelier

Jewelry designer Pinar Oner in her exclusive boutique located at Abdi Ipekci Caddesi Milli Reasurans Carsisi, No. 45 Nisantasi, Istantbul.

A True Turkish Delight Pinar Oner’s jewels are a fresh take on the rich cultural influences of luxury Turkish jewelry design

by Patricia Syvrud

S

ay the words ‘Istanbul, Turkey’ and one is immediately transported to an exotic land that many of us only dream about the beautiful cathedrals turned mosques turned museums; the ever present Turkish tea and sweet Turkish delight in its myriad of flavors; the deep, rich colors of handmade Kilim carpets, brass and glassware in the bazaars; and the sights and

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sounds of slender minarets reaching for the sky that reverberate with the haunting ‘call to prayer’ throughout the day and night. Luckily for those of us who love jewelry, talented Turkish jewelry designers are spreading their wings and culture to markets far from home.

Pinar Oner is one such Turkish luxury jewelry designer. Owner of Pinar Oner Design Atelier

in Istanbul, Pinar is a trained graphic designer with a BA from Bilkent University in Turkey and further education from the Parsons The New School of Design in New York, where her eyes were opened to the concept of incorporating the world around her into her designs. Born in Ankara, Pinar is greatly influenced by the history and heritage of the Anatolian region of Turkey and draws inspiration from the folklore, artifacts and diverse religious influences of the area to create unique and fresh design elements and stylistic motifs. Creating her jewels in high karat gold, her collections glow with vibrant colors of gemstones and intricate enameling accent work.

Each Pinar Oner Design Atelier jewel is designed, cast, refined and finished by the artist herself, creating for her collectors truly handcrafted, one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces.

The entire production process takes place in the designer’s atelier in the Grand Bazaar, located in the heart of Old Istanbul.

With names like ‘Byzantine Art’, ‘Ottoman’, ‘Ionian’ and ‘Hittite’, Pinar takes the cultural influences of the world in which she lives and through design, precision and fine craftsmanship, creates expressions of culture into wearable jewelry with global appeal. For example, the colors, patterns and design elements of Pinar’s Byzantine Art Collection all bring to mind Istanbul and the innate beauty of Turkish culture. Hellenic, Roman and Christian cultures gave birth to Byzantine art which exults religious symbolism. Pinar’s designs embrace this symbolism with geometric and floral motifs creating an iconic statement of jewelry design.

The materials utilized for each Pinar Oner jewel are chosen based on the design elements of the piece. Pinar typically works in high karat yellow gold, as this metal characterizes the richness of the cultural motifs while outlining and highlighting underlying patterns of the accompanying enameled details. Bright and vibrant colored gemstones, some uniquely ‘reverse’ set, are often accented with tiny diamonds set in blackened gold trim to enhance the aged flavor of the jewel.

Emulating other great Turkish designers like Gurhan and Sevan Bicakci, Pinar launched her collection in the U.S. at the exclusive 2013 Couture show in Las Vegas, garnering a much

PEOPLE + IDEAS: Pinar Oner Design Atelier

coveted Couture Design Award for her bridal design. In addition to launching her line overseas, the new Pinar Oner Design Atelier recently opened in Istanbul’s elegant Nisantasi fashion district to much acclaim. The back-lit slices of Brazilian agate which line the walls of her new shop are the perfect backdrop for her jewels: contemporary, but with a beauty that spans the ages. The Go-To luxury jewelry stop for local VIP’s and tourists alike, the Pinar Oner Design Atelier is a must for any visitor to Istanbul.

Agape Cuff The lacy form of the 18 karat yellow gold Agape cuff is hand finished by Pinar with delicate carving and bezel set with diamonds in varying sizes. The bezels around each diamond are plated with black rhodium to create spaces of both closure and continuum of the reoccurring patterns in the piece. The design is inspired by Byzantine style metalsmithing and decorated with a stylized carnation popular with the Ottoman Empire.

Ottomans loved flowers, so floral forms and designs are common in Ottoman decorative arts.

The emphasis on this piece is the motif itself.

However the craftsmanship is unparalleled in its level of detail and refinement. Diamonds in different sizes complement the ‘rich’ flavor of the design.

The motifs in this cuff are inspired by both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods and embraces the characteristics and motifs of both eras. It is like a cultural and artistic summary of Anatolian civilizations.

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Fairy Tale Ring from the Seljuk Collection

2013 Couture Design Award, Bridal, Second Runner Up. Cast and hand finished by Pinar, the 18 karat yellow gold Fairy Tale ring is a fresh, contemporary engagement ring with influences from the Seljuk era of Turkish history.

The Seljuks achieved symmetry in art by using geometric shapes in different ways. The elevated center diamond is surrounded by a floating ring of pavéd diamonds nestled in a rhodium-blacked halo. The bright enamel work highlighting the iconic motif can be created in a variety of colors for a truly customized piece.

Euphoria pendant and earrings from the Seljuk Art Collection. This 18 karat yellow gold piece is cast and hand-finished with soft enamel colors and accented with diamonds. The pattern of the Euphoria suite is called ‘Rumi’, which symbolizes infinity. Rumi was a Turkish philosopher and lover who lived in the Seljuk period whose philosophy was centered around endless love and love of self. The design concept of this piece mainly reflects Seljuk architecture and stained glass art work. The deep blue, turquoise and light blue are the very colors that symbolize the deep and never ending seas of the inner self.

The diamond-set edging is delicately handcrafted and black rhodium plated to compliment the historical flavor of the piece, and the colored enamel work is not concrete and solid in color, but graduated in tonality of colors which ultimately create the stunning effect of a true stained glass when held against the light.

Influence Ring from the Ottoman Designs

Pink Divinity Ring from the Ottoman Designs

Collection. The Pink Divinity ring is highlighted by an intriguing and unusual ‘reverse set’ pink tourmaline. The soft brushed 18 karat yellow gold of the band is offset by the feminine white and pink enamel worked tulips, the National Flower of Turkey.

Collection. This bold statement ring is in 18 karat yellow gold set with a deep purple amethyst and accented with diamonds and enamel work. The strong influence of Arab and Persian cultures on the Ottoman Empire is reflected in the deep green and black enameling and iconic gold motif.

Please visit www.pinaronerdesign.com to learn more about Pinar Oner. For information about any Pinar Oner Design Atelier jewel, please call 760-525-9393 or email info@joiaconsulting.com.

Come enjoy a Night in the Garden of Art. This year’s glittering gala at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, in Old Lyme, Connecticut, home to America’s oldest art colony, will be infused with mystery and intrigue as guests experience a tantalizing cross-pollination of gardens and art, both ancient and modern.

Saturday, June 7, 2014 5:30 to 11 pm

Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, auctions, dinner and dancing Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts One hundred percent of the net proceeds of the ArtsBall will fund student scholarships.

For information about tickets and sponsorship or patron opportunities, please call 860.434.3571 ext. 125 or visit lymeacademy.edu Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts

@LymeAcademy

84 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371 | lymeacademy.edu CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

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SPOTLIGHT: GALLERY 19

James Reed, Two Crows, woodcut, 24” x 28”, 2013

James Reed, Crow, lithograph, 20" x 20", 2012

Judy Friday, Self Portrait, oil on canvas, 24" x 24", 2013

Committed to Modern Art Gallery 19, a New Art Gallery in Essex Connecticut

by Laura Einstein

G

allery 19 holds pride of place on Main Street just a stone’s throw from the Griswold Inn, an 18th century New England landmark. Nestled within this historic town, long known as a boating and sailing community, artists and gallery co-owners Helen Cantrell and Judy Friday masterminded a plan to work together and to bring their visions of contemporary fine art to Essex. The gallery will feature not only their own works, but also that of other artists who share the gallery’s commitment to modern art.

For the purposes of this new gallery, the term contemporary and modern art signifies art from living artists conveying an expressive organization of imagery that might include splashes of paint, thickly applied oils or acrylics, and juxtaposing colors that create moods, cadences, and saturated surfaces that reach far beyond the representational and even the carefully calibrated abstractions of many an earlier contemporary and modern artist.

Both Helen and Judy believe that modern art has evolved. They agree, “You will see works of art that have spirit and expressiveness reflecting today’s creative work.” Both owners espouse a contemporary sensibility and a penchant for modernism in its many forms. Cantrell remarked, “I hope Gallery 19 can be a showcase for artists here in southeastern Connecticut. Old Lyme, where I live, rightfully prides itself as being the home of

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American Impressionism. Fine, but we’d like to move on to the 21st century and show some living contemporary art.” Jerry Reed, one of Gallery 19’s exhibited artists says, “Gallery 19 has become a fine art destination in Essex, Connecticut.” Just the numbers alone convey the welcome reception that this new gallery has received—over 200 people at each of their openings.

Another reason for this synergistic gallery is the admiration that each artist has felt for the work of the other. Cantrell says, “I’m a huge admirer of Judy Friday’s work, in all its aspects, and that’s the major reason I went into partnership with her at Gallery 19.” While Cantrell is known for her expressionist style using oils and brushes or palette knives to evoke the shoreline’s salt marshes, she is also known for her architectural landscapes where suburban houses, glimpsed from commuter railway windows, are painted on canvas. It is this split second capturing of an urban landscape that Cantrell so masterfully paints. She quotes Roy Lichtenstein, who believed that “Art is about perception, not nature,” and further, “Nature inspires me, as does the work of other artists, especially abstract expressionists like Willem de Kooning and Richard Diebenkorn.”

While Helen Cantrell’s works are admired for the way that she deftly moves thickly applied oil paint on canvas, Judy Friday creates abstract

work moving fluidly between geometry and chaos, including collages from comics, luminous grids and brushy explosions of color. Her freer paintings are inspired in part by the work of 20th century artist Joan Mitchell, an abstract expressionist and printmaker.

Both artists have exhibited widely. Judy Friday has shown extensively in New England and Ohio, where she graduated from The Ohio State University in 1980. She studied at the Lyme Art Academy and is well known in the shoreline arts community. Friday says, “Now I am launching a new adventure, a new way to explore all avenues of modernist, contemporary art.”

Helen Cantrell, a painter and printmaker who moved to Old Lyme in 2010, is a graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Cantrell says, “We are excited to join Art Essex, the Essex Art Association, the Orison Project, and other artists in this area—we think the time is right to develop modernist and contemporary art synergy.”

Upcoming exhibitions include two exhibitions of the works of James Reed and Nancy Lasar that will run from May 1, 2014 through June 30, 2014 titled, James Reed: Works on Paper and Nancy Lasar: Prints & Paintings. As Cantrell says, “The story of these two shows begins fifteen years ago, when I met James Reed, then master printer at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, and Nancy Lasar, who was making her fabulous monotypes there. Jim let me assist him – cleaning the floors, tearing paper, wiping lithograph stones – in return for studio time. Nancy and I got to like each other’s art in those quiet working periods.

So I’m really happy to be able to show their work today. Judy Friday, too, has a working history with Jim, taking print classes with him at Lyme Academy. Showing contemporary art like this is what Gallery 19 is about.” Nancy Lasar commented, “I have known Helen Cantrell since the early days of sharing a press at Connecticut Graphic Arts Center, now called the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, where Jim Reed was also an inspiring presence. In the years since, I have benefited greatly from Helen’s support and generosity. We own and admire each other’s work. Gallery 19 extends our relationship in a very exciting way and for that I am very grateful.” Gallery 19 will host an opening reception on Saturday, May 3 from 2 to 5 p.m.

James Reed: Works on Paper and Nancy Lasar: Prints & Paintings will be on view during Lyme Academy’s Arts Ball in Bloom: A Night in the Garden of Art, a benefit for student scholarships (June 3, 2014) that Venü Magazine is media-sponsoring for the second year, expanding Venü Magazine’s presence along the southeastern shoreline, what Cantrell and Friday term, “the quiet Gold Coast.” Cantrell said, “I think there’s a great deal of potential partnership opportunities here.

Judy Friday, my partner in Gallery 19, is an extremely well-known alumna of Lyme Academy.” Both Cantrell and Friday have been invited to contribute works to the Lyme Gala’s art auction.

Perhaps, as John Heckman, Helen Cantrell’s husband said, “Gallery 19 is a gallery for people who thought that twentieth century art existed.”

SPOTLIGHT: FRED GIAMPETRO GALLERY

Left: Soldier, 2011, Oil on canvas, 40” x 48” Right: Turning, 2003, Oil on linen, 70” x 55”

Below: William Bailey’s Studio

Photo: Samuel Messer

William Bailey “Paintings and Drawings” May 30 – July 12, 2014 Opening Reception is Friday, May 30th from 6-8 pm

by K.L. Sinanoglu

F

RED GIAMPIETRO Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of works by William Bailey. This is his first showing at the gallery. The exhibition includes still life paintings and figure drawings that reflect nearly sixty years of exploration by the artist. Bailey studied under Joseph Albers at the Yale School of Art following his service in the Korean War. He began his studies at the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts and graduated from Yale University and the Yale School of Art. Bailey has taught widely including at the University of Indiana at Bloomington. He had a long tenure at the Yale School of Art from which he retired as the Kingman Brewster Professor Emeritus of Art in1995.

Bailey’s still life paintings present seemingly everyday objects including bowls, pitchers, and cups in groupings that conjure the familiar world while offering a metaphysical encounter with

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the timeless. Although they focus an idealized real realm, the works result from a mnemonic or remembered space where drawing, proportion, measure, and color find voice in an extended articulation of light. This is a light that refers to the recognizable world while seeming to originate in an undefined, distant place. In contrast to the familiar world of a nominal Realism, Bailey has stated, “I am trying to paint a world that is not around us.”

Like the poet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, who viewed art-making as a necessary effort towards perfection in an imperfect world, Bailey’s images reflect the history of imaging and clarifications of his craft. His work guides us towards Piero, Corot, or Hopper while manifesting an encounter with an eternal present through the approach of memory’s color and light. In this way they challenge our notions of both time and timelessness.

The still life paintings grow an empathy towards things and light that finds grounding in Bailey’s imagined world. On sustained viewing these images suggest landscape, architecture and groups of figures while seemingly generated from the subtle color atmospheres that give them dimension. These variations allow us to come to terms with the impermanence that define our need for remembrance.

The works of William Bailey reveal themselves through a complex shifting of time and perception. Drawing is of special focus within Bailey’s work. This allows him to unfold a varied duration with both change and continuity of space. Attention in the imaginative act is shaped by the appearance and reappearance of forms.

The paintings also derive information from his ongoing practice of observing the figure. As the pictures seem to grow out of an approaching absence, so the attention to delicate shifts of shadow and light seem to breathe with the presence of their objects, figures and places.

Fred Giampietro Gallery, with two locations in New Haven, CT, 91 Orange St and 315 Peck St, focuses on contemporary fine art and select examples of American folk art. This exhibition will take place at the Fred Giampietro Gallery’s downtown location, 91 Orange St., in the historic 9th-Square district. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 AM to 6 PM.

SPOTLIGHT: Babette Bloch

Artist Babette Bloch’s Heroic Stainless Steel Sculptures

by Laura Einstein

S

culptor Babette Bloch is both an artist and an engineer. She is noted for her pioneering use of laser and water-jet cutting processes to create sculptures in stainless steel.

Her work begins by drawing designs on paper, transferring them to a computer-aided design (CAD) program. These drawings are then transferred into three-dimensional objects that she hand burnishes and grinds to create large and small-scale sculptures that have the luminosity, depth, and subtly articulated forms that have become her acclaimed signature style. Bloch prefers 316 marine grade stainless steel that she welds and forms together.

It is Bloch’s foundation as a student at University of California at Davis studying with Pop Artist Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Arneson as well as the sculptor Manuel Neri that informs her technique of transferring line drawings, done on paper, to laser-cut stainless steel. Wayne Thiebaud’s confections of the 1960s, painted in oil on canvas, have influenced Bloch’s identification of subject matter as heroic image, seen in her magnolias, vases of flowers, dancers, and the more evocative and compelling uses of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man and images of slaves.

Bloch similarly zeroes in on flowers, figures, and animals creating limited edition sculptures of singular episodes in stainless steel. Bloch captures the Pop Art two-dimensional image on canvas, and

transfers it into three-dimensional sculpture. She is as much a draughtsman as she is an engineer interpreting her initial drawings into sculpture.

Bloch’s heroic Vitruvian Man, measuring 16 feet high can be seen at Enterprise Corporate Park, a sixty-five acre park in Shelton, Connecticut. Bloch has ingeniously recreated Leonardo da

Vinci’s 1487 drawing of this 1st century BCE Roman architect and engineer, effectively transferring the circle and square image into stainless steel.Her distinctive approach is seen in public commissions in her silhouetted and larger-than-lifesize Reflecting History series. Bloch remarks, “Melding the classic and the modern by using cutting-edge industrial technologies and stainless steel is consistently intriguing to me. Each work in my Reflecting History and Reflecting Nature series presents new challenges, and the pleasure of finding new art and engineering solutions.”

Her work can also be seen in Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC, and Hudson Heritage Farm, Ganges, MI. Bloch’s works are in the permanent collections of Brookgreen Gardens; Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, FL, B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, Washington, DC; Hudson Heritage Farm, Ganges, MI; International Hillel, Washington, DC; Maryland Institute of Art, Baltimore, MD; and numerous private collections in Europe and the U.S.

Babette Bloch will be featured at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut, from June 22-August 17, 2014 for an installation titled, The Steel Garden. An Opening Reception is planned for Sunday, June 22, 2014 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Bloch remarked on the exhibition, “I love the problem-solving involved in creating works for specific sites. The Mattatuck Museum’s massive brick courtyard wall presents a wonderful challenge of incorporating ideas from my new Steel Magnolia series. Coupled with s​ culptures of my r​oses, ​tulips, and s​ unflower vases, this installation transforms and illuminates the space, while reminding us why we cherish what comes with spring and summer.” The Steel Magnolias wall sculpture, measuring 20’ x 9’ high, will span the courtyard of the Museum.

Mattatuck curator Dr. Cynthia Roznoy, commented, “This pairing of nature and art in large-scale sculpture will intrigue the museum visitor who will find the work graceful, harmonious and enchanting.”

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

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SPOTLIGHT: DELAMAR

Spa...ahhh Facing The Future With Radiant Skin

by Tracey Thomas

A

t Venü Magazine, we make it a point to follow up on promising leads in search of a great story to share with our readers. We thrive on getting the inside scoop on the people and places making news, as well as the “unknown” newsworthy ones who should be getting public recognition. And it’s not because we want to be the first to break a fresh story.

