“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!
This Week’s Apéritif: Agorà Bianco Frizzante, Valle d'Itria IGT
Ryan Wildstar’s Recommendations:
Reading: Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang
Listening: Sarah Vaughan in the 1950s (The Mercury/EmArcy Years)
Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown (1955) [Recorded December 18, 1954]
In the Land of Hi-Fi (1955) [Recorded October 25–27, 1955]
Sassy (1956) [Recorded April 1956]
At Mister Kelly's (1958) [Recorded August 6–8, 1957]
Sarah Vaughan Discography: The 1950s (via Michael Minn)
Sassy: Sarah Vaughan In The Late 1950s (via Indiana Public Media)
Jazz at Lincoln Center Celebrates The Sarah Vaughan Centennial (April 19-20, 2024, 8:00pm at the Rose Theater)
Watch a fantastic documentary - Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One (which originally aired on PBS American Masters back in 1991, and is currently available on Dailymotion)
Looking: The Art of Ellen Day Hale (February 11, 1855 – February 11, 1940)
Hale’s magnetic, mesmerizing ‘Self-Portrait’ (via the Boston Globe)
Viewing: Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (FX & Hulu) — directed by Gus Van Sant, created by Ryan Murphy, Jaffe Cohen & Michael Zam, starring Tom Hollander as Truman Capote, with Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Treat Williams, Joe Mantello, Russell Tovey & Jessica Lange
Tasting: R&R’s Valentine’s Day Dinner!
Appetizer: Cajun Deviled Eggs paired with Murviedro Cava Organic Brut Rosé
Main Course: Shrimp Étouffée over Basmati Rice paired with a 2021 Cantine Iorio Taburno Falanghina del Sannio
Dessert: Heart-shaped Red Velvet Cake & Carmel Cream Cake paired with Ramazzotti Sambuca
Ryan Elston’s Recommendations:
Reading: See What You're Missing: New Ways of Looking at the World Through Art by Will Gompertz
Read an excerpt here: How Yayoi Kusama Transformed Her Terrors Into Art: Will Gompertz on the Complex Life and Work of an Iconic Japanese Artist (via LitHub)
Listening: Sarah Vaughan in the 1950s (The Mercury/EmArcy Years)
Swingin' Easy (1957) [Recorded April 2, 1954 & February 14, 1957]
Sarah Vaughan Sings George Gershwin (1958) [Recorded March 20, 21 1957]
No Count Sarah (1958) [Recorded August 6–8, 1957]
Vaughan and Violins (1959) [Recorded July 7–12, 1958]
Sarah Vaughan Discography: The 1950s (via Michael Minn)
Sassy: Sarah Vaughan In The Late 1950s (via Indiana Public Media)
Jazz at Lincoln Center Celebrates The Sarah Vaughan Centennial (April 19-20, 2024, 8:00pm at the Rose Theater)
Watch a fantastic documentary - Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One (which originally aired on PBS American Masters back in 1991, and is currently available on Dailymotion)
Looking: The Art of Jennifer Packer
Jennifer Packer at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. / Jennifer Packer at Corvi-Mora / Jennifer Packer at Serpentine Galleries
Jennifer Packer: Will Gompertz reviews the artist's show at the Serpentine Gallery ★★★★★ (via BBC News)
Viewing: Viewing: Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (FX & Hulu) — directed by Gus Van Sant, created by Ryan Murphy, Jaffe Cohen & Michael Zam, starring Tom Hollander as Truman Capote, with Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Treat Williams, Joe Mantello, Russell Tovey & Jessica Lange
Tasting: R&R’s Valentine’s Day Dinner!
Appetizer: Cajun Deviled Eggs paired with Murviedro Cava Organic Brut Rosé
Main Course: Shrimp Étouffée over Basmati Rice paired with a 2021 Cantine Iorio Taburno Falanghina del Sannio
Dessert: Heart-shaped Red Velvet Cake & Carmel Cream Cake paired with Ramazzotti Sambuca
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 bars?” Here are some of the great responses from the comments:
Ryan Wildstar chose The Formosa Cafe in Los Angeles!
Ryan Elston chose The Wildrose in Seattle!
kde chose The Exit in Amsterdam!
Cheryl chose The Timberline in Seattle!
Katie Kleinhesselink chose Hell or High Water Tiki Bar in Denver!
Del Mar chose Ports in Los Angeles!
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’re celebrating 100 years of Sarah Vaughan, one of the greatest torch singers of all time.
So, our question for the table this week is:
Who’s one of YOUR favorite torch singers?
Is it Peggy Lee or Eartha Kitt? Nat King Cole or Mel Tormé? Dinah Washington or Tony Bennett? 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 thank you for joining us for Season Two of Aesthetic Arrest!
Cheers to that!
Aesthetic Arrest Podcast: Sarah Vaughan's Centennial, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, C Pam Zhang & Shrimp Étouffée!