2023-05-15

May 2023 Newsletter

Life in Mexico

When you see all the nice, shiny sedans that grace the streets of Manzanillo, it’s easy to forget that only a few years ago the average car was a total rust bucket.

Nowhere was the old beater more loved than Mexico. VW Bugs with no fenders, Chevy pick-ups with the bumper dragging on the asphalt and Ford panel vans held together by duct tape all competed for ugliest ride on the road.

There are lots of good reasons to drive a jalopy.

  • If the brakes fail, you can always stick your boot through the floorboards.
  • They are virtually theft-proof.
  • Mercedes from Mexico City will swerve to keep out of your way.
  • Filling up the tank doubles their resale value.
  • You don’t have to worry about some dingus scratching it in the Sam’s parking lot.
  • You may have been conceived in the back seat of that Jeep.

So, next time you see a classic piece of crap from Cihuatlán heading for the Dairy Queen drive-thru, toot your horn and give them a thumbs-up!

All my Books Available on Kindle Unlimited!

You can also order ebooks and paperbacks on Amazon!

Recipe: Seafood Bisque

Manzanillo is blessed with an abundance of great seafood. Every day, amazing sea bass, shrimp, marlin and tuna are delivered right off the boat to the many fish outlets in town. Our favorite is El Pirul, located at 52 Benito Juarez across the street from the main market in Santiago (look for the two green steps in front). Remember to go early; they’re so popular that they run out of fresh fish by noon!

Ingredients

1lb of white fish

12 uncooked shrimp.

1Tsp olive oil

1Tsp butter

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ tsp of fennel seeds or 1 Tsp of Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt.

1 can of peeled tomatoes

1 cup of cream

¼ cup of brandy or port

chopped chives or cilantro

Directions

Cut fish into 1 in. cubes and peel shrimp.

Fry onion, fennel and garlic in oil and butter until onion is clear.

Add tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil.

Reduce to simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat.

Add cream and brandy. Return to simmer.

Add fish and cook on low for 4 minutes.

Salt to taste.

Sprinkle on chives or cilantro.

TV Series

The Diplomat

Streaming on Netflix

This is a new series from the folks who brought you West Wing. Someone blows up a UK air-craft carrier in the Persian Gulf and naturally everybody thinks it’s the Iranians being no-goodniks. The US president announces he’ll gladly send some nukes to blow up Tehran and the British PM thinks that’s a heck of a great idea.

Problem is, there’s no American Ambassador in London to hand over the hot potatoes. So career diplomat Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), who is on her way to a plum job as ambassador in Kabul, reluctantly agrees to fill the empty embassy on the banks of the Thames.

I don’t get that part either, folks, but this is Hollywood. Kate’s husband Hal (roguish Rufus Sewell), deviously gets himself drugged and kidnapped by Iranian spies just to show everyone they’re really quite nice.

Kate gets mad enough at her husband that she wants to divorce him, but the CIA informs her she’s being short-listed as VP in the upcoming election and that would set a very bad precedent for White House decorum (ahem).

This is an addictive show that is equal parts extremely silly and entertaining. I highly recommend The Diplomat.

Movie Review

A Tourist’s Guide to Love

Streaming on Netlfix

This is a delightful, overlooked rom-com that is worth popping a bowl of popcorn and relaxing for the evening.

Harried travel exec Amanda (Rachael Leigh Cook) is hoping that her boyfriend of five years will finally pop the question and ask her to marry him; instead, he announces he is off to Ohio to join a big accounting firm!

Amanda dumps him like hazardous waste and wallows in misery until her boss sends her on a recon mission to Vietnam to scout out a possible acquisition.

The acquisition in question is a family-run tour group captained by Sinh, a hunky heart-throb. Amanda goes head-over-heels as Sinh woos her with charm, grace and a dynamite pho.

Naturally, her doofus boyfriend eventually shows up out of the blue and pleads with Amanda to take him back. Will she follow her heart? (If you don’t know the answer to that, then you should probably just watch a hockey game.) I highly recommend A Tourist’s Guide to Love!

Book Review

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl

By Renee Rosen

Over the last decade, the author has written an excellent series of novels that depict spunky young gals making their own way in the 1940s and 1950s. Set in Chicago, New York and other major American cities, they tell the tale of perseverance against misogyny and the many roadblocks women faced (and still face) in corporate America.

Gloria Downing is eager to escape a family scandal and fulfil her dream of working at Saks Fifth Avenue. She befriends a young woman named Estee Lauder who has her own ambition to become the name of face cream to America.

Together, Gloria and Estee set out to achieve their aspirations. They quickly discover that there is a price to pay in a world unaccustomed to powerful women, however. How much are they willing to sacrifice to attain their ultimate goals? I highly recommend Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, as well as the rest of Rosen’s works.

We’re off to France!

We had a tremendous time last year in Europe, and we’re repeating the experience with a trip once again to Antibes, where we’ll be staying in the seaside community of Juan Les Pins, then journeying to Paris and London before flying home later this summer to Canada.

 We’ll be posting on Facebook and Instagram, so we hope you look forward to all our exciting adventures, meals and travels!

2023-04-03

April 2023 Newsletter

Life in Mexico

It’s Semana Santa! Every year, 40,000 Mexicans descend on Manzanillo during Easter to celebrate their religious devotion with tequila. Here’s a few survival tips;

Go the nearest ATM and empty it before everyone else does.

Stock up at the OXXO with ten loaves of Bimbo bread and a big can of Spam. Both will stay fresh at least until the Second Coming.

Top up two dozen sealable bottles with gasoline in case Pemex runs out. I recommend José Cuervo; you can find about three million empty ones along the Miramar beach.

It’s OK to make noise at Easter. If you can’t find fireworks, pay one of the Marines hanging outside the Burger King to let his AK-47 rip.

Book Review

The White Lady

By Jacqueline Winspear

We’ve been reading Winspear’s Maisy Dobbs mysteries series for several years now. It features a woman private detective who starts her own agency in London after WWI. It runs for several decades and features a fine cast of eccentric British characters. If you’ve never read it, I urge you to give the series a try.