It’s more that we are genuinely interested in the unique contributions the uniquely talented are making to our contemporary lifestyle. So, before we put pen to paper, you’ll find us tasting, talking, touching and trying out the products, services and stories we report on, road-testing them to get a true sense of what they are all about. I have to admit that I hit the jackpot when I was invited to a breakfast event at the Greenwich Delamar announcing a new partnership between their spa and the new luxury skincare line Biologique Recherche. On hand at the event to introduce their oh-so-deliciously-French products were Philippe Allouche, MD, and the company’s longtime Biologique Recherche national trainer Barbara Aquino. They spoke with passion and conviction about the beauty benefits of their products and I have to admit I was more than interested in seeing what they could do for my skin. I made a mental note to check in when I had a rare moment to check it out.

I had that opportunity recently after running into Georgette Mallory, Director of the spas at

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the Delamar, at a fashion show at the Southport Delamar that ended in my booking an Ultimate Facial appointment at the spa. Just thinking about spending a few gloriously blissful hours, cell phone off, in Fairfield County, Connecticut’s most sensuous of hotel spas, had the power to reveal a more radiant me. I could only imagine what the real thing could do!

With two spas bookending the gold coast from Greenwich to Southport in the Delamar hotels and one slated for their soon-to-beconstructed West Hartford property, the spas are everything you’d expect to find in a premier hotel. Treatment rooms are serene, music soul soothing. Lights dim, candles lit.

Scents, soft and seductive, romance your senses. The palette is seashore sublime, evoking images ethereally tied into those places you long for in your mind, when winters, way too long, tease you into a different time and place.

That my foray at the Delamar Southport spa came at the tail end of an unrelenting cold snap that lasted for months is a good reminder of why spas and the “be-kind-to-yourbody-mind-and-soul treatments” they offer are a necessary respite for today’s modern-day work warriors.

As you might suspect, the menu of services at the hotels’ spas are inviting and enticing, with treatments that buff, polish, detoxify, slim, energize, lift, heal, pamper, peel, cleanse and rescue just about every part of your body that needs a little help. And as tempted as I was to melt from one treatment to the next, I was there to experience the “Ultimate Facial” that promised, simply, to make my skin the best it can be with a skin care methodology created by Biologique Recherche.

Biologique Recherche was founded by the French trio, Yvan, Josette and Philippe Allouche, a biologist, a physiotherapist and a doctor, who combined their knowledge and passion to write a unique and visionary page in the history of skin care. I was intrigued by the motivation behind their business and discovered that when the company was founded, thirty years ago, “it functioned like a research and development laboratory whose sole vocation was to develop formulations for professionals dissatisfied with existing products.”

Today, Biologique Recherche has a reputation that has intrigued a premier tier of beauty care professionals around the world, Georgette Mallory included. Georgette told me she learned of this French skincare line through a client who raved about the product and the clinician who introduced it to her. She did her homework, researched the company and their line of personalized products, and ended up hiring the company’s lead trainer, Barbara Aquino, as the new head esthetician and Spa Manager for the Delamar. She did so, she said, with the personal blessing of Dr. Philippe Allouche, son of the company’s founders and creative visionary behind the new skincare line.

‘”Dr. Allouche is interested in reaching the American market with his products and felt strongly that partnering Barbara’s expertise in Biologique Recherche skincare with our hotel spas would be the perfect endorsement for his work,” explained Georgette.

It helps that Barbara has the skin of an angel, strikingly youthful and unbelievably radiant. I remember thinking after meeting her at the

hotel during that celebratory breakfast event, I want to have “what she’s having.”

My facial appointment began with an honest assessment of my skin, which, due to a combination of weather, stress and too many nights of little to no sleep, was more than ready for a makeover. The Delamar’s esthetician then customized a treatment for my needs. My face was putty in her hands as she massaged it with a special lotion that blended high concentrations of botanical macrine and biological extracts to recondition my skin, from tone to elasticity. She assured me that in a few short hours my skin would be “luminous, lifting, glowing and revitalized.” I was floating in the gentle waves of warm tropical ocean waters off a powder sand beach,

feeling much like I imagined a mermaid would, skin glistening with a dreamy youthful dew, when she softly nudged me back to reality when my appointment ended.

Relaxed, I felt wonderful, radiant… and much to my delight, my skin did too. Even now, a few harried weeks past my date with the Delamar spa, it continues to glow thanks to the magic potion of the lotion P50 V I purchased at the spa.

I was told that it would restore my skin with “a surface for youth and radiance.”

Now that my skin is regaining that glow of youth, I am ready to try the spa’s Swiss line of anti-aging products, formulated by Valmont in a clinic on the shores of Lake Geneva. At first devoted to hydrotherapy, the Clinic was one of the very first to dedicate its activities to rejuvenation treatments. They were so successful, thanks to the experts they called and quality of ingredients they worked with, that famous clients as Charlie Chaplin or Coco Chanel came on a regular basis.

Hmmm, I think I might be next…

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events + gatherings

FCBuzz

Spotlight on Collaborations by Arts & Culture Organizations!

Collaborations come in many forms, but behind them all is a desire to create something greater than what could be accomplished alone. The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County member organizations are experts at working together. They understand the benefits of pooling their resources to make exciting multi-dimensional events happen. Knowing that meaningful relationships are at the heart of any creative collaboration, the Cultural Alliance works to strengthen the bonds between our members. In this issue, we share some great examples of what collaborations look like, throwing a spotlight on some of the organizations in our area working hard to bring you more through their commitment to working together.

Every year many Bridgeport organizations collaborate to present the Annual Bridgeport Art Trail, a city-wide open studio program coordinated by City Lights Gallery. The week begins with open studios at the American Fabrics Arts Building, the NEST Arts Factory, and others. Last fall, the trail culminated in a public reception at the Housatonic Museum of Art to celebrate Chuck Close and his mentees from the Turnaround Arts project—a national program designed to improve low-performing schools by increasing student “engagement” through the arts. With help from the Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council and the Mayor’s office, this city-wide collaboration engaged the community, resulting in increased awareness of arts and culture programming in Bridgeport.

Stamford’s annual “Next Generation Concert” is held at the Palace Theatre. Each year, the Ballet School of Stamford, Curtain Call, the INTAKE Organization, Loft Artists Association, and Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic work together to present an evening of entertainment showcasing the young artists in the community. It has become a shining example of a successful collaboration.

Adding a major piece to the collaborative puzzle is the host, the Stamford Center for the Arts, who contributes to the success of the evening. “We do this event each year to

highlight the many and varied opportunities that exist within our community for young artists,” said Marti Etter, Executive Director of the Ballet School of Stamford. “We want area residents to know what a thriving arts community we have here and how they can support young artists,” said Lou Ursone, Executive Director of Curtain Call. There is no doubt this is a collaboration that will last for years to come, entwining dance, music theatre and fine arts into the cultural landscape of the city of Stamford.

The Fairfield Museum and History Center and the Fairfield Theater Company joined forces in a musical collaboration to celebrate Fairfield’s 375th Anniversary and to promote the Fairfield Museum’s Rockin’ Top Ten Exhibit. On Stage One at the Fairfield Theater Company, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth hosted “Chris and Tina’s All Stars.” This was a musical extravaganza featuring performances by local talent Caravan of Thieves, Mystic Bowie and The Zambonis. Through print and online promotion, the collaboration allowed each of the organizations to reach new audiences, fundraise and create a memorable evening that was talked about and shared on social media well after the event.

In Bridgeport, the Greater Bridgeport Symphony created a highly successful collaboration with the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras, the Fairfield County Children’s Chorale, and the Klein Memorial Auditorium. It was the first time the two orchestras joined for a single program in over 30 years!

The Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestra performed Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, followed by the Greater Bridgeport Symphony’s performance of Serge

Looking for something different to do? FCBuzz.org is the place to find out what’s happening in Fairfield County any day of the week—featuring theater, exhibits, music, history, science, family fun, classes and local artists. Click on FCBuzz.org. Pick a great event to attend. Then Go—bring your family, meet your friends or fly solo.

FCBuzz.org™ is presented by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County. For more information contact the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County by emailing info@CulturalAllianceFC.org, calling 203-256-2329, or visiting the Web site at www.CulturalAllianceFC.org.

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Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with choir accompaniment by the Fairfield County Children’s Choral. Committees from the boards from each organization met to consider repeating and/or annualizing the event, which provided an opportunity for talented young musicians to perform alongside professional musicians, many of whom are also their

coaches, teachers and mentors. The concert also provided the orchestras a chance to host over one hundred disadvantaged students from local Bridgeport schools as a public service.

Another approach to collaboration is to find ways to connect the arts to a larger public through off-site projects where people meet in non-art settings and the public sphere.

These collaborations create conversations around topics ranging from art to architecture to activism. Franklin Street Works in Stamford is an innovative contemporary art space that is driven by the belief that art is relevant to daily life because it is part of a larger social enterprise. They are currently collaborating with the B:Hive, a flex work space in Bridgeport, to present the first annual Connecticut Zine Fest (CTZF) on Saturday, May 10, 2014.

This free, public event will include zines (aka self-published magazines) that the makers consider artworks or art books. The CTZF will be the first zine fest of its kind in the state of Connecticut.

In a challenging and dynamic environment, collaborations become a vital means for organizations to enhance their missions, making them more relevant and resilient. Collaboration leads to awareness and engagement which is what the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and FCBuzz.org are all about. Visit FCBuzz.org throughout the year to find hundreds of events, including many exciting collaborations.

events + gatherings

By Janet Langsam CEO, ArtsWestchester

Inspired by Science & Technology Rebecca Kamen - Divining Nature, Installation

Joyce Yu-Jean Lee, Passages

Scientists and artists share a common language – a language of questioning. Both look at the world and question how things work and how they can work better... or if not better, certainly how things can work differently from the prevailing expectation.

beautiful glowing images is the fact that they are microscopic enlargements of benzene, a known carcinogen.

The common thread in this exhibition curated by Artist/Educator Patricia Miranda, is not only its “questioning” but its use of technology in its questioning.

BioArt, finds a place in this exhibition.

This genre of contemporary art uses living Maria Michalis, The Petri Series: Benzene

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his common ground shared by scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians and artists is celebrated

by ArtsWestchester in its summer exhibition, STEAM. The 31 exhibiting artists each bring a reflective and, often, transformational perspective to our complex world.

As an example, artist Rebecca Kamen zooms in and interprets patterns observed only at the atomic level. Her installation, Divining Nature: An Elemental Garden, is inspired by the naturally occurring elements in the Periodic Table. Her work is informed by her research in chemistry, cosmology, spirituality and philosophy.

An artwork by Maria Michalis reveals the hidden beauty that belies a dangerous reality.

Visitors can climb into a bycycle-like machine and generate the power to illuminate oversized Petri dishes containing colorful and hypnotic photographs. What is eerie about these

cells, tissues, or bacteria to create works that range from drawings to installations. Kathy High’s piece, “Blood Wars”, appears to be a contest among blood samples. Her abstract videos are of white blood cells at war to anoint the most fit blood. Both elegant and grotesque, the piece engages with age-old debates about blood traits and lineage.

Technology is a vehicle of social commentary in the work of Lise Prown and Curt Belshe as they invite viewers to use smart phones to “listen-in” on their “texting” conversations. Artist Sherry Mayo also considers the effect of mobile phones on our daily experience drawing attention to contemporary surveillance practices and the selfie culture where we are simultaneously watching ourselves and being watched.

Scott Fitzgerald and Christopher Kaczmarek each integrate new technologies into specific spaces. With contact microphones and a custom built speaker system, Kaczmarek transforms the gallery’s staircase into a sound instrument which responds to the speed and weight of a visitor’s steps.

Inside ArtsWestchester’s bank vault, Fitzgerald projects images which warp and adapt as visitors pass by and interact.

The artists’ modes of expression represent a wide range of styles: pure aesthetic objects; sound, video and light art; interactive and augmented reality installations; 3D printing; animations; and science and bio-based works.

STEAM is presented in partnership with Westchester Community College’s Center for Digital Arts, celebrating its 20th year, and is made possible through generous support from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, celebrating its 25th anniversary with this gift to the community. The exhibition is on view at ArtsWestchester’s gallery until August 16th, 2014.

For further information, visit www.artsw.org/steam or call 914.428.4220. Gallery hours are 12-5PM, Tuesday-Saturday.

For more of Janet Langsam’s cultural musings, be sure to visit her blog at www.ThisandThatbyJL.com. For a full calendar of arts events visit: www.artsw.org.

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE 28 On display José Feliciano, “cuarto” guitar used to record his classic, “Feliz Navidad”

“Chip” Daniani of The Remains, who opened for the Beatles US Tour

DUTCH LIGHT SAILS TO NEW YORK The exhibition will be on view until June 6, 2014.

Dutch Light: Peter de Rijcke, Sailing the IJsselmeer, oil-canvas 80X120

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nug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is pleased to host Dutch Light Sails to New York a survey exhibition of unique contemporary maritime art by the Nederlandse Vereniging van Zeeschilders (NVZ), a collective of experienced Dutch maritime artists.

This exhibition features more than 100 artworks in oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, gouaches, etchings, aquarelles, collages and sculptures.

The exhibition is at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art on the Snug Harbor campus at 1000 Richmond Terrace in Staten Island.

The artists include Coob Zeeman, Leentje Linders, Erik Tierolf, Maarten Groot, Ageeth van den Oever, Pauline Bakker, Frans Buissink, Rein de Vries, Katinka Krijgsman, Ingrid Dingjan, Peter de Rijcke, Winnifred J. Bastian, Ageeth van den Oever, Ron Moret, Geer Huybers, Leendert van der Pool, Piet Lont , Johan Meeske and Ludo van Well.

Dimp Nelemans, President of Maritime Art & Design said, “The last New York exhibition of (NVZ) was twenty years ago and we decided to bring them back to New York to show a collection of their most recent artworks at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. We have published a catalogue that features personal stories as well as all images of the presented artworks of the exhibition.”

Snug Harbor President and CEO Lynn B. Kelly said, “The exhibition is a terrific way to celebrate Dutch experienced art-talent and we are excited to see the spirit for maritime art captured in a variety of styles and media.”

The exhibition will be on view till June 6, 2014. The Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information and to purchase a catalog: Mrs. Dimp Nelemans, President of Maritime Art & Design info@gallerymaritime.nl, Tel. +31 (0)622591452 www.gallerymaritime.com, www.maritime-art-design.nl

Dutch Light Sails to New York is made possible by the Foundation Maritime Art & Design and Gallery Maritime in Middelburg, The Netherlands.

SCAVANGER ANGELS ROXANNE FABER SAVAGE AND TOM BERNTSEN WITH COLLABORATIVE OUTDOOR INSTALLATION

The Lionheart Gallery 914•764•8689 www.thelionheartgallery.com 27 Westchester Ave, Pound Ridge, NY, 10576 thelionheart.gallery@gmail.com CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

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Amber Barbach, Andre Artidiello

The Nu Chic

Sunset Harbour Yacht Club Hosted Official Kickoff Party For 26th Annual Yacht & Brokerage Show

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he invite-only, VIP cocktail event was an unforgettable evening of luxury featuring gourmet passed hors d’œuvres from Cielgourmet and Kitchen 305, wine tasting from Ferllen Winery, sweet treats by Villa Azur, a floating Luc Belaire Rosé champagne lounge aboard the 137 foot mega yacht “SYRENKA,” courtesy of Bartram & Brakenhoff Yacht Charters, several luxury yachts from The Advantaged Yacht Charters and Sales and an automobile showcase by Range Rover, courtesy of Warren Henry and Lou La Vie. The Range Rover team sold a 2014 luxury crossover Range Rover Evoque in the first twenty minutes of the party.

Around the pool, guests kicked back in an ultra-chic, Range Rover VIP lounge, sipped super-premium spirits at bars by Zacapa Rum, Monte Carlo Vodka, LIQS, Rekorderlig Cider and recharged at Vita Coco Hydration Stations while enjoying beats by DJ Mickey Valentine.

More than 500 VIP guests were in attendance including: Philip Levine, Miami Beach Mayor; Michael Grieco, Miami Beach City Commissioner; Kevin Lyttle, international recording artist; Chapman Ducote, professional racecar driver; Mark Strickland, former NBA player; Stewart Rahr, Forbes list billionaire; Kamal Hotchandani, CEO of Haute Living; The Nu Chic, recording artist; Javier Ceriani, television personality; Fabiola Angulo, singer and actress; Tomi Rose, reality TV star of Hot Listings Miami; Graziella Callado, recording artist and Channel 41 Reporter and artist Stephen Gamson.

YachtAid Global was on hand to raise awareness of the charity’s mission to deliver humanitarian, development and conservation aid to coastal communities worldwide.

Every year, the Yacht and Brokerage Show transforms Collins Avenue into a multi-million dollar presentation of brokerage yachts including the world’s most extraordinary and uniquely designed vessels from the world’s foremost boat builders and brokerage houses.

Voted best marina of Miami Beach for the last five years in a row, Sunset Harbour Yacht Club, located in the heart of South Beach on Purdy Avenue, is a full-service private marina featuring 125 wet slips accommodating vessels from 45’ - 160’+ feet. For more information, visit www.sunsetharbouryc.com.

YisellBerines, AdamSteiger, GabriellaPares

Tomi Rose, Mark Strickland

Angela Betancourt, Jackie Lyttle, Kevin Lyttle

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BeauBeasley, AnnMarie Donaldson, AprilDonelson, CliffFloyd

AnnaBarthelme, DanaRhoden, OliviaSchleicher

Travel + Leisure: Latin Destination AmericaNorwaY

PERU, Photo by Adam Allegro

CUBA, Photo by Adam Allegro

CUBA, Photo by Adam Allegro

Life Changers

Destination: Latin America

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by Cindy Clarke

ravel can be life changing. And in the case of two young photojournalists who have traded in lucrative careers in the military and financial services industries, respectively, to celebrate riches far more precious than their regular paychecks, it changes lives for everyone on the journey.

Take Adam Allegro. A 2005 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and former Naval officer, he’s been living out of a backpack, camera in tow, since he completed his stint with the Navy – as a ranking Lieutenant – in 2012. During his time on the high seas, he dropped anchor in close to fifty countries, eyes and imagination opening to people and places that inspired a change of career and calling. In the last two years he has added 17 more countries to his portfolio, chronicling his explorations in photographs poignant and powerfully personal.

His most recent adventures took him south of the border… to Chile, Peru and the long-off-limits island of Cuba. The northern lakes of Chile inspired panoramic portraits of alpine gems that took his breath away. His rugged trek to lost Incan empires in Peru stoked a spiritual side he didn’t expect and Cuba danced its way into his heart and soul in places where time stopped 60 years ago.

