I recently came across a quote that both horrify and sadden me. The quote was by Sir David Attenborough, a naturalist and well-known BBC broadcaster and environmentalist, which states the following “The question is are we happy to suppose that our children may never see an elephant except in a picture book?” Pretty devastating when you think of how much destruction we as human beings continue to extract on this planet…
As I continue to spotlight urban artists in understanding how they are surviving or thriving during this pandemic, I was encouraged by a colleague to meet Ricardo Roig. I was intrigued by Ricardo’s imaginative artistry and that he lives and works in Hoboken, NJ where he combines the best of what Japanese woodblock printing offers with his innovative paper cutting chops channeling a younger Henri Matisse…..
As the world experience a second wave of this insidious virus that manages to outwit any efforts to clamp it down, many of us yearn to travel and connect with family and friends, especially as the holidays are before us. Is it safe to travel? How can I protect or reduce my chances of catching this disease or spreading it to others? While there are some precautions you can take to reduce (not eliminate) catching this infection, there are no guarantees. But if you must… here is some advice on what to do….
During my last trip to Miami before the recent peaks in COVID cases, I took a flight on a seaplane with a couple of friends to explore the wonders of Miami’s spectacular coastline. Emerald waters with sandy beaches and luxury high rises side by side offers the most captivating panorama landscape that will fill your eyes. The wow factor of taking off from the water into the sky where you can still smell the ocean as you are climbing up towards the clouds is indescribable. My memories and photos will have me yearn to do this again…..
I recently was offered an opportunity to fly to Miami to combine business with a bit of leisure, happily freeing myself from months of being sheltered. As we enter the cooling month of October, what better time than to be on the coast of Miami except that you have to fly in the middle of a pandemic.
The October foliage is a wonderful time of the year to get out and explore the beauty of this annual splendor, thanks to a bit of chill in the air and a little something called chlorophyll (remembering earth science class). The Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York offers both the opportunity to enjoy the foliage, its famous wineries and harvest.
As the weather begins to get cooler in October and November, there is no better time to enjoy the fall foliage than traveling North toward the Delaware River between the New York and Pennsylvania border. Super happy to visit a friend for the weekend in the town of Milanville, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Narrowsburg, New York. These charming communities are nestled between the Catskill and the Pocono Mountains and have become a getaway for urban dwellers seeking to escape or retire.
On my Facebook feed, I recently came across the work of an emerging artist named Armisey Smith who has taken on a uniquely challenging COVID inspired art project and to my delight accepted to be part of my blog’s Spotlight Artists Series #2. When I first came across Armisey’s recent COVID inspíred series entitled “ Side Eye, Pink Eye,” I was intrigued, and immediately connected emotionally with the pain that she was able to dramatize in the faces of these women….
If you are living in New Jersey, a significant portion of the state’s boundaries are touched by the Atlantic Ocean, where one can quickly arrive at the closest shore within an hour’s reach. The only issue is that the New Jersey coast is just not that attractive…. long strips of sandy beaches with not so blue waters. There are several coastal communities that have a wonderful historic vibe or scenery worthy of visiting throughout most of the year (Atlantic City is not one of them unless you like to gamble). One that I love is the historic town of Cape May….
Americans just love their lawns, and COVID has certainly made folks “lawn care crazy” striving for that perfect lawn that is so much part of a suburban lifestyle. However, throughout the summer, there’s been a growing number of lawn signs protesting the hate and divisiveness we see in our politics, social media, and cable news.
