Aesthetic Arrest Podcast: Ava DuVernay's 'Origin,' Loreena McKennitt, Eric Carmen & Turkish Çılbır with Shrimp!

“The aesthetic experience is a simple beholding of the object . . . you experience a radiance. You are held in aesthetic arrest.” - Joseph Campbell

Aesthetic Arrest is our weekly dip into the Epicurean pleasures we’ve been enjoying lately. Cheers to that!

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This Week’s Apéritif: 2021 Ruggeri Prosecco Superiore Brut “Vecchie Viti,” DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Italy

• (Grapes: Glera 94%, Verdiso 2%, Bianchetta 2% and Perera 2% from single selected vines aged between 80 – 100 years)

[Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

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Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:

Reading: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

Purchase here.

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Listening: The Music of Eric Carmen (August 11, 1949 - March 11, 2024)

• Obituary from The Guardian

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Looking: The Art of Bolesław Biegas (1877 - 1954)

1) Ritual Gestures; 2) Solitude; 3) Personage; 4); Horizon; 5) Harlequin; 6) Józef Piłsudski; 7) Hindu Woman; 8) Fantastic Scene 9) Echo

1) The Sphinx; 2) Flame Dancer; 3) Gallery at Muzeum Mazowieckie w Płocku in Poland; 4) Muzeum Mazowieckie w Płocku in Poland; 5) The Nostalgia of the Poor; 6) Baudelaire

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Viewing: Origin — written & directed by Ava DuVernay, inspired by Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Audra McDonald, Vera Farmiga, Nick Offerman & Blair Underwood

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Tasting: Ryan Wildstar’s Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs) with Sautéed Shrimp

[Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

• For a fantastic recipe from The Mediterranean Dish, click here!

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Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:

Reading: Daughters of Latin America: An International Anthology of Writing by Latine Women edited by Sandra Guzmán

Purchase here.

• These Poems by Latin American Women Reflect a Multilingual Region (via NPR)

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Listening: The Road Back Home by Loreena McKennitt

Purchase or Stream (multiple platforms)

• Official Site of Loreena McKennitt / Current Tour Dates!

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Looking: The Art of Marianne North (1830 – 1890)

1) Leaf-Insects and Stick-Insects; 2) A New Pitcher Plant from the Limestone Mountains of Sarawak, Borneo; 3) Japan; 4) A Chilean Stinging Nettle and Male and Female Beetles

1) The Sacred Lotus or Pudma; 2) Foliage, Flowers and Fruit of the Capucin Tree of the Seychelles; 3) View from Collaroy, New South Wales, Looking towards the Liverpool Downs; 4) The Clove in Fruit and View over Mahé, Seychelles; 5) View of Puerto de Orotava, Teneriffe, from Sitio del Pardo; 6) African Baobab Tree in the Princess's Garden at Tanjore, India; 7) View in a Redwood Forest, California; 8) View of the Jesuit College of Caracas, Minas Geraes, Brazil; 9) Distant View of Kinchinjunga from Darjeeling

• The Radical Victorian Lady behind an Essential Collection of Botanical Art (via Atlas Obscura)

• Marianne North: An Unsung Pioneer of Botanical Art (via Google Arts & Culture)

• Watch the documentary, Victorian Rebel: Marianne North, via Paramount+ or the Smithsonian Channel!

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Viewing: Clara Sola (2021) — directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, starring Wendy Chinchilla Araya

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Tasting: Ryan Wildstar’s Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs) with Sautéed Shrimp

[Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

[Photo by Ryan Wildstar]

• For a fantastic recipe from The Mediterranean Dish, click here!

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That’s it for this week! But we want the dinner party to continue! So each week we are asking a “dinner party” question for everyone joining us here at our table. Last week, we asked: “What's one of YOUR favorite photographs?”

Here are some of the great responses from the comments:

• Ryan Wildstar chose “Black and White,” a 1926 photograph by Man Ray! [Click here to see it.]

• Ryan Elston chose Robert Mapplethorpe's portrait of Patti Smith for the cover of her 1975 album, Horses! [Click here to see it.]

• kde chose the landscape photography of Ansel Adams! [Click here to see numerous examples.]

• Brenda Bryson sent in one of her own beautiful photos!

[Photo by Brenda Bryson]

• Sarah chose two beautiful photos by Lee Friedlander and Vivian Maier! [Click here to see the photo by Lee Friedlander. Click here to see the photo by Vivian Maier.]

Thank you everyone for your wonderful responses! That was last week . . . but we don't want this week's dinner party to end either!

So here is this week's question for the table:

This week, we talked about Çılbır, a traditional Turkish breakfast made with poached eggs, yogurt, garlic and spices. So, our question for the table this week is:

What's YOUR favorite breakfast?

Tell us your choice in the comments and we’ll share some of your responses on next week’s podcast!

Also, don't forget to stop by The Epicurean Vagabonds Substack on Wednesdays, to check out our revamped Mid-Week Libations! Now with audio segments featuring Ryan & Ryan!

And, as always, thank you for joining us for Season Two of Aesthetic Arrest!

Cheers to that!

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