The White Lady is a departure into new territory.  Elinor White is a British woman who grew up in Belgium in the early twentieth century, and returns in WWII to act as a spy behind enemy lines. After the Allied victory, she retires to rural Kent.

But the countryside is too dull for her taste and she soon launches a one-woman crusade against a ruthless gang of London criminals. Her former spy-mate, now a Deputy Commissioner in Scotland Yard, becomes a hapless accomplice as he tries to keep Elinor’s life attached to her limbs.

The author brings her profound insight and knowledge of post-war British culture along with lots of twists and turns to create an exciting and intriguing cops-and-robbers thriller. I highly recommend The White Lady.

Members of Kindle Unlimited can now read all my books online!

You can also order eBooks and paperbacks online at Amazon!

TV Review

Dinner Club, Season 2

Streaming on Amazon Prime

Celebrity Italian chef Carlo Cracco returns for a second season. The series features half a dozen friends who he takes on road trips to his favorite parts of Italy to sample the local cuisine, then returns to his mansion outside of Rome to cook a dinner club meal.

This season features excursions to Sicily, South Tyrol and Romagna, where his actor friends discover fresh herbs, sausages and deep-fried delicacies amid scenic settings. It’s the dinner club that really sparks the series as everyone gets very tipsy and critiques each meal in hilarious fashion. It’s all in Italian, but the subtitles keep you abreast of each insult! If you love food and friendship, I highly recommend Dinner Club.

Recipe: Rack of Lamb

We’ve always been big fans of New Zealand lamb, where they outnumber Kiwis 10 to 1. The delicate flavor is derived from a breed that feeds best on pastureland. Their lamb is coveted all over the world; I recall seeing ships in the South Island port of Nelson that were designed to transport them live to the Middle East for the festival of Ramadan.

For the first few years, we were disappointed to find that New Zealand lamb was rare in Mexico; the country has millions of sheep, but most are raised for wool and dairy. We were delighted when La Comer finally started featuring frozen lamb that had been raised in Mexico especially for meat; the leg, shank and shoulder are just as delicious as the New Zealand variety when roasted over several hours in the oven.

Our favorite, by far, is rack of lamb. When properly marinated and cooked over coals, it is extremely delicious! If you don’t have a BBQ, roasting in the oven is also a great way to go, but it just doesn’t beat that mix of smoke and sizzling fat when done over coals.

Ingredients (feeds 2)

1 rack of lamb with 8 chops (cut in half).

Marinade

¼ cup of olive oil.

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tsp of salt.

1 small chili pepper.

1 sprig of fresh rosemary (or 1 Tsp of dried rosemary)

Directions

Mix the ingredients in a blender and pour over the lamb and let it marinate in the fridge for at least four hours.

Prior to cooking, pull the lamb out and let it warm to room temperature.

Place the lamb bone-side down over the coals* for five minutes. Flip the racks and cook for another five minutes. This should bring them to medium rare. Slice the meat and check for doneness; if it’s still too pink, put it on bone-side down for another few minutes. Cover and let rest for five minutes, then carve into lollipops and serve with baby potatoes, asparagus and mint sauce. Enjoy!

*(If you don’t have a coal BBQ, set your oven at 450 F and cook, bone-side down, in a metal pan, for 15 minutes, then let rest covered for five minutes).

2023-03-08-small

March 2023 Newsletter

Life in Mexico

Every spring brings a new gaggle of buskers to Manzanillo. They congregate at the intersection of Audiencia and Miguel de la Madrid, where they can annoy the occasional driver who voluntarily obeys the stop light. They twirl hula-hoops, do hand-stands and ignite things on fire. My favorite is the juggler who keeps three machetes simultaneously aloft. Gives a whole new meaning to hand-outs.

Paperbacks Available Here in Manzanillo!

That’s right, you can purchase paperbacks directly from the author! Just send me an email on my website, and I can arrange to drop it off directly to your home! (Offer only good in the immediate Manzanillo area).

Members of Kindle Unlimited can also read all of my books online!

Book Review

The Personal Librarian

By Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

The novel, set in the early 1900s, is a fascinating biography of Belle da Costa Green, a young woman who was hired by J.P. Morgan as his personal librarian.

The story of J.P. Morgan in itself is a fascinating tale. The financier was one of the richest men in the world, and had purchased an immense collection of books and manuscripts, including editions of the Gutenberg Bible. In between saving the US economy, dallying with his mistresses and running his bank, he built an opulent private library in the middle of New York that was the envy of high society. He chose Green to organize his immense collection.

What Morgan didn’t know was that Bella was African American. Her father was a prominent advocate for Black equality in America, touring the country to build support. Her mother, however, hid Bella’s racial background, claiming Portuguese ancestry to explain her sultry complexion.

The ruse worked. The astute woman soon became a star in New York social circles, procuring prize literary antiques and creating an internationally-acclaimed collection. Morgan, in turn, became infatuated with his young protégé, treating her lavishly and giving her full reign to expand his acquisitions.

But it was all built on a lie. Anti-Black sentiment remained high after the Civil War, and Blacks who passed themselves off as Whites faced persecution – and even lynching. Every day, Bella risked exposure that would ruin her career.

Benedict and Murray are accomplished and talented authors and have created a vivid depiction of early 20th century race relations in the US, personalizing the social climate of the times through the experience of an empathetic historical figure. I highly recommend The Personal Librarian.

Book Review II

The Marriage Portrait

By Maggie O’Farrell

This colorful and suspenseful novel takes place in Florence during the mid-16th century. The city, under the control of Cosimo de Medici, is in full flower in the Renaissance.

Lucrezia, the third daughter of the Grand Duke, grows up in the Palazzo, an immense fortress situated in the heart of the city. Her cloistered life alternates between the nursery, where she is raised with her numerous siblings by Sofia, and her lessons in writing and history at the hands of tutors.

The girl is a dreamer and a romantic, spending her quiet hours scurrying around the hidden passages of the palace, eavesdropping on her parents and court dignitaries. When her older daughter Maria tragically dies before her wedding to the young Duke of Ferrara, she is appalled to learn that her parents have betrothed her instead.

