We were celebrating my parents’ marriage the last time we saw “Sweet Life” with a garden cake, sparkling flutes, joy, and a flashback to their wedding day. We’ve returned to the theme in all of its goodness. I find that as much as I’m present …
Now that we’ve (partially) caught our breath, we’re just starting to look at some of the photos from two weeks ago. For the second year, Onion Dip for Breakfast has attended the James Beard Awards and it has been thrilling!
As you can imagine, half of ODB has taken a keen interest in cooking since her teen years while the other one has entertained thousands with grace and glamor. She’s also been transfixed by the excitement and energy of cooking competition shows. Those two paths inevitably led to this.
Old hats at this, we were ready to take every bite and sip in. As beautifully-arranged trays of nibbles and glasses of rainbow-bright drinks passed by, we leaned in and tasted everything. As always, our favorite part was the community of people.
This year, we with even more people as we celebrated James Beard Leadership awardees with a golden libation at the South Chicago Farm of our partner, Urban Growers Collective.
Here’s a look.
We, of course, shared onion dip… .
Our family way of life is usually quite spontaneous. Our plans will have edges that keep us together but everything in between stays loose. Who knows what you’ll see, smell, hear or taste if everything isn’t charted out? Those who accompany us either love it …
This past weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of attending the 149th Kentucky Derby in Louisville. This was my first time going to Churchill Downs, so I really didn’t know what to expect. What I observed, (ten times over what I had anticipated) was a huge number of African American women in attendance, all decked out in gorgeous outfits including the signature hats. I was thrilled to see all of these beautiful Black women, at a place which at one time we had been denied access. To me, it was like going to a botanical garden and admiring the lovely flowers. In this case, I was captivated by hats of all colors, shapes and sizes. The array included some that were bold or understated, futuristic or vintage, plain or simple and everything in-between.
Women seemed to wear their hats proudly and with joy. I know that I did! I enjoyed complimenting women regarding their attire and asking perfect strangers if I could take their photos. Everyone I asked was game, and smiled prettily for the camera. It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining, and celebratory energy in the air.
Although the Black women appeared to outnumber the men, those in attendance were dressed up, too. They wore their seersucker suits and spring-colored hats and attire. They had swagger in their stride and confidence in their appearance.
I think that it’s Spring days like this, with only joy in the moment, that we are like flowers in a garden that blossom, thrive, and share the light. It was a glorious day.
Cheers to the Derby!
My next post will actually be about the horses!
Waterways. My residency has been going swimmingly (yes, pun intended) and affords me space to reflect, learn, rest, and make. Like waterways, there’s a confluence in my activity and lack thereof. There’s an emphasis on being still sometimes, flowing as I feel the urge, and …
Spring pasta? Why yes. April in Chicago is the mixed-messenger. Warm one day, a cold snap the next. Spring rainbows of daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths grace every patch of dirt today only to be dusted with snow tomorrow. It’s less rainy and more hot-then-cold. So …
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be back in Istanbul after a twenty-five year absence. Some things had changed but, for the most part, it was as stunning as it had ever been. In addition to blue glass amulets to replace my original one broken many years ago, I was determined to return with my favorite souvenir, food.
We’re one of those families. We love bread. I mean we love it. For a few years before the pandemic, my husband baked four beautiful loaves every week. Gosh, you should see the smile on my face as I write that sentence. As everyone and …
