Life On The Perimeter

Cassandra Wilson: Un-Standard C assandra Wilson turns out hypnotic African beats à la bluesy swing on Loverly . The artist, known for transcending jazz tradition, takes a tune to roads rarely traveled. Here Wilson appears to come back home to her jazz roots. But has she? The collection of mostly standards is truly Un-Standard. The singer inhabits the essence of each melody, making it her own. Her eclectic influences draw from a host of genres to make up the soul of each song, from the rhythmic blues of Black Orpheus and West African trance chant Arere . I studied the standards, listening to how other singers put their swing into them. But it's hard to do standards. You can't really sing them until you understand them," reveals the artist. Sultry vocals float above tunes elegantly but not without bite. Upbeat, blues-infused tracks "Dust My Broom," "Car...

Sahadi's: United Nations Of Food T ook a quick trip to Sahadi's in Brooklyn recently. The store's moniker sounds a little like a vacation resort in the desert.  Luckily, I didn't have to schlep that far for the greatest hummus ever. I swore off the stuff in college after being sandwich-pocketed. As I crossed through Washington Square Park,   hummus pita in tow, my lunch mysteriously vanished from my backpack on the other side. Too bad they didn't take my book   The Decline of Western Civilization  instead.  Of course, being the paranoid New Yorker that I am, I suppose I could have possibly, maybe, perchance dropped it!!??? Nevertheless, trauma is trauma.   Sahadi's cured my tahini terror for good with their heavenly hummus.  Who could resist its rich nutty nuances?  Maybe now...

Focus: The Holy Grail F ocusing on the here and now IS an achievable feat. Whether you work remotely or just want to make a change for the better, here are a few tips with this goal in mind. 10 Tips To Focus Remove Distractions  Establish Goals Caffeine Is Your Friend Create A Realistic To Do List  Practice Mindfulness  Value Sleep  Breaks Allowed Social Media Detox  Food As Fuel  Throw Multitasking Out the Window 1. Remove Distractions  Find a suitable work space. A productive spot is one that your brain associates with nothing but work. It is not only free from outside distractions, but also doesn’t trigger inside-your-head distractions.   Establish a "Do Not Distub" policy.  Set aside a period of time that you are off lim...

Keep Calm. Drink Green Tea T ake it from a hardcore Tea-o-phile, green tea can provide calm in a cup, mug, jar, or whatever is on hand. Aside from finding your zen, the green stuff appears to be the miracle plant of the millennium - that is if you care about your brain, heart, and protecting against major diseases. Cheers to Immunity: Bioactive Compounds The antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of green tea may keep your immune system in check. Green tea contains an abundance of polyphenol antioxidants, including a catechin called EGCG.  EGCG is the most powerful compound in green tea attributed to its medicinal might. The plant's lovely antioxidants can reduce free radicals thereby protecting cells and molecules from damage.    Forever versatile, green tea serves as a prebiotic allowing good gut bacteria to thrive. Bonus: its antibacterial propertie...

Andy Warhol - Pop Superstar A ndy Warhol is the undisputed superstar of American Pop Art. His pieces fill the gap between fine art and commercial art by elevating celebrities and industrial images to deity status. Warhol single-handedly made Campbell Soup cans and Brillo boxes emblems of industrialism while turning them on their head. The artist spotlights the ugliness and beauty of mass production and challenges the very core of American culture. In 1962, Warhol developed an innovative technique for silk screening commercial labels, film stills, and photos directly onto canvas. Every image reflects an inner life that evolves each time it’s reproduced. Warhol’s repetition of imagery is never quite the same as the next - similar to movie stills that vary slightly from frame to frame. With each iteration, a new truth is revealed. Warhol’s passion for movie stars inspired his foray into filmmaking at the Factory later in his career. ...

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