Mid-Week Libation: Lush Life
Samara Joy sings Billy Strayhorn, the ancient wines of Georgia, celebrating Louisa May Alcott, Meshell Ndegeocello's music & film picks, & the bond between Ireland & the Choctaw Nation!
Mid-Week Libation is our weekly curated splash of inspiration and culture! Click above to listen to this weeks’ audio segment!
Lush Life: Listen to Samara Joy’s Gorgeous Interpretation of “Lush Life,” composed by Billy Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967)
Fascinating Article: The Unlikely, Enduring Friendship Between Ireland and the Choctaw Nation
“One act of generosity during the Great Famine forged a bond that transcends generations” [Source]
“The Unlikely, Enduring Friendship Between Ireland and the Choctaw Nation” by Richard Grant (via Smithsonian Magazine)
Kindred Spirits, a sculpture by Alex Pentek in Bailick Park in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland, which commemorates the 1847 donation by the Choctaw People to Irish famine relief during the Great Hunger:
Wine, Food & History: Georgian Winemakers Restoring Country’s Ancient Grape Varieties
“Georgia, considered the birthplace of wine, has been making wine for 8,000 years. Producers are restoring the country’s ancient grape varieties and introducing Georgian wines to the rest of the world.” [Source]
Bonus: Wildstar’s Wednesday Wine Pick - Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli Amber Wine (Kakheti, Georgian Republic)
The Woman Behind Little Women: Louisa May Alcott (November 29, 1832 – March 6, 1888)
Alcott: ‘Not The Little Woman You Thought She Was’ (via NPR)
For a serious deep-dive into all things Alcott, check out Susan Bailey’s wonderful blog: Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Today is also the birthday of her fascinating father, progressive educator & author Amos Bronson Alcott (November 29, 1799 – March 4, 1888)
Little Women at 150 and the Patriarch who Shaped the Book's Tone (via The Conversation)
Brave New Worlds: Geraldine Brooks on the Life of Bronson Alcott (via The Guardian)
Music & Film Picks: Meshell Ndegeocello - What's In My Bag? (via Amoeba Music)
Artists Born Today: November 29th
Visual Artists:
Today is the birthday of Guillaume Coustou the Elder, Alexander Brullov, Gottfried Semper, Manuel de Araújo Porto-Alegre, William Blake Richmond, Gertrude Jekyll, Jules-Alexis Muenier, Józef Pankiewicz, Lucy Hayward Barker, Mary Huntoon, Albert Müller, Emanuele Cavalli, Barbara C. Freeman, Francis Whitaker, Elizabeth Nottingham, Oscar Reutersvärd, Kahlil Gibran, Richard Bartholomew, David Goldblatt, Ilona Keserü, James Rosenquist, Gregory Gillespie, Richard Burnside, Rita Grosse-Ruyken, Alex Grey, Kevin Bubriski, René Romero Schuler, Massimo Fenati, Maha Al-Asaker and Cristina Otero!
Writers, Philosophers & Scholars:
Today is the birthday of Andrés Bello, Amos Bronson Alcott, Wendell Phillips, William Ellery Channing, Louisa May Alcott, C. S. Lewis, Ludu Daw Amar, Madeleine L'Engle, Jose Yglesias, Frank Kermode, Richard Glazar, France Balantič, Michael Howard, Jean Sénac, Conceição Evaristo, Evangelina Vigil-Piñón, Hideo Levy, Jean-Philippe Toussaint, Christopher Richards, Sophia Rosenfeld, Greg Rucka, Sarah Jones and Tom Taylor!
Musicians & Composers:
Today is the birthday of Gaetano Donizetti, Lucille Hegamin, Viola Smith, Albennie Jones, Coleridge Goode, Billy Strayhorn, John Lamb, John Mayall, Billy Hart, Chuck Mangione, Silvio Rodríguez, Shih, Roger Troutman, Michael White, Michael Dempsey and Ronny Jordan!
Film/TV/Stage:
Today is the birthday of Busby Berkeley, Margaret Barr, Kinuyo Tanaka, Pearl Primus, Dagmar, Rupert Crosse, Diane Ladd, Garry Shandling, Jeff Fahey, Joel Coen, Howie Mandel, Hinton Battle, Cathy Moriarty, Andrew McCarthy, Don Cheadle, Ellen Cleghorne, Chadwick Boseman, Simon Amstell, Jiggly Caliente, Paolo Ballesteros, Lucas Black, Gemma Chan and Franchesca Ramsey!
This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Billy Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967)
By the way, if you’re looking for new music, check out our Monday article:
