Open Window

Stage Harbor Lighthouse

One of the most photographed, drawn, and painted scenes in Chatham, Massachusetts on Cape Cod is a scene including the lighthouse that marks the entrance into Stage Harbor. It is picturesque, standing by itself at the mouth of the harbor, reminding us all of days of yore when the lighthouse and its attendants protected all who approached or passed.

The Stage Harbor Light was installed in 1880 to compliment nearby Chatham Light in guiding the increasing fishing traffic into Old Stage Harbor, especially during bad weather and frequent thick fog. There are fun stories that can be found on the internet about the lighthouse and its keepers, even one about bootlegging liquor and storing it under the floorboards of the passageway between the lighthouse tower and the keeper's house. In 1933, to save money, the government removed the lantern and capped the tower, after which the property "fell" into private hands.

The Stage Harbor Light property was purchased by a school-mate's grandmother and her two brothers, in 1936. This school-mate and I attended the same school over 40 odd years ago where we only knew of one another and knew nothing about our common connection to Chatham - she as a "summer resident" and me as a "townie". It's thanks to the internet and Facebook that we have connected and learned more about one another over the last few years.

Emily's family has many branches these generations later, and the "seasons" (summer and shoulder) are divided as equitably as possible among the many related families. The property and buildings still have no plumbing, except for a single pump, nor do they have electricity - making a week-long stay on the point a wonderful, rustic adventure. Peter and I were recently invited by my former school-mate to see the lighthouse and property firsthand, and we jumped at the opportunity to see one of our favorite photographic subjects "up close and personal". It was a gloriously sunny, breezy Spring day - ideal for being out in the salt-air and ideal for climbing to the top of the tower to take in the 360 degree views of Stage Harbor, Harding's Beach, and the ever shifting shoals and beaches in Nantucket Sound. Emily and her family graciously gave us a tour of the house and tower, and then allowed us to photograph any corner that caught our eye. In our short stay, Peter and I saw evidence that days here are filled with swimming, kayaking, exploring, and reading on rainy days; and, nights are filled with simple food, conversation, laughter, and lots of card and board games.

This slide show is a small representation of the charm and beauty of this unique  location, and is a token of our thanks to its current residents.

 

Photos by Peter Tooker & Claudia Ward ©2015
Music: "Summer Sailing", by Brian Carter

 

"Sold"

"Harbor Moon" © Peter Tooker

In the world of art shows, there's one little thing each artist hopes to see and that's the "little red dot". The red dot is placed on the label that is on the wall next to each piece and it tells the world that that item has been sold. Recently Peter has been seeing lots of dots.

"Autumn Sky" ©Peter Tooker

Peter and I both now belong to Guild Hall and the Springs Improvement Society (S.I.S.) in East Hampton and participated in their members' shows during the last month. Peter submitted his very popular "Harbor Moon" printed on metal to the Guild Hall show and it sold the first night during the opening reception. For the S.I.S. show in Ashawagh Hall, Peter showed "Autumn Sky" printed on canvas and it too sold early in the show. So Peter's seeing lots of dots and hopes this is "the beginning of a beautiful friendship" with the art-buying public.

Bravo!

"Yesterday" a Beatles Tribute - A Video

Peter is the videographer in our family and he had great fun recording the Long Island Sound Chorus of Sweet Adelines International as well as the Rum Hill Rockers at the Suffolk Theater last Sunday for their tribute to the Beatles. Now it's true that there were several cousins performing, as well as many in the crowd but truly ... there was no pressure. He would have recorded the event and all that great music no matter what, but he does admit it was a little more fun and a bit more challenging focusing on people he knows. At the end of the day, he's calling it a success, and we hope you think so too. Here's a sampling of the performances from that afternoon.

 

Video © 2014 by Peter Tooker
Music by the Beatles
Performances by The Long Island Chorus of Sweet Adelines International &
the Rum Hill Rockers

It's All About Art

This summer seems to be all about art whether it's the tent galleries popping up all over the Hamptons or it's smaller art shows and festivals across the island. Peter and I participated in the annual Clothesline Art Show at Guild Hall in East Hampton earlier this month, collectively showing nine pieces and we each sold one - my "Blue Cascade" (12x18 acrylic face mounted)

and his "White Out" (color HDR image printed on archival art paper).

We were thrilled and enjoyed seeing everyone's work, and it's a really diverse showing.

We're also both currently in the month-long "Endless Summer - Visions of Long Island" exhibit at the Hutchins Gallery in Brookville, NY that opened August 2 and closes August 27. This show is curated by Jill Rader Levine, who also curated the Women of the World show that I participated this past March, and benefits the Nassau County Firefighters Operation Walking Wounded. Peter is showing two gallery-wrapped canvas prints one HDR of a great 1931 Model A called "Past Remembered" and the other his iconic "Lone Surfer". I'm exhibiting three prints: a wave called "Shore Break", "Horse Whisperer" a photo of a girl talking to her horse just before competing at the Hampton Classic, and "Soap Box Derby" a panned photograph of a boy racing in Sag Harbor's soap box derby.

As busy as all of this has made us, we've also been attending shows on the green in Montauk, at Ashawagh Hall in Springs, and at East End Arts in Riverhead, the latter being a group that Peter and I just joined.

"High Line" by Michele Dragonetti

A friend had two of her images selected to show in their National Show which opened Friday night and will go to September 24th.

"Scrim Veil Shadow" by Michele Dragonetti

It was part of a larger event presented by East End Arts called jumpstART 2014 that had the Main Street in Riverhead filled with people enjoying music, dance, and art in nearly every alleyway and park.

And if this isn't enough, we have been preparing for our debut into the world of art festivals on August 23rd at the Shelter Island Outdoor Art Show & Craft Fair. We've purchased a tent, photo bins and baskets, collapsible chairs, mats, clear-protective and shopping bags, battery-operated fans, and, of course, lots of "inventory" and are rehearsing regularly to make setting up and taking down our little art gallery easier when the time comes. This shows the results of our latest rehearsal.

Now we're researching the art festival circuit to plan for the year ahead. Who knows 2015 may bring us to a festival near you!

Art in the Hamptons

Summer in the Hamptons is known for its social scene, its beach scene and now for its burgeoning art scene. In the past 5 to 7 years, three huge art shows have established themselves in the Hamptons.

There's ArtHampton which began seven years ago in the sculpture field of Nova's Ark in Bridgehampton and is produced by the Hamptons Expo Group out of Southampton. This group also created ArtAspen, The Houston Fine Art Fair, and the Palm Springs Art Fair.

Then there's Art Market Hamptons, in its fourth year, created and produced by Art Market Productions of Brooklyn which also produces Art Market San Francisco, Texas Contemporary (Houston), and the Miami Project.

Lastly, three year old Art Southampton was established by Art Market LLC of Miami which also produces Art Miami, Aqua Art Miami, Art Wynwood (Miami), CONTEXT (Miami), Art Silicon Valley in San Francisco, and downtown fair in New York City.

The first two occur on the same weekend every year - last weekend - and for those of you who follow me on Facebook, you've heard a lot about the building of the Art Market Hamptons project in the potato field across from our house. The chic Hamptons, as they are known today, traditionally is a farming and fishing area on the east end of Long Island. We have no large malls, tall office buildings, or huge convention spaces, so if you want to sponsor a large art show you have to build your own gallery, which is exactly what they do.

Starr Tents built the one near us. They leveled the uneven ground by building out a floor structure upon which they raised a metal framework (with cranes) that eventually supported a canvas roof and walls, air-conditioners, glass doors and lighting for over 40 exhibitors. All this was built in 11 days and it took just 4 to take it all down. Here there was an outdoor cafe that served Lobster from the Red Hook Lobster Pound, Roberta's wood-oven pizza (oven imported from Brooklyn), and Van Leeuen Artisan Ice Cream, nothing but gourmet for this group. 

In the gallery built for the 70 exhibitors from around the globe at Art Hampton, there was a cocktail bar and restaurant with a large seating area right in the middle of the tent! AND, on Sunday they even sponsored an exhibition Polo Match on the polo field next door! How Hamptons is that?

All of these shows exhibit modern and contemporary art from around the world, and we get to see it in our back yard! In fact, Art Market Hamptons gives us free VIP passes for their entire show as compensation for any inconvenience they cause in the neighborhood during this 2 to 3 week period. Opening night was very festive, the art was diverse and interesting and the music played by the jazz band was a nice contrast to the beeping of forklifts backing up all day.

This year Peter and I catalogued each day's progress in the creation of Art Market Hamptons gallery, from it's very beginning on June 30th to it's very end on July 17th, and he compiled a video of it all including the VIP party with live jazz. Here it is - a little slice of what it can be like in the summer in the Hamptons during the July art season.

 

Art in the Hamptons 2014
Video by Peter Tooker
Photos by Claudia Ward

 

 

New York, New York

New York, New York © 2007 Peter Tooker

New York, New York “it’s a wonderful town”. I lived and worked in New York for thirty years and left the island of Manhattan behind me five years ago when I “retired” from banking. A good friend, who loves the city and has always wanted to live there, asked me a while ago, “Don’t you miss the city?” To which I responded, “Only when I’m there.”

I spent a couple of days in the city this week and I truly missed the city while I was there. “The City” is what New Yorkers call New York because there just isn’t another one like it. It is one heck-of-a town, and honestly, when you live there it does feel like your town and that’s everything to do with your neighborhood.

Your neighborhood – that’s where you live … where you know the name of your dry cleaner, you smile at the gal who checks you out at the grocery store, the owner of the liquor store will hold the last bottle of your favorite wine for you, and restaurants will “squeeze you in” because you’re local. Neighborhoods all have different characters – some center on ethnicity, some revolve around culture, some have evolved from a concentration of immigrants, and some have developed because of trends.

When I first lived in New York I lived in an area along 86^th Street known as Germantown. The area was being “yuppified” by the likes of me back then but remnants of its historical concentration of German-Americans still existed like the fabulous German butcher, the annual Steuben Parade, and some wonderful German restaurants where we enjoyed spätzle, schnitzel, and strudel all in a beer garden.

Later I moved west along 86^th Street, just around the corner from a neighborhood known as Museum Mile. “The Mile” was spread along over twenty blocks of Fifth Avenue - to the north was the Museum of New York, to the south was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Guggenheim, a favorite, was in the middle. One of the best aspects of this neighborhood was its proximity to Central Park. Just across the avenue, we enjoyed the park in winter, spring, summer, and fall. 

