Wild Women – Page 2 – Karen's New York Love Affair

Ghostly music in Ruby, Arizona

Miners at Montana Mine in Ruby, Arizona, circa 1930 — *Miners at the top of the Montana Mines mineshaft, which descends 600 feet into the earth. Their only source of light was the carbide lamps they wore on their belts. Photographer unknown.*

Last November when my dear friends Sally and Bill Sommer, West Village residents, invited my mother, Donnette, and me to visit a ghost town, we jumped at the chance. Sally owns a share of the ghost town Ruby, in Arizona, and it so happened we were all free to travel there in early April. I was curious to see what the vibe was like in a town so close to the Mexican border. This was at the height of the media coverage of border caravans, families being separated, and vigilantes off-roading along the border. In January, there was one of the biggest drug busts ever of fentanyl in Nogales (254 pounds of the stuff, valued at $4.6 million), just a few miles south of Ruby as the crow flies. It seemed risky to go, but we decided to proceed anyway.

*Longhorn Grill in Arivaca, Arizona. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

My mother and I drove down to Ruby from Tucson in a shiny blue rental car. Just south of Arivaca, we encountered dozens of white Border Patrol trucks going the other way on the two-lane highway. It was pretty creepy, frankly, and we pulled over to make sure we had our passports handy, in fear of being chucked over the border if a guard took a disliking to us. However, we passed through a Customs and Immigration checkpoint uneventfully, and then passed more BP trucks.

Pat Frederick, sculptor of animal essence in steel - sculpture in the desert — *Sculpture in the desert, by Pat Frederick, sculptor of animal essence in steel.. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

Our friends (Sally and Bill from New York, and sculptor Pat Frederick and zoo animal nutritionist Howard Frederick from Tucson) weren’t meeting us at Ruby until the next day, so with a little trepidation, we continued onto the final stretch of rough, puddled dirt road in the low-slung rental car. After a few hair-raising plunges through puddles of unknown depths, we arrived at the gate to Ruby. Armed with the code for the lock on the gate, we opened it and crossed the cattle guard into the historic gold and silver mining town that grew up around the Montana Mine. Now, if you’ve ever seen a Western movie, you probably have a clear idea of what a ghost town looks like. This wasn’t it.

Donkey bus to Ruby schoolhouse — *A donkey “bus” brought children to school. The Ruby schoolhouse taught grades one through eight. Maximum enrollment was about 150 children in 1936. Photographer unknown.*

At first all we saw were trees, bushes, and a ring of hills surrounding the former town, with the proud landmark, Montana Peak, rising in the south. Here and there were a few crumbling walls of adobe, and a few ominous, decaying mine buildings on a hillside. Suddenly we heard engines buzzing overhead, and saw two military planes circling the ghost town twice before heading off into the distance. This was anachronistic, not to mention ominous. What was going on?

*First impressions. Ruby mine building with houses nestled in the distance. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

We checked in with the caretaker, Michael, who told us that the US military likes flying over this area for flight training because it resembles Afghanistan! Not quite as sleepy a ghost town as we had imagined, even though it seemed there was no town left.

Case's Place - Lunches. One of the kids used to bring sandwiches to miners at lunchtime for a nickel per delivery. Photographer unknown. — *Case’s Place – Lunches. One of the kids used to bring sandwiches to miners at lunchtime for a nickel per delivery. Photographer unknown.*

The sun was about a fist from the horizon by this time, so we hastened to make camp where Michael had directed us, on a flat plain of mine tailings (fine white sand), located between two lakes. We erected our tents by the trees bordering one of the lakes, near a ramada (covered area with picnic tables) and fire pit. I’ve done a lot of camping, and this is the sweetest spot I’ve ever pitched a tent. The daytrippers at Ruby had to leave by sunset, and soon my mom and I and the caretaker were the only ones left in Ruby, or so we thought.

*Mine employees made bricks on site, to be used in house and mine construction. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

I had promised Donnette a champagne breakfast the next morning, but since we didn’t have the required corkscrew to open the wine we’d brought for dinner, we popped the champagne cork and poured golden libations into our travel coffee mugs. Ambrosia! We cobbled together dinner on a Coleman stove our hosts in Tucson had lent us, and made a fire with twigs and branches we collected under the trees. Guess which West Village newspaper I used to light the kindling? My mom had the fire crackling in no time. That night we listened to three-part coyote harmonies as we snuggled into our sleeping bags. The second act was a great-horned owl backed by the calls of an unidentified pair of night birds.

*Slide outside Ruby Schoolhouse. Kids used to race up the stairs and whiz down the slide, while nearby kids hung on to bars on ropes to swing around a merry-go-round. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

The next morning we had the promised champagne breakfast, with mimosas, scrambled eggs, and chocolate. It began to rain, but we’re tough Canadians, so we started to explore the remains of the town. The mine closed in 1940, and though at one time there had been up to 1,200 residents, and miners working in 3 shifts, that time was many decades in the past. However, the group of families that now collectively owns Ruby has done work to preserve and restore parts of the town, including the old schoolhouse, part of which is now a museum. After poking around in various decrepit buildings filled with incredibly large mounds of mouse and rat turds, as well as a few fascinating old furnishings, we finally came to the schoolhouse. The door was open and across a narrow hallway was a tiny room housing the creepiest piano I’ve ever seen, with more than its share of black teeth and exposed decaying innards.

Donnette is no stranger to ghost towns, hailing as she does from the Cariboo, home to Canada’s most famous gold rush. She headed straight to the piano. Being a leftie, she reached with her left hand and started playing. Dah-dah-dah-DUH. Beethoven’s Fifth roared forth! The only thing is, my mom has never learned to play the piano. Some haunting being was playing through her! She recalls “The way my back went was so creepy. A creepy, cold feeling. That was a ‘passed one’.” I felt the chill down my spine as well, and an enveloping cloud of cold air. I shrieked and we both raced out of the building. My mother had previously cleared spirits from a residence that had been built on an Indian (First Nations) burial ground. She said, “I just knew from past experience that that wasn’t good for you and you wouldn’t want it again. A little devil in me wanted to go back in, but I didn’t let it win. I could tell the cold was coming, and I was getting cold from it.” We raced back to our campsite, trying to shake off the chill feeling.

The piano in the school house museum at Ruby, Arizona — *The haunted piano. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

A little while later, the sun came out, our friends arrived from Tucson, and it seemed life returned to normal. However, although we were looking forward to margaritas and a good meal with our friends, the dramas of this sleepy town continued. We learned that the night before, while my mom and I were listening to nature’s serenade, Michael, the caretaker, found an illegal immigrant wandering up the rutted remnants of a road through the ghost town. The starving, extremely dehydrated man had exhausted himself on his journey on foot to the US, and now he wanted to surrender. This is what we’re reading about in the papers every day, and it actually happened while we were there in Ruby. We were sobered by this real, live example of a human’s suffering. It wasn’t just a story in the paper anymore.

