Secret Destinations

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."

-Martin Bilber

An enchanted villa on the road to Portofino. 

Photo credit:  focalplane

Summer Armchair Travel

If you can't actually run away to far off lands this summer, I have some reading recommendations that will get you where you might yearn to go. 

Let Julia Child take you away to Paris and Marseilles in the 1940's as she recounts her years living abroad with husband Paul and discovering her unknown passion for cooking in, My Life In France.  I thought it would read dryly as some memoirs can, but her wit and enthusiasm for her profession and life in general will certainly entertain.  I was reminded of watching her show on PBS in Chicago when I was a little girl and was captivated by her scratchy, shaky way of speaking and all the tricks she could pull in a tiny studio kitchen.

Three friends take a postwar walkabout into the arid terrain of North Africa in Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky.  The journey is more than they and the reader bargains for as all are introduced to an intricate foreign culture which draws everyone into its grasp.  Mr. Bowles was the consummate Renaissance man being author, translator, classical music composer and film scorer living much of his life in Morocco.  As that is a part of the world I find so intriguing, this story was able to make it come alive for me.  

I have just finished The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri and was introduced to life in India narrated by Meera, a woman we watch transform from teenage girl to young wife and ultimately mother; the role which provides her with the most important relationship in her life.   Yet, it is clear that all the men revolving around her world shape the path she travels down.  What was most amazing for me is that while the story was through the voice of a woman, the words were written by a man.  Mr. Suri, with prose that frequently read like poetry was able to capture so intimately what a woman might feel should she find herself in this character's shoes.    

Finally, I am currently reading The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie.  I have never read anything by him before, controversial or otherwise and am being taken on travels through the ancient Mughal empire while making our way to Rennaissance Florence.   So far, I am loving every twist and turn in this adventure and am surprised to find that Mr. Rushdie does indeed have a wonderful sense of humor.  Be forewarned:  his philosophical musings will require a good dose of concentration!

I highly recommend all of these books as they were, at least for me, the kind of reads where I would only allow myself bits at a time to prolong the pleasure!

Sherrie Wolf

I am a Libra so by nature love to be surrounded by beauty.  Tiny, insignificant things can move or inspire me like a beautiful piece of writing paper or the peony bushes in my yard which are swollen and weighed down with their own beauty, mimicking ballerina's skirts.  I see things everywhere and they can become something magnificent for me.  

These paintings by Sherrie Wolf need nothing other than to just "be" in order to fill me with wonder.  They are amazing works, still-lifes set against backgrounds of old master's paintings.  You might recognize the works of Boucher, Bierstadt, Manet or Artemisia Gentileschi peeking out behind her well-arranged fruits and flowers.  

"I have always been a still-life painter.  My images openly play with the fact that art is artifice.  In recent years, I have arranged items in front of excerpts from old masters paintings....My images have evolved from a love of art history and a desire to present multiple levels of expression to my viewer."

The few pieces that I have chosen to show you are just the tip of the iceberg.  You need to go to her website and continue to be amazed and overwhelmed by her work.  These are truly something I hope to own someday!

Additional information and photo credit:  Sherrie Wolf Studio , Artemisia

Paris: Rue de Fuerstenberg

I found this curious antique shop as I was winding my way through the Saint Germain area of Paris on a rainy evening in February.  I remember talking on the phone, taking care of some dilemma back home in the states while struggling to take pictures of this haunting site, soothe the weary heart of one of my daughters and rush to get out of the coming rain storm.  Having dusk descending over Paris made this place all the more haunting for me.  

I love this little display of artist's models amongst some crazy antique village scene.

 

This is my favorite image as all the elements together create a scene of a dream that you either want to stay in longer or escape from as fast as you can.  Personally,  I delight in scenes like this.

I was unable to remember the name of the shop but you can find it at 4 rue de Furstenberg, on odd street for Paris as it has a round about in the center of it.  The area is well hidden which added to the mystery of the treasures found here. 

Photo credit:  Personal collection  

Free Burma

My heart goes out the people of Myanmar as they make their way through the devestating aftermath of nature's cruel visit.  As I read articles describing aid, both in man power and supplies that continues to be turned away by the military junta, my sadness deepens for the people who live in this  corner of the world.  The gentle and graceful beauty of the people and their surroundings is in stark contrast to the stronghold and nightmarish regime that brutally enforces their will on its people making efforts to offer foreign aid practically impossible.  

