Joie de Vivre
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" ~Mary OliverArchive for Obama
173. A Day to Celebrate & Remember!
What an AMAZING day to be an American!!!! I would like to say to all of my Republican friends who have called me and my fellow Democrats “un-American” for the last 8 years for thinking that our country could be better than what it was, and that our President could be better than what he was, that today I was profoundly proud to be an American! Today was about everything that my country stands for to me – love, hope, solidarity, acceptance, intelligence, humility, honor, integrity, social, global & financial responsibility. We, my friends, are a part of a day that will be remembered in history!
It occurred to me while sitting here, trying to think of other days in my life that have brought us all together like this, that most of those days were steeped in disaster and sadness: the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster (‘86), Columbine (‘99), 9-11, Hurricane Katrina… I think it’s unfortunate. It’s not that I’m not proud that we as a nation “step up” in times of crisis, I just wished we consistently extended those courtesies to each other in happier times as well.
And yet today was a day filled with anticipation, excitement, happiness, love and hope.
This morning I met some friends before work to watch the Inauguration. We were surrounded by at least 100 strangers who shared the same enthusiasm for Obama, the same anticipation for the day, and the same hope for the future. People shared their space; they smiled at each other and hugged each other. It was incredibly moving and I was on the verge of tears the entire morning!
It was estimated that over one million people actually attended Obama’s swearing-in as the 44th President of our country. The temperature in DC was in the teens and the crowds extended more than two miles from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. People also gathered in public spaces across our nation to share the moment together. And while I realize I’m not exactly unbiased given my intense love and passion for Obama, he nevertheless filled every hope for the day. He stood confident and his Inaugural Address was strong and eloquent. (Even my Republican friends admitted thinking this; of course some of them have even switched over to the “dark side”.) It was optimistic and patriotic, yet grounded in realism and responsibility.
I also thought the events surrounding his oath and oration added nicely to the day’s aura. Aretha (aka the “Queen of Soul”)’s version of ‘My Country ‘Tis of Thee’ was beautiful (and I don’t care what anyone thinks, I loved her hat!), Yo-Yo Ma & Itzhak Perlman were divine and I liked Rev. Joseph Lowery‘s benediction, even the controversial ending. (Lighten up people!)
Here are some of my favorite excerpts from Obama’s address and pictures from today’s events.
- They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
- To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
- To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
- And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
- What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
I thought I’d also share a poem that I heard yesterday on NPR’s All Things Considered. It was written by the novelist and playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks and is titled “U Being U.”
U Being U
Mr. President-Elect
Makes me wanna get MY stuff
correctI feel like starting with something RADICAL
Like,
Love my Neighbor
Like share what I’ve got
Like think for myself
Like ask the hard questions
Like lean toward the good and help keep the peaceU being U
Makes me wanna do something new
Like Go Green, or at least try to.You being you, Mr. President-Elect
Makes me want to look on others with respect
Makes me wanna
practice Radical Inclusion, you know,
Open my heart wide, especially in the presence of folks who
Are not like me, you know,
work to see my Brother
In the Other
You make me want to entertain all my far-out ideas
Make me wanna represent the race, as in the human race,
And know that, like You, I too am Prized.And to those who say yr a Magic Negro,
I love them just the same
And my love helps us weave a United States.Mr. President,
Heaven sent
Since heaven is just a place where possibility
becomes possible
And where hostility
holsters
its hostile,
I feel like picking up the trash in the park or on the beach
I think I’ll teach, and learn, from all I meet
I think I’ll apologize in person for all our faults
and try to make amends for our shortcomings
And also, I think,
I’ll brag,
Just a little bit,
About how cool We The People areOh, I just had to sing you a little something
Because you,
Mr. President,
You are embarking with Us on an awesome and beautiful
And potentially perilous journey
And so I am giving you
All the Love
All the Love
All the Love
All the Love
Mr. President
That I’ve got
Because I believe
In the dream
And I am ready
To wake up
And live it.
