Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

The old pebbles  garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was absolutely wonderful. It was a copy of the one in Kyoto that I visited long ago. However it was torn down in the eighties to make room for a pathetic children's farm that was hardly used and is now a place to stockpile manure. What a silly idea. These images date from the mid seventies and as it can be seen, it was very popular place for relaxation and contemplation.

There is a magic in looking at medium format Ektachromes especially when they have kept their glorious color. This shot dates from the spring of 1875 and was shot in Central Park.

These young musicians participate in the musical enrichment programs offered by the Walter H Hoerning Fund. There are other activities in addition to music. The fund helps inner city boys to achieve in areas that would be impossible for them even to contemplate. The boys had their annual recital at the Brooklyn Conservatory of music, a participating institution. My wife Marcy is on the board of directors and I provide the photographic services.

Spring was late this year but finally the cherry blossoms are out in all their splendor  It's always worth the wait.

Agriturismo is a concept that only Italians could have developed. In it's purest form it means tourism on a farm where along with accommodations, superb local cuisine meals are served and one can even participate in the farming. Some offer classes food preparation and cooking. In it's loose and more commercialized form the term encompasses modern structures mixed with modernized old ones decorated in a sort of make believe way in which one kind of imagines things were but in actuality this is somewhat fictional. However, the food is excellent and tourists have a good time. There are also enoturismo places where wines are sampled and even ittico turismo un boats with fishing and diving being featured. This modern structure in the "old style" is in Val D'Erice in Western Sicily. It has great and functional architecture and excellent food. All criticism aside, it's a great place to eat and stay.

He lives up the block from my house in Sicily and he is a professional fisherman. Tommaso is truly a wonderful man. I caught him  while he was enjoying and sharing some very fresh fish that he had brought home fried. I can still savor them.