Just follow the sound of the water...

A car ride brought us to the narrow winding road tunneled by trees. Foliage green was heavily saturated with color, partly because of humidity, also because we were so far west in the midst of a different atmospheric locale. The air was fresher and dewy, richer, therapeutic, well worth the hour and a half from Pittsburgh. We parked and followed others to the tree house visitor center to join a tour group. The twenty minute interim until the next afforded us a chance to explore the gift shop, so we could assess any material accumulation chosen to be hauled home after our excursion.

The "visit us" page online forewarned we would travel at least one hundred steps, so be prepared to walk a lot at Fallingwater, a very special mountain retreat built over a waterfall. America's famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, designed and built this gem for his clients, the Kaufmann family between 1936 and 1939. Today, it is a National Historic Landmark, well worth the title once you experience the magic and makeup of this incredible dwelling.

Upon entering Fallingwater, photographs are prohibited in the house though permissible on the grounds outside. It is the only building designed by Wright open to the public as it was originally conceived in its setting, with all interior furnishings and artworks in tact. It is surrounded by the Bear Run Nature Reserve, all devotedly maintained by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

To think this was a vacation home for the Kaufmanns, a place to escape Pittsburgh on weekends away from the "smoky city" and their department store (now known as Macy's). It is noted the family's surprise when they viewed Wright's initial concept drawings, all with an absence of a view of the falls. His proposed house would be built on top of the falls instead, providing a more profound engagement with nature from the surrounding sound of the water. Wright wanted them to live with nature, with the water, instead of admiring an occasional passing view from a window. Thankfully, thousands continue to see this manifested vision in Fallingwater every year.

Inside the house, though a rainy day, a feeling of intentional compression from the lower ceilings and dim light force you to the doors and windows on each floor, in each room, with a desire to retreat to any terrace outside. An intriguing sensation, it was a very fine line between cozy and confined.

The entire house is built within unaltered nature. Even in the first floor living room area, the hearth is actually part of the same rock formation seen outside the wall. Wright on the cover of Time magazine in 1938, his ecological creation surely captivated the imagination of many enthusiasts at the time.

As the guides hailed to us, Just follow the sound of the water, folks... if you don't hear it, go back and take the other path... it will lead you to Fallingwater...

xoxo-Sonya

It's simple. Eat well, exercise and get lots of sleep but make sure you indulge occasionally. At my age I think, what the hell, and eat a Krispy Kreme doughnut. ~Michelle Pfeiffer

Well, there ya go! Happy National Doughnut Day everyone! Today is an occasion to indulge a bit. Last time I noted this yummy holiday, it was just a tidbit about the origin of the celebration. This time, I am going to show you how you can indulge at home, making some delightfully decadent crispy donuts with just 3 ingredients...

1 can of Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits

8 oz coconut oil

1 cup sugar

1) In a large deeper skillet, heat the coconut oil on medium heat. The oil should be about 1/2 in deep in the pan.

2) Separate the biscuits. Using a small cookie cutter or knife, cut a hole in the center of each biscuit.

3) Carefully place biscuits in the oil and cook until a golden brown color on one side. Turn over and fry on the other side so each is evenly browned.

4) Using tongs, remove from the pan and drain on plate with paper towels, letting the doughnuts cool just a little, about 3 minutes.

5) Pour the sugar in a shallow bowl. One by one, dredge each doughnut in the sugar.

Enjoy!

These are best eaten right away, most indulgent... The outside is crispy, a marriage of the sugar and crust with a hint of coconut flavor. These can even be served with a dollop of ice cream... Or, cut them in half and make ice cream sandwiches with them. 

Dunkin' or do it yourself today? Whichever you decide, just enjoy!... xoxo-Sonya

A tray filled with jars of powdered tinctures sits upon a wooden table. Inviting is this artistic clutter, a used palette, a few stray paintbrushes with spatula, seemingly placed with deliberate carelessness to end a gratifying spell. I want to touch all the tools and feel her artistic spirit wield their magic...

The vignette is part of the New York Botanical Garden's latest splendor - Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life. 

All inclusive is this Mexican artist's garden, gallery, and geography, an indigenous portrayal of her creative soul. Though familiar with Frida's work having touched upon it in a broad spectrum Art History class long ago, this evocation was enlightening and truly inspiring. Every element tells her story in apt dialog easy to follow as you journey through her world. 

Terracotta bellied pots with color-rich marigolds, calla lilies, and every shade of green cacti and succulents flank the conservatory's promenade. A bold backdrop of reminiscent blue, as Casa Azul in Mexico the home shared with political muralist husband Diego Rivera, awakens promising light amid volatile and painful companionship.

Continuing to the library building, visitors can view fourteen of Frida's paintings and sketches highlighting her surrealism in still life and botanical imagery as well as her signature self portraiture. As characterized by Diego, “I recommend her to you, not as a husband but as an enthusiastic admirer of her work, acid and tender, hard as steel and delicate and fine as a butterfly’s wing, lovable as a beautiful smile, and as profound and cruel as the bitterness of life.” 

Still Life with Parrot and Flag - 1951

Stroll through the Mexico City of Frida and Diego sites where artwork and personal collections of both husband and wife can be viewed, clever and engaging, mapped in the Ross Gallery.

Caught up in the spirit of the afternoon, we had lunch from a taco truck in the park and enjoyed a lively music and dance presentation in Ross Hall from Mexico Beyond Mariachi.