These neighborhoods were both on the Upper Eastside of Manhattan and are known primarily as residential areas. Our next move was to an area that had not been considered residential for generations – the Financial District downtown. This was attractive to us because it meant that my commute to work went from a 45 minute bus and subway ride to a five minute walk. As many financial companies consolidated and looked for less expensive places to do business, building after building south of Fulton Street became vacant. We first lived in a building on John Street, four blocks east of the World Trade Center, that had previously housed a large insurance company. Designed by the same architects who created the Empire State Building, this building was solidly built with windows that were meant to keep the sounds and soot of the city out, and thankfully so as we were living there on 9/11.

It was a challenge to stay downtown after 9/11, but we did and over the years that followed we watched downtown literally rise from the ashes. A love of New York brought businesses like Les Halles, Anthony Bourdain’s restaurant, and De Niro’s Tribeca Film Festival, and financial incentives brought building opportunities. A brand new apartment building was built on a formerly empty lot kitty-corner to the Fed on Liberty Street, and a year after they opened we moved in to an apartment on the 33^rd floor from which we could see all the way uptown to the Empire State Building and the midtown basin.

Midtown Manhattan © 2007 Peter Tooker 

A residential infrastructure wasn’t completely in place when we moved downtown, but year after year more arrived, like grocery stores, dry cleaners, and restaurants that stayed open on the weekends. One of the greatest advantages to living downtown was the ease of access to every part of the city and all of its boroughs because almost every subway passed under our feet, and all three metropolitan airports, even Newark, were within easy reach. One of the best things about living downtown was the proximity to water – the East River, the Hudson River, and New York Harbor were all just a few steps away – with their ferries, water taxis, and wonderful vistas. It was great being among the first to call the Financial District home – we felt like pioneers and like we had the inside line on a new trend in the city – which in fact we did. The conversion of the Wall Street area to a residential neighborhood continues to this day. I even heard that One Wall Street, the landmark, art deco, headquarters for the banks I worked at for those thirty years, may also be sold to become condominiums. The ever-changing landscape and neighborhoods of New York, makes it a dynamic and memorable place to live. I miss those dynamics and all the character that comes with them – but I miss them “only when I’m there”.

 

            

Turkey/Chicken Pot Pie

Turkey Pot Pie, iPhone Photo by Peter Tooker

Pot pies have long been one of my favorite comfort foods but I'd never made my own, so when we had so much leftover turkey from a Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast, I decided to try my hand at this old favorite. As I do so often recently, I read recipes on the internet and in my cookbooks and then decided to forge ahead on my own. Truly, there's not much new in the world and certainly pot pies are fairly standard - some vegetables, some stock, a little cream, flour to thicken, shredded turkey or chicken, and some pastry to cover. How hard could this be? Well it wasn't and Peter and I have declared this the VERY BEST pot pie we have ever had.

Turkey Pot Pie in the Making, iPhone Photo by Peter Tooker

Store-bought ready-made pie crusts are certainly available to make the "pie" part of this recipe easy, but we love homemade pastry and it's so easy, so I made up one recipe of Flakey Pastry Dough (Pâte Brisée), rolled it out thin, cut a piece an inch larger than the casserole, placed it on top, crimped the edge to hold onto the side of the casserole and then set the covered casseroles in the refrigerator for about a half an hour to firm up the pastry once more. After that an egg wash and a couple of slits in the pastry (to let the steam out) are all that's needed. Pop them in the oven and voilà, a simple, delicious dinner.

I divided the recipe between small casseroles so we could have individual portions as well as multiple meals from this one recipe. We ate these two last evening and are freezing what's left, so I'll give you an update later on how well it freezes and reheats, but I expect if Stouffer's can do it, I can do it better!

Post Script: These pot pies freeze and defrost beautifully and retain all their wonderful flavor. I "painted" them with the egg wash and then returned them to the refrigerator. Once they had firmed up again, I wrapped them in wax paper and then put them in freezer bags. When we wanted to eat them, I pulled them from the freezer, allowed them to defrost on the counter during the day, and then just before putting them in the oven I poked them with a fork several times to allow them to vent while cooking and then I put them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and cooked them as usual, until golden brown. Remember everything inside is cooked, so your really heating the contents and cooking the crust - yum!

Turkey/Chicken Pot Pie
(Serves 6-8)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
¼ cup flour
4 cups chicken or turkey stock
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup light/heavy cream
¾ cup frozen peas
¼ to ½ cup parsley, chopped
2½ to 3 cups shredded turkey or chicken
Pie Crust (Store bought OR 1 recipe of homemade - Pâte Brisée)
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of cold water
=====================================

• In a large pot or dutch oven, melt butter and sauté onions over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until they just start to turn translucent.
• Add the celery and carrots and cook for another 5-10 minutes until they have lost their crunch.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a minute or two, stirring until thickened.
• Add the kosher salt, pepper, cream, peas, parsley, and turkey. Heat through.
• Season to taste.
• Pour mixture into casserole(s). Top with the pie crust, brush with egg wash and cut several slits in the pastry to let the steam out. (If you are using homemade pastry, refrigerate the casseroles after the pastry top is put on for about 30 minutes, to firm up the pastry dough once again. Brush with the egg wash before cooking and cut several slits in the dough to let the steam out.)
• Place the casseroles on a baking sheet lined with foil, to catch drips if there are any; bake in 350℉ oven for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and appears flakey.

-----------------------------------------------------

Pâte Brisée = Flakey Pastry

1 cup of all-purpose flour (do not use unbleached)
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of ice water
=====================================

• Place 1 cup of flour, the butter pieces and salt in a food processor. Process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add the ice water and pulse just until the pastry begins to come together, about 6-10 times. Do not let it form a ball. Transfer the pastry to waxed paper, flatten the dough into a disk. (If the dough seems too sticky, sprinkle it with additional flour, incorporating 1 Tablespoon at a time.) Wrap the pastry in waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

 

 

 

 

Bridgehampton Lions Club Pumpkin Carving Contest

A week ago, Peter and I stumbled upon an event that we didn't know was happening at the end of our street. Going out around dusk for a short walk before dinner, we found our street lined with parked cars just like it is during the summer and were perpelexed about what could be going on to attract so many people. Well at the end of our street is our Community House and that's where the Lion's Club was sponsoring a pumpkin carving contest. It was really well attended and the carvings were diverse, detailed, and original. Even though some were carved with stencils, the skill and techniques used to make them all were original. 

There was a pumpkin carved with amazing profiles, an owl carving, a 3D Surfer, a Mr. Peanut, a flashing cat, a one-eyed alien, a mushroom cap creation, a totem pole of pumpkins, and the Compost Zombie (a.k.a. The Walking Dead) - the winner. Fun was had by one and all, and we wanted to share a glimpse of our community life here on the east end of Long Island, after the summer people have gone.

Hope you enjoyed your Halloween.

 

Pumpkin Carving Video and iPhone Photos by Peter Tooker

Sag Harbor Scouts Soap Box Derby - The Video

The Sag Harbor Scouts Soap Box Derby was the event this 4th of July week and thousands of pictures and probably hours of video were shot by professional and amateur photographers alike. In our house, my husband is the videographer and he compiled the video attached below from three different cameras.

Two GoPros, attached either to the helmut of Andy Schaefer and the running board of his car, or attached to Charlie Schaefer's horn, showed the teeth-rattling perspective of the drivers, and a regular video camera filled in with the spectators' perspectives.

Peter spent most of his time at the starting ramp which also shows how much hard work and organization went into pulling this competition off. Three cheers to Jim Stewart for keeping things running like a clock and to Laurie Barone-Schaefer for organizing it all! Enjoy the video!

  

See you next year!

Photo Exhibition at Ashawagh Hall

 

Peter Tooker & Claudia Ward Showing at Ashawagh Hall

Nearly everyone knows by now that there was a photo exhibition last evening, sponsored by Hampton Photo Arts (HPA) and curated by Laurie Barone-Schaefer, at Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton. It was a lot of fun and the turn out was fantastic - guess it helped that we had rain this year rather than snow like last year. Over 50 photographic artists were featured and hundreds of people milled throughout the hall admiring the art and enjoying the the food from the Nutritian Dragon. 

Peter and I each had two submissions that seemed to be very well received. Three of the images were frameless -  printed on metallic paper and mounted on acrylic board. This is a new service at HPA and they looked incredible. Many images sold last night including one of mine - The Narcissistic Serpent!

These are the images we featured at the show.

"Barbed Wire" ©2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Sagg Main July 24, 2009 ©2009 Peter H. Tooker

Sagg Main July 2009 ©2009 Peter H. Tooker

If anyone is interested in buying one of these photos, feel free to leave a comment here and we'll work with HPA to get you the image you like.

Greetings from Saratoga Springs

Coming around to the final stretch.

The excitement of racing at Saratoga Racetrack.

The Fourth of July!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Flags Over Newport Harbor, ©2012 Claudia Ward

I woke up curious this morning, curious about the history surrounding this national holiday - the 4th of July, a.k.a. Independence Day, so I began surfing the web for answers and stumbled upon a couple of interesting tidbits that I thought I'd share with you here.

Flags Over Nantucket, ©2012 Claudia Ward

We all believe that America's Continental Congress declared independence from Britain on July 4th 1776 but, in fact, the vote for independence occurred on July 2nd 1776 and the "Declaration" was published in the newspapers on the 4th.

American Flag on an American Eagle, ©2012 Peter Tooker, HDR

The Declaration of Independence - the document - was not fully executed until August 1776. In fact, John Hancock was the only one to provide his "John Hancock" on the Declaration on the 4th of July.

Flying the Flag on Narragansett Bay, ©2012 Peter Tooker

Presidents John Hancock and John Adams, each a signer of the Declaration of Independence, both died on the 4th of July 1826, adding meaning and significance to this special date.

Our Banner Unfurled, ©2012 Claudia Ward

The American Flag has gone through a lot of changes over the centuries. "In 1958, a history teacher assigned Robert Heft and his classmates at Lancaster High School to each redesign the national banner to recognize Alaska and Hawaii, both nearing statehood." Heft was the only one who stitched a new flag, simply adding two stars. His teacher apparently gave him a B-, to which Heft took exception. He mailed his flag to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who personally selected Heft's design to become our new banner in 1960. Heft's teacher revised his grade to an A!

