Tag Archives: travel

Niki de Saint Phalle’s Art Is a Joy!

15 Jul

In March when we stayed in San Diego, I noticed the most unusual sculpture from our hotel window.  We overlooked a bridge, the convention center and this giant piece of art.  I told my husband that we had to walk over to it and see about this giant face! The walk was a little longer than I anticipated.  And the sculpture was much bigger than I thought!  In fact, when we got close to it, I could not even take a photo.  I should have done that from a block away.  However, I did see that it was a piece of art called, “Coming Together” by Niki de Saint Phalle.

The sculpture is in the lower right corner. The view from our hotel.

When we got back to the hotel, I looked her up and found out that a retrospective exhibit of her art was going to open at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in late April.  Wow, close to where I live.  I needed to go when I went back, because now I was intrigued.  It was as if the sculpture had called my name and now I could find out even more about this woman.

We then went off on a cruise, then home, then another trip, and I sort of forgot about the art exhibit.  However, every so often I would get something from the museum about this exhibit and say to my husband, “We have to go to see that.” But I did not know why.

Finally, last week, just nine days before the exhibit ended, we went to the museum.  I renewed our yearly membership that had just expired, and we just visited the one exhibit. My husband said, “Why do we have to go to this?”  And I said, ”I honestly don’t know, but I have had it in my mind for months.”

When entered the exhibit, “Niki de Saint Phalle Rebellion and Joy” and saw her first works of art.  I honestly did not like them.  She was an angry young woman who made white paper mâché creations to which she hung balls of paint.  She then took a gun and shot the paint balls so they splattered all over the art. I watched a video of her doing this.  It was not for me. And I really thought I was crazed for wanting to go to this exhibit.

Nanas
woman
Skinny

But then we turned a corner.  We saw her ‘nanas’, we saw her ‘skinnies’, we saw large sculptures, we saw maquettes of larger artwork, we saw her paintings, we saw a video of her installations in Tuscany called Tarot Park.  This is a large art installation that made me think about and compare it in a way to Gaudi’s Parc Guell in Barcelona, a place I adore. (See blog below.)

I said, “Ok, Now I know why I wanted to come. This is like the inside of my mind.  It makes me think of Gaudi and Hundertwasser, two of my all time favorite architects and artists. Yes, we had to come here.” (See blog below.)

But I still did not remember the sculpture in San Diego, until I saw her skinnies and read a bit about her life. She lived her last eight years in San Diego and had art installations there. YES. Now it all came back to me. The giant sculpture in San Diego.  It all came together.  I could tell my husband what was going on in my mind.  But by that time he did not mind, he was also enjoying the exhibit.

Niki De Saint Phalle, should never be forgotten.  She believed in Social Justice, Civil rights and support of AIDS patients. In the exhibit it said that she “Strove to create art and environments that inspired hope, freedom, empowerment and imagination.”

Her artworks are fanciful and fun, once she got passed her anger stage.  They brought me much joy to see and explore.  I was so impressed I had to buy “What is Now Known Was Once Only Imagined, An (Auto)biography of Niki de Saint Phalle” By Nicole Rudick.

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle marquette.

The exhibit is soon to close. But my interest in her remains.  I am sure that next time I am in the San Diego area, my husband and I will be looking for all of her art installations in the city, and taking side trips to La Jolla and Encino to see more of her works, especially the Queen Califia’s Magical Circle,” of which we saw the marquette at the Nelsom. I also hope I can get to Tuscany one day and see the Tarot Garden!

I thank the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nice, France, for loaning these works to the Nelson-Atkins! Also thanks to the Niki Charitable Art Foundation in California for sending along some additional pieces. 

My Architectural Love Affair With Hundertwasser and Gaudi
I Do Love Gaudi! My Second Barcelona Gaudi Adventure.
Niki de Saint Phalle: Made (it) in America
Niki de Saint Phalle: Rebellion and Joy
Retrospective of Niki de Saint Phalle to Open at Nelson-Atkins

https://www.sandiego.org/articles/arts-culture/the-magic-of-niki-de-saint-phalle.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarot_Garden

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_G%C3%BCell

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The Mysterious Loretto Stairs and Other Unusual Sites in Santa Fe

17 Jun

Santa Fe is a city of many diverging elements coming together to create a unique city. The art of the Navajo, Apache, and Pueblo people; and the multitude of art galleries and jewelry stores; the churches and religious sites; the unusual round State Capitol building; and the original adobe buildings; the restaurants; the museums, all combine together to give the visitor and the residents a place that stimulates the senses. 

My husband, who is enamored with AI, asked what would be the best 2.5 hour walking tour of Santa Fe. Its description of four places became our morning walking tour. None of these places take long to visit, unless you want to stay longer.  For this ‘tour’ you will be walking up hill on the Old Santa Fe Trail Road, which is right by the La Fonda Hotel downtown. Finally, you can always take your water bottle in with you.

The Loretto Chapel and its mysterious, mystical stairs is worth the visit.  The chapel was once part of a girl’s school and was designed by the same architect as the Santa Fe Cathedral. The mystery of the stairs starts when the architect died before the staircase was built, the nuns were distraught and prayed for help.  An unknown carpenter appeared, built the stairs and disappeared. 

