French Food: Michelin 3-Star Salmon & Sorrel

I’ve always been a little fascinated with Michelin Star restaurants if only because obtaining even one star is so difficult to earn; imagine getting three?

After watching the four-part series Chef’s Table France I decided to re-create (similar to the girl in the movie who copied Julia Child’s recipes and gained a large following in doing so) except I’m not THAT determined…a 3 star Michelin inspired dish! These stars were well earned.

This recipe comes to us courtesy of Pierre Troisgros, one of only three French chefs whose restaurant has received three stars in the Michelin Guide for more than thirty consecutive years.

The celebrated Troisgros brothers (with the restaurant by the same name) created thousands of dishes for their Michelin-three-star restaurant in Roanne, France, but the plated Salmon and Sorrel Sauce, became a touchstone in French culture. It, more than any dish created by any other chef, marked the passage from the classic cooking of Escoffier to ‘la nouvelle cuisine’. Today it might be difficult to imagine all the hoopla surrounding this somewhat simple looking dish. The components of the dish were not the newsmakers – they’d been used singularly and in combination for years by chefs in France.

It was the way in which the salmon was cooked and the manner in which the plate was arranged that rocked the culinary establishment. In the old order of things, the salmon would have been poached and placed on a warm plate, and the sauce would have been spooned over it. In the Troisgros instant classic, the salmon was flash-cooked in a pan, a radically new way to cook fish, and it was the sauce that was put on the plate – the salmon topped it. It may not sound like much now, but then, it changed the way food was experienced.

But any way you look at it, it’s still simply divine from plate to palate.

Pierre’s Salmon with Sorrel

INGREDIENTS (for four)

2 pounds salmon (equal thickness, no bones or skin and fairly thin)
2 cups Pierre’s Fish Stock (recipe below) or *bought fish stock
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine, preferably Sancerre
3 tablespoons dry vermouth
1 1/4 cups creme fraiche
4 ounces *sorrel leaves (about 1 quart tightly packed), washed, stemmed, and large leaves torn into two or three pieces
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

DIRECTIONS

The original recipe calls for boning and dividing fillets from the thickest section of the fish into 6 ounce thinly cut pieces. Then oiling two pieces of parchment paper with peanut oil by laying one piece of parchment on a flat surface. Place fish on parchment. Top with second piece of parchment. Then with a wooden mallet or the side of a cleaver, gently flatten so each fillet is of equal thickness. However…

That’s great but unless you’re a fisherman I advise going to your local fish market and asking someone to cut wild-caught salmon into equal size portions and remove the skin. That is what I did since I live in an urban area.

In a medium saucepan, combine fish stock and shallots. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to a glaze, 10 to 15 minutes. Add wine and vermouth, and continue to cook until bright and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add creme fraiche, and boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Original recipe says to pass through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pan. I left it as is since the shallots boiled down and it was flavourful & tasted exquisite.

Add sorrel, and cook for 25 seconds. Remove from heat. Add butter a little at a time, swirling or stirring with a wooden spoon until completely incorporated (be sure not to break up sorrel leaves). Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season salmon on one side (the less presentable side) with salt and pepper. Place in pan, seasoned side up. Cook 25 seconds, turn, and cook 15 seconds more (or a little more if need be). The salmon must be slightly undercooked to preserve its tenderness (it will continue to cook in the finished sauce). Definitely do not over cook!

Distribute sauce among four (or two) large plates. Place salmon, seasoned side down, on top of sauce on plates. Season with fleur de sel. Serve immediately.
Plat pour deux

*Sorrel is a dark green, or variegated perennial herb with a slight sour flavour which comes from a high oxalic acid content. Sorrel is used in cream soups as well as an accompaniment to meats and vegetables. A French traditional version sorrel sauce is pureed and served over eggs or fish. You can usually get it at Farmers Markets but it sells out quickly.

