Yoga Sanctuary Celebrates Earth Day

Yes, Anna is wearing a
jacket!  

Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with, and she made her presence known last Sunday during Punta Gorda's Earth Day celebration sponsored by the Yoga Sanctuary and Salon Blue.    It was so windy that I wasn't sure if the celebration to benefit the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center would come off or not.   But when I arrived at Gilchrist Park at 6 p.m. I found a small group of people talking with representatives of Worden Farm and other local vendors about "10 Ways to Go Green" and waiting for the sunset yoga class.    

As part of their Earth Day curriculum, students from Sallie Jones Elementary School had created works of Earth Day-themed works of art, and the "best of" were on display.  I talked with fourth grade artist Vanity Baughman about her painting of her future dog recycling a soda bottle (hint, hint, mom and dad), and it sounded like the kids had a good time learning about Earth Day in their classes.  

Mayor Bill Albers read Punta Gorda's Earth Day Proclamation, which highlighted the fact that Earth Day is the largest civic observance in the world.  (Over 1 billion people from more than 192 countries celebrated Earth Day this year!)  Monica from the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center told us a bit about their work and its focus on education.  It was hard to hear, but I think she said that the Center's programs serve over 30,000 people each year!  Then it was time for our yoga session.

As we laid out our mats, the waves (yes, actual waves) crashed over the sea wall, and the wind whipped through our hair.  Luckily, Bonnie had a mike so that we could hear her over the elements.  As we started our practice, she talked about the importance of Earth Day as a chance to honor what we have so it will be here for future generations.   (Bonnie and Terry are expecting their first child in June, so her words seemed particularly heartfelt.)   She encouraged us to feel--and hear--the elements:  the wind coming off the water, the warmth of the sun peeking through the clouds, the stability of the ground beneath our feet.  

My practice was quite different from the outdoor yoga experience in November at Worden Farm, which was calm and relaxing.  The wind was so strong that I actually had to work to hold even the most basic mountain pose (for non-yogis, in this pose you are basically just standing upright!)   When we did our tree poses (where you place the sole of one foot against your calf or your thigh), there's no doubt that we more closely resembled saplings than sturdy old oak trees.  Even with the slightly challenging conditions, it was pretty magical to look up at the sky and the sun and the clouds as we made our way through our practice, and a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day.  Namaste.      

Asolo Theater Presents Fallen Angels

Too many years ago to count on both hands, my friend Andrea and I were on vacation in London and I went to see my first Noel Coward play.  It was Design for Living, and I remember it being pretty racy despite the fact that it was written back in the 1930s.  (I also remember that they sold ice cream in the aisles of the theater during intermission, which is totally irrelevant but it did make an impression!)   Since then, I've seen a couple of Coward plays on Broadway--Present Laughter (with Frank Langella) and Private Lives (with Alan Rickman)--and have always thoroughly enjoyed them.  There's a freshness to his writing that never goes out of style.  So I was excited when I learned that Coward's Fallen Angels was in this season's line-up at the Asolo Repertory Theater.    Again, it was a thoroughly enjoyable theater experience.  

The set-up in Fallen Angels is that two British women who've been friends forever each had a fling with the irresistible Maurice during their respective pre-marriage travels.   Seven years later, at a time when their marriages have become a bit dull, each woman wakes up with a "presentiment" that something out of the ordinary is going to happen that day.  And it does--each receives a note from Maurice saying that he is coming to London and would like to see her.  The women's husbands have conveniently gone off golfing for the week-end, leaving them to work themselves up into a lather over the thought of seeing Maurice again.

Hampton and Clemens in character

Kate Hampton and Hillary Clemens are terrific as the two friends.   Clemens in particular gets to show off her physicality as an actress in a hilarious scene when the two have had a wee bit too much to drink as they wait none too patiently for Maurice to show.   It was Carolyn Michel, though, who stole the show in her performance as Saunders, the maid.  (Her actual name is Jasmine, but the lady of the house thinks that Saunders is much more sophisticated sounding, so "Saunders" it is.)  Saunders has worked for an amazing array of people--including some royalty and a concert pianist--and always knows just a bit more than her employers and their friends about whatever topic is being discussed.   She has advice for the gentleman of the house about the golf course he will be playing.  (No need to bring those woods!)  She plays the piano beautifully and speaks French fluently (which comes in handy when the women are composing a note to Maurice).    And there was a quite funny scene when the women were talking about sucking on pebbles in order to relieve their thirst (the context is way too silly to try and explain) and Saunders has first-hand knowledge of this tactic from her time working with the Red Cross.  

