Holocaust survivor, concert pianist and remarkable woman
Alice and her twin Marina were born in Prague in 1903. Her father was a prosperous businessman. Her mother, a well educated woman, moved in the city’s shimmering artistic circles often playing host to Europe's prominent writers, philosophers and musicians. Alice and her siblings were exposed to the "great talents" at a very young age.
Irma, her older sister, taught little Alice to play the piano when she was only five. At 16 she began serious study at the Prague German Conservatory of Music and by her late teens she was wowing audiences with her concerts.
She married Leopold Sommer in 1931 and together they had a son they called Raphael. Alice filled his life with music and he would later become a renowned cellist.
Aware that the Nazis were headed in their direction most of their family and friends fled to Palestine. Alice and her husband stayed behind to care for her invalid mother. She said... "The lowest point in my life was escorting my mother to the deportation center in Prague." It was at this sad time that she began to work on Chopin's Etudes.. a set of 27 solo pieces that are some of the most technically demanding and emotionally impassioned works in piano repertory. This music would quite literally save her life and the life of her son.
Then in 1943 the Nazi's came for her family. The three of them were sent to Terezin, a concentration camp that was promoted by the Nazis as a model institution. Many of the prisoners there were Czechoslovakia's foremost figures in the performing arts.
“It was propaganda,” she later remarked.
Nonetheless the sustaining power of music was real. She performed in more than 100 concerts for the prisoners and the guards. In her words...
"We had to play because the Red Cross came three times a year. The Germans wanted to show its representatives that the situation of the Jews in Theresienstadt was good. Whenever I knew that I had a concert, I was happy. Music is magic. We performed in the council hall before an audience of 150 old, hopeless, sick and hungry people. They lived for the music. It was like food to them. If they hadn’t come to hear us, they would have died long before, as we would have."
Alice's husband was sent to Auschwitz and died from typhus a short time later. When a guard approached her and told her not to worry, that because she played so beautifully she and her son would never be taken away, she realized that her music, quite literally, was going to save their lives.
After the war, Alice and Raphael emigrated to Israel to reunite with family. She taught for 40 years at the Jerusalem Academy of Music until her final move to London. Her son Raphael, an accomplished cellist died suddenly at the age of 64 from an aneurysm. Once again music sustained her. Friends recall that they knew she was going to be fine when she began to practice again.
For Alice, music was her passion, her life, her love. But it is only a piece of what has been a remarkable life. She refuses to HATE anyone... only LOVE. She even goes so far as to express gratitude for the experiences she had in the camps... it shaped her life.
One of the most memorable things about Alice is her smile and her laughter. She lifts everyone around her. The people in her London neighborhood and specifically her apt building count themselves lucky that they get to listen to her beautiful music everyday.
"They know when it is 10:00 AM because that's when I begin to practice."
Throughout her years in Theresienstadt, the loss of her mother and husband, the hunger, the cold and the death... AliceHerz Sommer was sustained by a Polish man who had died long before. His name was Frederic Chopin.
Known as the oldest Holocaust surviver, Alice passed away peacefully last Sunday at 110 years of age. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of talent, passion, love, forgiveness and... laughter. A truly remarkable woman.
This is the trailer from the documentary "The Lady in Number 6"
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Those of you who live in warm climates might not be able to relate, but here in the Rocky Mountains it gets COLD... really, really cold. I have suffered through a lot of winters. My kids always had layers of down and boots and scarves and mittens because they had to go to school. Not me... I'm a "home-body." I stayed indoors by the fire, borrowed someone's parka to dash to the mailbox and counted the days until Spring. Now that I'm teaching again part of my job is to "man the crosswalk" after school. I knew it was time to get the gear! To my surprise I can now stand in subzero weather and be happy as a little clam on the beach.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GEAR!
The essentials ... UGGS - They will keep your feet warm... end of story. They are expensive but you can't put a price on warm toes and they last forever!
HAT & GLOVES - I love mittens but for the really cold times I wear gore-tex-thinsulate gloves... bought them at Cosco for $10.00
The Olie Shearling Hat $89.95
Here is a link to hats that will actually keep your head warm and it comes in L and XL for those of us with big heads.
SILK THERMALS -They are,ounce for ounce warmer than wool, nice and flexible, and decidedly warmer than cotton thermals.
THE SCARF - I am honestly surprised at how much warmer I am with a scarf around my neck. I wouldn't be caught without one. The bigger and chunkier the better.
THE COAT - I have been wearing Eddie Bauer down for years but when faced with spending 30 minutes in negative 10 degree weather I googled "warmest coat on the planet." This is what popped up...
CANADA GOOSE MYSTIQUE. I have never read a bad review so I took the plunge only to find out it runs small and it was too tight across my shoulders. I had to send it back for a bigger size. The best place to buy this coat is on Amazon... you will save the tax and the shipping and that's a lot of money. This price tag is not for the faint of heart($750.00) Its worth it to be warm.
THE BEAUTY OF WINTER
With my creature comforts taken care of I can focus on the beauty of WINTER. It can hold its own against any season. I love being out in it. Maybe I should take up skiing... or just go for a walk.
"MUTTON DRESSED LIKE LAMB..."
Maybe I've been living under a rock but I have never heard that phrase until last week. There was a woman on twitter who was very upset that someone would say this. I understand that "mutton" is probably not a very flattering term, but I had a very different reaction...
