Pat Taub
Sexism at the Olympics
What year are we living in? Apparently the Tokyo Olympic Committee thinks we’re still in the Dark Ages as they went about punishing an athlete for wanting to breast feed; another because she is blind and deaf and in need of a guide; or fining Norway’s women’s beach handball players for wearing shorts rather than the required bikini bottoms. How about a Women’s Olympics to escape blatant discrimination?
Norwegian beach handball team in the shorts that resulted in a fine.
Violin and Oysters at the Farmer’s Market
Last week I traveled to the small, but charming, farmer’s market in Damariscotta, Maine, where I was pleasantly surprised to see an older woman selling Maine’s famous mid-coast oysters, and playing her 150 year old violin in between sales. Her playing was so moving that she drew me in like the Pied Piper.
Pose
At a friend’s recommendation I started watching the brilliant Netflix series, Pose. I was instantly addicted. The story line features 1980’s New York City’s LGBTQ ball culture showcasing over-the-top costumes during the era when AIDS was exploding. As a self-appointed “Mother,” Blanca provides both a place to live and emotional support for LGBTQ youth rejected by their birth families.
One of the many fabulous ball scenes from Pose (Netflix)
Anthony Bourdain
This weekend I plan to sit in an actual movie theater and watch the new Anthony Bourdain documentary, Roadrunner. His suicide at age 62 took everyone by surprise, lamenting the end of his remarkable global food tours. Bourdain made an effort to highlight obscure eateries and Third World cuisines. He had an open heart, evidenced when he shared a modest meal with a Palestinian family, calling attention to the harsh existence of families living in Israel’s West Bank.
Anthony Bourdain eating street food, which he helped to popularize (“The Roadrunner”)
Cuba
Today, July 23rd, The New York Times ran a full page ad, signed by intellectuals, celebrities and activists, calling on President Biden to remove the punitive sanctions on Cuba, which have created a severe shortage of medical supplies and food, sparking civilian protests. Alas, just yesterday Biden announced plans to tighten the sanctions even more. I hope and pray that his objective is not regime change. Having made two trips to Cuba, my heart goes out to its people, whom I consistently experienced as warm, kind, and caring.
