Dear Everyone,
I wish to extend to you a very Happy Holiday and New Year whether you be in the freezing climes of Serbia to the sunshine of the Southern Hemisphere.The magical first snow fall of New York or the humid warmth of the tropics.
This is a further time of year to think about our steps towards generating peace and good will on this earth.
As the monks say in my film Buddha Wild Monk in a Hut - www.buddhawild.com- "it is no use just saying love, loving kindness- you have to do it,you have to show it"
We remember those in Africa and Middle East and elsewhere who are struggling with political uncertainty, shelter and food on their tables.
We strive to do our best for humanity.
Blessings.
For the holiday season I have replaced New York concrete with the natural stones of a river bend and the fresh air of gardens, mind you ,it's supposed to be much warmer than what it is! photos copyright and by Brian Fields 2008
One of my favorite places to seek refuge in NYC is the refurbished Bowery Hotel. If you manage to extricate yourself from its roaring fires in the main room, you discover a stunning atrium at the back. A great space ,rain or sunshine,filled with comfortable oversize wicker chairs facing onto the last remaining patch of private grass in NYC- (it is in fact that of a rather romantic old fashioned cemetry plot)
It was between the wicker chairs and the comfortable fire place on a rainy day that I found myself in a long and engaging telephone interview with whizz kid NYC property developer Matt Blesso.
I just like the guy. Amongst all these hardened property developers in NYC, and I have met a few, and of which there are as many hardened self centered bankers, it is refreshing to see a young man charged of a greater purpose than just himself,and
making conscious efforts to build
The day one of these banks fell over recently,a NYC banker, from that bank, walked away with a bonus of 38 million. No questions asked. Someone ,in the banking world, had the strangest thing to say to me in response-' bankers work hard they deserve it' Rubbish- Doctors work hard - and they save lives! Mostly I see bankers saving themselves with little regard for everyone else. We all work hard. But I digress from the rich young man at the end of the phone, talking about what he is doing for his part, as the rain beats down.
Matt recently opened his own home to the masses to show his protocol for greener living.Situated in Manhattan the home is a 'natural ' haven in the midst of the Big Apple.
Matthew Blesso, founded Blesso Properties.He is a rare success in the property world that virtually every single board or committee he sits on, is with the aim of making things better. A cynic would say- Blesso is just catching a trend.Well, that may or may not be the case,but it's a good trend to catch.He is also putting his money where his mouth is and making it personal.
For the past few years, Blesso has been researching the newest and most effective green “home” technologies, and he is now showcasing some of those products and systems in his own Noho loft, which the company is using as a testing ground for future projects. The Blesso loft integrates environmentally-sustainable features which will be incorporated in the firm’s future projects, it also serves as a platform for the firm’s remarkable design capabilities.
Partnering with renowned architects Joel Sanders and Andrea Steele and leading landscape designer Diana Balmori, Blesso sought to utilize both tactile and visual elements of nature and accent their relationship with the existing urban conditions. The guest bathroom with walls and a floor made of excess cork from the bottle stop industry. The master bath feature a planted green wall from which the faucets pour water into a solid teak sink. Additional green features include a rainwater collection cistern, energy-star rated appliances, furniture made of recycled or salvaged materials, soundproofing insulation created from recycled denim, and dual-flush water conserving toilets. The “green roof” garden provides energy-saving benefits to the entire building in winter and summer. Additionally, it decreases the urban heat island effect and reduces storm water run-off and pollution by retaining and absorbing rainwater, a benefit to the city at large.I will make a note here, that of course virtually every country house in the world used rainwater cisterns,and I grew up with them, so it is interesting to see them being reborn in the modern era in a city like New York. I say ,that we sometimes have to look back to create our future forward.
Blesso’s home weaves elements of a garden through a New York City bachelor pad. And yes, girls,he is a bachelor..and I am sure loving every minute of it!