As a bride of 15, she finds herself suddenly tossed into a cauldron of intrigue. Her husband, Alfonso, treats her kindly, but courtiers in Ferrara see her as a useful pawn in their own machinations. She quickly becomes convinced that someone – perhaps her very husband – wants her dead.

O’Farrell, the acclaimed author of the Shakespeare-inspired novel Hamnet, brings a lyrical sense of observation to both Renaissance Italy and the romantic imagination of a young girl. The narrative moves back and forth through time, introducing us to Lucrezia’s earliest palace life and her current date with death. Will she survive? I highly recommend you read The Marriage Portrait to find out!

TV Review

Daisy Jones & the Six

Streaming on Amazon Prime

Last month, I reviewed the novel Daisy Jones & the Six, written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, a sharp, insightful chronicler of the hedonistic California lifestyle. This month, I am reviewing the TV series adaptation!

The novel was written in the oral-history style made popular by Rolling Stone. The series, in turn, takes a documentary approach, in which each character is interviewed several decades after the meteoric rise – and equally rapid demise – of the band.

The ten-part series chronicles the life of a young singer named Daisy (played by Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis), who comes of age in the late sixties. Her talent for creating and singing unforgettable songs is paired with the on-stage presence of Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin), the hunky front-man for the Six. They create sparks – both on and off stage – that becomes the stuff of rock-n-roll legend.

The series is being released in batches, so we watched the first three episodes on Friday. It’s a soap opera dedicated to the 70s vibe, with everyone dressed in leather vests, hippy skirts and aviator glasses. Billy’s hair looks like he permed it by dropping a toaster into his bath-tub, and I can’t help but see Elvis’s smoldering eyes every time Daisy stares melodramatically into the camera lens.  This is a fun ride, and I can’t wait to see the rest of the episodes!

Recipe: Shrimp Tacos

There’s a great fish shop in Santiago located across the street from Juanito’s, right beside Dutch Deli. The prices are very reasonable, and we’ve enjoyed their frozen lobster, salmon and jumbo shrimp. Also, be sure to order a chocolate cake from Manuel at the Dutch Deli while you’re in the neighborhood – they’re delicious!

I’ve shared this shrimp taco recipe before, and it was such a hit with readers that I’m running it again. It’ a great lunch meal; fast, easy to make, and delicious!

Ingredients

8 large shrimp, peeled.

1Tsp of butter

4 medium-sized flour tortillas

Sriracha sauce (or any mild hot sauce).

¼ cup of mayonnaise

Juice from ½ a lemon.

1 garlic clove, crushed.

½ tsp of salt.

Chopped cabbage

Chopped cilantro

Directions

Mix together the hot sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt to make a sauce.

Melt the butter in a pan and fry the shrimp until they turn pink. Set aside.

Place the tortillas, one at a time, in the pan and heat for 15 seconds a side.

Fill the tortillas with the shrimp, then add the hot sauce, and garnish with cabbage and chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

2023 02 06 small

February 2023 Newsletter

Life in Mexico

Driving in Mexico

Driving in Mexico is a delight. It’s like traveling 50-years back in time, when you could ride in the back of the station wagon with the dog or stand on the rear seat and stick your head out the sun roof. Here are some invaluable tips:

  • When you are approaching an intersection and the light changes from yellow to red, hit the gas. Otherwise, the driver behind will rear-end you.
  • Throw your baby-seat out. That’s because the safest place for children is in their mother’s lap (especially if she’s driving).
  • Don’t waste money replacing burnt-out brake lights. Your budget is far better spent on 300-watt speakers for the rear window ledge.
  • The four-way hazard lights are an invaluable tool when you spot a taco stand on the other side of the highway. If you miss your turn-off, flicking them on also creates a new law that allows you to back up on the shoulder for up to one mile.
  • Cut the seatbelts off and throw them away. If you are in an impending accident, the best way to avoid injury is to roll down the window and leap out.
  • Texting while driving is mandatory. That way your next-of-kin will know your last location.
  • In case you missed breakfast, the beverage holder in the console is designed to hold a large can of beer.

That’s just a few helpful suggestions! Readers are invited to write in and share their own observations.

Joan the Saint now Available at Amazon!


Another amazing book by Gordon Cope!

Amazon 5-star Review

Joan of Arc, born in northeast France during the Hundred Years War between England and France, arose from obscurity to become her nation’s greatest hero. Guided by the voices of St. Margaret and St. Catherine, she defeated the English army at Orleans and crowned Charles VII king of France in Reims.

The year is 1431. Joan of Arc has been captured by the English and is being tried for heresy in their stronghold of Rouen. Abandoned by the French, Magnus the Magnificent sets out on a quest to foil her fiery fate.

Joan the Saint is available free with your subscription on Kindle Unlimited!

TV Review

Mom

Streaming on Amazon Prime

The creation of Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory), this comedy series set in California ran for eight seasons through the 2010s.

The story revolves around a newly-sober mom Christy (Anna Faris), trying to raise her two young children under the interfering eye of her mother (Alison Janney, The West Wing).

The series won several Emmy awards during its run, primarily for the excellent cast and scathing comedy. The insults and one-liners are reminiscent of Lorre’s earlier work on Roseanne, but with much more mature subject matter.

If you happen to have a lewd sense of humor, you are guaranteed at least one laugh-out-loud moment every episode.

I highly recommend Mom!

Book Review

Daisy Jones & the Six

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an amazing chronicler of the hedonistic California lifestyle, and this is one of my favorite books by her.

Written in the oral-history style made popular by Rolling Stone, the novel tells the story of a young singer named Daisy who comes of age in the late sixties. Her talent for creating and singing unforgettable songs is paired with the on-stage presence of Billy Dunne, the front-man for the Six. They create sparks – both on and off stage – that becomes the stuff of rock-n-roll legend.

The story has been made into a series, currently scheduled for March release on Amazon Prime. Riley Keough, the grand-daughter of Elvis Presley, plays the title role. I have no doubt that the new production will be excellent, but if you prefer to read about it before you see it, I highly recommend Daisy Jones & the Six.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Marsala

This is an excellent dinner meal when you’re having guests over; it’s easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

1 cup mushrooms, sliced thick

¼ cup of flour

2 Tsp olive oil

2 Tsp butter

1 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup of Marsala wine (or Sherry)

½ cup of cream.