To hike through cloud forests on an ancient royal highway to what once was the crown of an entire Inca empire in Peru is by itself memorable. But when Adam trekked the Inca Trail through the Andes, orchid rich and bird beautiful, past rushing rivers, countless ruins and up hand hewn stone stairs to mystical Machu Picchu, as a part of a trio of fast friends being guided by a surefooted Quechan porter, it became one of those forever memories destined to last lifetimes. His compadres, one his best friend, the other a Top Chef contender

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who pulled out of the competition to conquer the trail, were new to the travel scene and to see them see the world anew, through wonders that have awed travelers for centuries, was equally rewarding.

After four days of climbing to altitudes on high, they reached the mountaintop kingdom that lay lost for centuries, hidden by the jungle and camouflaged by a thick cover of dense fog and mystery. Adam sought out a quiet perch to savor the setting and put everything about his life’s journey into perspective.

And when he did, the clouds parted, spotlighting sections of the city one by one, paying tribute to the deeds of the many who had passed this way before which, to Adam’s way of thinking, is just as it should be.

“I didn’t have any preconceived notions about Cuba,” admitted the wandering California native, but due to its inaccessibility to Americans, he found the idea of a trip there “very alluring.” He discovered Havana to be spectacular and beautifully crumbling, the people friendly, focused and fond of Americans, classic old cars rumbling out of a time machine.

“We stayed in private casa particulares, humble but homey, with hosts genuinely happy to have us,” he told me. The price they paid, $25 a night, breakfast included, boggled his mind, for the experience, in Adam’s words, “was priceless.” The poverty there was mind blowing, but Cubans make the best of it, living on $19 a month, with pride and smiles on their faces and hope in their hearts. They whisper of dreams of a better life, but they dance as if they already have it.

Adam was moved by an impromptu back alley concert in a once-glamorous opera house, where two aging musicians invited him into their hearts and

Photographs by Adam Allegro & Katy Morris

Guatemala, Photo by Katy Morris

Guatemala, Photo by Katy Morris

souls through African inspired music that plays in his memory even today.

“That’s the beauty of traveling,” he said, “the opportunity to see the world in human terms and interact with other cultures through your heart.” His photographs reveal, intimately, the human aspects of the places he visits, and reaffirm, consistently, that he made the right choice for his chosen career path.

Where will he go next? He credits his military service in Italy with awakening that part of him that lives to document those amazing moments in time, from the scenic to the poetic to the realistic. So he has volunteered again for military service, but this time he will be armed with a camera and a passion to help others through a veteran-manned non-profit organization, Team Rubicon (www.teamrubiconusa.org) to photograph and document the disaster response work they do all over the globe.

Katy Morris, indoctrinated into the world of hedge funds and high living straight from her graduation from NYU, set out to find her silver lining on a trek across the globe after spending four years working with a team of millionaire makers who spent more time at the office than they did at home. Her soul searching journey took her to the expected European cities of London, Amsterdam, Paris and Geneva, then off the beaten track to an Alpine hamlet bordering Italy and Switzerland and a small weather worn island in Greece, before she landed in Thailand for a three month stay. While she found inspiration among Bangkok’s gilded pagodas and monasteries, she found her new life’s love tucked precariously inside a mud-encrusted jungle village that teetered on the border of northern Thailand and Myanmar where hope was nurtured in children orphaned from the atrocities of a regime still yielding destruction upon a people of gentle souls.

“Everything I experienced in Thailand and Myanmar was life affirming, not because I saw things that were culturally new and therefore fascinating, but because I felt emotions in moments that were real, raw and rare, no candy-coatings, no commercialized cues, no mass produced vignettes. I documented my experiences digitally, immortalizing sights that moved me so that I could share stories that need to be told. I left that land and those orphans behind reluctantly and returned home determined to raise money and awareness of their plight.”

Once home, she kept her promise. She embarked on a fundraising campaign to help bolster a food security project that she and few other like-minded humanitarians jumpstarted for a Thai Orphanage and Karen Refugee Camp and raised more money than she had anticipated. She also applied to the Peace Corps hoping to snag an assignment either somewhere back in Southeast Asia or Subsaharan Africa. What she got instead was an opportunity to work with indigenous Guatemalans in the lakeside mountain hamlet of Lake Atitlan, with a non-profit called Mayan Families.

Panajachel sits in a highland setting on the northern shore of Lake Atitlan, one of the world’s most beautiful volcanic calderas and the heartland of Guatemala’s Maya. While their living conditions and extreme poverty belie the

picturesque landscapes they call home, the strength of the indigenous people is written in their faces, in their colorfully embroidered clothing, in traditions culturally revered, and language proudly voiced. The Mayan people, resilient and grateful, have captured Katy’s admiration and she has captured it in the photographs she taken there and the communications she sends out in her new role as Communications Manager for Mayan Families.

The mantra of the non-profit, founded in 2005 by three expats living and working with the Maya indigenous communities of the Lake Atitlan region for over twenty years, “to educate, feed, heal and shelter,” is code for their daily mission of helping indigenous Mayan families in any and every way. Over the last nine years, they have sponsored some 2,800 children so they could stay in school, handed out hundreds of micro-loans to help the locals start a business, distributed thousands of water filtration systems, built schools, homes, bathrooms and kitchens, opened medical and dental clinics, and even spayed, neutered, adopted and sought medical treatment for endless cats and dogs that share the Mayan landscapes.

In her new role, Katy works with the 501(c)(3) organization’s passionate founders, Sharon and Dwight Poage, to get the word out to the world that the Mayan people need help now. Dwight cited statistics that stagger preconceived notions: approximately 30% of all Guatemalan adults are illiterate; in indigenous communities approximately 70% of the children are chronically malnourished – the fourth highest rate in the world – largely because families try to survive on $1 a day. Malaria is prevalent and intestinal problems are rampant due to unsanitary water. The list goes on.

It is difficult to fathom that such heartrending poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy exists just a few hours away from the United States in a place renowned for its tropical beauty. But thanks to the humanitarian efforts of Sharon and Dwight, who have successfully attracted scores of volunteers and hundreds of donations – and Katy herself – through networking sites like www.idealist.org, they are changing lives.

The story of Mayan Families began when Sharon sought medical treatment for a desperately ill child a local woman brought to her house seeking help for. Sharon tried unsuccessfully to get the local doctors to treat the child, who felt the toddler’s chances for survival were too slim. Like everything she and her husband undertake, Sharon persevered until she got mother and child the financial and medical help that was needed. Today that child is finishing school, healthy, happy and healed, body and soul.

Katy is on a new mission now to lead the charge with Sharon and Dwight and scores of other life changers touched by the plight of the Mayans to raise awareness and have their voices heard throughout the world. To help, please visit www.mayanfamilies.org, like them on Facebook, sign up for their enewsletters and share their posts.

You need only look at the life that beams in the faces of the people whom Katy and Adam have photographed to see just how much travel, truly, can change lives.

View Adam Allegro’s portfolio of travel photography, at www.adamallegro.com.

To help Katy get the word out about Mayan Families, email Katy@mayanfamilies.org or visit her photoblog at http://katy-morris.squarespace.com.

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STYLE: FASHION

Left, The Natalie Dress Right, The Eva Dress

How to Find the Perfect Party Dress...

Katie Fong Style!

by Cindy Clarke

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e’ve all been there. We receive that coveted invitation to the party event of the year; we look at the dresses hanging in our closet and lament that we don’t have a thing to wear! Out we go, invitation in mind, to stores from the mall to main street and still return home empty handed and sadly un-dressed. Now the panic really sets in! What’s a woman to do?

Enter Katie Fong, a Greenwich, Connecticut native who apprenticed with fashion icon Oscar de la Renta for three years, gifted, gorgeous and exceptionally enterprising. As she tells it, she too found herself in that dilemma one time too many. Despite endless trips to the best department stores and boutiques in New York City and along tony Greenwich Avenue for that simple, elegant dress she hoped to wear to a very special gala black tie event, it eluded her. She looked online, in-depth, without much success. There were surprisingly few dresses that she actually liked that were appropriate for her important party, but those were well beyond her generous budget. Even after she tried those dresses on, she felt that she was “settling” for a comprised choice. Sound familiar?

Happily for us, her story had a happy, ultimately form-fitting ending.

Katie did eventually find the perfect designer dress – on sale! – and turned heads at the gala. She also turned her career path in a new direction, founding her own fashion design company, Katie Fong, in 2012, to indulge her passion for dresses that are “simply beautiful”.

In one short year, Katie has continued to turn heads with two stunning seasonal collections, as well as growing her own specialized custom design business. Katie’s collections encompass a thoughtful range of dresses, gowns, separates and coats for special events, including weddings, each meticulously made from the finest luxe materials. Her favorite fabrics to work with are four ply silk crepe and silk faille – “they feel exquisite on a person’s skin“ – and “they flow down and drape a woman’s body, flattering all the right places.” Lace appliques, threaded embroidery and silk covered buttons add that touch of understated elegance that simply makes the dress stand out from any others.

She has also made headway down the runways of some of the most respected stores from coast to coast, partnering with the Connecticut-based

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From left to right: 1. The Savannah Top and paired with the Aria Skirt 2. The Lucy Dress 3. The Avery Dress 4. The Alexa Blouse paired with the Harper Skirt 5. The Camila Gown 6. The Mia Gown 7. Custom Wedding Gown

Katie embraces a more mature and worldly viewpoint of designing investment pieces that are timeless by nature and that can be enjoyed and worn without hesitation for many years.

Mitchells Family of Stores – first at Richards, their Greenwich Avenue flagship store in the fall of 2012, and more recently to Wilkes Bashford, the premier destination for San Francisco’s most elite luxury-seeking consumers.

Says Linda Mitchell, Vice President of Women’s Merchandise for Mitchells Family of Stores, “We are delighted to have a partnership with Katie Fong to provide custom design services for our clients. Katie provides an environment where client’s vision come to life. She has a sophisticated, elegant sensibility executed with couture workmanship. Katie makes women feel beautiful.”

Katie Fong’s custom design and made to measure business is part of an increasingly important trend in the high-end women’s apparel market. Heretofore, bespoke clothing was more generally associated with men’s apparel. Recent popularization of custom clothing by entertainment, business and political figures, technology advances and a highly competitive and moderately growing market that is continually striving for new unique products and the highest level of customer service for the most affluent customers are all factors responsible for the trend. In fact, the trend is the driving force in Saks Fifth Avenue’s current makeover by its new CEO, Marigay McKee. The secret to Katie’s remarkable early success is a design philosophy that is understood and appreciated by the most discerning woman. Pairing her youthful exuberance with an innate sense of fashion know-how, Katie embraces a more mature and worldly viewpoint of designing investment pieces that are timeless by nature and that can be enjoyed and worn without hesitation for many years.

Katie’s magic is that she is able to subtly marry the notion of classic with a sense of surprise and fun that make her customers feel appropriate yet incredibly attractive. She instinctively understands how a woman wants to feel when she is dressing well. She knows how important that it is to feel beautiful and confident, effortlessly. Thoughtfully crafted, Katie Fong’s dresses conquer any challenging situation with ease and grace, whether it is getting in and out of a car, sitting prettily, gliding across the dance floor or dining demurely!

Adds the always well-dressed Director of Marketing for Saks Fifth Avenue in Greenwich, Geri Corrigan, who sits on the Advisory Board of the Luxury Marketing Council of Connecticut and Hudson Valley – and who wears Katie Fong couture to all her important social and business events, “I was first introduced to Katie last summer by a mutual friend in Greenwich. I was immediately impressed by her maturity, personality and poise, as well as her passion to support and give back to the community she grew up in. Shortly thereafter, Katie invited me to a showing of her new collection. I immediately fell in love with her design aesthetic – from the delicacy of the lace and intricate beading, to the beautiful tailoring and femininity.”

By all accounts, Katie is a designer to keep your eyes on, and as any lucky lady who has worn her fashions will tell you, people will also keep their eyes on you when you arrive wearing one of her dresses!

To put your eyes on her collection, visit www.katiefong.com.

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STYLE: ARCHITECTURE

Photographs by: Jonathan Wallen

A door in the west pier of the Arch, accesses a 102 step spiral staircase leading up to a sky-lit vaulted room, constructed of Guastavino tiles.

The Washington Square Arch Designed in 1889 by the great Stanford White to celebrate the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration as first President of the United States

N

EW YORK CITY CAN BOAST OF THREE TRIUMPHAL ARCHES – the approach to the Manhattan Bridge, The Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza, and the best known of them all, The Washington Memorial Arch – better known as The Washington Square Arch.

Triumphal arches are one of the most recognizable types of architecture associated with antiquity and the Roman Empire, with the survival of the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Titus inspiring many forms of architecture from the Renaissance to modern times. Although primarily built to celebrate a significant event or to commemorate a victorious general, they have also been erected to provide a monumental entrance to a city, or to memorialize the fallen.

The most famous example of the latter being The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which was built to honor those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

In America, triumphal arches gained popularity during the Beaux Arts era when the architects and

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BY PHILLIP JAMES DODD urban planners of the day adopted the ideals of the city beautiful movement, and embarked upon their quest to transform New York into their Paris on the Hudson. This meant embellishing the city with civic buildings, monuments, statues, obelisks, and triumphal arches – in an effort to bring both beauty and a sense of history to the streets of New York.

Initially these monuments were constructed of inexpensive perishable materials such as wood and staff - a plaster stiffened with hemp fibers. One thinks of the Great White City, built in 1893 on the shores of Lake Michigan (to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Columbus’s voyage to the New World) which was entirely constructed in this manner, and which stood for a mere 9 months before being dismantled. In New York, as part of the same Columbus celebrations, a temporary arch was erected on Fifth Avenue near Central Park. Six years later another such arch was erected at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street honoring Admiral George Dewey’s victory in the Philippines. But by far the most famous of these temporary triumphal arches was the one designed

in 1889 by the great Stanford White to celebrate the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration as first President of the United States – The Washington Square Arch.

William Rhinelander Stewart, a member of the wealthy Knickerbocker family, who lived in one of the Greek Revival townhouses that overlooks Washington Square, first conceived the idea of a triumphal arch at the foot of Fifth Avenue. He quickly raised $3,000 in funds and persuaded Stanford White, the most prominent architect of the day, to donate his design services. The temporary arch designed by White would span Fifth Avenue some 150 feet north of Washington Square and by all accounts was somewhat awkward in appearance as its piers jutted into the street in order to avoid obstructing the busy sidewalks. The design was decorated by flags and topped by a primitive painted wood statue of Washington that White had found while rummaging through a New York thrift shop. Nevertheless, the striking image of the Arch as the terminus of Fifth Avenue found such popular favor that it was decided to construct a permanent

* Ì Ã\Ê ÀÞ> Ê i``iÀ

STYLE: ARCHITECTURE

masonry arch, funded by a public subscription, and with the ever popular White at the helm again.

Second time around it was decided to erect the new marble arch at the entrance of Washington Square, within the actual park, therefore allowing White ample space to design the monument that we know today. In adopting a neoclassical style of architecture, White commented “in style this monument is distinctly classic - and by this term is meant Roman in contradistinction to the less robust, more fanciful and more personal style of the Renaissance.”

In referencing the architecture of the Roman Empire, and in emulating the architecture of the more recent French Empire, White was the first to bring an Architecture of Empire to the streets of New York. Not as in the past, an empire based upon military success, but rather an empire built upon the wealth and power associated with financial and industrial success.

This notion would stick, as New York State would later become known as The Empire State – and give its name to its most famous of buildings.

The Arch, constructed of local white Tuckahoe marble, measures 86 feet high, has piers that are ten feet wide and spans just over 30 feet – making its span larger than any single opening arch found in antiquity. And although the cornerstone was laid in 1890, difficulties in public fundraising along with the gradual incorporation of the sculpture meant that the Arch would not be completed to its current

Photographs by: Jonathan Wallen

The Washington Square Arch is one of New York’s great landmarks, and represents one of the great achievements by one of its most famous children. Born on East 10th Street in 1853, Stanford White was the quintessential New Yorker.

Left: Alexander Stirling Calder’s sculpture of Washington as Statesman is loacted on the west pier of the Arch. The right hand of Washington was recently replaced, tracking down and using matching marble from the original quary. Above: Carved “W” monograms are visible in the freize either side of an American Eagle, carved by Philip Martiny.

state until 1918. But it was worth the wait, as it features some of the best examples of public sculpture found within New York, with rich patriotic emblems interwoven with personal references to George Washington. An American eagle with spread wings, carved by Philip Martiny, sits atop the keystone.

Either side, within the ornate frieze is a repeating pattern of laurel wreaths, palm fronds, and a “W” monogram. There are 13 large stars representing the original colonies, and 42 smaller ones representing the individual States that existed at the time of

the centennial celebration. The seal of the United States appears on the plaque located on the west pier, and George Washington’s family crest appears on a matching plaque on the east pier, with the motto “exitus acta probat” – the outcome justifies the deed.

Located within the spandrels (the quadrants either side of the arch) are the Winged Angels of Victory

by Frederick MacMonnies, who carved the faces of the angels to resemble Mrs. Rhinelander Stewart, whose husband had been the driving force behind the arch, and Bessie White, the wife of Stanford White. The pedestals on the north side of the arch, facing up Fifth Avenue, remained empty until World War I, when the 16 foot tall free-standing statues of Washington as General and Washington as Statesman were added by Hermon Atkins MacNeil and Alexander Stirling Calder. Behind the two statues of Washington are allegorical figures depicting Wisdom, Justice, Fame and Valor. On the south facing side of the arch, the inscription within the attic is taken from Washington’s speech at the Constitutional Convention: “Let us raise a stan-

dard to which the wise and honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.” Over the century since its completion, severe urban conditions have resulted in a general deterioration of the Arch. Water seepage, pollutants, roosting birds, vandals, and inappropriate cleaning treatments have all contributed towards widespread deterioration and loss, including the erosion of the faces of Washington.

In recent years the arch has undergone a comprehensive restoration by conservators, with open fissures filled with a lime-rich cementitious mixture, the insertion of stainless steel pins and injections of low viscosity epoxy to stabilize the carvings, and the replacement of the right hand of Washington the Statesman – tracking down, and using matching marble from the now closed original quarry.