With his signature aesthetic, dubbed modern eco-urbanism, Blesso and his team have brought natural features like plants and natural fibers indoors, while transporting interior aspects such as furnishings, a mini-kitchen, bed, and even a large movie screen to the outdoors. The design team’s approach to this project was informed by a desire to create a living space that is both beautiful and comfortable and that minimizes environmental impacts. Part of the challenge to the designers’ natural aesthetic came from the many pipes, vents, railings, and other urban infrastructure so ubiquitous in New York City buildings. Rather than try to hide these characteristics of urban life, the residence embraces them .
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When asked about his new home and his vision behind it, Blesso states, “by blurring the distinction between inside and outside - literally bringing the garden to the interior and the living spaces to the exterior, the project implements a “green-ness” beyond a list of eco-friendly materials and systems. It sustains the experience of nature itself, not solely its precious resources.”
The loft is sustainable,unique- who else uses denim to soundproof walls? I loved the idea.
The property great rightly recently garnered top national honors and recognition from leaders in the architecture and design fields. The projectwas selected among the award winning projects in the 2008 Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) Professional Design Awards Program, won a Best of Year merit award from Interior Design Magazine, and won an Honor Award from the AIA Westchester/Mid-Hudson Chapter, a New York based chapter of the AIA in 2008.
If you are intersted in one of Matt's properties or Matt designing a property for you go to www.blessoproperties.com- and by they way- get one of me while you are at it! Thank you.
Back to the rain and my wicker chair.
copyright Anna Wilding 2008
In addition Thailand is also certainly going through it right now due to internal issues.
Peace - let us all create peace,in our actions.Let that be the common goal.Let us find ways to communicate and understand each other without violence.
Deepak Chopra says extremists could be reacting to Barack Obama's gestures toward Muslims.
CNN's Larry King spoke with author Deepak Chopra about the situation.
Larry King: Let's go to Dr. Deepak Chopra, the physician, philosopher. His new book is "Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment."
Where were you born in India, Deepak?
Deepak Chopra: I was born in Delhi, but I have been in these hotels many, many times. I have stayed there, so I know the scene; I know the restaurants. I have been trying to get in touch with my friends and relatives, some of whom I have spoken to, some of whom I can't speak to. The lines are jammed. We're texting each other.
A friend of mine from Egypt was in the restaurant at the Taj hotel when the firing started, and somehow she managed to avoid the fray, hid in a basement and is now holed up in a room which is right next to the Taj hotel and is waiting to be told what to do.
The situation is complex, Larry, because it could inflame to proportions that we cannot even imagine. It has to be contained. We now recognize that this is a global problem, with only a global effort can solve this.
And you know, one of the things that I think is happening is that these militant terrorist groups are actually terrified that [President-elect Barack] Obama's gestures to the rest of the Muslim world may actually overturn the tables on them by alienating them from the rest of the Muslim world, so they're reacting to this.
You know, this is Obama's opportunity to actually harness the help of the Muslims.
You know, there's 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. That's 25 percent of the population of the world. It's the fastest-growing religion in the world. We cannot, if we do not appease and actually recruit the help of this Muslim world, we're going to have a problem on our hands.
And we cannot go after the wrong people, as we did after 9/11, because then the whole collateral damage that occurs actually aggravates the situation.
In India, this is particularly inflammatory, because there's a rise of Hindu fundamentalism. We saw what that did in Gujarat, where, you know, Muslims were scorched and they were killed, and there was almost a genocide of the Muslims.
India has 150 million Muslims. That's more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. So this is an opportunity right now for India and Pakistan to recognize this is their common problem. It's not a Muslim problem right now; it's a global problem.
King: Do you think that this is just the beginning, that there's a potential impact, or more?
Chopra: There is a potential impact of a lot more carnage. But it can be contained. And right now, one of the questions, you know, after I heard Barbara Starr talking about how coordinated this is, that there are militant groups that cross international boundaries, is who is financing this? Where is the money coming from? We have to ask very serious, honest questions. What role do we have in this? Are our petrodollars funding both sides of this war on terrorism? Why are we not asking the Saudis where that money is going that we give them? Is it going through this supply chain to Pakistan?