Fallen Angels was pretty scandalous when it first opened in 1925 with its "frisson of naughtiness" (in the words of director Peter Amster).   It was written at a time of cultural change in England, when the Brits were shaking off the effects of World War I and looking for a bit of fun.  It was a time of a shift from Victorian restrictive gender roles to a world of Flappers and freedom.  (I would be remiss not to mention the beautiful costumes in the show.  In the opening act, Hampton wears these shimmering silk pajamas that were to die for.   This was just one of the estimated 400 costumes that were created for the 2011-2012 Asolo season.)   The Asolo helps you place the play in its historical context with a timeline in the program of British Culture in the 1920s, from the first broadcast of the BBC in 1922 to Rene Lacoste's victory at Wimbledon in 1925 to the women gettig the vote in 1928.   From the acting to the sets to the program, the Asolo put on a first class production.  

Fallen Angels isn't a play that makes you think serious thoughts or that you need to contemplate after you've left the theater.  As Peter Amster said, the play "doesn't solve World Hunger or ask questions about Death and God and Why We Are Here."   And that's quite alright with me.   I'm perfectly happy to have spent a couple of hours in a dark theater laughing at the silliness going on onstage (with some nice time with my friend Stephanie before she flies away for the summer as a bonus!)    And now that I've been reminded what a wonderful theater the Asolo is, I'm excited about next year's season, which includes Wendi Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles and Kaufman and Hart's You Can't Take It With You.  And I might sneak in a performance of Fanny Brice in May before the theaters in the area more or less go dark for the summer months.  Watch this space for updates!  

Running the Books: Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg

How can you not get drawn into a book that starts with, "Pimps make the best librarians.  Psycho killers, the worst.  Ditto con men.  Gangsters, gunrunners, bank robbers--adept at crowd control, at collaborating with a small staff, at planning with deliberation and executing with contained fury--all possess the librarian's basic skill set... But even they lack that something, the je ne said quoi, the elusive it.  What would a pimp call it?  Yes:  the love.  If you're a pimp, you've got love for the library.  Ad if you don't, it's probably because you haven't visited one. "   OK, maybe that intro doesn't grab you.  But as someone who works in an adult literacy program and who loves libraries, I was more than intrigued.

Running the Books is the story of a 20-something Harvard grad who finds himself working as a librarian for a couple of years at a Boston prison.  The back story of how he got there is interesting in itself but the real drama is in the library, where he works with his crew of inmate library staff and teaches creative writing classes.   Steinberg writes with a lot of humor.  ("I am living my (quixotic) dream:  a book-slinger with a badge and a streetwise attitude, part bookworm, part badass.  This identity has helped me tremendously at cocktail parties."  )  He also writes with a lot of compassion for the inmates who spend time in his library, and the book is ultimately the stories of a few of those inmates.

We learn about the ways that inmates communicate while in prison.  There are letters or notes left by an inmate in a library book--sometimes intended for a specific person, sometimes just as a means of expressing his or her thoughts.  These missives are known as "kites," an apt name in Steinberg's view as a kite is a "precious and precarious little creation, a physical creation fold up and sent out into the world for another person to see from afar."   Inmates are not permitted to communicate with one another in this way, though, so one of Steinberg's jobs was a daily search and destroy mission for these communiques.  Other librarians would punish kite writers who could be identified by suspending their library privileges.  Steinberg felt, though, that confiscation of the kite was punishment enough.  

We learn about unusual ways that inmates approach their classwork (which is, of course, voluntary).  Steinberg is hilarious as he writes about his first encounter with his creative writing class for female inmates.  "For a moment, I wondered if I'd accidentally walked into a neck scar convention.  I counted three.  The one who didn't have a neck scar had a neck tattoo.  The one who had neither sported a lewd cupcake-shaped hairdo and looked just plain mean."   His nicknames for these women were Solitary, Poor, Nasty, Brutish, and Short.  At the end of one class, Steinberg wanted to give the women some homework (which one woman pointed out should be referred to as "cellwork")--a short story by Flannery O'Connor.  Solitary's response was to ask to see a picture of O'Connor before deciding whether to accept the assignment.  After taking a look at O'Connor, she agreed, saying that, "[O'Connor] looks kind of busted up, y'know?  She ain't too pretty.  I trust her."   (Solitary/Jessica becomes one of the inmates who Steinberg has a soft spot for, and he shares her sad story with his readers.)