The Washington Square Arch is one of New York’s great landmarks, and represents one of the great achievements by one of its most famous children. Born on East 10th Street in 1853, Stanford White was the quintessential New Yorker - loud, garish, and larger than life. He was embraced by the people of New York, and revered by its ruling elite. In the short span of 27 years White, along with his partners Charles McKim and William Mead, would transform New York into a metropolis of Beaux Arts grandeur, creating some of the cities greatest landmarks. Yet in June 1906, upon the roof garden of the original Madison Square Garden – a building he had designed some sixteen years earlier, White’s personal life and professional career would become inseparable. An affair with sixteen year old actress Evelyn Nesbit led to his murder by her enraged new husband, Pittsburgh millionaire Harry K. Thaw. The scandal would be later immortalized in Ragtime and painted White with a reputation as a notorious playboy. Thaw would eventually be acquitted, and in later years, after seeing a Palm Beach villa designed by Addison Mizner, he famously proclaimed “I shot the wrong architect”.

It is unfortunate that Stanford White would not live long enough to see all of the sculpture added to the Washington Square Arch, and his vision completed. Yet one can argue that the sudden and tragic end to his career helped elevate the design of the Arch to an even greater height - with the numerous artists who worked on monument now only too aware that were commemorating not only George Washington, but also the genius of their friend and colleague, the great Stanford White.

Phillip James Dodd is a well regarded expert on classical architecture and interiors, whose designs can be found in Manhattan, Greenwich and Palm Beach. He is also the author of the highly acclaimed The Art of Classical Details.

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WINE + SPIRITS

Altaneve

Photo: Courtesy of the Scout Guide

I started in the wine industry in 1978 as one of the first women to walk the streets of New York selling to new restaurants and retail stores, eventually moving into management and then into distribution and importation.

I worked with two gentlemen and created a brand called Bollini Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, the first Italian Chardonnay to be marketed in the United States under $10 a bottle. I spent three years creating this brand and building it to 30,000 cases. In 1986 I opened my first store and in 1989 bought my current store, Horseneck Wines and Liquors at 25 East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich, CT. I turned both of these stores around by growing the selection and appealing to my customers with education, knowledge, and unique wine events.

Horseneck Wines & Liquors continues to build a loyal customer base by providing them with a selection of wines that is hands down the best, and to continue offering the

finest selections I travel extensively to many wine regions each year to see the harvest, meet new producers, and continue the relationships with producers that are already in the fold.

To this end, I’d like to focus on one of the fastest growing segments in the wine world, sparkling wine, and specifically a beautiful Prosecco, Altaneve.

Altaneve is the ultimate Italian sparkling wine. Its crisp character and persistent fine perlage feature notes of peach, pear and honeysuckle. The wine’s elegant floral bouquet, balanced acidity and sweetness are complex yet approachable, giving it great versatility.

A refined wine, Altaneve can be enjoyed as an aperitivo, as an ideal accompaniment to fish, poultry and vegetables, or as a celebratory drink on special occasions.

Perfect for the warm summer months!

I look forward to continuing my column in the next issue!

As Always, Terry

Crisp, Sparkling, Elegantly Italian Altaneve presents American wine lovers the first opportunity to experience ultra premium Italian Prosecco that, until now, has only been available in Italy.

Altaneve is a small production, classic Italian sparkling wine epitomizing the best Prosecco the world has to offer. Produced in the steep foothills of the Italian Dolomite Mountains, in the small town of Valdobbiadene, it is a Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G.. and it is redefining the way U.S. consumers view Prosecco with its 100% organically grown Glera grapes, its crisp character and it’s exquisitely fine perlage that distinguish it from other sparkling wines.

The combination of a fantastic terroir and a master oenologist create the wine’s elegant floral bouquet, balanced acidity and sweetness that are complex yet approachable, giving the wine a great versatility for pairing with a wide array of foods.

With today’s sparkling wine renaissance, this legendary wine has emerged as the modern classic for discriminating tastes.

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APPETITE: Eating Iceland

Efsti-Dalur Restaurant

Friðheimar Greenhouse

Iceland

An Eruption of the Touristy kind Written by Linda Kavanagh In the USA we throw the word “sustainable”around like it’s a badge of honor when touting our farm-totable restaurants or our increasing number of “green” certified dwellings. In Iceland, sustainable living is not preached – it is simply practiced. Framed by the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, this relatively small, 42,000 sq. miles, pearl of a country is refreshingly and admirably living off their natural land and sea resources. And amidst the industrious principles of this country and its population (320,000), there’s a beautiful landscape and vibrant culture to be explored.

In 2010 Iceland experienced a large media wave when volcanic events at Eyjafjallajökull caused air travel disruption for close to a week due to the volcanic ash clouds that hovered over northern Europe. Widespread volcanic and geothermal activity is prevalent in Iceland. About half of the country consists of a mountainous lava desert, a third of which is covered by glaciers and mountainous ice caps. But, a geography lesson this is not.

Over the past few years a tremendous travel and tourism initiative has been introduced. Through organizations such as Promote Iceland, and with support from Icelandair, headquartered at Reykjavík Airport, visitors to Iceland have more than doubled since 2000. According to the Icelandic Tourist Board, if this trend continues, Iceland may expect approximately one million visitors by 2020. The number one impetus for travel to Iceland is its unique terrain, culture and history. On a recent winter trip to this picturesque country, I found much to be uncovered

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and a destination worthy of exploration. An avid culinary traveler, I even found myself immersed inan unlikely food ethos. www.islandsstofa.is, www.icelandair.com

Centralized in the capital city of Reykjavík, in southwest Iceland on the southern shore, my accommodations at the modern Hlemmur Square Hotel placed me in the heart of this very progressive city. Compared to the states, I found many of Iceland’s hotel accommodations to be somewhat on the modest side, as far as sophistication and luxury. Hlemmur Square is one of the newer and more contemporary places to stay, offering plush bedding, stylish bathrooms, large screen TVs and tech hook-ups, in addition to a comfortable lobby and social café. www.hlemmursquare.com

I was invited to partake in the country’s premiere culinary event, the 13th Annual Food & Fun Festival, a chef studded event in Reykjavík which invites culinary talent from around the world to collaborate with chefs from Iceland’s local restaurant scene to create menus utilizing Icelandic ingredients.

The week-long event, featuring Iceland’s popular Chef Siggi Hall, culminates in a chef competition likened to America’s Iron Chef Competition. So, what are these indigenous ingredients you may wonder?

Let’s just say arctic char and lamb was on the menu every night. In addition to my surf and turf diet, I enjoyed an array of pickled vegetables, fruit compotes, cheese and many sweet cakes – all with the added twist of our mostly American guest chefs who infused some much needed spice and heat to a predominately

Food and Fun Chefs

simplistic cuisine Interestingly enough, there are not so much Icelandic dishes and recipes, as there are Icelandic ingredients. www.foodandfun.is

In addition to hydropower and geothermal energy, one of Iceland’s largest natural resources is fish. With the assistance of Promote Iceland, this nosy reporter had the privilege of climbing aboard the Agúst, one of four long-liners belonging to the country’s fourth largest sustainable fishery, Thorbjörn, in the coastal township of Grindavík. Family run since 1953, Thorbjörn catches between 50-80 tons of cod, haddock, skate and shellfish per 5-day fishing expedition. Agúst is a long-liner, meaning it uses (42,000) hooks baited with herring and squid, as opposed to open net / dragging to capture the fish. A fleet of only 15 men man each expedition. This is not a scenic New England fisherman’s fish-fry jaunt, but rather, an intense, weather fearing, high volume, grueling industry that sends

Chef Mikaela Población at Thorbjörn Fishery

Photographs by Sigurjón Ragnar

42’s North Dining has a new vibe

out over 1,655 vessels each year and contributes to one of the largest segments of an Icelander’s livelihood. The catch is then sorted, beheaded, gutted, trimmed, some salted and then packed at the Thorbjörn factory, an overwhelming operation and odorous process for which I now have a tremendous respect for (I was unable to handle the enormity of the stench and the visuals of the process and performed a not-so graceful exit…). But, no need for you to do anything more than just enjoy the marvelous fish highlighted in restaurants throughout the country and its export friends in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, to name a few. www.visitgrindavik.is, www.fisheries.is

Back on land and eager to take in the fresh Icelandic air and its mossy landscape and midland waterfalls, I enjoyed the contradiction of the land’s frozen glacier crust and its geothermal heat from beneath. You see, Iceland’s geological location is over a volcano, and its abundant geothermal energy has enabled renewable energy initiatives that far surpass any other country across the globe. So how in the world does such a country grow its vegetation?

A fabulous place to learn about Iceland’s sustainable practices is at Friðheimar, an advanced horticulture greenhouse in Selfoss.

When greeted with a hollowed out plum tomato cup filled with Birkir (birch schnapps), I knew I was in for a treat. Lead by agronomist Knútur Rafn Ármann and his wife and horticulturalist Helena Hermundardóttir, Friðheimar specializes in cultivating tomatoes and increasing the diversity in the Icelandic tomato market. They were the first growers to cultivate plum tomatoes and Flavorino cocktail tomatoes in Iceland on a year-round basis, and most recently they have introduced the delicious and sweet Piccolo tomato. The tomatoes are now grown all year, using state-of-the-art technology in an environmentally-friendly way. Green energy, natural hot spring water and biological pest controls (“good” flies are brought in to eat the bad flies and Holland bumble bees are let loose to pollinate the tomato flowers) are at the forefront of the 5,000 sq. meter cultivation center which is equipped with a climate-control computer system for temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and lighting. Tourists can enjoy tours, tastings, and group seminars. There is a wonderful café which features tomato based dishes, herbs, hot geyser-baked black bread and locally caught salmon prepared by Chef Jón K.B.

42’s North Dining has a new vibe

Sigfússon, who has developed the Friðheimar packaged food product line which includes tomato jam, cucumber salsa, tomato juice and sauce, and even a pungent BBQ sauce. www.fridheimar.is/en

Back on the bus, and with a few stops along the way for scenic snapshots of the land and its boisterous river waterfalls which are fed by the north Atlantic climate that produces frequent rain and snow, we headed to Efsti-Dalur in Bláskógabyggð, a charming farm with a country inn and restaurant right on the property. Owned and operated by Snæbjörn and Björg and their son Sölvi and his wife Día, the farm’s main production is from beef and dairy cattle. The restaurant features burgers and steaks, as well as homemade cheese, skyr (Icelandic yogurt) and ice cream and the majority of the ingredients come from other local farmers including tomatoes and cucumbers from Friðheimar and potatoes, turnips and carrots from neighboring Reykholt farms. Vanilla praline ice cream can be enjoyed in the company of the milk-bearing cow that helped to produce this rich and creamy treat – a true countryside experience. www.efstidalur.is

I’d be remiss to leave out the popular, and slightly commercialized, Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa, located in a lava field in Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland. Every year, thousands of people flock to this natural hot spring lagoon (70% sea water) which heats up to a consistent 98–102 °F. It is said to be mineral rich in silica and sulphur, of which the white mud is smeared on the body and is promoted as a healing remedy for internal and external ailments. Half naked bodies revel and swish about while sipping cocktails and self-body painting. More structured spa treatments are available and I recommend paying

the extra money for the private lounge as opposed to the public locker room. Blue Lagoon’s rather upscale restaurant, LAVA, is a highly rated dining destination. We were treated by a Food & Fun guest chef, Mikaela Población from Bilbao, Spain, to a wonderful lunch at LAVA which featured several dishes made from the salt cod from Thorbjörn Fishery. LAVA’s Executive Chef is Viktor Örn Andrésson, voted Iceland’s Chef of the Year in 2013.

The sophisticated menu is matched by stunning views and a stellar wine list, yet off-putting at times due to guests who are allowed to dine in their white terrycloth bathrobes while coming from and going to the lagoon. Best to dine later in the evening when patrons are fully clothed! www.bluelagoon.com Where there is food, let there be drink! There are an abundance of pubs in and around Reykjavík, all of which capture the heart and soul of this modest country, while embracing many cultures. Although there are many places to imbibe, Iceland has only just begun to produce craft beer. Kaldi Bar, hailed as one of the “coolest bars in Reykjavík” by Reykjavík Grapevine Magazine, features the Icelandic microbrewery Kaldi, the country’s first microbrewer.

The idea for Kaldi came after Agnes and Ólafur Ólafsson, looking for work in a new vocation, who saw a news report about the growing popularity of microbrews in Denmark. They ceased the opportunity and embarked on new adventure, hiring Czech brewmaster David Masa to assist them in the process. The beer is produced with fresh water which they get from a mountain in Arskogssandur and has no added sugar or any preservatives, and is not pasteurized. The company, Bruggsmidjan, now produces Kaldi, Kaldi dark, Kaldi lite and its IPA cousin Gullfoss. www.bruggsmidjan.is, www.kaldibar.is My favorite places to eat in Iceland Sjávargrillið Seafood Grill – sleek, dark and sexy with eclectic fare, www.sjavargrillid.com Steikhúsið, The Steakhouse – dry-aged local beef, high energy, neighborhood hang-out, wwwsteik.is/vefur Tjörnin – on the lake, seafood driven, playful décor, www.vidtjornina.is Rub 23 – farm to table, Asian inspired, sushi, contemporary décor, www.rub23.is Check out: The Farmers’ Market at Harpa Concert Hall, www.farmersmarket.is/shops A hot dog from Baejarins Beztu Pylsur, a kiosk near the waterfront by Harpa. Ask for it “with everything” and the dog (a blend of beef, pork, and lamb) comes with sweet Icelandic brown mustard and tangy rémoulade, all sandwiched into a soft bun with both raw and crunchy deep-fried onions, www.bbp.is/en Foss Distillery’s Birkir birch schnapps and Bjork birch liqueur – this stuff is lethal…but tasty.

Find it everywhere, including the airport, www.facebook.com/fossdistillery Arctic Sea Salt – it doesn’t get any better than these Icelandic flavor boosters. Choose from sea, lava, licorice, thyme, and birch smoked salts, www.saltverk.com Northern Lights – the Aurora Borealis of Iceland.

Unfortunately, you will just need to keep your eyes peeled for this natural light show caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere.

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FEATURE

BUCKET LIST BONANZA: Petra’s Ancient Pagan Sites Inspired Indiana Jones and Lawrence of Arabia

By Philip Eliasoph

I

f you are game to be transported back into antiquity along a magic carpet - (and a short bumpy ride with our dromedary camel named ‘Alice’ ) – then start mapping out your visit to Petra, Jordan. ‘Smithsonian Magazine’ listed the ancient natural sanctuary as one of the “28 Places to See Before You Die.” And yet, some Yankee tourists remain skeptical about terrorism, personal safety, or ending up blinded in a sandstorm like Peter O’Toole in “Lawrence of Arabia.”

Petra’s fatally gorgeous geographical location in the always ready to explode middle east caused much anxiety even for the most intrepid explorers. Now the good news: relax – this is a safe, secure, cakewalk.

Now being visited by almost one million visitors per year, there’s much safety in numbers. Jordan has distinguished itself as the only ‘safe haven’ at present for American tourists who want to explore beyond Israel’s borders. Streaming in open air desert jeeps, private luxury vans, and larger tour buses is a multitude of uber-security conscious Israelis, American Christian pilgrimage Holy Land tours and Jewish families on holidays re-connecting to Israel’s infinite wonders.

Recollecting the jaw dropping revelation in Spielberg’s 1989 “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” of ancient Petra’s temples, it’s been high on my bucket list. For Harrison Ford it was merely rescuing the Holy Grail from nefarious Nazi thieves. About an hour away is the mindblowing ‘Wadi Rum’ famously used as the surrealistic, moonscape 44

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setting for the Academy Award winning film, “Lawrence of Arabia.” If you too sat in your local theatre dripping bad, oily buttered popcorn across your sweater watching these adventure classics - -then get ready to star in your own unforgettable trip to a Biblical era never-never-land.

Established in 312 bce as the capital of a pre-Islamic pagan cult known as the Nabateans, Petra lies within a breathtaking basin along mountains in the ancient the Med/Dead/Red Sea Triangle. Prospering by default for travelers in the region enjoying their religious pilgrimages to the shared holy sites of Judaism, Christianity or Islam shaping the monotheistic faiths of the west, Petra is imbued with the spirit of pagan worship. Arriving at Petra’s AlKhazneh – “The Treasury” – will be a moment I will take to the grave with a smile. Imagining that GrecoRoman columns, pediments, and arches found their way to this primeval hidden gorge makes one proud of our human ancestry.

Just itching to see this 1985 listed UNESCO World Heritage Site before my old football knee prohibits me from walking for several hours down into the Wadi Musa. The vast Petra Archaeological Park is a psychedelic encounter with now extinct gods and goddesses who once ruled the temples of nature’s sanctuary. Carry extra layers and down parkas in your rucksack as temperature changes by as much as 30 degrees once you descend into the chilly lower depths of the pink-hued sandstone gorge.

There’s plenty of water, minted tea, pita and hummus snacks sold by local Bedouins at rest cafes at the bottom. You can ‘negotiate’ [a polite way of saying hassle] with one of the camel-jockey attendants for a quick snapshot or an extended ride on a menagerie of animals right out of Noah’s ark. US dollars are the currency of choice – so have a thick wad of green cash ready.

Be prepared to be approached by annoying souvenir vendors who catch your eye with their so-called “ancient coins” – which look like they were stamped out a tin machine in northern China last week. As for all the rest of the “authentic” scarves, camel saddles, or hand-woven rugs, Caveat emptor. My only real complaint is that Jordan’s Ministry of Antiquities has not vigilantly monitored this sacred area with more vigilance allowing these P.T. Barnum ‘antiquities dealers’ to have unlimited access to unsuspecting tourists with Indiana Jones ‘lost treasures’ in their minds.

You have to be able to walk with a spring in your step to navigate the ‘wadi’ [a sharply cut river gorge from sudden downpours] and have enough energy to climb back up a steep incline to the top. No worries – for those who simply are out of gas – local Bedouins run a horse and buggy trade and will drive you back up to the village. No doubt this influx of tourists has transformed their stone-aged habits into 21st century digital comforts. For the15 minute carriage ride they extract about $30. Considering that many Bedouins survive in tents on less than $100 a month, this is clearly one of those scams you just roll your eyes accepting as sketchy tourist-based usury.

Amidst the rampant destruction and tragic inhumanity of neighboring Syria, and continuing unrest in the region since the falsely announced ‘Arab Spring,’ Jordan has marvelously proven to be the calm ‘eye of the hurricane’ in its acceptance of co-existence with Israel. American visitors can select two gateways to the remote, isolated region in southern Jordan. If you are in Jerusalem, there are taxi and mini-van transfers from the Damascus Gate for the 40 minute ride out to the King Hussein Crossing (the old British mandate era Allenby Bridge).

Since Jordan and Israel have agreed it’s best to live harmoniously with an enduring peace agreement signed in October 1994 on the White House lawn, Petra’s splendors were opened to the world. This diplomatic triumph allowed nearly one million visitors annually to its Wonder of the Ancient World: the archaeological rock-cut rose colored sandstone capital of the mysterious Nabateans.