The staircase is a lovely gem to see, whether you believe that it was built by St. Joseph or not.  How it suspends and curves upwards without support is astonishing.  And it is beautifully carved.  But besides the beauty of the stairs, the chapel itself is lovely.  While you sit and visit, you listen to the story of the stairs.  This is no longer a consecrated church, so religious services are not held.

Two blocks further up the hill on Old Santa Fe is East De Vargas Street.  Turn left to walk through a narrow road to the Oldest House in Santa Fe, but I recommended you first go across the street to the San Miguel Mission Church. 

The San Miguel Mission Church sits on a hill on the hill. Probably a good place for watching what is going on around you. It is the oldest Catholic Church in the United States. People can attend mass on the first Sunday of each month.

It is not a big building, but it has a big history.  First built soon after the Spanish came into Santa Fe in 1598, the mission church was used by the Franciscan priests who came to New Mexico with the Spanish to convert the indigenous peoples and serve the Spanish settlers.  It was partially destroyed in 1680 when the pueblo peoples revolted against the Spanish and the church for the cruel treatment.  They burned the roof, destroyed some of the walls, and killed the priests.  The church was rebuilt when the Spanish returned about 30 years later. 

When you walk in there are two artifacts to notice. The first you see on the — the Victory bell that was brought from Spain. The bell had a long history that included helping Spain expel the Moors.  The story is whenever the bell rang, the Spanish had a victory.  The bell came to New Mexico for a Spanish family. But after the Pueblo Revolt, when the Mission was rebuilt the bell was put in the church belfry.  The second item hangs on the wall to the left. It is a 300-year-old replica of the painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the Mexico City Basilica.

The church itself is small and simple. The wooden ceiling is wonderful.  After you finish viewing the chapel and listening to the talk by the docent, please go down the stairs to the second room.  There are photographs that show the building from different angles, as well as two photos of the oldest house before it was restored.

Now you can go out of the chapel and down the steps to the side which lead to De Vargas Street.  Immediately across the street is the oldest house. The house, from the 1600s, is built on the remains of a home in what once was part of a pueblo It is attached to a gift store.

 You go into the store and to your left to enter the house.  There are just two rooms to see and they are tiny. But as all sites, it is worth seeing to understand how people lived.  If you are a bit claustrophobic, try to go when there is a not a group going in.  It gets tight.

When you are done at the oldest house, return to Old Santa Fe Trail Street and continue past the San Miguel Mission. Turn right on Paseo De Peralta.  You will soon come to the State Capitol building.  It is unusual in that it is both round and NOT built in the pueblo style.  (Which is what I thought it would be!). When we went there was an art show on display. But even if it is not there, it is worth going in to see the rotunda and the lovely architecture.  You basically walk in the main door and go out the back door getting you back to E. De Vargas street.

After this part of our tour, we went for lunch!  There are many, many excellent restaurants in the Plaza area.  So go and enjoy.  Also while walking around you will see many galleries and statues/art on the sidewalks.  Take time to enjoy them.  You might want to take a break and rest after lunch or do this next part in the morning.

Martyr’s Cross and Marcy Fortress.  There is a way to drive to get closer to this site, but my husband and I did not have a car, so we walked.  It is located on Paseo de Peralta, the same street as the capitol building, but in the other direction. Depending on where you are staying will determine how you go.  But since we stayed near the Cathedral, we took Palace Avenue to Paseo de Peralta and turned left. You can see the cross on the hill and just head in that direction!

The entrance to walk up is marked by an adobe sign and arch.  You are going up hill.  There are rest areas where you can sit at the ends of each switch back.  And take water!! It is dry in Santa Fe.  The walk up was fun. Along the way are plaques that tell the history of Santa Fe, and as you go higher the views get better and better.

The Cross of the Martyrs honors the 21 priests and 380 Spanish settlers who were killed during the Pueblo Revolt  in 1680. The first cross was erected in 1920s. Over time it was replaced twice, the last time  in 1977 with a metal cross.

To be honest, we did not continue up the path to see the ruins of Fort Marcy.  It had been a long day, and we still had to walk about a mile or so back to our hotel.  But you can easily get to it. But that path is not paved.

However, we did get some fantastic photos of Santa Fe from the top.

Santa Fe’s  Multitude of Museums
The Great Rio Grande River Gorge and Taos Pueblo
Learning about the Crypto-Jews/Conversos in Santa Fe

https://www.lorettochapel.com/

https://www.sanmiguelchapelsantafe.org/

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Santa Fe’s  Multitude of Museums

9 Jun

Museums, museums, museums.  So many to choose from, so many to see.  We went to six museums over our six days in Santa Fe.  I decided I would list them all in one blog from my favorite to my least favorite.  That is not to say that any of them were bad, just that these are how I enjoyed them. 