I honestly have no idea why someone would want the job of President (talk about stress and sleepless nights!), but I’m very glad that someone of Obama’s caliber does. He will of course misstep from time to time, but I love what he stands for and that he represents ME. I love that the next time I travel abroad, I will no longer feel embarrassed by our representation in the rest of the world. I love that I feel proud to have Obama as the President of my country.
This is an opportunity for a fresh start for all. A chance to make a difference. The fate of our country should not be expected to rest solely in our President’s hands, and as much as many of us did not like Bush, the current state of our country does not rest solely in his. It is our responsibility to make a difference. As Obama said today, “For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.”
Peace, love and happy tomorrows!
165. All the King’s Men
Tonight, after getting settled at Mary & Grant’s (I’m watching the boys for the next week while they are in London), Dana and I met for dinner at Moxie and then went to see “All the King’s Men” (based on Robert Warren Penn’s 1946 Pulitzer Prize-honored novel — also one of Time magazine’s “100 Best English-Language Novels from 1923 to 2005″) at the Intiman Theatre.
Dinner | I liked the atmosphere at Moxie, the wine was nice & bold (‘07 Vina Chocalan Carmenere), and the food was pretty tasty. We had the lamb sliders (basil aioli, olive tapenade, feta — yum!), the warm goat cheese fig jam (pickled figs, hazelnuts, housemade crackers — also yum!), and the Mediterranean mussels (Romesco red pepper almond sauce, white wine, grilled bread — the sauce was tasty, but the mussels were a little large for our taste; we actually had to cut them in half to eat them).
The Play | The play is epic and parts were a little uneven, but I enjoyed the performances and thought it was interesting how the story is as relevant today as it was during the Great Depression. It’s a tale of politics and power, lust and greed, tracing the rise and fall of Willie Stark, a character loosely based on the life of idealist-turned-opportunist Louisiana governor & U.S. senator Huey P. Long, who was assassinated in 1935.
From Wikipedia: Huey Pierce Long, Jr. (August 30, 1893 – September 10, 1935), nicknamed The Kingfish, was an American politician from the U.S. state of Louisiana. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. He served as Governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and as a U.S. senator from 1932 to 1935. Though a backer of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election, Long split with Roosevelt in June 1933 and allegedly planned to mount his own presidential bid.
Long created the Share Our Wealth program in 1934, with the motto “Every Man a King,” proposing new wealth redistribution measures in the form of a net asset tax on large corporations and individuals of great wealth to curb the poverty and crime resulting from the Great Depression. He was an ardent critic of the Federal Reserve System.
Charismatic and immensely popular for his social reform programs and willingness to take forceful action, Long was accused by his opponents of dictatorial tendencies for his near-total control of the state government. At the height of his popularity, the colorful and flamboyant Long was shot on September 8, 1935, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge; he died two days later at the age of 42. His last words were reportedly, “God, don’t let me die. I have so much left to do.”
The cast features 18 actors who play over 45 parts and sing in ensemble to a number of Randy Newman songs. John Procaccino stars as Willie Stark and Leo Marks stars as Jack Burden. Both give outstanding performances. This production plays nightly through November 8.
Speaking of politics, I came back to M&G’s to find this button waiting for me…
It’s from www.viadelia.com and they donate a portion of their proceeds to Obama’s campaign each month. Their magnets and buttons are “each individually hand crafted using decorative papers from Asia & Europe and vintage wallpaper, gift wrap, books, calendars and other ephemera.” Thanks guys! :)
117. Weekend Wrap-Up
Venerdi|– I met up with my friend Tonee for a little gabfest and a late dinner on Friday night at Purple Café & Wine Bar in Kirkland. As expected, they were packed, but this only made for a more convivial atmosphere and we only had to wait a few minutes for a table. I seldom order entrées at Purple because I have a tendency to fill up on their Baked Brie appetizer (w/apricot preserves, caramelized onions, candied walnuts, grapes & crackers, $11), which I absolutely adore. Tonight however, we each decided on pasta. I ordered a glass of an Italian red and the Wild Boar Bolognese (w/papperdelle noodles, parmesan & fresh herbs, $18), which was fabulous! The pasta was al dente and the sauce was meaty and had just the right amount of spiciness. Tonee had the Gorgonzola and Pancetta pasta (w/pennini, walnuts, roasted red peppers and scallions in a gorgonzola cream sauce, $17), which she liked as well. We had so much to catch up on that I think we were the last ones to leave the restaurant. (A big thank you to our waiter for continuing to check in on us LONG after we finished eating.)
