Holly Lebowitz Rossi: June 2009 Archives

I am overwhelmed with the kind and supportive words of condolence that I've gotten as I mourn my grandmother Gaga.  First and foremost, thank you. 

All the talking and emailing about Gaga has reminded me of something that I find curious every time I experience a loss - how do we talk about death?  I mean, what do we call it?

Some people say "She passed on," or "She passed away."  Others say "She left us."  Or "She's no longer with us."  Or "We lost her."  There's a gentleness to those words that I really like, and a hopeful implication that the spirit of the person is in some better, beautiful place.

But I tend toward the straight-statement:  Gaga died.  True, saying--and hearing--those words hurts, but it hurts in a way that I think is part of the process of wrapping my head around what's happened.  Someone I love was alive and now she's not--the human brain just doesn't compute that concept on some level, whether the person was young or old, sick or healthy.  Saying "she died" is, for me, like a cognitive exercise that slowly gets me used to the idea that her life only continues in my memories, in my heart.

What do you "call" death? 
 

What's in a grandparent name?  A lot of meaning, I think. 

My four grandparents were split in the name department.  My dad's parents were Nana and Papa, simple, loving grandparent names that fit their traditional sensibilities. 

My mom's parents were a little different.  My grandfather was H.B., his first and middle name initials.  It was a perfect name for a man of great dignity who really knew how to make a granddaughter feel special.  As a kid I felt like I was in on a little secret because I knew what those two letters stood for....

My grandmother, who died this past weekend, was Gaga, a name that captured her wildly creative streak.  There's just no way that this woman would be a "Grandma" or a "Granny," and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Imagine my delight when I discovered a brand of (delicious) sherbet called Gaga's, named for the founder's grandmother.  There is another....

What were your grandparents' grand-names?  Did they chose their names, or did  grandkids' nicknames stick?

My grandmother Gaga died this weekend--on a Saturday, in fact, just like her husband my grandfather did 13 years ago, and her son my uncle did 2 years ago.  A literary touch, perfect for a larger-than-life woman.

What can any of us ever say to summarize a complex, meaningful, influential life--in her case, a breathtakingly long and full one that lasted just a month shy of 95 years?

If I had to summarize my grandmother in one word, it would be "fascinating."  She never went skydiving or spelunking or anything else that would signify "fascinating" in the big boffo-socko sense, but to me her very being was fascinating.

Just look at her picture - the drape of her skirt, the sparkle in her eye, the ever-so-casual way she holds her sunglasses.  Isn't this a woman who should be called "fascinating?"  All of our elders, who live in different times and places, should fascinate us, I think.  I feel like my Gaga was the fascinating-est of them all, but I hope you're thinking of your fascinating relatives and how much impact they have on your life. 

10 fascinating things about my grandmother:

1.  She was the author of two published books in the 1960s. "Doctors to the Great," was about what we can learn from the physicians of famous historical figures like Alexander the Great and Napoleon.  "Man with a Microscope" was a biography of Elie Metchnikoff, the inventor of--you guessed it--the microscope.

2.  She only gave up writing three years ago, at age 92, and at the time she was working on a historical novel set in George Washington's Army during the Revolutionary War.  She gave the manuscript to me, and one day I hope to finish it.

3.  I don't ever remember her baking cookies--she wasn't that kind of grandmother--but I do remember her making osso bucco stew.  She wore a special hat when she made it, which she thereafter referred to as her "osso bucco hat."

4.  Her fashion signature was blood-red lipstick.  She once told me she considered it her "red badge of courage," a symbol of pride and defiance.  She saw my love of home-grown tomatoes--deep, red ones--as that same trait manifesting in me.

5.  During World War II, she worked in New York City for the Office of War Information.  She wrote articles about arts and culture at home and abroad, to be distributed as part of the OWI's war news publications.  The juxtaposition of art and war always, well, fascinated me.