New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors.  Located behind the Palace of the Governors, on Lincoln Avenue right off the Plaza, The New Mexico History Museum is a great place to understand Santa Fe and the relationships among the Native cultures, the Spanish heritage and the American ‘invasion.’  With three floors of exhibits and the additional space located in the Palace of the Governors, there is a lot to see here.  Way more than I anticipated, which is why I ended up not seeing all of it, even though I had good intentions to return on another day to complete seeing the exhibits in the Palace of the Governors. I do love learning history!

The first floor packed in 500 years of history!  It was a lot to take in, but really explained the importance of both the Native and Spanish and Catholic influences on New Mexico.  When the United States took over the New Mexico territory, the relationship between all these groups changed dramatically. 

One of my favorite exhibits was in the mezzanine, “Settling the Standard: The Fred Harvey Company and Its Legacy.  Since Fred Harvey started in Kansas City, and I have seen the displays at our History Museum, I was delighted to see the story retold here.  This exhibit was much more in depth than the exhibit I have seen at a Kansas City museum.  It might have to be another blog!

The next two museums were at Museum Hill, just outside downtown: the Museum of Folk Art and the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture.  We decided to go to the Museum of International Folk Art first, turning to the right as we entered the museum plaza.  (I recommend getting a Culture Pass, which includes a number of museums for a $30 fee.)

The first exhibit we visited was “Multiple Visions: A common Bond.” Alexander and Susan Girard donated their extensive folk art collection to New Mexico, and it was added to the Folk Art Museum.  When I entered this room, I was first excited and then overwhelmed.  The art seemed endless; it covered walls, hung from the ceiling, filled hundreds of display cases. We walked around the entire room, looked in every case, and were mentally exhausted, visually overstimulated, but filled with the joy of the art.

Luckily the next two rooms were much calmer, so we could feel more ease as we left the building.  I really enjoyed “la Cartoneria Mexicana,” which was several rooms of unusual creatures made of paper and paste.  Between the first exhibit and this one, there is a short movie that explains how the exhibit displayed.  I liked it. The creations made of paper and paste were magical.

The final room held the curators’ favorite pieces.  It was a calming room!  A short visit to the gift show then we walked the outside labyrinth to continue the calming process.  You really do need to rest your brain after being at the Folk Art Museum.

We ate lunch at the lovely restaurant on the hill, and then went over to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Really an excellent place to learn about the indigenous peoples in the “Here, Now and Always” exhibit.  The statues outside the building brought me joy, especially the one of the young hoop dancer, it reminded me of the young girl we had seen doing the hoop dance in the Plaza. 

 Inside there was all the information needed to understand the native peoples who lived in the New Mexico area. The pottery, the weavings, the baskets, the jewelry, and the information on how they lived before the Spanish and then the United States took control is important to know.  Another great museum.

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Art: Near to the St. Francis Cathedral, this museum showcases the work presented by the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). It displays the most progressive art.  I loved the interpretations of traditional objects and the jewelry.  There were some pins that looked like bugs that were stunning.  I loved a silver belt made by Denise Wallace and beaded cuffs made by Marcus Amerman. 

However the room filled with plastic bags, I viewed, I walked through the room and I tried to understand it.  I just did not get that exhibit. But then it was about the artist being frustrated about the inability to communicate, so perhaps I did understand it.  However, like anything else, art is subjective and there were many other exhibits in the museum I did enjoy.

Georgia O’Keefe Museum: Just a few blocks from the Plaza, on Johnson Street, it is an easy walk. My instructions: Get your timed tickets in advance. This is a small museum, and they limit how many can be there at any one time!!!    See the movie first!  No one told us about the movie, so we did not see it until the end. 

The museum goes in one direction, so you have to turn around and walk back through all the rooms when you finish, so you could do one side going and the other side going back. As for the art. If you enjoy Georgia O’Keefe’s work you will enjoy this museum. I actually liked the last room the most, where there was information about her life, “Making a Life” and her art supplies. I have to be honest, much of her later art did not appeal to me. But it is interesting to see.

New Mexico Museum of Art: Situated catty corner from the Plaza on Palace Avenue,the museum building is set up like a hacienda.  You can walk around the exhibits in a circuit, or you can cut through the courtyard.  I loved the murals that decorated the courtyard.  I am not a big fan of some modern art, and so these exhibits were not my favorite.  However, I like to see what younger artists are doing, so I enjoyed seeing the interpretations of pottery design.

Other blogs about New Mexico: https://zicharonot.com/2024/06/06/the-great-rio-grande-river-gorge-and-taos-pueblo/.

Learning about the Crypto-Jews/Conversos in Santa Fe

https://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/

https://www.moifa.org

https://www.indianartsandculture.org

Home

https://okeeffemuseum.org

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA)

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The Magic City of San Sebastian and a Bit of Puerta Vallarta

16 May

Our cruise ship spent two days docked in Puerta Vallarta, which gave us a chance to do something special.  For me that was to visit the Magic City of San Sebastian Del Oeste about 40 miles up in the mountains.  San Sabastian was the highlight of the places we visited. A small community of 600 people, it was once a thriving town close to a silver mine of close to 20,000!.  It was basically cut off from Puerta Vallarta until a winding road and two major bridges were built about 20 years ago.  Now it is about a 90-minute drive in vans up and up and round and round the winding roads.  But it is well worth the moments of motion sickness.