If holy sites in Israel from the footsteps of Abraham, King David, Jesus and his Apostles – are not your priority, there’s plenty to enjoy at the Red Sea resort paradise of Eilat. Perched at Israel’s southernmost tip is this Las Vegas meets Miami Beach resort complex surrounding by purple and pink mountains. King Solomon’s Mines are just 20 minutes north of town. In this arid landscape Egyptian metallurgists 3,000 years ago smelted copper. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on a stone terrace that could have been the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon.

Like Israel itself, you can expect the unexpected: past and present; medieval garb to eyebrow raising exhibitionism along Eilat’s beach promenade.

Russian immigrants stroll around shamelessly in mini-bikinis with their sagging genital packages, young Israeli soldiers live in the moment carrying their

Intrepid desert explorers and even luxury day-trippers surely feel they are at the “end of the world” at Petra. First opened to Europeans in 1812 by Swiss adventurer Johann Burkhardt, he called the magical place a “rose-red city half as old as time.” Highlight is the sandstone “Al Khazneh” - The Treasury - possibly carved from living rock in 309 B.C and elevated as a World Heritage Site

by UNESCO in 1985.

weapons like tennis racquet bags, while Orthodox Jews seem to think they are in a kosher designed South Beach offering falafel. At one café table Israeli start up entrepreneurs are designing software for patents in Silicon valley and the next table we see sunburned Holocaust survivors sipping latte espressos with Auschwitz tattoos fading on their prune dried forearms. No words – just head shaking awe.

My initial visit to Eilat was on our honeymoon in 1972 when we stayed in primitive trailers, and took showers at communal facilities. This was a time of the ‘wild west’ just after the Six Day War era – with etched memories of attractive Scandinavian college kids in the bathing facilities a la naturale like a scene from an early Ingmar Bergman film. From Eilat you will be transferred by an Israeli guide to the welcoming Itzhak Rabin Peace Crossing, named for the assassinated Israeli prime minister who brokered peace with King Hussein.

After paying your $40 visa fees to bored, chain smoking Jordanian border authorities, we were met by a perfectly pitched and informed guide. With his George Clooney looks catching the attention of our female safari mates –Yael,Toby, and Ronit - we were whooshed off by Mr Ziad, in a luxury van for an exhilarating day trip. You can return to your hotel back into Israel by early evening. Eilat has world class dining enjoy grilled fish or tender marinated lamb kabobs al fresco while watching a Miro-esque moon rise over the pink mountains of Saudi Arabia in the distance.

Exhausted but energized, we said adieu to Petra. From our balcony at our Disneyland hotel in Eilat we watched the moonrise over the Red Sea. Thoughts of a softly tinted, orange-lavender- Mark Rothko inspired palette of Petra lingered. The exquisite afternoon light in the archaeology park sparked a kaleidoscopic spectrum of striations. From this rainbow display of 700 million year old rock formations, who would need any other visible evidence that divinity exists within us and everywhere?

Travel tips: for Israel – contact: www.goisrael.com; for Jordan – www.visitjordan.com; for some personally approved trustworthy guides: Israel – US born Joel Rosenfeld, joel@isram.co.il; for Eilat and King Solomon’s copper mines, South African born Colin Porter, coll545@gmail.com; for Jordan, archaeology, desert jeep tours, etc. contact Ziad Obeidat, ziadobeidat@hotmail.com. Seasonal conditions: best to visit between November and May; summer months temperatures in Eilat and Jordan can reach 110 with a dry “hamsim” desert wind.

FEATURE

THE HEALING POWER OF WESTON

By Cindy Clarke

D

ecades ago I moved to Weston, Connecticut, enticed by its bucolic charms and scenic perfection. It was for me an idyllic respite from the fast-paced, competitive marathon that characterized daily life in Fairfield County, where smiles were quick, friendly and warm, and neighbors, unobtrusive, were spread far apart among acres of New England pastoral spreads, but were right there, helpfully, when you needed them to be.

Now some 20 yeas later, it still is a sleepy little town, a hamlet really, tucked away in the woods of one of the most affluent counties in the United States.

Its town center boasts a select handful of retail businesses, a grocery store, dry cleaner, bank, hardware store, pharmacy, luncheonette, gas station and post office to serve some 10,000 residents who moved here to experience a pastoral hideaway that while close to Manhattan, felt miles away. Celebrities have long flocked to Weston, grateful to live in a place where they can feel at home and find a semblance of peace.

Thanks to visionary residents like nutritionist Barbara Slaine, founder of the Liphe Balance Center and co-creator of the Liquid Feast Alkaline Cleanse, psychotherapist Jacqueline Sussman, author and leader in the field of Eidetic Imagery, and Hans Wilhelm, an award winning author and illustrator who has published more than 200 books for readers of all ages and others, it has also become a healing center for holistic modalities that focus on nurturing body, mind, soul and spirit.

Barbara Slaine moved to Weston after experiencing a wave of life-changing challenges and health issues. What she discovered as she sought to balance her life proved to be the impetus for founding her healing center, The Liphe Balance Center, and for launching a free online healing resource for a global audience, www.MyHealingRooms.com, featuring a world-class community of noted healers, video demonstrations and interviews.

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“After spending a lot of time, energy and money on traditional medical treatments that separately addressed my symptoms and not the root causes behind them, I began to search for holistic practitioners who integrated, body, mind and spirit in their practices. I wanted to return to a state of wholeness and balance, essential for everyone’s well being. My journey took me to some amazing healers who helped me shed beliefs and patterns that did not work, and led me through a variety of modalities that revealed, layer by layer, more things that needed balance and healing,” she said.

Through doing this, she learned that there are many options and modalities available that address the whole person – body, mind, soul and spirit – to balance energies, restore vitality and improve overall health. She believed others would benefit from knowing about them as well and set out on a mission to share this information with the world, online, with her compliments.

“If I was not searching to heal myself,” she said, “my healing center and new website would not have been a reality.”

She also returned to school to study nutrition to complement the healing modalities she had experienced. She opened The Liphe Balance Center in Weston, Connecticut, in 2009, offering its first workshop with Robbyne LaPlant, a healer who helped Barbara discover her soul’s potential. She “helped me connect the disconnected parts of myself. Nature is a tremendous resource in healing and Robbyne’s shamanic journeys and Earthing technique really help center people.”

Her collaboration with master herbalist Andrea Candee gave birth to the Liquid Feast Alkaline Cleanse, a 3- to 7-day program that helps kick-start the process of creating an alkaline environment for the body.

“Our program offers the digestive system a much-needed break from an acidic environment so that the body can cleanse and (Continued on page 52)

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Cover Story

Karen Shaw, Purple Prose, from the Body Language Series

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KarenShaw, Golden Hand, from the Body Language Series

?

Art + Pain + Women = “Pins & Needles” Show Asks Some Prickly Questions

Photos & Words by Lisa Seidenberg

Kim Bruce, Bane of my Existence

Cover Story

Left: Erwina Ziomkowska, Untitled (shoes) Below: Kim Bruce, Pin Point

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo spent much of her relatively short life – she died at 47 – enduring a body cast and metal rods that held together her fractured spinal bones. “My painting carries with it the message of pain,” she once said.

So let me ask you – what comes to mind if you see shrunken wax heads with protruding pins melted into their foreheads, slithery high-heeled shoes pierced with sharp spikes on the insides and acupuncture needles poking lurid-colored body parts?

art and life as a result of being bed-bound was that art kept me spiritually, emotionally and physically Wrong. Or maybe?

A recent show at the Housatonic Museum of Art Bert Chernow Galleries, “Pins and Needles”, exhibited these unusual works featuring ordinary materials such as beeswax, stainless steel, wood, paper, horsehair and tulle. The show was curated by Suzan Shutan, an adjunct professor of art at Houstonic Community College and an artist herself who uses common materials in uncommon ways. “Viewers will respond to Pins and Needles because they will recognize the versatility of these household tools, which also convey emotional connotations: anticipation is often referred to as ‘pins and needles’; the sensation of ‘pins and needles’ is identified when an appendage ‘falls asleep’,” according to the exhibition statement.

Asked about Frida Kahlo and her experience of pain and art, Shutan revealed that she, too, had an encounter with a prolonged illness that affected her assembling of the show: “What I learned about 50

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

engaged and actually allowed me to forget my pain while working. It was the crux of my joy.”

The exhibition was well-received, particularly from students at the College, said Robbin Zella, Director of the Museum, as it seemed like something they, the students, could do themselves.

The work of several international artists from Poland, France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada as well as the U.S. - were represented in the show. Kim Bruce, of Calgary, who created the wax “pin heads” as well as other works featuring delicate figures of wax and lace, acknowledges that people are both disturbed and fascinated by her work.

“I work subliminally and try not to edit myself.

We all have disturbing thoughts it’s whether or not we can face them (pun intended) and what we do with that information that’s important, “ Bruce wrote in an email.

“Pinhead is a visual pun. It seemed obvious to case wax with straight pins to achieve the pun.

I wasn’t looking to disturb people with the work,

my objective was to see what would happen when combining the materials. Bane of my Existence (one of the pin heads) was a fascinating cast. There are over 5000 pins in that tiny work. I named it later after thinking of the pain it portrayed.”

Besides the use of common materials, all of the artists in the “Pins & Needles” Show were female. There are allusions to traditional trades done by women, as sewing and seamstress work are sometimes referred to as “women’s work, and this was also a conscious theme by the curator, as well as some of the artists.

The creator of the prickly shoes, as well as “matching” bra and underpants, Erwina Ziomkowska, writes from her home in Poznan, Poland:

“The inspiration for this work was feminine identity and stereotypes associated with it. I wanted to give a specific kind of tension. Important is also how I created these works, I worked about

(10-12hours) in every day so creating process was more like a meditation, but the work was not easy, because pins hurt my hands, so creation (was) associated with pain. I think it increases the anxiety that is in the works,”

“Beauty turns out to be multi-dimensional.”

Ziomkowska said.

Using safety pins – thousands of them – Japanese-born artist Tamiko Kawata makes stunning sheets of “fabric” that are hung on a wall or fashioned into sculptural spheres and other shapes.

Now living in New York City. Kawata’s work developed in part as a result from adjusting to American life. Moving to this country, she discovered the clothes were too long and she needed to shorten them – hence the safety pins.

Western art movements were a strong influence on Kawata: “Dadaism and Assemblage, these radical philosophies were perfect to affect the wounded Japanese youth in post World War II.

I grew up watching them in my forming years in Japan, and these philosophies became my solid core for my way of thinking and for my art making direction.”

Nature is an inspiration for Beth Dary, whose luminous hanging obelisks, Elements of Ambivalence I, II and III, and wall installation, Full Circle, were inspired by time spent in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Moving to New York for an art residency, Dary made use of a makeshift canvas wall which was intended as a divider in the artists’ studios.

“I created a large scale, two-sided ‘drawing’ using black and white headed florist pins inserted directly into the fabric of the divider,” Dary explains.

“The shapes and forms were inspired by the toxic mold patterns that grew on and inside the walls of people’s homes in the aftermath of the Hurricane.

The smooth round black and white headed pins on the ‘positive’ side and the sharp points of the pins on the ‘negative’ side of the wall emphasize the duality of the simultaneous beauty and destructive power of nature.”

Meandering through the two cavernous rooms of the Museum, my reverie on pain and torture is interrupted by two enthusiastic visitors from Shelton, CT, named Toots and Babe. Their real names! They are quick to inform me that they are in their mideighties. Not that I asked. Toots and Babe had come to see “Pins & Needles” because they had worked as seamstresses for decades and so had an instant affinity for the materials used.

They told me with the absolute knowledge of only ones who really knew – from the front lines of sewing – how much labor all these pieces entailed.

Not only that, but they thought the work was very imaginative and fun.

Fun? Yes, said Babe, and so much work.

“I really admire these artists. But honestly, she said, indicating the pin-filled bra and shoes of Polish artist Edwina Ziomkowska , “I wouldn’t want to wear these.”

Tamiko Kawata, Pueblo

Kim Bruce, The Wedge and Well Heeled

Karen Shaw, Gold Ear, from the Body Language Series

Erwina Ziomkowska, Untitled

The Healing Power of Weston (Continued from page 46)

remove toxins and inflammation. As with any deep cleansing process, detoxing releases layers of physical and emotional toxins.” She calls her cleansing fast a feast, because it is easy to follow and is nourishing. “Eat as much as you want, as often as you want, as long as all your food is green, organic, and pureed or juiced.”

As your body cleanses itself of toxins and acids that have built up over the years, so too should your mind she says. Years of negativity, self-doubt and anger can wreak havoc on your body emotionally, physical and spiritually.

You should strive to rid yourself of self-sabotaging behaviors and find your balance, advises Barbara. It’s that same mindful advice that she dispenses to her growing number of clients who make their way to her in person and online.

“Many people call asking about what to do about their physical ailments,” she said. “There are so many options to explore that might be gentle and effective and also address the root causes. I caution people not to let any one person tell them what to do. They need to search, ask for guidance and follow their heart and intuition.”

Barbara has made it a point to research and personally experience the holistic practices she recommends at both her center and www.MyHealingRooms.com, acknowledging that they “are true and work.”

Among the practitioners she recommends are fellow Weston residents Hans Wilhelm and Jacqueline Sussman, both successful authors whose work illustrates the power of visual healing.

A noted speaker, Hans Wilhelm has authored and illustrated more than 200 books for all ages, many of which share the life-affirming concepts that have most recently inspired his new Life Explained videos and his illustrations for new books by Byron Katie, author of the life-changing positive thinking program, The Work. But it wasn’t until Hans met another healer who has a room on the www.MyHealingRooms.com site, author and grief specialist Roland Comtois, that he felt comfortable enough to publicly share his knowledge and thoughts on spiritual issues.

“I heard Roland speak about eternal love and the possibility of spiritual communications at an event in Norwalk, Connecticut,” said Wilhelm, who noted that he had been a student and teacher of spiritual laws for some 45 years. “Roland spoke openly and honestly about his experiences in the spiritual realm, and he gave me messages that encouraged me to share my teachings with a wider audience. That’s how I started to create my videos on www.LIFEexplained.com.”

Hans believes that the laws of projection, attraction, oneness and karma are universal laws that are as real as gravity. He said just knowing about the universal laws on the mastery of life and spiritual truths has made all the difference in his life and has not only helped to clear anxiety and worry about the future, it has allowed him to appreciate things far more and better understand what his purpose is. In his interview with Barbara on MyHealingRooms.com he discusses the principles of the universal laws and includes a video demonstration in which he illustrates, visually, how to dispel fear and turn it around for healing purposes. His room literally draws you in as you learn new tools and techniques to color your world with positivity.

Author and psychotherapist Jacqueline Sussman, one of the country’s leading experts on the field of Eidetic Image psychology who also resides in Weston, met Barbara Slaine through a client from San Francisco. One day her 52

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Left to right: Barbara Slaine, founder of the Liphe Balance Center and co-creator of the Liquid Feast Alkaline Cleanse, psychotherapist Jacqueline Sussman, author and leader in the field of Eidetic Imagery, and Hans Wilhelm, an award winning author and illustrator who has published more than 200 books for readers of all ages.

client called her out of the blue to say that there was a lecture at a healing center in Weston that Jacqueline should attend. Jacqueline met Barbara at the Liphe Center and was immediately impressed with her passion and knowledge of body, mind and spirit healing.

“We are kindred spirits,” said Jacqueline, who was soon recruited to teach workshops at Barbara’s healing center.

Jacqueline uses imagery to help clients in her healing practice. Eidetic Image psychology is a fast moving body/mind approach to healing that utilizes specific images from a life event that have been stored in a person’s brain to remove mental, emotional and physical blockages. She said that Eidetic Imagery can help people trace their symptoms back to specific traumas and find a way back to wholeness.

“Through Eidetic Imagery, a person can relive a life event with vivid clarity, almost like a film strip, experiencing the physical and emotional feelings they felt at the time, to determine what significance the event had on their life. They are able to retrieve and examine their thoughts and reactions frame by frame, at a safe and controlled pace, ultimately viewing their emotional challenges with greater insight and a new perspective.”

That’s when the person “shifts,” physically and emotionally, and can begin to draw on their inner strengths to resolve their issues, become self-empowered and restore their health and well-being she said. Visitors to her healing room can see an actual demonstration and hear Jacqueline explain the dynamics of this approach.

After studying with Dr. Akhter Ahsen, acknowledged as the pioneer and the world’s leading theorist and practitioner in imagery, and the author of 30 books and numerous articles on the practice, Jacqueline looks forward to sharing this results-oriented healing tool with a global audience. Visit her room and picture a better outcome for your life!

Timed to coincide with the official day of love, Barbara launched her MyHealingRooms.com website on February 14 with video interviews and demonstrations by seven practitioners and plans to add new modalities and healers all the time. They include Hope Fitzgerald, Intuitive Dowsing and teacher of the Infinity Wave, who helps people find clarity by looking within through clearing, channeled messages and divine wisdom; Robert DeGaetano, a world-renowned concert pianist, composer and musical intuitive who creates healing through stirring soul portraits and personally orchestrated musical profiles; Johan Boswinkel, founder of the Chiren Instrument and Institute for Applied Bioentology who uses light energy to rebalance your body; and Mearah Marqua, Founder of Quantum Heartwaves 8 Therapy and Sound Therapy, who uses sound and movement to repair and strengthen the immune system and to heal psychological and emotional trauma.

So while those of us lucky enough to live in or close to Weston can feel the healing love in person – whether we are grieving from loss, reeling from past events, questioning spiritual laws, needing to get back in touch with our feelings and wanting to become more grounded – others need simply tune in and connect to the people and resources that specialize in hope and healing, in private, 24/7, online, all the time at www.MyHealingRooms.com.

INDULGE: Motoring

After E Comes F The E-Type, It was a sensation that turned the automotive world on its head. It was sensual and phallic and pornographic.

Everyone wanted one. It put the swing in the Swinging Sixties.

By Frank Anigbo

J

aguar had a fifty-two-year-long problem.

Of course they did not know it back in March of 1961 when the bite-the-backof-your-hand drop-dead gorgeous E-Type was introduced to the world at the Geneva Motor Show. The car was so stunningly good-looking that Enzo Ferrari is said to have complained to Jaguar that the only thing wrong with it was that it did not have a Ferrari badge on its nose; he called it the most beautiful car ever made. The Jaguar E-Type was also the world’s fastest production car, a svelte feline capable of reaching 150 miles per hour when most cars that chugged along Britain’s highways were asthmatic rectangular boxes. The E-Type, It was a sensation that turned the automotive world on its head. It was sensual and phallic and pornographic.