A few years ago, I picked up this book, Finding George Orwell in Burma, thinking it would be a happy go lucky adventure somehow tied to an author that I enjoy reading.  Not so much.  While this travel memoir had its moments that painted the country in the colors of its idyllic former self, I learned of the hardships and oppressive regime that this culture must live with--a way of life that I can't begin to understand.  

These beautiful images of serenity and gentleness hide the reality of a culture struggling at this point in time to stay alive, literally,  while officials black out internet connections and turn aid away that is so vital to righting this terrible natural disaster.  The violation of human rights we are witnessing, even prior to Cyclone Nargis, but more so now as the government works to suppress its exposure to the rest of the world is appalling and we need to be mindful of its citizens ongoing plight.  

Photo credit:  flickr

Journeys of Another Kind

 
It has been a crazy, hectic week at my house and will continue to be so for the next little while.  Last Friday, my younger daughter, Kylie had her senior prom.  She asked if we could host a pre-prom picture party where parents were able to come and photograph their son or daughter with their date before the dance.  I was happy to do it and provided cocktails and hors d'oeuvres for the parents since we didn't get to dress up and go dancing till the wee hours!! Bummer!  

A week later, we find ourselves in the middle of our older twin daughters graduation from the University of Notre Dame.  A three day extravaganza of ceremonies, pre and post ceremonies for the ceremonies, baccalaureate mass and the culmination, cap and gown procession on Sunday.  Knowing their mom as they do, my twins asked about a month ago if I would consider hosting a dinner party at our home (we live 4 miles from the university) for their friends and all their families coming in town for the weekend. I was more than happy to do for them as I did for my younger daughter so last night we kicked the weekend off with a bang!  

 
These two cuties are my babies,  Taylor and Lindsay and last night we celebrated their graduation with 200 guests of which we knew not many.  Grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, siblings, parents--a whole mixed bag of people showed up for cocktails and dinner and what an evening it was.  Busy and crazy to say the least, but a wonderful way to share in the accomplishments of all these kids during the last four years.  



Here is the big, beautiful crew.  All these young men and women are so accomplished already--it is a bit overwhelming.  If they are our future, I know for a fact that the world is in good hands.  

Lins and Tay,  I could not be more proud of you if I tried.  I love you both so very, very much!

Chicago Meets Cyprus

Blogging--we could argue forever about the plusses and minuses of this new media craze.  I am new to this whole world, deciding in late November of 2007 that maybe I should start one as a personal place to figure out where I needed to go professionally.  In mid-December, out of the blue mind you, I was hired to write a daily post at The Paris Traveler.  My role there is to give readers tips on travel around the city, places to go to eat, museums and sites that you might not know about, shops that are great but unless you lived there, you wouldn't know about them.  So in a way, this little blog was a means to an end but I'm not sure that I am complete yet.  I think I am just at the starting line of the journey and can't wait to run the race!

The part of blogging that I love is connecting with people from all around the world that you would never get a chance to meet if it weren't for the internet.  And you may never get to actually meet them in person, but there is a bond somehow through cyber space and friendships blossom.  

 

One such friendship for me is with a gentleman named Philip or Philas as he is called in his home of Cyprus.  He happened to stumble on my post the other day about Spain, liked it, contacted me asking if he could use it or part of it on his blog and voila, a friendship born.  Today I am linking to his site as he has some wonderful photos and information to share about his country that, honestly, if I don't get there someday, shame on me!!

This particular post is The Mosaics of Paphos on Cyprus: 

These beautifully preserved mosaics are the floors of ancient Roman villas owned by those who governed Cyprus 2000 years ago, dating from the third to fifth century A.D.  Mostly, they depict stories from Greek mythology and are made from tiny glass pieces called "tesserae" that where puzzled together by artisans of great skill.  I had dinner several months ago with a woman who had just completed a week long course in Venice learning this very same craft.  If you have ever been to Venice and visited Saint Mark's Cathedral then you have been introduced to some of the most beautiful mosaic work anywhere.  The interior of this particular church is breathtaking.

You really must go visit Philas' blog taxidiaris which in Greek means "person who loves traveling".  He gives much detail regarding the photos you see here and you can search his blog and be amazed at all the magnificent places he has been.                                                            

I too would have to call myself a taxidiaris!!