T.V.O.D.TM “journey, redemption and salvation” Volume VIII: Chapter 6   June 2002

Sunday, June 2 and Pangea for lunch (Greek salad, spaghetti Bolognese, and carbonara) before a street fair on Waverly Place, near Washington Square.  The view through the Washington Arch has changed recently (take the tour).

We shut the lights before midnight only to be awakened around 3 am; it’s Bryan’s father, telling us that Cherie has passed away around midnight.  She was in a coma for the final 2 hours.

Monday, June 3 and for the summer semester, on Monday, I attend Applications and Principles of Publishing on the Internet, and on Wednesday, I attend Publishing Law at New York University for my Masters of Science in Publishing.  And speaking of the Internet, would you like to take a chance?  Try the link to Level 13 and tell me what you think.

Brother Cleve said he probably wouldn’t make it down to the city in early July and reminded me of something I had forgotten.

“I’m going to Moscow July 4, so I may stick around here and prepare for that.  Ya know what – Diane and I have been married for 11 years.”

Tuesday, June 4 and I have lunch with my parents at Appetito [47 West 39th Street].  From the review by J.  Walman on WEVD News/Talk Radio on April 23, 1999:

The decor may not knock you over, but the comfortable seating, graceful arrangement of flowers and attentive service are perfect.  There’s even live opera on Fridays from 7 to 11 pm).  Owner Walter Celic, and chef Tony Zgombic (from Croatian Istria, once part of Italy), serve one of the best examples of pure, Southern-Italian and Italian-American food in New York.

Favorites include stracciatella, and a vegetable soup special that tasted straight from mama’s kitchen.  Linguini with oil, garlic and cherry peppers was heavenly, as were capellini in white clam sauce and rigatoni all’Amatriciana.  Don’t expect anything trendy.  This disposition extended to a fine, moist veal chop, a knockout cotoletta alla parmigiana and a grilled tuna special.  Two desserts, a cheesecake and rice cake (both homemade) were terrific; the wine list’s best buys are on the American side and prices are moderate.

Wednesday, June 5 and in the NY Times, Mie, our favorite Japanese restaurant, is featured in an article entitled “She Has a Knife and She Knows How to Use It.”

By history and tradition, sushi-making has always been a man’s world.  Hiromi Suzuki, taught to make sushi by her father, Akira Suzuki, chef and owner of Mie, said: “My father heard that women can’t make sushi because they wear perfume and makeup, and the smell will ruin the food, and that women can’t become sushi chefs because behind the counter is a sacred area, and that women are all silly.”

The women who become sushi chefs prefer to work in public rather than hidden from view in a kitchen.  And although they are more motivated by artistry than salary, money is a drawing card.  [A] head sushi chef makes $50,000, and the regular sushi chef makes a little less.

Hiromi Suzuki, 24, is training with her father.  “I love being a sushi chef,” said Ms. Suzuki, who in her junior year dropped out of school, and began lazing about the house.  Two years later, her father asked her to help him at Mie.  “My parents spent all that money,” she said, sighing.  “I am such a bad daughter.”  Although now a part-time student at Hunter College, she thinks of herself as a sushi chef.  “I still need to learn consistency,” she said.  “Will it stand up straight?  Is it too big, or is it too small?”

Thursday, June 6 and “The Whole Warhol” is a two-hour documentary on Andy Warhol, with access to the archives of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.  This Bravo original special is a profile of the late 20th century’s most influential artist, begins with his death, in 1987, and moves backward, tracing his artistic roots in the early '60s.  It has interviews with celebrities such as Madonna, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Paul Morrissey, Dennis Hopper, John Cale, and Debbie Harry.  Among the revelations?

• Warhol’s mother nursed him on Campbell’s Soup when he was sick as a child, and she continued to make it for him even as an adult, when she lived with him in his New York apartment for almost 20 years.
• When Edie Sedgwick died of a drug overdose in 1971, he said, “Oh, gee, I wonder if she left me any money.”
• In 1964, when dancer Freddie Herko leapt out of a window, he said, “Oh, isn’t it too bad we didn’t have the camera there to shoot him spiraling down flights?”

Friday, June 7 and I hear from the new managing editor at Morehouse Publishing, who said she was passed my resume, “just as I was going through my files, frantically searching for a proofreader.  Seemed like kismet.  The book, Keeping Silence, is an introduction to silent meditation.  It’s written for a general, lay audience, so it’s pretty straightforward  –  no footnotes or long bibliographies.”  My first freelance job!