We learn about ways the inmates use the resources provided by the library to make a bit of money.  Some used Microsoft Publisher to create greeting cards that other inmates would buy.  Others sold extra copies of crossword puzzles or word searches.  One particularly enterprising guy made some extra cash writing arrest warrants charging the recipient with committing "Love in the First Degree" or writing poems to be given to friends and family.  Here's an excerpt from "In Jail" by CC Too Sweet:

Being in Jail is lonely at night,
It is waiting for letters that no one will write.
It is depending on people
You thought were your friends,
Waiting for letters no one will send...

Running the Books is an interesting and thought provoking read.  I was drawn into the lives of  the prisoners just as Steinberg was, and I shared his feelings of hope that some would lead different lives once they had served their time.  Ultimately, though, this is not a book with a feel good ending.  Instead, the reader is forced to confront the reality of how difficult it is for ex-cons to get away from the world that landed them in prison, even if they have every intention of doing so.  It's always much easier to fall back into old patterns than to make real changes in your life, and it's virtually impossible for people who don't have the basic skills necessary to gain legitimate employment.  It makes me realize once again how important adult education is to our society.  And it makes me give all the more credit to adult learners who are determined to obtain their GEDs so that they can make better lives for themselves and their families.

Paddle Board Babes

When I was 12 years old, I would play the 45 rpm version of the theme song to "Hawaii Five One" on my record player and dance frantically around my room.  I could just hear the waves crashing around me and visualize myself in an exotic locale.   (I bet you can hear the song now!)   Despite my attraction to the music, I never had any desire to learn to surf.  I am a clutz from way back, and could only imagine myself falling off the surfboard (probably from a prone position), getting bonked on the head, and washing up on shore like a beached whale.  So when an e-mail from Groupon arrived in my inbox with an offer for a day at the beach with a paddle boarding experience, I clicked right on through.  Dorrit, however, is a bit more adventurous than I am, and I somehow found myself on the beach last week-end getting a two minute instruction on the "sport" before heading into the water.

The sponsor of this Groupon experience was a water sports shack based on Fort Myers beach behind the Best Western Plus.  (The "plus" makes all the difference.)   As we headed through the lobby to the beach, we were "greeted" by this dude with his parrot.  (He was not the least bit friendly.  What's with that?  Isn't the parrot part of the schtick?)

The beach was gorgeous, and not nearly as crowded as we thought it would be.  With the Groupon coupon, we also got two beach chairs and an expansive beach umbrella to shade us from the sun.   We had our own equivalent of a cabana boy set us up.  His name was Arlin.  My father's middle name is Arlen so we had a chat about the name.  He told me the spelling, and said that he was named for Senator "Arlin" Spectre from Texas.  A couple of notes:  Arlen Spectre (note the correct spelling is with an "e") was from Pennsylvania.    He also was an arch conservative who is best known for his anti-abortion stance.  I can't quite figure out why anyone would name their kid after him (or, if they wanted to, why they wouldn't spell the name correctly.)    Arlin was cute, though, so at least he has that going for him.   But I digress.

Then it was time for our paddle board adventure!   We started out kneeling on our boards as we got used to the balance and maneuvering with the paddles.  After a few minutes, I decided to try to stand up.  I'm sure you've seen surfers in movies or TV shows fluidly jump from a prone position on their boards to their feet.  My experience was nothing like that.  Using the paddle as a tripod, I started in a crouching position and worked my way up to an approximation of standing.  (Dorrit said I looked like "homo non-erectus," which I think was a polite way of saying that my butt was sticking out.)   After a couple of minutes, I made my way back down to a kneeling position, relieved that I hadn't toppled into the water.  (There was plenty of time for that!)   It wasn't long, though, before we both were standing on our boards and paddling back and forth across the massive waves.  I did fall off my board once, and the water felt great.   It wasn't even too difficult to retrieve my hat and swim back to the board and get back on.   It ended up being a blast, and we were obviously quite the advertisement for the activity because people were waiting for our boards when our hour was up.   From now on, you can call us "Dorrit-o" and "Nanette-o"--I'm sure Jack Lord wouldn't mind!

