Nostaglia

When I was young my family went to Chatham in the summer, to visit a friend and former neighbor . I can remember leaning on her split rail fence and watching meteor showers, or shooting stars as we called them back then. The sky was full of stars and it was not unusual to see two meteor bursts at the same time. It was one of the most magical moments of my life. Our hostess Yvonne had a thick French accent and wore her silver hair swept up in a twist. She always appeared with sparkling drop earrings, red lipstick and high heels, even when wearing slacks, which was unusual at that time. I slept in a downstairs bedroom on a silk covered feather bed. In her bathroom was a large jar of potpourri, redolent with spices and roses from her yard. We went to Cockle Cove beach, which was just down the street across from her home. She had a sister named Gem, and a cat for whom she would go to the Chatham pier daily to get fresh fish. She worked at the Chatham Bars Inn and had made friends with coworkers who had somewhat unusual pets: descented skunks named Arpege and Chanel.

Reportedly last evening there were shooting stars aplenty in the sky, but it was too cloudy here to see them. The meteor shower currently gracing our skies is called The Perseids because, when viewing it, the meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which is also known as Perseides. The Perseids occur each summer when Earth moves through debris that was scattered when the Swift-Tuttle comet passed by Earth's orbit in 1992. Obviously the showers I saw as a child were from a different source, but it is comforting to know that some events continue to occur like clockwork. Then...now. When I visit Cockle Cove next I will close my eyes for a moment and revisit the sweetness of summers past.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

I watch a lot of travel TV. I love to sit in my Queen Anne wingback chair, sip Pellegrino, and be transported hither and yon all over the world. On occasion one hears of what is referred to as a World Heritage site. Recently I watched the movie In Bruges and a few weeks later I discovered that this medieval historic settlement is on "The List" due to its beautiful architecture. My antenna for World Heritage History sites was primed. I then discovered that the banks of the Seine in Paris were "List" as was the Cathedral of Notre Dame Paris, two places I had already been. Mentally I began to form a goal: to visit all the sites that were "List." That was prior to finding out that the List includes 890 properties: 689 cultural, 176 natural, and 25 mixed. Yikes! So I did the math. My projected life expectancy minus my actual age divided into total number of sites equals about a site a week, if I give myself time off for holidays, birthdays, and a couple of years at the end to deteriorate. I would be way too busy. This would become a job. I already have one of those. So I think I have to weed out sites that are not really necessary to visit. I also have to subtract the sites that I have already been to. That doesn't add up to much. Maybe I should just reframe the goal to include a World Heritage site that is in the U.S. that is also local. Taadaa...the Statue of Liberty. No, I know it is shocking, but I have never been. And this year they reopened her crown, so I checked out the availability. As of this evening there are but spotty times and dates in November, so all the good warm autumn days are gone already. Then the holidays are upon us. I think I will stock up on some more Pellegrino and pencil in something in the spring. Thoreau said that, in the long run, we only hit what we aim at. My aim is to hit the Statue of Liberty ( in a good way) in the next 6 months. Photos to follow.

Mad Men

The countdown has begun. Pulses are quickening and anticipation is rising as the week marches on toward Sunday evening, when Mad Men returns. What will happen with Don and Betty Draper? How will Betty deal with her pregnancy? Will Duck take over Sterling Cooper and what will that mean for Don and the crew? Will Peggy Olson's son with Peter Campbell affect Peter's marriage and will their be an inheritance issue? I want to know more about Don's shadowy past. An image that lurks in my mind is where Don is shown visiting Peggy in the ward of a mental hospital.
This show beguiles me. It is full of that which I abhor, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, and adultery. It is packed with smoking, and yes, I do want to have a cigarette when I watch. The excessive drinking is reminiscent of the 60's. The sound of holiday cocktail parties was the tinkling of ice cubes in highball glasses, rather than jingle bells, and the smell of the season was Canadian Club, rather than balsam. There is a sexual current that drives the show and that was probably very real in the 60's also, but I was too young to know about it. It is a more powerful lure that has me addicted and that is the feeling of a time that will never be again. The writers of this show have nailed it:
Nostalgia. It’s delicate, but potent…Teddy told me that in Greek, nostalgia literally means the pain from an old wound. It’s a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone. This device… isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, forwards. It takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called the Wheel. It’s called the Carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels. Around and around and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved. "Mad Men" Season 1, Episode 13, "The Wheel"

