Posts Tagged ‘Indian Food’
May is my favorite month. I 'm a Taurus and proud of it. I'm so Taurus- five planets in Taurus. To many, that might mean I'm stubborn. I like to think of myself as cautious or slow to change. I can and do change. Recently, I have had a major change of heart about Indian food. I had some unpleasant Indian food experiences when I was young and decided I did not like the spices. Well in the last 3 months, I have done a one eighty and now I am loving Indian food. I mentioned Chana Masala ( Chickpea stew) in my last entry. Tonight I finally made a fantastic mango lassi ( yogurt drink) after three attempts . Mango lassi is a nice love drink. Made with fresh mango & cardamon, I added a dash of Vanilla extract. I also used the plain lassi (base drink) from Trader Joes. Add some sugar and blend for 30 seconds. My next step is going to making homemade chutneys. After years- no make that decades of fearing the idea of gardening, have finally started a tiny herb garden. I 'm always buying basil and it is time for me to grow my own.
After seeing the Korean film POETRY last month ( twice), I started thinking about writing poetry again. A week later I saw a notice at one of the libraries in my area for a poetry slam. In my personal life, I'm dealing with a few people with whom I'm having serious communication problems. I guess I could write yet another letter to the Universe and offer it up as a prayer. Since my art comes from my life and personal experiences, I decided that I was going to write poems instead. I also wrote a poem about my relationship with sugar ( a very dysfunctional one). The event was video taped and is on the internet so there is no point in me hiding what I wrote. My purpose for attending and participating in the poetry slam was to speak my truth out loud and release the pent- up feelings that have festered because I cannot communicate with certain people. I look at the poetry reading as public purging of my personal demons. This is my personal journey with Pluto at the moment. It is all about communication; writing and speaking my truth as a way to step into the light from the darkness. More therapy- awesome! The healing journey continues. Therapy and I get fame too. Definitely a win-win situation ( ha,ha).
It is obvious that I love films ( movies). I like to think it may be for this secret I 'm about to reveal ( although I don't think there really is a correlation) . My paternal grandmother ( whom I named after and died of breast cancer two years before I was born), had someone who was madly in love with her and wanted to marry her. The person was Louis B. Mayer ( before he moved out to California). My grandmother didn't marry him but married my grandfather instead. My grandfather was a French and Spanish teacher at Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx. When he passed away in 1974 from a brain tumor, they dedicated a wing of the school in his name. I interacted with my grandfather a few times when I was young. In my opinion, he resembled Louis B. Mayer. Interesting. Speaking of the film industry, I loved the HBO documentary HIS WAY about legendary film producer Jerry Weintraub. The best part of the documentary was the shocking twist about his love life. Mr. Weintraub is a great salesman but his greatest score is definitely his love life. He may be the envy of most men in America. After seeing the documentary I ran to google Mr. Weintraub and find out his astrological sign. He's a Libra so he is naturally very charming and graceful. Libra, an air sign have the gift of gab.
For the following original poems by me here is an Artistic Disclaimer from me, Katie Pfeiffer :
Any resemblance, likeness or similarity to any real or living person or persons is purely coincidental
*****************************************************
GROUNDHOG DAY
Groundhog day
At the post office
Cupid is in the air
Unseen
I feel him
Cinnamon infused
Body,breath & hair
Yet something’s amiss
Squirrels dance in my tummy
I walk out,
Crash into you
My head
Your chest
Here you are
The Karma King
Reawakened
King of Cups & Hearts
Cancer man
Broad shoulders
Brown eyes
Hold my hand
Not a handshake
An electric shock
Pulsates
Thru my body
Angels,flowers and hearts
Swirl around your head
Confused
I unintentionally
Spit on you
Groundhog Day
Just like the movie
Obviously our karma
Isn’t finished
Round & round we go
What’s the lesson?
Still don’t know.