Heading Up the River on the Calusa Queen

One of the great things about being a member of the Isles Yacht Club is that I can plug in to lots of fun activities without having to do any planning.  (I know, eventually I will have to step up and take my turn, but for the moment I'm enjoying just being along for the ride--literally in this case!)  This week featured a trip up the Peace River on the Calusa Queen pontoon boat to visit some local rookeries.

Inquiring minds were very curious about what we were going to see on our outing.   As we headed up the River, Captain Will shared some interesting eco-facts with the group.  The Peace River was originally named Rio de la Paz (the River of Peace) by a Spanish cartographer who had never been here.  Later the Seminoles named it Talakchopcohatchee (the River of Long Peas) because of all the pea plants along the river.  So, one want or another, this waterway was destined to be called the Peace River.   Because the River is such an important water resource to this area, much of the land along the River is owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.  As a result, the land along the River has not been developed, so you get the feeling that you are heading back in time as you head up the River.  

After about 45 minutes, we got to the rookeries where a number of types of birds make their homes.  The featured species was the wood stork, which is the only stork that is native to North America.  Wood storks are not the most attractive of birds but their chicks are awfully cute.   We learned that the wood storks mate for life (which is about 20 years) and that the parents share all responsibilities equally (other than actually laying the eggs!)   When the chicks are little, the parents will spread their wings to shade them from the hot Florida sun.   It was interesting to see the birds flying to and fro with materials for their nests, which they maintain throughout the season.

Some great white egrets also call one the Peace River rookeries home, which led Captain Will to tell us the story of the plume wars.  After the Civil War, the plumes of many birds, including the great white egret, were a fashionable inclusion in women's hats.  In less than sporting fashion, hunters plundered rookeries and killed the birds nesting there in order to obtain their plumes to sell to milliners.  By the end of the century, Florida's bird population was close to extinction, leading to President Teddy Roosevelt's declaration of Pelican Island on the east coast of Florida as the first bird sanctuary.  (During his tenure, 55 other national wildlife sanctuaries were also established.)

It was an incredibly pleasant outing, and if the "oohs" and "aahs" of the ladies were any indication, a good time was had by all.  The next time you're heading up by boat to the Nav-A-Gator Grill to see Jim Morris, leave a few minutes early to stop by the rookeries and check out a slightly different type of wildlife.   Why not take the time to appreciate what's in our own backyard?     

CSO Meets Bluegrass

You've probably heard the expression "opposites attract."   The phrase is generally used in reference to people who don't seem to have much in common but end up being a fabulous pair because they complement each other in unexpected ways.   It takes an open-minded person to look past the differences and envision a partnership that builds on the strengths of both parties.  There's no doubt that Maestro Francis Wada brings such an open-minded--not to mention creative--attitude to his role as music director and conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.  Who else would go to a Jim Morris concert and say, "Hey, that guy should perform with us!" or go--reluctantly--to a Bluegrass Festival and come away with an idea for a collaboration between a symphony and a bluegrass band???    And that brings us to last Sunday night's CSO Pops Concert:  Symphony  Meets Bluegrass.

The first half of the concert featured the Kruger Brothers on their own (well, on their own plus bass player Joel Landsberg).  I was quite surprised when Jens Kruger started speaking and he had a German accent.  What kind of bluegrass would this be?  It turns out that these Swiss-German brothers grew up listening to LPs of American music. When they stumbled upon some folk music--specifically some folk music featuring a banjo--there was no turning back.   As the brothers told their story, the audience laughed out loud at the thought of these teenagers sitting in their bedroom in Switzerland translating "This Land is Your Land" into German and introducing the music into a culture of yodelers.  They also told some hilarious stories--with some great music thrown in along the way--about adapting their repertoire to appeal to the audiences where they appear.  Who knew that you could play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" or "Fiddler on the Roof" on a banjo?  Or that a banjo could actually sound like a steel drum (which came in handy when they played at the Mozart Concert in Jamaica)?  Yes, the evening was full of surprises, with perhaps the most pleasant surprise being their original composition called "Beautiful Nothing."  This song was composed at a time when they were rehearsing their music in a church and realized the beauty of the sound of chords fading out into silence.  It was a wonderful way to end the first half of the evening's performance.