Our tour guide told us that in Mexico, San Sebastian is known as a “Magic City.”  It actually has been nominated to be a UNESCO world heritage site.  Personally, I love visiting world heritage sites, they take you back into time.  San Sebastian is a perfect example since its original roads/sidewalks and buildings have been maintained and all new buildings keep the character of the old colonial style.

It was founded in the early 1600s for its silver mining and was the home of three Spanish families who made a decision to only marry among themselves to keep their Spanish blood pure.  Definitely a genetically bad idea.  Over time, and the Mexican revolution, the old ways ended and now the families are fulling integrated into the community.

We visited the small museum, Casa Museo Dona Conchita Encarnacion. This tiny building, which was once the home of Dona Conchita and her ancestors, serves as a museum about the town and these Spanish families and their interconnection.  Lupita, the woman who told us about the museum is a descendant, of the Dona Conchita. 

Because it was a silver producing city, the town had some unusual security. The church, Iglesia de San Sebastian, is built like a fortress and the doors could only be opened from the inside.  There was an underground tunnel from the homes of one of the Spanish families directly to the church.  It is quite lovely once you get past the windowless façade.  There are windows, but they are placed high so people cannot break in. But inside they provide wonderful lighting.

The original steep cobble stone streets are difficult to walk on and I think to drive. No busses took us there, only vans. And once I saw the streets, I understood.  The Center of town has a lovely little plaza and shops. While there we walked to a restaurant that served us the absolutely best food we had in all of Mexico.  They serve a specially prepared beef that really is so tender and delicately seasoned.  I still savor the joy of eating there.

When we first entered the town we stopped at an organic coffee plantation, Café De Altura LaQuinta.  What an interesting place. The coffee bushes are grown among fruit trees, where the fruit just falls to the grown to provide nutrients for the coffee beans. Having all those tall trees provided the wonderful shade that the coffee needed to grow in the wonderful mountain coolness.

On the way there and back we stopped at a small tequilla factory.  Although we did not get anything there, we were able to overlook one of the two massive bridges that were built to connect San Sabastian to Puerta Vallarta.

Since we did spend a day in Puerta Vallarta, I feel a need to tell about the two places we visited there that I did appreciate. To be honest, I did not enjoy the tour we took of Puerta Vallarta.  I heard that others would have fit my interests more.  But I did enjoy our stop at the beach and at Tile Park, El Parque de los Azulejos. 

The promenade along the beach in Puerta Vallarta was lovely. With its many statues and views.  We enjoyed taking photos and seeing everyone walking.  It was Easter week so all the children were out of school and families were enjoying the lovely day. I do enjoy some. people watching, and this was a great place to do it.

We also enjoyed seeing El Parque de los Azulejos (Tile Park), which  made me think of a miniature Parque Quell in Barcelona, the lovely park designed by Gaudi. The tile benches and other mosaic inlaid objects are fun to walk through discover all the different designs. Each one is sponsored by a donor and their names are displayed on little plaques. The designs are not set on a specific theme, just want the donor wants. We were able to see one from the University of Kansas and one from the University of Michigan among the many beach and sport themes.

There is a lovely gazebo as well as a stage and seating, so I know that concerts are held at Tile Park.  It is worth visiting.  We also took photos sitting on the benches that we liked!

I did enjoy spending time at the port in Puerta Vallarta.  I can see why tourist enjoy visiting.  But to me it was a bit too touristy.  However, the Magic City of San Sabastian made it my favorite stop.

https://www.tileparkpv.com/

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Five Highlights Of Our Mexico Cruise

13 May

For 14 days in April we cruised down the coast of Mexico and into the Sea of Cortez on the Holland America Zaandam. We had a fantastic time. Here are five of my six favorite places that we visited. One place needs its own special blog.

Orchidarium in Manzanillo, Colima.

Our visit to the Orchidarium was great.  We got to see orchids in many different stages of growth, but most important, the owner gave us a great deal of information about growing orchids. For years I have been trying to grow Orchids. I have failed every time.  The longest I have kept my orchids alive is two years.  Now I know why. 

First: Orchids like fresh air and shade.  I had my orchids near a closed window on the south side of my house.  The sun was too harsh on the leaves.  Not having an open window made it sad.  Orchids live on air.    My next orchids will live in an area that only has morning sun and is near a window that opens.

Second:  Orchids do not like a lot of water!  You do not need to water them every week.  You only water them when the roots are bone dry.  Also they must be in a pot with many holes so that the water drains out.

Finally repotting an orchid puts it into decline.  Only repot an orchid after the flowers fall off.  Then do not be surprised if it doesn’t grow for a year.  I did wait to repot mine after the flowers fell.  But I thought it had died too soon.

