The Red Studio is a fascinating exhibit. Seeing Matisse’s painting of his studio with the deep red background and then seeing many of the actual paintings and other works depicted there right in the MOMA gallery was somewhat mind-blowing. The explanations (they were more than just labels) provided the locale for each work and some details on what Matisse was looking at or doing in the art. It’s one of the best art exhibits I’ve been to in a long time. Sheer pleasure!
Cyclamen, 1911
Large Red Interior, 1948
The Blue Window, 1913
EASY READING
The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor–the Truth and the Turmoil by Tina Brown
If you want all the juicy details of the past twenty years of the British royal family, then Tina Brown’s latest work is for you. In The Palace Papers, no one, except perhaps the Queen herself, is left unscathed. Many readers will be very familiar with Princess Diana’s history, but this book provides much in the way of backstories on Camilla, Prince Andrew, Prince William, and Kate, and more about Prince Harry and Meghan than has appeared in the American press.
As a Brit and someone who has covered and spent time with some of these royals, Brown is overall fair and balanced in her account. It’s a long book, but I was quickly immersed in it for several days.
This three-part historical series is about another scandalous divorce, this one that of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll. Margaret Campbell was Duke Ian Campbell’s third wife. Their marriage was a tumultuous one to say the least. Margaret liked the company of men, lots of men, and may have had affairs with many of them. Ian was volatile, physically aggressive, short of cash, and probably also adulterous.
The real Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (National Portrait Gallery)
Their divorce trial in 1963 was a scandal more for what it revealed, or at least presented as truth, about Margaret Campbell. Neither character is likable, but Claire Foy is excellent as the wife and a far cry from who she was as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown.
Note: Photos by JWFarrington. Header photo is Matisse’s Still Life with Geraniums.
This has been a dramatic week with the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion upending Roe v. Wade. For many of us who were of age in 1973, contemplating a return to when abortion is no longer a legal right/option is positively medieval. It feels so very wrong. Pro-choice protests erupted in cities near and far. This one we noted in Union Square.
Union Square protesters
FUN WITH KIDS IN THE KITCHEN
Our granddaughters have both developed an interest in cooking and baking. After school one afternoon, the 6-year-old and I, at her request, made mini-muffin pancake bites from the latest issue of Highlights High Five. F knew where all the necessary ingredients were along with the essential mixing bowl, measuring cups, and muffin tin. She scurried around to assemble them and kept a close eye on the oven gauge as it proceeded to preheat to 350.
As we began the mixing process, she reported every few minutes, “It’s at 350 Fahrenheit, Grandma,” and then, “It’s still at 350 Fahrenheit,” always precisely including the word Fahrenheit. The mini muffins use pancake mix as the base with the addition of the requisite milk and eggs and then some cut up blueberries and strawberries. Once baked, they were served with maple syrup for dipping. A sweet success!
Mini-muffin bites
Her older sister, E is becoming an accomplished cook. Her current bible is Melissa Clark’s Kid in the Kitchen, and she has already tried several recipes. The other evening, she boiled the pasta and made a sauce of cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and slivers of garlic. After adding the sauce to the pasta, it was topped with dollops of ricotta cheese along with fresh basil and mint. Delectable and a pretty dish besides! The Chief Penguin and I were eager tasters for both creations!
Fusilli with cherry tomato sauce & fresh basil and mint
Seamore’s on the Upper East Side is the newest location of a local restaurant chain. It’s an airy, two-level space with white walls and light wood tables. A blackboard on one wall outlines the shape and characteristics of some of the fish they serve. Once we were seated at a fine table (we rejected the hostess’ initial attempt to seat us in the back next to the restrooms), we were pleased with our friendly waitress and the very good service.
Since we’d had a large lunch, we stuck to the smaller items on the menu. Between us ordered the fried cauliflower appetizer, clam chowder, and the shrimp tacos on corn tortillas. A place to return to with an appetite!
Friends introduced us to this upscale Greek seafood and fish restaurant. It has one of the most beautiful outside dining areas. Inside is an expansive two-level space with lots of activity and noise on the main bar level. Fortunately, we were seated downstairs where the tables were set apart, and we could easily converse.
Whole fish is their specialty, and the prices reflect that. We shared a bunch of appetizers: zucchini chips, spreads, and hummus, and we all ordered the fish of the day which was fillets of dorade accompanied by roasted Brussels sprouts. Everything was delicious. This is a great place for special occasions and expense account dining!
Disappointing Reprise
Tue Thai Food used to be a favorite West Village spot for an inexpensive lunch. We hadn’t been back since pre-Covid and were desirous of the same good food. This time the curries were thin and watery and somewhat bland, while the whole ambience was shabbier than we remembered. We wonder if they have a new chef or if a lack of business has made them lax.
After our abbreviated visit in December, we’re back in Manhattan for several weeks. Being here this time of year is a tradition, and we always anticipate the colorful tulips along Park Avenue, in Jefferson Garden, and in small beds encircling sidewalk trees. Despite cold and extremely windy weather, there were tulips in bloom, and even some that hadn’t yet been blown apart. And we spied some bright daffodils. It felt more like brisk March than almost May, making me very grateful for my down jacket and several layers of fleece.
