Fab Photos Friday: the Art of Chicago Part 1

October 9, 2014 By Tam Warner 15 Comments

I love Chicago. If you have been there, you know what I mean! Yes, it is too cold to live there (at least for me!), but I’ll take many more visits! I went to the Art Institute, and saw Marc Chagall’s White Crucifixion in person. I absolutely love Chagall’s work, and am fortunate to have some of his Lithographs. Seeing this work in person, up close, was incredibly moving, and exciting, and I could hardly drag myself away. Chicago’s Art Institute is a marvel, but the city, by itself, is art as well.

Jesus as a Jewish Martyr, an incredible concept in 1940.

ai 14 chagall wc — This painting caused an uproar…Chagall was a non-practicing Hasidic Jew who left the tradition…but a Jew painting a crucifixion was unheard of.

ai 14 wc jesus — Jesus as a martyred Jew, in a Tallis.

ai 14 wc jews — Depictions of the devastation of the Nazi pogroms against the Jews.

The Praying Jew, a representation of Chagall's father, a frequent theme in his work. — The Praying Jew, a representation of Chagall’s father, a frequent theme in his work.

ai seurat 7 — Who could go to the art museum and not study the pointilism of Seurat? This is a seminal work.

Next week, more art!

Chicago is my kind of town!

October 8, 2014 By Tam Warner 21 Comments

As a native midwesterner, I have to say I LOVE Chicago. What a great city! Fabulous night life, restaurants, art, theater, parks, lake…and so on and so forth. Chicago is a bit different from the other large, popular US cities like New York, Boston, San Francisco….because it is down to earth, and accessible. One doesn’t feel that one cannot drive downtown, one doesn’t fear snobbery (not much, anyway), and anyone on the street will be happy to help. Chicago is the midwestern version of “the big city”. As a midwestern girl (as the Beach Boys would sing) I appreciate frankness with no airs.

My husband and I had a dual purpose in visiting Chicago last week. One of our friends had a daughter getting married at the Westin River North (lovely view of the river!) and Randy had his 40 year high school reunion in La Grange, where he grew up. As a bonus, my hairdresser, Eric, whom I have known since 1990, just moved to Chicago and it was lovely to have dinner and then lunch with him. Eric knows his way around Chicago, and took us to the most wonderful restaurants I’ve ever been to in Chicago. First, he took Randy and I and another (reunion) couple to an Italian eatery called Topo Gigios. Randy and his lifelong friend Murph have been eating and drinking in Chicago for many years, but Murph has decided that Topo Gigios is his new favorite Chicago restaurant. That means it is really good! Strange name, I thought, until my Baby Boomer friends (older baby boomers, I’m on the tail end) informed me that Topo Gigio is a cartoon character who was often on the Ed Sullivan Show. I’ve seen reruns of Ed, but I have no memory of the real show back in the 50’s or 60’s. Well, the mouse character is in the restaurant, and as long as he can cook fine Italian cuisine, I love him!

The next delicious venue was Siena Tavern. Siena Tavern is a contemporary establishment, with modern decor and reservation only seating, even at lunch! Eric and I had lunch at the bar, which was actually fun as we kidded around with the bartenders. The menu changes with the seasons….Eric had Italian ribbon noodles while I enjoyed Mozzarella and walnuts, covered with honey. Sigh. Siena Tavern is having Truffle Tasting through October 12….email events@sienatavern.com. Very tasty!

The gang from Lyons Township High School!

The wedding was fabulous, and most of us danced all night. Well, I danced a few times, but many others truly danced the whole time. Randy and I hung out with the Lyons Township High School reunion crowd, and had a great time. The next night was the reunion, and visiting the places of Randy’s childhood. The 40th reunion was quite emotional as Randy was very lucky to be there at all. One year ago, Randy had a double lung transplant and came very close to death. It made the reunion all the more sweeter for us all. (you can read about that journey HERE). I was unable to visit my students in Chicago….next trip!