Substitute for Sorrel

Spinach with some lemon juice squeezed over top for tartness

Pierre’s Fish Stock

INGREDIENTS

2 to 2 1/2 pounds heads and bones from any fresh, white-fleshed, non oily fish
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
Bouquet garni (sprigs of thyme and parsley and a bay leaf, tied together)

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the fish bones well in several changes of cold water. Place them in a medium stockpot. Cook, covered, over low heat, until their juices are released, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid sticking.
Add enough cold water to cover, and the bouquet garni. Bring slowly to a boil, skimming surface until no trace of scum remains. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 25 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with damp cheesecloth. Cool. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Bon Appétit

Source: adapted from marthastewart.com (the original recipe was published here)

Photos: d. king

Perfect sides would be lightly sautéed chanterelle mushrooms and rice, couscous or quinoa to soak up the fabulous sauce. Really; it was FABULOUS.

Inspired by this recipe, the following night I cooked dover sole stuffed with dungeness crab claw meat (green onion, pepper, lemon) & a bechamel sauce over top. Sooo good!

Art & Culture

ART: let’s talk about it

Art is so personal, isn’t it?

I was recently at a fundraiser where one of the live auction items was an original painting…which I disliked immensely but I do know that art can grow on you. I wasn’t the only one who objected, however the piece ended up going for thousands. Someone either loved it or just wanted to make a very generous contribution. Another painting which I liked much better didn’t fare as well.

When I asked a friend to accompany me to a Picasso Exhibit she explained that she did not like Picasso. This coming from an art major.

What you display on the walls of your home is an eye into your mind and your soul.

It’s okay…not everyone likes the same things. But generally I believe investment pieces that make you feel good and you never tire of looking at are the very best to buy.

Personally I’ve collected a lot of things that bring me back to places of interest. Having said that, my taste is changing. I’m taking down some works that no longer have a place on my walls. They no longer hold a special interest and maybe never did. I want to upgrade. Recently I purchased a large original painting from Santa Fe (no coyote in sight). It holds meaning because I’ve been there on several occasions and identify with the setting. I had to have it! I also replaced a limited edition print with a beautiful *monotype.

So I’m no art expert but I have a few friends who are collectors and maybe through their influence I’m slowly making some changes. Some things will stay the same though because they hold significant meaning. Even if they’re important to only me; that’s enough!

But then I came across this article about how to buy art in a gallery and a guide to getting it right. It’s worth a look for those who are interested. Because there is some kind of a system to the whole thing. My advice: Always buy original when you can.

BY ANDY BATTAGLIA for mansionglobal.com

There it is, gleaming and white: a gallery filled with art looking for a new home. But sometimes the setting can be so mysterious, so alien and arcane, that knowing how to strike a deal can be elusive — or at least daunting to those who don’t know the art world’s often cryptic customs and codes.

“The assumption is … galleries are these elitist places that are going to ignore you if you try to talk to them,” said Photios Giovanis, owner and director of Callicoon Fine Arts, a gallery in New York’s Lower East Side. “But that’s not true — the assumption is wrong. There may be galleries that will treat you rudely, but there are just as many, if not more, that are going to be kind and want to speak to you about what they’re showing. That’s why galleries are there — to show work and share it with an audience.”

Getting started

The first step is easy: “Ask questions,” Mr. Giovanis said, about the art on show and the artist who made it — but also other pieces that might not be displayed, like works on paper or other holdouts that gallerists often keep in storage. “That would create a level of engagement that is deeper than just transactional. Later on, that collector would be more prominent in the mind of the dealer.”

Another tip at the start is to learn the language, enabling one to ask the right questions in search of answers that might inevitably be beyond a beginner’s bounds.

“If you take time to educate yourself, you’ll be ahead of the game,” Mr. Giovanis said. “People always say ‘buy with your eye’ and other clichés like that. That is fine, but it’s more a process of learning and, as you learn and look, what you like can change and develop. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake.”

Alexander Gray, operator of the Alexander Gray Associates gallery in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, echoed similar points, with more tips to consider. He urged self-education by going to museums and talking to curators who can point to galleries in line with their discerning tastes.

When not to buy art

Be wary when too far from home, though: “One of the mistakes that people make is buying art while they’re on vacation,” Mr. Gray said. “That’s a really egregious mistake because, when one is at the beach, one is thinking about how great it is to be outdoors with seagulls. It can be something people will love and want to look at, but is it something that will retain value or enhance legacy? Most likely not. No dolphin art. No coyote art in Santa Fe.”