We had a lot to talk about that evening over a wilderness-enhanced dinner of spicy chili and steamed corn tamales, washed down with Howard’s world-class margaritas. As the sun went down and the stars came out, we heard Ruby ghost stories of murder and mayhem around the fire, building new memories on the ashes of the old.

The fantastic five at the Ruby Schoolhouse — *Sally and Bill Sommer, Pat and Howard Frederick, and Donnette Rempel outside the Ruby Schoolhouse. Photo by Karen Rempel.*

Dreams Come True at the Dance Parade

May 11 was a day to dance on Broadway, making dreams come true for over 10,000 dancers in the 13th annual NYC Dance Parade and Festival. I first saw this parade in 2018, and it was very sad because it rained that day and all the dancers were wearing plastic ponchos over their glorious costumes. Luckily, the sun shone brilliantly this year, and the dancers’ costumes were fully visible in all their splendor.

The parade this year featured over 100 styles of dancing. It was founded to protest the NYC Cabaret Laws that prohibited dancing in night clubs. I’ve seen the sign that says “No Dancing” at the famous cabaret club Don’t Tell Mama. I’ve also been in Red Rooster in Harlem and was so surprised that there was only space for about 4 people to dance surreptitiously in the corner. Thanks to the work of this Dance Parade and a lot of political activism, the 91-year-old Cabaret Law was overturned in 2017. But jazz clubs in New York are still behind the times. People just don’t dance! In contrast to jazz clubs in Paris and London, where the dance floor is packed.

Luckily the Dance Parade is here to keep historical dances alive, like Armenian Folk dancing and Bolivian Caporales, and showcases new dance forms like Litefeet, Waacking, and Brazillian Zouk. Dancers prepared their final touches in the staging area on East 21 Street. The dancing began at Broadway and East 20th Street, just below Madison Square, and the fleet-footed dancers flounced down Broadway to Union Square, before skipping east at 8th Avenue and culminating at a party and festival at Tompkins Square Park.

It has been a dream of mine to dance in the parade. I’ve been studying dance at the Joffrey Ballet School, and attend classes 6 times a week at Barre3. I’ve also taken dance lessons in many different styles (ballroom, salsa, swing, flamenco, and more) for my whole life, since I took my first disco classes in 1979! So I was more than ready to strut my stuff. I tried to get a dance group together, but couldn’t drum up a few friends to sashay with me, so I joined the parade as an individual dancer and teamed up with the awesome House of Yes folks, dancing with their float.

House of Yes had one of the most amazing floats in the parade, with a pole dancer spiralling continuously and two aerial acrobats spinning on hoops suspended from the back of the truck. The costume theme was color and glitter, in honor of this year’s huge Pride Parade coming up in June, so I dressed as a butterfly. I felt like I was flying and fluttering above the pavement as we paraded down Broadway. There was a slight glitch when the float reached Union Square, as the float was too wide to clear the street light standard. After much backing up and inching forward, the crew had to remove one of the struts for the aerial hoops in order to get by the tight corner. Dancers gamely continued dancing around the float until we could resume the parade.

House of Yes Float — *The House of Yes driver, dance leader, and dance queen, preparing the float on East 21st Street*

It was a magical day to remember for the rest of my life. Another New York dream coming true. I’m definitely up for next year’s parade!

Leopards seeing spots at National Arts Club

National Arts Club Karen Rempel Alexandra Kargin and The Man — *Alexandra Kargin, The Bomb, and Karen Rempel in spots*

I’ve been attending FashionSpeak Friday events at the National Arts Club, ever since stumbling upon the Iris Apfel book launch (for Accidental Icon: Musings of a Geriatric Starlet) and award ceremony there, in May 2018. Suddenly a glamorous world of high fashion and style opened up before my eyes, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. I happened to be wearing fantastic Herchkovitch; Alexandre + Melissa clear vinyl platform shoes with flower cut-outs, and it appeared I fit right into the event, for people assumed I was part of it. (Actually, I’d been attending our graduation dinner for the United Nations Worldview Institute Executive Leadership Training, downstairs, that evening.) In any case, I was smitten with the National Arts Club, FashionSpeak Fridays, and fashion in general.

National Arts Club FashionSpeak Fridays — *The Bomb’s shoes & socks. This man has style!*

A few weeks ago I attended a leopard-themed event at NAC, in honor of International Women’s Month. The speaker was Jo Weldon, author of Fierce: The History of Leopard Print. She gave a very informative and fascinating talk, and the evening began with an amazing burlesque performance. What was most delightful about the evening for me was the prevalence of leopard prints, as New Yorkers love the chance to play dress-up. There were so many spots in that room that I thought I might have an epileptic fit.

National Arts Club - two shoes — *Sole mates – zebras and leopards in harmony*

FashionSpeak Fridays at the National Art Club are free to the public, so I like to go whenever possible. I just love the atmosphere at the Club, and the fashion events are truly inspirational. The Club, at 15 Gramercy Park South, is located in the historic Samuel Tilden Mansion. Samuel Tilden, the 25th Governor of New York, combined two mansions and gave them a complete redesign in 1863. Tilden hired Calvert Vaux, a famed architect and one of the designers of Central Park, to modernize the façade with sandstone, bay windows, and ornamentation in the Aesthetic Movement style. John LaFarge created stained glass panels for the interior of the mansion and glass master Donald MacDonald fashioned a unique stained glass dome for Tilden’s library that crowns the room where the bar is now located. This is truly one of my favorite places in New York to have a drink.

National Arts Club, Karen Rempel, Bert Daniels, Jo Weldon, leopard print — *Bert Daniels, Karen Rempel, and part of Jo Weldon’s leopard print collection, with DJ in background – he mixed a lot of great jungle-themed tunes for the event!*

In 1966, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission declared 15 Gramercy Park South a New York City Landmark; and in 1976 the Federal government designated the building a National Historic Landmark. Of course the club has had many illustrious members, including three US presidents and many artists, writers, architects, and other creative geniuses.

Dusty Berke, Alexandra Kargin, Karen Rempel, Anila Cobo, Nikki Nelson, Bert Daniels, National Arts Club, Rose Bar, Gramercy Park Hotel — *Dusty, Alexandra, me, Anila, Nikki, and Bert at the Rose Bar, across Gramercy Park, after the event*

The club is a great place to hang out, and I hope to be a member soon so I can lounge and dine in the gorgeous library and restaurant. The sparks of creativity in the atmosphere have landed in my heart, and ignited in my new role as Fashion Editor of the WestView News, the Voice of the West Village. As many of you know, I’ve been writing articles for the paper for a few years now. When I wrote a piece on the closing of the Cornelia Street Cafe (also discussed at length in this blog), the owner of the paper, George Capsis, said he’d like me to write, write, write for the paper. He invited me to HQ on Charles Street, and asked what I would like to write about. What came out of my mouth, with no forethought or foreknowledge, was the single word, “Fashion.” Wow! A revelation… My first fashion column came out in March, and the April edition is due out tomorrow, with the second column. You’ll see me sporting leopard there too!