Zihuatanejo/Guerrero:

We went to the Xihuacan archelogical site in Gerrero near Zihuatanejo.  I will say that our tour guide for this trip was very proud and inspired to tell us all about the museum and the two area we were able to see, including the very large Mesoamerican ball court. In the museum was the sacrifice circular stone that represents the goddess of the earth. I did not climb up the steps of this pyramid because on our last trip, I fell a bit coming down.  I vowed not to climb any steps without handrails again.  I just watched my husband climb up and enjoyed seeing his photos.

I love learning about the early civilizations, and I have written about our visits to other Mayan, Aztec and Mesoamerican sites in other blogs. The amazing aspect about this site is that most of it is still buried under vegetation. Just a small area has been reclaimed. But I found out from our tour guide that there are so many of these sites, they just cannot afford to uncover all of them! (See blog below.)

Oaxaca and Zapotec Textiles

The bugs live on this cactus.

Oaxaca is known for its wonderful textiles and embroidery.  This is the stop I was waiting for because I love textiles. My Dad owned an embroidery shop when I was little and worked in the textile industry for years.  I am a crafter who focuses crochet now, but I did embroidery, crewel and sewing for many years.

We had a wonderful time visiting with a family from the Zapotec tribe that weaves using wool and cotton that they produce, using dyes that they make from the cochineal bugs. We saw these bugs on the leaves of the cactus. We saw how the colors change by adding natural substances like lemon juice or baking soda.  We watched the weaving and we saw the undyed and dyed yarns.  The weavings were stunning, and I had to get myself one of the woven cotton shawls.

La Paz

Marcos
Me touching a spiney tailed iguana

El Serperntario Reptile and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.  Marcos, our guide was fantastic for many reasons, but the most important is that he loves the Serpentario. He is a volunteer there besides being a tour guide. His love showed throughout our private presentation.  The Serperntario was founded to rescue and rehab reptiles and snakes and to take those reptiles and creatures that are not indigenous to the area out of the community so that they do not kill the local species.   I got to pet the tail of an spiney tailed iguana!

To be honest we went to see this because when our son was young we house his fire bellied newt, two geckos and a ribbon snake. So as a mom I had experiences with lizards and snakes. Also, as a young girl I loved salamanders!  Although I do not especially love reptiles now, I am interested in their survival.

There are giant turtles, snakes of all sizes, multitudes of iguanas and many other unusual creatures living safely behind the walls of the Serpentario.  The gift store has some cute items.  But I focused on getting a t-shirt for my adult child.  It was a necessary purchase!  And all proceeds help to fund this not-for-profit center.

Cabo San Luca/Blown Glass Factory:

The pile of glass to be blown into lovely art.

I have spent a week in Cabo San Luca. So when we were there on the cruise I wanted to do some touring. I am so glad we did. We had the chance to visit the Blown Glass Factory. What a delightful and beautiful spot! Besides helping the environment by using recycled glass to make their lovely objects, the building itself is a glass gem! Just walking though and looking at the ceiling, the glass art and the objects for sale is a joy. We got to see two artisans make a whale, and we learned how the glass factory came to be. We are going back to Cabo in January. I plan to visit again and this time buy something to take home!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xihuacan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textiles_of_Oaxaca

Our Mayan Adventures Continue
Finding Salamanders and Relaxing in the Black Forest
A Hudson County Embroidery Shop Started My Dad’s Career

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Technology Equals No Division

17 Jul

I had the most pleasant dinner with my husband and siblings in a restaurant in Montclair, NJ. The food, fish for all of us and ice cream and sorbet for dessert was delightful. We chatted and ate and visited and finally were ready to leave.

I have to admit that perhaps we asked for too much. We wanted to divide the check so that my husband and I paid half and my siblings each paid a quarter of the bill. The waitress said it was fine. And so we gave her three credit cards and waited. And waited. And waited. I should have known something was not working out.

Our bill for four people was $129.02. She came back with my credit card and a receipt for $86. She then was going to divide the $43.02 between my siblings. I was astounded that she did not even realize that this was not divided in HALF. It was two-thirds and a third, but definitely not half. $86 and $43 are NOT equal!

I went up with my receipts to speak to her while she was running the other cards. I politely said, “Wait. This is not right. $86 Is not half of $129.02.”

She was not convinced. “Are you sure? I have to get my manager,” she told me as she hustled away with a dazed look on her face.

A few minutes later the manager came. “How cam I help? ” He was pleasant.

“This is wrong. $86 is not half of $129.02. ” I told him. I was sure he would understand. But no such luck. “You asked for half on one card and the rest divided between those two!” He told me.

“Yes half. $86 is not half of $129.02. Half of $130 is $65. This is wrong.” I started doing the math, the division on a piece of paper. I showed him the math. But that was not what he needed. I offered to show him on my phone calculator. But no. He had a calculator that he pulled out.

He typed in 1292. No I said. You need a decimal. It is 129.02. He might have been anxious at this point. I noticed my siblings laughing and looking at me. I was getting exasperated. And I now was in teacher mode. I had taught at a high school. There is a definite teacher voice and look that can come over me.