Consider an adviser

Displaying knowledge of the distinctions between shopping and collecting shows a gallerist a lot, Mr. Gray said, as does the act of working with an adviser to council on acquisitions or even just looking around.
“We love working with advisers, especially advisers working with new clients, because it means the new collector is taking the journey seriously enough to bring in expertise. It also helps us understand what their motivations might be,” he said.

Some advisers are primarily attuned to market activity while others tend toward the philanthropic possibilities of purchases that help particular artists and galleries thrive. In any case, Mr. Gray said, “We prefer advisors who are retainer-based for clients who are being given completely unbiased advice. A lot of advisors work on commission, but the transparency of the arrangement is important.”

Abigail Ross Goodman, principal and founder of the advisory firm Goodman Taft, said advising—in her case under a retainer structure—can be akin to a kind of art itself. “Our job is to educate, demystify and advocate on behalf of our clients and help them make choices off the bat,” she said.

Do your homework … and remember there’s no crystal ball

Regardless, from Ms. Ross Goodman, a simple bit of advice: take notes, in a Moleskine notebook or on a phone. “Train your eye, build up a visual vocabulary, keep track of your tastes and how what you respond to changes,” she said. “Sometimes the things that can be most daunting at first become objects that are the most generous over a lifetime.”

And, remember, all the advice and advisement in the world only goes so far.

“There’s no way to do this without getting your hands dirty,” Ms. Ross Goodman said. “One of the biggest mistakes a client can make is to be so driven by external information that they buy something that means nothing to them. There’s no crystal ball.”

At a certain point in the sometimes beguiling but often immensely gratifying world of art, she said, “Everybody has to take a leap of faith.”

Don’t be afraid to take a leap!

*The difference between monotypes and monoprints frequently baffles art buyers and sellers alike! Therefore, a description of that difference is useful at the outset.

A monoprint is one of a series—therefore, not wholly unique. A monoprint begins with an etched plate, a serigraph, lithograph or collograph. This underlying image remains the same and is common to each print in a given series. Other means of adding pigment or design are then employed to make each print in the series slightly different. The series of monoprints has a limited number of prints and each is numbered.

A monotype is one of a kind, a unique piece of artwork. It is the simplest form of printmaking, requiring only pigments, a surface on which to apply them, paper and some form of press.

Girl Who Would be King, Health + LifeStyle

Healing Black Cumin Seeds

Seeds for the Soul

Flax seeds, Hemp sees, Chia seeds and now…

Among the gifts my sis brought back from her recent trip to Spain & Morocco was a jar of BLACK CUMIN SEEDS ??? blackcumin1 Their latin name is“Nigella Sativa”. Sis knows that I like anything to do with healing & cooking so I also got saffron, argan oil (which I wrote about on my previous beauty post) and menthol crystals.

Now these cumin seeds look different from the brownish ones I use to make Indian curry. They’re smaller, rounder and darker. Never seen them before so had to google. How did we live in the days before google….remember encyclopedia’s? No; me neither! I digress…

You may or may not have heard of Black seed (nigella sativa) before. It goes by many names, including black caraway, Roman coriander, and black cumin, to name a few. But no matter what you call it, these seeds are loaded with health benefits that we are only now beginning to understand. From eliminating harmful bacteria to regenerating the body’s cells and tissues, there is awesome research-backed health benefits of black cumin.

I’ll defer to Nigella Lawson, the British cooking show goddess who preaches the importance of a well-stocked pantry: It appears from a few of her recipes that her pantry includes nigella seeds. But they are not a branded food à la Rachael Ray’s EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)—the seeds had the name first. In fact, they have a whole bunch of names, some of them misleading: onion seeds, black cumin, charnushka and kalonji, to name a few. Although they resemble onion seeds or black sesame seeds, they are actually the seeds of an annual flowering plant of the Ranunculacae family. Not only is this too much information, we can’t even properly pronounce the name.

The nitty gritty (pardon the pun):

Black seed has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Unani, and Arabic medicine. It has minimal (if any) side effects and adds important nutrients to the diet. If utilized as an essential oil or by eating the seeds directly, it is a powerful antioxidant. Black seed was used by Queen Nefertiti in Egypt, and King Tut even kept a bottle of the oil in his tomb for the afterlife. This King will keep a bottle on hand, although kept contained in a jar in her kitchen. blackcumin2

So, what the heck do I do with them?