 

Oh Say Can You See ...? ©2012 Peter Tooker

 So enjoy your 4th! Celebrate our independence and raise a flag or two.

 

Special thanks to The Huffington Post and TheFW for pointing me toward these tidbits.

Busy As A Bee

The bees are busy and so are we! Some of you may recall early in the year that I said I was going to take a small break from the regular postings to Open-Window because there was so much else to do. You may also recall that it never really happened then, but I expect you're noticing that it's happening now. My sincere apologies for being so unpredictable.

What are we up to? I am learning more about blogging, and how to monetize a blog, and we're learning more about the business of photography and how to create revenue streams, with the hopes that these two can meet. You all know how much I enjoy writing for Open-Window and sharing our adventures on the road and in the kitchen, documenting it all with our photographs. Well it's time to see if this can truly become a revenue-generating business, so I apologize for posting less frequently of late and ask for your patience for just a little while longer. What does this mean? It means that rather than three to four posts each week this summer, there will only be one, and I promise I'll keep to that schedule.

In the meantime, I'd like to seek some help from those of you who follow Open-Window. Tell me:

What do you get from Open-Window?
Why do you like Open-Window?
What do you like best about our blog?
What do you dislike about this blog?
What could be improved?
What would you like to see more of and of what would you like to see less?

Any and all feedback would be a big help and in appreciation for your assistance I will be happy to send you a copy of your favorite photograph from Open-Window over the last two and a half years. Just let me know which one it is and it will be yours. We look forward to hearing from you either in the Comments section or via email, it's your choice. You can easily access my email by clicking on the words "Email Me" under the picture of the Open Window painting on the left hand side of any page of the blog.

Happy summer everyone, and thanks a million for your loyalty, help, and support. 

1 World Trade Center

Progress is finally being made on the World Trade Center and it looks like 1 World Trade will be elegant and stunning.

Photo © 2012 Peter Tooker iPhone

Sent from my iPhone
Claudia Danforth Ward

Photo Exhibition at Ashawagh Hall

The photo exhibition at Ashawagh Hall last weekend, sponsored by Hampton Photo Arts and curated by Laurie Barone-Shaefer, has been deemed a success by one and all. Over 50 photographers, ranging in ages from 9 -81, exhibited a wide range of images and a number were even sold  - including Laurie's. 

SOLD: Towd Point ©2012 Laurie Barone-Schaefer

Peter showed two of his architectural HDR images, one of the New York Skyline and the other of Montparnasse in Paris. 

"New York Skyline" © 2009 Peter Tooker

"Montparnasse, Paris" © 2010 Peter Tooker

I exhibited "Spring", a flower photograph printed on metallic paper, and "Montauk - Post Hurricane Bill", two images framed together of a Coast Guard Cutter braving Bill's waves and dodging surfers off Montauk Point.

 "Spring" © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

"Montauk - Post Hurricane Bill" © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

 

Once again it was great fun to see everyone's work and to get to know some of the other artists first hand. 

Thanks again to Dave, Ben, and everyone at Hampton Photo Arts, and of course, the indefatigable Laurie Barone-Schaefer. 

 

Ham - It's What's for Dinner

This time of year, we love to cook meals "that keep on giving" - like a ham. We like the shank half because it's slightly sweeter than the butt half, has less fat and only one bone, making it easier to carve. A dear friend of mine shared her recipe for glazed ham years ago and I've been making it the same way ever since. The flavor of her glaze is what makes me come back to this recipe time after time. Brown sugar, orange juice, dry mustard, ground cloves and ginger, are spiked with a touch of cognac or brandy - tell me that doesn't sound delicious. The recipe is easy. The first and second meals are great: sliced ham served with a tablespoon or two of that wonderful glaze, accompanied by sweet potato fries and green beans, or some variation thereof. Then the leftovers are diverse and wonderful ... Stuffed Green Peppers perhaps, and/or Split Pea and Ham Soup. We don't have ham very often, but when we do we never let anything go to waste.

Carol's Glazed Ham

10 pound smoked ham (Cook's), Shank-end - (NOT an un-smoked Picnic Ham)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 small can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup cognac/brandy
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Shake of cinnamon
==================================
 

Glaze Sauce

• Combine the brown sugar, defrosted oj concentrate, cognac/brandy, mustard, ground cloves, ground ginger, and cinnamon in a medium-size bowl or a 16-ounce measuring cup.

Ham

• Place ham in a large dutch oven or stock pot, broad side down. Fill with water, covering the ham as much as possible (¾) without risking boiling over. Cover pot, canted, if possible. Boil ham about 2½ hours. If you cannot cover the pot, add water during the 2½ hours as it evaporates.
• Preheat oven to 350℉
• Place ham in roasting pan with a little water, and put in preheated oven.
• Baste ham with glaze/sauce every 15 minutes. Cook 30-60 minutes.
• Allow ham to rest, carve and serve pouring some of the extra glaze over each portion.

 

Rain

Yesterday we had rain ....

Girl in Rain Gear and A Ship © 2012 Claudia Ward

Boy in Rain Gear © 2012 Peter Tooker

Let us know what you think!

The Thank You Art Show

Ashawagh Hall, Springs, East Hampton, NY

Last weekend, Hamptons Photo, Arts and Framing sponsored the 3rd annual Thank You Art Show at Ashawagh Hall in Springs on the east end of Long Island. This is their way of thanking their customers for their patronage over the years. More than 100 artists showed their paintings, photographs, sculptures, and more. There was even edible-art in the form of cupcakes for sale, with the proceeds going to charity.

Edible Art Cupcake

The turn out on Saturday night was excellent despite the snow and slippery roads. The hall was abuzz with people enjoying refreshments, music by William Falkenberg, all of the art work, and each others' company; and, Sunday was equally as rewarding for the artists, as there was a constant flow of visitors right up until the show closed at 4:00 p.m. Live music by "Icepack" Jackson and friends provided a lively background to this day's event. Although the primary intent of the show was to provide a venue to display artists' works, several were also fortunate enough to sell their pieces too. At the end of each day, the hall was filled with a resounding "Thank You" from all of the artists to Dave and Ben, from Hampton Photo Arts.

 

"Duck" © 2008 Peter Tooker

I've created a brief slide show of photographs I took of just a fraction of the art that was on display to share with you the variety of art that was there. Peter and I each displayed a photograph, he displayed "Duck" and I displayed "Timeless", a photograph of a 1957 Flame-Red T-Bird.

 

"Timeless" ©2010 Claudia Ward

I must say, I would be hard pressed to say which pieces in the show were my true favorites, although I had a real soft spot for the acrylic paintings of three young brothers, Andrew, Charles, and MJ Schaefer, who range from 9 to 3½ years old. Their pieces were displayed together, vertically, in order of oldest to youngest. I think you'll agree that there's just a little bit of artistic talent in that family!

Paintings by the Brothers Schaefer
  

So The Thank You Art Show is Hampton Photo Arts and Framing's way of thanking the art community on the east end of Long Island, and this post and slide show are my thank you back to them.

 

Slide Show by Claudia Ward
Music: Woodstock's Theme from the soundtrack of Snoopy (The Musical) 

Roquefort Soufflé II

 

Photo © 2010 Peter Tooker

Assembling a soufflé, savory or sweet, can be intimidating but, in reality, it shouldn't be. When we recently made one of our favorites, a Roquefort Soufflé, Peter made a video of the process to demonstrate just how easy it is. The hardest part of this recipe is separating the eggs and watching the soufflé begin to deflate immediately upon being taken from the oven. Do not despair, that light airy texture and those divine flavors are still there. Just serve as soon as you possibly can, the warmth of a soufflé is part of its divine pleasure.

So here's the video to show just how to prepare this soufflé and the recipe is here once more for your easy reference. Next stop? Chocolate soufflé!

 

Video © 2010 Peter Tooker 

Roquefort Soufflé*
(Serves 2-4)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus some for greasing the soufflé dish
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for dusting greased soufflé dish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup scalded milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped
5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon cream of tarter
====================================

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Butter the inside of an 8-cup soufflé dish 7½ inches in diameter x 3¼ inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.

Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the ¼ cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Put the egg whites, cream of tarter, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.

Whisk one quarter of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the soufflé dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on the top with the spatula to help the soufflé rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375℉. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

* This recipe is from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris.

 

 

Open Window's Second Year

It's official, Open-Window is now two years old. I can hardly believe I began this blog on a cold January day, sitting at the island in my kitchen, 730 days ago. In the past two years, Open-Window has focused my days on creating stories, snippits, and photographs that I hoped you would find entertaining, sometimes informative, and maybe even amusing. We've covered a lot of ground and many diverse topics over this time ranging from Hawaii to Paris, Hamburger Relish to Caviar, Horse Racing to Airshow Acrobatics. As time has passed, we increasingly focused on the images and slide shows that would accompany a post, and have worked diligently to improve the quality of all that we delivered. Peter has continued to emphasize wide-angle HDR (high dynamic range) photography whether on his DSLR (digital single lens reflex-camera) or his, ever-handy, iPhone, and I have continued with my love of all-things-macro, although we each dabbled in the other's specialty just to keep it interesting.

Mexican Train Tiles and Turtles
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward 

Over the past twenty four months, we've made 388 postings to Open-Window which is an average of almost 4 per week, nearly every one containing at least one photograph and 60 of which included a slide show with music. When we embarked on this endeavor, we expected to focus on travel, food and photography. As it's turned out, the focus has been just that ... but in reverse - photography, food and travel. See, we'll photograph nearly anything - food that we eat, games that we play, children at the beach, machines of any sort, flowers and their residents, landmarks and landscapes, moon-rises and sunsets, and even light itself. 

The Outer Banks of North Caroline
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward taken with the iPhone using the Pro HDR App

This year has been quite a journey photographically as well as geographically. Peter and I traveled over 14, 500 miles. We drove the entire east coast from the east end of Long Island to Orlando, Florida, traversing Florida, and turning north to reach Memphis Tennessee. We crossed the states of Tennessee and North Carolina end-to-end (west to east), photographing some of this country's most beautiful scenery in the Great Smoky Mountains. When we reached the Atlantic Ocean, it felt like we'd returned home, for tidal waters are in our veins, and the days on the Outer Banks are now cherished memories. Early morning sunrises over the ocean, wild horses on the beaches, hang gliding from the dunes, and fish tacos are just a few of the things we captured in-frame. With tornadoes nipping at our heels from western Florida, to Memphis and eventually to eastern North Carolina, we headed home just hours before their destruction hit the locales we'd come to know and love. Atlantic City was our refuge from the storms, before returning to the calm, untouched East End.

