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Nica Rothschild – The Jazz Baroness

Aug
No Comments |  Posted by |  Category:Music

Kathleen Annie Pannonica de Koenigswarter was her full name, but Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey & Charlie Parker just called her ‘Nica’. She was the The Jazz Baroness, she supported jazz musicians when nobody else would. In fact Charlie Parker died in her mansion. Those jazz musicians are considered american legends now, and if they didn’t have Nica to help them, they might not have ever been so noticed.

NPR piece (6 min audio)
WNYC piece (25 min audio)
Thelonious Monk – Pannonica
Wikpedia

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02

Young piano virtuoso

Aug
1 Comment » |  Posted by |  Category:Music

Emily Bear is a young pianist (born 2001), at 2 years old her grandmother (herself a concert pianist) recognized her talent and has been nurturing it.

She is also an award winning composer, with over 120 works to her credit. She has made multiple appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, played at the White House for President Bush, and played a complete Mozart concerto from memory with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra.

News story
YouTube
Wikipedia

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02

Two classics, one car

Aug
1 Comment » |  Posted by |  Category:Auto

Margaret Dunning is 101 years old, and she still loves to drive her 1930 Packard roadster. Not only that, she changes the oil and spark plugs herself!

Oh, and she says that Henry Ford was a family friend who used to stop in and have dinner. Which is just kind of jaw-dropping.

NY Times (with video)
MSNBC

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25

Aloha Wanderwell, world traveler

Jul
No Comments |  Posted by |  Category:Travel

Aloha Wanderwell

Aloha Wanderwell traveled the world from 1922-1930, she was the worlds most widely traveled woman of her day.

"She carried on various travels following her husband’s death that included learning to fly a float plane and participating in a search for the lost Percy Fawcett Expedition in Brazil. During her lifetime expeditions, Aloha Wanderwell was held captive by the Chinese, lived with the natives in Borneo, and camped beside the Sphinx in Egypt."

Aloha Wanderwell
Blog post on Just A Car Guy

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25

73-Year-Old Woman With a 20-Year-Old Body

Jul
No Comments |  Posted by |  Category:Bodybuilder

Ernestine Shepherd

That is not a photochop job, that is Ernestine Shepherd!

She started working out when she 60 (!), she runs 80 miles a week, bench-presses 150 pounds, does bicep curls with 20-pound dumbbells, and eats 1,700 calories a day of mostly vegetables and lean protein.

If this isn’t inspiration to stay fit, I don’t know what is.

ABC News
YouTube video

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20

4 year old artist

Jul
1 Comment » |  Posted by |  Category:Art

Aelita Andre

Artist Aelita Andre might only be four years old, but that has not stopped her opening her first art exhibition in New York.

She is said to be the youngest ever professional artist with nine of her paintings on show at the Agora Gallery, in Manhattan, already selling, with pieces priced up to $9,900 (£6,000) each.

Article on BBC
YouTube

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