For starters, toast them lightly to release the essential oils. Then grind them or throw them whole in an Indian dish. Add them to your favorite curried or lentil soup, but they would work in all kinds of South Asian dishes, from simple vegetable curries (like a Bengali stir-fry or a spiced butternut squash to naan bread). They’re also part of the spice mixture called panch phoran, along with fenugreek, mustard, fennel and cumin seeds, common in Bengali dishes.

Many of black cumin’s traditionally ascribed health benefits have been thoroughly confirmed in the biomedical literature. In fact, since 1964, there have been 656 published, peer-reviewed studies referencing it.

We have indexed salient research, available to view on GreenMedInfo.com on our Black Seed (Nigella Sativa) page, on well over 40 health conditions that may be benefited from the use of the herb, including over 20 distinct pharmacological actions it expresses, such as:

Analgesic (Pain-Killing)
Anti-Bacterial
Anti-Inflammatory
Anti-Ulcer
Anti-Cholinergic
Anti-Fungal
Ant-Hypertensive
Antioxidant
Antispasmodic
Antiviral
Bronchodilator
Gluconeogenesis Inhibitor (Anti-Diabetic)
Hepatoprotective (Liver Protecting)
Hypotensive
Insulin Sensitizing
Interferon Inducer
Leukotriene Antagonist
Renoprotective (Kidney Protecting)
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Inhibitor

The above pharmacological actions are only a subset of a far wider number of beneficial properties intrinsic to the black seed. While it is remarkable that this seed has the ability to positively modulate so many different biological pathways, this is actually a rather common occurrence among traditional plant medicines.

Black seed has been researched for very specific health conditions. Some of the most compelling applications include:

Type 2 Diabetes: Two grams of black seed a day resulted in reduced fasting glucose, decreased insulin resistance, increased beta-cell function, and reduced glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in human subjects.
Helicobacter Pylori Infection: Black seeds possess clinically useful anti-H. pylori activity, comparable to triple eradication therapy.
Epilepsy: Black seeds were traditionally known to have anticonvulsive properties. A 2007 study with epileptic children, whose condition was refractory to conventional drug treatment, found that a water extract significantly reduced seizure activity.
High Blood pressure: The daily use of 100 and 200 mg of black seed extract, twice daily, for 2 months, was found to have a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension.
Asthma: Thymoquinone, one of the main active constituents within Nigella sativa (black cumin), is superior to the drug fluticasone in an animal model of asthma.Another study, this time in human subjects, found that boiled water extracts of black seed have relatively potent anti-asthmatic effect on asthmatic airways.
Acute tonsillopharyngitis: characterized by tonsil or pharyngeal inflammation (i.e. sore throat), mostly viral in origin, black seed capsules (in combination with Phyllanthus niruri) have been found to significantly alleviate throat pain, and reduce the need for pain-killers, in human subjects.
Chemical Weapons Injury: A randomized, placebo-controlled human study of chemical weapons injured patients found that boiled water extracts of black seed reduced respiratory symptoms, chest wheezing, and pulmonary function test values, as well as reduced the need for drug treatment.
Colon Cancer: Cell studies have found that black seed extract compares favorably to the chemoagent 5-fluoruracil in the suppression of colon cancer growth, but with a far higher safety profile.Animal research has found that black seed oil has significant inhibitory effects against colon cancer in rats, without observable side effects.
MRSA: Black seed has anti-bacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Opiate Addiction/Withdrawal: A study on 35 opiate addicts found black seed as an effective therapy in long-term treatment of opioid dependence. Pretty Powerful! But like anything else, you should consult your doctor before using for medicinal purposes.

Sources: SmithsonianMag.com & greenmedinfo.com

Girl Who Would be King, THINKAboutit

It’s Friday – What a Week!

A WEEK TO REMEMBER
But lest we forget:

REMEMBRANCE DAY. Freedom is never Free — **Today is REMEMBRANCE DAY**. *Freedom is never Free*

Also a time to Remember & Reflect on arguably, one of the most enigmatic poets & songwriters of his generation:

Mr. Leonard Cohen

While many of the themes in his work hinted at depression, he always felt that he was just a keen observer of the realities of life. “Seriousness, rather than depression is, I think, the characteristic of my work,” he once told an interviewer. ” I like a good laugh, but I think there’s enjoyment that comes through seriousness. We all know when we close the door and come into your room and you’re left with your heart and your emotions, it isn’t all that funny.”