In any case he correctly typed in 129.02 and divided by 2. 64.51 was the number it read. “You are right,” he admitted. “I am sorry. I will fix it. ”

I wanted to make it easy. I wanted him to credit my sister’s account and just put the rest on my card, the other $43.02. We would sort it out later. But that was too much as well. He ended up crediting my account and my sister’s. He ran a new receipt putting all the money on mine. I paid , added tip and we settled up.

My siblings laughed all the way to the car. They knew I was frustrated, they told me that the look of our mother came over me as I tried to explain the math to the manager. Mom taught fourth grade for 30 years.

“I just can’t understand how the waitress and the manager did not see that $86 was not half. $43 and $86 are not equal. Did they not understand half, divide by two,” I was still frustrated.

I was concerned that they did not believe my division that I did on paper. They would only believe a calculator. I felt like I was in a science fiction novel that I had read years ago where a boy who could do math in his head was considered a genius because everyone else HAD to use a calculator!

I am worried Technology is destroying the ability to calculate math in our brains.

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Wonderful Wisconsin Weekend

27 Oct

In May friends of ours drove from Wisconsin to Kansas for a long weekend visit.  While they were here, we promised to return the favor and spend a weekend with them in October.  We try to keep our promises, so we got into our car and drove the 8 hours to see them. A wonderful weekend in Wisconsin ensued.

We packed a lot into our short time there.  First stop was the International Crane Foundation and its Cranes of the World exhibit in Baraboo, Wisconsin.  I had no idea that most types of cranes are found in Asia.  But now I know. We saw 15 varieties of cranes in areas designed to match their natural habitat.  Each setting had a small pond and marsh area. 

International Crane Exhibits. The Senbazuru crane sculpture.

The cranes range in size from majestic to small.  A pair of cranes were housed in each site that were accessible on a lovely pathway.  Besides the area devoted to the cranes, there were also walking nature paths through a meadow planted with native plants and grasses that attracts butterflies and birds.

We spent two hours enjoying the nice weather, the lovely cranes and the other sites like the Zen Garden and the Prayer Wheels.  My favorite was the Senbazuru sculpture of 1000 colorful cranes made to look like origami cranes.  I am glad we went when we did, as the Center is open only from May 1 through October 31.  I encourage anyone who can to visit it next year!

After a stop for lunch, we continued our journey of discovery by visiting artists who were part of the Fall Art Tour.  We visited four artists who were located in either Baraboo or Spring Green, Wisconsin.  I wish we could have visited every one of the two dozen artists, but that was impossible.  However, I will say that my friend and I did as much as we could to support the artists we did visit.

We love botanical gardens and try to visit one wherever we go.   Thus, next on our list of places to go was the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin.  LOVELY.  I was impressed by the Thai Pavilion and garden.  As we walked throughout the gardens, there was beautiful greenery and flowers everywhere and having a river run through it added to the serene scenery and wonderful atmosphere. 

A walk through the giant green house, known as the Bolz Conservatiory, provided us with a view of wonderful tropical plants including a large variety of orchids, and an not-yet blooming corpse plant, was exciting.  When we entered the greenhouse, there were volunteers offering us a free plant, that we could put into a pot to take away.  Of course my friend and I each needed a plant.

When I say large, I mean large.  The Bolz Conservatory is 100 feet by 100 feet by 50 feet high.  Photos do not do it justice.  It holds almost 500 plants!

Another favorite for us when we join our friends is to taste wine. In fact, when they visited us in May we took them to a wine tasting at our arboretum, combining two enjoyable events in one.  They took us to a winery on the same day as the botanical gardens, so that counts!

We went to Drumlin Ridge Winery in Waunakee, Wisconsin.  There each of us could order a flight of 3 or 6 wines to taste along with a small plate of food.  We each chose three wines.  I like whites and rose, so I tasted the Edelweiss 2019, Drumlin Sunset and Marechal Foch Rose.  The Edelwiess was my favorite and second was the Marechal Foch Rose.  We ordered mixed nuts and pizza and a cheese board for them, while I had a soft Bavarian Pretzel.   Yes, I know pretzels really go with beer, but for me a soft pretzel goes with everything.  And I did snack on some nuts….especially the cashews.

Our final stop was the University of Wisconsin Campus for a snack while we sat along the lake front.  It was a quick and exciting three-night visit.  But I think we saw some of the wonderful highlights to be seen in the Madison/Middleton area of Wisconsin during our wonderful Wisconsin weekend.

Saving Cranes and the Places Where Cranes Dance

http://www.olbrich.org/visit/

https://www.drumlinridgewinery.com/

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Downsizing After 35 Years

5 Mar

It has been a wacky five weeks in my life, which has left me without the energy to write. But finally, I think I can articulate my mixed-up emotions. We are moving. Leaving the only house we ever owned. Leaving the house that we brought both our children home to. Leaving the neighborhood we have lived in for 35 years.

And it is my fault!

I told my husband several years ago that we needed a smaller home. We needed to be living on one level. That he needed to stop mowing the lawn, raking leaves and shoveling snow. It was part of my wise aging plan, we would chose! Last summer he acquiesced. In August I started the search for a reverse 1 1/2 story that had some maintenance free accommodations. At the end of a January I found the house.