Daffodils on a Manhattan street
Our first night’s dinner is always at Sel et Poivre, a cozy French restaurant on Lexington. The Chief Penguin orders his favorite Manhattan (we are in Manhattan after all) and I a glass of Chardonnay. The prix fixe menu is still a good deal, and he went for the green bean salad, roast chicken, and, of course, profiteroles. This time I opted for simplicity with the chicken paillard accompanied by dressed greens and fries. Then I tacked on a scoop of raspberry sorbet with chocolate sauce! This was the perfect ending to a trip that began in 80+ Sarasota and ended in chilly New York.
HOLBEIN: AN ART LOLLIPOP
Erasmus of Rotterdam
One of the several current exhibits at the Morgan Library is Holbein the Younger’s works and it’s appropriately called, Capturing Character. Hans Holbein excelled at expressive portraits of noted figures of the day such as Erasmus. He also painted merchants, members of the Hanseatic League, and other upper-class men and women. Active in the early 1500’s, he also produced drawings for early books, images for jewelry, and rondels for society’s elite.
Two of Holbein’s contemporaries are also included, Jan Gossaert and Quentin Metsys. The real treat for me was seeing up close Holbein’s portrait of Sir Thomas More, previously viewed at the Frick Collection, but from a greater distance. Here, one really appreciates Holbein’s depiction of facial expression and the rich colors of clothing and drapery.
Simon George by Holbein ca. 1535-40
FASCINATING NOVEL: THE SHAPE OF DNA
Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
Marie Benedict specializes in historical fiction about under-appreciated and overlooked talented women. This latest novel, Her Hidden Genius, is a fascinating account of scientist Rosalind Franklin’s career. She leaves her job studying the properties of coal in an English lab for a position in Paris. There she gains high praise and respect for her skill and aptitude in using X-ray crystallography to see patterns and shapes others don’t. Her parents don’t fully understand or appreciate her chosen path of career instead of marriage and, partly due to their pressure, she returns to her native England.
Suffice it to say that this British lab is very male and highly competitive. The work she now undertakes on the structure of DNA puts her in contention with Watson and Crick. Benedict’s novel paints a picture not only of scientific rivalries, but also of the dismissive and discriminative treatment of women during the 1950’s. Only years after her death did Dr. Franklin begin to get the recognition she deserved. A good read!
I faithfully read several newspapers every morning. The war and devastation in Ukraine are heartbreaking. I am also upset and angered by the power-grabbing actions of our state governor. For diversion, I turn to solid TV drama and well-written literature. Here is what I’ve delved into most recently.
There are so many aspects of this series I like that I almost don’t know where to start. First, it’s set in London and filmed in the affluent Chelsea neighborhood. Second, the main characters are colleagues in the best sense of the word and like each other. It’s a series with warmth and some humor as we see the home lives of several of them. Third, the cases they are confronted with, murder generally, are complex and involve multiple leads and dead ends.
Max Arnold, detective chief inspector, lives on a houseboat and has recently parted ways with his girlfriend Astrid. His house is messy, but his approach to a case and his work desk are neat and orderly. Priya Shamsie, another detective and his sidekick, is adapting to being a new mother while still loving the job she does very well. Connor and Jess, two detective constables, round out the team along with Ashley Wilton, the pathologist. What is noteworthy about Ashley (played by Sophie Stone) is that she is a deaf person in the role of a deaf pathologist. There are only 4 episodes in Season 1, but each is 90 minutes long. No definitive word yet on a second season. Highly recommended!
FLORIDA CRACKERS—HISTORICAL NOVEL
A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith
Published in 1984, Smith’s A Land Remembered, is set in Florida. It spans a hundred years from near the end of the Civil War to 1968 and follows three generations of the McIvey family as they settle the land, raise cattle, plant orange groves, and more. Early cattle ranchers were called Florida crackers after the sound of the whips as they drove their cattle long distances to market. The patriarch, Tobias, came from Georgia to Florida in the late 1850’s with his wife Emma and his infant son, Zech. Wild cattle roamed freely, land was there for the taking, and despite battling weather and outlaws, Tobias and his family were successful.
Zech and his son Solomon eventually traded cattle for oranges and real estate and Sol became very wealthy. The novel is both a family saga and a history of early Florida and its transformation from open land to fenced ranches to hotels and high rises on the coast. As a somewhat recent transplant to Florida, I appreciated this history through fiction. It was the April selection for my local book group and received positive reviews from the members.
SLICE OF BOSTON—CONTEMPORARY NOVEL
Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh
Author Haigh (living concord.com)
Jennifer Haigh is an author whose work I have enjoyed and admired. Her earlier novels include Mrs. Kimble, The Condition, and Baker Towers, and often deal with controversial or contentious issues. Mercy Streetis no exception. In exquisitely detailed prose, Haigh creates a Boston that is gritty and grotty and locked into an unending winter with nor’easter after nor’easter. The focus is on an abortion clinic on Mercy Street—its staff, the protestors, and others connected to them or it in some way.
Claudia, a social worker, who has been on the clinic staff for ten years, is the main character. Divorced and stressed by her job, she seeks solace and companionship from Timmy, a childhood friend and now her source of pot. There are regular protestors outside the clinic every day. Anthony comes daily to photograph patients entering and leaving and then shares them online with Victor, an antiabortion activist who compiles them on a website.
Apart from Claudia, most of these people I would never associate with nor have any desire to meet. As the novel progressed, I kept expecting a tragic event. Instead, what Haigh delivers is more a study in humanity. While detached, she treats her characters, all of whom have been disadvantaged or treated badly earlier in life, kindly. With its unexpected ending, I feel as if I should go back and re-read this timely novel from beginning to end. (~JWFarrington)
