I don’t know about you, but I (here in the Northern hemisphere) have always experienced this time of year as the beginning of my personal ‘high season’. Something about the onset of summer – longer twilights, spontaneous pool days, the first slices of watermelon and Aperol spritzes, evening walks – is tinged with anticipation and promise. This month has been particularly special, bookended as it was by the wonderful Calabash Literary Festival in Treasure Beach, Jamaica (aka my second home). Calabash is a biannual gathering of writers and readers from all over the globe, and since its inaugural edition in 2001 it has grown and attracted some of the best authors of our time (Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, Marlon James, Wole Soyinka, Joyce Carol Oates this year - to name but a few). It’s completely free for all and full of readings, dialogues, open mics, workshops, concerts, sound clashes, a marketplace and more. Or simply put - A TOTAL VIBE! I’ve included a few glimpses of the magic here, if you’re curious. And regardless of where you are, I wish you a season full of light, ease and pleasure!
10 Things to Check Out
It’s been hard to find the right words to fully sum up the aforementioned Calabash, but this piece by Kristin Braswell in Essence does a pretty good job! As she writes, “Calabash is not a festival of pomp and who knows who. It’s an experience where you’ll sit next to a Pulitzer Prize-winning author or Oscar-nominated actress, share a rum punch and move into a midnight concert replete with dancehall and Afrobeat tunes. Here it’s art, not titles, that takes center stage.”
Looking for a sweet treat to beat the summer heat? I highly endorse the mango Tajin popsicles by Outshine. Tajin, in case you didn’t know, is a chili-lime seasoning from Mexico that is great on both fruit and margarita glass rims alike. On a sweet mango popsicle, it’s bliss!
Given my interest in all things literary (certainly this month but also more broadly, considering what I do for a living), I’ve been reflecting a lot recently about what it means to read and to have the ability to read. My maternal grandmother was illiterate, and I’ve encountered so many individuals over the course of my professional and broader life journey who aren’t able to read and write. Would you believe that even in a country like the United States, the quest for literacy in children has been an increasingly complicated journey? Learn more about the so-called “reading wars” here (gift link from the NY Times).
I’ve really been enjoying the Wiser Than Me podcast by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who I’ve been a fan of since her days as Elaine on Seinfeld. In the pod, she talks with a range of fabulous “older” women (Jane Fonda, Amy Tan, Diane von Furstenberg, etc.) and “get[s] schooled in how to live a full and meaningful life”. I particularly appreciated the episode with Chilean novelist Isabel Allende (one of my favorite writers), where the two ladies talk about finding love in one’s twilight years, letter writing, blueberry edibles and lots more. Truly a delight!
As I’ve been trying to cultivate a writing practice for the better part of the last year, I’ve been truly curious about the practices and mindsets of writers and other creatives. Calabash was such a delightful experience in this regard, filling my cup with new energy, ideas and connections. I also really appreciated this piece from GQ on “31 Secrets to Unlocking Your Curiosity” and was glad to note that I’ve gravitated towards some of these instinctively.
Summer is the season for…taking care of your skin! And yes, that applies to us melanin-rich folk as well. My favorite sunscreen is Kopari’s Sun Shield Body Glow. This is a lightweight, broad-spectrum gel that’s effective (SPF 50) and has all clean ingredients. It also happens to give your skin the most dewy, sun-kissed glow and to smell like a vacation villa perfumed with bougainvillea and jasmine. It retails for $39 but is well worth it! I also recently picked up Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen (SPF 40), as recommended by my friend Daniela. It’s super light, clear, hydrating and doesn’t leave any chalkiness, even on dark skin. Only $8.99!
DMV residents: is it just me or are live music experiences and other cultural events in our city – at least the more popular ones – getting increasingly oversubscribed and difficult to access? That’s one of the reasons why I was thrilled to discover The Pocket, an intimate performance space in the Bloomingdale area. My friends and I spent an evening this month grooving to Niito, a great jazzy R&B ensemble from Raleigh, and I can’t wait to return!
Are you interested in supporting literacy and other community projects in the Treasure Beach community? If so, a donation to the Treasure Beach Women’s Group is a great idea! This is a fabulous group of women who organize education and income-generating projects to support women and the broader community. They also run a fabulous craft shop, where visitors to Treasure Beach can pick up “starlights” and other lovely handicrafts for a good cause.
