An Unusual Memorial for a Loved One: Hair

Hairstory Studio in downtown Manhattan calls itself “part think-tank, photo studio, art space, and production house…challenging beauty stereotypes through the art of cutting, coloring, and styling hair”. Each month it welcomes a handful of people for fresh cuts, color, and portraits. And to tell their story through their hair. We find Oakley’s to be the most deeply personal and unexpected.

Read More

4th of July: Celebrating America’s Work in Progress

As we were scanning images for the Fourth of July, we came across this iconic portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1795, a few years after the country gained independence and elected its first president. The iconic, unfinished portrait seems like a fitting metaphor for our wild country.

Read More

Easy: Blueberries, Feta and Herbs

For summer and blueberry season: Mindy Fox’s riff on the classic, ever-surprising, utterly-refreshing combo of watermelon and feta cheese: Blueberries, Feta and Mint from Mindy Fox’s Salads: Beyond the Bowl.  Sometimes we replace the mint with basil, a hint of thyme leaves, fresh oregano, rose geranium, or even black pepper…to taste.

Read More

The Many Surprising Uses of a Kitchen Hammer

Matthias Wandel is a clever improviser whose YouTube channel is full of good ideas. Our favorite: a kitchen hammer, something you rarely see on any “kitchen essentials” list. We use ours — a rubber mallet— for variety of general household whacks, where a hammer would be too harsh. We hadn’t thought of Wandal’s great use, done with…

Read More

Cecil and Merl Bitters’ Vibrant Flavors INSPIRE, Drinks to Desserts

Of all the artisanal bitters we’ve sampled over the years, Brooklyn-based Cecil and Merl’s totally blew us away. They managed to distill clear vibrant flavors of fruits, vegetables and herbs with a subtle bitter afterfinish that goes well in all manner of cocktail, culinary and wellness applications. Given their sublime flavors and endless uses, they are a perfect house gift.

Read More

What You Can Do When You Are Too Challenged To Do Anything

Last week I was supposed to write some articles for Improvised Life and couldn’t do it. I am a few weeks post-op from a serious surgery. Healing at am unexpectedly glacial place is wearing away at my normally very high optimism, physical energy and focus. I’ve talked openly on Improvised Life before about “being myself in a…

Read More

CrowdFunding to Save an Endangered Art Form

Lately, it seems like many one-of-a-kind art forms are struggling to find their footing in an increasingly strange new world. One close to our heart is the Big Apple Circus, modeled on the European-style one-ring tent circus tradition. For nearly 40 years, it has thrilled audiences around the country with wildly imaginative performers, like the great Bello Nock, above. Check out his wild, beautiful act.

Read More

Posts navigation