Saturday, June 8 and it’s a rather lazy day; I watch Mel Brook’s History of the World, Part I.  Yes, “it’s good to be the king.”  I really think that it steals from Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers and Woody Allen’s Love & Death.  Trivia?  The narrator is none other than Orson Welles.  The Reel Image [UK] says his

full-frontal assault on how we got where we are today has something, wonderfully, to offend everyone.  Moses drops five of the original 15 commandments and Brooks, as a waiter at the Last Supper, asks: “Are you all together or is it separate checks?”  From a sadistically hilarious Spanish Inquisition number to a “Jews-in-space” finale, it’s vaudeville at its most vulgar – with broader strokes than Monty Python, but without the smugness.

Sunday, June 9 and we walk to the West Village, and have lunch at Café Sha Sha.  We find the place cute, but it is trendily priced and more for desserts than sandwiches.

Monday, June 10 and I stop at Virgin to pick up Jethro Tull’s “Living with the Past” on DVD which is great, interspersed with short band interviews and great extra features.  In the forward, Ian Anderson says,

The tracks for this album have been culled from a November 2001 concert at London's Hammersmith Apollo as well as other live performances.  Some of these have been acoustic sessions for Radio and TV, which occasionally produce some sparkling and intimate moments.

I know there will be many favourites missing - some of my personal bests are absent here - but perhaps if you are good, promise to brush your teeth and not stay up too late, there might be some more of this stuff available before too long.

Tuesday, June 11 and a new flag is proposed for the European Union, part of an image overhaul.  It would replace the current blue EU flag, which has twelve gold stars representing member states.

Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas was commissioned to create the new design, which places all the colors of the national flags of EU nations in strips alongside each other.  Koolhaas says he wants to show the unique diversity and unity of Europe in one image.  Others have said, “This would seem great around a boardroom table after a couple of Aussie chardonnays, but in practice it doesn’t work.”

Wednesday, June 12 and we have lunch at Plantain on 38th Street.  Eric Asimov reviewed it in today’s NY Times; we’d been meaning to go there but we’re not impressed.  The Caribbean and Latin home-style cooking isn’t bad but it’s loud and you get your food in a cafeteria line, making choices from unmarked items while being hounded by the server.  The decent price doesn’t make up for it.

Thursday, June 13 and dinner is takeout from Siam Lemon Leaf.  I watch So Graham Norton; one episode has singer, songwriter, and actress Marianne Faithful, and Changing Rooms flamboyant designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.  One fan wrote, “It was an absolute joy to see Marianne.  She’s an elegant lady, very much like when I remember her back in the sixties.  Quite a foil for Graham’s crass bitchiness.”  The other episode has Lynn Redgrave and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

Friday, June 14 and Bridget Mason writes from London to tell us that her sister Ellie has

“bought a house up in the Rockies, about 8,000 feet up, with a leftie hippie who had a subversive pirate radio station in Tucson and has a massive music collection.  I bet you would have a million things to talk about!  They seem very happy and she really loves Boulder – a lot more pretty than Phoenix.

Old Kent Road [the flat that Bryan and I stayed at when we first went to London] is being sold, which makes little rich bunnies of me and Jude.  Money can’t buy you love but the other way round … well.

I went to Brussels about three weeks ago and it was amazing.  A fascinating place at the moment because they are discussing the ‘future of Europe’ and drawing up a constitutional treaty to re-draw the powers of the European commission and parliament to adapt to when they enlarge countries from 15 to 25.  Real politics going on with people talking about first principles and higher ideals than the usual muck-raking.

The much more exciting news is me and Keith got engaged!!!  He asked me to marry him, and despite previous misgivings about the entire institution of marriage, I just couldn’t say no to him – it was far too romantic.  We’re very excited and very, very happy.  We’ve decided to have a small ceremony in a registry office, round the corner from dad’s at Dagmar Road.  Then a shindig at his house – lots of bubbly and laughter and Scottish dancing.  I’ve already picked out my dress – a Thierry Mugler design – red, expensive and gorgeous!  And Keithy’s wearing a kilt.”

Saturday, June 15 and I buy the Symphony No. 5 – Requiem, Bardo, Nirmanakaya by Philip Glass (Dennis Russell Davies conducting the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra).  I’d been meaning to get this for a long time but was never sure if it was a double cd.  It includes stunningly original packaging but I just wasn’t willing to pay thirty dollars for that!  Lucky me, it’s double indeed and quite, quite good.

All people have the heart, which cannot bear to see the sufferings of others.  The heart of compassion is the seed of benevolence.  [Mencius 2.A.6]

Commissioned in the year 2000, Philip Glass writes in the forward: “Besides being a compendium of reflection on the process of global transformation and evolution, I hope that the work will serve as a strong and positive celebration of the millennium year.”