Bringing my husband to see it when he was not feeling well might not have been fair as he lay on the floor of the empty great room and told me if I love it get it. But I took him at his word. Also he knew I had seen a multitude of homes before getting that feeling of home I felt in this one.

The house became ours on March 2. Before that was inspections, arrangements for buying, and me coming down with the flu even though I had the flu shot this year as always. The flu for me is always horrific! And this was the same. Five days of fever was followed by an unhappy asthma attack. I have basically been feeling ill for over three weeks. But a second round of steroids seems to have finally moved me forward from my malaise.

But all this has been happening as I started packing for the move while I, along with my husband and children began sorting through the shrines of this home and discarding pieces of the past. My son comes when he is not working to clean out his room and his stored items in the basement. He and his girlfriend are also searching to buy a home. They will take some of the furniture and items that are not moving to our new home.

What my current house looks like

My daughter, who lives overseas with her husband, surprised us on her birthday showing us her ticket home. She arrived two days later for 8 days of intensive sorting. She and I went through our immense library of books, taking just 40-45 boxes and leaving the rest behind.

My children and I went through the house with different color tape as we chose art work. I had first choice, but then they chose what they liked. My heart swelled as the amicably made their selections. I thought how happy I was to do this with them while I was alive and could see what they liked and how well they got along. That is a parents joy. And after cleaning out my parents’ homes after they died, I was determined to make it easier for my children!

At the same time, we were finding paint samples, running to plumbing stores and remodeling companies as we planned the updates in the new home. And I was still dealing with my asthma. I think I was in a state of suspended reality the entire time. She also packed up her entire room, while also ridding it of the residue of her 34 years. She came with three empty suitcases that flew back across the Atlantic and Mediterranean filled with pieces of her life. When she left, I felt a bit bereft, but thankful she came.

But finally this morning I woke up after sleeping an entire seven hours feeling like I could really breathe! Our new house has a swarm of workers busily updating. Yesterday nine people were painting, hammering, removing, and updating. And with the painters painting away, new hardwood floors are being installed, the electrician fixing all the issues, the plumber ready to come, the alarm company updating, the tree service and roofer and gardener all set up, I can relax. All I have left to do is to keep packing and sorting. I honestly cannot have an outside company pack. Downsizing means things have got to GO!

Pre work great room
Carpeting gone.
Floor going in.
You can see the new color off to the left!

However, I have to admit one more event probably eased my anxiety. I was supposed to go on a mission to Europe with a group. I did not fear getting ill, but the timing was so bad with the move less than a month away. And I would be gone a week as the remodeling continues. I woke up at 4 am each morning uneasy. Going through all that still needed to be done at home, while at the same time trying to get my work completed at my job. High anxiety on top of excitement. On top of trying to breathe. But yesterday the trip was postponed due to the Corona virus. It actually is a relief!

I am thankful for my friends and family who have pitched in to help! Our realtor, who has been in our lives for over 25 years, has gone beyond her role to help me in the remodeling. My walking artist buddy has Helped me chose colors. My son’s girlfriend, with her great mind for detail, was with me during the inspections. Offers of help to pack. Allowing me to put some of our extra trash in their garbage cans for pickup. Looking through things as I try to decide what to keep. And being there. My husband and I are blessed with family and friends.

Some give away stories. My daughter and I found a box of remnants from my son’s bar mitzvah. Kelly green visors with the word celebrate imprinted. We first thought trash. But then I thought friend. My walking buddy teaches catechism at her granddaughters’ school. Would they like 100 Kelly green visors for St Patrick’s Day. They are donated and at the school ready. And our 100 extra Kippur from our children’s b’nai mitzvot and friends’ life cycle events are at our synagogue in the kippa box where they are being used for services. Other items are also finding new homes. Sleeping bags we no longer use are going to the homeless through a friend’s church ministry. A Halloween ceramic plate is going to a friend who loves that holiday. And my daughter’s 25 year old Barbie camper is going to a friend so her two granddaughters can play with it. I love seeing our cherished items get a second life!

But most of all, for me, I am happy that I finally had the energy to write.

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Discovering My Amsterdam Heritage in Amsterdam

26 Aug

Amsterdam has been the destination my heart has yearned to visit. My Grandfather’s last name was Amsterdam. We know his family moved from Spain to Portugal to Amsterdam to Poland where his family got the last name Amsterdam while others became Hollanders. So I always wanted to see where my family found safety. (I have written about this in the blog below.)

My first connection came unexpectedly. We first toured the Anne Frank House, which was of course heartbreaking to know how close they came to survival. But while there I noticed something I never realized. Anne’s mother’s maiden name was Hollander. I had an Oy vey moment. I knew that Anne Frank and my mom were both born in 1929. But now there was the connection in name. Could we possibly have been distantly related? My horror was multiplied. I have already found so many of my family murdered in the Shoah. (See blog below.)

Then while taking a canal tour we rode past the new town hall and ballet. We were told that the old Jewish Section of town was razed to build this and there was a community outcry. But it still happened. As we rode past I saw a black monolith with Hebrew inscribed in gold. I knew I would be back.