Well, I will be off on a nostalgic trip of my own soon, as my cousin’s daughter is getting married on October 25 in Kentucky. I’m going to drive up early, stop at the Clinton Presidential Library, check out Hendrix College (did you know I am a college counselor in private practice? Well, I am!), look at Indiana U in Bloomington, and spend time in Ohio with my “sister” (long story…our parents were best friends and we were raised in each other’s pockets…but she is older and she and my older brother tortured me. Which explains a lot about me, actually!

So safe journeys to you, and I will be checking in along the way!

Fab Photos Friday: The Swimming Pigs of the Bahamas!

October 3, 2014 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

The swimming feral pigs of the Exumas, Bahamas are one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen! Just looking at them makes me laugh. It’s just so incongruous….swimming pigs in the ocean! Enjoy!

Midlife Scare

September 30, 2014 By Tam Warner 8 Comments

Midlife isn’t all fun and games! This lesson has been brought home to me over the past couple of years, and I received another reminder just this week.

Prior to my Ecuador volunteer trip I had a severe pain on my right side, and fearing appendicitis, I went to the emergency room in the middle of the night. It turned out to be a kidney stone, which was no picnic, but much better than having appendicitis. I knew I would be able to get on the plane in a few days and head to Ecuador.

The day before I left on my trip I received a registered letter, and it scared me out of my wits. It was a letter from the Emergency Room Director telling me that the CT scan of my abdomen showed some “abnormalities”. Among these? A 4.5 cm ovarian cyst.

I went through menopause in my early 40s, and had a hysterectomy in my 30s. We decided to leave my ovaries so my hormones wouldn’t go crazy, and until now, I’ve never thought twice about it. The letter from the ER Director definitely frightened me. Any baby boomer knows that Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer, and that it is one of the scarier cancers for women (of course, all cancers are scary). Only 46% of women with ovarian cancer survive 5 years, and after my husband Randy’s critical illness a year ago (a double lung transplant!!!!) I immediately thought of my two young adult children, and I was horrified at the thought that they might have to go through more health drama. Both of my children are getting married in 2015, and I want the year to be one of joy, not fear.

After the initial wave of fear subsided, I made the decision to go on my two week volunteer excursion, but I did make an appointment with my gynecologist upon my return. A sonogram confirmed the presence, and size, of the cyst. My doctor felt that it looked like a “simple cyst”, but just to be sure, she took blood in order to perform a CA-125, a Cancer Antigen blood test. Cancer Antigen 125 is a protein which is found on ovarian cancer cells and it is performed to see if cancer cells are present. I have been a little nervous since my appointment late last week, but this morning I received a phone call from the doctor’s office informing me that the test came back normal. I reacted with strong relief, letting me know that I had been more afraid than I knew.

So what now? We watch. In 3 months they will take a look again, and if it has grown, out it comes. If not, we’ll watch for another 3 months. Sometimes I am guilty of feeling pain or feeling unwell and saying, oh, it’s nothing. Not in this case. I’ll be right there in the doctor’s office for another sonogram in 3 months.

So, let me ask you: do you go to your OB/GYN regularly? Do you get an annual physical? If you are 50 plus, have you had a colonoscopy? I certainly hope you do! Even if you are done with menopause, you still need to have regular checks! Vigilance, always vigilance!

PS remember to vote for women’s health, especially in Texas! You can register to vote until October 6!

San Francisco: A wine dinner with Jordan Vineyard & Winery at Campton Place

September 28, 2014 By Tam Warner Leave a Comment

Guest Post from Suzanne Stavert of Adventures of Empty Nesters!

A wine dinner in San Francisco? Yes please!

Lately I have been having a blast interacting with great people on Instagram. I adore photography and truly enjoy seeing what Instagrammers (photographers) are capturing. I had a wonderfully engaging conversation via Instagram with the Campton Place Hotel in San Francisco all about our spectacular trip to the Napa Valley and my great wine and winery photos.

My new friend on Instagram suggested that we come to a wine dinner at the hotel in the “Michelin Star”Campton Place Restaurant where Chef Srijith Gopinathan would prepare a feast that paired excellently with the wine. Prior to the dinner we would be treated to a wine lecture from Rob Davis, the winemaker of the Jordan Vineyard and Winery! Craig and I are always enthusiastic about wine, outstanding cuisine and we absolutely LOVE San Francisco, so this was a very easy decision. We confirmed our seats with Richard Dean:Master Sommelier, one of only 150 Master Sommeliers worldwide. With our reservation confirmed, we were all set.