Come, come, whoever you are!
Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.
Come.  This is not a caravan of despair.
It doesn’t matter if you have broken your vows a thousand times.
Still come, and yet again come!

Quoted from Rumi (Persian) in the fifth track, Love and Joy.  Click here for the full libretto (with all credits).  Paul Cool wrote, in a review redacted from the New Music Connoisseur website,

Every now and then something comes along to give fans of minimalism hope.  This is the case with Glass’ brilliant Symphony No. 5, a 12-movement storytelling of the whole of creation from beginning to end.

Segments come from the Koran, the Bible, the Popul Voh (Mayan), the Bhagavad Gita, the Rig Veda, the Kumulipo (Hawaiian), the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the Zuni creation story, as well as from Bantu, Bulu, Japanese and Chinese sources.  The texts are on individual folding cards that have some of the text written in the original calligraphy.

This may very well be Glass’ masterpiece.  The music here is captivating and the texts are lovingly sung in English.  And while we may have heard elements of this music before, here it all seems fresh, vibrant, and vital.

Immediately, I’m drawn into it.  The first track, Before the Creation draws from the Rig Veda 10:129 (“That one breathed, windless, by Its own impulse.”).  The second disc opens with the lament of Psalm 22:1–3 (“O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but find no rest.”).

From Evil and Ignorance and Judgment and Apocalypse, to Compassion and Paradise – we move through the land of humankind, finally ending with the words of the Bodhicaryavatara:  “For as long as space endures and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide to dispel the misery of the world.”

Sunday, June 16 and my friend the Rev. David MacDonald writes:

“Betty and I are in England for a week at Sarum College in Salisbury, working on the last two modules for my M.A. in Christian Spirituality.  I will have all course work done by September, then write a thesis on the Scottish writer George MacDonald and his views on journey, redemption and salvation.  Then I’ll start the doctorate at the University of Wales.

On the culinary front, I will raise a glass to you and Bryan at Simpson’s in the Strand where I will be dining on Scottish Roast Beef with all the appropriate side dishes and the impeccable service that they have.  We will be forced to do this on June 16, just before leaping back over the pond to Texas.  Church and day school continue to do well and life is wonderful at present.”

Monday, June 17 and Bryan forwards this piece of advice from his cousin Tina Pecor in Wisconsin.  She also sent a cute picture of her son, Alex.

“Pass this on to anyone who likes being out in the evening or is having a cook out.  Here is a good thing for those who like to enjoy the outdoors, but don’t like those pesky mosquitoes.  It was given at a gardening forum.  Put some water in a dinner plate and add a couple of drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dishwashing soap.  Set the dish on a porch or patio.  Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell or what, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead, or fall into the water, or on the floor within about 10 feet.  Works just super!  Enjoy the mosquito free summer!!!!”

Tuesday, June 18 and I had written to Rick Berlin about his writing and when he was going to have his book published.  He wrote back to say that no one is interested in his writing, so you should check it out.  He says “God, Tony.  No idea about the damn book.  It’s gonna take forever and I can’t imagine anybody thinking it was publishable.  Nobody seems interested in Go For It Girl either.”

Wednesday, June 19 and a day to prepare for our trip to Wyoming.  I love my Publishing Law class because of the interesting class discussions; we’re currently looking at libel and privacy.  If this were a year ago, we might be looking at the trip that Steve and Vicki Pelle took from Florida to Boston on their Harley-Davidson motorcycles.  I highly recommend these tour notes.

Thursday, June 20 and we’re on way to Riverton, Wyoming, arriving around 2 pm MDT.  We spend most of the afternoon sitting with Howard and Cherie’s mother Dorie before going to see Bryan’s brother Brett and the kids, followed by mother Pam and her husband Lee.  Back at Howard’s, we sit around the Chiminea making S’mores until midnight.

Friday, June 21 is mainly spent at Howard’s and getting to meet all of the various friends and relatives of Cherie’s.  Certainly for me, it’s interesting to weave all the storylines that I’ve come to know over the years.  Around noon, we pick up Howard’s mother Ruth and try the new restaurant in town, Perrett; it’s Americanized Italian food and decently priced.

6 pm, Bryan and I take little Bryan and Angel to see “Scooby Doo” at the theater.  Well, other than the very hot Freddie Prinze, Jr. looking silly in bleached blond hair, this is one terrible movie.  We were actually prepared to like it, but the mix of “hip” references, the appeal to late teens and early 20s, a complicated plot, and finally the appearance of the Bean (yes, the much reviled Rowan Atkinson) makes this a long two hours.  Even the kids aren’t that impressed.