6.  She was the model of politeness and good manners, except when anyone gave her family a hard time.  I remember her having words with a woman at the condo complex she lived at in Delray Beach, Florida.  As the woman berated me for wearing my hair in braids instead of a bathing cap in the pool, I believe the words, "lay off her, you old bag" passed Gaga's lips at one point.  I felt like a superhero had come to my rescue.

7.  She traveled to practically every country in the world, though her one regret is that she never visited the Taj Mahal in India.  She and my grandfather took me on my first trip to Europe when I was 10 years old. 

8.  How many kids can truthfully say this sentence: "I learned the story of Jesus from my Jewish grandmother."  On our European trip, she and I sat on a bench outside St. Paul's cathedral in London and she told me all about John the Baptist and the dancer Salome, the virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene, Jesus' birth, crucifixion, and resurrection.  It was such a rich story that I not only enjoyed all the paintings we were seeing all the more, I went on to major in religious studies in college.

9.  She used to take my long hair and make it into a mustache on my young face.  "You must pay the rent!" she'd snarl in her best Snidley Whiplash.  She'd take the hair away: "I won't pay the rent!" she'd squeal in perfect Sarah Bernhardt pitch.  I still giggle thinking about the laughs we shared over that simple bit.

10.  If she had ever gone on Jeopardy, she totally would have won.

Did you have fascinating grandparents?  Stories welcome.  Meanwhile, R.I.P. to the one and only Gaga.
    
   

It took me months to learn how to flip my single over-medium breakfast egg without a) using a spatula or b) making a splattering mess all over my kitchen.  But now that I (usually) can do it, it's a skill I'm proud to have learned.

Check out this video by a chef showing the yolk-farthest-away-from-you method of flipping.  I love his Southern inflection, how he describes "laying over" the eggs.  It's so delicate, so delicious-sounding somehow.  Though I am scared to try to replicate his method....he's flipping two eggs at once!

Are you an egg-flipper?  How did you learn?



Flip Eggs for Making Fried Eggs -- powered by eHow.com

My farmer's market has an egg stand this year, which makes me extremely happy.  You can't beat eggs that you know were laid days earlier by birds that live happy lives on pastoral fields, nudging grass and grubs and other pure treats from the earth.  Those are eggs as nature intended.

I am generally a chicken egg gal, but I just couldn't resist the call of the giant, pastel-colored duck eggs that Kate brought with her from Golden Egg Farm in Hardwick, MA.  So I bought some, and learned a thing or two about our friend the duck egg.  For Foodie Friday, I'm sharing 4 fun-fact discoveries with you!

1.  Duck eggs are roughly double the size of chicken eggs, and one can be substituted for 2 chicken eggs in most recipes.

2.  Duck eggs have larger yolks than chicken eggs, making them perfect candidates for rich, delicious custards and other yolk-y fare.

3.  The whites in duck eggs are thicker and more viscous than in chicken eggs.  I'm dying to see what happens when I try to transform those whites into mirangue! 

4.  People who are allergic to eggs might actually be allergic only to chicken eggs.  Check with your doctor, but duck eggs might be an egg-y option.

Last week, I experimented with a fritatta using the duck eggs.  I'm someone who likes my scrambles fairly firm, so I guessed that all that extra-thick white and extra-large yolk would make for a lovely, easily-slice-able fritatta.  And man, do I love being right!

In a large skillet, I sauteed an onion and a big bunch of chopped fresh asparagus in some olive oil with salt and pepper.  I then poured 6 duck eggs (which I whisked together with a little milk, salt, and pepper) over the mixture and agitated it around the pan until it started to set up.

Then it went into a 350-degree oven (make sure you have oven-proof cookware) for about 6 minutes, when it looked just about set.  I then sprinkled some grated Parmesan cheese over the top and put on my broiler.  Another minute or two and the cheese was brown and bubbly, and the fritatta was ready to cool for a minute, wedge, and serve with a green salad.

Happy egg-ing!  Have you ever tried duck eggs?  Recipe success stories most welcome.... 

Reports are spreading (the NY Daily News and ABC News so far) that "Charlie's Angels" '70s heartthrob Farrah Fawcett's long struggle with cancer might be coming to an end.  News reports say that friends and family are gathering at her...

