John Lennon at 73

Today would have been John Lennon’s 73^rd birthday. Not a landmark one; like 70 or 75; but still an important milestone in life had he lived. It’s about the average age for men in the United States, which is where Mr. Lennon had been living for several years at the time of his all too soon passing. I can’t help but wonder what he would be doing now? Not just in music, but in the hotbed of the political discourse which engulfs us at the present time.

I love You Tube, it is a window into the past; and at the same time that past can often be a glimpse of what the future may have held. Think about President Eisenhower’s vision when he warned us against the “military industrial complex.” It was years before anyone really took him seriously, and by that time it was too late to change course. This got me thinking about many of the things John Lennon had said in his hundreds of interviews in the years before his murder. And that took me back, once again, to You Tube to see what I might find.

Most of the meatier, and lengthier interviews were audio only, so I just picked one from the early 1970’s when John and Yoko had only been in New York for a few years, taking up residence at the Dakota as they fought their battle with immigration, ultimately winning their Alien Registration (green) Cards in time for the Bi-Centennial in 1976. Had he lived, he would have become a Citizen of the United States in 1981.

Life in a fishbowl could not have been easy for Mr. Lennon, and yet I am always proud that he chose my hometown in which to live out his last days. For all of its complexity and seeming vastness, New York is a safe haven for many artists. In a city of 8 million people you rarely expect to see anyone of importance, and so it is easy for the famous ones to walk about with a minimum of fanfare.

John Lennon reveled in that freedom, but also took advantage of the proximity to the media which life in the Big Apple afforded him. During his time there he appeared on every talk show there was, both on television and radio, where he frequently arrived unannounced, but was always welcome by the surprised DJ’s.

Mr. Lennon was larger than the life he led. His willingness to take chances and to seemingly wear his heart on his sleeve, have made us all a bit more free in the long run. I still wonder though, what he would be doing if he were still with us today.

Happy New Year!

The New Year is upon us and it’s time, once again, to begin filling in the blank pages that each New Year brings with it. The photo to the left is of Times Square in New York on New Years Eve 1954. No resolutions for me this year, as those never quite make it past January 2nd. I’m not sure what the year holds in store for us all. The Mayan calendar has run out, and Mayans everywhere are distraught.

The Presidential Election looms, not large, it just looms; like a lurking presence; almost as a pretender to a process that has spawned some of the most vile candidates ever offered up in an election. And that's a hard thing to accomplish, as we have had some pretty bad choices in the past!

Whatever you do, make this a year of civility. Stop letting the forces of money and power divide us. Strive to seek common ground, and stick with it, eschewing all other differences you may have with one another, just for this one year. Think of what we can do together if we ignore the "window dressing" issues that are thrust in our face to divide and conquer us. I'm talking about abortion, gay rights, same-sex marriage, and all the other comparatively petty differences. It's time to save the country and re-store the economy to its former health.

Finally, to all the folks who drop in here, and especially the ones who come back again and again, thank you for finding something of interest in my posts. You amaze me; from the authors and celebrities who take the time to comment, or e-mail me, right down to the anonymous comments that are posted from time to time; you make me feel as if I have a purpose, even if that's just my own delusion.

A Very Happy and Healthy New Year to you all.

Baklava - World Peace Through Food

Food is the universal peacemaker. Baklava is a perfect example of this. There are two schools of thought on this subject, one group worships this sticky and sweet confection, which contains fruits, crushed seeds and nuts or raisins. The other group reviles this pastry either because they don't like it, or more often, are unfamiliar with the ingredients. I'm not Julia Child, or the Galloping Gourmet, so you will have to look elsewhere for a recipe. I am a consumer of Baklava, not a producer.

The Baklava you see pictured here was sent to me by my son Keith in Rochester, N.Y. He got a huge holiday tray of Baklava from a family down the street, whom I have never met. Hence, I have no idea where they are from. But I do know that they make great Baklava!

In years past, when I was a working man, huge platters of Baklava would be delivered to the offices in which I worked. While all the other Christmas chocolates and cakes disappeared at an alarming rate, the tray of Baklava went down at a slower pace, mainly because I was the only one eating it.

In my travels, as a younger man, I came to see that each region of the world has it's own form of Baklava. Some use crushed sesame seeds and raisins, or dates. Some use minced apples and berries. But all are surrounded by a light flaky and layered crust which seems to melt away in your mouth. There are so many different versions of this wonderful treat, and all scattered so widely throughout the world, that it makes you very aware that we all must share some kind of mutual background.

Even the Arab and Israeli cultures have much in common with regard to the Baklava issue. Unlike their counterparts in Europe, with the flaky crusts, the middle eastern version is usually more likely to take the form of Halavah, which is made of finely compressed sesame seeds and sometimes with chocolate swirled in. There are also chocolate covered versions of this treat as well as ones mixed with jelly, which, at least for me was pushing the envelope a bit too far.

The Chinese have a version of their own, as do all the European countries. The European dough tends to be heavier, but the sweet sensation is still there. The lightest, and flakiest Baklava seem to have come from the Ottoman Empire and the kitchens of the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Sultan. Even the Janissaries got into the act, being the receipents of this treat each Ramadan.

The oldest known recorded recipe is from China in about 1300, during the Yuan Dynasty. Others claim it originated in ancient Mesopotamia, where it centered itself around the use of walnuts.

The dough is referred to as phyllo dough and each layer is placed in warm milk with sugar and then topped with the various nuts and fruits before being re-layered with more phyllo dough. The Persians like to cover theirs with honey, as do the Hungarians. I like mine unadorned, in order to enjoy the taste of the crushed seeds and nuts, with their natural sweetness.

Whichever you prefer, the treat is there for the tasting. I have long had a fantasy for a commercial to sell Halavah, which could also be used to promote Baklava and World Peace. The commercial would open with two armies besieged. One army is surrounding a fort in an attempt to starve the enemy out. But the siege lasts too long, and as both sides run out of Baklava, they forget the issues over which they were fighting, declare peace and set off together to obtain some more of this tasty treat.

I did try selling this idea to the people at Halavah, but they rejected it out of hand. I am currently toying with the idea of a special session of the United Nations Security Council that would focus on the Cultural Links that we all have to some form of Baklava. Wish me luck!

John Lennon at 70 - Imagine!

This photo was taken by my late friend Michael Held in the spring of 1974. It was the March of Dimes Concert in Central Park. Michael and I had gone to volunteer and help move some sound equipment around. Michael, as always, had his camera with him, and took this great shot of John, along with Harry Nilsson, just as they took to the stage. They did not perform, just spoke to the crowd. They had been watching the crowd enter the Park from Lennon's apartment in the Dakota, on Central Park West, and on a whim, decided to go down and "have a look."

I can't imagine what direction Mr. Lennon's music would have taken had he lived past the age of 40. But his message of Peace, though still unfulfilled, resonates as strongly today as it did 30 years ago. When you go out today, do something nice for someone. Say hello to a stranger, give a buck to the homeless guy you usually pass by. I bet that John would love it if you do.

This is the link to John Lennon rehearsing "Imagine" for the first time;


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7-qVFOc404&feature=related