No; it isn’t all that funny and it’s not just a game unless you’re Donald Trump who said:

“Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.” And that he did very well to everyone’s amazement; maybe even his own.

remember11

beauty, Girl Who Would be King

Beauty: brush off

What’s a gal to do without her makeup brushes?

beautybrush2

The right brush is really important and you can go nuts trying to decide which one is the best to use for bronzer, blush, concealer, etc. So to make it easy and affordable we turn to Sonia Kashuk to help us out with Five Easy Pieces to choose from:

Limited Edition KNOCK-OUT Twelve-Piece Brush Set beautybrushes I love the empowering wording on each of these brushes – makes makeuping more fun

All the brushes you need for less than the cost of your fancy eyeshadow Palette. – $40

EARTH Six-Piece Brush Set beauty6

Based on her love of color and the subtlety of the season, Sonia designed a must-have brush set for fall with mossy green handles, mustard yellow ferrules, and pale mauve bristles. This set includes a domed powder brush, flat top synthetic brush, precision concealer brush, blending eye brush, angled liner brush and smudge brush. – $22.99

BRUSH COUTURE: Air-Brushed Skin Five-Piece Set beautybrush4

All the tools you need to powder, swirl, blend, and buff your way to a flawless complexion. Outfitted in a chic digital floral pattern on this must-have set is the perfect addition to any makeup bag and includes a buffing brush, angled foundation brush, angled contour brush, angled concealer brush and long powder brush. – $19.99

EXOTIC ARTISAN Twelve-Piece Brush Set
beautybrush2

Inspired by her travels in India, Sonia created this refined brush set with wooden handles and plush ivory bristles. This set includes a dense powder brush, tapered powder brush, small powder brush, pointed foundation brush, flat top contour brush, large eye brush, shader brush, blending brush, domed eye brush, precision pencil brush, angled eyeliner brush and brow comb. – $39.99

DOUBLE DUTY – perfect for traveling beautybrush5

Each brush takes on twice the application! This set contains a powder/duo fiber brush, foundation/concealer brush, eye shadow/crease brush, eyebrow comb/angled eye brush and case. – $23.79

Source: soniakashuk.com

Some available at Target

Girl Who Would be King, STYLE

Style: a CAPE for all seasons

and all reasons

A CAPE packs a lot of punch into your overall wardrobe any time of the year. Especially the super soft and flattering graphic black + white cape found in the Zoe Report (as in Rachel Zoe) Fall Box of Style.

worn with leather tassle belt - also in the Box of Style — worn with leather Gatsby wrap belt with tassles- *also in the Box of Style*

The good news is that every body type can wear one which makes it impressively versatile. The styling possibilities are endless. Wear it as a shawl, a scarf or even belted at the waist. There are No rules! Perfect to travel with and use as a cover on the plane or dress it up for evening. There is no bad news.

A few more styling ideas:

Style tip: Stave off the fall chill in style like Hallie, who classically drapes her cape over a luxe top. fallbox1

Style tip: Put a unique twist on the cape à la Alison, who wears it as a cozy yet chic scarf. fallbox2

Style tip: Fashion meets function. Make like Marina and cinch your cape at the waist with the B-low The Belt wrap belt. fallbox3

Style tip: Take a cue from Ashley and add some edge to the ultra-luxe cape by pairing it with the B-low The Belt wrap belt worn as an of-the-moment choker. fallbox4

Style tip: Play up the flirty vibe as Emily does, by teaming the cape with a satin slip dress and a statement-making hat. fallbox5

Source: Zoe Report Fall Box of Style – Donni Charm Exclusive Wonder Cape.

Wonderful

Food + Drink, Girl Who Would be King

Eat/Shop: Holts Café

The perfect pairing! It’s all about convenience at…

I mean really; what could be better than shopping and eating? And gone are the days of grabbing some french fries ~~with gravy~~ at a department store counter when you felt a bit faint or overwhelmed by too many buying decisions. Has anyone else ever done this before?

