VAN GOGH INSPIRATION

I am fortunate to have had some diverse exposure to Vincent Van Gogh's painting. He has often been in the collections and exhibits that I choose to look at. His work is also propogated in many forms, and most recently I found a number of quotes with a painting matching the background and font colour that is part of a complementary pairing that I enjoy seeing repeated in so many of his works.

Today, I watched a film, hand painted by a hundred painters, that brought his death to life. It was at time's childish in precision, but powerful in its execution of drawing me in to places and paintings I had seen. There are characters brought to life from his portraits. There are places you walk into. There are rooms you already know, and others that you believe you have seen before. And then there are the fields of gold, and the starry night, with their vibrant colours and believable movement, now animated, as if they were meant to be all along.

I hadn't realized how late Vincent had come to painting, and how short his prolific career was. Starting at 28, he had 9 years to paint 900 paintings. He wrote daily letters to his brother Theo, who died of tertiary syphilis within months of Vincent's death, that was argued as an accidental death brilliantly, even though it has been largely accepted, with his own confession, of self-harm, and the septic death that was typical post trauma in the era before antibiotics.

SKI TRIP TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE

 February 12 

Storm Mia coming from US 

We still show up - each individually. Strangely, we all ski together. We mixed up and call out for each other, staying as a pack.

I feel like a dolt, only once coming second last; all the other runs I am last. I lose my pole, crash into a seat mate, almost miss the chair, forget to lift my feet, lower my  poles , sit in the right sport. This all related to chairlifts.

I relearn to bend forward into my boots, point my navel downhill, hold my poles out like a shopping cart. I enjoy turning and following the ups and downs. I try and get off icy slopes and avoid snowjets. I learn the zen of skiing in trees - don’t think of the trees, but following the white space between (even around the trees). I learn tips to survive a fall from a chairlift. Turn downhill to ski down a slope. Don’t lift the bar - use it to hang off of to get closer to the ground. Put both feet in your snowboard. Let go of your poles first.

Driving up, I was feeling lonely but I had a great playlist and I was singing along by the 5th song. 

I felt validated when the crew waited for me. The first run they thought I’d gone the wrong way, and were chasing after another girl in pink when I caught up with. N waited for me at the top of the hill, but had I followed, I would have been on a double diamond. The Northside was the best, and we took the black Jasey Jay with good views. It was icy, but for another another. La Griffe is apparently the best views.

At the end, I went off too soon and walked down the street instead of skiing the last of the route ( at least two bridges). I realized then that N gaslights. Who is -9678? Weren’t you at that supper party? I didn’t know you were here.

But he looks at me when JM gives him advice about kids. Texts when I am lost. Waves me to the group waiting to take the lift. 

I want him to want me. I want him to choose me. I want to him to tell me how he feels. Tell that story again because it gives me such great pleasure to hear it. I want to have inside jokes (What took you so long? Did you see that black bear!?) I want his company for the drive. I want to know his body and he mine. I want to know why he loves this song.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY PACKAGE

Chocolate, scarf, necklace

Massage roller, glowsticks, beach coverup, soap, cream, bracelet, DVD

KIRBY'S MACARONS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

My daughter and I have been a little obsessed with Nerdy Nummies over the years. We own both of Rosanna's cookbooks, and love recreating her recipes. Here was this year's attempt at her macaron. I like the way the foot turned out. She gives clear instructions on how to achieve this here.

The important things to remember are:
Room temperature eggs
Beat them for longer than you think - she swears by 8 minutes
Sift your almond meal
Leave to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
Take them out just before they change colour. White is the toughest colour. These were too brown.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's the year of the Boar, and that's auspicious for me! So it was great to celebrate with friends and make dumplings with 8 treasure tea. We finished the second season of The Crown, and Princess Pirate made some impressive dumplings!

A plentiful table

Steamed naked dumplings

Steamed dumplings

Fried dumplings

Clockwise from 12 oclock: red date, dried longan (dragon eye), goji berries, ginseng,  rosebuds, chrysanthemum bud,(centre) rock sugar
We counted multiple times, and only had 7 treasures. Then we realized the 8th.

8 Treasures - Just pour in the Jasmine green tea!

SECOND IMPRESSIONS

When I first heard of Lady Gaga, she seemed like a character and not a real person. I didn't like her  songs (lyrics of blatant drunkenness and gratuitous sex) and her persona was so provocative that it reminded me, unfortunately, of Madonna from my growing up years. Her trajectory of provocation didn't interest me at all. I disliked my young daughter singing the refrain of Poker Face. Then I saw a video of her on a radio show.

I couldn't find the video, and I'm not even entirely sure what song she played. She sat at a keyboard. She was absorbed in her playing. This was the era where she would dress with Ascot hats and Japanese geisha lips. But despite her carefully crafted appearance, when she began to play, her talent was raw and humble. She was entrancing. She was a natural performer, with nimble fingers, and she slowly built up the acoustics. Then she started to sing, and her voice was more powerful than her melody. By the end of performance, she was playing with her feet. It exceeded all expectations and was a testiment to her incredible skill. But that moment was a culmination of years of planning, hard work, and passion. From that moment on, based on my second impression, I have been blown away by her work.

This is not that song, but the drama is similar: Paparazzi

I haven't seen her in the movie A Star is Born, but the videos of the songs sure look like it might be worth a watch. Here is my favorite dramatic moment: Shallow. Even if you don't buy her nerves, watch her break out that all star voice. I don't think Bradley Cooper has to act out his pride and joy at that moment. Kudos to you, Gaga! You earn every performance.

So, as much as I am a big believer in first impressions often being the truest one, it is fun when it takes a second impression to really knock your socks off.