Cooked pasta

Grated parmesan

¼ cup of chopped parsley

Directions

 Cut each chicken breast in half thickness-wise. Pound with meat tenderizer.

Coat each piece with flour. Fry in olive oil and butter 3 minutes per side, until brown. Remove and tent.

Fry mushrooms for several minutes in oil, butter, salt and garlic, until brown.

Stir in Marsala and simmer.

Turn off the heat. Slowly mix in cream while stirring. Simmer gently until it thickens.

Return chicken to pan. Simmer for another five minutes.

Serve on cooked pasta with parsley and parmesan garnish.

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January 2023 Newsletter

Life in Mexico – Brr!

We’ve lived full time in Manzanillo for over a decade now, and don’t regret a single moment. Sure, southern Mexico can get hot and muggy in the summertime, but the winter months are a pure joy.

The two photos show the Peace Bridge in Calgary and the wonderful Oasis restaurant on the beach near our home in Manzanillo. At one point in December, there was a 60 C difference in temperatures, from -30 to +30. Everyone in Calgary was scrambling to clean up snow after a blizzard; the only thing I had to clean up on my back patio was the tequila shot glasses.

Movie Review

Glass Onion; A Knives Out Mystery

Streaming on Netflix

This is the second installment in the Knives Out series, starring Danial Craig as the private detective Benoit Blanc. In this latest episode, the southern gentleman travels to Greece at the invitation of an egomaniacal billionaire.

The host in question is Miles Bron (played by Edward Norton), an internet tycoon who made his money under mysterious circumstances. His guests are all old acquaintances who are now in thrall to his fortune.

The occasion is a murder-mystery evening. The venue is not, in this case, a haunted manor on the Moors, but a modernistic mansion on a private island in the Aegean Sea. The mansion is dominated by a futuristic ‘glass onion’, a Buckminster-like dome full of glass sculptures.

Right from the get-go, the intrepid detective sees through the billionaire’s façade and is soon on the trail of the murder of Bron’s former partner Andi Brand, who mysteriously shows up very much alive at the party.

While I enjoyed the first move, Glass Onion is a much more entertaining film, with a faster pace and more twists and turns in the plot as the detective digs deeper and deeper into the shenanigans. Thanks to a campy performance by Kate Hudson and a slew of cameos (Hugh Grant, Serena Williams), the show has a much lighter, more entertaining tone.

I highly recommend Glass Onion!

Books Available on Kindle Unlimited

All of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited, a monthly Amazon subscription service that allows you to enjoy over one million books, including Joan the Saint, Magnus the Magnificent, The Hotel Seamstress and the complete FBI Agent Jack Kenyon series. It’s a great deal!

Book Review

Killers of a Certain Age

By Deanna Rabourn

If you’re a fan of the Thursday Murder Club mysteries that feature a gang of septuagenarians hunting down evil-doers, then you’re going to enjoy Killers of a Certain Age.

Rather than a cozy murder mystery featuring amateur sleuths, Killers follows the fortunes of four retired assassins, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie. The quartet were recruited in their early 20s by a mysterious organization known as The Museum in order to kill former Nazis. Their remit eventually evolved into international criminals and corrupt officials, until they were retired and put out to pasture.

Now, apparently, The Museum wants them dead. A hitman is sent to snuff them out during a retirement cruise. Unfortunately, the hunter becomes the prey when they get wind of his intent, and they go on the lam.

Written in a tongue-in-cheek manner, the women use all their training and wiles to keep one step ahead of the opposition. It’s a delightful, how-to extravaganza in ways to off your enemies.

I highly recommend Killers of a Certain Age!

TV Review

Harry & Meghan

Streaming on Netflix

This 6-part documentary follows the lives of a young couple who fall in love, get married and have a family.

The couple, of course, are Prince Harry, an heir to the British throne, and Meghan Markle, a mixed-race American actress.

The documentary is a very sympathetic look at the hostility that they encountered, both from the British press and the royal family. Prince Harry is furious at the paparazzi, who pursue them in a manner that resulted in his mother’s death. Meghan is left bewildered and hurt by the negative reaction from the royal family that their marriage caused.

It is the latter, especially, that resonates with North American audiences; why did they treat her so poorly? The confusion, I suspect, arises from where you grew up.

In England, the monarchy’s role is extremely pervasive. It epitomizes the heritage, culture, ethos and the institutions of the nation. You mail your letters through the Royal Post and pray for Her Majesty’s health every Sunday (she’s the head of Anglican Church). While no official ‘caste’ system exists in the UK, your Lincolnshire accent immediately puts you in your place. There is a pecking order, and the monarch occupies the apex.

I was born and grew up in Canada. As a child, I attended Princess Elizabeth Elementary School and carried currency featuring the image of the queen in my pocket. As head of state in Canada, she was the symbol of our heritage.

But that’s pretty much where it ended. Nobody passed personal judgement based on how lordly your parents were; everyone was treated (and mistreated), relatively equally.

The same goes for people like Meghan who were born in the US. While she grew up well aware of the prejudices her mother faced, she also grew up with the expectation that anyone, regardless of their background, could succeed on merit. The unspoken social mores that pervade much of British life (such as deference to royalty), were entirely alien to her.

The result is a documentary about two loving, kind people who ran into an impenetrable wall that literally forced them into exile. It is equal parts illuminating, infuriating – and sad.

Coconut Attack!

A Club Santiago couple was shaken up when an unidentified palm tree flung a coconut against their windshield. The assault took place during broad daylight as the male driver was pulling up adjacent to the large Las Hadas sign at the corner of Audiencia and Miguel de la Madrid roads. Angry witnesses split the coconut open with a machete before a motive could be determined. Police are warning motorists in convertibles to exercise caution at the intersection.

Christmas candy canes taking a tropical beach vacation for a winter holiday. They stand as a group of friends, traveling together and having fun in the white sand along the aqua blue water of the Caribbean Sea, Mayan Riviera, Mexico.