Christmas in New York 2018 – the Rockettes!

I’m going to make a new Christmas tradition, shared by many New Yorkers and tourists before me, to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall for their annual Christmas Spectacular.

Outside Radio City - Christmas in New York — *Outside Radio City Music Hall*

I saw them for the first time last year, on a dream date with a guy named Guy, and I was super excited to see the show again this year.

Christmas Balls outside Radio City Music Hall — *Christmas Balls*

My friends Sally S. and Heather F. (of 9 W. 10th St, my former home) know people connected with the show, including the people who sew all the sequins on the costumes (in a tiny tailor’s shop in Chinatown) and one of the former dancers. These creme de la creme fraiche dancers do up to 4 shows a day! Sally told me the choreography has been the same since the 1930s. The repertoire is too big to do all the numbers in one year, so they switch them around, with the most popular numbers being performed every year. For example, the precision dance of the toy soldiers.

Radio City Music Hall - Interior — *Waiting for the curtain to rise. During the show, the entire proscenium arch becomes a movie screen.*

There is something so fascinating and mesmerizing about the chorus line, when they are all kicking their legs in unison. I don’t know why I love it so much. It is thrilling to see, and it never gets boring… Sally, who is a prominent member of the dance community of New York (founder of the International Tap Society, on the Bessie Committee, teacher, author, etc.), said this question has occupied the dance world for decades, if not centuries, with no clear answer!

Children's choir at Radio City Music Hall — *Each year, children’s choirs perform a pre-show Christmas carol. How cute is that?*

This year I attended with my friend from work, Sally M.

Delta Airlines Sucks — *Sally M. outside Radio City Music Hall*

We had a fantastic time, and I can’t wait to see the show again next year!

Superagers – The Ones Who Don’t Forget

Push your mind to the point of unease! Ouch, sounds painful. But here’s why you might want to do this.

Scientists mostly agree that cognitive decline is a standard part of aging. Some abilities, including vocab (lucky for us writers!) are preserved and can even improve with age, but many others, such as processing speed, conceptual reasoning, and memory, are worsened. Due to the natural shrinkage of the brain (ugh) and resultant cognitive degradation over time, this unfortunate reality is something that affects all of us. Except when it doesn’t (ha).

Here’s where the superagers come in–with the mental abilities of 50 year olds into their 80s and 90s. So this is where we need to start!Two things that help us remain younger as we age you’ve probably heard already–exercise, and positive social interaction. The third thing is to constantly challenge our brains with new or difficult tasks. It can’t be something that’s hard but we’re good at (like the NYT crossword–not that I’m good at it, but you probably are!). We have to leave our comfort zone and power our mind to the point of unease. Examples include traveling alone to unfamiliar places, learning to play a woodwind, organizing a protest event, and making some kind of art (however weird)!

According to Cooper Wade Collier’s inspiring article “How to Grow Old Without Growing Old,” in the Mensa Bulletin, some of the “superager” people studied even had considerable signs of Alzheimer’s, but it didn’t make a dent in their level of functioning. There were various studies, and the positive impact of using our minds to forge new neural pathways overcame not only Alzheimer’s but smoking, drinking, genetic factors, and so on. But regular exercise and social interaction were common factors among all the superagers.

I guess the point is we have to keep pushing ourselves on every level or we decline–physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Rise Up for Roe – Protect Our Reproductive Rights

Event Alert: Sunday, August 26, 12 noon to 2 PM at ~~City~~ ~~Hall Park~~ Foley Square, Lafayette & Worth St.

Show up to protect women’s reproductive rights and the right to have control over our bodies.

RSVP here at moveon.org

I thought we won this fight long ago and would never have to worry again. But now we need to fight again.

Rise Up for Roe Tour

On August 11, I attended the kick-off event for the Rise Up for Roe tour. The tour is going to hit 10 cities across the US in the next 11 days, with an awesome slate of inspirational women, to prevent the upcoming proposed confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and get people to come to the August 26 Unite for Justice nation-wide event. Kavanaugh has indicated his intention to overturn Roe v. Wade and destroy the reproductive rights we won in 1973 during this landmark decision. His track record of anti-reproductive health care extremism seriously puts our constitutional right to abortion at risk.

Many women today have always lived in an America where abortion was a protected right. People may not be aware of the risks women faced before this time, with the horrors of back-alley abortions and a frightening mortality rate for women who had no other choice but to seek out this option. Others tried using bleach, gin, coat hangers, and other horrifying methods to terminate their unwanted pregnancies.

This is not a light matter–it is vitally important to protect our right to have control over what happens to our bodies.

New York City Kick-Off

Chelsea Clinton was the headlining speaker at the kick-off, with a panel of 4 fantastic women:

Lauren Duca – journalist and political columnist for Teen Vogue
Jess Morales Rocketto – Political Director at the National Domestic Workers Alliance
Jess McIntosh – national spokesperson who helps elect pro-choice women and worked on Hilary Clinton’s campaign
Symone Sanders – political commentator who was Bernie Sanders’ national press secretary

A Brooklyn doctor in the audience shared stories of two of her patients who sought abortion, both mothers who didn’t want to increase the size of their family. This brave doctor vowed to keep performing abortion whether it is legal or not. Another courageous woman shared her story of seeking an abortion at the age of 24 because it was not the right time in her life for her to start a family. Bravo!

I want to state here very firmly and clearly that women have a right to an abortion at any time, for any reason. No one has the right to judge a woman who makes this choice, or to prevent her from having an abortion. Period.

Come Protest on August 26

We need to show that we have the numbers to Rise Up for Roe.

There will be a national protest event on Sunday, August 26th to speak out for reproductive rights and prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation. The Unite for Justice New York City event, organized by the National Organization of Women (NOW) will take place from 12 noon to 2 PM at Foley Square, Lafayette and Worth St. ~~City Hall Park~~~~, Broadway and Chambers St.~~

Plan to come yourself and bring your friends and family.

Take A Single Step – Something You Can Do Now

Other things you can do to protect our reproductive rights:

Dear Senator campaign (by Planned Parenthood) – write to your senator using this easy web form.
Call your senator and leave a 30-second message every day for the next 10 days. Here’s how to find and contact your senator.
The National Women’s Law Center has instituted a tweet campaign that you can take part in.
Talk to your friends and share abortion stories.

Helpful stats

Voters support abortion rights. Seven in ten are opposed to the Supreme Court restricting women’s constitutional rights, including abortion. This includes 87% of Democrats, 86% of Independents, and 54% of Republicans.
65% of women who have an abortion are mothers.
25% of all women have an abortion by age 45.
Only 17 states have abortion laws. Many working women cannot afford to take time off to travel to another state to seek an abortion.

