S: Is for Space

I have always loved looking at space. When I was a child I use to hang out at the Griffith Park Observatory. Now my bedroom window over looks the Hayden Planeterium. The fabric of our lives is up there in the cosmos for us to discover. More Hubble Telescope pictures were released this week that prove space has the strangest, yet most beautiful sites. From miniature black holes to distortions in the fabric of space-time, to galaxies that are eating, space the skies imatate art. If the "braneworld" theory of gravity is correct, then scattered throughout our solar system are thousands of tiny black holes, each about the size of an atomic nucleus. Unlike their larger brethren, these mini-black holes are primordial leftovers from the Big Bang and affect space-time differently because of their close association with the fifth dimension.

Imagine being dubbed "Dorian Gray" galaxy. That's what Astronomers thought that Zwicky 18 was. Cepheid variables in I Zwicky 18 didn't just start forming stars in the past 500 million years or so, but has been pumping out stars for at least a billion years and perhaps for as long as 10 billion years. They also reported that the galaxy was 59 million light-years away, almost 10 million light-years farther than previously thought.




This is whats known as dark matter. Making up the bulk of matter of the universe, it can neither be seen nor detected directly without using current technologies. Some scientists question whether dark matter is even real, and suggest that the mysteries it was conjured to solve could be explained by a better understanding of gravity.



Gravity waves are distortions in the fabric of space-time predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. The waves travel at the speed of light, but they are so weak that scientists expect to detect only those created during colossal cosmic events, such as black hole mergers like the one shown above. LIGO and LISA are two detectors designed to spot the elusive waves. Fibonacci's spirals drawn in the 1100's are simiular to this photo taken last week.

















Last but not least and definately the most interesting, galaxies can "eat" each other and evolve over time. The Milky Way's neighbor, Andromeda, is currently dining on one of its satellites. More than a dozen star clusters are scattered throughout Andromeda, the cosmic remains of past meals. The image above is from a simulation of Andromeda and our galaxy colliding, an event that will take place in about 3 billion years. Which makes the universe a little like "The Lord of the Flies" and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: is for Tickets and other crimes

While I am not a big fan of cars in this city they definitely make life easier especially if you have to be all over the place. This city's public transportation system leaves a lot to be desired especially since they are trying to raise the fares. Cabs cost an arm and a leg with all the construction and traffic. Bike lanes don't exist and with the tourists stopping every two seconds to gawk at something cars have become practical. Finding a parking space in New York City is as daunting as trying to climb Mount Everest. Get a parking ticket and you might have to pawn something. Park illegally and your vehicle will be towed and you will be shit out of luck. Park legally, have a unpaid ticket and have the city do one of it's random searches and you might have to rob a bank. An average parking ticket is between $65-$115 compared to California's $35, Boston's $50 rate. New York City issues nearly 10 million tickets a year generating nearly a billion dollars in revenue. This is a cashcow of sorts and they do not want it to slow. The City certainly isn’t going to help you because as the expression goes, they’re laughing all the way to the bank, literally and figuratively with your money. Do not be so quick to write a check to the PVB, because once you relinquish your rights, it is impossible to get them back. In California you can not be towed until you have five or more unpaid parking tickets issued to your license plate. In most states more. In New York they sweep the streets and on one un-paid ticket buy, buy car. Shouldn't this be illegal? Police are being brought up on charges trying to make quota's and writing unwarranted tickets. I know personally several people who have had this happen and when you try to fight, they win. Isn't this called coercion?

Have you heard what Elliot Spitzer is trying to accomplish? He's trying to license the million undocumented immigrants in the state. He states "we will never deport all those people, and that many of them drive now, without license or insurance". May I state "Yes they also kill people, damage cars with their lack of knowledge and we the injured get told, tough luck". I know, I had a young Guatemalan girl hit me years ago. She was coming up a down ramp. It turned out she couldn't read the sign. My car was totalled, I was bruised and dentally hurt. To this day I bear the scars. Nothing happened to her. “What I'm afraid of is illegal aliens from all over the United States would come to New York to get a driver's license.” It will put a greater burden on the taxpayers who are already burdened. In a city that already bears the scars of terrorism what about the justifiable fears of providing identification to terrorists. It took me weeks to replace my license when my purse was stolen. Now you will need "No ID". What kind of brainless thinking inspired this? Where are our voices speaking out? This will become a problem that will snowball and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Crossing Brooklyn