December 2022 Newsletter

Life in Mexico

There is a new mural on the wall beside the entrance to Santiago cemetery. A small girl with curly blonde hair is rising into the air. The Grim Reaper is reaching for her. He has a big smile (which is about all you can manage with a skull).

The girl, for her part, seems rather serene, considering that one moment she was running for the ice cream truck in her Sunday dress, and the next she’s being embraced by a grinning skeleton in a black cowl.

I’m curious; was Jesus busy getting his halo buffed and couldn’t make it? I can see him on his cellphone. “Hey, Grim, you got time for a pickup? No, leave the scythe, you’ll scare the shit out of the kid.”

If I ever have naughty grandchildren, I’m going to paint this mural on their ceiling.

Joan the Saint now available on Amazon!

I’ll be at the Mujeres lunch on Wednesday December 8 at 12:30 to sell autographed paperback copies, but if you can’t make it, you can purchase a paperback or eBook on Amazon.

“Another amazing book by Gordon Cope!”

Amazon 5-star review

The much-anticipated sequel to Magnus the Magnificent is finally available!

Joan of Arc, born in northeast France during the Hundred Years War between England and France, arose from obscurity to become her nation’s greatest hero. Guided by the voices of St. Margaret and St. Catherine, she defeated the English army at Orleans and crowned Charles VII king of France in Reims.

The year is 1431. Joan of Arc has been captured by the English and is being tried for heresy in their stronghold of Rouen. Abandoned by the French, Magnus the Magnificent sets out on a quest to foil her fiery fate.

You can purchase the eBook edition and paperback on Amazon!

Book Review

Desert Star

By Michael Connelly

Author Michael Connelly is the undisputed king of police procedurals. His main protagonist, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, has been solving murders since Cain slew Abel. Now retired, he is a volunteer for the Open-Unsolved Unit.

The unit, set up by the LAPD to rehash cold-case files, is commanded by Renée Ballard, a young detective with a plethora of moxie and an amazing tolerance for the irascible Harry.

Two cases dominate their work; the unsolved murder of a city councilman’s younger sister, and the slaying of a family of four. The former is given precedence because the councilman has the power to shut down the unit, and the latter because it has haunted Harry for decades.

Working methodically, Harry, Renée and the team of researchers sieve through the case books, searching for overlooked suspects. Each time a clue leads them to a prime suspect, however, their hopes are dashed when a witness or undisputable evidence provides an alibi. Undeterred, they plod diligently on, until the perpetrators are finally exposed.

As always, Harry is the epitome of the knight errant, tilting at windmills and making life uncomfortable for the powers-that-be. Renée Ballard is the perfect foil, cherishing her relationship with her mentor Harry, but knowing all too well the pitfalls that await.

Although the book stands on its own, it is a welcome addition to the Harry/ Renée series. I highly recommend Desert Star!

Recipe: Coq au Vin

This is a recipe made famous by Julia Child around a million years ago, but it has a timeless appeal due to its great taste and ease of preparation.

INGREDIENTS

8 chicken thighs

1 ½ cups red wine

1 cup chicken stock

 ¼ cup brandy

1 tsp salt

3 strips bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 medium onion, quartered then thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch piece

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 Tsp of Italian herb mix)

8 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced

8 ounces pearl onions, peeled

Beurre blanc (a mix of 2 Tsp of flour and 2 Tsp of soft butter)

Cooked rice or pasta.

DIRECTIONS

Marinate the chicken thighs in the wine, chicken stock, salt and brandy.


Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven (electric skillet) over medium-high heat until the bacon is crispy. Remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Remove the chicken from the wine marinade (save the marinade) and dry the chicken with paper towels. Place the chicken in the pan. Sear until it is golden on both sides (about 5 minutes on each side) and then remove the chicken.

Add the sliced onion, mushrooms, pearl onions and carrots to the pan and let them cook until the onion is golden brown. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomato paste. Pour the reserved wine marinade into the pan, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.

Place the chicken and bacon into the pan and sprinkle the thyme/Italian herbs over top. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the beurre blanc. Stir it into the sauce and let it thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve on rice or pasta.

Enjoy!

TV Series Review

Wednesday

Streaming on Netflix

As a child, I recall seeing the macabre cartoons by Charles Addams, enjoying their morbid humor, but it wasn’t until the advent of The Addams Family that I really became a fan. Most of the antics revolved around Morticia and Gomez, but Lurch, Thing and Cousin Itt were all indispensable to the cavalcade of weirdos.

Now, Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas), has brought his own ghoulish sensibilities to the newest installment, an 8-episode series on Netlfix. It centers around Wednesday, the dead-pan teenage daughter who was always thinking up new ways to torture her little brother Pugsley.

Wednesday (played by Jenna Ortega), is a nihilistic Goth who is sent to a boarding school after filling her high school swimming pool with Piranha. Both Morticia and Gomez are alumni of Nevermore Academy, and are confident that their daughter will blossom in the midst of all the oddballs who attend (and teach) at the school.

Wednesday vows to escape, but after nefarious persons unknown attempt to poison, torture and murder her, she begins to warm to the place. Aided by her handyman Thing and Uncle Fester, she puzzles out the mysterious monster disemboweling town folk and students, leading to a rather gory climax. I highly recommend Wednesday!   

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November 2022 Newsletter

Joan the Saint – Official Launch!

Join me at Oasis Restaurant in Manzanillo on Wednesday November 9 for the official book signing during the Mujeres luncheon.

Another amazing book by Gordon Cope. A must read!

Amazon 5-star review.

Joan of Arc, born in northeast France during the Hundred Years War between England and France, arose from obscurity to become her nation’s greatest hero. Guided by the voices of St. Margaret and St. Catherine, she defeated the English army at Orleans and crowned Charles VII king of France in Reims.

The year is 1431. Joan of Arc has been captured by the English and is being tried for heresy in their stronghold of Rouen. Abandoned by the French, Magnus the Magnificent sets out on a quest to foil her fiery fate.

Order eBook or paperback on Amazon!