Everyone wanted one. It put the swing in the Swinging Sixties.

And therein lay the problem: how do you top a car like the E-Type? Especially if, as Jaguar had done, led up to the E with a predecessor named the D-Type, and before that, the C-Type, all very compelling sports cars in their own right. At some point they had to come up with a car whose name prominently

used the next letter of the alphabet and that car better be good, really, really good. It was a problem so difficult that it took Jaguar fiftytwo years to attempt a resolution. Have they succeeded? Let’s find out.

First a short history lesson in Jaguar’s XK series as they are known. It all began in 1948 when Jaguar introduced a handsome and fast sports car they named the XK-120; “120” because it could do 120 miles per hour topspeed which made it the fastest production car at that time. Encouraged by the commercial and performance success of the XK-120, Jaguar decided to go racing in a very big way and modified a handful of XK-120s to create the first of the “alphabet cars”, the C-Type.

The C-Type was beautiful, light and fast, and proved its mettle on the race track by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its first attempt in 1951, and again in 1953. By the end of 1953, however, the C was showing its age so Jaguar developed a replacement for 1954 and christened it the D-Type.

Where the C was lovely, the D dripped with machismo and was devastatingly effective as a race car. So successful was it that it swept the winner’s podium at Le Mans no less than

three times, beating Ferrari, Mercedes and everyone else. So it made sense that when it came time for something even better, it had to be named the E-Type, and that was exactly what Jaguar did.

Then everyone waited for the inevitable F-Type to replace the E but that didn’t happen – for 40 years after the end of E-Type production in 1975. During the wait, Jaguar produced a string of sports cars that, when taken in the context of the E-Type, were largely forgettable. One suspects that Jaguar knew they would be disappointing as they held back from using that vaunted name: the F-Type. That was until 2012 when finally, the Jaguar F-Type was presented to the world at the Paris Motor Show as the long-awaited successor to the iconic E-Type.

Any review of the new F-Type begs comparison with the E-Type but that would hardly be meaningful given that forty years separate the height of the E’s technical development and the introduction of the F. But one legitimate comparison that can be made is how the two cars make you feel. After all, that is the point with sports cars – not how many bags of groceries or your kid’s friends

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INDULGE: Motoring

they can transport at one time, but how they makes you feel every time you see them and when you drive them.

So it was with that in mind that I went on my first appointment with an F-Type Jaguar; I was already intimately acquainted with the E-Type and knew exactly how it made me feel to see or drive one: smile-till-my-face-hurts good. Would the F-Type trigger the same primal response at first sight? The short answer: sort of. But I was looking at an F-Type Roadster and cars with removable roofs generally look ill-proportioned to me compared with their fixed-roof stable mates. The F-Type Coupe was yet to arrive at dealer showrooms so I will have to reserve final judgment until I see one in the flesh.

My test car was a jet black F-Type S Roadster equipped with a 3.0 liter supercharged V6 that made a snorting, crackling 380 horsepower and went like stink. Other power options range from a supercharged V6 with 340 horsepower to the top-of-the-range F-Type R Coupe V8 pumping out a heady 550 horsepower. All power options come in

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coupe and convertible guise, except for the V8 with 495 BHP (convertible only) and F-Type R which you can only get in coupe fashion.

Designed by Ian Callum, the same man responsible for the Aston Martin DB9, the F-Type is a good looking car if not strikingly beautiful. Walking around my V6 S roadster, I am immediately struck by its powerful and aggressive stance. This was not a pretty car

The F-Type can only really be compared with its contemporaries and as such, it is a much more exciting and visceral car than most – especially in Coupe form, if photographs are to be believed. in the same way as an E-Type from 1961, or the contemporary Aston Martin DB9 for that matter, the F-Type looks the part of a welldressed bare-knuckle street fighter, a car that had to look tough the moment it walked into

a ring or risk being stared down by its principal adversary, Porsche’s 911 Carrera.

Shod with 19” wheels and very fat tires underpinning a light allow chassis with an 8-speed sequential transmission, the F-Type S convertible is an agile sprinter that will run from stop to 60 MPH in 4.8 seconds, topping out at a respectable 171.

Inside, it has the look, feel and quality you’d expect from a car in the $65,000 - $100,000 price range; supple and beautifully stitched leather surfaces and a compliment of instrumentation to keep you informed and amused. The ride is surefooted and body roll in corners is minimal as expected of a driver-focused sports car. But for me, it’s the bark of the exhaust at gear changes and the crackling and popping on throttle lift-offs that get to the matter of why I would buy this car. It just plain makes me feel good.

Back to that fundamental question: is the new F-Type Jaguar worthy of being named successor to the E-Type? After exploring my test car I am of the opinion that the question is an unfair one. When the E was penned in 1960, cars were not hampered by legislation that determined attributes such as bumper height and side mirror size or crash-worthiness, designers had a free hand to draw cars much as an artist is free to paint as he wishes. The F-Type can only really be compared with its contemporaries and as such, it is a much more exciting and visceral car than most – especially in Coupe form, if photographs are to be believed. I just wish it matched that other Ian Callum designed car in sheer sexiness.

INDULGE: YACHTING

WIDER UNVEILS NEW 50-METER Italian Yacht Builder’s Flagship Wider 165’ to House a Three-Person Sub

W

ider President and CEO Tilli Antonelli announced at a VIP cocktail reception and press briefing on the eve of the 2014 Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach that his shipyard is building a 50-meter superyacht. The Wider 165’, which will be the Italian builder’s largest superyacht project to date, was ordered by the yard’s new co-owner. Originally, he planned to build a Wider 150’, but his desire to house a unique tender onboard necessitated a larger project.

“The owner wanted to store a submersible onboard. We didn’t want to compromise on space, so we decided to build him a bigger boat. That’s why the 165’ came up,” said Wider President & CEO Tilli Antonelli, who founded the shipyard in 2010. “Our goal is to give our clients anything they want or need to create a yacht that is a true expression of their own unique personality, even if it means expanding the capacity of our design, engineering and construction divisions. As we say here at Wider, “Never Enough!”

Using the Wider 150’ as a starting point, yacht designer Fulvio De Simoni, in collaboration with Tilli Antonelli and the Wider design team, created a 50-meter aluminum superyacht with the same elegant lines, sense of harmony and connection with the water, while adding significant interior volume and exterior living space. Along with its innovative submersible bay, the new 165’ accommodates a touch-and-go helipad and offers a truly magnificent “Wider Beach” – one of the most spacious transom swim-and-sunbathing decks in its class – complete with indoor swimming pool. The “Beach” also converts to a garage that seamlessly accommodates the highly customizable new Wider 32’, while a floating launching system facilitates entry/exit maneuvers for the crew launching the tender.

Low-Consumption Diesel/Electric Propulsion The beating heart of the Wider 165’ project is its diesel/electric propulsion system, which guarantees hugely reduced fuel consumption

and nearly unprecedented range. This system has made it possible to replace the traditional Engine Room with a Power Generator Room and a Technical Room with LiPo battery pack located into the bow; the resulting space in the finest area of the ship therefore can be used to create larger, more comfortable guest cabins. Emerson Industrial Automation, which like Wider is an international leader in bringing technology and engineering together to create innovative solutions for its clients, will supply the electric propulsion system for the Wider 165’.

The overall propulsion system is completely modular: the yacht can cruise using only the battery packs, in ZEM mode (Zero Emission Mode). With up to four diesel generators online, it will be able to operate at a higher range of speeds while maintaining limited specific consumptions.

All the onboard energy sources are controlled by the Wider Management System, a next generation, smart, independent and incorporated system that controls the power

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INDULGE: YACHTING

supplied by the shore connection, gensets and battery packs, distributing it between the Hotel systems, propulsion system and recharging the battery packs, as needed.

In addition, the Wider 165’ is equipped with an AziPod propulsion system that affords significant advantages compared to a conventional shaftline system: Vibrations are

reduced (even when reversing), handling is ultra-smooth, and no rudders are needed for maneuvering, therefore draft is minimal.

Furthermore, the yacht’s aluminum displacement hull offers unquestionable added value in terms of higher speeds and a greater range.

All-ALUMINUM CONSTRUCTION The yacht’s intelligent design focuses on minimizing fuel consumption and emissions while maximizing onboard living space, without underestimating the importance of easy maintenance. For these reasons, the material chosen for the entire construction of the Wider 165’ is aluminum, a noble, durable metal that, being particularly lightweight, makes it possible to increase the performance/consumption ratio of the yacht and achieve a considerable reduction in emissions. Combined with the

fact that aluminum is completely recyclable, this helps to reduce the vessel’s footprint on the environment. Aluminum provides greater freedom during construction as it increases the opportunity for customization, yet considerably shortens production times. This material is not just lightweight, it is also resistant and flexible, versatile, supple, yet sturdy, resulting in an even safer yacht.

Details of the yacht’s interior design and general arrangement are still preliminary; rest assured, however, that the Wider 165’ will stay true to the builder’s mission of enhancing the connection of the owner and guests to the water at all times through the use of large windows, side-opening balconies and spacious exterior dining and entertaining areas.

“Our new flagship will represent the finest marriage of aesthetics, innovation and cutting-edge technology that the yachting world has seen so far,” Tilli Antonelli said.

The Wider 165’ is expected to launch in 2016.

Wider, Never Enough!

For further information: Wider – Ph. +39 0721 956077, Laura Carboni - lcarboni@wider-y.it – Mob. +39 348 0077636

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by Matthew Sturtevant

INDULGE: Decorative ARts

On The Block:

Time for a Change. Cutting Edge. Sealed and Delivered. in the frontier city of Alexandria at the time of al-Malik Abu Nasr Shaikh al-Mu’ayyad in the year 1415 A.D.and is likely to have had a similar history. David Williams, Head of Bonhams Arms and Armour department, comments: “We are delighted to offer such a rare and valuable sword of this kind. The fact that it has survived in such good shape for 700 years says clearly that it was a valued and valuable object.”

Time for a Change Antiquorum’s auction of “Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces” held on Wednesday, April 9th in New York totaled $2,688,837.The collection of 302 timepieces inspired competitive bidding with some lots selling for as much as double and triples their estimates. Bids came in from Taiwan, Singapore, China, The Czech Republic, Kuwait, Andorra and the United States. Highlighting the sale was the aggressive competition for the Rolex Ref. 6263 ‘Paul Newman’ model in Steel [lot 289] named after the famous actor and entrepreneur. The rare chronograph inspired a passionate bidding war between eight phone bidders and a room bidder, finally selling to the room bidder for a staggering $231,750, over three times its high estimate.

“We are delighted by the outstanding result for the Rolex ‘Paul Newman’ Ref. 6263 in our April auction,” said Saori Omura, Watch Director, Antiquorum USA. “As confirmed by today’s results, rare timepieces offered from the property of its original owner

continue to be highly soughtafter by savvy collectors across the globe.”

Cutting Edge One of the rarest of medieval sword types – known to academics as the Oakshott Type XIII – sold for £25,000 ($42,000) against an estimated £20,000 to £30,000 at Bonhams sale of Arms and Armour on April 30th in Knightsbridge. The sword would have been carried by a very fit man as images of Italian knights of the period show them wearing chain mail or full armour and wielding just such swords. Armour of the period could weigh as much as 100 lbs and then there was the sword as well. The offered sword is very similar in design to a sword which bears an inscription recording its entry into the Arsenal

Sealed and Delivered On April 9, Doyle New York auctioned a rare and important Nebuchadnezzar II Babylonian cuneiform cylinder that set a world auction record for a Babylonian cylinder ham-

mering down at $605,000 and shattering the previous record for a Babylonian seal of $440,000. The clay cylinder describes the rebuilding of the temple of Shamash in Sippar (modern Tell Abu Habbah in Iraq) by Nebuchadnezzar II and dates to the Neo-Babylonian Period, circa 604-562 BC. At 8 1/4 inches (20.8 cm) in length, it is the largest example to come to market in recent times and was estimated at $300,000-500,000. In 1953, it was sold through Dawson’s of Los Angeles. Nebuchadnezzar II was responsible for the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon in 587 BC. All of the ritual objects contained in the Temple, including the fabled Ark of the Covenant, were lost, and the Jewish population was carried away into captivity in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar II is featured in the Bible’s Book of Daniel, and Psalm 137 laments the Babylonian Captivity. In Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II built the monumental Ishtar Gate, now reconstructed in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum, and the legendary Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

It was customary for the kings of Babylon to publicly cement their relationship with the gods by restoring their temples. These accomplishments were recorded in cuneiform writing on clay cylinders, which were buried in the foundations of the restored temples.

These cylinders were enduring commemorations of the king’s fealty to the gods, and they enhanced the appearance of legitimacy for the ruler with his subjects. The most famous of these clay cylinders is the Cyrus Cylinder, named for the Persian King Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon in 540 BC and subsequently released the Jews from captivity. The Cyrus Cylinder was discovered in Babylon in 1879 and is now in the collection of the British Museum in London.

Photographs: Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd, 2013 CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

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Gallery + Museum GUIDE

CT Bridgeport

City Lights Gallery 37 Markle Court, Bridgeport Tel: 203.334.7748 Web: www.citylightsgallery.org Hours: Wed - Fri 11:30am-5pm; Sat 12- 4pm, or by appointment City Lights Gallery presents local, regional and emerging artists to Bridgeport and its visitors. The gallery hosts various community-based exhibits and events such as: Artists’ Receptions, Arts/crafts classes, Open Studio Workshop, Lunch Time Art Demonstrations, Movie Night Series, Concerts and Music, Private and Corporate Rentals. _______________________________________

DARien Geary Gallery 576 Boston Post Road, Darien Tel: 203.655.6633 Web: www.gearygallery.com Hours: Wed - Sat 9:30-5:00pm A preeminent Fairfield County gallery for representational art. We are friends to artists, spotting talent and market appeal, and nurturing careers, with a art exhibits that rotate approximately every five weeks.

ESSEX Gallery 19 19A Main Street, Essex Tel: 860.581.8735 Web: www.gallery19essex.com Hours: Wed - Sun 11-5pm Modern art by Helen Cantrell and Judy Friday: New Work. July 1 - August 31.

James Reed: Works on Paper and Nancy Lasar: Prints & Paintings, through June 30.

Schelfhaudt Gallery University of Bridgeport 84 Iranistan Avenue, Bridgeport 203-576-4696 The Schelfhaudt Gallery at the University of Bridgeport produces a varied and eclectic number of shows each academic year. Exhibits include works from students, alumni, local, regional and nationally known artists and associations such as the New York Type Directors. The Schelfhaudt Gallery is also host to the Innovators Entrepreneurs events, film screenings and multiple symposiums.

Glasses, 2014, by Helen Cantrell. Oil on board, 8 1/2 x 11”.

Fairfield Fairfield University 1073 N. Benson Road Tel: (203) 254-4046 Web: www.fairfield.edu/museum Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:30-4:30 Bellarmine Museum of Art (Bellarmine Hall) La Ragnatela/The Spiderweb: Works by Giampaolo Seguso from The Corning Museum of Glass April 10 - June 13 Rick Shaefer June 20 - September 25 _______________________________________ The Fairfield Museum + History Center Explore the Past, Imagine the Future 370 Beach Road, Fairfield Tel: 203.259.1598 Fax: 203.255.2716 Web: www.fairfieldhistory.org Hours: Open daily 10 am - 4 pm Believing in the power of history to inspire the imagination, stimulate thought and transform society.

ON VIEW NOW: Creating Community: Exploring 375 Years of Our Past.

Images 2014 – 6th Annual Juried Photography Exhibition, celebrating the work of regional photographers.

Solo Exhibit by Fairfield native, David LaChapelle known internationally for combining a unique hyper-realistic aesthetic with profound social messages.

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Presenting a selection of enduring American Masters and Contemporary artists, we invite new clients and seasoned connoisseurs to explore the values of fine art collecting. _______________________________________ Troy Fine Art 3310 Post Road, Southport (Fairfield) Tel: 203.255 .1555 Web: troyfineart.com Hours: Mon - Fri 9:30 am-5 pm, or by appointment in your home or office at your convenience.

Fine Art Gallery, Exceptional Design, Conservation Framing, Perfect Installation.

Greenwich Bruce Museum 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich Tel: 203.869.0376 Web: brucemuseum.org Hours: Tue-Sat 10-5’ Sun 1-5, Closed on Mondays and major holidays A regionally based, world-class institution highlighting art, science and natural history in more than a dozen changing exhibitions annually. The permanent galleries feature the natural sciences that encompass regional to global perspectives. _______________________________________

Housatonic Museum of Art 900 Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport Tel: 203.332.5052 Web: hctc.commnet.edu/artmuseum Hours: June/July/August, Monday through Friday 8:30am-5:30pm; Thursday evening until 7pm The Museum has one of the most significant collections of any two-year college in the country and includes works by master artists such as Rodin, Picasso, Matisse, Miro and Chagall. Both art enthusiasts and casual observers have the rare opportunity to engage daily with original works of art and artifacts on continuous display throughout the College and campus grounds. The Museum also presents lectures, programs and changing exhibitions in the Burt Chernow Galleries for our students and the community at large, serving as a rich cultural resource for the Greater Bridgeport area. _______________________________________

Southport Galleries 330 Pequot Avenue Tel: 203.292.6124 Web: southportgalleries.com

Abby M. Taylor Fine Art 43 Greenwich Avenue Tel: 203.622.0906 Web: amtfineart.com Abby M Taylor Fine Art LLC is a dealer in investment quality American and European paintings, sculpture, works on paper and photography from the 19th century to the present. Most of the inventory is owned by the gallery and we stand behind anything represented at the gallery as being exceptional or of a particular merit. _______________________________________ Weber Fine Art 24 West Putnam Avenue Tel: 203.422.5375 Web: weberfineart.com Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-5pm, Mon by appointment only An important source for 20th Century Modern Masters and Contemporary American Art, Weber Fine Art’s inventory consists of paintings, drawings, sculpture,and prints by artists such as Wolf Kahn, Hans Hofmann,Lynn Davis,Helen Frankenthaler, Esteban Vicente, Jim Dine,Milton Avery,Sam Francis,Robert Motherwell,Frank Stella, and artists represented,James Meyer,Shawn Dulaney,Joseph McDonnell, Alexandra Eldridge, Shirine Gill. _______________________________________

Gallery + Museum GUIDE

F ea t u r ed G alle r ies , M useums & C r ea t i v e S e r v ices

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Gallery + Museum GUIDE

Greenwich Samuel Owen Gallery 382 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich Tel: 203.422.6500 Web: samuelowengallery.com Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30-6:00; Sun 11-3; Likened to, “a little bit Chelsea on lower Greenwich Avenue”, Samuel Owen Gallery specializes in paintings, photography and prints by American and European midcareer and contemporary artists. Regularly scheduled artist receptions fill the gallery to capacity with a colorful crowd.

