Bill Cunningham New York

Last night I joined up with Abbey and Samantha and went to see this amazing documentary at the IFC Center. I have been a fan of the legendary street-style photographer, Bill Cunningham, for ages but I knew very little about his life or the stories behind his art. Well, this flawless film painted a riveting portrait not just of Mr. Cunningham, but also of the New York and Paris of the last 40 years.

It was so captivating and moving, it made me laugh and cry and I truly didn't want it to end. I left feeling utterly inspired by Cunningham's singular talent, devotion to his craft, and incredible commitment to personal integrity. The fact that the story happens to be focused on the world of street fashion is just icing on the cake.

I cannot recommend the film highly enough. I'll be purchasing it on DVD and referencing it again and again!

Meeting Ina May

That's me, beaming away, just moments after meeting Ina May Gaskin and having her sign my copy of her new book at an appearance in Brooklyn on Sunday.

Ina May has been called the mother of authentic midwifery and the most important person in maternity care in North America, and I have long admired her and utilized her books equally as reference texts and spiritual guides to birth and motherhood.

It was such a thrill to hear her speak (at length, before a packed venue), such a privilege to absorb her wisdom in person (from the front row -- I got there early!), and an absolute joy to experience her down-to-earth personality and hilarious sense of humor. To top it all off, I have to say that at 70 years young she has quite the quirky-cute fashion sensibility (making her even more of my idol than she already was). My girlfriends, Jen and Nancy, and I were just plain giddy to be there.

Early on in her talk, Ina May said something that I keep thinking about: we live in such a fast-paced, mechanized world -- we inhabit vast urban and suburban environments, we rely ever more on our beloved phones, computers and electronic gadgets, we do so many things with the aid of machines and technology -- it's easy to forget a simple fact, which is that

we are Nature.

Other memorable moments:

• Hearing Ina May debunk some of the fundamental building blocks of Western thought, including Plato's ideas on the body, before going on to opine on the merits of fart jokes and Wayne's World.
• Listening to her talk about humor as an excellent anecdote to fear.
• Two words: Sphincter Law.
• She shared the story of the birth of her first child, which occurred in a hospital and involved various unnecessary and traumatic interventions, which was very fascinating and moving to hear about. She said she is now grateful for that experience because of what she learned from it.
• "Men think only their stuff can get big and then small again without being ruined." Brought the house down.

It was great. I can't wait to read the new book!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope your day involves chocolate ;)

Guest Post: Jen from Real Art Real Food on Jeannine Parvati Baker

Hello, I'm Jen from Real Art Real Food. I'm so honored to be here on Marvelous Kiddo, a blog which has inspired me in so many ways!

I discovered Jeannine Parvati Baker's book, Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth, during my first pregnancy. It gave me the confidence to commit to a natural birth, and helped me tune in to my true instincts and desires for that day.

Jeannine, who sadly died in 2005, was a yogini, a mother, and a midwife. The book includes all of the amazing birth stories of her own six children, including the suspenseful birth of her twins, when she walked out of the hospital in the middle of labor. It also includes her guide for a prenatal yoga practice. The photographs, too, are beautiful and inspiring - snapshots of a joyous "hippie" life.

Jeannine was a true radical, and her opinions are extreme. She advocates for unassisted, free birth. While I had a (natural) hospital birth the first time, and a midwife-attended home birth the second time, I find the essence of her opinions and statements impossible to argue with. She speaks the truth. She says birth is inextricably entwined with sexuality, spirituality, and the self.

Jeannine has also written a great deal about what she calls "Conscious Conception." She encourages both parents to prepare for and knowingly enter into the conception of a child, listening to their hearts, minds, their sexual beings, and their unborn children. She encourages us to see the link between conception and birth, and says, "We give birth as we conceive."

Here's Jeannine on mothering:

"Mothering needn't be a duty. It is a preference and a pleasure if these few things are kept in mind and soul: be not afraid to touch, naked body to naked body, to sleep with your baby, to nurse very often and orgasmically, to feel your own pain, anger, and frustrations and express them as purely as your baby will."

Jeannine on turning within for knowledge:

"I have no fear of birth. That's a gift as well as an earned trust.... How did I know the deliveries would be graced? The same way I knew I was pregnant so early on. The brain-heart knows. And once the monkey-mind quiets down enough, all the information we need is right here, within."

Jeannine on freebirth and its connection to conception:

"If birth is a natural expression of sexuality, why hire a paid paranoid 'just in case?' In the words of Artemis, 'Birth is as safe as life gets.' We have now experienced the fullest expression of our sexuality and spirituality at once in freebirth and realize that if we needed no one present at the conception, we need no one present at the outcome of that loving ceremony, the birth."

On birth and peace:

"When shared in trust with our families, birth can bring an eternal bond between the mother and her loved ones. The more each mother reclaims her natural birthright the greater chance we will receive peace on our planet."

This book is full of gifts. I hope you have a chance to read it and treasure it as much as I do!

All photos from Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth

P.S. (From Leigh): Jen and her family live here in NYC and are dear friends of ours. When I was first getting to know Jen she did not have a blog, and I thought, this lady really needs to write a blog! She is a walking wealth of information regarding birth, food, breastfeeding, art, and parenting. Fortunately for me and anyone with an interest in these topics, Jen recently started sharing her insights on Real Art, Real Food. She's only sixteen posts in, but already I'm hooked. Check it out, and you will be too!

Radiant Child

I reaallly want to see this new film about Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of my favorite artists. It's playing here in NYC at Film Forum, through August 3.