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~ This is What Happens When You Begin to Age Out of Middle Age

The Write Side of 59

Search results for: Julie SEYLER

Inside Convention Hall

15 Sunday May 2016

Posted by WS50 in Art, Photography

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Asbury Park, Convention Hall

IMG_6700

BY JULIE SEYLER

The doors leading into Convention Hall have been unlocked. On Saturday afternoon I wandered around. There were flying angels…

IMG_6665…and lobsters:

IMG_6706

Byzantine arches…

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…and a ceramic stove someone must have imported from India that is not at all original to the building but still lovely to behold:

IMG_6702

Convention Hall is a grand old building with grand old bones infused with grand old memories.

IMG_6703

Here’s to the summers of the ’60s, when the age of 60 meant old like Mrs. Tashlick old. We were barely teenagers.

IMG_6686

(Remember Bamburger’s?)

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Found Art

01 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by WS50 in Art, Concepts

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Sidewalk Painting 2

By Julie Seyler

One of my favorite pleasures is finding a work of art outside the traditional museum and gallery venue.

There is something so satisfying in seeing the beauty in found art. Perhaps because it is unexpected. Perhaps because it is new. It doesn’t matter.

I had a painting teacher who told me “The more you see. The more you see.” How true. So when I amble, I look.

In the morning, when I leave the gym, I walk along the Hudson to the bus stop. For me, the rusted cement made fabulous abstract paintings.

IMG_4388

There is always a floating dock stationed at Pier 60 and looking west I can see through it to the northern New Jersey shore. There is a deep sense of space when framed in a photo.

chelsea piers

The pier in the background is being re-purposed into a super cultural/shopping mecca which will make the whole area a round the clock traffic jam. For now it still harks back to its history.

P1300212

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Sales Pitch: Earring Racks

29 Friday Jan 2016

Posted by WS50 in Art, Earrings; Sale

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Tags

Earring racks, earring trees, functional art, Jewelry organizers

Earring trees; The Nesting Rack (tm); Julie Seyler

Earring rack: 3 Diamond Strips and 7 Red Roses. 12″x16″

BY JULIE SEYLER

Perhaps you saw my FB posting on January 13 announcing that I had made a series of displays for dangly earrings and that they were for sale on Etsy. If you missed that post, here’s another sales pitch.

Please spread the word that each one of these earring racks are original, hand-crafted and unique. These are pieces of art that serve a function.

If you or someone you love wears exotically wonderful earrings or you just want a different type of message board, (you’ll need safety pins to attach the note), please check out the earring racks on my Etsy store called The Nesting Rack, because all earrings need a safe place to nest.

Earring trees, The Nesting Rack (tm), Julie Seyler

3 Diamond Strips and 7 Red Roses (with earrings). 12×16″

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Doors

04 Monday Jan 2016

Posted by WS50 in Art, Photography, Travel

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doors, Portugal, Tunis

Heavy-duty door.

Heavy-duty door.

BY JULIE SEYLER

In May, 2001, 3 months prior to 9/11, I went to Tunisia for 5 days with a friend. We walked through the souks of Tunis and drove about finding the remnants of the Roman Empire at Dougga. We stayed in a lovely beachside hotel in Sidi Bou Said and toured the Bardo Museum in Carthage. We discussed the anger in the streets. It was not a violent anger- it was a percolating rage fueled by perpetual unemployment and lack of opportunity. I was lucky to visit when I did- Tunisia is a beautiful country with much culture, but its personal gift to me was that I became aware of doors.

From my photo album on Tunisia.

From my photo album on Tunisia.

The guide books pointed out that the doors in Tunisia were unique because of their massiveness, decorativeness and significance of separating the private domestic space from the world outside. So now wherever I travel I remain hyper-attuned to doors, to their size, their locks, their doorhandles, their mail box slots and whatever else catches my eye. It is never perfection, but the texture, shape, form, design and mystery behind these entryways that enchant me.

So as we walk through the door to 2016, let’s be hopeful it opens into a new and safe space.

Stairwell door

Stairwell door

Hand knocker.

Hand knocker.

Little Door

Little Door

Window doors

Window doors

Detail of door.

Detail of door.

 

Door mail slot

Door mail slot

Lisbon train station doors

Lisbon train station doors

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The Painted Bunting in Prospect Park, Brooklyn

14 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by WS50 in Entertainment

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Birding, Prospect Park, The painted bunting

Painted Bunting in Prospect Park

I missed its head, but nailed the body.