Saturday, June 22 and we’re up early to get ready for the 10 AM memorial service at the United Methodist Church.  Cherie Gilpatrick Johnson (known at the “Queen Bee”) was born May 14, 1955; that’s right, my “step-mother-in-law” was two years younger than me.

By the time we get to the church, there are over 500 people in attendance.  This has a lot to do with the fact that Cherie grew up in Riverton, her father was a prominent builder, she was very involved in the school system (particularly with Reading Recovery in her last years) and Howard is a well-known citizen.

Earl Detwiler, the pastor, is very vibrant; I’d seen him at the house on Friday and didn’t realize he was the minister!  After gathering at the fellowship hall for a couple of hours, the day continued at Howard’s with people either spending time in the main house, eating barbeque, or visiting next door with Dorie.

Sunday, June 23 and we say our good-byes.  Our drive back to Casper includes a stop at Shoshoni for “world-famous malts and shakes” (since 1909) at the Yellowstone Drug Store.   The building, on the Historical Register, has bank vaults still in use to this day; one of the former tenants was a grandfather of President Gerald Ford.  And yes, the malts and shakes are damn good!  Click for a movie about it or still photos.

When we get to the airport, we find our 3 pm flight cancelled !  Luckily, we’d arrived so early that we got on one leaving at 1 pm.  Arriving early in Denver, we got exit rows on the United flight back.  By 11 pm, we were home and having dinner at Pangea.

Monday, June 24 and most of the day is spent trying to get my html homework done before class at 6 pm.  And although I don’t get it finished, I do get within striking distance.  After class, I watch Paul Newman in “The Verdict” set in Boston in the mid 1970s.  He is absolutely brilliant as a washed-up alcoholic lawyer.

Tuesday, June 25 and Bryan and I go to dinner at Jade Mountain, the greasy Chinese across the street from Dick’s.  For such cheap food (and fruit flies), it is rather tasty and serves the largest one dollar egg roll in the city.

Wednesday, June 26 and the whole day is spent studying for my exam in Publishing Law.  6 pm, I can’t believe that I totally miss some of the questions that required pure memorization.  After class, there is an interesting documentary on John Cale, former bassist for the Velvet Underground and producer extraordinaire.

Thursday, June 27 and for lunch, I go to Pangea for spaghetti Bolognese and a piña colada.  Bryan’s off to meet Mark Harrington for drinks.  He’s supposed to be back in an hour, but they wind up having dinner at Craft, a new restaurant on Avenue B near Second Street.  He later tells me it’s a very interesting place.

Friday, June 28 and I proofread “Keeping Silence: Christian Practices for Entering Stillness” by C.W. McPherson.  This is the first book I’ve done for Morehouse and I feel I’ve done a good job.  Redacted from their website:

When C. W. McPherson asked the members of his congregation to practice just ten minutes of silence each day during Advent, it seemed like a simple task.  “It sounded easy,” said one of his parishioners, “but then I actually tried to do it.”

This engaging book is for those who find it difficult to slow down and be quiet.  But if we can’t be still in a noisy world, we will have a hard time listening for God’s voice and guidance.  McPherson provides historical background and instructions for Benedictine rumination, psalm repetition, the Jesus Prayer, Ignatian meditation, meditation on icons or candles, walking the labyrinth or the Stations of the Cross, and more.

A published poet and author, the Rev. C.W. McPherson has spent twenty years in parish ministry; he is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and mentor for deacons and priests in formation.  “Keeping Silence” will be published by Morehouse Publishing, October 1, 2002 (112 Pages, $12.95).

Saturday, June 29 and on the door of the Lunch Box is a sign that begins, “due to the nature of capitalism.”  Yes, our regular brunch spot is gone!  What will we do?  This time it’s lunch at Little Poland, which is inexpensive if quite bland.

I watch Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” with Nathan Lane and directed by Richard Benjamin.  This one flew under the wire in 2001 and turned out to be much more interesting than I expected.

Sunday, June 30 is Gay Pride Day in New York City; we brave the heat and check out the Gay Pride Parade.

We’re at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street around 4 pm, checking out the last third of the parade.  It’s somewhat fun but not enough to stop us from eating outside at Tanti Baci, our favorite Italian in the area.

We go to Dick’s Bar at 6 for drinks and back at the apartment by 8, watching “The Mexican” with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.  But I also have a few shots of Liquore Strega; some say sublime, some hate it.

Adelante! Hombres.  Sailors.  Comrades. I know your mind.  I know your heart. I know your answer.

When He decrees a thing,
He but says to it,
“Be,” and it is.

The Qur’an 2:117, as excerpted in the Creation of the Cosmos
from the Symphony No. 5 by Philip Glass