You Heard Me!

Some people may think that we're crazy for living in California, what with the potential earthquakes and human disasters; so-called fruits and nuts", however, you can't beat the weather most of the year.  Even in the Northern part of the state, where, believe-it- or-not, it snows, it is only a temporary occurrence.                                                               Silver Sunset                                                     photos by Karin Kascher ©2009 Friday Night Listening Pleasure... The Gypsy Kings: Hotel California

photo: Karin Kascher © 2009 Here are two divergent homages to the Rite of Spring.  The first is a photo that I surreptitiously photographed on my mother's porch.  I call it, Spring Love on Astro Turf® . The video below is a brilliant performance of the The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps), Part IV (Glorification de l'Elue through Rituelle des ancestres), by one of my favorite composers, the audacious  Igor Stravinsky and performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, October 23, 2003 To hear one the other four movements, you can click on the YouTube Icon and choose. They're all terrific!

This woman is an unbelievable powerhouse of talent and soul!  Before I actually heard Amy Winehouse sing, I'd only read about her drugged-induced escapades and narrow brushes with the wrong side of the law and paparazzi.  The second video is one in a series of songs whereby she sings in an office without much, if any acoustical accoutrements.  I truly hope that she finds the strength to overcome her demons, because I, for one, am "ga-ga" about her! I love this woman! ... plus , she mentions Tanqueray® in this song.  Pass the Schweppes® and twist of lime [clink-clink].

Rolling across the Golden Gate Bridge is always a challenge and towing an Airstream trailer is an added thrill!                                      Sunset at Pismo Beach, California Some of you have asked me about the Airstream Rallies.  Here are a few photos from the California Silver Sisters Rally , March 6-8, 2009 at Pismo Beach, CA, which I  attended.  As a rule, there are no rules!  We all just get together, eat lots of food, experiment with wine, vodka, gin, tequillia, etc. and talk endlessly about our aluminum trailers and travels.  No two Airstreams are alike! Each owner has decorated the interior to their liking, old or new.   The newer Airstreams are very cool; many are built with very slick new materials, such as bamboo and LED lighting. Airforum Rallies often have older Airstream models dating back to the 1950's.  Our Airstream is a 25 ft. 1978   International Tradewind and came with all of the brownish 1970's plastic interior.  The outside is the shiny alumi...

Whenever I hear that we're heading for the next Great Depression I wonder how this generation will cope. Listen and watch as 93 year-old Clara Cannucciari teaches us how to cook a typical meal from her Great Depression family kitchen and recants her stories of the struggles and joys that she experienced as a child.  Clara's webblog If you enjoyed this cooking lesson, check out her other videos , which were filmed by her grandson Christopher Cannucciarri .   Her Sicilian Christmas (Cucidati Fig &Nut) cookie episode and her Poor Man's Feast  are especially wonderful.  With each video Clara sprinkles her cooking with nuggets of wisdom and honesty about the  hardships of those years, yet she remains  joyful and delighted to share these treasured recipes and memories. What a wonderful spirit! You can also listen to this song, Blue Moon , written by Rodgers & Hart in 1933 and performed by the great jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli in 1990, with Martin Taylor on guit...

Thank you NASA for this incredible photography This weeks muscal link: Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan