Vampires, sex, mormons = Twilight

I completely immersed myself in the first one and spent all day today finishing the second. I find that I'm reading more for Edward than I am for Bella. Andy pointed me to this amazing article in the Atlantic called What Girls Want, by Caitlin Flanagan and it is the best explanation for the Twilight craze that I've read. I reeled when I read this memorable passage from the article:

Posted on this girl’s door—above the fading sticker of a cheery panda hopping over a pink jump rope, and one of a strawberry and a lollipop (their low placement suggesting the highest reach of a very small child), and to the right of an oval-shaped decal bearing the single, angry imperative STOP GLOBAL WARMING—is a small, black, square-shaped sticker that reads My Heart Belongs to Edward. In the middle is a photograph of a pair of shapely female hands proffering a red Valentine heart. Also taped to this girl’s closed door is a single piece of lined paper, on which she has written, in a carefully considered amalgam of block letters and swirly penmanship and eight different colors of crayon:

Edward’s Fan Club
You may only enter if you know the password

That she had made her declaration for Edward on such a pretty, handmade sign was all-girl—as was her decision to leave up the old stickers from her childhood. One of the signal differences between adolescent girls and boys is that while a boy quickly puts away childish things in his race to initiate a sexual life for himself, a girl will continue to cherish, almost to fetishize, the tokens of her little-girlhood. She wants to be both places at once—in the safety of girl land, with the pandas and jump ropes, and in the arms of a lover, whose sole desire is to take her completely. And most of all, as girls work all of this out with considerable anguish, they want to be in their rooms, with the doors closed and the declarations posted. The biggest problem for parents of teenage girls is that they never know who is going to come barreling out of that sacred space: the adorable little girl who wants to cuddle, or the hard-eyed young woman who has left it all behind.

Years and years ago, when I was a young girl pressing myself into novels and baking my mother pretty birthday cakes, and writing down the 10 reasons I should be allowed to purchase and wear to the eighth-grade dance a pair of L’eggs panty hose, I knew that password.

Maybe it's because I vivedly remember being a teenager or maybe it is because I fell in love with Anne Rice's Louis over ten years ago, but this article describes those melodramatic moments so well. They make me feel unapologetically feminine in ways that are more real than the love triangles of Jane Austen's novels. Yet, as I continue on with these books, I realize more and more that they are written for teenagers. I'm growing to dislike Bella, finding it hard to excuse her complete dependence on the men around her. There are times when I think that Meyer takes the whole thing too far and makes Bella far more submissive than she should be. The overtones of abstinence and dependence remind me too much of the religious obligations that behold Meyer and distracts me.

Executive Order 13233

The new administration has revoked Executive Order 13233. Basically, Executive Order 13233 was an attempt to prevent access to information from the executive branch as stipulated in Nixon v. Administrator of General Services. You can read more about the decision at the National Coalition for History and more background of the Executive Order at Wikipedia. - Thank you to Kate Theimer for the posting on A&A.

Essentially, the Obama administration is making good on the promise of achieving security without sacrificing our core values. I hope that somewhere in Washington D.C. a few archivists are celebrating and giving a toast to "access".

Montage!

Well not quite but close enough. Here at last are the videos/photos of our trip. So far I've finished London and Paris. I can't for the life of me decide on music for Venice and Florence. I tried the Winter movement to Vivaldi's Four Seasons but it was far too melodramatic. Think Wagner's Flying Dutchman to your old home videos. I'll try to make a decision tonight but so far, I'm addicted to my newly purchased Isaac Hayes's, Hot Buttered Soul album. I don't think that's going to work either. And yet....

London
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juo6FKQXks0&feature=related

Paris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LytatGUrA

One more Bernini to go

Ok, I admit it, I miss Paris and I miss the French. I won't say anything more about it except that if I get stabbed by another umbrella belonging to an old Italian lady, I'm going to scream. Rome is a big city and I wish my uncle was alive so I could ask him why this was his favorite city. Maybe it has a fantastic gay scene. I don't know. Still, the art here is unrivaled. We got here pretty late in the afternoon and it was raining so we didn't wander too far. We certainly made up for it the next day.

We started the morning with the Vatican Museums including the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel certainly stands out as the gem of the Vatican, almost to obscene extent. It is so much larger than I expected and I got to see my favorite figure, Delphic Sibyl. Also, I was suprised by the size of Caravaggio's Descent from the Cross. I didn't it would be so large and it was by far, my favorite painting in museum. Andy is a new fan of Caravaggio's and even more so after our visit to the Borghese Gallery.