Spanish Mustang on the Outer Banks
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward

Thirty days and thirty nights, and 4,000 miles on the road gave us a tremendous, renewed appreciation for the beauty and diversity of this country we live in. A couple of hundred more miles were covered seeking out horses at Saratoga Springs in August. For one who isn't known as an animal lover, I do love photographing them. Whether in their stance or stride, they speak volumes to me and hopefully that is being captured by the lens. Finally, the balance of those miles (nearly 10,000) were accomplished by a trip to The Big Island of Hawaii, where we were able to photograph the incredible diversity of this island's landscape and all of its beauty from a helicopter. 

Antique Hood Ornament
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward 

More locally, we visited Belmont Park just a week before the Stakes were run and attended the Hampton Classic Horse Show every single day it was held over Labor Day weekend. There were at least three Antique Auto Shows, one Road Rallye and a Mini Cooper Scavenger Hunt that we shot as well. Our beaches on the east end of Long Island are some of the most breathtaking in the country (right up there with North Carolina's) and we spent many happy hours either hip deep in snow in January or ankle deep in sand in August, capturing the undulating shapes of their dunes draped in snow or the power of their seas after a storm.

Light Painting for New Year's
Photo © 2011 Peter Tooker 

The holidays that dot our calendars were also not ignored. Memorial Day is always an homage to the "Opening" of the Hamptons season. Flag Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Christmas season were all duly noted and celebrated with photographs too.   

Meaty Tomato painted by Barbara Andolsek

Let me also add, ever so humbly, that I have once again been thrilled that Barbara Andolsek continues to make paintings based on some of my photographs. Barbara and I have yet to meet but feel a friendship beyond pen-pals. Nearly 3,000 miles apart but with a shared appreciation for the beauty of the world around us, Barbara and I have forged a friendship that could only occur in this wonderful 21st century. It still astounds me at how incredibly open and selfless so many people are using the internet to connect, communicate, and share. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to be a part of it.

The word "blog" is derived from the expression "web log", which originally was an online journal of sorts and has morphed, over time, into a platform for communicating and exchanging information and ideas. I want to thank you all for your enthusiasm and support over the last two years but more importantly for your participation - "communication and exchange" are exactly what has occurred when you've left comments for us, and you've made it just that much more fun and interesting.

So here is a slide show which represents a snapshot of Open-Window's second year. It's shorter than last year's and yet still longer than most at just under 10 minutes. Perhaps you can set aside a little time next Sunday morning. We've made this for you, to enjoy and remember a year that we shared, and for that I want to say with great sincerity "Thanks for the memories". 

  

Photos & Slide Show by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker © 2011
Music: Concerto in E-flat Major for Trumpet & Orchestra: 1. Allegro Con Spirito by Wynton Marsalis, National Philharmonic Orchestra & Raymond Leppard 

 

P.S. Please feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you thought of year two and if there is something you'd like to see more of in the coming months.

 

 

Tarragon-Sherried Mushrooms on Toast Points

Tarragon-Sherried Mushroom on Toast Points
iPhone photo by Peter Tooker

I've never met a mushroom I didn't like and we love using them in salads, as salads, in dressings, as a vegetable, as an appetizer, and for the main course for lunch. Years ago, I cut this recipe out of some magazine and just recently stumbled upon it once again. I bought a huge package of cremini mushrooms at Costco and we've just had to use them up some how. Alas, we've had these delicious, creamy tarragon-sherried mushrooms on toast points twice this week. The good news and the bad news? The mushrooms are now gone.

These are a wonderful, easy appetizer for a dinner party - everyone thinks you worked so hard, and they're a perfect fall lunch accompanied by a salad of tossed greens with a light vinaigrette.

Sherried Mushrooms
(Makes two servings)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ pound mushrooms, sliced (white and/or cremini are what I use)
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons medium dry sherry or Madeira, to taste
½ teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Four pieces of thin-sliced bread, lightly toasted

==================================

• In a medium skillet, heat the butter and oil over moderately high heat until foam begins to subside.
• In fat, sauté the mushrooms and shallot stirring until mushrooms begin to give off their juice.
• Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook mixture, stirring for one minute.
• Stir in the broth, sherry, tarragon, parsley, and salt and papper to taste. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
• Stir in yogurt, arrange toast points on 2 plates. Spoon mixture over toast points. 

Baked Stuffed Clams

A friend's son went clamming over the weekend and made quite a haul, so he shared some of it with us. A dozen 4-5 inch chowder clams, the largest of the quahog (pronounced CO-hog) family, were delivered to our doorstep, and Peter and I immediately resurrected a recipe for Baked Stuffed Clams that another friend shared with us years ago.

The effort to make these is not onerous but it's also not insignificant, and the results are divine - so we went out to our local fishmonger and bought a dozen cherrystones, the next smallest quahog, to complement the catch.

 
Peter loves a good baked clam and is always sampling them wherever we go, with disappointing results most of the time. What makes a baked clam disappointing? Too much bread, too little clam, too dry, and garlic (in any proportion). So, what makes a baked clam memorable and worthy of repetition? A moist proportional mixture of bread to clams - remember they're called baked clams, not baked bread with clams, subtle herbs and a little cheese (to hold things together), and no garlic, it simply overpowers everything.

In his opinion, based on decades of research, this recipe produces one of the best baked clams he's had. If you want the maximum clam flavor, bake some immediately and enjoy. These freeze beautifully and we enjoy them all winter, but we have noticed the distinct clam flavor is reduced a little once they've been frozen. Personally, I'll take them any way I can get them, and hope our clamming friends continue to share their haul.

Baked Stuffed Clams

2½-3 dozen medium clams - "chopped"
1 (14 oz) pkg Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 cup hot clam juice
¼ lb butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon (heaping) parsley
3 Tablespoons (heaping) Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon (level) dry mustard
Pepper to taste
½ cup cubed Swiss or Gruyère cheese
1 3-inch onion finely chopped
========================

• Open clams, trying to preserve the shells. Separate the clams from the shells; place clams and as much juice as possible in a bowl. Scrape the shell clean of all muscles. Rinse shells well and let dry. (TIP: If the clams seem to be a challenge to open, place them in the freezer for about 20-25 minutes, you don't want to freeze them just confuse them, so they'll be easier to open.)
• Remove clams from juice, rinse under running water to remove any shell fragments, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the clams are chopped, NOT puréed.
• Strain the clam juice through a fine strainer lined with cheese cloth. Do twice if necessary.
• Measure out 2 cups of clam juice (add store bought clam juice if there isn't enough). Place juice in sauce pan, heat to a simmer. (I found that the clam juice evaporated incredibly fast, thus the reason for measuring out 2 cups when you only need to use one.)
• In a large bowl, pour 1 cup of hot clam juice over the stuffing and stir together.
• Add the melted butter; stir to blend.
• Add the milk; blend.
• Add the parsley, Parmesan cheese, dry mustard, pepper, Swiss/Gruyère cheese and the onion. Stir.
• Add clams and toss together to blend.
• Stuff each clam shell.
• If you are going to cook them immediately, place the stuffed clams on a cookie sheet. (At this point, Peter sprays each clam with a touch of butter spray to ensure browning.) Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown.
• If you are going to freeze them, freeze them on a cookie sheet, stacked with wax paper in between layers, and wrapped in plastic or foil. Once the clams are frozen, put them in freezer bags so you can easily remove the quantity you want at any time (without them being frozen together). When you are ready to enjoy some, defrost them and then cook according to the instructions above, or (if you're in a hurry), defrost them in the microwave (Peter uses the Speed Defrost setting for about 5 minutes). Then, place them on a cookie sheet, spray each with butter spray (if you like), and bake in a 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown.

 

 Enjoy ... these are really good!

The Bee's Knees

Have you ever heard the expression "The Bee's Knees" and wondered where in the world it came from and what it means? Well originally, in the late 1700's that is, it referred to something small and insignificant, which would seem to make some sense given the size of a bee overall. But in the Roaring Twenties in America socialites adopted this "excellent" phrase and in "flapper speak" it came to mean "the height of excellence" along with other rhythmically and visually entertaining expressions like the "cat's pajamas", the "elephant's instep", the "kipper's knickers", the "snake's hip", the "eel's ankle", and the "cat's whiskers". Only two of these expressions have prevailed over time, "The Cat's Whiskers" and "the Bee's Knees". Is that perhaps because they at least refer to something that does exist? A cat certainly has whiskers, but does a bee really have knees?

Some Google research revealed that a bee carries pollen back to the hive in sacs on its legs called corbiculae, a.k.a. pollen baskets, and these pollen baskets are located on the central part of its legs (the tibiae). That certainly sounded close enough to be considered a knee, but we wanted confirmation so two investigative photographers were charged with finding out - do bees really have knees? Take a look and let us know what do you think. Do bees have knees or, at the end of the day, is it just plain fun to say "It's the bee's knees"?

 Photos by Peter Tooker and Sarah Ward
Music: The James Bond Theme by John Barry from the Album The Bee's Knees

 

Lemon & Olive Chicken with French Green Beans

 All iPhone 4 photos processed in HDR Pro ©2011 Peter Tooker

 I found this wonderful recipe for Lemon & Olive Chicken with French Green Beans in A Feast at the Beach which was recommended as a delightful read by Julie Mautner at The Provence Post. Written by William Widmaier, the book is a loving account of the author's vacations at his grandparents' home in St. Tropez in the 1960's. William's Provençal adventures were shared by his older brother Stephen, and an extended family of uncles, aunts, and cousins. I won't rewrite Mautner's colorful synopsis of the book here, but I agree that Widmaier's "book is filled with powerful flavors, scents, images and traditions" in addition to recipes for a Sleeping Potion, a few Provençal libations, mayonnaise, pesto, Grilled Shrimps Provençal, and this incredible chicken dish.

Mise en Place

I enjoyed assembling this dish as much as I enjoyed eating it, but neither equalled my husband's enjoyment of the leftovers. Peter went "over the moon" for the reheated vegetables - yes you read it correctly, my vegetable-hating husband, went "over the moon" for vegetables. Yeah! We were recently on the Cape and shared some with a family member and she too raved about the vegetables. By the way, this takes nothing away from the leftover chicken which was moist and wonderful, and used in several salads on subsequent days. It's just that we all found the vegetables uniquely delicious.