It's not enough for Pakistan to condemn it. Pakistan should cooperate with India in uprooting this. They should be part of the surgery that is going to happen.
It's not enough for Indians to blame Pakistanis. Indians should actually ask the Pakistanis to help them.
And it's not enough for us to worry about Westerners being killed and Americans being killed. Every life is precious over there. We have got to get rid of this idea that this is an American problem or a Western problem. It's a global problem, and we need a global solution, and we need the help of all the Muslims, 25 percent of the world's population, to help us uproot this problem.
King: What does India immediately do?
Chopra: India at this moment has to contain any reactive violence from the fundamentalist Hindus, which is very likely and possible. So India has to condemn that by not blaming local Muslims. They have to identify the exact groups.
And the world has to be very careful that they don't go after the wrong people. Because if you go after the wrong people, you convert moderates into extremists. It happens every time, and retribution against innocent people just because they have the same religion actually aggravates and perpetuates the problem.
King: Are you pessimistic?
Chopra: I think Mr. Obama has a real opportunity here, but a challenging opportunity, a creative opportunity.
Get rid of the phrase "war on terrorism." Ask for a creative solution in which we all participate.
King: Is it because the war on terrorism really can never be won because the terrorists (inaudible)?
Chopra: Because it's an oxymoron. It's an oxymoron, Larry, a war on war, a war on terrorism.
You know, terrorists call mechanized death from 35,000 feet above sea level with a press of a button also terror. We don't call it that, because our soldiers are wearing uniforms. They don't see what is happening, and innocent people are being killed. So, you know, terror is a term that you apply to the other.
King: Thanks, Deepak Chopra, as always, extraordinarily enlightening.
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Each Piece, Brings Peace ..
I probably wouldn't be a Jarecki supporter as he swings far right it seems.I think Bill Clinton has down a lot of good in this world- and when he made mistakes or not handled thigns as well as he might- such as Bosnia he has admitted it.I find Jarecki's levelling at Clinton unfair but then..Jarecki is coming in into it from his own very far right republican angle.
I thought I would publish the article-a colleague wrote it-and/as there is always room for differing viewpoints in the world.All a part of freedom of speech.Please read below or click on the link..
Eugene Jarecki and the American Way of War
The Military Industrial Complex and How to Defeat It
Of course, that is the Department of Defense in the executive branch and it works the same way regardless of the party in power. This speaks directly to the mandate Mr. Jarecki is calling for. Despite all the burdens of our nonstop, misnamed 9-5 lives, he says, "You need to be a Madison or this will all go to Hell."
Making matters worse is that media outlets not following the party line suffer a similar fate. Reporters asking the wrong questions will find themselves left out of the loop and lose the scoops that they come to count on from The White House.
It doesn't take a so called war to keep everyone in line either. Without much discussion, "Bill Clinton starved a half a million Iraqis and fought a war under the radar in Operation Desert Fox," he says.
In contrast, he prefers George Bush's brash, in your face approach to the nice guy double take of Bill Clinton. "He's a logo for how not to run a country," he says, and in turn, progressive causes gained ground all across the country and the world.
Nonetheless, with this broken machine, an unbridled effort to secure ourselves after September 11th would probably have arisen in either party. Eisenhower spoke to it long before The Patriot Act ever stood in for actual patriotism. "There's no such thing as perfect security but you may destroy yourself to get there," Mr. Jarecki conveyed the sentiment as student of the 34th president.
He might also go along with hero worship but even from where he stands and studies, Mr, Jarecki cautions against our tendency towards the American style of cult of personality adulation. Lincoln, Reagan, King and even Elvis stand out for us but change did not come solely from them. Obviously backed by masses, he says, within those groups there were smaller, dedicated groups that pushed the future over the top. That leaves us to look up and fill out the change of address forms.