Sabato|– Saturday was a picture-perfect, sunny, warm Seattle day! My Bug’s thermometer actually read 80 degrees at one point! I attended the Obama Rally in Kirkland in the morning (I’m continually impressed by the passion he inspires in people!) and then spent my afternoon reading alongside the pond at Bellevue Downtown Park. A new litter of ducklings were born a few days ago and it was entertaining to watch them navigate around the motorized toy sailboats on the pond. All seemed to actually coexist quite peacefully.:)
Matt and Natalie came over on Saturday night for an impromptu dinner party. We sat out in the deck (which is unfortunately NOT summer ready yet), listening to Israeli music, sipping Lillet w/orange peel, and munching on Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper crostini served with fig jam and blue cheese. For dinner I made an Umbrian Fish Soup, which I served with a grapefruit & avocado salad and a baguette; for dessert I made Tapioca Pudding infused with Lemongrass & Ginger. M&N brought a couple perfect bottles of wine (which we had no difficulty consuming), and after dinner we watched a heartwrenching, yet inspiring documentary, Sierra Leone’s All Star Refugees (2005).
Umbrian Fish Soup (Tegamaccio)
Gourmet Magazine – April 2008
Serves 4 to 6
2 pound mixed freshwater fish fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup dry white wine (preferably Italian such as Grechetto, Vermentino, or Trebbiano)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (preferably Italian)
2 cups water
- Pat fish dry and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cook onion, celery, and garlic in oil with ½ teaspoon salt in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add parsley and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, water, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer.
- Add fish and reduce heat to cook at a bare simmer until just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
**I also added a pinch of hot red pepper flakes to add a little spiciness and some fresh ground black pepper.
Tapioca Pudding infused with Lemongrass & Ginger
from Hogwash Blog
Serves 4 to 6
1/3 cup small tapioca pearls (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup water
2 eggs, separated
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1 4-inch segment lemongrass, cut into 1” pieces
5 (¼” thick) slices ginger (about the diameter of a quarter)
½ cup sugar
- Combine the tapioca and the water in a small bowl, and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.
- Whisk the egg yolks, coconut milk, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Add the tapioca (with its water), stir in the lemongrass and ginger, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick.
- Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the work bowl of a stand mixer. With the mixer on medium speed, add the sugar in a slow, steady stream, then increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. (The mixture will be smooth and shiny like meringue, but not nearly as stiff.)
- Remove the lemongrass and ginger from the pudding, and stir a heaping ½ cup of the hot pudding into the egg white mixture. Fold the egg white mixture back into the saucepan, and cook another few minutes on low, stirring until the mixture is evenly blended.
- Scoop pudding into small bowls and serve warm or at room temperature.
Domenica|– Dana and I met in the morning at Café Besalu for coffee, a ginger biscuit, and a slice of their quiche (today’s selection was Leek with Goat Cheese). After filling our bellies, we walked around the Ballard Sunday Farmer’s Market for awhile. Our market bags were brimming with goodies by the time we left. No rhubarb yet, but I bought some fiddlehead ferns to sauté, an apple, a pear, some Estrella Wynoochee River Blue cheese, a container of DiVino’s homemade gnocchi, and some beautiful pink tulips. Farmer’s Markets are SO MUCH more inspiring than grocery stores!
In the afternoon, I met Odie and Jess at the Harvard Exit to see The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (Brazilian movie, directed by Cao Hamburger). This film played at Brazil’s São Paulo Cinema Festival in 2006, but was just recently released in the States. What a little gem! It’s sweet, sad and touching. The casting is perfect. Visually, the film is intimate and lovely. And the soundtrack is wonderful. I highly recommend it.