This family member said she follows Open-Window regularly and when a recipe is posted she looks first at the number of ingredients before adding it to her "Do Try" list. I don't know what the cut-off is but she has a "do not exceed" threshold for ingredients. My advice for this recipe is ignore any such self-imposed thresholds. This recipe is incredible all around and can be shared or reheated at any time. It's delicious, fun to make and makes me feel very French. 

I've transcribed the recipe nearly verbatum from this book. Having said that I have one very strong suggestion - "mise en place" which means "put in place". Measure and cut all of the ingredients before you begin assembling the dish. You will be ever so thankful that you did. Also, the recipe asks for you to "lightly salt chicken", we would strongly recommend you increase the amount of salt, that was all that was evidently missing in our first pass at this wonderful recipe. Thank you Mr. Widmaier for sharing your memories and especially your Mémé's recipes.

Cook in 400℉ oven for 2 hours

Lemon & Olive Chicken with French Green Beans
(Serves 4-6)

1 large roasting chicken
4 sweet Italian sausages, cut into 2-inch length pieces
3 ounces of salt pork or thick cut pancetta, cut into ½-inch cubes
2½ cups of dry white wine
1½ pounds of fresh French green beans - the long thin kind (haricot vert)
1 large yellow onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 lemon
4 small fresh, sweet red peppers (we used red bell peppers), sliced in half, seeds scraped out, and each piece cut in half again
6 garlic cloves, each cut into 4 pieces
12 black oil-cured olives
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
1 heaping tablespoon of Herbes de Provence
½ teaspoon of fresh ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 ounce pastis, preferably Ricard brand (can substitute Pernod, Anisette, or Sambuca)
Mediterranean sea salt
===================================

• Preheat oven to 400℉.
• Place chicken in a large Dutch oven, ideally a large Creuset model.
• Cut lemon in half, cut a ¼-inch slice from each face and reserve. Squeeze juice from two halves over chicken, making sure to coat as much of the chicken as possible. Take one of the squeezed-out lemon halves and stuff it into chicken cavity. If chicken came with gizzards, place these in Dutch oven outside chicken. Let chicken sit with its lemon-juice coating while preparing the rest of ingredients.
• Take green beans and one at a time trim the very ends off both ends, easily done by hand by just snapping the very tips off. (I cut each end off bunches of the beans at the same time.) Place trimmed beans into a large bowl. When you've trimmed all the beans fill bowl with water and let beans sit.
• Return to chicken and rub Herbes de Provence onto chicken, coating entire chicken, top to bottom, letting any excess fall into Dutch oven.
• Position chicken in Dutch oven breasts side up. Dust chicken with ground cumin.
• Take half of green beans let them drip dry before placing them around chicken, pushing them to the bottom, but not under chicken.
• Take chopped onions and sprinkle them over green beans.
• Take sliced peppers and distribute them evenly around chicken onto green beans.
• Take salt-pork pieces and distribute evenly around chicken onto green beans and stuff two or three pieces into chicken.
• Take remaining green beans and after letting them drip dry, surround chicken with them, covering the previous green beans, onions, peppers and salt pork.
• Sprinkle garlic pieces onto green beans. 
• Place cut sausages evenly around chicken on top of green beans.
• Sprinkle pine nuts evenly around chicken over green beans.
• Spread olives around chicken, over green beans, while also stuffing two olives in chicken.
• Pour 2½ cups of wine around chicken, over green beans but not over chicken.
• Pour ounce of pastis (pernod, anisette, or sambuca) around chicken, over green beans but not over chicken.
• Dust green beans with cayenne.
• Place reserved lemon slices over meatiest part of chicken breasts, one on each side.
• Lightly salt chicken and lemon slices with Mediterranean sea salt.
• Put lid on and stick in oven on middle shelf or as high as Dutch oven lid will allow it to go and still clear.
• Cook for two hours at 400℉.
• After one hour, take the lid off and be careful to let hot steam vent away from you, and with a long wooden spoon stir up green beans just a bit. If most of liquid has evaporated (it can happen if the lid has large gaps - but usually doesn't), add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of white wine. Put the lid back on, and place casserole back into the oven.
• At the end of second hour, take the lid off, and be careful to let vapors escape away from you.
• Serve directly from Dutch oven, as chicken will be too delicate to move. Cut pieces off chicken (it should be practically falling apart) and serve with big spoonfuls of green beans along with all the rest that has acquainted itself well.
• You can choose from a number of different accompaniments for this dish. Widmaier suggests oven-roasted rosemary potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes, toss with minced rosemary, olive oil and sea salt, spread on a cooking sheet and roast 45 minutes at 400 ℉, mixing occasionally). Or delicious with orzo pasta - just ladle juices from chicken over cooked pasta.
• Serve with warm baguettes, to mop up sauce.

 

As Widmaier says at the end of this recipe, "Mangez lentement, riz, et savourez la belle vie" which means "Eat slowly, laugh, and savor the good life". Sounds like good advice to me.

Race Day at Belmont Park Race Track - The Video

Peter has combined still photographs and video to give you his perspective on what it's like at Belmont on a day of racing. We enjoyed this so much, we can't wait to go again. BTW, Peter thinks the blond woman is somehow tied to ownership of Animal Kingdom, this year's Derby winner, that's why she's there.

 

The Belmont Stakes runs at 6:30 p.m. EDT, may the best horse win!

Enjoy!

The Start of Memorial Day Weekend by Peter Tooker

Memorial Day Weekend is the start of something big. On Friday night, Peter and I photographed the arrival of the LIRR Cannonball train, which is an express train from NYC to the Hamptons. Peter works in video as well as still photography, and here has found a way to combine the two to document this momentous occasion in all Hamptonites' lives.

 

 Video ©2011 Peter Tooker

 

 

New York City Subway Art

Peter and I love New York and truly believe there's no better way to get around than by the subway. Over the years the subway stations have certainly improved and mosaic art work has sprung up in several stations. When we were in the city recently we found this mosaic mural which neither of us had seen before. Peter took this HDR with his iPhone, once again validating the quality of its camera. Can anyone tell me where we found this mural in Manhattan? We know but do you?

© 2011 Peter Tooker, NYC Subway Art
 

Brunch

Brunch on the shores of the mighty, muddy Mississippi. Catfish in the sun with a spicy Bloody Mary at Tug's in Harbor Town, Memphis, TN.

Photo ©2011 Peter Tooker. HDR photo taken on an iPhone.

 Sent from my iPhone

Half Moon Over Toronto

When Peter and I were recently "stranded" in Toronto, we had a spectacular sunset the first evening we were there - deep red cumulus clouds set against a midnight blue sky. We thought of that as our payback for all the hassles of the day. But, little did we know, the best was yet to come.

The moon rose so clearly in the pitch-black sky that evening, and we watched it traverse the nighttime sky until dawn (which was possible given our jet lag). Naturally Peter, set up a tripod and camera to see if he could capture the moon, that had been so elusive during the recent lunar eclipse and look what he got!

Half Moon Over Toronto ©2010 Peter Tooker; 1/40s at f 6.3 ISO 200 624mm

I couldn't believe my eyes when he showed me this photograph and the detail that it reveals - even the craters are clear! Now this, in my estimation, made the lay-over in Toronto, all worthwhile. Would you agree? 

Open Window Anniversary

One year ago today I began this blog called Open Window. The name was derived from something that Maria said in The Sound of Music. "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window." Eighteen months ago, I was laid off from a job on Wall Street, and Peter and I vowed then that we would make this our "open window", thus the name for the blog.

When I look back to one year ago, I can't believe all I've learned and all we've done. A year ago I knew absolutely nothing about blogs. The internet to me was used primarily for plane reservations and a computer was used for word documents, excel spreadsheets, and tweaking jpeg photos. Well all of that has changed. Our blog is now firmly established and I've learned to post from anywhere, even from 35,000 feet over the rockies. I've learned that the internet is a phenomenal source of information on any and every topic you could ever want, and the land of blogs is the friendliest and most generous community I've ever known or been privileged enough to participate in. These days I follow ten blogs religiously on the topics of photography, food, art, and french words - no surprises there. I've learned a great deal from those who have gone on before, through their example, and sincerely hope that they agree with the adage that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". These days you will also rarely find me without my computer in hand. All of our photography work is done on a computer, our address books, calendars and my recipe box all reside on my MacBook, my homepage provides me with up-to-the-minute weather, stock prices and surf conditions, nearly all of my ongoing contact with friends occurs via email, messages or video chats, and whenever we have a question, we "ask our best friends", my computer or Peter's iPad. We have happily taken up full-fledged residence in the 21st century, something we never had time to do before.

First and foremost, one year ago, we set out to entertain on Open Window and we sincerely hope we've achieved that goal. We've made 231 posts to Open-Window over the last twelve months which is an average of 4 posts a week, mostly focused on food, photography, and travel. Want to know which posts were your favorites? The post with the most pageviews was Chipotle & Rosemary Roasted Nuts by Ina Garten, and the second was Cooking with Patricia Wells in Provence. Posts on my two favorite cookbook authors lead the way. The next two most viewed posts were Tomato Tarte Tatin and, believe it or not, Participles and Prepositions. But perusing all of the stats reveals to me an equal interest in travel, photography and food.

In 231 posts, which included 35 slide shows, we've shared a lot this year: Flying Tigers, Reflections in an Icicle, and a Narcissistic Swan; the big picture and the smallest details of trains, planes, boats and antique cars; snows of last winter, the flowers of spring, summer surf, and the brilliance of fall; pictures of the shorelines and skylines of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas, in addition to those of Chicago, Nantucket, Provincetown, Lake Placid, Bridgehampton, and Paris; and recipes galore, including Homemade Dill Pickles, Mushroom Soup without Cream, Sautéed Corn off the Cob, Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges, Salmon & Israeli Couscous, and Pear Sorbet.

Your participation in the blog is what has inspired me to keep creating something I hope you'll find pleasing to look at, thought provoking, humorous, or just plain entertaining. Blogging is all about communication and I have thoroughly enjoyed our connection over the last year. Thank you, one and all, for all of your enthusiasm and support. Let's see what the new year will bring.