As you may have heard from me before, chefs are like ROCK STARS to me. I am constantly in awe of how they utilize various combinations of flavors, textures of ingredients, as well as visually beautiful preparations! I love learning about different types of dishes, eating them, as well as experimenting in my own kitchen. I truly appreciate the vibrant colors and the marvelous artistic presentation of each dish. I was photographing my meals way before the trend of taking photos of your food had gone viral. Craig is so patient with me when we are out at a restaurant. He always asks “Are you taking a photo of this? Is the light good enough?” Actually, I have rules about taking photos of my food in a restaurant. I only use my iPhone, no large camera, absolutely no flash, that is such a rookie move. I try to be as discrete as possible and take them very quickly. Unfortunately, many restaurants keep the light low for ambiance, which makes for difficult picture taking! Oh well, I honestly don’t need a photo of everything I eat! Really, I don’t.

Campton Place is an elegant and beautiful boutique hotel, and so welcoming! Attending a wine dinner was another new and special adventure and we were thrilled to participate. The minute we strolled through the magnificent double doors, we were kindly greeted and sent on our way to the tasting room. We arrived promptly at 7:00pm and the party had already started! Note to self: Come early!

The guest of honor, winemaker Rob Davis of Jordan Vineyard and Winery, was already entertaining the room with his compelling stories and enthusiasm. At our beautifully presented table, we were each seated with five glasses, crackers and water to “cleanse the palate”.

Rob Davis began the evening by sharing his personal journey as a winemaker. He has been enjoying this lifestyle (it doesn’t feel like a job to him) and holds the rare distinction of serving as winemaker at a singular winery for more than 35 years. That is remarkable! He shared tales of being a young man traveling with André Tchelistcheff, who was considered America’s most influential post Prohibition winemaker. The two winemakers made many trips to France to visit caves, chateaux and domaines and that experience influenced all aspects of winemaking at Jordan.

We were captivated. He is a great storyteller.

Neither Craig nor I are wine experts in the slightest, however, we are most certainly enthusiastic participants and eager learners! We tasted the five different wines and listened and learned.

We were then escorted upstairs to the exquisite Campton Place Dining Room and as we were shown to our seats, were delightfully surprised to be seated with the winemaker himself! How fortuitous! We were also seated with a friendly group of diners and oenophiles, all with a variety of talents and intriguing personal stories. Meeting and talking with our engaging dining companions was a highlight for us.

Chef Srijith dazzled us with the most amazing meal and was more than accommodating by preparing a special dish for me in place of the Beef Tenderloin (I don’t eat beef). Chef Srijith grew up in Southern India where fragrant and exotic spices were commonly used by his family. This rich family history, along with his vast education and experience was evident in every delicious bite. The food was out of this world!

The dinner was superb and with each course a new wine was served. Evidently we were offered ultra special vintages and for that we were grateful! Of all of the incredible wines we were served, the 2009 Chardonnay Jordan Vineyard Russian River Valley was my favorite and Craig’s favorite was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Jordan Vineyard Alexander Valley, en Magnum.

And we received gifts to take with us!

I am not a restaurant reviewer or a wine connoisseur, but I do appreciate delicious and exciting food and possess a small amount of wine knowledge just to be a bit dangerous. We were not paid to attend, we were just two curious empty nesters looking for their next delightful adventure…and we found it in the Campton Place Dining Room with a glass of Jordan Vineyard Cabernet.

If you like wine and food and want to learn more, I highly recommend attending a wine dinner and especially one at Campton Place if you are in San Francisco.

Cheers,

Suzanne

Fab Photos Friday: Boothbay Harbor, Maine!

September 26, 2014 By Tam Warner 2 Comments

What a gorgeous area Boothbay Harbor is! It has been quite a while since we visited, but after viewing these photos again, I might need to change that!