I remember

Seven years ago today, atop the roof of "T" building at Kings County Hospital, I saw the second tower collapse and disappear into nothingness. It's painful to remember but unfortunately it did happen.

In this world of hatred and indifference, can we just stop and quietly figure out what really matters? There's so much conflict around us I shudder to think what the future is going to be like for the next generations to come.

To borrow the words of a good friend, I also have become apolitical, what with all the mud-slinging, referencing "lipstick on a pig", that is going around among our politicians. What happened to the real issues? The climate crisis is nothing to sneeze at and because of the war we humans create, we will never forgive ourselves for the loss of lives of many. Let's stop before we wipe out our own existence.

I remember how simple and peaceful life was when I was younger but slowly the world is changing. Life is so good and peace is not something impossible to achieve, so can we at least try?

"If you want to be happy, be."
Leo Tolstoy

Squirrels and my fig tree

A squirrel leaping from bough to bough,

and making the wood but one wide tree for his pleasure,

fills the eye not less than a lion,--is beautiful, self-sufficing

and stands then and there for nature."--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Sure they are lovely creatures, but did they have to eat all the fruits of my fig tree? It's not exactly a bumper crop and those squirrels could've left me some for dessert.

The tree is only a year old and about 3 feet tall, with beautiful leaves and about half a dozen fruits. I was careful not to injure the fruits while I'm tending the plant, but one morning I discovered all of them were gone!

Those little rascals! Aren't the acorns and pinecone seeds good enough for them? And I was planning to make fig jam from my harvest, now I would have to just settle for Fig Newton!

Who is Buckminster Fuller?

I've been reading up on Buckminster Fuller, the futurist, visionary architect whose credo is doing "more with less". He invented the geodesic dome. As early as 1959 he predicted the possibility of eliminating poverty by the year 2000.

His ideas, concepts and innovative designs are not straightforward , but sound interesting and yet puzzling. A hollow cluster of 60 carbon atoms shaped like a soccer ball called Buckminsterfullerene or "buckyballs" was named for Fuller. Curiosity drives me to see the Buckminster Fuller exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. I'll be there tomorrow and 'bet you it'll be packed because it's pay-as-you-wish admission day starting at 6pm.

Till then, let me do some more gardening; my appetite for it seems insatiable and I only have 10 acres to cover. Ha ha ha!

Project : You rock!

That wasn't so painful!
Running around town looking for the fabric, webbing, batting, upholstery tacks, staples, etc. didn't feel like an ordeal anymore after I saw the finished product. What was not part of the deal was getting blisters in my palm from removing the staples from the old upholstery!

I know, I know - I always have a story about my finds, so here it is. This rocking chair was sitting in one corner of the maintenance office, lonely and gathering dust when I spotted it. Luis our handyman, saw the glitter in my eyes and gave the chair to me. We used it for a while with its old covering, and then I decided to restore it. It did have the name of the maker, Virginia House (a 1920's furniture manufacturer), carved on the under side of it, with a registration number dated 1926 stenciled on the same place. Could this be an 82-year old piece? Solid and heavy, but I'm not sure what kind of wood it's made of. I'll have to ask Philip because he knows a lot about trees, wood and furniture.

Whatever it is, it may not be a collectible antique by trade standards (over 100 years old) but Inang loves it and I'm glad I was able to give it a new look. That was a fun undertaking and it didn't cost me a fortune.

I dressed the chair in a woven tapestry fabric with dainty vintage floral prints of blue and sage. The background color of the textile is almost like light mustard. What covered this chair before was a French yellow fabric with geometric design, and I couldn't find the exact match but this design is just as pretty. I particularly love the removable back cushion and that was much fun sewing it too. The interwoven rubber webbing which I managed to put together will keep the seat from sagging, so I was told by the experts, and I guess this is used in place of spring coil.

This time I didn't have to sweat to find the screws which I removed from the chair - I taped them onto the base, while I was working on the upholstery. For my first project, I forgot where I safely hid the screws. Yeah right, so safe even I couldn't find them. I tell you, these days, I carry writing implements with me all the time; if it's not something written down guaranteed it's forgotten, maybe that's why I blog - to store all these memories for internet posterity. Old age and brain cramps, you too will get there. Ha ha!

So there it is, a happy, lovely chair.
The Roadshow folks may not agree but it's worth a lot to me.

Who says I'm not old enough to "rock"?

What's next? Oh, I think I have a lot of gardening to keep me busy in this cool summer weather. We have five varieties of hibiscus in the grounds which we need new homes for, somewhere in the front yard.

Digging again....
See you then.

Chair re-upholstering 101: ta-da!

No - it didn't take me a few days to finish this chair. I was just caught between a few other things, such as putting out fires here in the condo, that I had to save this project on the side.

The hardest part was stretching the fabric and making sure that all the dots in the fabric design are in perfect alignment. Whew!

Of course we're going to sit on this chair, not just look at it. Did I tell you this is an antique one given to me by one of my neighbors? Well, actually she was ready to dump it. I hope she doesn't want it back, because I'm not ready to part with it. With all the work I put into it? Heck no! Stapling while pulling the fabric can be tricky, you know, and hazardous to your health. I risked losing a few pints of blood for this lovely chair I'm not giving it up!