The Borghese Gallery was a must see as it houses some of Bernini's best works including Apollo and Daphne. I also got to see my third and final David. It was surprisingly smaller than I expected but still impressive. We just left the gallery and so I'm still a little overwhelmed by it and it is still all sinking in. We're on our way to Santa Maria della Vittoria where we'll hopefully be able to see the Ecstasy of St. Theresa. I told Barry that if I go to Rome and this is the only thing I see, I'll be fine.

So I doubt I'll be able to write anymore on our trip but I wanted to say that we're having a great time but we're looking forward to coming home. I think we're both itching to have a burrito and cheeseburger.

Poggi's and Medici's

Today Andy and I went to the Pitti Palace, its gardens, the Piazza Poggi and to the State Archives. Unfortunately, the piazza has very little to do with Giuseppe Poggi. It was named in honor of him in 1911. Still there is an impressive tower from the original wall protecting the city, in the center of the Piazza. Whether Giuseppe Poggi is related to Andy or not is unknown (at least to him) but I think he was still able to channel the Poggi spirit. Actually, I think Andy is really starting to feel at home. Our hotel is located right next to the Plaza San Spirito (named for the Brunelleschi church on the square) and they have cool little markets there daily. Andy's eyes got very big when he saw a gigantic piece of cooked pork at one of the food stands in the market. He ordered a pork sandwich and they took a giant knife and sliced off some chunks off of the pork, then grilled it to perfection. I think it was a spiritual experience for Andy. Of course, Andy just told me how much he wants a hamburger but that's a complaint I hear everyday, regardless of what country I'm in. We've already agreed to go to El Farolito's the day we get back to San Francisco. Despite all the fantastic food, I'm having tortilla withdrawls.

The highlight of the day has to be the State Archives of Florence. We received a very lively tour from the State Archivist, Stefano Vitali and one of his collegues. They had such a funny repoire and it was obvious these guys had worked together for many years. They were very knowledgable of the history of Florence and they were very eager to share their collection. They showed us the oldest documents in the archives, contracts from the year 743. While the Bancroft has papyrus, I thought it was particularly special to have documents dating so far back that relate to the specific area of origin. In other words, these papers were official, notarized documentation of a contract made in Florence. That was very special. And even more interesting was that they were stored rolled up, like scrolls. The Archives of Florence invented this ingenious way of storing scrolls in little boxes that are stored in larger cartons which open up from the front. It was very interesting storage and the parchment is in perfect condition. The parchment is from goats and the joke (which is an archival joke internationally) is that the documents are in perfect condition wheras the documents on our floppy discs from 10 years ago are now lost forever.

While digitzation isn't accepted as a form of preservation, they certainly use it as an aid in preservation. They've digitized many of their documents to lower the abuse of physical usage. This has become especially important with documents pertaining to the great artists. The Medici collection contains correspondence and documentation of the commissions of such artists as Sandro Botticelli. You can imagine how popular such documents are, especially with art history students. So now, students can search and read these documents online. Mr. Vitali is in charge of the website and I think he's done a superb job. The documents are scanned at high resolutions and while it still isn't translated, it is a very easy site to navigate.

The whole tour was pretty amazing and I felt very fortunate to have access to the documents. I spotted the Medici collection and Mr. Vitali kindly pulled out a box and we examined letters written to and from Cosimo Medici, the Elder, who was the first Medici to really build any power. I believe he is the great-grandfather of Lorenzo. I don't know if it is because I am a packrat or because I put sentimental value on minor things, but holding these documents was like going to the holy land. At a recent SAASC meeting at the Environmental Design Archives at Berkeley, Waverly Lowell asked everyone what they're fantasy job would be. My choice was the State Archivist in Florence and after seeing it, I still feel that way, perhaps more so. As Andy pointed out, these items date before the Magna Carta and this information is the bedrock of Western Civilization. It was certainly a memorable day and I'm looking forward to going to Rome tomorrow.

1 David down

Last night was pretty magical. We walked around Florence as the full moon began to rise and everyone was strolling in the city center. We came across a wild little band complete with flutes, trumpets, tuba, accordian, trombones, and persussion. It was like the Italian version of the Marching Lumberjacks. They were even passing around a couple bottles of "le sauce." The full moon reflected the city perfectly on the Arno and I don't think we could have planned our arrival any better.