Award winning film now on DVD in USA and New Zealand. To buy in USA go to www.amazon.com.To buy in NZ email info@buddhawild.com or ask for it at your local video store
I just love Canada.Both coasts.The Canadian Rockies are still one of the most magical places I have been to on the planet in winter.Lake Louise,Banff. It's all worth a trip.For those game - try to check this out!
WELCOME WINTER AT BANFF’S WINTERSTART FESTIVAL!
Travelers Can Celebrate Winter in the Albertan Rockies: Nov.24-Dec.8
Banff,
Alberta, November 21, 2008 —
Travelers can officially welcome another winter and get in the seasonal, snowy
spirit at Banff National Park’s WinterStart Festival with the ultimate
Rocky Mountain winter experience from November 24th- December 8th.
The two adrenaline-filled weeks will feature World Cup ski races, ice carving,
free events .
WinterStart Festival highlights include:
- Travelers can experience Banff’s renowned snowy slopes by themselves or alongside others while cheering on future Olympic athletes who are vying for a spot on the 2010 Winter Olympic alpine team at the men’s and ladies’ World Cup ski races at Lake Louise Mountain Resort from Nov. 29th-30th and Dec. 5th-7th. The fastest skiers on the planet hurtle down the mountain at speeds that easily top 100 kilometers an hour. Those who prefer to enjoy the excitement from the comfort of downtown Banff can catch the races on a JuboTron LED screen.
- Visitors can enjoy the holiday splendor of WinterStart’s annual “Christmas in the Rockies” event on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. Cascade Plaza and Banff Avenue square in downtown Banff will host a family-oriented afternoon filled with holiday treats including:
- Christmas crafts
- Cookie decorating
- Face painting
- Free popcorn and candy
- Ice carving demonstrations
Later that evening, lights will twinkle under the Rocky Mountain sky as a parade of holiday floats delights the crowds lining the streets of Banff Avenue. The Santa Claus Parade of Lights is the perfect way to end a family day!
Participants can enjoy these events and more with live music and World Cup award ceremonies throughout the festival that celebrates the start of another six months of outdoor adventures in the Canadian Rockies!
Travelers and their families can opt to stay in a condominium or chalet or Banff-area hotel and take part in a variety of seasonal activities. Bring skates and glide across frozen lakes and rivers, toboggan down nearby hills, or go for a steamy soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs under star-filled night skies.
For information on lodging packages like the below, see http://www.banfflakelouise.com
Banff Centre Performance/WinterStart Festival Special
Attend a performance at The Banff Centre (http://www.banffcentre.ca/) during the WinterStart Festival and get a special “Stay With Us” room rate of $72 per night (single or double occupancy) plus taxes. Performances include: Barra MacNeil’s Christmas Concert, Nov. 28; Stuart McLean & A Vinyl Cafe Christmas, Dec. 6; and Concert Night Out, Nov. 28 and Dec. 5.
Rooms: $72 per night; performance tickets: $13 to $40.
Gentleness.
Horses are one of New Zealand biggest livelihoods- be it breeding(yes many a Saudi prince has come here), Olympic equestrian events(remember Mark Tood),eventing, racing,or just the use of horses for mustering cattle on vast 'stations'-the equivalent of extremely large ranches in the USA.The fact is, in NZ...horses are a way of life.
As anyone who is aware of my work on Lord of the Rings..I am keenly aware of good horsemanship, treating horses well.
I would like to be able to side with the few of those who protest racing and the rodeo(the latter I think is probaly far rougher in the USA - and I did see some TV footage there years ago, from rodeos there - footage that was questionable)..but in this instance from what I saw - I saw animals well cared for and treated well, with reverence.
For the rodeo the horses may have been in discomfort for thirty seconds..but as soon as the rope was taken off by the riders in the ring(excellent horsemen by the way) off the horses were, back to normal as though nothing had happened. The horses seemed well cared for, healthy in size and tone ,no marks on them, and beautifully groomed.
