This picture posted on Flickr inspired me for the outdoor dining space. Of course, I don't have enough room for all of those beautiful umbrellas, and Raju might kill me if I paint the side of the house (ala one of those HGTV shows we watched once upon a time, of course, she also cut away part of the deck; damn did her hubby need that margarita maker they won when he came home). So I'm paring down a bit and going with what seems to be leaning more toward a French feel with the red and blue and the Tolix chairs. Either way, it will be better than what it is today.
what it is today: clean slate or barren waste land? cup half full or half empty?
Of course, we'll need more plants, and brighter colored planters than are in the mock above. Shortcuts - I just wanted some greenery in the picture.
The current plan is to put in the tall, skinny evergreens, similar to the ones in this photo from Florence (center of the pic) in a row down the fence. That should give us some privacy and kill some of the ambient road noise. So I guess we're bringing a little Italy back in. Maybe I can call this "Euroblend"?
Labels: Domestic Life, Florence, Influences, Italy
I've been on a bit of a consumption binge lately. Needing to consume - purchasing, consuming movies, books, knowledge. Just trying to break out of my rut, watching the same Family Guy episode for the umpteenth time while glazed over.
This weekend I watched Summertime, a movie from the 50s starring Katharine Hepburn. I'm not sure that I have ever seen one of Hepburn's movies before, but I decided I really don't care for her. At all.
However, the movie itself was good. It had technicolor on its side, and it was set in Venice which made me long for another trip there. It's already being planned in my head. Heavy wine drinkers need apply.
One of the things that struck me about this movie was Hepburn's character - she arrives in Venice, and she carries this film camera with her everywhere, capturing every moment, preserving it on film. She doesn't really experience anything - the only contact she really has at this point is with the other tourists at the hotel. A hot blonde and her artist boyfriend, the proprietor of the hotel (who offers her some fine Italian drink, which she decides to mix with bourbon), and some tourist-old-couple she met on the water taxi.
Then she meets a man -
the man. He sets her heart (or something else) aflutter, but she spends the next half hour acting like an ass instead of enjoying the moment. Then she gives in, and the camera disappears. She begins to experience Venice, experience love and life, and the camera is no where in sight for the rest of the movie. Of course, I guess she should have acted like an ass - turns out he is married. But that is beside the point.
I have to wonder if the obsolete camera is intentional as she begins to experience Venice. Does this mean David Lean felt the same way I do? That the camera somehow abstracts you from reality, from the moment, even though it is capturing that moment for a lifetime or more? That the camera interferes with your ability to experience by placing a mechanical device and a lens between you and life?
Labels: Italy, Movies, Observances, Others Art, venice
House on a Hill, RomeThere's something about this photo that reminds me of Arbus's similarly titled photo - A House on a Hill, Hollywood. It's one of my two favorite photos of hers (the other being the Disneyland castle), and the dialogue generally surrounding these photos is how atypical it is for her to have taken more of a landscape photograph, as she normally works in portraiture. Thus, there's a lot of discussion on what this
means - photographing a house on a hill, photographing a castle at a theme park. Most often, the thought is she is photographing what is not there - i.e. the content of the house is missing in Hollywood; it's just a shell (read what you will into that). Things aren't always what they seem.
A House on a Hill, Hollywood, by Diane ArbusThe mood of the two photos feel the same to me. Somewhat gray (though in Arbus's work this is achieved via B&W), clouds in the sky, perspective, and what's not there. It's obvious in Rome what is left is a piece of magnificent architecture, and what's left hints at what once was, but is no longer. Whether that be as simple as part of the house is missing, or a great society that has come and gone... well, I'll leave that to you to read into.
Labels: Italy, My Art, Others Art, Rome
Walkway, Boboli Gardens, Florence | Essences of Italy seriesAs I walk beneath the trees.
Labels: Florence, Italy, just a picture, Silliness
I just love it when people look at my work and that is the first (or second) line out of their mouth. As if my camera jumped out of my hand, ran back down the street, centered the scene perfectly, focused and snapped the shot, noting that it didn't need a flash to get the best lighting.
My hubbie once said this about a friend, but after some thought (I said nothing, neither did his friend) he came to the conclusion that maybe there has to be a smidgen of talent at least to get the camera to produce a nice picture.