Today, Andy and I went to the Uffizi and the Accademia. It is interesting to compare the difference in the way the French and the Italians display their art. The French are all about grandeur and it is impossible to forget that you are in a room, or building, retrofitted for optimum art viewing. But in the Uffizi, it is easier to transport yourself to the purpose of the piece. Still, I found the lighting in the Uffizi to be a bit poor at times and the glass protecting the pieces to be so dirty, it became distracting. The contrast in the way the French and Italians display art is actually kind of funny in the sense that it reflects the two cultures. There is certainly more of a laissez-faire kind of attitude in Italy that I did not experience in France. I've never been to the Met but I wonder what it says about how Americans veiw art.

David is an absolute giant and completely dominates the space. You can read the measurements for him, but it is impossible to anticipate the way he takes your breath away. While there is some speculation as to when this pose is supposed to take place (before or after the battle with Goliath), I found it unmistakeable that it was before the battle. His eyes are focused on some higher plane, presumably his much larger foe and so he shrinks back to the perspective of the moment. The size of the marble piece is equally impressive and I can only imagine what a young girl would have thought of such a piece in 1504. I'm going to see Donatello's David tomorrow at the Bargello and in Rome, I'll hopefully get to see my favorite David, Bernini's David.

This will complete a wish I had when I was 15. Celina was taking an art history class at Chaffey and she thought I would really enjoy it so she let me, her little sister, tag along. I forget the professor's name. Art history can be tough with a bad lecturer. It is mostly lecture and mostly in the dark with slides of the works. This professor was quite excitable and it was such a blast to sit in on his lectures. The midterm was on the 3 Davids and I remember thinking how badly I wanted to see them.

Tomorrow, we'll go the Pitti Palace, and the churches. I'm very excited to see Massaccio's Holy Trinity. I'm obsessed with the progression of perspective and the Holy Trinity is the breakthrough of the Renaissance. It is kind of weird in the sense that I've seen pieces from these painters, Giotto, Duccio, Massaccio but it is when you see those pieces that you associate with these painters that it actually hits you. I don't know if I am explaining this well. For example, I've seen a few Simone Martini pieces but when I saw The Annunciation, it all kind of came together. You see these works of art in your classes and you associate a feeling with them during the lecture, thinking that there is no way you could ever have the opportunity to see the real thing. And then when you do finally see them, they move you to tears, unexpetedly. It has all been very bittersweet.

Florence

We just arrived in Florence and are happy to find it much warmer than Venice and Paris. We went on a very long walk in Paris in which we went to the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Galeries Lafayette, and the Paris Opera House. It was freezing out and I slipped on some icy stairs. Unfortunately, I had my hands in my pockets and so I landed right on my lip. It looks like I burnt my lip with a curling iron. It wasn't that bad except I caught a cold that same day. By the second day in Venice, I was pretty sick but I was able to get some cold medicine from the Pharmacy and it is working wonders.

Now we're in Florence and I am all too impressed with Andy's map abilities. I know I shouldn't be but I kept reading how everyone gets lost in Venice and in Florence. So far, Andy has been more accurate than google directions. I'm the translator, he's the GPS system. It is proving to be a winning combination. Also, I think he is getting used to eating all the time. Europeans very much enjoy hanging out in their favorite cafe and drinking coffee with some little snack. Unfortunately for Andy, I have found my inner shopper. For those of you who know me well, I abhor shopping, mainly because I hate the music, the lack of windows and the recycled air in shopping centers. Europe has none of that, or at least we've managed to avoid most of it. I'm showing impressive self-restraint but even I couldn't resist the beautiful paper shops in Venice.

Well, we're going to walk around and explore Florence. Andy is famished so I think our adventure will include wine, cheese, bread and chocolate if I'm lucky. Ciao for now!

Venice

Don't have much time but I wanted to report back. We're in Venice and I'm absolutely in love. There are no cars, no traffic noise, just people. We went to a Vivaldi concert in a beautiful church and I'll write again with more details. It was comprised of four violins, a viola, a cello, and a bass. All the instruments were antiques dating back to the early 17th century. They played various Vivaldi pieces (he was a Venetian) and the acoustics in the church were fantastic. I have never experienced anything quite like that and the only word I can think of is spiritual but that's not quite right.

We also went to the Venice State Archives and I have never seen and archives this large. It is housed in an old convent and they still use the original library. All the state archives also serve as archival schools where they teach theory and paleontology. I didn't want to leave. The archivist, Claudia Salmini was very kind and gave us a wonderful. More later - ciao!

