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…SO THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS…
Okay. In keeping with the design of countless blog layouts, many of you were asking why I don’t offer more “personalized” space to describe who/what I am, or rather what I like/dislike. So in keeping with that theme, here is a sampling of what “tangible, things,” I like…or err, rather dislike…

To start, there’s…

Cultural Enrichment
Language, culture, art, and dining immersion, preferably in a culture other than one’s own (albeit for “experiences” outside the box). How else shall one completely immerse, learn and understand others, unlike ourselves? What’s the polar opposite of a xenophobe? That’s ME!

Central Park/Being in Nature
Rowing, biking, walking, dining, and lounging in Central Park. Walking or hiking in the woods and actually hearing your foot steps, virtually anywhere on the planet to regain, reset the mind…BREATHE!

Antiquing/Treasure Hunting/Window Shopping/Browsing/Impromptu Auctions…
on Portobello Road/Nottingham. Cold Spring’s famous Main Street. Hudson, NY’s unofficial art scene. Strolling Ile de la Cite, or just browsing old Mom & Pop shoppes around the globe, even if true knick knacks are on the shelves. Where else does one find truly authentic Grandmother’s treasures?

Farmer’s Markets
esp. Union Square. Daisy Hill Farm (those precious farm animals are really untouched and live happily amid organic herb and vegetable gardens) or anywhere where we’re traveling that offers street-side farm stalls, fresh foods, just ripe for the day.

Preparing Organic Foods
Cooking/preparing farm fresh organic foods at home, preferably from the Union Sq. mkt or local farmer’s markets. No additives, preservatives, hormones or pesticides. Just pure whole foods.

Reading…
the complete Sunday Times hard copies only – not online edition – at least once per week in pj’s or outdoors, especially for enjoyment a complete work from beginning to end (when life actually affords the time).

Interior Design
Planning for yet another home renovation here or abroad or wherever “home” presently is….Browsing the shoppes w/Steven for those hard-to-find must-haves for interior inspiration. Perusing Designer Show Houses, especially of the UES, where inspiration is exactly like ART, completely opportunistic, inspirational, subjective but truly breath taking. Thank you especially to our wonderful, genius-friend and architect Kate Foster, AIA for her enlightenment.

Connecting with Others
Making real, meaningful connections with family and friends or complete strangers (when appropriate). Volunteering my time. Sharing and truly giving to others.

Planning…
for the future (for a mini-break) or longer holiday preferably AWAY from my element.

Museums
Going to special exhibits doing the usual museum-hopping here and abroad, just seeing the same collections over and over again with a new frame of mind. My ultimate favorite institutions renew the spirit into realizing, we are not here alone.

Global Travel and Exploration
…to the farthest reaches on the planet…as far as it’ll take me. The best experiences – thus far – have usually been to places completely unfamiliar and far removed from my environment, my element.

Experimental Dining
Think Anthony Bourdain NOT Andrew Zimmern. Yum! Yum!

Indie Films
without a Hollywood ending.

Yoga
[when I’m not feeling too fat,] but to totally immerse and mesh both mind, spirit and body for the renewal of your soul.

Taking the Pressure Off
Being home without obligation or pressure to do anything…ideally sipping a cup of fresh mint tea underneath a blanket with a good book while soothing music and the fireplace are illuminated in the background. Ah! EXHALE!

Ah! The season’s first snow fall. Here I am last Dec 2007 in front of our row of spruce trees along the property. Nothing beats the anticipation of a snow day when the season begins with that first snow fall.

TRAVEL

Of course, maggiesmusings wouldn’t exist if I didn’t include my travel journals. So TRAVEL it is, ranked well above many untangibles, like health and wellness.

Here is an interesting angle taken on approach on a BA flight from Marrakech to Heathrow last Spring. The sillouette of the A320 shadow seems to overcome the land below, but I find it very poetic.

Travel is exploration. Discovery. Just immersing in a culture other than one’s own is reason enough to get off my XXX to learn another language, food and people away from “my element.”

CHOCOLATES, CHOCOLATES, CHOCOLATES in any shape or form, especially found at our old neighborhood haunt, La Maison du Chocolat for pure indulgence and our very own Willy-Wonka world, even if I can only have it s-p-a-r-i-n-g-l-y: hot cocoa, ganache, truffles, chocolate gelato, choco/espresso beans. Shall I go on? Life diets can be so cruel.

LANGUAGE IMMERSION.
Forget our attempts with Berlitz, if not for frequent trips abroad to at least remember or hear some languages other than English, especially the romance Latin-based languages — forget my own undergrad Francaise pour le deux annee, I must say or high school Espanol por tres anos — and other foreign languages, even in the City I am surrounded by varying native tongues, but to really immerse yourself to become and stay fluent you would either have to speak it frequently or live where it is widely spoken.

While abroad if we don’t already speak the local language, we always try to learn basic conversational, key phrases before we arrive – albeit for survival purposes (cannot wholly rely on your host or tour guide), but to completely immerse in a culture other than your own, one MUST connect through language, and time-tested it has offered us so much more when we can communicate in local tongues, despite some mispronunciations. Our efforts to learn never go unnoticed or appreciated.

It is the newly expanded library selections from Rosetta Stone that will help catapult my deficient language skills to the forefront, perfect to begin the series in the Americas and work our way across the Pacific for Mandarin (our next course) and possibly Russian in preparation to St. Petersburg. Rosetta Stone is a whole ‘nother ballgame and worth trying.