And for the record, I do have a nice camera :-) I also have some others that might not be qualified as nice, but will produce some fantastic results if it's the effect you're looking for. Because in the end, the camera is just a tool that the entire world has access to, just like paint, pastels, pens, and clay.
Labels: Florence, Italy, My Art, not just a picture, Observances
Carousel, Florence, ItalyYesterday morning the sky was gray - huge, puffy gray clouds provided a few variances in the shade of gray. I had to stop for gas and there was an eerie quiet for a few minutes - which is odd considering the gas station is on a busy street, and I was there during rush hour.
Another one of those
surreal, slo-mo moments.
Labels: Florence, Italy, just a picture, Observances, Surreal
Venice, where I wished I had galoshesIt's a rainy, gray day. Storms have moved in and winds have howled all night long for two nights now. It sounds like there's a waterfall in the breezeway. Some people pay good money for the soothing sound of a waterfall.
But I don't mind - today gives me an excuse to wear my galoshes! And my red raincoat.
Happy Friday!
Labels: Italy, just a picture, venice
The portfolio section is slowly getting updated with some new work. It's about time, huh? Ba-by steps...
Click on that portfolio link above to go there - the one in the menu bar -- next to that shop link that's been coming soon for a year...
Labels: General Info, Italy, just a picture, My Art
One of my favorite places in Florence, the Gardens of Boboli had a nice surprise - Cats! They didn't want much to do with anyone, but I think if I'd had more time I would have enough cats to make a calendar.
As we walked home one night, I also noticed these boxers and immediately thought of Dad - so I snapped a picture.
Labels: Florence, Honeymooning, Italy
Portions continued from the October 24, 2007 handwritten (*gasp!!*) diary entry...
After wandering through the Forum and the Coliseum, Raju and I headed up to Palantine Hill. Raju, being the more observant of the two of us, noted how the grass was indeed greener for the rich folk. I, probably being the more sarcastic of the two of us, thought the bullshit spewing forth from these politicians must have made great manure (the smarmy continues...).
No matter how smarmy tonight, at the time, this is where it really hit me as to why art flourished in Italy. The light is just so damn beautiful, as are the colors of almost everything in Rome.
My feet hurt like hell after Rome (though, truly, I didn't know what tired feet were until Florence). But Palantine Hill was definitely one of those moments where time slowed, where we forgot we had a million and one things to see in Rome, and we enjoyed meandering down the hill, away from the palaces and back to the land of reality. Those few moments are one of the treasured on this trip.
Bracolli Floretta on Palantine HillLabels: Honeymooning, Italy, Rome
Portions originally written October 24, 2007.
It was one of the first things that ran through my mind in Rome. We're staying near Vatican City, and the place is surrounded by junk shops and street vendors hawking pictures of the Pope, Jesus, and pretty much any other religious figure you can think of.
Everything in the city of Rome elicits a small "WOW" from me, followed by silence because I'm floored by the beauty of it. Toward the end of day one I figured this out, after seeing St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and Hall of Maps at the Vatican Museum, while enjoying a gelato in front of the Trevi Fountain. I know it's all the tourist spots, but I'm not sure what isn't in Rome. The entire city is like one big museum, only people live in and around every piece of art in it.
The mosaic work in St. Peter's is amazing
The proportions of the buildings and the lighting add to that WOW-factor I believe. I'm a huge fan of the golden light, unfortunately, I only see it in the early morning here in the U.S. -- and I'm not a morning person. It's pretty much a golden hue through most of the day there, as you can see from the photos.
We also got to see the Pope this morning, not so much because we planned it, but because we were walking by and noticed the crowd. We decided seeing the Pope might be a once in a lifetime thing, so we stuck around.
Unfortunately I had left the longer lens at home, so you get to play "Find the Pope!". Should be a good way to kill an hour of your Monday morning.
The entire popage-sighting was very spooky though. He was brought out in the pope-mobile and driven through the crowd, so it appeared he was floating in his white robes. Add to that some organ music, and the entire event seemed made for Halloween. Odd, interesting, unforgettable.
Labels: Honeymooning, Italy, Observances, Rome