Bonjour

Wow, I totally understand the French attitude now. I would act the same way if I got to live in Paris. It is the most gorgeous city I've ever seen. Our hotel has a view of the Eiffel Tower and we woke up the first morning to find the city covered in snow. It continued to snow the rest of the day.

We went to the Louvre, occasionally peeking out to the main square as the snow continued to fall and taking in the paintings with the scenic view outside. Yes, we saw the Mona Lisa. I thought I was going to hate her since she's become such a cliche. There was a small crowd in front of her, and I could see her from the outside. She kept looking at me so I inched my way closer. Still she kept looking at me and so finally, I got to the front of the crowd and at last she smiled at me. I've always liked portraits but I was suprised at how much I enjoyed this one. I also got to see my other favorite St. Anne and Virgin. Jesus is such a sweet little bambino and he's even playing with a little sacraficial lamb. Andy really enjoyed the Jacques-Louis David's which are so much larger than I expected. Everything seemed larger. Winged Victory is not dimished in the giant alcove she's landed in. And I kept thinking of Celina and Armando, wishing they were with me.

My French is terrible but I think my attempts at it are helping rather than hurting. Still, we're finding Paris to be much more expensive than London. At the same time, the food is substantially better and the coffee is divine. I don't know how I'll ever eat chocolate again after I leave. Ok, that's a little melodramatic. Really though, the chocolate is superb.

Andy is finding his inner photographer and he has been taking some great pictures. He really liked the Eurostar and was very impressed by its smoothness and by how quiet it was. However, Andy is not impressed by the amount of dog pooh on the streets. Apparently, it's improved over the last ten years but it's still abundant. We're grateful for the ice and snow which help prevent any accidents.

Today is freezing (21 degrees F) and I think we may go to the Garnier Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, and see Napolean's tomb. I'm also hoping to go to the Lafayette Gallery to do a little shopping. Hope all is well at home and at work. I'm going to push for some hot chocolate now.
Au revoir!

The first day was difficult and we didn't accomplish much due to jet lag. I hardly remember Thursday but on Friday, we did much better. We spent the morning at the Tower of London and enjoyed the ravens, torture and diamonds. The history of it all is overwhelming and my favorite part was learning that the Queen's quarters, Henry VIII's wedding gift to Anne Boleyn, are still in domestic use by the Tower's Constable.

After a lovely walk down the River Thames, we visited St. Paul's. And then rushed over to the British Museum. By this time, we were both exhausted and after a very dissatisfying meal, I was beginning to get dizzy. Even the clock exhibit couldn't keep Andy awake. We're going to try and revisit the British Museum on our last day.

We fared better today and I think it's mostly because we've defeated our jet lag. We went to Westminster Abbey early in the morning and took the docent tour. It was certainly worth it as we gained access to King Edward the Confessor's tomb among other monarchs, including Henry V, one of my personal favorites (probably due to Kenneth Branagh). We also used the audio tour for the cloisters and that was absolutely worth it because the narrator was Jeremy Irons.

After the Abbey, we visited Buckingham Palace and walked down Pall Mall to the National Gallery. The National Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square, which was also the rallying point for a huge protest today. It was a pro Palestinian march protesting Israel's actions of the last few days. It was a very large protest and I question if such a large protest of Israel could happen in the US. More than anything, it revealed the diversity of London in ways I would have otherwise missed. With the exception of New York, I can't say I've ever been to such a global city.

We did make it through the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. I think the protest must have scared some of the crowds away because both galleries were quite empty. I had been looking forward to seeing da Vinci's Madonna of the Rocks but it was removed for conservation work. In its place was the Virgin and Child with St. Anne and John the Baptist. This was pleasant surprise and the knockout of the evening.

London has been cold and damp, the kind of chill that gets into your lungs and into your bones. It's fantastic! It's perfect weather for enjoying a pint of beer from a casket in some fine establishment with mahogany finishes and Victorian wall paper. Andy and I soon discovered though, that many of the pubs belong to a chain. We did discover an excellent wine bar called Gordon's Wine Bar, the oldest wine bar in London.

So far, we've been having a marvelous time and Andy has been surprisingly impressed with London. The cost is certainly high but it isn't nearly the shock that we had been warned about. I think that living in San Francisco forces you to adjust your expectations of what the price for food and drinks should be.

We'll be leaving for Paris tomorrow at 10:30 tomorrow morning so au revoir for now.