Years ago I introduced a song called
"Sunflowers at the Met" at a benefit. Even though I sang it after the very funny and talented Bryan Batt because the song was so moving I ended up bring the house to a stand still. The song was by a young and gifted composer named Jenny Giering. In my e-mail a flyer for a new show "Crossing Brooklyn" arrived and my friend Blythe Gruda was in the cast and Jenny wrote the music so, naturally I had to go. "Crossing Brooklyn" is the story of Des and AJ, a young couple who are public school teachers until 9/11 happens. Des is unraveling after hearing the voices that still haunt her, the fears that she wasn't enough and that she never will be and that life will never be safe again. Splitting apart under the strain, Des and AJ are struggling to find their way back to each other. Crossing Brooklyn is a modern musical that deals with the emotional aftermath of September 11th. This musical should give out Kleenex with the tickets because from about 15 minuets into the piece gigantic tears streamed down my face. I lost friends in 9/11. I have dealt with post traumatic stress and know what it is like to want to move forward and are unable to do so. If we are honest we have all probably at some time felt like Des or one of the characters in this. The scenery by Sandra Goldmark and staging by the Transport Theatre co-founder and artistic director Jack Cummings III are done to perfection. There was nothing that lacked. The cast is vocally wonderful. Jenny Fellner as Des is vocally glorious with just the right amount of sadness that we don't pity her. We are her. Bryce Ryness as her husband AJ brings out the fact that he is worse off than Des because he is trapped and alone. I wish he had been given more to sing because his voice is like butter. When I saw in the program that he had sung the role of Floyd in "Floyd Collins" I had wished I had seen the performance. It is his scene's with J Bradley Bowers that steal the show. This child actor was born to be on stage. He is touching, sincere, funny and wise beyond his years. As Kevin whose architect father passed away he brings to it the fears of everyone who has ever lost anyone. Now for Blythe. Blythe for me is hard to write about because I've known her for what sometimes seems like forever, so I know more about her. Blythe lights up a stage. When she is on it it is hard to not watch her. Her powerhouse voice, she has learned to control and adds a breathy quality to it that is haunting. As Madeline she is the person in all of us wanting to be loved but the twist is she won't settle for anything less than what is her own. Kudos to the writers for that. The rest of the ensemble Clayton Dean Smith, Susan Lehman, Kate Weiman Ken Triwush and Jason F Williams all have a moment to shine. It is the music however that claws into your soul and nestles boldly helping to lead the way. The five piece band is well cast and the cello becomes a heart and a mind wanting to take flight. Watch out Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guetel and Andrew Lippa there is a new girl in town and her name is Jenny Giering. This is one composer to watch out for. Last but certainly not least Emmy award winner Laura Harrington's book and lyrics are why I felt the way I do about this piece. It is a strong dissection into PTS and the fall out. Please keep writing for the Musical Theater as you made me remember why I fell in love with it in the first place. The only critique that I would suggest is add a comedy number. It needs it. There are several places where I saw it could of helped. By the last 15 minutes I thought I was totally going to lose it and out right sob which would not of been cool. Give your audience a break. We need it.

I do however highly recommend that you get to "CROSSING BROOKLYN" at The Connelly Theatre: 220 East 4th Steet until November 18th and that is a F.A.C.T.

