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Catherine the Great: How One Woman Turned Backwater Russia Into A World Player
If I asked you what you knew about Catherine the Great, would your answer involve copulation with a horse? There are so many legends about Empress Catherine II of Russia- there’s an entire Wikipedia page devoted to them. Although none of them hold any water, the conflicting mythologies run rampant...
The First Three Queens of Punk
Coming back for a re-read? Use these jump links to navigate:Patti SmithWhat Is Punk?Debbie HarryPop Vs. Punk Vs. New WavePoly StyreneRedefining Women in MusicIt’s March, 1975. Looking around the venue, Patti Smith feels...out of place. She’s performed before. But...
The Sensual Life of Amrita Sher-Gil
“Europe belongs to Picasso, Matisse and many others... India belongs only to me.” As a woman, I feel as if I am water. I'm an element given to movement, collision, and constant transformation. We are always changing-through the people we meet, our experiences, and...
Disrupt An Industry Like Chavela Vargas
“How beautiful, to be born a woman…My song is dedicated to all women of the world.” And what a song Chavela Vargas had to give. She combines a wounded depth of emotion in her singing with a brassy and masculine stage persona. Chavela Vargas is undoubtedly one of the...
Spencer- A Review
“A Fable From a True Tragedy.” reads the opening statement of the film. Throughout this film I...
The Healing Kitchen of Fannie Farmer
“I can make soups that heal people.” she said. Then I made a joke about ‘claims not backed by the FDA... only to realize she was serious. Absolutely serious. It was 2016. I was tasked to interview freelance candidates for a local restaurant’s winter soup season....
America’s Lighthouses and Lady Wickies
My favorite road trip destinations involve seeking out lighthouses. It’s perfect for my partner and I. They love the water, and I love the reverence of seeing these unique architectural pieces of our history around the coastlines. But lighthouse history is also a...
Dorothy Ashby’s Harp Jazz Is Always On Point
Voltaire famously said: Pleasure is found first in anticipation...and then in memory. Dorothy Ashby must have known the same. Jazz is the musical form of choice when it comes to leveraging anticipation to create pleasure. But don’t you dare group her albums among the other jazz greats. Their...