This affects all of us. Take a single step today to protect our reproductive rights.

New York’s Senator Schumer Opposes Kavanaugh’s Confirmation

There is hope, and we still need to make sure our message is loud and clear to all politicians across America. I wrote to the New York Senator, Charles E. Schumer, and received this awesome, articulate letter, which clearly states his opposition to appointing Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and why:

Dear Ms. Rempel:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy from the Supreme Court of the United States and your opposition to President Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the vacancy. I agree that Justice Kennedy’s departure from the Supreme Court has created one of the most important vacancies in our lifetimes.

Our founding fathers created three separate but equal branches of government to prevent any one branch from gaining too much unilateral power. The judicial branch has the critical responsibility of interpreting laws; as the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court makes the ultimate determination of constitutionality. Decisions made in the Supreme Court chambers have far reaching and long-lasting consequences for society. Therefore, the American public must be confident that Brett Kavanaugh will be an independent jurist.

President Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the Supreme Court vacancy puts reproductive rights and health care protections for millions of Americans on the judicial chopping block. His own writings make clear that he would rule against reproductive rights and freedoms, and that he would welcome challenges to the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

Furthermore, President Trump’s numerous attacks on the judicial branch have raised serious concerns for the integrity of the judiciary. These attacks indicate a clear disregard for the Constitution and an aversion to any judge who is not willing to acquiesce to the President’s policy agenda. Judge Kavanaugh has not yet demonstrated the ability to be an independent juror, especially when it comes to limits on Presidential power.

In considering a candidate for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, I have three main criteria: legal excellence, moderation and diversity. Judge Kavanaugh was picked from a list of 25 people who were vetted and approved by the Federalist Society and Heritage Foundation — special interest groups devoted to overturning Roe v. Wade, the court case protecting a woman’s right to choose. These groups have also made it their main mission to strike down the Affordable Care Act. Judge Kavanaugh was nominated because he passed these litmus tests, not because he will be an impartial judge on behalf of all Americans. So, I will oppose his nomination and continue to fight for a bipartisan rejection of this nominee and urge the President to put forth a moderate selection that both parties could support.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Please keep in touch with your thoughts and opinions.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

Wild Visions Decade Anniversary

My NYC block - 6th Avenue and W. 12th Street - moon, Jefferson Market tower, One World tower — *My NYC block – 6th Avenue and W. 12th Street – moon, Jefferson Market tower, One World tower*

July 2018 marks the 10-year anniversary of this blog. I well remember the conversations in 2008 with my friend John Harper, who suggested I start a blog to become the go-to person for ecopsychology. I had just finished my master’s in this subject, and he was encouraging me to share insights about the interdependence and connection between humans and nature. We evolved in nature–part of, not separate from–and when we lose this connection, we get crazy. With over 50% of the world’s populations living in cities now, we are losing our connection to the natural rhythms and cycles of life. I felt passionate about helping people reconnect to wild nature and our inner nature.

I was living at Monkey Valley at the time, and started the blog with a few stories of things that happened on the land, like the entry “An August day at Monkey Valley,” as well as the entry below that, “Wild Women Run”–a landmark moment in my life when I stepped outside of my boundaries to expand into my bigger potential.

Family Viewpoint at Monkey Valley 2013 — *Me and my family at Monkey Valley, August 2013 – Kat, me, Kim, Mom, Eli, Alex (missing: Kirsten and Kurt–love you guys! I’m pretty sure Geoff is taking the pic–love you too!)*

During the past 10 years a lot has changed in my life (and a lot is still the same). The most obvious change is that I live in the wilds of the West Village of New York now, not the BC wilderness. During the past 10 years this blog has ranged over many subjects as my interests and experiences have unfolded. I found it wasn’t in my nature to keep the focus on one topic (ecopsychology) and be the go-to person for that subject.

Topics have ranged to cougars, pedicures, yoga, running, spirituality, photography, New York City, David Bowie, and much more. One pretty constant thread has been running, which has been my passion and sanity go-to for over 20 years. When I ran the NY Marathon in 2016, in honor of David Bowie, I pushed myself to finish it and vowed I was willing to pay the price. That price is that I’m currently on hiatus from running, while I heal my neck and knee injuries. This has led to a healing journey with other great gifts and no regrets. But I’m a little sad to say that the wild woman doesn’t run much these days. Instead, though, I attend the most kick-ass Barre 3 classes on the planet!

Me and Giacometti — *Posing with Giacometti statue at the Guggenheim museum, August 2018*

Never stop exercising! I say this to anyone who might be reading this blog today–keep your brain and heart healthy by exercising 6 days a week, for at least an hour a day. Just do it! This is the single most important thing you can do to love yourself and live a happy life.

So, lecture over, I invite you to enjoy these two retro articles from the first year of this blog.

An August day at Monkey Valley

The morning walk

I started the day with a walk up to the top gate at the north corner of Monkey Valley. It takes about 15 minutes to walk up there from the house. The driveway goes past the spot where a faster pitched her tarp a few weeks ago, and just as I meandered by this stretch of dirt road, cup of tea and cell phone in hand, I startled a deer who quickened her pace up the hillside. I wondered if it was the same deer the faster saw, and felt her spirit on the land. As I followed the road up the hillside I heard red-tailed hawk calling out his raspy high-pitched song, and saw him high on a dead tree’s branch. I called back, and we spoke back and forth a few times until he grew tired of the game and flew away to a further tree.

The digital valley

I was walking up to the top gate to get a really strong cell-phone reception for the 7:45 am meeting I call into every morning. Since Telus switched from analog to digital cell signals, the signal doesn’t bounce as far and I don’t get consistent reception down in the valley where the house is. It makes for a more peaceful time here, not having a phone ringing throughout the day. But it also makes me feel like nobody wants me! Anyway, these work meetings give me a great reason to get out early in the morning to see what creatures are wandering around.

Lizard woman

After the phone call I had breakfast on the porch overlooking the creek, with wild raspberries from the bushes growing around the house. Lunch on the porch too, watching birds in the willow bushes, and wondering who was scurrying around under the porch. Chipmunk, it turns out. Afternoon coffee on the top balcony outside the master bedroom, for a view of the reddening woods. The temperature was 41° C this afternoon (106° F)! Beautiful hot summer heat. I took a break to lay in the sun for about half an hour, and felt held, uplifted, and nourished by the land and sun. There’s a good reason my brother-in-law, Geoff, gave me the nickname Lizard Woman!

Wild women run

On a vision fast last year I claimed my big, wild woman self.

But desert ritual is just the beginning of integrating a new identity that goes counter to the training to be my parents’ obedient, pretty girl, smiling for the camera. And counter to our society’s messages about what women are supposed to be: compassionate, loving, quiet, small. There isn’t much room for wild women. But luckily, we have the strength and power to make room. To stand up, speak out. Anyway, I am still learning to let my wild woman run free.