The Village Voice: A brutal crackdown on left-wing dissidents by Brazil’s new military dictatorship hardly registers in a country preoccupied with the 1970 World Cup championship. Before 12-year-old Mauro’s radical parents go into hiding, they hastily arrange for their son to stay with his estranged grandfather in another city. Unbeknownst to them, the old man has died, and Mauro (Michel Joelsas) finds himself alone in an alien environment where people speak an indecipherable language called Yiddish. United by a shared passion for all things Pelé, Mauro slowly makes friends in the ethnically diverse neighborhood and develops a bond with the old man next-door. Directed by Cao Hamburger, this warmly engaging film benefits from its understated approach (it suggests rather than spells out the political turmoil), and its light, comedic tone never mitigates the drama of the central story.
Baseball|– The M’s won two out of three games against the Angels this weekend, which is exciting, especially given the fact that they lost 13 times in 19 tries against the Angels last year. Hopefully they continue to step it up a little, although this might be a little difficult considering the number of injuries on the team right now! Their record YTD is 6 wins, 7 losses. They are currently in third place behind the A’s and the Angels.
Cali|– Kyle and Vanessa were in San Diego this weekend, so I was on dog-sitting duty. As I’ve mentioned before, Cali is a 6-pound white fuzzy ball of perpetual motion. Saturday, I took her on a two-mile walk to tucker her out, and Sunday, we ran ‘hot laps’ in my condo while it poured down rain outside in the evening. Her sweetness makes up for the fact that she torments Boo, barks at every little noise, and wakes up with my neighbor at the crack of dawn every morning. I don’t think she quite understands the idea of sleeping in on Sunday!
Purple Café & Wine Bar
323 Park Place
Kirkland, WA 98033
425.828.3772
Click here to visit official website.
Café Besalu
5909 24th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 9810
206.789.1463
116. A Friday Poem & The Weekend Ahead
I love, love, love this weather! It was an ideal Spring day and all of Seattle appeared to be out-and-about enjoying the lovely sunshine and fresh air. I met Monica at Green Lake this afternoon for coffee and a walk around the lake. It was so beautiful!
Poem of the Week|– Mr. Dreamy introduced me to Anne Carson and I love her poetry!
On Le Bonheur d’Etre Bien Aimée by Anne Carson
Day after day I think of you as soon as I wake
up. Someone has put cries of birds on the air
like jewels.
Weekend|– Here’s what’s on my calendar — dinners with friends, an Obama rally (details below), this and this. Happy weekend!
ACTION ALERT — Be a part of history! Plan to attend Saturday’s rally for Barack Obama. KIRKLAND is the site for Western Washington’s participation in the internationally synchronized “One Voice for Change” rally in support of our candidate!
The venue for the April 12th event is Marina Park, 25 Lake Shore Plaza, Kirkland, and it will begin at 9 a.m. Volunteers are needed, and if you are able, please be there by 8 a.m.
Barack Obama has lifted the spirit of a nation and drawn the attention of the entire world. The Kirkland event is synchronized with simultaneous rallies in PARIS, LONDON, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, BARCELONA, ROME, ATLANTA, VIENNA, COLORADO SPRINGS, SPOKANE and many others. Launching with the music of the local Bergevin Brothers (home-grown in KIRKLAND) whose song “Fired Up and Ready to Go” is now one of Senator Obama’s favorites, the event features speakers from the Washington State Legislature and other invited guests, and offers attendees a chance to win an autographed copy of Bill Clinton’s book, “My Life.” In an ironic twist, 100% of the proceeds from raffle ticket sales will go to the Obama campaign. State Rep. Larry Springer will emcee the rally and is one of a number of state officials supporting the event, including Governor Christine Gregoire, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Rep. Deb Eddy, Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, Rep. Roger Goodman, and Rep. Fred Jarrett. “My colleagues and I are acutely aware of how critical it is to elect a President who can unite the country toward a better future,” Rep. Springer commented. “We felt this would be the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of Senator Obama’s appeal around the world. Please join us in this effort.” Abbott Smith, an Obama delegate who inspired so many participants at the 45th Legislative District Caucus, will inspire many more this Saturday.