In the meantime, I took this opportunity to do a photographic summary of Open Window's first year. This slide show is longer than most so you may want to hold off watching it until a quiet spell comes upon you ... maybe Sunday morning. The video itself is 13 minutes and 39 seconds long, but summarizes the year we've shared, and what a year it was. Merci beaucoup and leave a comment - let us know what you think of Open Window's first year.

 

Photographs ©2010 Claudia Ward and Peter Tooker
Music: Mozart - Sinphonia Concertante in E Flat, K 364 - 1. Allegro Maestoso by Levon Chilingirian; Neville Marriner: Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields

Click on the square of outgoing arrows in the bottom right corner to expand the slide show. 

 

 

Harbour Lights in Downtown New York

Downtown New York holds a special place in my heart, as many of you know. It just suits all my sensibilities - the narrow streets, the architecture, the history, and easy access to views across the waters of the Hudson River, New York Harbor, and the East River. Perched above the East River, set deep in the South Street Seaport, is one of my favorite places in all of New York - Harbour Lights, a restaurant with one of the all time best views in the city, hands down.

Harbour Lights is on the third floor of Pier 17, tucked securely into the northeast corner of the building. Peter and I have been going to Harbour Lights for years and were so glad when we saw it reopen after 911. We've loved sitting out on the deck on a summer day, enjoying a lobster salad but even more enjoying the panoramic view of Brooklyn, the river with its three southern bridges - the Brooklyn, the Manhattan and the Williamsburg, and lower Manhattan. Spectacular on any day, this view is breathtaking at night when all the lights of these burroughs and bridges come up, and on a crisp evening around the holidays, there's no more festive location. Harbour Lights dresses itself elegantly in garland and white lights in December, but never seems to detract from the city just beyond it's picture windows. 

Peter and I met friends here last week and of course Peter came with cameras in hand. He couldn't wait to see how HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography would reveal parts of the city we both love. We sincerely hope you feel the festiveness of the holiday season in downtown New York.

 

Photos @2010 Peter Tooker; Slide Show by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker 

White Oaks

White Oaks, located in the scenic Upper Delaware River Valley, is the country home of good friends. The property comprises a log cabin, several out-buildings, and a spring fed pond, all situated on rolling hills amidst 30 acres of wooded grounds. The peace and quiet at White Oaks are to be savored. There are trails in the woods for hiking in the spring, summer, and fall, and skiing in the winter, and the pond is perfect for swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter. The entire property is special but what is most charming is the house - a log cabin, built solidly - with the logs acting as their own insulation!

Peter's been practicing internal shots with HDR processing and these are the results. No burned out or blacked out spots, isn't it great? Enjoy this little slice of country living - we certainly did.

 Photos © 2010 Peter Tooker; Slide show by Claudia Ward

Music: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F, Bwv1046: 3rd Mvt., by J.S. Bach

 

 

 

Pittsburgh PA

The architecture in The Golden Triangle in downtown Pittsburgh is stunning - modern steel and glass reflect stone structures from previous generations. In this slide show, I think you'll agree that Peter has captured Pittsburgh at her finest and shown her off with wonderful high dynamic range. (Note: This is Peter's work, it was only posted from my Vimeo account.)

 HDR Photos ©2010 Peter Tooker

Music: Winning by Randy Newman

 

Lackawanna Station Hotel - Scranton PA

The Lackawanna Station was built in 1908 when Scranton was a railroad hub and had five major railroads running through it. Today it's a hotel, converted in 1983 and renovated in 2006, which is run by the Radisson chain and I must say this must be one of the jewels in its crown, certainly on the east coast of the U.S. From the outside, this six story neo-classical structure appears solid and permanent - meant to last several lifetimes, and it is. On the inside, The Grand Lobby is breathtaking and if you sit there long enough taking in all of the details, you can imagine it a bustling train terminal once again with ticket booths under the marble arches and doors opening to the tracks that could take you anywhere in the U.S. The lobby features an ornate tile floor, rare Sienna marble walls and 36 unique hand-painted faience tile murals from the DL&W (Delaware, Lackawanna & Western) Mainline, and it's all illuminated by natural light filtered through a tiffany barrel vaulted stained-glass ceiling. The beauty and richness in all of the details and materials speaks volumes about the immense success of the railroads at the turn of the 20th century and their significance in American business.

The Lackawanna Station was and is considered one of the most beautiful railroad terminals in the country and we thought you might like to see what we enjoyed so thoroughly.

 
HDR Photos © 2010 Peter Tooker
Music: It's Only A Paper Moon by Derek Paravicini

 

The Delaware Water Gap

 Photo ©2010 Claudia Ward

Another first on our recent sojourn was a stop in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area. I've crisscrossed the Delaware River many times and seen the signs for the Gap, but never had a chance to stop. Having nothing to rush home for, we took the time and were so pleasantly surprised. We pulled off Route 80 at Kittatinny Point at The Gap end of the park. It was a beautiful warm fall day and the moment we left the highway we were surrounded by all the vibrant colors of fall. Naturally we started taking pictures and then stopped in the visitor center to see what we could see. The park ranger gave us a map. The park runs a 40 mile length of the Delaware River in New Jersey and Pennsylvania - it's huge and it's beautiful.

Recognizing our love of photography, the ranger pointed us in the direction of the Upper Glen and a hike in the forest to a pretty waterfall. It sounded right up our alley, so we picked up the Old Mine Road north. What a serenely beautiful road. It follows the winding path of the river, has a speed limit of 15 miles an hour, is only one lane in places, and has almost no traffic, at least on this fall Monday. The entire park is an incredible treasure - available for camping, swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, and, of course, wildlife and birdwatching, and there are no entrance fees!

We hope you enjoy the slide show of Peter's HDR shots in the park.
He was determined to reach the waterfall and he did, lugging cameras and tripods over hill and dale. 

I think it was well worth it, wouldn't you agree?

 HDR Photos © 2010 Peter Tooker; Slide Show by Claudia Ward

Music: Acoustic Sunrise

 

Steamtown PA

Scranton Pennsylvania is a place, I'm sad to say, I've avoided all my life, happily driving past it on so many trips through New York State, thinking "Who would want to stop there?" Well recently friends told us about Steamtown which is in Scranton. Part of the National Park system, Steamtown was established in 1986 "to further public understanding and appreciation of the role steam railroading played in the development of the United States" and Peter and I decided we had to see it, and we're glad we did.

Who doesn't like trains and all the romantic images they conjure of new landscapes passing by the windows and far away destinations? Romantic images indeed because it was the train's workhorse characteristics that contributed to the growth of the U.S. during the last half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth. "Between the Civil War and World War I, the United States was transformed from an agricultural to a manufacturing nation, thanks largely to the railroads" and people like George and Seldon Scranton, ironmakers who founded the DL&W (Delaware, Lackawanna & Western) Railroad. Trains "brought raw materials like coal, oil, iron ore, and cotton to factories and carried away steel, machines, cloth, and other finished products. They moved livestock, grain, and produce from farms to the cities. And they carried people everywhere." In 1812, they say a trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia took six days by stage coach. In 1854, the same journey took 15 hours by train, and by 1920 the trip was down to 5 hours! Now that's progress! After WWI, cars and trucks began to eat away at the train's monopoly on transportation and in 1925, the introduction of the cleaner, more efficient diesel-electric engine began the retirement of the steam locomotive altogether.

But in Steamtown in Scranton PA the age of steam is alive and well. The Steamtown collection consists of locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, a mail car, and a Pullman. You can take rides on one of the restored trains and tour the inside of the roundhouse where restoration work is still underway. You can also watch the steam engine on the 90 foot-long turntable in the center of the roundhouse, being turned to enter its bay at the end of the day. And if you're in town, as the train to Moscow is pulling out of the station, run to the bridge that crosses the tracks - the perspective is incredible. The picturesque town of Scranton is the backdrop for this Norman Rockwell sight, as the train releases steam, clangs it's bell, sounds its whistle, and slowly gains speed, heading directly for the bridge. The whistle sounds ever more alarming and the black and white smoke clouds become larger and larger as the train approaches and finally envelops you as the train passes under the bridge. It's quite a thrill and certainly underscores the power of these magnificent machines.

 

 Photos ©2010 Peter Tooker All Rights Reserved

 THE TRAIN TO MOSCOW

Video ©2010 Peter Tooker 

  THE ROUNDHOUSE & THE TURNTABLE

Video © 2010 Peter Tooker 

 

Spanakopita

Question: What does one do with a whole box of defrosted phyllo dough? 
Answer: Make Spanakopita and lots of it if you like appetizer portions.

Recently, one of us accidentally left the freezer ajar over night, defrosting everything within its usually frosty confines, including a brand new, unopened box of phyllo sheets. I'm not a hundred percent sure exactly how many sheets are in a new box, but I don't think I'm far off if I said close to 35 or 40. That's a lot of phyllo and the only thing we could think of to use all that phyllo was Spanakopita. We made it once years ago and loved these small, flakey pockets of spinach and cheese. They freeze really well which is also a blessing as only two sheets of phyllo are needed to make three appetizer-size pastries - you do the math. So now we're set for hors d'oeuvres for the holidays. Some of the steps may sound a bit tricky so Peter decided to take some pictures to hopefully aid you in the process. 

Spanakopita
Makes about 30 pastries

1-2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound fresh baby spinach or 2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups)
Juice of one lemon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, if desired
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
One sleeve of phyllo sheets (12- by 9-inches), thawed. (There are 2 sleeves to a box, each sleeve having close to 20 sheets of phyllo.)
===================================

If using fresh spinach: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then cook the spinach, stirring, until wilted and tender, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible (there's no way around this, this is the best way to get the liquid out). Coarsely chop spinach.

If using frozen chopped spinach, allow it to thaw in a colander, then squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.

• Transfer the spinach to a large bowl; stir in the feta cheese, lemon juice, nutmeg (if using), salt, and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375℉.
• Melt 1 stick butter in a small saucepan, keep the other at the ready, if needed.
• Open the sleeve of phyllo sheets, roll it open in a sheet pan. Cover the phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel. Use two sheets of plastic as one is too flimsy and sticks to itself; two together are sturdier and are only interested in one another.

• Take 1 phyllo sheet from stack and arrange on work surface with the shortest side nearest you. (Keep the remaining sheets covered with the plastic and damp towel at all times to avoid drying the sheets out and thus rendering them nearly useless - certainly for spanakopita.)