Recipe: Bagel bread and Lox

Let’s face it; they don’t make the best bagels in Mexico. I’ve tried everywhere, and except for a few excellent artisanal bakeries in San Miguel de Allende, they generally taste like puffy cardboard. Making your own bagels isn’t easy, so I was delighted to finally find a recipe that is both simple and yummy. It doesn’t take long to prepare, and it’s a fun way to spice up your Sunday brunch.

Ingredients

1 cup of flour

½ tsp of baking powder.

3 Tsp of yoghurt

1 Tsp of Olive oil

Chopped shallots or red onion

Toasted poppy and sesame seeds

Lox

Cream cheese

Directions

Mix the flour, baking powder and yoghurt in a bowl and stir until it has the consistency of Play Doh.

Roll the dough out into a 12-in crust, sprinkling with flour to keep the rolling pin from sticking. (I use a 12-in round of parchment paper to make the crust easy to roll and handle).

Rub the crust with olive oil and sprinkle on the onion and seeds. Bake in the oven at 450C for 15 minutes.

Cut into 8 slices and serve with lox and cream cheese. Enjoy!

TV Series

From Scratch

Streaming on Netflix

This is an 8-episode mini-series that, frankly, starts a little slow. Amy Wheeler (played by Zoe Saldana), is expected to follow in the law footsteps of big daddy Hershel (Keith David), but instead kicks off the traces and runs away to Florence, where she meets Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), an impoverished but talented chef.

Sparks fly from the moment that Amy and Lino meet, but Hershel gathers up the Wheeler clan and flies to Florence in an effort to dissuade his baby girl from marrying some foreigner. The family is like a Texas bull in a china shop, but Amy prevails and the nuptials are set in a fancy palace overlooking the Arno River.

Lino’s family is from a small town in Sicily, and dad Giacomo wants nothing to do with Americanos, forbidding his wife Filomena to attend the wedding. Spurned by his family, Lino marries his beloved Amy and they all fly back to America.

At this point, I must confess I was a little put off by the cliché-ridden depictions of Texans and Sicilians (‘Mama Mia!’ ‘Durned tootin!’). But it gets a lot better as Lino struggles to get his own Sicilian restaurant off the ground in Los Angeles. Scriptwriters Attica and Tembi Locke flesh out the story and give every character vitality and life.

Eventually, Amy and Lino adopt a baby girl, but her upbringing is complicated by Lino’s struggles with cancer. The story finishes in a big climax back in Sicily, where everyone is finally reconciled.

Warning; this is a five-Kleenex-box series that will have even the most hard-hearted weeping to the very end. I highly recommend From Scratch!

Movie Review

Enola Holmes 2

Streaming on Netflix

Enola Holmes is the sister of Sherlock Holmes. Frankly, I have no idea if Arthur Conan Doyle ever mentioned her in his many books, and I don’t care. The copyright expired a long time ago, and ever since, everyone and his dog has been cranking out their own version of the world’s most famous detective.

This is the sequel to a 2020 movie made with the effervescent and eminently-watchable Millie Bobbie Brown in the lead role, with handsome Henry Cavill playing her brother Sherlock and Helena Bonham Carter as her mother Eudoria. Louis Partridge is also back as the rather wet Lord Tewkesbury, whom Enola is always saving from imminent demise.

The plot revolves around impoverished girls getting sick at the matchstick factory. A young woman searching for the truth goes missing, and her sister hires Enola to track her down. Our heroine is soon up to her big brown eyes in trouble, with anarchist mom Eudoria making things worse with home-made explosives.

Will Sherlock save the day? Not bloody likely, if Enola has anything to say about it! This is definitely not advised viewing for serious Holmes fans, but it is an entertaining romp from beginning to end for everyone else. I highly recommended Enola Holmes 2!

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October 2022 Newsletter

Life in Mexico

Mexicans are hard at work spiffing up the graves of their beloved ancestors in anticipation of Day of the Dead.

The festival is often compared to Christian ceremonies such as All Saints Day, but the pre-Columbian celebration is a lot more light-hearted, with gifts of sugar skulls and lots of rum. Grannies are remembered through irreverent verse and beloved uncles with scurrilous eulogies.

All are welcome, of course. On November 1, take time to visit your local cemetery and party with Mexicans honoring their rich ancestry.

Official Release of Joan the Saint

The much-anticipated sequel to Magnus the Magnificent is finally available!

Joan of Arc, born in northeast France during the Hundred Years War between England and France, arose from obscurity to become her nation’s greatest hero. Guided by the voices of St. Margaret and St. Catherine, she defeated the English army at Orleans and crowned Charles VII king of France in Reims.

The year is 1431. Joan of Arc has been captured by the English and is being tried for heresy in their stronghold of Rouen. Joan has been abandoned by the French; Magnus the Magnificent sets out on a quest to foil her fiery fate.

Join me at the Mujeres luncheon at Oasis restaurant on Wednesday, November 2 where I’ll be signing paperbacks.

You can also purchase the eBook edition and paperback on Amazon!

Recipe: Home-Made Thin-Crust Pizza

I get a lot of requests for this recipe from dinner guests!

Making your own pizza is quite easy and the result is both healthy and delicious! All it takes is a little preparation and you’ll be the toast of your family and friends!

(Makes four pizzas)

DOUGH

5 ¼ cups of OO (fine) flour.

1 tsp of salt.

1 tsp of dry yeast.

1 tsp of brown sugar

400 ml of warm water.

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.

Mix the yeast and brown sugar in the warm water and let stand for 15 minutes.

Pour the liquid into the flour and knead until the consistency of soft Play-Doh. (You may have to sprinkle some flour on if it’s too sticky).

SAUCE

1 jar of tomato sauce

3 Tsp of Italian seasoning mix.

1 tsp of salt.

1 Tsp of olive oil.

Mix the first three ingredients together in a bowl. Pour the olive oil into the jar of tomato sauce and swish around then add that to the mix. Let rest for at least half an hour.

TOPPINGS

Pepperoni, ham

Chopped onion, peppers, olives, etc.

Shredded cheese

PREPARATION

Heat the oven to 450F. Divide the dough into four balls (any dough you don’t need can be frozen for later use). Roll out the ball flat with a rolling pin (hint; I cut a piece of parchment paper into a 12” circle as a rolling surface). You will have to sprinkle some flour on the dough to keep the rolling pin from sticking.

