Where Did You Go Joe DiMaggio?

If you follow me on Instagram then you’ve already seen this picture and heard this story, but I thought I would share again. I went to the post office and asked the postmaster for some “pretty stamps” he obligingly reached behind the counter and put these in front of me.

These stamps remind me, I so excited for the Nationals this year! All the way to the series this time! Whoot!

RIP Maria Tallchief

Maria Tallchief passed away yesterday, she was an amazing ballet dancer, one of the first to put America on the map for Ballet. She was best known for her part as the Firebird. I found a movie with her commenting a little on the role. I am just amazed at her grace!

 

 

 

Michelangelo’s David (or Apollo?)

Sunday I took a trip to the National Gallery of Art to see Michelangelo’s David-Apollo , It’s called the David-Apollo because they aren’t sure who it is exactly. I think it is a David, he doesn’t seem Apollo-esque enough to me.

This statue was on loan from the Bargello in Florence. I have seen the statue in Florence before, but I figured I’d go see it again. It’s like when a good friend comes to town you make sure you stop by and say hello during their visit.

To top the visit off, there was an amazing piano trio playing later that evening for which I was able to stay! (FYI: a piano trio means that there is a piano and two other instruments, usually a cello and violin, all playing together. It doesn’t mean a trio of pianos.)

 

Update: Just found this article by Simcha Fisher on children and and their take on art. Loved it!

Thank You, Benedict XVI!

Today Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the Chair of Peter at 2 p.m. EST. I will miss him so! I was there, standing in a crush at the front row at St. Peter’s square when he was elected. Thank you, Holy Father, for all that you have given me these past eight years! You’ll be in my prayers. Ti voglio bene!

P.S. If you want solid, up-to-date information on what is going on at the Vatican now, I reccomend that you follow Whispers in the Loggia.

The Rest of the Story: Aston Martin

2013 is going to be a big year for a lot of people, and companies: Aston Martin (the car company of 007 fame) is celebrating it’s centennial! I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t gone to see Skyfall the other day and fallen in love with the vintage Aston Martin that Bond pulls out of storage. Naturally after the movie I googled Aston Martin and learned a little about how the car and company came about their name.

Oh, Night More Lovely Than the Dawn

Another great feast day! Happy feast of St. John of the Cross – his poetry is so beautiful! Enjoy! (Plus with a poem about the night like this, doesn’t it seem appropriate that there is a meteor shower sheduled on St. John’s feast?)

On A Dark Night by St. John of the Cross  On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings –oh, happy chance!– I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest. In darkness and secure, By the secret ladder, disguised –oh, happy chance!– In darkness and in concealment, My house being now at rest. In the happy night, In secret, when none saw me, Nor I beheld aught, Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart. This light guided me More surely than the light of noonday To the place where he (well I knew who!) was awaiting me – A place where none appeared. Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn, Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved! Upon my flowery breast, Kept wholly for himself alone, There he stayed sleeping, and I caressed him, And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze. The breeze blew from the turret As I parted his locks; With his gentle hand He wounded my neck And caused all my senses to be suspended. I remained, lost in oblivion; My face I reclined on the Beloved. All ceased and I abandoned myself, Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.

Brideshead Revisted

Dearest Charles–
I found a box of this paper at the back of a bureau so I must write to you as I am mourning for my lost innocence. It never looked like living. The doctors despaired of it from the start…
I am never quite alone. Members of my family keep turning up and collecting luggage and going away again, but the white raspberries are ripe.
I have a good mind not to take Aloysius to Venice. I don’t want him to meet a lot of horrid Italian bears and pick up bad habits.
Love or what you will.
S.

Brideshead Revisted by Evelyn Waugh

Sparkles

This necklace is so cool! It would be like wearing the Milky Way!

And while we are on the topic of the Milky Way, can I just say that is the best name ever for our galaxy? We name the planets after gods, which is great and all, but we call our galaxy via lactea - poetry wins the day again!

Source: anthropologie.com via Trena on Pinterest

JP2 We Love You!

Today is the feast of Blessed Pope John Paul II! I had the enormous grace to live during the life of Pope John Paul II, he was the only pope I knew until recently. I was also blessed to be in Rome while Pope John Paul II was dying – I also there while he was lying in state, for his funeral, and for the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

During his last days I was particularly struck by one thing, the pope of the youth was willing to grow old and die. He let us see him as his body succumbed to age and Parkinson’s disease. When the current world practically shouts in our faces “Be young and beautiful always! Youth is everything! Never grow up! Never grow old!” Pope John Paul II showed us that we truly had nothing to fear in this life, even age and death, if our eyes were firmly fixed on the next.

(The picture above is from the Marvel Comic The Life of Pope John Paul II.)

Ithaca

Cheese alert: what you about to see includes spacy-kinda-weird music, and cheesy filming of nature and buildings. But, what you are about to hear is Sir Sean Connery reciting the poem Ithaca by C.P. Cavafy. It is pretty awesome.