The next morning my husband and I took the 14 tram to the Portuguese Synagogue. We walked around the area. It was not open yet, so we could not go inside. But I assume this is where my family worshipped after their arrival in Holland. I saw the outside of the Jewish Museum. I need to go back to visit these sites in he future.

In front of the Synagogue was a statute with the date February 25, 1941. On this date was major strike started against the Nazis because of the roundup of Jewish citizens. The Germans were harsh in stopping the strike. Many would died and be deported. It was my first reminder of the Shoah.

But my focus was on finding the monolith. My husband and I started walking the almost mile to the Town Hall. Along the way I saw my first stolperstein, golden stones, in front of a home listing the Holocaust victims. I knew they existed but had never seen them before outside of photos. It was another ache to the heart.

We continued our walk until we found the monolith on the edge of the land overlooking the canal. The black monolith commemorating those who died. Again I thought of all who found safety there in the 1600s but could not find it in the 1900s. I have to be honest, it reminded me of the giant black monolith of “2001 A Space Odyssey ” indicating great change. The change here was the decimation of the Jewish community.

A short walk away from the monolith was a statute in honor of Spinoza, who was born in Amsterdam at this location. I was surprised to find it here, although I know his history. There was a plaque nearby that discussed Spinoza’s impact on ethics and philosophy.

My desire to discover my Amsterdam heritage in Amsterdam was not totally quenched. I will need to go back to the Synagogue and museum another time. But I still feel closer to my family history.

https://zicharonot.com/2014/06/09/as-spain-welcomes-back-jews-expelled-in-the-1400s-i-share-my-spanish-roots/

https://zicharonot.com/2018/06/07/the-sorrow-of-shalom-hollander/

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Halvah, My Favorite Childhood Treat

26 Dec

Sometimes walking through a store brings back a memory. It happened to me today. One minute I was walking through a grocery store in Holon, Israel, with my daughter. And in an instant I was transported back in time and place. I was in my grandparents’ bakery in West New York, New Jersey.

I am sitting at the counter while my grandparents work. In front of me are three large rectangles of a most delicious treat, halvah. My favorite, marble halvah, is in the middle. And I so want to eat some of this sesame and sugar delight. My grandmother sees me sitting there. “Just take a small piece,” she says. And I do. I carry the love of halvah with me till now.

After some weekend visits, Grandma would send a half-inch slice home with me. My father and I were the biggest halvah fans. We would savor that slice, trying to make it last for a week. A feat that was a bit difficult to achieve!

After my grandparents closed their bakery to retire, my Dad would go to the local deli to buy halvah to satisfy our family’s cravings. My sister also loved the marble halvah. She remembers, “The halvah from the deli came wrapped in wax paper inside the white deli paper, like how lox came. I think because of the innate oiliness.”

In the summertime we could always get halvah at the bakery in Monticello or the deli. Halvah was always part of our life. But moving to the Midwest took me away from this treat.

In Kansas I never see full chunks of halvah. If I am lucky I find packaged process halvah By ‘Joyva’. However it is not the same. I have not tasted this treat in at least four years, since I don’t like the taste of the processed packaged squares of what should be a delectable treat that melts in my mouth.

The sign says “Halvah and sweets.”

But there in the large supermarket, Hetzi Hinam, was an entire counter of halvah with many different flavors. It called out to me. It took me back in time. I craved it. My daughter told me to get some. But I decided no, I just took a picture. I have been regretting that decision since we came home.

I have been going through every instance of halvah memory when I was denied my treat. When my husband, then fiancée, and I were in school, I kept my halvah in his refrigerator wrapped in a plastic bag with a handwritten sign saying this was mine, “Do Not Eat”. I would bring the halvah back from New Jersey to Missouri for those moments when I really needed cheering up. You can imagine my furious anger when I found out my husband’s roommate, David, ate my halvah without my permission. Let’s just say he never did that again.

My disappointment that day was overwhelming, I can still feel my anger even now 40 years later. So although my angst is not that bad today, I keep thinking, why. Why did I deny myself this treat? I could have purchased just a small chunk. But I said no.

Part of it, I think, is that I have such high expectations of halvah. I know what I remember it should taste like. But after eating those packaged chunks I have been disappointed. So I think seeing all those lovely rectangles made me a bit afraid. What if this halvah’s taste did not match my memory?

When I had it four years ago, I also purchased it in Israel. My daughter was living in Tel Aviv then, and I purchased a piece at a little shop. It was delicious. Perhaps my fears are unfounded. I should have purchased some! I could be eating a piece right now!

Instead I am here writing about halvah, remembering the taste, and wishing I had purchased just a bit of my favorite childhood treat.

Perhaps we can go back or find another store!

For those who wonder, according to Wikipedia, “The word halva entered the English language between 1840 and 1850 from the Yiddish halva(Hebrew: חלווה‎), which came from the Turkish helva (حلوا), itself ultimately derived from the Arabic: حلوى‎ ḥalwá, a sweet confection .“

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