I laughed so hard I had to pull my car over to the side of the road. It brought up all kinds of images, some that I have seen first hand...like when I complimented a friend on her gorgeous legs and angles and the next thing I know she shows up at work in a low cut mini dress and very tight leggings. Doesn't sound too bad except her torso is at least a size xxl. Oh my... no one was looking at her ankles.
images from pinterest
We are all different in personality, size and opinions and we can certainly make our own choices. From my perspective... I don't think aging means we have to give up anything, we can just "tweak" it a little.
I remember in college discovering that lingerie came in colors. I owned a lavender bra... it made me feel so feminine. I still love colored underwear but I can't always find it in the fit I need. I opt for camisoles and slips in every color available. It still makes me feel "jeune femme".
Here is a dress that I absolutely adore. If I bought it in my size I would be a spectacle. It is too short and all the shirring around the middle would accentuate my torso... since I'm a "tomato on toothpicks" I wouldn't want that.
But I love the colors and the print. If it was a flowing skirt, paired with a little jacket or sweater I could pull it off.
Same beautiful print, same gorgeous colors just modified for my age and figure.
Even though I could not buy any of these beautiful clothes right off the rack, with a few adjustments I could wear "my version" of them all. See what YOU think...
Helen Mirren, a class act. I love the sheen of the silk taffeta and the monochromatic theme. I never think of taffeta in any other color but BLACK but here it is! The pearls match her hair. Can I just say... WOW! I'm going to keep my eyes open for a taffeta "something"
Love this sweater and the plaid coat. Because I am "trunky" the large plaid would not be flattering on me... but I could swap it for my navy pea coat and then go hunting for a plaid scarf. I'm going to find this sweater.
What a fun, quirky combinations of plaid and leopard. BUT... if I wore this I WOULD be "Mutton dressed like Lamb. I would simply mix the whole thing up...plaid shirt, black V-neck sweater, dark wash jeans and a "to die for" LARGE leopard handbag.
These shoes are beautiful, but not worth the literal pain I would be inflicting on my feet. I own a pair of black heels almost this high and wore them to a Christmas party last year. Dumb decision... I had a son on one side and a daughter-in-law on the other walking me to my car. I can't wear high heels. But there are hundreds of printed shoes in flats and wedges. No need to be boring!
And then... there are all those gorgeous little black dresses that I would look ridiculous in. It doesn't stop me from loving them. I am obviously attracted to black lace. When I happened upon a heavy black lace sheath at Talbots I snapped it up. It falls right to my knee and has a simple grosgrain ribbon around the waist. Its sleeveless (which I can't wear) so I paired it with a 3/4 sleeve length black sweater that has rosettes on the shoulders. It makes me feel very "Coco"
The truth is... I LOVE BEING A MUTTON. I've got more CENTS/SENSE than when I was twenty and I definitely have more confidence. What is it Kathy Bates says to the girls in Fried Green Tomatoes...
"I'm older and I've got more insurance."
Through the years I have come to believe that the most beautiful women are the ones who smile with their eyes, think carefully before they speak and are generous in their friendships.
Beth says that her inspiration for these works was an epiphany she had on the beach in Melbourne, Florida where she was meditating on the impending passing of her father. She noticed these older women playing in the surf like children and it lifted her spirits. From that time forward, her paintings were centered on the simple joys of living.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Meet BECKY...
Freelance artist for Recycled Paper Greetings/American Greetings and owner of
Rebecca & Co. designs
I knew Becky back in the 60's when we were both in high school. She is a California girl, born and raised and I was a transplant that returned to my Utah roots. Forty-five years later... thanks to FACEBOOK... I began typing in names of old friends. To my surprise most of them were there. Becky was one of them... how fun to get reacquainted after all these years.
Becky's life had a traditional beginning with a hubby and children but somewhere in mid-life her dormant artistic talent brought her to an exciting new career.
Here she is with her college sweetheart, the love of her life and her best friend. Married for 42 years they were blessed with a son and a daughter and it is very apparent that family comes first with Rebecca!
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!
I didn't know back then that Becky loved to draw, but she did. Both her father and grandfather were artists. She felt eclipsed by friends that she thought had more ability so it wasn't until later in life that her talents emerged.
About eight years ago a friend of her daughters was working as a wedding planner and asked Becky to design a wedding invitation. She loved it and once she started creating... well, things just began to flow. In Becky's own words...
"I started scribbling out these stick girls. I have no idea where they came from"
The next thing she knew she had several designs. She submitted them to Recycled Paper Greetings and they immediately took four. A short time later they offered her a royalty contract.
Her designs are a celebration of her love of art and words. They range from whimsical to sophisticated and can be found not only in the U.S. but around the world. On a trip to Boston, she and her husband were in the Harvard bookstore and there were her cards... what a thrill!
Becky also designs subway style topography art and has an ETSY store for custom work and digital downloads. Even from a distance I can tell that she is having a wonderful time.
Becky is an inspiration to us all to follow our dreams and find our passion in life.
Her artistic flair and attention to detail manifests itself in many ways. Thursday I will show you pictures of her daughters wedding. It was so beautifully done that even "THE KNOT" came calling.
Friday, February 21, 2014
THE PERFECT LITTLE BLACK DRESS
An Oscar de la Renta creation
Please join us on Monday and meet BECKY our next "Woman of a Certain Age"
Until then, look what I spotted...
I'm pretty sure those ruffles are horsehair... GORGEOUS!
