Vinotherapy at les Sources de Caudalie

Vinotherapy is the latest spa treatment, and at Caudalie if money is no object you'll get the best. Stay in the grande suite "l'Ile aux Oiseaux" (only 600 euros per night--in the off season), eat at the auberge "La Table du Lavoir" for lunch and "La Grand'Vigne" for dinner, and of course have the vinotherapy (two days of the "Cure Caudalie d'Exception" will run you 448 euros).

Art for the Soul Gallery

Right now I'm sitting with Tracy Woods, owner of the Art for the Soul Gallery.

The Glass Bead Game

In his masterpiece, Das Glasperlenspeil, Hermann Hesse describes a game, the "glass bead game," in which all the insights, noble thoughts, and works of art that the human race has ever produced are converted into intellectual values which the Magister Ludi, the "Master of the Game," plays as a musician plays on his instrument. Each of these concepts is a "glass bead" in the game. Unfortunately, Hesse tantalizes us with the majesty and mystery of this ultimate game-of-games without specifically explaining the rules. We're simply left with the intimation that music and art and philosophy and poetry and the very laws of nature are all mystically interrelated, and crystallized into a handful of beads. Scholars, scientists, and most recently computer gamers have been trying to figure out ever since 1943 exactly how this game might be played.

I haven't a clue myself, but when I saw these glass beads created by musician Rebecca Rose, I felt the harmony and stereophany I have always associated with Hesse's masterwork. I'm talking about the balls fashioned from a dozen Swarovski crystals, elegantly spaced on silk/nylon string with individual beads and pearls. I don't know how she does it, and even if she showed me, I wonder if I'd manage to fumble together even one of them, let alone a whole necklaceful.

I saw these necklaces at the Ashfield Fall Festival, along with lots of other tasteful jewelry, all handmade by local artisans. Nothing made my fingers itch with covetous lust like these. Spare, elegant, and of course made with the aurora borealis crystals to which I'm so partial. I have a whole drawerful of vintage AB pieces, mostly purchased at Brimfield. I'd love to add one of Rebecca Rose's new pieces to my collection.

I had a nice talk with the artist, who's a violinist. She gave me her card, and I scurried home and logged onto http://www.rebeccarosejewelry.com/ to daydream about which one I'm going to buy as soon as the barge full of $$$ comes in.

A Little Night Music

This is my latest blog post. "A Little Night Music" with Rebecca Silverman as assistant to the director is a must-see!!!!

What I Had for Lunch Today: Yellow Split Pea Soup with Hot Sauce

My usual soup--I've blogged the recipe here before--with my usual pumpkin oil garnish, snipped fresh parsley, and Lan Chi Chili Sauce with Garlic. As long as its cold, I'll keep eating soup every other day.

What I Had for Lunch Today: Red Curry with Rice

Today I cooked some brown rice and scratched around for something to put on top of it. I had a jar of Patak's curry paste, so I made a quick curry by sautéeing a shallot and some sliced mushrooms, adding a couple of spoonfuls of the curry paste, about a quarter cup of tomato sauce, some frozen peas, and half a can of coconut milk. Five minutes on the simmer and it was ready.

What I Had for Lunch Today: Salad With Chicken and Walnuts

My usual salad of romaine dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and coarsely ground pepper. This one was also topped with strips of "chicken," chopped walnuts, and some cubes of stale bread all sautéed in the same iron spider.