Place the rolled dough into a pizza pan and bake it in the oven for 5 minutes. (You can do this in advance and keep the crusts in the freezer indefinitely).

Spread 5 Tsp of sauce on the pizza crust and add desired toppings. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot!

Book Review

Suspect

By Scott Turow

I’ve been a big fan of Turow for several decades, ever since I read his break-out novel Presumed Innocent (made into a great movie starring Harrison Ford), so I always look forward to a new chapter in the canon.

Suspect is the latest installment of his multi-generational saga of courtroom dramas set in the fictional Kindle County. Clarice “Pinky” Granum is a paralegal working for a criminal law firm run by her cousin Rik Dudek. A young, single woman sporting a nail through her nose, Pinky is a bane to her long suffering family but a talented and tenacious sleuth.

Rik is defending Lucia Gomez, the chief of police for the city of Highland Isle. The first black woman to hold the post, she is incorruptible, and fiercely dedicated to cleaning up the reputation of her force.

She is also charged with sexual assault by three of her male subordinates. The men allege that she garnered sexual favors from them in support of their promotions. The case has been placed before the Police and Fire Commission for adjudication.

Pinky quickly uncovers a connection to local crime kingpin Moritz “the Ritz” Vojczek. On the surface, the Ritz is a wealthy property developer, but his real profession is big-scale drug dealing. Wily and ruthless, he uses his filthy lucre to pay off the police – and destroy those he can’t.


While Rik works diligently to clear his client’s reputation, Pinky finds herself romantically embroiled with a mysterious neighbor who seems to be spying on a big defense contractor operating in Highland Isle. All the loose strings come together in patented Turow style as the case against Chief Gomez reaches a dramatic climax.

I highly recommend Suspect!

TV Series Review

A League of their Own

Streaming on Amazon Prime

Penny Marshall’s original 1992 movie, starring Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Geena Davis featured a host of talented actors portraying the trials and tribulations of an all-female professional baseball league in World War II.

Now, 30 years later, the original premise has been recast as an 8-part series that follows the struggles that the women endured to make their mark in a male-dominated world.

Series creator Abbi Jacobson stars as Carson Shaw, a small-town slugger with a husband serving in war-torn Europe. She finds herself as the unlikely sparkplug for the Rockford Peaches, a rag-tag collection of talented women seeking fame on-field.

Her story is mirrored by Max Chapman, a gifted black pitcher striving for a chance to spotlight her talents on an all-male team. Played with grit and determination by Chanté Adams, Max refuses to take no for an answer.

While on-field struggles dominated the original movie, this series has time to fully explore the personal challenges that women in the 1940s faced, from sexism and racism to family expectations and gender identity. It is a much warmer, more intimate story, one that takes the opportunity to delve into each character and make their aspirations more authentic. This is not so much a tale about baseball; it is an adventure into the complex yearnings that inspire all women.

I highly recommend A League of Their Own!  

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September 2022 Newsletter

European Dreams

Linda and I had a wonderful journey this summer through southern France, Italy, Paris and London. There are so many wonderful memories and experiences that it would take a book to encapsulate them all!

We were amazed by the wonderful hospitality we encountered. People were happy to greet us and eager to speak English (even in Paris!). We always felt safe and welcome wherever we went; if we were in a bind, strangers on the street were eager to help.

Here are a few highlights!

Best Restaurant

Tough one to decide! The veal Milanese (pictured) in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele was to die for, but I have to go with Café les Arcades, our local in Juan Les Pins. A classic bistro, it served a daily lunch prix fixe that was inexpensive and delicious; sea bass, veal, steak in pepper sauce – all served with the best French fries! Frederique the manager was cheerful and eccentric and always made us feel like guests of honor, treating us to a cold glass of Kir whenever we arrived.

Best Museum

We went to see Pitti Palace in Florence, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and a host of other museums, but the one experience that stands out is our visit to the Leonardo3 Museum located in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. This is a pop-up museum, a private display that re-creates Leonardo’s inventions, including a full-scale version of his man-powered airplane, but the treat was an interactive show explaining his iconic Last Supper (The original, of course, is just down the street, but you have to pay a king’s ransom to see it). Not only did the exhibit detail how he painted the fresco, but it also described each element of the composition, from Christ and his disciples to the humble plates of food on the table. I was enthralled!

Most Romantic Spot

The Ponte Santa Trinita. This is the bridge directly downstream of the famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Every evening, we would gather with other Florentines to watch the sun set over the Arno. A wonderful way to end the day!

Best Place to Chill

We had the opportunity to stay in many wonderful places all over Europe (including the Marais in Paris), but our favorite, be far, was Juan Les Pins in Antibes. Our rental in the beachside district was a gem, a newly-renovated one-bedroom apartment one block away from the beach. The neighborhood also boasted a butcher, a baker and a wine shop where we got to know the proprietors; they made us feel part of their community. We look forward to returning next year to visit with our dear friends Rosa and Reinier!

Life in Mexico

We arrived back as twin tropical storms battered the Manzanillo region. The moment they receded, however, we were hit by a major earthquake!

Over the course of a decade, we have experienced numerous minor shakers. This is expected, as Manzanillo is located about 80 km from a major subduction zone, a common source of seismic activity around the world.

But the quake on Monday, September 19, measured 7.4 on the Richter scale, making it several hundred times as powerful as previous events. We had just finished lunch, and were standing in the dining room cleaning up the dishes. It started slowly at first, then quickly escalated into furious shaking.

Our home is made of concrete and steel rebar, but the shaking was so violent that we immediately feared that the house might collapse. We raced outside and stood on the pool patio deck, which gyrated like a surfboard for the better part of a minute.

Fortunately, we and our neighbors were unhurt (although several people did lose their lives in the city due to falling debris). To say that were frightened, however, is an understatement; experiencing a major earthquake is a terrifying experience. We hope that we never have to go through it again!

My Latest Novel!