Facebook

So it is true, I joined Facebook. There has been a lot of discussion of this in the family for some time. My daughter was the instigator (supporter?) of this idea and she assured me that not only she would help me, and she has, but she listed two handfuls of people who would friend me, and they did. Her brother, on the other hand, has been vehemently against it. Not just against me joining Facebook, but on the concept, the entity of Facebook. No one, not even his wife, can figure exactly why he feels this way. My husband has made little snarky noises about how this new facet of my life will just take more time away from him. That's right, let's make this about him. He also warned me that Facebook is forever, so I should monitor whatever I post, i.e. no pictures of me riding Lady Godiva style, etc. Not to worry, I am the soul of decorum and discretion. As for me, embracing this technology has been like a quick trip to the fountain of youth. I feel connected and fully participating in life. This morning I feel vital, although I did have a great night's sleep and perhaps that is more the cause. Regardless, I think jumping into life with both hands and both feet forces one to experience life in a different way. Henry Miller said, "The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." Right on. Who needs to sit and dribble in their cups when there is much fun to be had? And let's reflect on how this new learning is changing my brain. In fact, this is just the remedy for keeping one's brain young, adding new synopses and neurons. So in fact, it is not like, but truly is a trip to the fountain of youth. Facebook. It is what's good for your brain.

In the Hood

Guess who's moving to the hood. That is correct - "Mr. Smooth" Justin Timberlake. Apparently JT has just purchased a kickin' crib in the backcountry of Greenwich. That means that I will be sure to see him bouncing down Greenwich Avenue or will run into girlfriend Jennifer Biel lookin' fresh at Sephora. Booya. For sure we will have to be schoolin' JT to know the ledge.

Greenwich Times got down to the gritty with Greenwich man breaks into home, cuts pubic hair . Apparently the jack broke into a crib while the owner was away, cut his pubic hair and left the trimmings, police said. So cold.

In my hood what is happening can be found at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC_pivmmDVY. This is a video entitled Raccoon vs Cat and Singing Mom. Raccoons are clockin' and fronting on the Kenny's porch and face old school ire.

"Aight. Be easy.

The Color of Light

I have a friend who suggests that each person has an essential question. She poses that her essential question is "Where would I put that?" That is the question she asks herself before she acquires anything. Consequently, she rarely buys or accepts things "on the fly." I, on the other hand, have always felt that if I fancied something, I could make room for it in my life. That explains the 5 trips to the dump we made recently, but I digress. The question I am always asking myself is "How would I paint that?" I am fascinated by the way light plays off objects, such as moonlight or sunlight off the water, the contrast of light versus shadow, and how light influences the perception of color. This same question formed on my daughter's lips on our recent trip to the Met, when she observed Bierstadt's painting The Rocky Mountains Lauder's Peak. Bierstadt was a member of the Hudson River School, painters who emphasized the details of their landscapes with the use of light. Bierstadt's use of light to guide the eye to the center of this painting, following the waterfall from the upper right corner of the painting to the center, is expert and breathtaking. His use of light, shadow, and color helps create tremendous depth. There are many artists who use light powerfully. One of my favorite paintings is J.M.W. Turner's The Grand Canal. Turner was know as the "painter of light", and he certainly proved the title in this painting.

Artists such as Vermeer and Impressionists,

such as Monet (Musée de

l'Orangeries des Tuileries in Paris has a spectacular collection) carve atmosphere with light in paint. It is their abilities I crave when I experience the light of a San Diego morning or a sunset at Menemsha, wishing to capture that impression forever.

Hot Time in the City

My husband and I went into NYC yesterday to visit our daughter. We all popped over to the MET, where outside I bought a nifty "pashmina" that I instantly lost. I am usually able to hold onto my things, particularly new things, so I was really bummed. However, some really good Karma is in store for the kind individual who returned it to the Information Desk.

The MET has opened up their new American Wing and I had not seen it. It is magnificent. There is much glass and light, and many period rooms, which seem to make the paintings, furniture and textiles come to life. We ended our visit with some Egyptian antiquities, and again the architectural elements of the room were as much art as the displays. Thanks to my daughter who explained to me how I can transfer photos from my camera phone for my blog. She is a beautiful genius.

We then schlepped across the city to meet our daughter's roommate (Mad) for dinner. This bright and lovely lass was waiting for us at Rosa Mexicano's with gifts. Mad is the Personal Assistant for Jim Serpico at Apostle Productions and brought us Rescue Me t-shirts. Thanks Mad! We love them. We are Rescue Me fans and therefore these shirts are much appreciated. Mad is a longtime friend who has been there for our daughter through thick and thin. She is a gem. The girls and my husband ordered an interesting dessert. Looks like summer!

After dinner we went back to their apartment, where we visited with their kitties, Josephine and Piepan. Piepan is my granddaughter and she showed me how bright she is and how ready for the upcoming school year. All in all it
was a super fun day.