Silvermine Arts Center 037 Silvermine Road New Canaan, CT 06840 Tel: 203.966.9700 Web: silvermineart.org Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat 2pm-5pm; Sun 1pm-5pm May 31 - July 26, 64th Annual Art of the Northeast Exhibition. Curated by Andrew Russeth, Art Critic: New York Observer, Gallerist and 16 Miles of String. Opening Reception: June 7th, 6-8pm.

Aug 3 - Sept 14, Guild Group Show: Curated by Deana Haggag, Director of The Contemporary of Baltimore. Opening Reception: Sunday, August 3rd , 2-4pm

New Haven Fred Giampietro 315 Peck Street New Haven, CT 06513 Tel: 203.777.7760 Web: www.giampietrogallery.com Hours:Tue-Fri 10-4pm, Sat 11-4pm

Red Carpet, Antoine Rose, lambda print face mounted on Diasec, 39” x 52”

New Canaan Butler Fine Art 134 Elm Street, New Canaan Tel: 203.966.2274 Fax: 203.966.4694 Web: butlerfineart.com Hours: Tue-Sat 10-5pm or by appt.

Located on Elm Street in the center of town, Butler Fine Art specializes in 19th and early 20th century American paintings.

Paintings are available for serious buyers as well as beginner collectors. The gallery hosts three to four shows per year. _______________________________________

Peter Ramon “Inherent Collisions” and Michael Angelis “Collective Memories” with works in the office by K. Levni Sinanoglu, May 16 – June 11 | New work by Cathleen Mooses and “Self Absorbed” a group self portrait exhibition, Opening Reception is Saturday, June 28th, 6-8pm, June 20 – July 26, weekends in July will be open by appointment only | Gallery will be open by appointment only for the month of August.

91 Orange Street New Haven, CT 06511 Tel: 203.777.7707 Hours: Wed – Sat 11-6 William Bailey “Paintings and Drawings”, Opening Reception is Friday, May 30th, 6-8pm, May 30 - July 12 | Gallery will be closed for the month of August.

Handwright Gallery & Framing 93 Main Street, New Canaan Tel: 203.966.7660 Fax: 203.966.7663 Web: handwrightgallery.com Hours: Mon-Sat 10-5:30pm

Peter Ramon, Little King, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 30” x 24”

Center for Contemporary Printmaking Mathews Park 299 West Avenue Norwalk, CT 06850 Tel: 203.899.7999 Web: contemprints.org Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 12- 5pm | Admission Free Dedicated to the art of the original print, the Center annually hosts 4 major exhibitions, a members’ exhibition, artist talks, over 75 printmaking workshops, and programs for schools and colleges. Print studio rental is available for private and corporate functions and to members who work independently. There are some non-paying volunteer/internship positions.

The MONOTHON fundraiser, an annual marathon of printmaking and a gala art auction, takes place in the fall. _______________________________________ Leclerc Contemporary At Fairfield Co. Antique and Design Ctr. 19 Willard Road, Norwalk, CT 06851 Tel: 203.826.8575 Web: www.leclerccontemporary.com Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-6, Sun 11-5 and by appointment.

Vera Sprunt, The Passing - 2009, film layered with gouache on Mylar

Chauncey Stillman Gallery Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts 84 Lyme Street, Old Lyme Tel: 860.434.5232 Fax: 860.434.8725 Web: lymeacademy.edu Hours: Mon-Sat 10-4pm

William Bailey, Soldier, 2011, Oil on canvas, 40” x 48”

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Artists’ Market is an oasis of art, an exciting blend of a gallery, a museum, and a busy framing workshop. Here you’ll find artistic creations in a variety of media: classic contemporary handmade American crafts, exquisite fine art and photography as well as custom framing for those who want to show off something special or preserve heirlooms for future generations. _______________________________________

Old Lyme

Specializing in emerging and established artists, offering works on paper, photography, painting and sculpture. The gallery offers a full range of art advisory services, from forming and maintaining a collection to framing and installation. _______________________________________

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Artists’ Market 163 Main Street, Norwalk Tel: 203.846.2550 Fax: 203.846.2660 Web: artistsmarket.com Hours: Mon-Sat 9-5pm; Thu 9-8pm; Sun 12-4pm

Brand new upscale contemporary art gallery located just off Westport Avenue.

Featuring new art exhibits every 6 weeks.

Handwright Gallery & Framing provides a full range of framing and installation services for the Fairfield County area. The gallery offers original paintings including watercolors, oils, and pastels along with sculpture from traditional to contemporary.

Our gallery represents emerging and award-winning regional artists. _______________________________________ Heather Gaudio Fine Art 21 South Avenue, New Canaan Tel: 203.801.9590 Fax: 203.801.9580 Web: www.heathergaudiofineart.com Hours: Tue-Sat 11am-5pm or by appt

Norwalk

Exhibitions, free and open to the public, include a broad spectrum of professional, student and alumni artwork throughout the year. _______________________________________

Gallery + Museum GUIDE

2014

F ea t u r ed G alle r ies , M useums & C r ea t i v e S e r v ices

SUMMER EXHIBITIONS June 6 – September 21 ART OF THE EVERYMAN: American Folk Art from the Fenimore Art Museum Deacon Eliphaz Thayer and His Wife, Deliverance. Brewster, John Jr. (attributed to). 1795-1805, Fenimore Art Museum.

THISTLES AND CROWNS: The Painted Chests of the Connecticut Shore Chest (front panel detail), ca. 1700-1720. Saybrook, Connecticut; Painted pine, tulip poplar, oak. Old Saybrook Historical Society, Photo by Paul Mutino.

Supported by Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company

96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme Exit 70 off of I-95 Ş 860.434.5542 FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org

To be included in the Gallery & Museum Guide call: 1.203.333.7300 or email us at advertising@venumagazine.com

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Gallery + Museum GUIDE

Old Lyme Florence Griswold Museum 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme Tel: 860.434.5542 For hours, admission, special events visit: www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org “Home of American Impressionism.”

Historic boardinghouse of the Lyme Art Colony, modern gallery with changing exhibitions. Gardens and grounds to enjoy.

Ridgefield The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum 258 Main Street Tel: 203.438.4519 Web: aldrichart.org Hours: Tue-Sun 12-5pm The Aldrich is dedicated to fostering innovative artists whose ideas and interpretations of the world around us serve as a platform to encourage creative thinking.

The Aldrich, which served an audience of over 37,700 in 2011, is one of the few independent, non-collecting contemporary art museums in the United States, and the only museum in Connecticut devoted to contemporary art. _______________________________________ Ridgefield Guild of Artists 93 Halpin Lane, Ridgefield Tel: 203.438.8863 Web: rgoa.com Email: rgoa@sbcglobal.net Hours: Wed-Sun 12-4pm For a complete calendar of events and offerings, please visit our web site at www.rgoa.org. _______________________________________ Watershed Gallery 23 Governor Street, Ridgefield Tel: 203.438.44387 Web: watershedgallery.com Hours: Tue-Fri 11-6; Sat 11-5; Sun 1-5 Watershed Gallery represents artists from around the world – and around the corner – in a range of media, from painting, printmaking and works on paper, to photography and sculpture. Rotating shows highlight artists who produce abstract and loosely representational art, and who create an emotional connection with the viewer.

Westport Amy Simon Fine Art 1869 Post Road East, Westport Tel: 203.259.1500 Fax: 203.259.1501 Web: amysimonfineart.com Hours: Tue-Sat 11-5:30 and by appt.

Amy Simon Fine Art specializes in work by mid-career and emerging artists, contemporary blue chip editions and Asian contemporary art. The gallery’s inventory and exhibitions reflect its eclectic interests and expertise in these areas. Amy Simon works with collectors worldwide. It is our mission to introduce clients to work that we are passionate about. _______________________________________

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Westport Art Center 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport Tel: 203.222.7070 Fax: 203.222.7999 Web: westportartscenter.org Hours: Mon-Fri 10-4; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-4 Curated by Helen Klisser During, “Bird’sEye View” features major contemporary artworks that depict real or imagined landscape from an aerial perspective. From the Andrew and Christine Hall Collection. _______________________________________

Pound Ridge The Lionheart Gallery 27 Westchester Avenue Pound Ridge, New York Tel. 914-764-8689 Web: www.Thelionheartgallery.com Hours: Wed-Sat 11 am - 5 pm; Sun. 12- 4 pm Summer Exhibitions: “Scavenger Angels”, Tom Berntsen - Photography and Sculpture

Worrell Smith Gallery 611 Riverside Ave, Westport CT Tel: 203.297.3059 Web: worrellsmithgallery.com Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-6PM

Roxanne Faber Savage - Works on Paper and Outdoor Installation in collaboration with Tom Berntsen June 7th - July 13th

Westport’s newest gallery for contemporary and modern. Featuring a rotating exhibition schedule as well as a constant offering of modern sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and art.

The Lionheart Artists Group Exhibit - July 31- September 7.

NY Larchmont Kenise Barnes Fine Art 1947 Palmer Avenue Tel: 914.834.8077 Web: www.kbfa.com Hours: Wed-Sun 12-6pm

We are a gallery and consulting firm that represents emerging and mid-career investment-quality artists. Our program includes over thirty artists working in a variety of mediums. The gallery mounts seven exhibitions annually, and participates in art fairs in Miami, Santa Fe and New York.

New Rochelle transFORM Gallery 20 Jones Street Tel: 914.500.1000 Web: www.transformgallery.com Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm Housed in a former industrial factory more than six decades old, the transFORM Gallery boasts high ceilings, original windows that drink the natural light, and a spacious lofty quality. Exhibitions organized by transFORM have encompassed all the visual arts: painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, and, of course, the decorative arts. _______________________________________

The Mary Polan Estate - July 17 - July 26

Roxanne Faber Savage, Clover III, Detail

Purchase Neuberger Museum of Art 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase Tel: 914.251.6100 Web: neuberger.org Hours: Tue-Sun 12-5pm; Closed Mondays and Holidays. Admission: Adults $5, Students $3, Seniors (62+) $3.

Westchester County’s premier museum of modern, contemporary, and African art and an integral part of Purchase College. From the mid-century American art and African art that form the core of the collection to the presentation of about ten changing exhibitions each year that range from retrospectives of the work of one artist to thematic surveys of contemporary art to newly-commissioned artist projects, we continue the commitment of founding patron Roy R. Neuberger (1903-2010) by championing the art of our time. _______________________________________

Gallery + Museum GUIDE

F ea t u r ed G alle r ies , M useums & C r ea t i v e S e r v ices

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PULSE

Music MAN OF STEEL

Doug Walker, Steel Drum Artist, the Man with the Feel Good drums

By John Sebastian Photo: Sara Morris

“I like to meet new people from all over the world and have as many new experiences as possible. This helps me grow as a person and thrive as an artist.”

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f you have heard steel drums on a recording in the past decade, chances are it was the sounds of Doug Walker. His distinctive style takes you right to the Caribbean, the birthplace of his instrument. His music is happy and leaves the listener feeling good. Doug has been called, “The Man with the Feel Good Drums.”

Doug has recorded over 20 tropical steel drum CDs since the year 2000, such as Steelin’ the Party and Caribbean Christmas, and has sold them in gift shops all over the world.

He has also performed everywhere from Miami and Michigan to Taiwan and Barcelona.

Most recently Doug has recorded a steel drum Wedding CD, with his band, the “Island Chic Steel Band.” This CD is perfect for that Beach Wedding in the sand. It includes such favorites as Pachelbel’s Cannon in D and the Wedding March as well as classic’s like Bob Marley’s “Is this Love,” all performed on the steel drum.

What sets Doug’s music apart from so many other Steel drum CDs is the quality of the recordings.

We caught up with Doug at his studio in Miami where all the magic happens.

Doug told us that he learned along time ago, that when people buy a steel drum CD, they do not want to hear a lot of other instruments. They only want to hear that sweet sound of the steel pan which is what the steel drum is called in the Caribbean.

While working on cruise ships in the 1990’s as a musician, Doug traveled throughout the Caribbean, listening and learning and developing his musical style. He also bought many “island” CDs that were poorly recorded and always had way too many other instruments in the background.

“Recording a CD is like making soup,” says Doug. “You have to know when to stop adding spices.” When Doug finally jumped ship and landed in Miami Beach, he started playing his instrument on Ocean Dr., in South Beach. “This is where I really started developing. South Beach was such a musical melting pot. I heard everything from Calypso to Flamenco and all types of dance music.” The music then was all about feeling good.” This feel good attitude still shines through in Doug’s music today on his recordings.

He has been touring art festivals in Florida and the Mid West for over 15 years. The amount

of time he has spent on the instrument comes through in every recording. Doug even recorded a steel drum children’s CD. It’s called “Caribbean Kids Collection.” Doug Walker produced a CD called “Caribbean Calypso Carnival,” featuring many of the funny calypso songs from Trinidad such as “Shame a Scandal in the Family,” and “Who Put the Pepper, in the Vaseline?”

Doug pushed the boundaries of the steel drum with his 2008 recording, Jazz Pan. Blending elements of salsa and jazz, this ground breaking CD received raved reviews by musicians and critics all over the world. Doug says, “This is by far my greatest recording.”

These days the “Man of Steel” spends his winter months touring and performing in Miami and summer months working in the film industry in his hometown, Wilmington, NC. He’s not just the man with the feel good drums, but the feel good attitude to match. “I like to meet new people from all over the world and have as many new experiences as possible. This helps me grow as a person and thrive as an artist.”

Doug is excited about the way the recording industry is changing. He still produces actual hard copies of CDs, but lives in the present by distributing his music through many of the online services such as iTunes and Amazon. He even embraces the free online music streaming services like Spotify.

Please take a moment to check out his work, either on his web site www.DougUp.com or one of the many online outlets.

The man with the feel good drums will surely leave you feeling good!

More information about the artist and his recordings can be found on his web site www.DougUp.com, or call his office at 305.926.7251 72

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Art PAMM

Photo: World Red Eye

Miami’s First World Class Museum

By Susana Baker Photo: Iwan Baan

E

very great city deserves a world-class museum and Miami is no exception. In December, during Art Basel 2013, all eyes were center stage, as Miami proudly opened the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), a modern grand scale beauty dedicated to collecting and exhibiting international art of the 20th and 21st centuries.

PAMM was originally founded as the Center for Fine Arts, serving as a general exhibition space with no signature collection of its own. Over the years it redefined its name and mission and began collecting and exhibiting thought-provoking international art of the 20th and 21st century with a focus on art of the Americas. Today, with more than 200,000 architecturally designed square feet of eye-candy space, this contemporary downtown Miami Museum has become the center for cultural arts and education, with an impressive capacity to exhibit and showcase head turning art from around the world.

It probably goes without saying that Miami has always been a hot destination for the party-heeled, teasing with sun-kissed beaches, blissfully warm weather and beautiful people. But in the last decade, the unexpected happened. With all the jet-setting sophistication that the city attracted, Miami has grown to be the most popular cultural destination and the epic-center of the arts for the United States. December finds the city a warm host for Art Basel, the

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world’s premier international art show for modern and contemporary works, attracting some 100,000 attendees come from all over the globe. With the opening of new PAMM, Miami has earned another coveted notch as landmark destination for the arts.

More than 3,000 guests feted the museum and its benefactor, Jorge Pérez, at its grand opening gala in December. Jorge Pérez is a legend in Miami. His vision and development know-how has changed the Miami skyline, building over 60,000 apartments and condominiums with more in the works. In a recent interview with Mr. Pérez, I commented on the “36 projects he was currently working on.” Mr. Pérez

quickly responded, “Actually it’s 52 projects,” he said as his eyes smiled and his faced beamed with the great confidence and pride. Thanks to his philanthropic contribution to PAMM, he is now making his mark on the cultural development of the city as well.

Along with Jorge Pérez, PAMM boasts a world-class staff to oversee and execute its mission.

They include two visionary leaders instrumental to the transformation of Miami as a must see artistic destination, Thomas Collins and Terrence Riley.

Collins is the newly appointed director of PAMM, and previously served at the helm of New York’s Neuberger Museum, the Contemporary Museum in Baltimore and the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati.

Riley is former director of both PAMM and New York’s Museum of Modern Art. He was also responsible for overseeing PAMM’s architecture in its new home, Bicentennial Park, plus Miami Science Museum Park.

In a recent conservation I was privileged to be a part of, they discussed PAMM’s uniqueness and the contributions from Pritzker Prize–winning architecture firm, Herzog & de Meuron Basel. The firm’s ability to create a distinct site with forms and spaces that integrate within the park, bay and landscape was a priority, Riley said.

He and Collins noted how its soaring canopy and green features made PAMM one of the first registered art museums with the distinct certification of Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).

Riley also emphasized the importance of PAMM not only housing a fantastic collection of art, but also becoming a show-stopping piece in itself. Collins will continue to oversee PAMM’s programs, including educational features, lectures and exhibits.

Tobias Ostrander, Chief Curator along with Collins, is responsible for the programming of the exhibitions and education for the museum.

Left: Jorge Pérez. Top left: PAMM, vertical gardens.

Top right: Tobias Ostrander, Chief Curator of PAMM. Below: Terence Riley & Thom Collins.

Ostrander, a visual arts curator with nearly two decades of experience at some of the world’s top arts institutions, will develop and oversee PAMM’s public, education and exhibition programs. Ostrander was the director of El Museo Experimental del ECO, an alternative contemporary art space run by the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City.

PAMM’s opening featured 10 exciting exhibits, including “In the Sculpture Garden with Jedd Novatt,” “Project Gallery: Bouchra Khalili” and “Amelia Peláez: The Craft of Modernity.”

It recently opened “Caribbean Crossroads,” showcasing works from contemporary Miami

artists and others, including international artist Edouard Duval Carrie and Jose Bedia. The works focus on the many themes and issues of migrating to Miami.

Nestled on the shore of Biscayne Bay, PAMM is minimal in design yet massive in scale and has already proved an impressive landmark for visitors from all over the world as they enter the Port of Miami. It truly symbolizes the heart of Miami, beating as one collective pulse in celebration of the city’s multi-cultural treasures. Thanks to the vision and passion of Jorge Perez, Miami welcomes art aficionados with its first year-round, world-class museum.