The much-awaited sequel to Magnus the Magnificent is about to appear! Joan the Saint officially arrives November 1; we’re just putting the finishing touches on the paperback and eBook versions, soon to be available on Amazon for pre-purchase. We’ll also be doing special promotions and book signings in the Manzanillo area, so stayed tuned for more news!

If you haven’t read Magnus the Magnificent, it’s a great book!

You can order eBook copies from Amazon HERE, or buy a paperback at the next Mujeres luncheon.

Movie Review

Bullet Train

Folks who criticize Brad Pitt’s latest movie as a brainless blood bath miss the point. This is a summer blockbuster action thriller; it makes no pretense of any connection to reality, other than the sun comes up in the morning. Trains hurtle through the air, assassins get split in two with Samurai swords and Thomas the Train achieves philosophical nirvana.

The premise is simple; down-on-his luck Ladybug (played by Brad Pitt), is hired to steal a briefcase full of cash aboard the Tokyo-Osaka bullet train.  What Ladybug doesn’t know is that someone has hired a gaggle of assassins with orders to kill one another.

Ladybug stumbles through the ensuing Kung-Fu mayhem with the help of Maria, a disembodied guru supplying advice and emotional support via cell phone. Even though the director tones down Brad’s good looks with a bucket hat and a goofy haircut, his wry charm still comes shining through as he seeks out the true meaning of life with homicidal maniacs trying to splay his guts. It’s kind of what you might expect if you mixed Sophocles with Quentin Tarantino. Not everyone’s cut of tea, but I highly recommend Bullet Train!

Book Review

The Bullet that Missed

By Richard Osman

Richard Osman clearly enjoys writing. The British-based author positively sparkles with wit in The Bullet that Missed, the third in the Thursday Murder Club series.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, it takes place in a bucolic old-folks home in Kent. Elizabeth, a former MI6 operative, and her pals Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron meet each Thursday to investigate cold-case murder files. They invariably end up neck deep in desperados and ne’er do wells intent on causing them bodily harm.

The latest installment focuses on an investigative reporter who dies while researching a massive tax fraud. Her car is found at the base of a cliff overlooking the English Channel, but her body is never recovered. The club soon finds themselves dealing with ruthless thugs, nefarious KGB agents, a murderous drug lord intent on revenge – and a nice cup of tea when it all gets too exhausting. I highly recommend The Bullet that Missed!

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August 2022 Newsletter

Life in France

Every bistro in France has a dog named Hoover. The moment I walk in, they rush right over, eagerly awaiting the next errant meatball.

It’s stinking hot in Paris, which means it’s movie time! We go half an hour before the actual movie starts to watch the commercials. My favorite is the one where a man is walking home and steps in dog poop. He walks up to his apartment floor and angrily wipes his shoe on a doormat. He then turns around and enters his own apartment.

BHV, located across the street from Paris City Hall, is the best department store in the world. Where else can you buy a plastic pond to grow frogs and Coco Chanel?

A Paris Moment available on Amazon!

 “A book that bubbles like a fine champagne and satisfies like a perfect crème brûlée.”

John Gilchrist, CBC Radio

In North America, the day is spliced into predictable, pre-packaged doses, with everyone isolated in their car, their mall, or their suburban box. In Paris, when you walk out the door, you don’t know what you’re going to encounter – cherry blossoms, riot patrols, or Chinese lanterns hanging on the lampposts. The day springs to life as a full-blown performance, and if you are not part of the audience, you are part of the cast.

Even if you’ve never been to the City of Light, you’ll enjoy reading about the wonderful year we spent in the Marais. Order A Paris Moment today!

They have the weirdest poster ads here in Paris. I think this one is for golf balls.

Book Review

Vermeer’s Hat

By Timothy Brook

This is a charming book about the 17th century, written by Canadian historian Tim Brook. It tells the story of how the Dutch, English, French and Spanish opened up the world to trade in the 1600s.

While the topic might sound a trifle dry, the author employs an innovative technique that both informs and entertains the reader. Using Officer and Laughing Girl, a painting by artist Johannes Vermeer, he uses details within the composition to illustrate how trading conglomerates like the Dutch East India Company moved silver from Peru, porcelain from China and beaver pelts from Upper Canada in the pursuit of commerce.

The latter commodity is the inspiration for the book’s title. Beaver fur proved far superior to lamb’s wool when it came to making felt. Not only was it water proof, but it held its shape.

Soldiers were soon demanding headgear with huge floppy brims, and adventurers like Samuel Champlain set up extensive trade routes with First Nation tribes throughout what is now Quebec, Ontario and New York State (where the Dutch, famously, purchased the island of Manhattan for beads).

The author goes on to detail how even something as mundane as tobacco moved goods from North America to Europe and as far away as Asia. The Chinese, we learn, were mad for pipe tobacco and would trade its weight in ceramics. When scavengers discovered the wreck of the San José in the Caribbean Sea, in addition to gold bullion, the site was littered with fine Ming dynasty porcelain, a cherished possession in Europe.

Well illustrated with maps and color plates, Brook’s historical treatise is a delightful and informative read. I highly recommend Vermeer’s Hat!

Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum, located in a 17th century mansion in the Marais, has always been one of our favorite destinations in Paris. The multitude of paintings, sculptures and drawings of the Spanish artist are the legacy of a tax deal between his heirs and the French government that preserved his immense personal collection for public viewing.

This summer, the museum mounted an exhibition dedicated to Maya Ruiz Picasso, the love child born in 1935 between Pablo and his teenage muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter. Because Pablo was already married, her existence was kept secret for many years, but her presence was evident in the many portraits and works in which she appears. Pablo doted on Maya his entire life, and she in turn influenced much of his work until his death in 1973.

In addition, the museum has mounted a virtual tour of Picasso’s home and studio in Cannes, where he lived and worked in the 1960s. It’s an intimate stroll through his life and family that places his late work in perspective.

Picasso’s Mother-in-Law. Must have been happy with this one!

Throughout his life, Picasso was a lightning rod for criticism from the art world establishment, and it is easy to lose sight of the immense impact his opus had on world culture. I have immense respect and admiration for his creations, (although I am relieved he never painted my portrait). I highly recommend the Picasso Museum!