——Katie Pfeiffer
4/21/2011
Copyright 2011 Katie Pfeiffer All Rights Reserved
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SUGAR
Sugar you are not my friend
You tease and taunt me
Seduce my tastebuds
You promise me energy
But I always end up crashing
Fill me with dreams
But I’m left with empty calories
and body fat
Sugar I love you
Why are you so cruel?
You mess with mind
Appear in many guises
Pastel colors & pretty packages
You lie still
Wait for me
You know I’m weak
Especially during that
time of the month
You know I crave you
You’ve got the power
Chocolate crunchy
Creamy smooth
You are everywhere
but you are nothing
I’m addicted to you
Sugar, you Devil
Why can’t you just
leave me in peace?
I’ve tried so many times
to end our relationship
but I keep coming back
———Katie Pfeiffer
April 20, 2011
Copyright 2011 Katie Pfeiffer All Rights Reserved
Tags: angels, Astrology, basil, birthday, broad shoulders, Bronx, Cancer, cardamon, chutney, cupid, film, flowers, groundhog day, hearts, herb garden, Hollywood, Indian Food, Jerry Weintraub, Kate Pfeiffer, Katie Pfeiffer, king of cups, king of hearts, L.A., Louis B. Mayer, love, mango, mango lassi, May, NY, NYC, poem, Poetry, poetry slam, sugar, Taurus, Trader Joes, Vanilla
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The Saturday four o'clock showing of the Korean film POETRY at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute on March 26, 2011 was no ordinary screening to me . By the time the ending credits rolled, I was literally on the floor sobbing the big ugly cry. What was even more tragic than my tears, was the absence of emotion from the little old white haired Mainline ladies slowly walking up the aisle giving me a passing glance of mild disgust. as they teetered past my seat. Maybe they didn't understood the film. I know for a fact the director of the theater didn't. She introduced the film and said that the director ( Lee Chang -Dong) " enjoyed luxuriating in the mysteries of the film". She then corrected that sentence with the statement ,"luxuriate isn't the right word". POETRY isn't about a mystery or mysteries. There was nothing vague or ambiguous about the story. The film is about mysteries being revealed in a major way to the main character- an elderly woman named Mrs. Yang ( played brilliantly by Yoon Jeong-hee). Mrs. Yang has a just one goal- to enroll in a poetry class and learn how to write a poem. Yet if I had to assign an astrological planet to represent this film it would have to be Pluto . I know the idea of writing poetry is very Venuian ( Venus- the planet of love and beauty ) . I mean that's probably what you are thinking. Yet the foundation of Mrs. Yang 's seemingly stable world is on the verge of collapse; a sure sign of Pluto's presence. Pluto is the planet that rules deep and hidden issues. When the reality of these issues ( or secrets) comes to the surface either intentionally or unintentionally, the results are explosive and chaotic. Change arrives. All that was is now swept away in the rage of this planet's destruction. Destruction then clears the debris . The slate is wiped clean. Mrs. Yang's goal to write just one poem opens up a Pandora's box which cannot be closed. I went back and watched the film again a few days later. Unfortunately, the film has already disappeared from the theater ( it was there for only a week) . Lee Chang-Dong wrote and directed POETRY . I consider this film to be a masterpiece. I know it has recently won awards at a few film festivals around the world. I'm not certain of its timing to be considered for next years Academy Awards. It deserves to win best foreign Film. If it were up to me I would give it an Oscar for best film -period. I wept as much seeing it the second time as the first. Days later, the film stayed in my psyche. It unleashed feelings within me that have been buried. Instead of pushing away my sadness, I allowed myself to be. POETRY has become a catalyst for me in many ways, the ripples of which are just starting to emerge. I wasn't surprised to find out Lee Chang-Dong was born on July 4, 1954 ( astrological sign: Cancer). Cancers are one of the most emotionally sensitive signs of the zodiac. Thank you Lee Chang-Dong for changing my world!