But when the shopping gets to be too much Vancouverites can tough it out at the new Holts Café located conveniently inside our elegant Holt Renfrew department store. Vancouver now joins the Toronto Bloor Street location and Yorkdale Mall, Edmonton and Montreal stores in offering an ideal setting for everything from a business lunch to a mid-afternoon shopping break.

We have a shopping concierge too – to point you in the right direction (as if you need to be told where to go).

The café offers friendly service and menus filled with culinary delights. They also have a fine brunch and High Tea (always a favourite). Catering services are also available at all locations. I think pretty much they have it all. One-stop shopping…and eating. holts1 holts2

737 Dunsmuir Street (downtown at Pacific Centre Mall)

holts4

AFTERNOON TEA:
SUNDAY TO TUESDAY, 1 TO 5PM

By the glass or bottle: champagne, wine and other beverages.

Sampling:

TO BEGIN

SEARED HOKKAIDO SCALLOPS asparagus, XO sauce, scallion purée, radish, black truffle – $22, HAIDACORE TUNA TATAKI sesame seeds, pickled roots, cucumber dashi, yuzu ice – $18, BURRATA toasted sourdough, roasted pears, torn basil – $20, WEST COAST OYSTERS raspberry mignonette, fresh horseradish, lemon – 3.50/each.

MAINS:

MAINS SEARED SOCKEYE SALMON Brussels sprouts, salsa verde, warm potato salad – $26

SALT SPRING ISLAND MUSSELS bacon, tomato, white wine, saffron, dill, grilled bread – $22

HAIDA GWAII HALIBUT brown butter pears, wild mushrooms, butternut squash, corn, chive beurre blanc – $32

OTHER:

WAGYU BURGER cheddar, watercress, smoked bacon, heritage – $19

LOBSTER & PACIFIC SHRIMP ROLL Japanese mayo, butter lettuce, avocado, cucumber, coriander – $23

Well you know where to find me

Website:

https://www.holtrenfrew.com/en/services/restaurants/holts-cafe/vancouver

Art & Culture

ART: BOWIE / COLLECTOR

David Bowie’s Art Collection is up for grabs

A gallery assistant poses with “**Beautiful, Hallo, Space-Boy Painting**” by **Damien Hurst** during the press preview of the “Bowie/Collector” auction at Sotheby’s. Leon Neal/Getty Images

“Art has always been for me a stable nourishment,” said David Bowie.

On the occasion of Sotheby’s historic three-part sale of the legendary artist’s personal collection, his close friend and fellow musician Bono offers an appreciation. Plus, a sampling of Bowie’s own insightful words on the artists he admired and a selection of the works with which he lived.

BONO, SEPTEMBER 2016 said: David understood the power of the image better than any musician who ever lived. He spent his life creating images, some of which he tried to occupy or personify, some of which he hung from his music and some his music hung from. He knew that in his time, more than any other era, ideas often arrived as pictures and that the world was being shaped by photography, cinematography and, even still, painting.

A painting by John Virtue called 'Landscape No. 87', part of the Bowie Collection on display at Sotheby's. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth — A painting by **John Virtue** called ‘Landscape No. 87’, part of the Bowie Collection on display at Sotheby’s. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

BOWIE ON ART AND ARTISTS:

DAVID BOWIE was not just a collector of art, but also an informed authority on the subject. He was close to countless living artists and maintained conversations with them throughout his life. In 1994 he was invited to join the editorial board of Modern Painters magazine, to which he contributed in-depth interviews with the likes of Tracey Emin, Balthus and Damien Hirst, a review of the first-ever Johannesburg Biennale in 1995 and a response to the life and work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Below is a selection of Bowie’s astute and deeply personal observations, first published in Modern Painters and The New York Times on the art and artists that fascinated and inspired him.