111. Weekend Wrap-Up
Samedi|– I attended the 48th Legislative District Caucus on Saturday, which was held at Interlake High School in Bellevue. Kudos to all the volunteers who coordinated this event! I thought it was very well organized — especially for a somewhat cumbersome system — although it still took the better part of a day to complete. It was the second step in our state’s delegate selection process and based on my vote and the results of our Precinct Caucus, I attended as an Obama delegate. After tallying the initial count (326 Obama, 135 Clinton & 1 Undecided), it was announced that the delegates allocated to represent their candidate preferences at the Congressional District Caucus and the State Convention would be 18 Obama and 8 Clinton. Attendees were then given a chance to alter their votes, which some did. (I did not, of course!) The new count (330 Obama & 132 Clinton) resulted in a slight delegate change in our favor (19 Obama & 7 Clinton). This was the final count and we elected delegates to fill these spots. It was an interesting event to be a part of and I enjoyed the speeches, especially the one given by Darcy Burner (running against Republican Dave Reichert in my Congressional District — the 8th). She spoke about the plan she recently lead and wrote in consultation with leading retired generals and national security experts (including retired Major General Paul Eaton), entitled A Responsible Plan to End the War In Iraq. (A copy is posted on her website if you are interested.)
My ‘day in the political life’ tuckered me out, so I layed low with G3 in the evening and we watched the third disc in Season 2 of The Wire. Still loving this show! :)
Dimanche|– As you all know by now, Sunday is my MOST-cherished, BEST-loved day!!!! I slept in, had a cappuccino and a slice of quiche at Besalu (best quiche in Seattle; today’s choice was the smoked salmon with fennel) with my New York Times, walked around the Ballard Farmers Market (11am-3pm Sundays; bought some cheese & produce), saw Caramel at the Harvard Exit (directed by Nadine Labaki; what a sweet, delightful movie!), read my book at Volunteer Park while dusk settled, and then made my traditional Sunday Roasted Chicken (tonight I used grapefruit, fennel and red onion; recipe follows) and curled up on the couch to watch No End In Sight (which I thought great, but COMPLETELY me pissed off! … As a person I wish him well, but maybe our President should actually go live in Iraq for awhile! Especially given the fact that he is their “liberator!” Will he go down as the worst President in history?!!!).
Roasted Chicken w/Grapefruit, Red Onion & Fennel
adapted from Cooking at Home: On Rue Tatin by Susan Herrmann Loomis
One 3½ to 4-lb. free-range and/or organic chicken
1 cup white wine
½ medium red onion, quartered
½ medium grapefruit, quartered
1 tablespoon whole fennel seed
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
approx. 1 tablespoon vinegar (I used a citrus vinegar)
- Bring the chicken to room temperature before roasting to ensure that the heat evenly penetrates the meat.
- Preheat oven to 425°
- Season the cavity with salt and pepper and stuff it with the quartered red onion and grapefruit.
- Pour white wine around the chicken, accompanied by whole fennel seeds, a little chopped red onion and sea salt.
- Once the chicken is in the oven, turn it three times during roasting so it roasts evenly; start out with its breast side up (20 min), turn it on each side (10 min each), then back to a breast up position until it reaches temperature. (I also baste it each time I turn it.)
- Pour vinegar over the chicken 10 to 15 minutes before you will remove it from the oven, to crisp up the skin.
- Once at temperature, remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and let rest for about 20 minutes.
I served this with roasted fennel and potatoes (both tossed with olive oil, sea salt & black pepper — roasted alongside the chicken).
Livres|– While I was wondering around Ballard today, I drifted into the Secret Garden Bookshop, where I discovered Vintage Classics. Have you seen these? The covers are really wonderful.
Texts|– I love text messages! This weekend, I received messages from here & here (see below). Thank you so much for thinking of me!
Cafe Besalu
5909 24th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 9810
206.789.1463
Secret Garden Bookshop
2214 NW Market Street
Seattle, WA 98107
206.789.5006
Click here to visit official website.