I'm taking a bow.

Now let's hear a round of applause, please. Yes, from you!

And yes, no doubt, I'll do this again. It's so much more fun doing it yourself and sharing the experience.

The Italian Connection

Last year, like a proud New Yorker, I helped a stranger who was walking around looking lost at the Lincoln Center. It was her last day in the city visiting from Italy and she was hoping that she'd get into the Met Opera. Unfortunately there was no show that night, so I asked her if she'd like to take a chance and get in line at the box office of the New York State Theatre for free tickets for the opening of the NYC Ballet's new production of Romeo and Juliet. We already have ours and maybe she could still get one for herself.

We parted ways without finding out if she ever got a ticket and knowing what it's like to find one's way around in a foreign country, I was just so glad I could help. New Yorkers are generally friendly; in every corner around the tourist areas and underground in the subways, there's always someone hovering nearby and dying to help out souls overwhelmed with their oversized subway maps all spread out, needing help on directions or simply how to read the map painlessly. Some of us might even get disappointed if we're not the ones asked.

It was a spectacular performance. It was a winner - Peter Martin's new rendition of Romeo & Juliet was a real showpiece. At intermission, Celine and I sprinted to the restroom and voila, there she was; she got in - Olga is her name we'll soon find out! She was so grateful for the tip, we exchanged e-mail addresses and so forth and from then on she was in touch. She's a teacher and hails from a small town in Torino, Italy.

Last Friday, she let me know she was coming to NYC and if we could meet. We decided we'll see tonight's event at the Avery Fisher Hall, part of the Mostly Mozart Series and then after the performance sit for coffee. I'm delighted to hear from her.

****

LAVAZZA in a paper cup - not anywhere near the taste of coffee at the famous il caffee Sant' Eustachio in Rome, but the company more than made up for it. With plenty of time before the concert we did a lot of catching up. She's traveled to a lot more countries since I saw her last, not just for pleasure but also doing mission work in Africa. The bag of Caffarel gianduia bitter chocolate filled with hazel nuts, is a sweet little present she brought me. I can't wait to get a bite of this hazelnutty treats.

We were joined by two other ladies in her group, Kiara and Antonella, who were both ecstatic about all the shopping they did in SoHo and Tribeca. Funny that they are buying Italian shoes and clothes in New York. Why, because their euros go a long way here. Worn out from walking, but not from shopping, their next stop tomorrow - Macy's. The Frick Collection and the rest on Museum Row, and an evening show probably Phantom or Chicago are also on the list. It felt good to know that they found New Yorkers to be friendly and helpful and of course Olga does a good job of being their tour guide.

The concert program was excellent, two Mozart pieces and a Beethoven composition. The young Romanian pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa played Beethoven's cadenza with such virtuosity. My eyes welled up at the third movement of Beethoven's Piano concerto No. 3 in C minor. I was glued to my seat for her encore of what looked and sounded like a difficult Romanian composition. Never mind that we had nosebleed seats and partial views at the boxes, the music was heavenly. And of course the rest is unmistakably Mozart, playful and melodic, great music played by the Mozart Festival Orchestra. Listen to the third bassoon, as one lecturer put it and a lesson I'll never forget.

During intermission, I got to know the other ladies better. Kiara is a doctor, born and trained in Italy but works in Paris and Antonella lives in Milan. Their big complaint, Americans turn on the air conditioning up so high, the two ladies freeze their butts everywhere they go. And I thought I had a problem. We managed to scoot down to center seats with better views, but still up on the third tier, as soon as the lights went out for the last piece. What a brilliant performance and in a great hall with almost perfect acoustics. Bellissima! After all, Avery Fisher Hall is the home of the New York Philharmonic.

We said our goodbyes, but not exactly. She's inviting me to see her in Torino and I might just take her up on it since I have not seen that part of Italy. Her place is not too far from the Alps and Austria. What I would give to have that!

A lovely reunion, and for now - Ciao, Olga.

Big 60 Chong

I have been blessed with two of the most wonderful friends in the world - Chong and Rose. What was to be a surprise for Chong's big 60th yesterday, was sort of foiled but we won't go into the details.

Rose and I treated her to the musical Gypsy starring Patti Lupone. The theatre at matinee was not packed to the ceiling, but you can feel the excitement of the audience as Patti sang with such dynamic artistry. I just love the song "Small World". She hasn't changed - from playing the title role in Evita to Maria Callas in Master Class, she is a performer ... par excellence!

We were both glad that Chong loved her present - she was thrilled. Our cheaper balcony seats were even upgraded (for unknown reason, and we're not complaining) to the rear mezzanine, that's one flight less to travel, thank God. I'll need an oxygen tank if we get any higher. Dinner was on Rose at our old work hangout Simply Pasta. Italian of course and never complete without the finale of profiteroles and capuccino. Thank you Rosie!

Looking her best at Six O, swept away by Patti's performance and filled up by the entree of fettuccine con salmone, Chong enjoyed her big, special day. How about that birthday loot of a pair of sailing shorts and golf shirt from Rose, ha? Many more healthy and happy ones, kiddo.

Long time genuine friendships such as the one I have with Rose and Chong are ageless, like Gypsy Rose Lee herself.

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life; and thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greater part of life is sunshine".
- Thomas Jefferson