The second half of the evening featured the CSO and the Kruger Brothers playing some selections from "Music from the Spring:  A Romantic Serenade for Banjo, Guitar, Bass & Orchestra" composed by Jens Kruger.  (It turns out that Maestro Wada isn't the only one with exciting ideas about blending different types of music!)   I was quite curious to see how--and if--this combination would actually work.  The answer is a resounding "yes."  It's impossible for me to describe in words how this interaction worked, but suffice it to say that the strings got a pretty good work out!  The Maestro did as well, and I thought at some points that he would break into a dance as he was conducting.   (If you're curious, check out this promo that the Kruger Brothers have put together on YouTube.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCuR0hWZ3SU.  The orchestra they're playing with isn't identified but I suspect it's the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, as that's who played with them for the world premiere of the score.)   

All in all, it was a fun and interesting evening of music.  As Maestro Wada puts down his baton and we move into a new era at the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, I can only hope that our next maestro will continue to challenge our musicians to go beyond their comfort zones.  These musicians have proven time and time again that they can meet these challenges, and the result has been exhilarating.  What will the future of the CSO be under new leadership?   Tune in next season to find out!  

It's a Wrap: Amsterdam, Part 4

One of the most fun things about being in Amsterdam was just soaking in the feel of a European city. The air just seems different somehow.  The sensibilities of the people are certainly different.  And then there's all that history.   We decided to go a canal boat tour to see the city from the water and learn a bit about its development.   (As an aside, the ads say that this is the "fun" way to see the city--it was actually a bit more like the slow boat to China.)   Here are a couple of "fun" facts:  Amsterdam has more than 100 kilometers of canals and over 1500 bridges (hence its nickname "Venice of the North".)  In the 17th century, the three main canals--Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht--were dug and established the grachtengordel (belt of canals) which surrounds the city.  (The grachtengordel was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010.)   The canals are concentric, radiating out from the center of the city, which--when combined with the difficulty of the names--caused a lot of confusion for these tourists.  Anyway...  

Entrance to a houseboat

The existence of the canals has resulted in a huge houseboat community, with the number of moorings currently limited to 2500.  On our canal boat tour, we got an eye level view of the houseboats and an occasional glimpse into their living space.  (As you might have guessed by now, there's a museum for everything in Amsterdam, and I was sorry that the Houseboat Museum was closed when we wanted to visit.)  It was interesting to see how the houseboat owners had decorated their homes with gardens and outdoor furniture   It's not a very private way to live, but it obviously works for an awful lot of people.

You might have noticed that there are bicycles in both of these pictures.  Amsterdamers are crazy for their bikes, and cycling seems to be the most popular way for people to get around.   According to Wikipedia, in 2006 there were 465,000 bikes in Amsterdam, and I feel like we dodged every one of them during our time there!   Almost all of the bikes we saw had seats on the back for a second passenger--who would often ride sidesaddle--and many had a cart attached to the front to transport kids or groceries.   One day we saw a family of five traveling on two bikes, which seemed quite amazing to us and quite ordinary to everyone else.

No visit to a new place would be complete without checking out the local cuisine. First, a bit of history.  Back in the 17th century, Dutch spice traders started a trading post in what is now Indonesia.  Eventually, the area became colonized as the Dutch East Indies, and Indonesian food is now a staple in Holland.   The rijsttafel (rice table) developed as a way of dining when the Dutch wanted to sample selectively from Indonesian food.  Our own rijsttafel experience was at Restaurant Blauw and involved 18 little plates of food ranging from chicken satay to meatballs to fish with curry to fried plantains.   My personal favorite was some kind of goat dish (which I certainly would not have ordered on its own off the menu!)   It was incredibly delicious and a fun way to eat.    Our other typical Dutch dining experience was at a restaurant our hotel recommended named Haesje Claes.  I ordered a "stomppot" or dish with potatoes mashed with other vegetables (carrots and peas in this case.)  The potatoes were served with meatballs and sausage and a ground beef on top.   It was kind of like a shepherd's pie and was pretty tasty although, as you can imagine, pretty heavy.  After dinner, I waddled back to our hotel, satisfied that my Amsterdam experience was complete.  

All in all, it was a great vacation.   Does Amsterdam now top my list of favorite European cities?  Not by a long shot.   Paris is much more beautiful, London is much more fun, and Rome is much more interesting.  Still, it's always fun to experience a new culture and see new things and eat different foods, and the trip has made me start thinking about where I'd like to travel in the future.  Prague and Budapest are definitely on the list.  My passport is woefully empty of stamps for any of the South American countries.  And of course there's Australia and New Zealand.    For now, though, I'm back to enjoying life in my own canal-lined city of Punta Gorda.