I was at a half marathon on Sunday, and she ran with me. She shouted out “Woohoo, 10K!” at the half-way mark. And I heard a woman behind me tell her female friend “She’s got way too much energy.”

I know suppressive bullshit when I hear it, and this comment made me mad. Mad enough to beat my previous time by 8 minutes. Mad enough to run harder than I’ve ever run. Which is one way to use that energy.

But is this what a wild woman would do?

My wild woman shouted Replacements song lyrics when they popped into her head. At first, when these lyrics arose, she kept it to herself. But after the 10K mark, she’d had enough of suppressing her fun life energy. She shouted out “Take me down, to the hospital!” at the medics in the ambulance at the side of the road. And “Red light, red light, run it. Ain’t nobody watching, run it!”

And each time she broke the rules, stood out from the crowd, let herself express what was moving through her, a new surge of energy propelled her on. Real strength. Real expansion, right through the top of her head. Right into the quiet simplicity of nothingness.

My exploration into what it means to be a wild woman continues. For the record, she did it in 2:00:28!

David Bowie Station to Station

This was a super-cool New York happening! In conjunction with the David Bowie Is exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, the MTA and Spotify collaborated to put up this tribute to Bowie at the Broadway-Lafayette Subway (the station closest to Bowie’s home on Lafayette Street). I met other people wandering around looking at the pictures who were also profoundly impacted by Bowie, and we strangers shared stories with each other.

I have often wondered what was so compelling about Bowie that made so many people feel a personal connection to him. I didn’t find out how many until after he died and I got the Ziggy haircut, which has prompted dozens of people to share their love of Bowie with me.

Bowie Station 1

I think for me personally, one of things is the androgyny that Lynn Goldsmith mentioned in the quote in the above slideshow. I have always felt that my truest self is androgynous, and that the particular gender I carry in this lifetime is not my deepest self. I believe I’ve been both genders, over hundreds of lifetimes, and this one happens to be female, but can feel what it’s like to be male as well.

For teenagers and folks in their twenties who are trying to figure out what gender and sexuality feels right, Bowie offered the freedom to do that. He was a role model who said it’s all acceptable, and wonderful. I recall the lyric from Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide, where he says “Gimme your hands, ’cause you’re wonderful…” That to me is the epitome of Bowie’s kindness, love, and acceptance.

Bowie Station 2

Then there’s the simple fun of dressing up and putting on a character. Bowie gave us so many fantastic looks and characters to emulate. I don’t know the statistics, but if you Google Ziggy images, you will see dozens of people dressed in various guises of Ziggy. I’ve certainly loved dressing in several Ziggy costumes with full make-up. The year Bowie died, there were several Bowies in the Halloween parade in the West Village. I remember the guy in the Bowie Labyrinth costume. Fantastic! There is a Bowie Ball where people get into Bowie costume–not just in New York but in Vancouver and I’m sure many other cities as well. And I went to a Bowie roller disco in Brooklyn at which dozens of people roller skated dressed as Bowie!

Bowie Station 4

In the musings he wrote in the last image above, he recounted his trip to the Village in the 70s, where he followed the footsteps of his “enthusiams.” I did the exact same thing on my first trip, staying at a hotel where Dylan had stayed, going to the Whitehorse Tavern, and Carrie’s SATC stoop. He followed the same urges to New York, to touch the people who inspired him, and found a life for himself here.

Bowie Station 5

After he died, the first thing I connected to was his creative brilliance. I watched the videos, like so many did, and listened to his music. I was in training for the New York marathon, and listened to his music on the endless long runs through the North Shore mountains in Vancouver. I was so blown away by the body of work he had created during his lifetime. 25 studio albums! Innovative rock videos long before MTV. And so much more.

I listened to his final album, Black Star, and was curious about and moved by what he chose to express on his way off the planet. According to Donny McCaslin, who played sax on the album, Bowie was also very interested in collaboration and hearing what his fellow musicians had to bring to the co-creation. So he had his personal genius, but also a gift of collaborating with others to create something bigger than any one person.

Bowie Station 3

So why do I love Bowie—the phenomenon, if not the person, though I did see him up close and personal a few times! I was right in front of the stage at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, and felt Bowie’s special charisma pour over me. There is something so lovable about him, and I think he makes people feel they are like him, so some of his stardust must be in each of us.

Celebrating New York

On January 29, I spent the afternoon at the Museum of the City of New York. I began the trip with lunch in the museum’s cafe overlooking Central Park (which is very brown and uninspiring at the moment)–but enjoyed a tasty white bean and curried cauliflower salad–and learned that they have a weekly dance program for children with disabilities. The girl in the wheelchair loves this class–it is her favorite part of the week. So that’s the first flavor of New York.

I headed up to the top floor first, and ended up spending over an hour on the mod clothes exhibit, which shows the dramatic fashion changes during the decade of the 60s. They have clothes worn by Jackie Kennedy, Lauren Bacall, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy, and more… With a great 60s soundtrack playing. This is the decade I was born in, so it is interesting to feel the influences of change that were in the air, transforming consciousness in New York and around the globe. Plus fun to see the amazing clothes!

The top floor also has an exhibit of photos of Martin Luther King Jr.’s activism in New York (more changes filling the decade and still percolating throughout the globe today), an extensive display on the women’s suffragette movement, right up to Hillary’s campaign, and a display of silver “then and now.” The silver display shows classic pieces and their modern equivalents created by today’s artisans. For example, an old chased serving platter shows the early subway lines in New York. The modern equivalent shows all the surveillance cameras located throughout the city. Did you see Person of Interest?

On my way out I took the stairs, and took this photo series:

New York Stairway

Enjoy!

Pandora’s Box and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in 2017

As I open the Pandora’s box of playbills, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia from 2017, I feel a strange anxiety. What emotions and memories will overtake me as I remember the year that was? Will I regret missed opportunities, or feel embarrassed at some of my shenanigans?

The dull olive-green box made of woven reeds is also reminiscent of Moses’s basket, bobbing in the river water as the babe escapes murder and meets his fate as the leader of a people. I think this will be my main regret of 2017. I wanted something truly momentous to happen–to be discovered, to have a clear sense of vision and direction, to begin a fantastic creative project that will bring me joy and satisfaction. The dreams of many who come to New York, I’m sure!

What actually happened was that I spent the year looking for a home. I also went out and did a lot of fun things with friends, as you will see below. And I spent more time and money than one would have thought possible seeking treatment for a neck injury.

This latter pursuit brought me to all corners of Manhattan as I tried one specialist after another, which involved taking different subway lines and meeting medical staff in various offices, from Chelsea to SoHo to Park Avenue, and many points in between. I tried hypnosis, acupuncture, acupressure, physical therapy (multiple practitioners), massage therapy (multiple practitioners), the Alexander Technique, osteopathy, chiropractic (multiple practitioners, including old-school, Quantum Spinal Mechanics, and fascial manipulation), cranial sacral therapy, and atlas orthoganal therapy! I spent close to $17,000 out of pocket, thus facing one of my worst fears about moving from Canada to the US, which is that I will be bankrupted by health costs.

