While attending The Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing (see "The Leo Marchuz School: A Visit to My Alma Mater" , July 22, 2026), I was fortunate to live in this historical and elegant 18th-century Aix-en-Provence manor called Domaine de Valcros. Set in a pastoral landscape, one could hear nightingales trill at night and the hollow bells from a gaggle of goats passing during the day. Since it was the "south of France," I thought it would be balmy all year. WRONG. I froze my ass off that winter. The floors were tiled, and the bedrooms had a measly heater in the corner. We lived in the servants' quarters, accessed via a circular stairway at the back of the manor, or bastide , which is French for a country house in Provence. There were three young French men who attended the University of Aix, and three American girls: my sister Pamela Kogen (now an acclaimed San Francisco artist), Lynn (from Seattle), and me. The proprietaire (our landlord) was Chantal ...
Cat Cohen stars in her Off-Broadway debut of "Broad Strokes," a one-woman show about a near-fatal stroke she had at 30 years old. It's sharp-witty, with a blend of cabaret and original songs. But it breezes over her stroke. I wanted more about how it upended her life, and now she's back on stage. My stroke left me completely zonked out. I had to relearn how to walk and talk. I know there are all kinds of strokes, but I left the theatre feeling a bit meh . HOWEVER, I applaud what Cat Cohen has done. Certainly, kept us amused for the entire performance. She took an untouched topic for a show and raised awareness of strokes. And that, my friends, is a good thing.