And speaking of change, after almost forty years of having an aversion to Indian food, I recently gave it another chance and now I'm a changed woman. Blame my five planets in Taurus ( read: stubborn- o.k. very stubborn) for my slow response to change. Oh sure over the years I have eaten curry rice and curry chicken but no one could convince me to set foot in an Indian restaurant ( until recently). Despite my long standing rejection of Indian cuisine, I have always been attracted to Indian culture. I enjoy exploring Little India in NYC. I was giddy with joy when I discovered A light up Lakshmi ( Laxmi) Goddess Altar that plays twenty Bahjans ( devotional chants) to the Goddess of Love and money in an Indian Bazaar as well as a wall full of exotically scented Indian soaps- Cinnamon, musk and clove for a dollar each. I enjoy watching Indian films ( and I'm slightly embarassed to admit I love Bollywood musicals). Indian textiles, clothing and colors catapult me into a creative frenzy. And I love tooling around in my car chanting ( off key) to George Harrison's Goddess chants; Govinda Jaya Jaya. I'm obsessively addicted now to Chana Masala ( chickpea stew). It is vegetarian, inexpensive, healthy, tasty and I think it may be helping to dissipate my perimenopausal hot flashes. I found a recipe online but have modified it by introducing a can of vegetable broth. I also recommend eating Chana masala like a chutney; thickly spread over a flour tortiilla topped with a fried egg. Heaven ! I'm telling you it is so good.
In addition to Chana masala, I'm addicted to two Indian food products. I can't tell you where I'm buying MAYA KAIMAL SPICY KETCHUP locally because I promised to keep it a secret to the person who turned me on to it ( it is available online). I can only eat this ketchup now; regular ketchup tastes like crap to me now . It is excellent on eggs and french fries and it is perfect on TRADER JOES VEGETABLE MASALA BURGERS ( in the frozen food section at Trader Joes). scrambled eggs with the vegetable masala burgers topped with spicy ketchup= perfect.
Now back to mysteries or rather one mystery in my life which has been solved. Ed Basner, the artist of the small zen rock sculptures ( as I labelled them), contacted me last July. I did my best to solve the mystery myself. I encountered four different people who gave me four different accounts of the mysterious creator. Ed has his own blog and lots of photos of his sculptures. I have put the address on my blog roll. Check it out. He is populating the Mainline with his sculptures. I'm sure everyone living on the mainline has now seen a few of his babies. Whenever I see another sculpture of his crop up in a new location, it immediately makes me smile. Thank you Ed!
Last Saturday ( April 2, 2011), I was lucky enough to see the musical BAT BOY at Villanova University Theater. The play was FANTASTIC and the cast and crew did an incredible job. It was also outrageously funny. I couldn't stop laughing. Michael Kane Libonati 's portrayal of Edgar (Bat Boy) was phenomenal. His singing and acting blew me away. I was inspired to create a couple of paintings. from the musical I have seen several theatrical productions at Villanova. BAT BOY was by far the best and most satisfying play/musical I have seen. The paintings small – 7 x 10 inches. Mixed media- pen and ink on 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper.
Writing continues to be a challenge for me. I have so much to say but writing so much of the time feels like swimming through peanut butter ( extra chunky), congealed from hanging out in the fridge. Oh well.
Hope you all are enjoying the cusp of spring. I'm excited about seeing the cherry blossoms bloom.
Love,
Katie
Tags: Academy Awards, Astrology, Bahjans, bat, Bat boy, bats, Bollywood, Bryn Mawr, Bryn Mawr Theater, Channa Masala, chickpea stew, crying, Ed Basner, George Harrison, Goddess, goth, gothic, Indian chants, Indian films, Indian Food, Indian Goddess, Indian music, Indian spices, Kate Pfeiffer art, Katie Pfeiffer art, Katie Pfeiffer Paintings, Korea, Korean films, Lakshmi, Laxmi, Lee Chang-Dong, Little India NYC, Mainline rock sculptures, Maya Kaimal Ketchup, movies, musical theatre, mysteries. mystery, Oscars Villanova Theater, Pluto, Poetry, spicy ketchup, Taurus, Trader joes Vegetable Masala Burger, Yoon Jeong-hee, zen rock sculptures
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