Last week began with a lunch with Marsha Firestone, Founder and President of the Women's President Organization, an organization comprised of women leaders of businesses grossing over 2 million annually. WPO has 80 chapters nationwide "Members of the WPO take part in professionally-facilitated peer advisory groups in order to coax the 'genius out of the group' and grow their businesses to the next level." The statistics on job creation (mostly from small businesses), small business entrepreneurs (more than 60% women) and the contrast to the large corporate business environment could not be more jarring. And while there are efforts to increase minority presence in and purchasing from, by corporations with commitments to supporting diversity, it is an uphill battle - and Marsha and her organization are leaders. Their work also aims to create the next generation of leaders through education via conferences and events.

So, guess what we have been duped. A while now we have been told that fast is better, bigger is better, its an ingrained mentality that has served us so well in the past. So well that it has blinded us to the cliff fast approaching in the not so distant future.

I am an Olympic junkie.  Trying to watch every moment on television, and last night was no exception.  I watched as the Canadian figure skater took to the ice after losing her mother earlier to a heart attack.  As I watched, I thought to myself; didn’t she know that she had a heart condition?  Did she not get screened properly (if at all)?

All of this emotion brought me back to last Wednesday during the annual Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards held at The Allen Room in Frederick P. Rose Hall Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Submitted by Gary Pagano, Port Authority Greenmarket Enthusiast

Seasoned rice:
4 cups cooked short grain rice (brown or white)
2 T toasted sesame seeds (toasted in a dry pan over medium heat until they begin to pop and release aroma- shake often)
1  sheet toasted crumbled Nori
1/2 t sea salt.
(Or you can use a store-bought rice sprinkle)

6 oz of well cooked salmon flaked into small pieces. (broiled with a bit of salt and pepper is best)

4 chopped scallions (with green part)

1 container of Katchkie Farm Micro Greens (Mizuna recommended)

Optional: 4, over easy or poached Katchkie Farm eggs

Mimi Bessette is presently understudying 5 women in the new Off Broadway musical GOOD 'OL GIRLS. It opened on Feb.14th and will be running until April 11th. The show is playing at The Harold and Miriam Theatre Center located at 111 W46th St. If you google the show title, GOOD 'OL GIRLS and click on the first listing it will take you to the show's website and give you a brief synopsis of the show, tell you about the cast members and you can also view the playing schedule, which will be changing as of March 15th.

Bray, as far as I can see (it was rainy and dark - which is not atypical of the region) is a charming little hamlet about an hour outside of London, and not too far from Heathrow. I saw a bend in the road, a couple of houses, a few pubs, and that was about it.

I am pleased to share with you this report of Great Performances' sponsorship of the New York City Kidney Walk this past October. Thanks to your support we raised a record-breaking $660,000 for our life-saving programs and services for kidney patients.