Here’s Espanol por Latin America – the more widely accepted form of Espanol – compared to Le Espana edition.

LANDSCAPE OIL
Here’s one of my works as it hangs in our family home. Even I was surprised to see that I found a medium — so OIL it is — that works without much training, so I’ve been told. I’ve been studying under the tutelage of Renee Smith at the Katonah Art Center and Anderson Chase Gallery and have gained insight to the mysterious world of oils. Once this site gets up and running. I’ll create a separate page exclusively for my current works.

Here’s my very first attempt with oil.
Timidly, I hesistated with oil given its unyielding reputation as “difficult,” so I had low expectations. Low and behold, I must’ve awakened the artist in me because after I completed this work, both my mentor and teacher together commended this work as “beyond their expectations,” for a first session beginner student. No padding on my back just yet. Have much to learn, including some battling with “function, mixing colors, and final products.” My classmates can attest to some “battling” over technique. Oh well. I am THE STUDENT, so TEACH me.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE TOP BOOKS
So I can probably only list a handful, but for those that I can think off the top of my head, there’s:

“Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies,” Jared M. Diamond
Non-fiction
I consider this a must-read. I actually found this title in a run-down bookstore, Hudson News at the old American Airlines Terminal at JFK en route to Tokyo. Considering the long haul flight, I managed to read at least half (had to get some sleep and eat), and from what I’ve finished, this title ought to be in everyone’s reading list. Diamond offers insightful, (complete w/data) meaningful, explanations and provoking elements of human evolution, through our own history. Hands down, this is my favorite all-time book. Of course, if you’ve seen us regularly, you know we constantly make references to Diamond’s findings and can become a bit annoying once we get started. Either case, put it on your to-buy list.

“Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,” Malcolm Gladwell
Non-fiction
Here’s another title, surprisingly found at the airport. This time at Borders inside Houston/Bush Int’l in transit to Costa Rica. This title has “more than meets the eye (reader).” We are walking lie detectors, body language experts and innuendo observists. Many of our communication from person-to-person is “unspoken.” Gladwell, just points out the obvious to those of us who are “observant” and get it. Otherwise, still a great read. Couldn’t put it down.

“Motherless Daughters: A Legacy of Loss,” Hope Edelman
Non-fiction
At some point, women inevitably become motherless, some earlier than others, maybe not, but when that event happens, it is so striking and stunning that one can try to understand the (missing) role of the matriarch of a family. This title offers hope and understanding for anyone undergoing change in their family unit. I recommend it for all since it — death of a loved one — will eventually affect the family dynamic.

Words Without Borders, The World Through the Eyes of Writers: An Anthology,” Introduction by Andre Dubus III
by Alane Salierno Mason (Editor), Dedi Felman (Editor), Samantha Schnee (Editor)
Literature, Fiction, Anthology
28 Works of Literature translated into English, recommended by a handful of literaries across the globe. While I have yet to finish this paperback, it is another title that I found yet again while waiting for another delayed flight, this time I had a slower time reading it based on the somewhat context of several languages used and translated for this title. I however, managed to get through a few noteworthy short stories to understand the universal collection of stories this is attempting to make in order to connect us from all walks of life. Do pick up a copy.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE TOP FILMS
When we can’t make it to the Angelika Film Center or Lincoln Square, we are usually disappointed with the typical “Hollywood” endings when we go for dinner and a movie. However, I’ve compiled a list of my all time favorite films, ever. I have no genre of one because most films contain comedy, drama, romance, action (some) so this list is in no particular order.

THE ENGLISH PATIENT, RABBIT PROOF FENCE, SCHINDLER’S LIST, A ROOM WITH A VIEW, GATTACA, THE CONSTANT GARDENER, HOWARD’S END, ENCHANTED APRIL, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, THE EXORCIST, THE SHINING, NOWHERE IN AFRICA, THE LOVER, A CHRISTMAS STORY, IMPROMPTU, SPY GAME, ROSEMARY’S BABY, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, SENSE & SENSIBILITY, CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, THE ITALIAN JOB,BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, THE NAMESAKE, LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, HIDEOUS KINKY, JOY LUCK CLUB, TO LIVE, DEAD POET’S SOCIETY, SIXTEEN CANDLES, FAR & AWAY, THE KARATE KID

JAMES BOND 007 SERIES
I’m just a sucker for MI6 Intelligence, so the 007 series wins despite its “Hollywood” appeal in its recent acquisition of Daniel Craig. Ha! Just when we finally got used to Pierce.

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ONLINE/SATELLITE RADIO
National Public Radio allows listeners to ponder things that one might NOT necessarily consider or reflect, so how can a day go by without tuning-in to catch-up on at least one jaust, especially to the arrogant ignoramus claiming to “know it all.”

ON THE TELLY
Oh, besides “saving the world” and “reading,” TV is a nice, comforting activity we should watch less, I know.

OK, so the tivo keeps filling-up with Oprah shows (many I intend to watch) but we end up spending too much time deleting programs and rarely watching any of it, (try being on the road for 3 wks) but for the most part, it’s better than working around a damn tv schedule, isn’t it? Oh well, sorry Oprah.

So we all watch TV now and then, but what makes life bearable for those lazy weekends and nights off are the wonderous, wanderlusting shows featured in my absolute favorite tv shows, found mostly on THE HDTV channels (if programming is available) is

The Discovery Channel HDTV, of course, followed by a close second is Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and

Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmer, both must-watch shows.