Artwork Trump quote from Roger Waters concert

And of course, there was a national and global anxiety underlying my personal anxiety that I might never be well. People around the world and in the US were facing much more terrible problems and fears than me as I struggled with the unease that comes with having something wrong in the body–which many of you can relate to, sadly. So I had my personal challenges of health difficulties and fear of the unknown, but there was also a pervasive social anxiety about the fate of the country. What many view as the wildly inappropriate behavior of the current president shattered people’s views of a safe and just society of shared values of acceptance, tolerance, and concern for each other. Countless times over the year my friends expressed concern that the social safety net built up over the past decades will be torn apart irreparably. And also that environmental damage will be irreversible, so that the very planet we live on is doomed. So a pall of gloom and fear underlay the year of 2017 in New York City.

Artwork Trump quote from Roger Waters concert

Dozens of people asked me why I moved here, at this point in history. In fact, it was the first thing everyone asked me when I said I had just moved here from Canada. The second thing they said was, “Everyone wants to move in the other direction!” Even at my co-op board interview to buy the apartment that has become my delightful new home, this was the first question they asked me! My answer was unfailingly the same: because I am in love with New York.

I have followed this love blindly, unknowingly. I trust in the pull of my heart, and the feeling of rightness in my body, which I experience whenever I am out and about on the city streets, marveling that I actually live here, but my rational mind is still lagging behind. What am I doing here? I don’t know! And I suppose this is true in the bigger scheme as well–what am I doing here on this planet? Why do I exist? What am I meant to do in this lifetime? This question has been nagging at me throughout my adulthood. There is a grand panoply of life and color unfolding, and I am part of it. But that isn’t enough of an answer to satisfy me.

Looking at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it’s clear that the move to New York and the neck injury set me back to earlier stages of the pyramid that had been nicely settled in Vancouver. I knew at the outset when I decided to move to New York that I would be disrupting the nice secure world I had built for myself, but it seemed like a waste of my life to just settle there on my sandhill and watch the world go by!

1 – Physiological Needs

The first layer of the pyramid is physiological needs, and the search for shelter is truly what preoccupied me this year. I made an offer on three other apartments before finding the Mark Twain building and succeeding at my offer here. I made offers on apartments on W. 9th Street (snatched out from under me), W. 10th Street (too expensive), and Horatio St. (turned down by the co-op board), before ending up in my dream apartment on W. 12th Street! I learned a lot of fascinating information about New York real estate, and feel I emerged from the battle victorious.

2 – Safety Needs

The second layer, safety needs, also dominated as I sought to recover my health. The quest for healing the neck injury, as outlined above, occupied much time and money. Luckily, I have almost regained homeostasis, and my most recent atlas orthogonal adjustment held until the next day. The pain is gone, and I have discovered so much about my body, and particularly the physiology of the neck and atlas, that I can see the gift in the challenges I faced. Now I have a great support network of health specialists I can call on, and I have learned to do self acupressure as well–the final piece of the puzzle for self-care. Recommendation: Acupressure’s Potent Points.

3 – Social Belonging

Social belonging is the third level of the hierarchy. I have probably spent a disproportionate amount of my time in social pursuits this past year, and perhaps the motivation has been the unconscious need to build bonds of friendship–more than a true desire to go out and see so many plays, movies, ballets, and musical performances. OK, maybe it was a two-fer!

I do recall the pivotal moment during the Race to Deliver in November, when I felt a simple sense of belonging as a member of the New York Road Runners. Not because I am special in any way or wearing a David Bowie costume, but simply because I’ve shown up and participated and run with these people over and over again. I also spent a lot of time writing emails to a wide network of friends and family, as you have probably noticed! It is definitely a conscious need that I check in with when I assess the state of the nation of Karen Rempel. Am I current with everyone? Have I caught up on all the emails? Did I forget someone’s birthday? Sorry to say, I did forget a few this past year, but I hope people will forgive me.

I was happy to spend time in BC with my mom and siblings in April and May (celebrating Kim’s 50th birthday in Tofino–wow!), and caught up with many friends in Vancouver at that time as well, right before the official move to New York on May 21. The Vancouver goodbye party launched me into my new life feeling so much love and support from you all. I know it will take time to build this kind of depth of connection in New York. I could feel the difference when I had my New York housewarming party, and half the guests who said they would come didn’t show up! But with those who came, and some who didn’t, I do feel bonds of love and caring, and I know that these friendships will continue to deepen over time.

4 – Esteem

The fourth level in the hierarchy of needs is esteem. This is an interesting one, encompassing both the need to be respected by others, and the need for self-respect. The need to be respected by others can manifest as the desire for status, recognition, fame, prestige, and attention. Truth be known, this could be the “corn” or sore point for me. When I think back on painful events of the past year, this unmet need is often underlying the hurt. I have not been “discovered” by New York yet!

However, I recall a dear friend acknowledging to me my accomplishment of buying my New York apartment. She said that few women she knows have managed this under their own steam, based on earning their own money through their careers. As we talked about this, I remembered the pivotal point in my life when my father died, and I realized I couldn’t wait any longer to have a man to pursue my dreams with. I decided to act on my own, and soon after purchased Monkey Valley by myself (with the help of loans from my family members), which is of course what eventually made it possible to buy my home in New York. My friend’s recognition of my accomplishment warmed me inside, and helped my self respect get a little clearer so that I can feel it tangibly. In the sea of anxiety that I have floated in this past year, I haven’t always been in touch with my personal ground of confidence. I need the help of my friends! To misquote the Beatles.

5 – Self-Actualization

Self-actualization is the fifth level of the hierarchy of needs, and this has definitely been a driver in my move to New York. I have a sense of destiny pulling me (together with my heart) and the feeling that I am meant to actualize my being in some particular way. Sometimes I feel it is simply to be, and interact with others. This has been one of the strongest delights for me this past year. Interacting with people as I go about my day, and feeling the joy of connection. There are the staff at Jerri’s–my laundry guys–and LifeThyme, where I get my groceries. My gym (Barre3) made me feel like family right from the beginning, and I feel a sense of belonging at the Joffrey Ballet Center as well. I have taken the Absolute Beginner’s ballet classes for adults 3 or 4 times now! People in the post office, in the subways, on the streets themselves. Bartenders and restaurant servers… Everywhere I go, the warmth of human connection is so satisfying, I wonder if this is my purpose, pure and simple.

However, Maslow describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be. And here I feel I have so much further to go! I think that I focused mostly on physical and athletic accomplishment in the past year, which is great, but I haven’t been pursuing creative aims as I expected. That is definitely a goal for 2018.