ON BALTHUS

Bowie suggested to the editors of Modern Painters that he might be able to secure an interview with the reclusive Balthus. Both men were living in Switzerland at the time and had met at a gallery opening for Balthus’s wife, Setsuko. One afternoon in the summer of 1994, Bowie drove to a mountain chalet in Rossinière to meet the painter, whose works of “timeless, serene, but disturbed sculptural claustrophobia” he greatly admired. Their conversation as well as Bowie’s introductory text are extraordinary. Sitting at lunch with the artist and Setsuko, he observed: “Balthus puts down his knife and fork and, staring at some far off point, says quietly: ‘I awoke very early this morning. I went to my studio and started work. It would not come…. and I gazed at my painting then the small things around me and I felt such a tremendous…sense of awe.’” His voice dies away, leaving “a misty trail of remembrances, glories and maybe disappointments,” Bowie continued. “Locked in silence, we three sit, Balthus, Setsuko and I. The tragedy and chaos of the twentieth century rushes through the memory of its last Legendary Painter.”

ON MARCEL DUCHAMP

“Sometimes I wish that I could put myself in Duchamp’s place to feel what he felt when he put those things on show and said: ‘I wonder if they’ll go for this. I wonder what’s going to happen tomorrow morning,’ ’’ he said to Kimmelman in The New York Times. “I would understand that attitude perfectly, because the most interesting thing for an artist is to pick through the debris of a culture.”

ON DAMIEN HIRST

A painting produced collaboratively by Damien Hirst and David Bowie called 'Beautiful, halo, space-boy painting' 1995, part of the Bowie Collection on display at Sotheby's auction rooms. The painting is estimated at 250,000-350,000 pounds (318,000- 445,000 US dollars). AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth — A painting produced collaboratively by **Damien Hirst and David Bowie** called ‘Beautiful, halo, space-boy painting’ 1995, part of the Bowie Collection on display at Sotheby’s auction rooms. The painting is estimated at 250,000-350,000 pounds (318,000- 445,000 US dollars). AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Hirst was one of only a handful of high-profile contemporary artists for whom Bowie publicly expressed his admiration, interviewing him for Modern Painters in 1995. “He’s different. I think his work is extremely emotional, subjective, very tied up with his own personal fears – his fear of death is very strong – and I find his pieces moving and not at all flippant,” Bowie told Michael Kimmelman in an extensive 1998 interview in The New York Times.

ON JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT

A painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat called — A painting by **Jean-Michel Basquiat** called “Air Power’ 1984, estimated at 2.5-3.5 million pounds (3.18- 4.45 million US dollars), part of the Bowie Collection. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

“I feel the very moment of his brush or crayon touching the canvas,” wrote Bowie of Basquiat in a 1996 issue of Modern Painters. “There is a burning immediacy to his ever-evaporating decisions that fires the imagination ten or fifteen years on, as freshly molten as the day they were poured onto the canvas.” Bowie acquired Basquiat’s Air Power in 1997, the year after he played Andy Warhol to Jeffrey Wright’s Basquiat in Julian Schnabel’s 1996 biopic of the artist.

ON FRANK AUERBACH

“I find his kind of bas-relief way of painting extraordinary,” said Bowie of Auerbach in the 1998 New York Times interview with Kimmelman. “Sometimes I’m not really sure if I’m dealing with sculpture or painting.” Auerbach’s work provoked strong reactions: “It will give spiritual weight to my angst. Some mornings I’ll look at it and go, ‘Oh, God, yeah! I know!’ But that same painting, on a different day, can produce in me an incredible feeling of the triumph of trying to express myself as an artist. I can look at it and say: ‘My God, yeah! I want to sound like that looks.’”

From 1–10 November, the collection will be exhibited at Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries in London, giving fans, collectors, art lovers and experts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse themselves in the extraordinary range of objects that informed Bowie’s private world. British artists, including high profile painters and sculptors such as Frank Auerbach and Henry Moore, make up the heart of the collection, representing over 200 pieces in total.

Technicians prepare artworks from the Bowie Collection to go on display at Sotheby's. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth — Technicians prepare artworks from **the Bowie Collection** to go on display at Sotheby’s. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

A photo of David Bowie on the auction labels of items during the press preview of the “Bowie/Collector” auction at Sotheby’s. Leon Neal/Getty Images

What a great memento for those who appreciate Art & Bowie.

