#anthonybourdainday

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain had been on my To Read pile for ages despite being a fan of his food/travel TV series. I don’t know what took me so long. I finally read it last month and it is now one of my favorite books – for writing. A raw, probing, honest, classic account of the restaurant business culture, the book is about people. A character study of those in the business, and a personal story of Bourdain’s struggles as he built his career. The writing is direct and brilliantly crafted, engaging from the first line. He had what publishers seek and writers aspire for, a voice unmistakably his own. Warning, there is foul language, instances of objectification of women, locker room antics and debauchery. He wrote it as shop talk for those in the business and was later surprised the book found a wider audience. 

Today is Anthony Bourdain Day. Gather your friends, put down your smartphones and have a conversation over a good meal. Then curl up with Kitchen Confidential and allow yourself to be drawn in by a consummate observer who was curious and thoughtful. Bourdain was, no is, a raconteur in the best of storytelling tradition. I urge you to read it.

Work In Progress

New series - seed pods. Finished work is on my website.

(Bark TBD, Catalpa sp., Paulownia tomantosa, Echinosystis lobata)

Family Arts Bash and ArtsMobile

Loads of fun drawing and painting animals at my station!

Seniors try their hand at painting flowers and fruit at New Rochelle Senior Center with Arts Westchester's Mobile Arts Van, bringing art to everyone.