My favorite thing about our new home in DC is the wonderful balcony, nestled among the trees and bordering a tributary/nature trail of Rock Creek Park. The trees in question are sanctuary to so many types of birds. Sitting out on the balcony, we spot cardinals, sparrows, owls, even golden eagles! There’s one cardinal in particular (“Cardi B”, my son Rohan calls him) who serenades us all day with the most beautiful lullabies. Given recent events, I was amazed to learn that many cultures perceive cardinals as a harbinger of angels, or a sign that the loved ones we have lost are at peace. With all this faith in the universe literally in my backyard, I downloaded Merlin, a free birding app that helps you identify birds and their songs and calls. Check it out!
So the poem at the end of this newsletter? It was one of two that I read at one of the open mic sessions at Calabash. I’ve been penning poems for the better part of last year but never thought I’d read in an open mic or otherwise speak my words out loud. But 2023 has been the year of doing hard things, and as I posted in my social media, when the moment came I actually felt no trepidation. Rather, I only felt the palpable warm embrace weaved by the words of my fellow readers. Teachers and librarians. A barefoot dub poet. The Mexican ambassador to Jamaica. Lawyers and accountants. A Rastaman wielding (literally!) a manifesto for a new republic. Performance artists. Aunties and grandmas. One Love pure and true. So I did the damn thing! Check out my reading here!
What I Read
Despite being at a literary festival, I didn’t read too much while in Treasure Beach, as both the days and nights were filled with so much other activity. I did pick up poetry collections by some of the greats who read there – Mutabaruka, Olive Senior and Staceyann Chin – and can’t wait to dive into those! I’m also really enjoying A Renaissance of Our Own by Rachel Cargle, a manifesto on reimagining our lives and all the possibilities they hold.
What I Watched
I’ve really been enjoying the second season of Taste the Nation on Hulu, produced and hosted by the wonderful Padma Lakshmi, which tells the stories of the varied immigrant groups who have collectively defined what American food is today. If you’re interested in food, travel or community, this is the show for you! In this season, Padma makes pasteles in Puerto Rico, introduces us to the food of the Afghan community around DC and explores what borscht means for Ukrainian identity. Not coincidentally, it was a pleasure to see and hear Padma “reasoning” at Calabash with the wonderful Jamaican writer Kei Miller.
What I Listened To
The music at the Calabash Festival – live performances by Imeru Tafari, Ras-I & Tanya Stephens, a sound clash with dancehall and Afrobeats and an acoustic ensemble that paid homage to Third World – was wonderful! But earlier in the month, I enjoyed a tribute to women in jazz at the Kennedy Center. The highlight of the show I attended was the Doreen Ketchens Jazz Ensemble, helmed by the fabulous clarinetist Doreen and her wonderful ensemble (which includes her husband of 40 years Lawrence, who plays the sousaphone). I’ve never been to New Orleans but they took me there that night! Check out Doreen & co.’s music on your favorite music streaming platform.
What I Cooked
Here’s a summer classic for you, a riff on the classic combo of watermelon and feta. Have this with some sparkling water - preferably served in a gigantic wine glass over ice and lime – and I guarantee pretty much 100% satisfaction! Let’s call this Watermelon, Gorgonzola & Mint Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Make the dressing by whisking together ½ tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp pomegranate molasses, 1 finely chopped shallot, salt and black pepper. Slowly pour in 3 tbsp olive oil, mix well and set aside. In a large bowl or serving platter, toss together roughly ½ of a large watermelon (seeded and chopped into large chunks), a handful of crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese (or feta, if you want to keep it more traditional) and some torn mint leaves. Dress to your liking. Quantities are all totally fungible!
And a poem to sign off…
PEAK CONDITIONS You ask for my full unfurling, But allow me to let you in on something: Full bloom requires peak conditions. There are some spirits On this land That need fingernail moons And blankets of stars That weave synapses With the ones we loved, The ones we lost, The ones we will love still. Some of us need kaleidoscopes In the sky, Rain that ripens mangos, Boisterous ocean that roars Our insignificance Yet illuminates our powers and magic spells. So me, I crave this stillness, This melting, this being. Sweeping horizons, limitless breath. - Ramya Vivekanandan, May 23, 2023
Thank you for reading and for being here! Please feel free to leave a comment, let me know what has inspired YOU this month or share this newsletter with anyone who you think would enjoy it. See you next time!