A: Is for the healing properties of Art

On Thursday I went with Jen, Sherry and Sandra gallery hoping. It was all pretty blase until we walked into Sundaram Tagore gallery and were struck with the raw expression of a soul iridescence with color. Sohan Qadri's paintings have the energy to radiate from within the paper. They don't sit inertly on the surface, they vibrate with the pulse of life. Born in Punjab, India, Qadri was educated in ancient spiritual traditions. He spent two years in "long silences" and meditations in remote temples in the Himalayas and Tibet. Now living in Copenhagen, Denmark, he has published a volume of mystical poetry. Qadri is a Tantric Vajrayana yogi and the colors and shapes in his paintings have significance within his spiritual practice. In some works, small circles cluster together, like the dividing cells of a fertilized egg. That shape symbolizes not only femininity and life, it also references the domes of stupas (Buddhist shrines). The scratched lines are "the underlying tension of a life filled with attachments. He adopted his guru Bhikham Giri who was a temple dancer and musician. "Before my first exhibition, I had a vision that my name would not fit under my painting-"Sohan Singh" did not look right. That's when "Qadri" came into my head. The master himself was not using that name-it was not important to him. The choice of that Hindu-Muslim, Sanskrit-Persian combination thrilled me later. All Quadri's paintings have holes. "It is the form of bindu, dot — Sanskrit word for germ or seed, from which the whole of creation comes into being, the word also connotes a meditative state in yogic traditions. In their art, yogis distill the observable world into geometric symbols that serve as objects of contemplation. Such basic geometrical figures as the point, straight line, circle, triangle, and square have a symbolic value in representing the basic energies of the universe. Combined in increasingly complex figures to represent particular forces or qualities embodied in some aspect of creation, evolution, dissolution the flow of color energy "renders potent and dynamic silence. Qadri's paintings are similar to the diagrams of the universe that medieval craftsmen inlaid into the floors of great cathedrals. But rather than being created by cutting hard, resistant stone, Qadri's cosmologies are made with textile dyes doctored with glycerin and ink that spread and mix on wet, pliable paper. Light holds the central position. Blacks serve to make his colors seem brighter by contrast to such strong darks. This exhibit is stunning and spiritual. You can catch "The Presence of Being" at the Sundaram Tagore Gallery located at 547 West 27th street until November 10th. It is a F.A.C.T that art can sooth a savage beast and bring you into the presence of a higher being. I leave you with one of his poems to do just that and then you too can see that it is indeed a F.A.C.T.

















Every tree has a Siddharata
Sitting quietly under and ponder,
Every morning a Siddharata
is Enlightened

Moment by moment
his eyes droop
to look deep down within,
— a nameless smile spreads on his face,
his silence deepens deeper,

Full and empty under the Tree
a man & a human still sits there,
Who will care and spare
a moment to SEE?

The Tree in The Valley
is close to THE BUDDHA
Watching and Witnessing
in silence — indifferent

— Sohan Qadri, 1997

F: Is for Food to die for and a Dessert to wake you up

Last week when I wrote about 49 Grove Street I told you there was a delectable caterer, whose card I misplaced, well I found it. What assailed my tongue was Vietnamese summer rolls with a spicy peanut sauce, seared tuna with Wahhabi and ginger, tuna tartar with sesame seeds and cucumber, mini Cubano sandwiches, steamed vegetable shumai dumplings and a beef tenderloin with grufarette potato. My palate was in connoisseur heaven. The seared Tuna was so fresh that I thought I was eating the most exquisite of beefs. Normally I'll have one to taste but that night I can honestly say I was completely stuffed, and happily so. I was like a sated cat.
Cobblestone Foods, attention to detail, stellar personal service and the freshest of ingredients gives them a pristine edge in the culinary world. Imagine my delight when I learned they were headquartered with a store and restaurant in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. They also caterer events and private functions so if you are looking to awe at your Holiday Party search no further. Here is their information:
Cobblestone Foods
199 Court Street
Brooklyn
718-222-1661 www.cobblestonefoods.com
Now, how do you cleanse you palate in between those courses to savor the next item? How do you end a perfect meal? Wine Cellar Sorbet. The flavors: Three reds: a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from California, a 2005 Pinot Noir from New York and a non-vintage Sangria from Spain, Two whites: a a non-vintage Champagne from California and a 2004 Riesling from New York and one blush wine: a non-vintage Rosé from New York. this is definitely not a dessert you send you kid out for. As a matter of F.A.C.T. you have to be at least 21 for their alcohol, content is up to 5% by volume. Since wine changes with each passing season, so do their sorbets. Based on the vintages, varietals and viticulture regions from where the wines were produced. Therefore each flavor is truly unique and limited in availability. To learn more of this intriguing new desert log onto: www.winecellarsorbets.com. It is a F.A.C.T. that this new and soothing taste treat will be accompanying me to me a dinner party in the future.