THEN & NOW

Ridgefield Guild of Artists Celebrates 40 Years

By Mary Pat Devine Photo: Roy Weinstein

I

n 1974, seventeen local artists decided they wanted a place to call their own to create and exhibit their art. They formed the Ridgefield Guild of Artists. In the forty years since, this original group has grown to several hundred, drawing members from all over Connecticut and New York. The Guild has evolved from a local artists’ “clubhouse” to a regional arts organization recognizing, promoting and supporting artists at all levels.

When it all began forty years ago, the small band of artists settled on an old run-down townowned barn and struck a deal with Ridgefield to lease it for $1 a year while assuming the responsibility of maintenance and repair. The old goat barn, complete with feed troughs in the basement, was originally part of an 1880’s estate-turned-Holy Ghost Fathers’ novitiate on Halpin Lane in Ridgefield, Connecticut. In the early years, the member volunteers cleaned up the barn, tacked up pegboard walls and laid out brown shag carpeting and began to show their art.

The art barn sits near the center of town nestled between congregate housing, the community garden, the Ridgefield Theater Barn and the walking trail. In the early 1980’s, member Chris Curnan pulled up the carpeting to expose the old pine floors and put up the white walls that now make up the three large gallery spaces on the main floor.

Photo: Mary Harold

Photo: Mary Harold

Ridgefield Guild of Artists presents a full calendar of exhibitions each year: an Annual Juried Exhibition, now in its 38th year, with jurors from major museums, galleries and academia; Festive Home, a holiday showcase and gift emporium where member artists collaborate with decorators and architects to create vignettes highlighting their artwork in home settings; member-curated exhibitions and several member-only shows. The guild also works with individuals or groups to produce

special exhibitions.

The Guild is committed to creating the highest quality exhibitions and takes pride in its installations. Innovative new programming includes member-rental gallery space, an artist-inresidence program, member-curated shows and occasional performance art. The Guild recognizes the artistic spirit as it takes on many forms and levels of expression.

Community outreach is vital to the Guild of Artists. Members work within the Ridgefield community creating partnerships with a variety of like-minded organizations. They collaborate with Ridgefield Library to bring ARTalk to the public, a series that includes panel discussions, presentations and workshops in the fine, decorative and professional fields of art. The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra has had a unique partnership with the Guild’s artists-in-residence, collaborating to create sculpture and performance pieces for concerts.

The Guild also joins with Ridgefield High School to sponsor the Annual Juried Student Art Show, giving junior and senior art students the opportunity to experience the exhibition process.

New this year is a partnership with the Ridgefield Arts Council to bring Art Walk 2014 to the town center in August. Artists will be paired with local merchants along Ridgefield’s quaint Main Street, creating a streetscape art gallery.

Ridgefield Guild of Artists also supports its mission of education by offering classes and workshops for its members, big and small.

Classes for kids from elementary to high school age run throughout the school year. In the summer, the guild turns into a creative arts summer camp, overflowing with the energy only children can bring to the art barn. The guild believes in nurturing the creative spirit in children that will remain with them as adults.

For adult artists, the Guild offers drop-in life drawing, several painting classes and informative and hands-on workshops, ranging from using social media to market yourself as an artist, to photographing artwork for online sales, to techniques to enhance painting styles.

Ridgefield Guild of Artists is now a 501c3 not-for-profit organization governed by a board of directors. Rachel Volpone who served as Guild president for eight years cites the Guild’s open, encouraging environment as the basis of its success over the decades. “Team effort and support have enabled the Guild to transform itself into a vibrant and important part of the community,” she says.

As it reaches it fortieth anniversary, Ridgefield Guild of Artists continues to expand and innovate to serve its members’ artistic goals. The group has installed new leadership to maintain its momentum with Pam Stoddart as the new Executive Director and Co-Presidents Mary Pat Devine and Mary Harold, leading the Ridgefield Guild of Artists into its next forty years. “We’ve evolved from an artists’ ‘clubhouse’ to a much respected regional artists’ guild, and we acknowledge all the member volunteers who helped us grow over the years,” says Mary Harold.

Ridgefield Guild of Artists is located at 34 Halpin Lane in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Its regular gallery hours are Wednesday – Sunday, noon to 4pm. Visit www.rgoa. org or call (203) 438-8863 for more information.

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PULSE

Theater

Photo: Contributed

54 Below

A Revolving Door of Broadway Fun

By William Squier

A swank supper club, tucked underneath the fabled Studio 54, in the heart of New York’s commercial theater district.

T

he search for the correct adjective to describe Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a very short one. Within seconds of chatting with the beaming young blonde you hit on the word excited.

And why wouldn’t she be excited? In a little over seven years, Tepper has worked on the Broadway production of a hip new musical, [title of show], with the hot theater director Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal) and for the omnipresent producer Ken Davenport (Kinky Boots, Godspell). She created not one but two concert series that put her in close contact with legends of the New York stage and its rising stars. And, acting in her preferred role as a theater historian, Tepper has also written Volume One of an insider’s guide to the city’s busiest theaters, The Untold Stories of Broadway, for Dress Circle Publishing.

But, it wasn’t until last summer that Tepper landed what she considers her dream job – one that

Pictured: Tepper with the Company of Hit List

brings together everything she loves about that most collaborative of theatrical art forms, the musical.

As of August, 2013, Tepper has been the Director of Programming at the Manhattan nightspot 54 Below. And to say that she’s excited about working there is putting it mildly.

54 Below is a swank supper club, tucked underneath the fabled Studio 54, in the heart of New York’s commercial theater district.

The décor is Gilded Age plush and centers around the venue’s performance space. Tepper is responsible for filling its stage as often as 18 times a week with theater related entertainment.

It’s not unusual for the club’s patrons to enjoy a performance by an established star at 7:00 pm, emerging artists at 9:30 pm and what Tepper describes at late night “shenanigans,” like the teasingly titled Black Girls Belting, at 11:30 pm. The marquee names that have appeared there since Tepper signed on include Tovah Feldshuh, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lillias White, Jeremy Jordan, Andrea McArdle, Tony Danza, Michele Lee, Constantine Maroulis, Jeff Daniels, Jennifer Holliday, John Lithgow, Bebe Neuwirth, Tom Wopat, Leslie Uggams and

you’re as likely to spot Liza in the audience as you are Chita onstage (Rivera did her show New Year’s Eve).

Booking 54 Below a task that would exhaust most people, but it only seems to energize the bubbly Tepper. “It’s amazing!” she insists.

“It’s like a revolving door of fun -- a constantly rewarding job.”

VENÜ MAGAZINE: What have been some of the highlights of your first six or seven months as Director of Programming?

JAT: “In December I put together Hit List – the show within the show on Smash. The actors and the writers who wrote songs for the tv show were all involved. It was a show that happened at 54 Below that had never happened anywhere else. It’s also been really wonderful to have Broadway artists who I’ve always loved do these fantastic performance pieces in our space. Artists I was exposed to on cast recordings when I was a kid. The Graff family – Todd, Eileen and Randy – did a group show together and Randy Graff (Les Miz) did a solo show last week. I grew up loving all of their work.”

VM: Have you been able to try out many of the ideas that you had going in?

JAT: “Yes! The magical thing about 54 Below is that we really have a lot of spots to try things out.

If you think something will sell, there’s a spot for it!”

VM: Has working there has inspired some new ideas for shows?

JAT: “Absolutely! There are so many projects and people that I’ve been speaking to since I started last summer. A lot of times I’ll go to a show at the club, having seen it the night before, because I know that three Broadway artists are going to be in the audience and I want to convince them to do their own shows. It’s fun to have project come out of just having people in the room. This past weekend I brought my mom to a show and we ended up sitting with two actors that I’ve loved forever.

I was talking with them about doing shows there in the future and my mom said, “It’s eleven p.m. and you’re still working!”

Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Pictured: Hit List with Krysta Rodriguez, Carrie Manolakos, Tepper, Andy Mientus and Jeremy Jordan.

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VM: Is the secret desire of many theater performers in New York to create a club act?

JAT: “Totally! The idea of being able to do a stripped down evening where you’re singing

Photo: Marc Bryan-Brown

material that you care about and getting to show another piece of yourself is something that a lot of performers think about. It’s always in their heads because they get asked to do this is other parts of the country as well. But, it’s a big project. It takes time for them to figure out what they want to do.”

VM: It sounds like a good deal of the programming draws on your work as a theater historian. How did you hit on that as a profession instead of becoming a, actor, director, designer or a writer?

JAT: “I was always so obsessed with how Broadway works – how all the pieces came together.

And, while my peers wanted to listen to Rent and Wicked, I was excited by the musicals that no one knew as well. So, I decided that I wanted to be a musical theater historian, without really

knowing what that person did, other than maybe teach. My first real professional job in New York was Assistant Director on [title of show].

That experience made me want to be in a lot of rehearsal rooms. The If It Only Even Runs A Minute concerts were the first things that I ever produced. They’re nights that celebrate underappreciated musicals with the performers that were in them telling stories and singing the songs they originated. I was doing that in 2010 when I met Phil Bonds (who creates original programming for the club). Then, I produced a Joe Iconis concert last year at 54 Below and all the owners got to know me. It’s been really exciting to put together evenings celebrating, for example, Maltby and Shire (Big) or musicals-in-concert that you might not have seen. Phil has done some really great ones, like Smoky Joe’s Café and Side Photo: Marc Bryan-Brown

Show. I put together Taboo and we’re doing The Wild Party and The Act.” VM: You’ve also written The Untold Stories of Broadway?

JAT: “I’ve always wanted to write a book. I didn’t necessarily think that it would be so soon! The publishers approached me to see if I had an idea.

It explores the Broadway theaters through people’s personal accounts and memories. I did over 200 interviews with actors and producers to doormen and ushers. There are eight theaters in the first book. They all have secrets and places that you don’t know about – the buildings themselves are really interesting.

VM: Between what you do at 54 Below, your book, and the concerts you’ve created, it seems like forging personal connections for people to the musical theater and Broadway in particular is important to you.

JAT: “It’s very true. In the book you’ll learn something very personal from someone who you might not have known before. At 54 Below you have someone sing ten inches away from you. I’ve always been obsessed with that old timey Broadway when people were going to nightclubs. It’s exciting to have that happening again on 54th Street.”

The summer months promise appearances at 54 Below by Glee’s Jane Lynch, reunion concerts for the Off-B’way shows Zanna, Don’t! and Bright Lights, Big City, the multi-talented Tony Yazbeck is developing an evening that will involve tap dancing and a big band, and Wicked stars Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena will return with an encore engagement of their sold out dual act for dates throughout June and July. But, Tepper cautions that the roster of events at 54 Below is ever-evolving, owing to theater performers sometimes unpredictable schedules. So, be sure to check for details of these events and more at the club’s website: www.54below.com.

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Film + Entertainment

Fox on Film

by PETER FOX: about.me/foxonfilm

“PINK” The Truth About Love Tour at The Barclay’s Center, Brooklyn, New York Rating:

F

om the moment that the doors of the Barclays Center swung open on this frigid winter‘s night, it was clear that an unusual concert event was about to unfold. In the nearly empty space of the arena was a single character, made- up as a court jester, bouncing around between the seats, which were gradually being filled by early arriving fans.

A single spotlight followed the court jester’s movements through the crowd. The resulting visual effect mimicked the

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age old, pre-concert ritual of a beach ball, bouncing from section to section; as he moved from seat to seat, the fans eagerly anticipating his arrival at their seat, bouncing him forward or backward as he came and went. But on this night, the character, Rubix Von Fuchenhurtz, (expertly portrayed by noted character actor-clown-mime Jimmy Slonina) carried a microphone and engaged in hugging, and (literally)kissing and cajoling fans on the matters of sex and love as

he climbed between rows of seats, only to be handed off, in mosh-pit fashion, under the spotlight, to the next guest.

His antics were broadcast on the arena’s large screens. As the lights grew dim and the capacity crowd’s anticipation, fueled by his performance, grew to a fever pitch, Rubix made his way to the stage, and delivered a monolog, “The Truth About Love”. After an undeniably sexual pause, the stage and tone were set for the explosive entrance of Pink,

her band, and ten member dance troupe.

The eighteen-song set list began with the triumphant “Raise Your Glass” launching, quite literally, Pink and her multi-talented artists into the airspace contained within the new, and very beautiful stateof-the-art Barclays Center.

Indeed, the triumph of love over tragedy and isolation, addiction, infidelity and insecurity were the cornerstones of the thematic premise of the two hour and ten minute show.

With the character of Rubix as herald and threshold guardian between sections of the concert, which were seamlessly woven together as if acts in a live theatrical narrative, The Truth About Love show was off and running in high-flying, theatrical style. The context of the performance was never unclear, and while the songlist was not, in and of itself, a narrative by any means, I left the arena with the sense of completion one usually experiences after watching a Broadway play, opera, or well constructed film.

With minimal special effects (a screen behind the performers changed with the tone of each song), the dancers and back- up singers provided extra punch for the maximum strength power packed show.

But no single aspect of this larger than life performance could outshine or overshadow its main character.

Pink-whose real name is Alecia Beth Moore-is 34 years old, and no stranger to adversity during different periods of her life. In her renditions of “Just Give Me a Reason”, “Try” and “Sober”, the closeup shots on the arena screens showed the audience an emotional Pink, in contrast to the upbeat, opening moments of the show, delivering the songs with genuine tears streaming down her cheeks. Her range throughout the show was matched only by her mind

After an undeniably sexual pause, the stage and tone were set for the explosive entrance of Pink, her band, and ten member dance troupe.

blowing athleticism, the level of which, unquestionably, rivals that of any top professional athlete.

Leaving Madonna in the dust, Pink’s high flying trapeze –artist- level -of -skill was breathtaking to behold.

Whether she soared over the crowd by bungee cord or cable, or thrown across the stage by a group of dance partners, Pink continued to hit every vocal note without a hitch (For those of you wondering: no, she did not use a recorded vocal track for those moments she spent upside down, 75 feet above the crowd).

Pink spent ample time chatting with well wishers in the front rows, and took time to accept flowers, and sign an autograph or two during breaks in the songs.

Her exploration of the subject at hand, The Truth About Love, unflinchingly examined themes, both lyrical and taboo, in a manner that was deliciously erotic, but

never vulgar. However, this was not a show for children.

Themed concert tours are oftentimes vague, and leave audiences with the sense that they have seen something, but not really. Themes are

often imposed on tours out of the need for a title and the tours are then labeled accordingly, but often have no direct connection, thematically, to the live performances of the songs. It is a tough task for the artist to pull off. Bowie’s 1983 Serious Moonlight and 1987 Glass Spider tours come to mind. Of the more successful efforts, Pink Floyd’s The Wall tour stands alone as the best example of a collection of songs, or an album, placed into the context of a themed live performance. Pink’s The Truth About Love tour joins the

ranks of pop’s best examples of a themed live performance.

What is more, The Truth About Love tour performances were not limited to the contents of a single album, but a collection of songs from her entire body of work, lovingly crafted into what was certainly one of the most entertaining concerts of the year; a year which also included tours by The Rolling Stones and Prince.

With the rumors of more shows in the spring already beginning to circulate as chatter on social media, the tour recently came to an end in Las Vegas after an incredible run of 142 shows which spanned the globe.

One cannot reasonably expect that more Pink shows will be added. (After two years on the road, how could we expect them to?) At the finale, a short behind the scenes video, primarily focused on Pink’s marriage to Carey Hart and their daughter, Willow, both of whom accompanied her on the massive tour, appeared on the screens, as if to place an exclamation point on the evening’s message, that love actually can, sometimes, conquer all.

The sense of hope and refreshingly positive messages of the show still resonate. The only lingering sadness connected to The Truth About Love tour is that it had to - as all good things eventually must - come to an end.

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Photo: World Red Eye

Top, from left; Designer Naeem Khan, Bass Dir. & Chief Curator Silvia Karman Cubiñá, MOMA Costume Institute curator Harold Koda.

Left, Gala Chairs Christina Getty in Alexander McQueen, Criselda Breene in Naeem Khan, Sol Picon in Escada.

Bottom left, Bass Board treasurer Alan Randolph, Bass Board President George Lindemann. Bottom right, Daniel and Marcella Novela, designer Greg Melvin.

Photo: World Red Eye

Bass Museum: A Fashionable Affair Photo: World Red Eye

Photo: Zoltan@Luxhunters.com

Miami’s art-loving society crowd loves to show off their serious fashion sense and the Bass Museum’s “A Night at the Museum” provided the perfect setting. With creative black tie as the attire, guests trotted out their edgiest designer, ethnic and vintage ensembles for the “Vanitas: Fashion and Art” exhibition (on view through June 20, 2014). Vogue Latin America was title sponsor. Over 650 arts patrons, gallery owners and tastemakers attended, resulting in a record-setting, sold out night. A coup for Bass Museum Executive Director and Chief Curator, the divine Silvia Karman Cubina.

Harold Koda, Curator-in-Charge of MOMA’s Costume Institute, served as guest curator of the exhibit. Overheard: Koda was extremely impressed (and pleasantly surprised) with the Miami crowd’s elegance and fashion choices. A hard-core fashionista’s version of a Papal blessing.

Guests flocked to the Escada Lounge where copious amounts of Chateau D’Esclans Rosé and champagne flowed like rain during a Miami downpour. Le Basque Catering created the artful gala décor and delish cuisine with their unique taste and vision and celeb DJ Mauricio Parra kept the crowd going all night. It was the place to be! www.BassMuseum.org.

Women of Tomorrow Gala Raises $900,000

Photo: Zoltan@Luxhunters.com

This year’s Women of Tomorrow (WOT) Gala broke records in attendance and money raised. It’s not just gala chair Marisa Toccin Lucas’ masterful way of re-inventing the experience each year, it’s also the cause. For 18 years, WOT has inspired, motivated and empowered at-risk young women so they can live up to their full potential through a unique mentoring program with highly accomplished professional women and scholarship opportunities. It changes lives.

More than 500 of South Florida’s leading philanthropists, celebrities and politicians gathered at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to celebrate. Guests also took photos with the Heat Championship Trophy that was on display during the cocktail reception. Supporters enjoyed a decadent four-course dinner and live music, and as usual, we danced until we dropped! American artist James Rosenquist, donated an art piece for the live auction - one of the most anticipated items – which sold for an undisclosed six figures. www.womenoftomorrow.org Left, Hal Lucas, Dr. Krista Rosenberg, Marisa Toccin Lucas, Paul Rosenberg.

Right, Co-founder Jennifer Valoppi, Christian de Berdouare.

For more stories about Miami society please visit TheDaisyColumn.com 80

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE Photo: Zoltan@Luxhunters.com