I don’t know where I’m going from here but I promise it wont’ be boring – David Bowie

Source: sothebys.com

Girl Who Would be King, Health + LifeStyle

Health: we’ve got you covered

Today I’m off to the Vancouver Health Show

I’ve always been health conscious but in the past several months even more so. Not totally hardcore but definitely more mindful of what I cook and how, and cutting out everything that is not good. I’m actually loving it. I enjoy cooking in general but now the intent is to make food rich in nutritional value while maintaining overall taste & creativity.

I’ve taken several cooking classes/demonstrations to see what the nutrition experts recommend as a preventative to getting sick. Inspire Health offers services to enhance quality of life, health and well-being of people living with cancer and their families. I am usually the only non-cancerous person in the class, being there as a support. These people are trying to do the best they can through nutrition (as in you are what you eat) to promote longer life and aid in treatment of radiation/chemo by adding flavour and digestible probiotics to delicious, healthy meals. It can be a challenge but it’s well worth it. In the following weeks I can share some of the recipes with you. For now, these posted photos are only of some of what I’ve made.

Back to the Health Show:

It’s a two day consumer event for the health conscious individual. It offers a diverse array of options to explore all under one roof for an entire weekend of shopping and education.

A great place to be if you’re looking for the latest products and services on the market, just beginning your journey of achieving a healthier lifestyle or have specific health issues that you need help with.

There are experts on hand to answer your questions to do with anything from nutritional supplements to alternative therapies to fitness trends to food products.

You will meet the people who know what it takes to create a loving home through the discovery of the best new products on the market that will inspire every room in your home to be clean and green, fresh and organized, harmonious and functional.

Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers.

Where? The Vancouver Convention Centre – November 5th (10:00am – 6:00pm) + November 6^th (11:00am – 5:00pm).

But before I go I’m making a breakfast pizza which looks like this:

Free-range eggs, bacon, Tillamook ex-sharp cheddar, onion + parsley.

Free-range eggs, spinach, mushroom, red pepper, feta.

Or this:

Black Bean Veggie Burger (sans bun) with a delicious Miso Tahini Dressing — **Black Bean Veggie Burger** (sans bun here) with a delicious **Miso Tahini Dressing**

Spaghetti with fresh & sundried tomatoes, parmesan & parsley. Secret is in the spices & truffle oil. — Spaghetti with fresh & sundried tomatoes, garlic, parmesan & parsley. Secret is in the herbs, spices & good Italian truffle oil.

But the 80-20 rule still applies. The other night I made a restaurant quality AAA rib-eye with thinly sliced baked russet potatoes + beets drizzled with olive oil that came out nice and crispy and kale. Lots more on my list…..

I’m excited about all the possiblilities.

FUN, Girl Who Would be King

Feel-good Friday: get inspired

What inspires you? What makes you feel-good?

Our society embraces the TGIF catchphrase…well at least those who work full time do. On Monday, Friday seems a long way away, and then Sunday shows up way too soon. Most working people are doing what they do to make a living and really don’t enjoy their jobs – or they have horrible bosses (even more horrible than the movie). That’s the down side of working. People who enjoy what they do – even they look forward to Friday. Friday is just another word for Freedom…for a little while. Because the next day you get to let loose, wake up late, get together with friends you’re too busy or tired to see during the week, do housework or do nothing. Any way you look at it – Friday is the most popular day of the week.

So I’ve been thinking about what inspires us to make little changes. Those of us who get to experience four seasons should embrace the beauty of that. Summer is easy, we get lazy and don’t want to do very much (at least that’s how I feel) because it’s too too short. But then we have Fall and it gives us an opportunity to get a little more serious about making changes. We have to adapt to cooler temperature and begin to hibernate. Neighbours you see out and about during the summer seem to disappear. It can feel cold and unfriendly. But the things I now embrace about Fall may sound a little superficial but that’s okay. I like to change up my wardrobe, make comfort food which includes lots of soup, have dinner parties, visit a gallery, settle in earlier and watch something good on TV, read more, take a class, learn something new and work a bit harder on some personal matters. It’s mostly positive. Winter is winter focusing on holiday stuff…oh, and maybe a warmer getaway & Spring is great because you know Summer is around the corner and then there’s all the cleaning & stuff. What? It’s a good excuse to clean your place. Like the Chinese New Year. Out with the old, in with the new!

And around we go… I always loved Merry-go-rounds. And a dirty martini on the side!