In the spirit of Valerie's awesome Songs About Rain playlist, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of songs about morning.  Here are 5 to get us started--please add to this list!1.  Brand New Day--Sting2.  Morning...

A new study is out touting the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet.  This will come as no shock to those of you who have already seen our fabulous gallery, "The Health Secrets of the Mediterranean Diet," but what's interesting...

Exciting news from the processed food world!  Log Cabin Syrup, the breakfast table staple since 1887, has announced it's replacing the high-fructose corn syrup in its products with natural, "real" sugar. Log Cabin is not alone--Pepsi (in its Pepsi Throwback...

Thanks to reader "foufou" for posting this tasty--and easy--recipe on my picnic post last week.  I can't wait to try it...and to figure out how to spell tabouli (tabbouli?  tabouleh?).  Anyway, this vegetarian salad is packed with protein courtesy of...

What color wakes you up?  We just published a fun gallery on how color affects emotions and energy, and here are some options for your best wake-up color.  Use these colors on your bedroom walls, bedding, PJs, teddy bears,...

Remember when we were in school and we got lists of books we had to have read by September?  Invisible Man, Siddhartha, As I Lay Dying--some years the list was longer than others, some years (oy, Faulkner) were more challenging...

Foodie Friday is upon us, and this week's post is about an early summer joy that is as fleeting as it is delightful.  I speak of the pungent, powerful, twisty, green, and woefully short-lived garlic scape.Yesterday at my town's farmer's...

This weekend, summer will officially begin.  Welcome, welcome!  When summer starts, I always think of this quote from Albert Camus:"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."How will your summer be...

I can't decide how exactly to react to this Boston Globe article about how some fitness buffs are, because of skin cancer fears, keeping their workouts indoors this spring and summer.On one hand, I get it.  Members of my family...

You know the old anxiety management technique where you picture your fear as a big scary monster and then picture it doing something silly?  Enter this video, which puts simple, ridiculous, funny "hey," "hi," and "hello" into the mouths of...

At my weekly gentle Iyengar class (taught by the fabulous Liz Owen), we get beautiful, contemplative gems during the meditation periods at the beginning and end of class.  One week it might be a visualization of our vertebrae as shining...

Though the product has not been recalled, federal regulators are warning consumers that using the popular homeopathic cold remedy Zicam might be dangerous--or permanently harmful--to your sense of smell.  The New York Times reported on the warnings sent from the...

I just got back from a doctor's office where I enjoyed an ancient (I think from 2006) issue of Real Simple.  In the magazine was a terrific tip that I thought was worth sharing as we head into prime outdoor...

Yesterday when I went outside to water my garden, I heard a familiar birdsong.  I looked up, and there, silhouetted against the sun on my roof, was the tweeter!  I think it's the same guy (gal?) that I've been hearing...

What was the first thing that you did this morning?  My answer to that question is almost always that I think something.  I think, "What time is it?"  "Did I sleep wrong on my shoulder again?"  "What should I...

After days--days!--of rain, the sun is finally shining, and it once again feels like summer is just about here.  And in summer, a woman's heart turns to thoughts of fun.  Vacation fun, outdoor fun, lazy fun.  All of the above. ...

Readers, I am hopeful that there are some among you who are knowledgeable in the ways of birds.  Specifically, sing-song-y birds.  Specifically, sing-song-y birds that sing multiple melodies.  Specifically, sing-song-y birds that sing multiple melodies late, late at night.Last night...

I ran across this fascinating article last week in the New York Times about the questions that arise--and the possible benefits--when doctors interact with patients on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  On the questions front, Dr. Pauline W....

The Mamas and the Papas famously sang, "can't trust that day" about Monday, and as you start your week, you might agree.  After a relaxing (or busy) weekend, Monday can loom, scare, exhaust.  And that's before you even get...

Today is a rainy, bleak-weather day.  I'm tired after a long week.  I have things on my mind.  This is where comfort clothing comes in.  You know what I mean - that garment that you reach for when you need...

