escape to Japan

February 4, 2014

Who says Florida only offers palm trees, sandy beaches and shopping malls? On our recent trip to visit my mom, we discovered a little piece of paradise, Japanese style. And we LOVE Japan!

George S. Morikami arrived to the United States from Japan in 1906, to work as a pineapple farmer. He was one of the last surviving members of the Yamato Colony that settled west of Delray Beach at the turn of the century. It is thanks to Mr. Morikami, for his donation of 140 acres of land to the state of Florida, that the memory of him and his people lives on. Visiting the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens gracefully transports you to another world.

Upon these grounds you feel free.

With rock gardens in which to ponder life’s mysteries.

And a museum in which to transport yourself to Japan.

Or perhaps best to sit and contemplate.

Surrounded by bonsai trees.

And a Buddha.

expressive art

January 29, 2014

What is a trip to New York City without a visit to one of the many impressive museums or galleries? Since my Italian had never been to Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece, and one of my favorite spaces, the Guggenheim Museum, there we spent a chilly but inspired afternoon.

Just in time to catch the last days of the Christopher Wool exhibition.

Wool, an artist from Chicago who began his career in NYC in the 1980’s, developed an art style that used language as his subject matter. A fan of his work, I found these pieces most thought provoking.

Rendering a word or phrase in bold, blocky stencils arrayed across a geometric grid, he preserved the specific form and order of the language, but freely stripped out punctuation, disrupted conventional spacing, and removed letters.

The resulting compositions oscillate between verbal communication & pure formalism, with their structural dissonance reflecting the state of anxiety & agitation conjured by the texts themselves.

Next stop for Wool, the Pompidou? I can think of a few French words and expressions…

New York minutes

January 24, 2014

This year we decided to brave the cold and ring in the early days of 2014 at home in New York City.

What good it does me to walk these streets, feel the energy, catch up with the lives of dear friends…

As cold as it was, with a blizzard on the way, we loved sharing these minutes with New York.

The Freedom Tower standing tall.

And art around every corner. Next stop the Guggenheim…

the happy show

January 12, 2014

Often I question, what is happiness? Is it something we can control? For me, happiness can be as simple as sitting along the banks of the Seine, watching the sun set behind Notre Dame. Equally, cruising around the spectacular Greek island of Milos on a catamaran beneath a clear blue sky, or floating in a hot air balloon above the natural wonder that is called Cappodocia. Both of these memories elicit great happiness. Come to think of it, almost anything related to travel, beauty, love (or nearly anything sweet), brings me happiness. I recently read an article that shed a little light.

When I discovered an exhibition based on this very topic, I couldn’t wait to go. Stefan Sagmeister is creator of The Happy Show, a study of happiness, a topic that has long intriqued him and led him on his happiness hunt. This Austrian-born graphic artist, whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in New York City, asks “Is happiness a muscle just like any other?”

The first question, what makes us happy? (Genetics, Activites & Life Conditions)

How happy are you on a scale of 1-10? Looks like the gumballs are almost gone in #9.

What makes us unhappy? “Trying to look good limits my life”

It has been proven that taking risks increases happiness. I agree!

My Italian and I attended the opening of the expo and were very happy to speak with Stefan about his studies on happiness and what inspired him to put together the show, as well as the film he’s working on. For those interested, here are 7 rules for making more happiness from Stefan.

The Happy Show is making it’s way around the world, from Philadelphia to Toronto to Los Angeles and now in Paris at La Gaîté Lyrique. Will the exhibition itself make you happy? You can bet on it.

happy holidays!

December 24, 2013

This year we are celebrating Christmas and New Year in Paris. Much like my first year in the city of lights, with a traditional Polish dinner and midnight mass at Notre Dame… customs that I will treasure throughout my life, regardless of where I live. I’ve been lucky in these last few years to experience an Italian Christmas as well as a few spent in the Florida sun. The greatest gift is having family and friends all over the world, with whom I can celebrate from afar, in gratitude.

Wherever you are in the world, I wish you Merry Christmas, Wesołych Świąt, Buon Natale, Joyeux Noël… and much happiness in the New Year!

epicurean extravaganza

December 16, 2013

Recently I was invited to what can truly be considered a food lover’s paradise, the inauguration of the brand new La Grande Épicerie de Paris. This uber gourmet food hall located within the Le Bon Marché is the spot for anything indulgent, from everywhere in the world. And indulge we did!

The night commenced with a presentation by the bakers and butchers, fit for a king. Champagne flowed, accompanied by plentiful platters of fois gras, oysters, and cheeses, France’s finest. It wouldn’t be a party without a selection of fine Italian hams… and a heavenly chocolate fountain!

The fruits, vegetables and produce were elegantly displayed like works of art.

I felt grateful to live in a country that celebrates food so ceremoniously!

The icing on the cake, aside from the many desserts we inhaled (including macarons and freshly dipped ice-cream pops), was DJ & comedian Ariel Wizman, spinning tunes in chef Jean-Jacques Massé’s new restaurant La Table. This was certainly the epicurian extravaganza of the year!

Read more about the grand new epicerie on France Today.

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