However, I reached a new level of muscle tone, strength, and definition in the Barre3 classes, and learned to tolerate and stay with the burn when it seems impossible. I feel I have actualized a peak level of fitness, and this is an amazing accomplishment which has informed my running as well. I conquered a certain fear of reaching my limit, by exceeding it as a regular occurrence in these classes.

Another unexpected development has occurred with my dance skills. These are very rudimentary in any formal form of dance, but I feel a huge sense of accomplishment in freeform dance–I feel the synthesis in my body of the many different disciplines I have studied, and immensely more freedom in the possibility of movement compared to earlier in my life. I haven’t set out to actualize myself in this direction, but have simply been doing what I love to do. It has been an unconscious impulse, and now perhaps I am making it more conscious by telling you about it.

I went to London and Barcelona for the Christmas holidays, and I held the question in my mind about what is my purpose, what am I meant to do? What is my gift, how should I contribute? I was disappointed to come home with no big “ah-ha” moments, no clear inspiration. But the most fun I had was going dancing one night with two young Londoners, and watching Flamenco dancing on my first evening in Barcelona. The word DANCE is looming in my mind. I think I wrote it on a piece of notepaper while away… What to do with that, I don’t know. I went dancing on New Year’s Eve, at a club called Cielo in the Meatpacking District. I’ve signed up for ballet classes three nights a week at the Joffrey, and I’ve also signed up for a beginner’s course in Flamenco.

I loved dancing on stage at the Orpheum at the David Bowie tribute in 2016, and I have noticed myself wishing to be in a dance troupe when I see groups performing. There, I’ve said it. I want to be a dance performer. I am definitely afraid to say this out loud. I don’t like to want anything that I can’t have. And I was such a miserable failure at beginner’s jazz dance class in the fall! My menopausal brain could not remember the sequences of moves in the choreography, and I was mortified at how bad I was… So there you have it.

6 – Self-Transcendence

Self-transcendence is the sixth and final level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. He added this one later in life–it wasn’t part of the original pyramid. He came to believe that the self only finds its actualization in giving itself to some higher goal outside oneself, in altruism and spirituality, which is essentially the desire to reach the infinite. As my own spiritual development has unfolded in its uneven and bumpy way, certain areas shine and dominate, then subside back into the morass of the ego again.

You may notice in this exploration of the year that passed a theme of the yearning for spiritual actualization in the world, mixed with the needs of the animal instincts and egoic confirmation. It’s all part of the stew, and I would say that all the levels are intertwined, while in this human form on this uncertain earth. Those moments of joyful interaction with others, and joyful expression through physical activity, feel like the most pure spiritual expression of my purpose on earth. The quiet moment I spend alone meditating before bed is a different type of spiritual expression–a personal connection with the divine or infinite. I have a sense that my soul can and does have that type of connection outside of human form, between physical incarnations. It supports me, just like food and air and water, to sustain me in this lifetime. A daily moment of self-transcendence. I don’t feel called to pursue this type of experience as my full-time occupation at this point in my life. However, looking back at the beginning of the post, and the word “anxiety,” I know that being in touch with the deeper reality of the divine, infinite true nature is actually the only cure. The trick of self-actualization is to sustain the connection with the infinite while engaging in expression in the finite world.

Highlights of 2017

Now for the Pandora’s box of 2017 highlights!

Here is a list of highlights that spring to mind when I think back over the year. Bear in mind that this list is incomplete, as it was a helluva year!

Completing the final stage of the A&W project, which entailed putting the standard operating procedures through French translation. I sometimes worked 70 hours a week to get this done, and pushed myself as hard as I ever have on a work project.
The day spent modelling on Cornelia Street. I truly felt like a high fashion model. I loved the beautiful clothes and the compliments and admiration of strangers. And Krystyna was so fun to spend time with. One of the best days of my life!
Dressing windows at Krystyna’s Place! A new form of creative expression involving fashion and design that I loved.
Doing phone inquiry on FaceTime with two friends from Vancouver and having them tell me to buy this apartment (based on the Streeteasy link I sent them)! Thank you, Maylynn and Shira!
Buying my New York apartment. The day I got board approval was a thrill, but it wasn’t a surprise as it seems it was a foregone conclusion. It felt so right, there was a sense of inevitability about the decision.
A thrilling date night with a British architect. (I know some of you have been most interested in my love-life, which is rather non-existent and obviously has not been a focus this year.) This date really stood out, though, beginning with the Rockette’s Christmas Special at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a drink at the Top of the Rock, and then another drink and late-night snack in a roof-top lounge on the trendy Highline, with glorious views of the Hudson and the city.
Meeting James Spader in the hallway at the Village Vanguard. We chatted for a minute. His hand was very warm and full of presence.
Publishing 3 articles in the WestView News. My first New York publications!
Gorgeous decor of the fantastic Osteria 57, which I reviewed for the WestView News–fabulous people run this place, and I rang in the New Year with them–twice!
Having a private tour of David Hockney’s exhibit at the Met, with David Hockney, my dear friend Arthur, the artist Ricardo Nazario, and others.
Visiting Abbey Road, 221B Baker Street, and Paddington Station in London, and the aforementioned dancing outing with two beautiful young London women (Isabel and Hilami) who took me to a grime club on the tube.
Dinner at Jean-Georges with a dear friend. Definitely the most extravagant restaurant setting I’ve been in, with about 8 waiters attending our table, and exceptionally wonderful food and wine pairings.
Attending a black-tie gala awards dinner at the United Nations, honoring former vice-president Joe Biden (and buying my first ballgown for the event!).
Being photographed for Getty Images at a swank art gallery opening in Chelsea. I went to Bernie Taupin’s opening there later on another occasion, and spoke to the man himself, whom I thought was a jerk!
Playing the piano at Small’s jazz club (after it was closed) for my friend Ed.
Having the bartender in my Barcelona hotel pour me a drink without asking what I wanted! A brandy Alexander. So sweet! And watching teens in a dance competition on the TV in the lounge.
Doing the New York Road Runners 9+1. So satisfying! So hard to make myself get up early and take the subway to Central Park or Queens or the Bronx when I am a late afternoon runner by nature! The 10-mile race in the Bronx, with my Vancouver friend Angela, was definitely the toughest and most satisfying of all the races I did in 2017. But the most fun was winning best costume at the Retro 5-Mile Race!

I won based on audience applause, perhaps because I danced to a Guns N’ Roses song played by a band after the race–and I was the only one who danced. 😉
Going “down the shore” to watch the eclipse with my friend Mike.
Having a gaggle of models over to my place and then modeling together in Washington Square Park for a pop-up runway show!
Getting my first local client, which was a New Jersey client a 3-hour commute away, and turned out to be a very short project (ugh). But it was a US client, and I got to bill and then deposit the money in my LLC’s (which I formed myself!) bank account (harder to get than forming the LLC!). An important foundational milestone for my life here in New York.