• Brush the sheet with some melted butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with more butter. Cut buttered phyllo stack into 3 strips (roughly 3- by 12-inches).

• Put a heaping teaspoon of filling near 1 corner of a strip on an end nearest you, then fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining the triangle shape.

• Put triangle, seam side down, on a large baking sheet and brush top with melted butter.

• Continue making triangles in the same manner, until you have used all of the spinach mixture and/or the phyllo.
• Bake the spanakopita triangles in the middle of the oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

• Freeze if you are not using them in the next three days. Reheat frozen spanakopitas in a 325℉ oven for 10-15 minutes; do NOT thaw.

Note: This recipe is an amalgamation of over a dozen recipes I found in various cookbooks and on the internet. I should mention that one Epicurious recipe said "Pastry triangles can be formed, but not baked, 3 days ahead. Arrange in 1 layer in a heavy-duty sealed plastic bags, then freeze. Bake frozen pastries (do not thaw) in same manner as above."

 

Hank's Pumpkintown

Every year in the fall from mid-September to the end of October, Hank's Pumpkintown is erected in a large open field on Montauk highway in Water Mill. Over the years, word has spread about this novelty and crowds come from all around to enjoy the crisp fall air and all that Pumpkintown has to offer. Needless to say, you can pick your own pumpkin (or you can just pick it up) and there are life-size wooden toys for the children to play on, in and around. There are wagon rides, tractor train rides and slides. There's a playground, a sandbox, and Maze Park, with three separate mazes and six different games to play in them. And once you're tuckered out, you can rejuvenate yourself with some hot or cold apple cider, cider donuts, candy apples, or roasted sweet corn!

Hank's Pumkintown is the fall attraction on the east end and brings traffic to a crawl but what fun for the entire family, and Hank provides "monogrammed" wheelbarrows to help you transport all of those gourds, indian corn, and, of course, pumpkins to your car. It's Halloween weekend and the last for Pumpkintown until next year. Pack up the kids and drive out east, you'll have a ball.

   

Photos © 2010 by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker
Slide Show by Claudia Ward
Music: Munsters by the Halloween Creature Crew

 

Mountain Top Inn - Chittenden Vermont

Fall is upon us and soon the trees will begin to change color. Peter and I are always trying to find charming new locations where we can enjoy the fall foliage in the northeast. We found a perfect place on our recent trip up north. It's at the top of a mountain and is reached by a beautiful winding road that passes bucolic brooks and horse farms. We can't make it this fall but maybe you can.

The Mountain Top Inn is in west-central Vermont, in Chittenden, northeast of Rutland - headquarters for the Green Mountain National Forest. The Inn, like so many things in New England, is quite modest in its appearance. Yet, when you enter the Inn's charming, comfortable lobby you are captivated by the breathtaking view in the floor-to-ceiling windows beyond. The Inn overlooks a large lake from which the Green Mountains rise in the distance. We could only imagine on that late summer day what this vista would look like dressed in the bright colors of fall, or, for that matter, covered in the white of winter's snows. Looking at the brochures, it looked to me like a wonderland in any season, for hiking, swimming, horseback riding, cross country skiing, or just reading by the fire. 

Photos by Peter Tooker ©2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Music: Vermont by The Da Vincis

We had lunch on the Terrace, soaking up the view and fresh air, and then said adieu to the staff before getting under way. One in particular stands out - Bailey - the near-resident beagle. Beloved by staff and guests alike, Bailey has a singular perspective on this glorious location and seems ready to share it with anyone who will pay attention.

The Moon and Jupiter Over Pleasant Bay

"Jupiter is at opposition", at least it was last week. That means Jupiter is directly opposite the Sun in the sky and Earth is in between. It also means that Jupiter is as close to Earth as it will get in many years. It's about 355 million miles away! It's also a really big planet, 86,000 miles across or 11 times wider than our precious Earth, which allows us to see it.

Some have said that last Tuesday was the best night to see Jupiter and that we won't see it like this again in years. Well check out this brief article in Discover Magazine to get the skinny on that. I will say, we'll probably be hard pressed to see it hand-in-hand with a full Moon again any time soon.

This is what the Moon and Jupiter looked like over Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod last Wednesday, just 8-9 hours before the moon was completely full. Jupiter is the small bright light directly below the Moon. Pretty special in my book! And, we did see Jupiter the next night too, standing proudly to the Moon's right.

 The Moon and Jupiter Over Pleasant Bay © 2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Full Moon and Jupiter Over Pleasant Bay @2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Click on each photo to expand it further.

For those of you who are interested, Peter took these photographs with a Nikon COOLPIX P90 on a tripod with time exposure, no flash, and a wide angle setting. They were both taken at f2.8, 2.0sec, with ISO 200.

Sculpture-Scott Partlow-Bridgehampton

A friend introduced us recently to a neighbor who just happens to also be an incredible sculptor. His name is Scott Partlow and he sculpts wonderful things out of huge pieces of black walnut, poplar, mahogany, sugar maple and cherry. He recently showed three pieces at a show at Ashawagh Hall on Springs Fireplace Road in East Hampton (Vito Sisti Presents Painting and Sculpture).

Dancer carved from cherry wood is sleek and has the angles and outstretched limbs of an Alvin Ailey dancer. Whelk is the most incredible and breathtakingly beautiful shell - all carved and sanded from spalted maple. And, Dawn is simply spellbinding - the form of a naked woman revealed in cherry wood. The latter he just recently completed and Partlow laments that he won't be able to get to know her better as she sold during the show.

Partlow rents an old house in the village of Bridgehampton and has lots of space to store (and age) his raw materials in the yard. Each sizable piece of wood will become something quite special in Partlow's hands. Chain saws, grinders and sanders may not be considered the typical artist's tools, but the results are pure art. He finishes each piece with tung oil which provides a wonderful sheen to the wood that just beckons you to touch it, and Partlow encourages that at every turn. In fact, each piece is irresistible whether it's the incredibly smooth surface of Flame or the carved outside shell of an Acorn - you want to know what it feels like which engages the viewer even more.

© 2010 Peter Tooker - Photos & Digital/HDR Processing

Music: A New Day (The Guitar Song) by Michele McLaughlin

Check out Partlow's website to view more of his art and jewelry, and seek him out to see his sculptures first hand, in the Hamptons.

Note: The colors of each sculpture may vary from the original due to digital/HDR processing of the photographs. 

Fields of Power - Peter's HDR Slide Show

Peter and I stumbled upon an "Engine Run" called the Fields of Power in Sagaponack, NY last weekend. A bright red biplane doing barrel roles over the beach caught our eye, so we tracked it down to a grassy air field amongst the fields of Foster Farm on Sagg Main Street.

Saturday was a glorious day - sunny with a bright blue sky, puffy cumulus clouds, a light breeze and temps around 75 - does it get any better than that? Sunday was cloudy, threatening rain, and cool - really, a nice contrast to Saturday for us photographers.

This is the third annual "Fields of Power" event. The Fosters invite fellow members of the Long Island Antique Power Association (LIAPA) to show off their engines and prized pieces of antique farm equipment. Between Saturday and Sunday, we viewed antique planes that flew in (and out) just for this event, tractors of every size, shape and vintage (it seemed), vintage automobiles including a classic Bentley, all manner of machinery like a "dancing" compactor, a hot water maker, and an antique shingle mill dating from 1888! I never knew machinery could be so interesting. 

A precursor to this "Fields of Power" event happened every year in Bridgehampton on the grounds of the Historical Society across the street from our house. We never attended it but heard it each day it operated because the engines "ran" all day. Given all of the sputtering, popping, whirring, and whistle blowing that filled the air all day, we dubbed the event "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". That event has now been replaced by the "Fields of Power". If you're in the area, seek it out because it is not only interesting but a lot of fun. In addition to watching all these machines run, there are tractor pulls, a "mini" air show when the planes take off and land, model airplanes buzzing the air field, a hay ride, and a demonstration of how that Shingle Mill makes shingles from huge logs. On Sunday they even ran an obstacle course for antique cars where the driver was blindfolded and the passenger guided them through the course - that was hilarious!

Here's Peter's view of all we saw, processed in High Dynamic Range (HDR). Let us know what you think of the event and the photos. Stay tuned for my "telephoto" perspective.

Photos and Slide Show © 2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

We sincerely hope this continues for many years to come.

HDR Photography - Vermont

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and it's a very exciting part of photography these days one that Peter has really gotten in to. 

Ever taken photos of a sunset at the beach or in the mountains and found that in the picture you have very dark areas showing none of the details that your eyes saw and very, very bright areas, also revealing little that you could see? Well, your eye saw much more, and a camera has limitations. However, processing digital photographs these days provides such exciting opportunities to reveal that which could not be revealed before .... ergo HDR photography. 

In its basic form, it can be defined as taking a photograph at "zero exposure" and then auto bracketing so the camera will then take another photograph at +2 exposure and another at -2 exposure. What this does at the end of the day (thanks to Photomatix Pro) is merge all three so what's in the shadows is revealed and what's in the bright lights is not lost. I think it's truly breathtaking, and after all of that, you can then begin to have fun ... it's all art.

On our way to a wedding in northern NY state recently, we stopped in Vermont to see friends. Peter shot these in HDR, and we'd be very interested in what you think - of the photographic technique, of the picture, of the location, ...

© 2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Southampton Antique Auto Show

There was an antique auto show at Rogers Mansion in Southampton on Saturday and Peter and I got there early, wanting to see and photograph some of the old cars before the crowds got too large. We arrived just after 10:00 a.m., when it started, and we were still there chatting with the owners and photographing their beautiful cars well after noon. 

There were automobiles and trucks from as early as 1915 going all the way up to 1958. The preponderance of participants were Fords - and some real beauties. Model A's from the '30's were well represented, in mint condition with wonderful radiator caps and grills. A 1931 navy blue, Ford Sport Coupe stole my husband's heart but the Thunderbirds nearly stole his soul. What a bevy of beauties - each one made both our hearts race faster. First, I fell for the 1956 peacock blue Thunderbird convertible, but being fickle my crush was quickly and easily transferred to "Timeless", a gorgeous 1957 flame red T-Bird, and then we both saw her ... the 1954 satin yellow Kaiser Darrin -sweet. The interior and fiberglass exterior were satin yellow, as was the steering wheel and she has sliding "pocket doors" - Peter was "a goner". Not even the Jaguars could turn his head, of which there were three - a sexy white E-Type L2 (she's the only one that had a chance), a sleek silver-gray XK, and a '53 black convertible XK with red interior. All he could do was take pictures of all of these beauties to savor later.