BY JULIE SEYLER

On a spring morning in December I trekked out to Prospect Park in Brooklyn to find the painted bunting. Never ever would I have been able to espy this bird on my own, but with the assistance of my birder buddy, and many others curious about the unusual and rare presence of this Florida-based bird in the New York metropolitan area, we located its general whereabouts. It was hanging in a brown patch of weeds by the skating rink, not waiting for its close-up. Rather it was being coy, hiding itself deep within the withered branches and brambles of a roped off fen. But birders are expansive people, they want you to share in the joy of a sighting. The guy crouching next to me with his super telephoto camera lens patiently explained that I needed to find the stump, look halfway up just below the white flowers at 2:00 and I would see a patch of blue. I followed his directions and voila there it was. So satisfying! Then it was time for the next activity, brunch and a well-earned Bloody Mary.

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I Went on a Bender for Butternut Squash

23 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by WS50 in Food

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apples, Butternut squash, cinnamon

Lots of squash

Lots of squash

BY JULIE SEYLER

I walked over to the Farmer’s Market at Union Square with the goal of making an autumn soup, specifically a butternut squash soup with apples and leeks. I had been inspired by a recipe that arrived in my email from the website My New Roots.

The market was laden with apples and all sorts of squash, (which turns out to be a fruit), but leeks were not to be had. I switched culinary gears. Rather than making a spoonable food I would make something forkable.

IMG_3783I washed the squash, pricked it with a fork and rubbed it with cinnamon because this spice is supposed to have a beneficial effect on blood glucose levels. Roasting is the best solution for conquering this tough old bird of a fruit that masquerades as a vegetable. It becomes a peelable, malleable, cuttable piece of putty and in the process metamorphosizes into a sexy, savory side dish exploding with nutritional benefits.

I whisked together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, more cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and hot pepper flakes and doused my squash. It was divine and I felt so nobly healthy as I chowed down with a glass of red wine, which as we all know, also packs a positive nutritional wallop!

Two days later, the craving for squash hit again. This time I scattered cinnamon dusted apples and pecans around the squash and roasted the whole kit and caboodle at 450 degrees. Thirty minutes later I removed the apples and pecans; (they are caramelized and crisped way before the squash). I tossed all of the ingredients together. One bite confirmed that this ould be my contribution to Thursday’s feast. Version 2

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I am a Streamer Addict

12 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by WS50 in Concepts

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Streaming choices...

Streaming choices…

By Julie Seyler

For many years I have prided myself on the fact that I am unattuned to the television. While others have buzzed about their favorite shows and read me the riot act for bypassing Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, and Transparent, I responded with “I simply do not have the time.” I have books to read and newspapers to digest and cannot possibly be beholden to the boober tuber.

And then we got a Smart T.V. and downloaded Amazon Instant Video and guess who is doing the cajoling now? I am addicted to my nightly ritual of pouring a glass of wine and curling up with dramatic T.V.  The newspapers are piling up, unread.

It started with Prime Suspect, starring the brilliant Helen Mirren as a homicide detective and then came The Wire starring Dominic West as a brilliant homicide detective. I just finished the first season and am thrilled there are four more to inhale. Endless T.V. viewing starring brilliant homicide detectives.

On a sleepless night there is nothing like cozying up in bed with the iPad and my head set on as Steve and the Boo (a.k.a. the cat) snore peacefully away, as I binge on episode after episode until dawn breaks. Due to recommendations from my 60-year old peers next up is Scandal and Ray Donovan. Streaming is the antidote to the folderol of the Republican debates.

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A Honeymoon in Portugal, Birthday Included

03 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by WS50 in Travel

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Coimbra, Conimbriga, Porto, Portugal, Viana do Castelo

Fatima. A woman makes a pilgrimage.

Fatima. A woman makes a pilgrimage.

BY JULIE SEYLER

Steve and I arrived in Portugal on Friday September 25 for a delayed honeymoon. Our first night we stayed in the Palacio Hotel do Bucaco, set in a fairy tale forest known as the Mata National Park. The hotel is a gingerbread confection, a little seedy at the edges, but so extreme and over the top, the peeling paint was insignificant. The ceilings were 20 feet high, a life-sized sculpture of a lute-player sat on the fireplace mantle, and the 18th century chairs were carved with the most detailed renderings of the Hindu god Ganesha. The gardens were bucolic and the trails easy to explore, where I found not Swan Lake, but a little carp filled pond inhabited by two graceful swans.

Busaco Palace. Mata National Park. 9.25.15

Busaco Palace. Mata National Park. 9.25.15.

The next day we drove to Conimbriga for a stroll through Roman ruins — the best on the Iberian Peninsula. There were some great mosaics and the remnants of ancient baths, but it did take some imagination to visualize the city that thrived about 2000 years ago.

Mosaic floor from Conimbriga. Circa 2nd c.

Mosaic floor from Conimbriga. Circa 2nd c.

Having gotten our fill of the days of Augustus, we headed into Coimbra — renowned for its university and its bibliotheca.  It contains over 300,000 ancient books. We also ate sardines because one does not come to Portugal without eating sardines. No mayo required.

Sardines in Coimbra.

Sardines in Coimbra.