Now I know racing is considered dubious around the world- here too in NZ I am sure - however - what I knew of what
But I digress from the stunningly clear summers day of the New Zealand Cup,set against the backdrop of the snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps, a week or two ago.(yes I am a bit late getting this story out!). NZ Race Day -the NZ Cup -may appear a very peroquial localised and tiny Ascot or Melbourne Cup- but the NZ racing industry is huge- it is one of NZ's few billion dollar industries.Perhaps the only one.
Princess Anne did attend later on in the day I understand as part of her Royal Show Week(see prior postings).
The members area at the races was far more civilized than what was encountered in the non members area - scores of drunken youths drinking -but at least they are having fun and its something to do and get dressed up for, their first years out of high school . Ladies Fashion in the FieId was just annoying and somewhat sad.
The latter seemed to work on the principal that the more frothy, meringue like and outrageous your costume was..and I do call it 'costumes', it was about as Fancy Dress as you can get-complete with a brash bawdy voiced presenter . The more 'fancy dress' your 'costume' was - the more likely a finalist you would be.
If you are going to play that game,and set up Fashion in the Field -There is no excuse in these days of globalization where most people in the west travel or have access to magazines.Whatever happened to good taste and elegance-oh yes there was that there-in the Members Stand-the older crowd-but finalists?(There was an inventive original creative clever and wearable outfit by one of the youngsters-again, not a finalist.) Those game and elegant enough to try the Fashion in Field were promptly discarded for the fancy dress. A bit hard to watch after the refinements of NY and London Fashion Week and elsewhere- certainly not a patch on Style at The Melbourne Cup ,Ascot, NY or elsewhere. It's a pity really,as NZ tries to build at least a small name for itself for fashion and textiles such as merino wool. Apparently Fashion in the Field is awful around the country. Therefore ,avoiding those two uninspiring things- the public stand, and Fashion in the Field, - enjoying the delightful Mayor's High Tea and the Members Stand seemed to be the best and better option for a few hours.And my young American friend and I did have fun.
At the end of the day...people had a great local day out-and that's what counts.I am glad to see NZ's youngsters kicking up their heels.There is also something exciting about seeing the horses thunder by the finish post.
I loved going out the back to the jockeys area...and seeing the race horses.The horses were all tiny, perfect, muscular and healthy - in a perfect way .The thouroughbreds were smaller than I expected - they reminded me of TV stars in LA- perfect little mannequins and none of them over 5 foot 6 and size Zero. Though the horses were fatter -more well fed-not anorexic -watchable another words! TV stars are small,tiny,mannenquin like creatures- whereas film -we
Anyhow somewaht humourous to see the owners and trainers in their Show Week, Cup Day Dress-suits or high heels- washing and cooling the horses down immediately after they finished their race.No room for vanity here- horses care first.
The end of the day finished with the rodeo.It was professional ,polished and International standard. We were well fed with an excellent buffet and some good wine.Always a pleasure to see high standard in local New Zealand.I only stayed for an hour,half of it- but it was interesting, it was entertaining for a bit.Good to see all the cowboys from all over the world in their jeans(there is something about a man in Levis!)They ahd womens barrel racing as well. The rodeo is an historic sport and something novel to see perhaps once in your life- not necessarialy to support it-but its like the British and their hunting- its as old as the hills-(and no, I dont like the fact something gets killed in hunting)
Rodeo -Is it right? Well that's a bigger question but again, from what I saw,I saw mild very short temporary discomfort(not pain,just like having your arms tied behind your back for thirty seconds). I didn't have the time to research the world of rodeo further (nor have I been asked to).I have done my dash for now on animals in NZ(what with LOTR- ,and on top of that never getting paid -a few weeks is fine and well and good in a good cause..but it took more than two years and it made a lot of money-these films werent a non profit thing-as everyone knows)
What I saw at the CHCH Rodeo were horses well cared for ,in good condition, and treated with respect and excellent horsemanship. I guess each individual rodeo may haves it's own eccentricities. Up to the cowboys really. Are they good(and sensitive) cowboys ?
