Exactly two months after Hurricane Isaac made landfall in New Orleans, Hurricane Sandy is fast approaching the northeastern U.S. coast. This past weekend, my husband and I were visiting home in Philadelphia where it seemed like deja vu; the news was monopolized by hurricane coverage. Video clips of empty grocery store shelves, long lines, school…
Pulling at One’s Heartstrings: Classical Indian Dance
Mirga sirsa (“deer’s head” Since childhood, I have loved dance. Particularly, Indian dance has been my performance art of choice. Although I never had any complete formal training, the multi-faceted benefits of dance are truly awe-inspiring. I started out in elementary school with a group of young girls getting together to choreograph, practice, and perform…
International Day of the Girl Child
“Women have a special capacity to lead us to a more peaceful world with compassion, affection and kindness. And there is no more important time for that than this moment.” [The Dalai Lama] 10.11.12. Today is the very first UN International Day of the Girl Child. The holiday was formed in December 2011 by…
immeasurable beauty
sharp is the contrast between brilliant blue heaven, soft and clear as powder on silk, and rugged golden rocks speckled with green spots that dripped from the paintbrush of divinity. salty are the tears that poured into the sweet earth which burned their feet and bore their fruit. lovely is the wind that lifted coal-colored…
The Drunken Reveler
Wine and cheese are a favorite combination around the world. In any major city, people enjoy sitting down with a glass of wine (red has always been my preference!) and a selection of cheeses and warm breads. I recently visited a wine shop cleverly christened Swirl for a casual meeting to discuss casual topics such as…
Oak Alley
Like many southern states, Louisiana’s history is rich with plantations and estates. The lands are kept well-maintained and open for visitors to tour. One (very, very) hot summer day last August, my husband and I visited the historic grounds and Antebellum mansion at Oak Alley Plantation. Located on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and…
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Almost one full year ago, a good friend and coworker invited me and an interviewing applicant to view William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Somehow, I had gone through all of high school and college without having to read more than one or two of Shakespeare’s plays. Unfortunately, this was not one of them! Feeling…
The Aboveground Work of an Underground World
Street art is absolutely fascinating. I never paid attention to the strange creativity of it until I moved to New Orleans and noticed the words “You Go Girl” graffitied onto a small patch of a building, something that could easily go unnoticed, during my first year of residency. On any given day when I would…
The Lotus
A resonant chant sung by voices Rich like her roots Divine like the secrets of a goddess Devotional Pure Heard only by the soul tumultuous and yearning Behind closed eyes A sacred lotus Untainted by the dirty water it floats in Thus is she seated there on the floor where millions pass each day Breath…
A Streetcar Named Desire
In April, I had the opportunity to see a live performance of Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The Southern Rep theater hosts several performances each month, and thank goodness for the five-minute drive to work when I heard about this showing on NPR. I had read the play for English class in high school and…
Hurricane Isaac
Since moving to New Orleans two years and and two months ago, I have experienced plenty of rain, heat, and flash flooding. However, I experienced my first bona fide hurricane when Isaac paid a visit to Louisiana, commemorating the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I had heard the many stories from patients, coworkers, attending physicians,…
pen . paper . storm 