We then drove up to Viana do Castelo for the purpose of going to a beach. The beach excursion was tanked due to illogical planning, and so we focused on the view and meandered through the port and the old town.

Sunrise view from the pousada in Viana do Castelo.

Sunrise view from the pousada in Viana do Castelo.

Time for Porto, but since port is way too sweet to drink as a cocktail, we did not do much port tasting. The old city is vibrant and hectic and loaded with things to see. Amidst the sardines and octopus, we saw the Church of Saint Francis, baroque, ornate, dazzling, the Se, the art galleries and the gardens and basically absorbed the feeling of the city. It’s fantastic to take in the old houses, adorned with faded ceramic tiles, even if some of them are a bit run down.

Then I turned 60!

Tasting Moscatel in Favaios on our way to the Alto Douro

Tasting Moscatel in Favaios on our way to the Alto Douro.

We celebrated me all day!

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The GPS was set for Casal de Loivois, a village of three lanes, set amidst a landscape of terraced vineyards high above the Rio Douro in the Alto Douro.

Boat ride up the Rio Douro.

Boat ride up the Rio Douro.

View from terrace of hotel in Casal de Loivois in the Alto Douro

View from terrace of hotel in Casal de Loivois.

We left the Alto Douro on Saturday and stopped at the hilltop village of Monsanto (NO relation to the chemical company) to eat lunch and climb the ruins of the old castle.

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We are now spending a few nights in the hilltop fortress village of Marvao with roots dating back to the Roman era and a fortified castle wall from about 1200 that’s still climbable. The town, which has the narrowest of cobbled streets, is hosting a festival very reminiscent of a New York City street fair — vendors of hand-made jewelry, roast pork sandwiches, and throngs of people.  Albeit there’s also music and dance. It made driving in a bit nutty as we dodged the pedestrians that shared the street. And the rains are about to come. In fact they arrived with gusto. So here’s to spending a few days of vacation in a downpour. Bring on the vinho verde and a game of chess.

Cloudy morning in Marvao

Cloudy morning in Marvao.

And one last vacation thought — here’s to all the sleeping cats in Portugal and New York City and those who care for them when their owners are in absentia! Obrigada!

Sleeping NYC kitty

Sleeping New York City kitty.

Sleeping cat in Portugal

Sleeping cat in Portugal.

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No More Minis

14 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by WS50 in Concepts

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Tags

Julie Seyler, Knees, The aging process

Bad knees bent mask the crepe

Bad knees bent mask the crepe

BY JULIE SEYLER

Have you noticed that people have good knees and bad knees? Or are knees completely off the radar screen of interesting body parts?

FYI, a bad knee has a crepe-y fold over appearance with a bit of puckering around the edges. To my knowledge there is no cure for bad knees. Unlike arms with a droop, where one can tether themselves to a weight lifting machine and do tricep curls ad infinitem, bad knees are incurable. Unless, perhaps, a botox injection would help plump them up.

The knee issue entered my consciousness because I am surrounded by lovely young ducks that prance the streets of Manhattan in the most adorable of thigh-high dresses and skirts. That used to be me. And then at about 57, I took note of some changes in knee action, (as well as a few other things), and adjustment started. Not that I do not don shorts, it’s just on a restricted schedule: to the beach and bbqs in my backyard.

And to be clear, I am not mourning that minis are off my radar screen because I am no longer in that age bracket of “young”. No I am simply remarking on the cliche that nothing stays the same. Who thought at 30 or 40 or even 50 that mini skirts or sleeveless shirts might have a finite lifespan in the closet?

However, I ought to quit worrying over the physical appearance of my knees and give thanks to my cartilage! At the moment no knee replacement appears to be in the offing. On the other hand, maybe that would provide an opportunity for a little nip and tuck on the pucker?

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The Unexpected: A Bigger Nose

24 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by WS50 in Confessional

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Tags

AARP, Changes in the body, Julie Seyler, The aging process

A bigger nose

BY JULIE SEYLER

We have a subscription to AARP Magazine. When I first signed up, (what was it, 5 years ago?), it was an uncomfortable fit. Now it’s a part of where I am at this stage of my life, plus it contains all sorts of invaluable information, from tips on negotiating social security to determining whether a lifetime annuity plan is a good financial option.

Viola Davis was on the cover of the August/September issue and the headlines begged to be read:

BEST. SEX. EVER! We show you how.

GET THAT RAISE

MYSTERIES OF THE BODY EXPLAINED

I jumped to MYSTERIES OF THE BODY EXPLAINED.

The scientific explanation behind the changes we get to anticipate while going through the aging process is fascinating and logical. The unstoppable physical metamorphosis is disappointing. Pragmatically, it’s going to make looking fabulous and ensuring you are smell-less challenging tasks.

Uncontrollable urine squirts
Unfixable bad breath
Green toenails as thick as a brick
Sulfur smelling feet
Jimmy Duante’s nose
More farts

At least we are all in it together.

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