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A line up of cowboys from all over the world-take your pick!
story and photos copyright carpe diem films llc /anna wilding 2008
"BUDDHA WILD:- MONK IN A HUT" GIFTED TO PRINCESS ANNE IN CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand
Buddha Wild Monk in a Hut – the theatrically released feature film Directed,Produced Written and Presented by Anna Wilding has been gifted to Princess Anne in Person,on her last day in New Zealand by a former Publicity Officer of NZ Save the Children Fund.
The film played in New Zealand at Rialto Cinemas and Hollywood Sumner with more dates to come.
The film, mainly for adults also scooped an award in Best Feature Documentary Catagory in the USA for Kids Ages 12-18 .
The Award was Presented to Miss Wilding in October 2008 at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences- Ms Wilding's additional responsibilities included cinematography.Music was by Award wining composer Charles David Denler. The film was shot on location in New Zealand.
The critically acclaimed feature film,that usually plays to adults, also garnered Critics Pic in LA Weekly and NY Times. Buddha Wild Monk in a Hut, was recently selected to launch the Film Center Cinemacafe Film Series in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2008 - home of the Santa Fe Film Festival. Spokesperson and Program Director for the Film Center Cinemacafe stated at the time,"We are proud to be showing this beautiful and moving film and praise the filmmakers for their incredible work." Director and Actress Anna Wilding said that she is "honored" Buddha Wild has won a Kids Award .The film was also given the Quality Monker by the American Coalition of Quality Childrens Media.
Ms Wilding stated that" I hope that people will gain a greater insight and understanding into Asian cultures adapting to the West ,the lives of monks throughout Asia and the South Pacific and the rest of the world, and a greater understanding of ourselves and a way to living in harmony with the world and enviroment around us."
The film has been praised by critics for its " well judged mix of seriousness and humour"
The film has been selected for numerous festivals and screenings throughout Canada,India and the USA.Including Tibet House NY, Screen Actors Guild Series USA, National Academy of Arts and Sciences USA, the Academy Libraries and formal Oscar qualification ,Calgary Film Series, World Earth Week 2007, Indian International Festival of Films on Tribal Arts and Culture,The Kids First Film Festival(sponsered by HBO,Paramount,Universal,Fox,Sony,Dicovery,Starz) .The film has been selected for mainstream art house releases with more to follow.To date these include Laemmle's Los Angeles, Santa Fe New Mexico, and Rialto and Hollywood Cinemas New Zealand.The film is now available to USA and Canadian audiences on Amazon.com
Anna Wilding latest feature script,Counterswirl,was recently selected for the 2008 Film Market in Canada,which took place after Toronto.
Ms Wilding has been inivted to speak on many panels and corporate and industry panels throughout the world.
Recently Wilding was the guest spotlight speaker on an industry environmental,humanities driven panel at the American Pavillion in Cannes Film Festival 2008. She was also a key note guest speaker for World Earth Week 2007
Buddha Wild" by Ms Wilding, has been called "beautiful" by Moving Pictures Magazine2008, and "a must see film" by Splash Magazine 2008. It garnered critics pick in LA Weekly Magazine 2007, and Union Jack Newspapers said, "Anna Wilding Captures Our attention." Moonrise Movies Magazine in Canada said it was "Worth a look. A delightfully sweet and accurate and a fine film for family viewing."Ms Wilding combined with Rialto Cinemas Australia(New Zealand) to give the proceeds from the first public rough cut screenings to the Tsunami Relief Appeal in Thailand. "Unpretentious," providing an "affectionate glimpse" and a well-judged mixture of "seriousness and humor" into the cultural and monastic lives of missionary monks, the film explores the tenets of Buddhism, celibacy, politics, the role of women in Asian society, cultural life in the South Pacific, and the day-to-day lives of Theravadin monks. "Buddha Wild" has the tag line "Wild to be one with Nature." Ms. Wilding's career spans over a decade in Hollywood, UK and Australia as writer, actress, producer and director. In 2007 Ms Wilding was thanked through her lawyers in New York for her work on all three Lord of the Rings movies by Mark Ordesky, former CEO of New Line