The Contents of Pandora’s Box

And now for the lists (including one or two early highlights from 2018):

Plays:

2018 Hello Dolly – Bette Midler – with Heather
The Ferryman – at the Gielgud Theatre in London
Sweeney Todd – at Barrow Street Theatre – with Marlene
A Bronx Tale – with Angela
Spamilton – with Michael
Noel Coward’s Present Laughter – Kevin Kline – with Arthur
A Doll’s House, Part 2 – with Angela
The Color Purple – with Angela
Kinky Boots – with Angela
Sunset Boulevard – Glenn Close – with Angela and Marlene
The Liar – Classic Stage Company – with Deborah
The End of Longing – Matthew Perry
Oslo – Lincoln Center – Deborah and Marlene
Alpha 66 at T. Schreiber Studio – Steve Jones – with Margaret & Marlene
Schreiber Shorts – Steve Jones & Bill Barry – with Margaret & Ed
The Great Comet – with Deborah & Rosanna
Indecent – with Sally & Bill, Deborah, Marlene, Rosy

Movies:

2018 Phantom Threads – Daniel Day Lewis (lives on the same block I lived on–W. 10th) – with Deborah
No Man’s Land (British National Theatre live performance of Pinter play)
20th Century Women (Cinepolis Chelsea)
Song of Granite – with Dan & Deborah
Monterey Pop – saw 3 times, with Deborah, Marlene, and Guido
The Divine Order (at Film Forum) – with Deborah
Manifesto (at FF) – with Deborah
Dumb Girl (at FF) – with Deborah & Angela
Other Side of Hope (FF) – with Guy
Bird on a Wire (FF) – Mike & Deborah

Music:

Voices of Ascension Mozart & Haydn – church next door!
Meredith Monk’s Dancing Voices at Lincoln Center – with Deborah
Bellini’s Norma – Sondra Radvanovsky – with Deborah
Eric Reed Quartet at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club – with Michelle & Daniel, and also at Village Vanguard
Ravi Coltrane Quartet at Village Vanguard – with Lew
Bunuel’s/Ade’s Exterminating Angel at the Metropolitan Opera – with Deborah, Marlene, Tom, and others
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center – Debussy & Ravel – with Deborah & Marlene
Mezzrow’s jazz club – Marlene & Jos
Winter jazz festival – multiple clubs and performances including Ravi Coltrane – with Ed
Jazz club in Sleepy Hollow – with Ed
Guns N’ Roses at Madison Square Garden – with Dan nearby
BC Recorder Society Spring Showcase (in Vancouver) – featuring Taksu with Patricia Nichols
Donny McCaslin (played on Bowie’s final CD) at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall – followed by Small’s jazz club – with Ed
Paul McCartney at Barclays Center (night of first co-op board interview–Horatio St) – with Lew
Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia at the Met Opera House – with Mary M
Joe’s Pub Canada Day Celebration – various artists singing songs by Canadian artists – with Ed
Roger Waters at Barclays Center
Duruflé Requiem – Manhattan School of Music – Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine – with Deborah
Voices of Ascension St. John Passion – with Arthur
Buika – BB King Blues Club – with Deborah
Leonidas Kavakos at Lincoln Center – Mahler’s 4th Symphony and Auerbach – with Deborah
Elias String Quartet at 92|Y – with Deborah and Ed
Terrell Stafford Quartet at Village Vanguard
Ravi Coltrane at Birdland – with Ed
Kenny Barron Quintet at Jazz Standard
Robert Leslie – Lantern Hall, Brooklyn – with Marlene

Dance performances:

Gran Gala Flamenco – at Barcelona’s Palau de la Musica Orfeo
Grossman, Phillips, and Paul Taylor – Ariel Rivka Dance – with Deborah
Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance (3 more outings, multiple performances) – with Deborah and Margaret
Joffrey Ballet – Romeo and Juliet – friends from dance class (Jacqueline & others)
Fall for Dance – Program 4 & 5 – Jacqueline; Sally & Bill
American Ballet Theatre (mixed program, several performances) – with Deborah
ABT Onegin at Met Opera House – with Deborah
ABT The Golden Cockeral at the Met – with Deborah
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes – with Deborah
Swan Lake – New York City Ballet – and later attended a dance class taught by two of the principal dancers!
Queensboro Dance Festival – my teacher Annastasia Mercedes performed – with Rosanna
Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg – mixed program with music by Tchaikovsky – with Deborah
Cielo – after midnight (early 2018) with a bunch of New Yorkers all dancing together!

Museums:

La Pedrera – Barcelona – Gaudi apartment building and museum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art – with Arthur and David H. and friends
MOMA – with Michael
Rubin Museum of Art – with Marlene
Whitney Museum – with Lew and Cynthia
Rolling Stones Exhibitionism

A special thank you to Deborah for curating so many incredible cultural events! You’ve opened up many aspects of New York life to me, in many other ways too. Mille grazie, Bestie D! I’m so glad we rang in the New Year together–a fantastic cap to the year and stirring of the waters to bring in 2018.

Other:

Jerry Seinfeld!! Twice!
One World Observatory – $68 cocktail including elevator ride to 102 floor
Authors for Literacy event at United Nations – with Pat
Wine and Design event on UES – Virginia from Gala
“Trunk” jewelry show on UES – Lucine from Gala
Donna Karan’s secret warehouse sale – got thousands of dollars worth of fantastic clothes for $500!
Donna Karan sample dress with her name hand written on the tag!
Skating at Rockefeller Center followed by a drink at the Trump Bar. It was a couple days before inauguration, and there was a permanent NBC camera focused on Trump Tower. I met a friend at the bar and we went to another bar to watch Obama’s farewell speech.
Visits to Margaret and Ed’s place in Sleepy Hollow, and fantastic runs along the Croton Aqueduct trail.
Thanksgiving at Bob’s!

Plus an incredible wealth of fantastic restaurants!

Losses in 2017

And in closing I want to remember the sad passing of a New York writer named John, a man I met through a friend and had one memorable date with at the Village Vanguard. We had a late-night breakfast afterwards at the Waverly Restaurant, and he died the following week while doing Savasana pose in yoga class. May your spirit be at peace, John. I’m glad I knew you, though briefly.

I also feel great sadness about the passing of my uncle, Sebastian Fichtl, a professional zither player and world traveler. May your spirit be at peace, Vastl.

Uncle Sebastian with his six children

And we also lost my neighbor, Thomas Meehan, in 2017–a great Broadway book writer, who wrote Annie, Hairspray, the Producers, and many others. May your spirit be at peace, Tom.

Carolyn Capstick Meehan and Thomas Meehan

So that’s the year that was. I haven’t mentioned all the shenanigans I alluded to. There was one involving a toilet delivery… but you’ll have to wait for my memoirs to hear the story! As I think about everything that happened, and the many wonderful visits, emails, and phone calls with friends and family that aren’t even mentioned here, I feel very blessed. How lucky I am! I hope you enjoyed hearing about my year, and I hope you have a fantastic 2018.