I, on the other hand, found myself now captivated by trucks, of all things - a 1958 sky blue Chevrolet 3100 pick-up truck with a custom cover captivated my imagination (very Mayberry); and, the Hildreth's Chevrolet delivery truck reflected the store's history (the oldest department store in the country) but also everything around it. I got some wonderful photos of all of the trucks around it, reflected in its side panels.

We thought the show was wonderful and a great success, and hope to attend again next year. In the meantime we want to share two slide shows, so you can see what we saw. 

Today's slide show is Peter's. He's our wide-angle man and the one working on HDR photography (High Dynamic Range) using normal, exposure fusion, and grunge effects. You'll notice the different results and effects in the photos. Please sit back, enjoy, and let us know what you think. 

Photos & Slide Show @2010 Peter Tooker, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Don't you wish you'd been there?

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show is a 30 year tradition of mid-summer fireworks over Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, and Peter and I got to see it from his cousin's boat smack-dab in the middle of the harbor - front row center. Originally started in the early 70s by George Plimpton, the late-writer, actor and founder of The Paris Review, for his friends visiting him on the East End, the event was always scheduled for the first Saturday following le quatorze juillet (14th of July a.k.a. Bastille Day) because of his love for Paris. The event soon became public and in 1980, Plimpton partnered with Tony Duke and Felix Grucci, Sr. to have the fireworks benefit the camp, Boys and Girls Harbor, which was founded by Duke. When it was no longer possible to continue the George Plimpton/Boys and Girls Harbor Fireworks event, The Clamshell Foundation took over the event in 2009 renaming it "The Great Bonac Fireworks Show". 

Let me shed a little light on that regional expression, "Bonac" refers to an area of East Hampton called Springs. Bonackers descend from East Hampton's first white settlers, hardy souls who first landed, as lore tells it, at Accabonac Harbor. The harbor's name derives from an Algonquin word for "root place," perhaps somewhere wild potatoes grew, and the community became known as Bonac. Bonackers made their living as baymen*, fishermen, and farmers. 

The Gruccis of New York staged the fireworks production and what a show it was. If you don't know, the Gruccis are a fifth-generation, family-owned and operated company on Long Island, NY that designs, produces, and displays over 300 performances all around the world every year. We loved the show so much, we want to share it with you in its entirety, so here it is in two parts (because of a YouTube restriction). In total its 15 minutes long, so grab a cup of coffee or tea, a coke or perhaps a glass of wine, set the settings to the highest resolution possible and expand it to fit your screen. Now sit back and enjoy, we certainly hope you do.

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show; © Peter Tooker, 2010

 

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show; ©Peter Tooker 2010

* Check out Billy Joel's song Downeaster "Alexa" to hear about these baymen.

 

Zucchini Blossoms

Zucchini, corn, potatoes, tomatoes - you name it and it grew in the fields behind Bruce's Restaurant in Wainscott, NY when I worked there waiting on tables years ago. One year, in early July, Bruce introduced me to a delicacy that I've never forgotten and until yesterday I've never been able to reproduce, namely Fried Zucchini Blossoms. 

Did you know that zucchini plants have blossoms, I didn't? Not only that, they have female and male blossoms! The female flower is on the end of the emerging zucchini itself and the male flowers grow directly on the stem of the zucchini plant. And, if you're wondering, there's no difference in taste - only in shape as you can see.

When we were chatting with Mike at our favorite farm stand - Babinski's on Newlight Lane in Watermill - yesterday, we mentioned our perennial search for zucchini blossoms and our frustration with not being able to find any, even in the midst of all of the East End's farms. Mike immediately smiled and said "Follow me". He led Peter and me to the fields behind his family's stand, retrieved his clippers from his belt, and bent over and began to clip, blossom after beautiful blossom, and only stopped when the basket was filled with a baker's dozen - comprised of one female and a dozen males flowers.

Happily in possession of our small treasure trove, we returned home to execute our dream. Wanting desperately to replicate that light crisp texture and exquisitely simple flavor, we set about frying a batch. First we checked the blossoms for any free-loaders and finding none, we coated each blossom with a batter comprised of only flour (2/3 cup), beer (3/4 cup), and a little salt and ground white pepper. We deep fried them (2-3 at a time) for a minute or two in a mixture of canola and olive oil (1 inch deep in a sauce pan) heated to 375 degrees F, just until they were golden. We removed them to paper towel, sprinkled them with a little salt and a dusting of freshly ground Parmigiana Reggiano, took a few photos and then ... they disappeared! They were just as delicate and delicious as I remember them.

So if you're fortunate enough to be in an area where there are farm stands or farmers markets, befriend a farmer and ask if he/she would sell you a basket full of zucchini blossoms. They are simple to prepare, as you can see in Peter's video.

Eat them shortly after cooking them while they are still a little warm and very crisp - it's pure bliss!

Blue Angels

The Bethpage Federal Credit Union sponsors an air show every year around Memorial Day at Jones Beach and this year we linked up with former colleagues of mine from the bank and made a day of it. It was a wonderful day, cool, generally overcast with hints of sun from time to time, so we didn't have to worry about sunburns or too much heat. By 8:00 a.m., Kevin had secured an area for all of us along the front edge of the boardwalk. Chairs, coolers, cameras and sweaters were the required kit for the day. The show commenced at 10:00 a.m. and was over by 3:00 p.m. and I can honestly say I was never bored. Parachutes, bi-planes, helicopters and jets - you name it and we saw it fly but the pièce de résistance was the Blue Angels in the F/A-18 Hornets.

The Blue Angels were introduced to the skies over the beach by a Lockheed-Martin C-130 Hercules which the Blue Angel pilots affectionately call Fat Albert. It's big, slow-by comparison, and has propellers. The F/A-18's, on the other hand, are sleek, fast and jet propelled. Their formations are familiar to most and a challenge to photograph especially at the higher speeds between 500 and 700 mph! But thousands upon thousands of us tried and the attached slide show is an aggregation of what Peter and I thought were our best and most entertaining shots of the Blue Angels from that day. Of course I had to put music to it, so why not Navy Blue & Gold played by the American Military Band. Let us know what you think. Once you click on the arrow to start the slide show don't forget to click on the 360 and select the largest number from the dropdown list to get the highest quality slide show. Expand it to fit the entire screen by clicking on the four arrows.

 

Photos & slide show by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker, 2010, All Rights Reserved

 

We're working on another slide show of the other performers from that day. Stay tuned.

 

East Hampton Swans

There's a family of Mute Swans that lives on the pond in the center of East Hampton, New York. They've been there for as long as memory serves and each spring the cob (that's Dad) and the pen (that's Mom) start a new family and produce five to nine cygnets (those are the kids). It's really quite something to watch this family float along the water right in the center of town. 

One can spend hours on the water's edge watching them preen, play and nap, which is exactly what Peter and I did last spring. There were seven cygnets then, one "blond" and six "brunettes". The pen never wanders very far from her brood, but the cob ... that's another story which plays out in the slide show and video attached below. 

Permit me to set this up for you. As we all know, swans mate for life, which is a reality that can make even the most monogamous pine for a little variety from time to time. Despite having a picture perfect family and a beautiful mate, this cob just had to stretch his wings and see what might be happening at the other end of the pond, and what did he find? Apparently one equal to his every fantasy, one rendering him powerless and unable to restrain his passionate nature, one willing to receive his attentions and caresses without complaint for hours on end - literally.

 

Photos and slide show by Claudia Ward, 2010, All Rights Reserved
Music: Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Op.20: No.22 Danse Napolitaine by Boston Pops Orchestra & Seiji Ozawa

This cob showered kisses upon this reflection of himself for over an hour and as you can see was truly devastated when the object of his affections was taken away. Have you ever seen anyone so utterly dejected?

Video by Peter Tooker, 2010, All Rights Reserved

LIRR Cannonball - The Movie

Peter's Post: 

Variations on a theme; the movie version of Claudia's slideshow: The Hamptons Memorial Day Weekend. Enjoy!

Video by Peter Tooker, 2010, All Rights Reserved

With a Name Like Co Co. ...

it's just got to be good, right? We stumbled upon one of the best restaurants Peter and I have ever eaten in, on F Street in Washington D.C., called Co Co Sala. I'd seen it from the double decker bus that we'd been touring the city on to get our bearings, and with a name like CoCo I couldn't resist. There were tables outside under chocolate brown umbrellas, but the day had heated up and we decided to cool down inside. Walking inside was like being transferred to another world. It was immediately apparent that this was no ordinary restaurant and that this was going to be an experience to remember. In fact, Co Co Sala isn't a restaurant in the ordinary sense of the word, it's a "chocolate lounge and boutique". The decor is comfortably modern with two rooms and we chose to sit in the one where we could watch the artisanal chocolates being made as well as the artistic dessert plates being prepared. The staff could not have been more friendly and our waiter guided us to selections we may not have made without his assistance. 

Peter photographed every aspect of this unique environment, including the four foot tall flower sculpture made entirely of chocolate that could be seen behind the glass, in the kitchen. Once we finally settled in, our waiter suggested that we might like to try one of Co Co's "Signature Sips" - perhaps an Alisar might quench our thirst, made with Grey Goose Le Citron, cucumber and fresh lime juice, or perhaps the Co Cojito, Van Gogh infused vodka, with fresh mint and limes, topped with dark chocolate flakes, the latter having been recently voted the best cocktail in D.C. We had one of each and my oh my what an experience in flavors!

Co Co Sala has a three course prix fixe lunch which we had to partake in because it all sounded just so interesting and good. Peter started with Five Cheese Fritters and, believe it or not, I started with Rosemary and Parmesan Fries - the best fries I have ever had! Our entrees were Chicken Caesar Flat Bread and Artichoke Tart, and dessert was simply sublime. Check out the photographs in the slide show. Every plate was a work of art, appreciated by the eye as well as the palate. Needless to say, we didn't leave the boutique without a small sampler of Co Co's artisanal chocolates and of course Peter couldn't resist the chocolate cover, apple-smoked bacon! Mon Dieu!

This was such an unexpected surprise and an experience neither of us will forget. Co Co Sala is a must if you ever come to D.C., especially if you have a penchant for chocolate. It's located at 929 F Street, NW and you can call 202 347 4265 for a reservation.