I feel like I failed my farmer's market this week.  One of the growers showed up with the most tender early summer squash--neon golden zucchini, green "regular" zucchini, yellow squash, and more.  I was overcome with excitement, as I am...

Fresh Living is on Beliefnet's homepage today, with a gallery of tips for keeping a positive attitude even during the high-stress process of moving into a new home.  From the intro:"If you're moving, you have my simultaneous congratulations and sympathies.  Despite...

Tis the season...for frizzy hair!  Whether it's sunny and humid or rainy and humid or cloudy and humid, summer is never good news for the silky, shiny tresses that we all yearn for.  If your hair is frizz-prone in general,...

I know it's a little hokey, but this made me giggle this morning.  It's a quote that's attributed to "Garfield" creator Jim Davis: "If people were meant to pop out of bed, we'd all sleep in toasters."So if you're...

You've probably heard this famous Zen story, but it bears repeating as we're talking about ways to think about keeping perspective as we travel the road of a long life journey.  I found this version on American Buddhist Net:An old...

I've been thinking a lot about journeys lately.  We're all on more than one at any given moment, don't you think?  Some that immediately come to mind:A relationshipA jobA health concernA new homeA fitness commitmentThe thing about any and all...

Last week, I posted about the budding New Dawn rose in my front garden, and how meaningful a plant it is for me.  Below are photos of the rose as it climbs to its full-bloom glory.  As you gaze, maybe...

I've recently come back to starting my day with a 5-minute audio meditation from renowned Buddhist mindfulness teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. Beliefnet first published  the meditation, called "The End of Suffering," years ago, but it remains one of my...

Interesting news out of this weekend's The American Diabetes Association meeting--the association is recommending a new standard in the way that doctors test for and diagnose diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes.Currently, two tests are used to diagnose the condition.  The...

Elizabeth Edwards, in Boston over the weekend for a gala at Mass. General Hospital, gave a brief interview to The Boston Globe in which she talked about the kind of support that she's enjoyed through her years-long battle with breast...

Last Foodie Friday, when I posted a possible explanation for why asparagus makes our wee-wee smell funny, many of you wanted more information.  So I did what anyone should do when they're asked a health question they're not qualified to...

I started drooling when I saw in this month's Everyday Food the idea to top toast with wilted spinach and a delightfully oozy soft-boiled egg.  A vibrant patch of ready-to-pick spinach in my garden sealed the deal, and this...

Are you the kind of person who sees "signs" in random places?  I'm usually not--maybe it's my Taurus nature, but I find that looking for and interpreting signs can easily become a) an anxiety-provoking exercise in how inaccurate future-prediction can...

When I first heard about them, the idea of "laughing clubs" struck me as sad--is our society so joy-deprived that we have to scheduling in time and space just to laugh?  But the more I learn about them, the more...

Remember in grade school how we learned that good writing should answer "the 5 Ws"--who, what, where, when, and why?  Try giving yourself that assignment as you set your intention for your day this morning.Who:  Whose life will I...

Here's a fairly universal human foible that I've observed:  the more stressed out we are, the more poorly we eat.  We think, "I don't have time to shop, cook, and clean up...it's easier to just pick something up on...

Whenever a tragedy like the apparent loss of Air France Flight 447 strikes, we feel so helpless.  The suddenness of loss.  The anguish of worry.  The glimmers of hope.  All of these emotions flutter around inside us, and we yearn...

I came across this "stop what you're doing and watch this--twice!" vid on Mighty Girl.  It's an exuberant musical take on the traditional wedding video, set to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" and starring the guests at what looked like...

As I shared here and here, we're gearing up to move into a new home.  Which means we have to sell our condo.  Which means we have to foray into the world of home staging.  Oy.I'm not an avid HGTV...

What wakes you up?  The question could apply to what gets you motivated in the morning, what perks your spirit after the 3 pm doldrums, or anything in between.  It strikes me that most wake-up triggers are connected to...