The Berkshires, Redux

We arrived for our annual sojourn in The Berkshires around 4pm and waited for our friends Kathy and John Lima to arrive.  On the way in we stopped at Whole Foods to stock up on goodies needed for an uplifting week end.  All the foods we never need or should eat can be found there:  smelly ripe cheeses, salty fried crackers, deeply processed and very hard meats, buttery and sugary deserts.  Wayne bought dry aged steaks which were grilled after a period of swilling gin and vodka to wash down the aforementioned smelly cheeses and crackers.  Have you gotten the drift of the upcoming week end?  The steaks, btw, were delicious.  
We are staying at Fern Hollow in Becket, MA at the home of Kate and Greg Losi.  They, meantime, are staying in our Wareham home.  This is our 3rd year to exchange.  So far it is a mutually beneficial adventure.  Fern Hollow is set in a hollow about 1/4 mile off the road.  We are isolated and surrounded by woods. There is always the possibility of spotting a black bear.  We spend a lot of time on a lovely screened front porch where we can eat and relax beneath the giant trees.  
Our evening ended the next day about 2 a.m. after solving all the political, legal and familial problems (at least for the moment).  

Washington DC

National Portrait Gallery, Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Today was my kind of day.  It was saturated with art. As I've stated before, the hotel is in a prime location, and we were able to walk about 5 blocks to the National Portrait Gallery.  We began our visit with the  "Portraiture Now" series' seventh installation.  Last year we saw the sixth installation of miniature portraits that were amazing in their detail and realism.  This exhibition looks at the narrow boundaries that once defined drawing and portraiture with artists who explore the melding of painting, video, writing, computer technology and photography as well as drawing.  All the artists are meticulous in their work, probe the psychological make up of their subjects and use scale to a very effective degree.  Please take a look at their works here.  Each artist is listed to the side with links to view the works.  

We took a long look at the early works that documented the beginnings of our country from the earliest settlements through the Civil War and Reconstruction.  Particularly, I remember portraits and busts of Pocahontas, Abigail Adams, Booker T. Washington, John Brown and Elizabeth I.  

The American Art Museum is attached to the Portrait Gallery.  We crossed over to see an exhibit , The Civil War and American Art, that examines how American artists represented the impact of the Civil War and its aftermath.  There were amazing works from the Hudson River Valley artists, Bierstadt, Church and Gifford, and, for me, a new look at Winslow Homer. Here is a video trailer of the show.   There is a large, beautiful atrium that connects the two museums.  We sat there for a lunch and rest before heading out to the National Gallery

The National Gallery, about 20 minute walk, took us past the Naval Memorial.  It had lovely high relief sculptures circling a open area.  The National Gallery is exhibiting Pre-Raphaelites, one of Wayne's top see list schools of art.  He fell in love with them while attending Oxford University.  They hold several levels of engagement for him.  This show was a curator's coup.  Neither of us have seen such a large grouping before.  There were 130 paintings, sculptures, works on paper and decorative art objects.  It was a fabulous show.  

We ended our day with dinner at Caiba (pronounced Say-Bah), a Latin American restaurant near the hotel.  You can see my interesting fish dish on flickr.  We had Italian Cream Cake for dessert back at the hotel provided by Aunt Juanita.  A perfect ending to a perfect day.  Flickr Pictures Here.

Washington DC

National Women in the Arts Museum:  Freya Grand Landscapes

We are in DC staying at our usual Hilton Hotel which is in a perfect location for us.  We are about .5 mile from the mall and the White House.  After checking in and eating at Cafe Mozart, another regular dining spot when we are here, we walked 2 blocks to The National Women in the Arts Museum.  In a small gallery on the first floor was a show by Freya Grand of landscapes she painted from visits to remote uninhabited places in Ecuador, Peru, Scotland, Ireland, Botswana and the Pacific Northwest.  I am glad we saw this as Grand develops the compositions of her paintings and drawings in her studio.  This means she is using photography and memory to paint the idea and emotional content in the landscape rather than an exact replication.  She certainly captured that idea in her paintings of Scotland.  Having just been there it was so clear how she had captured the essence of the place. 
We met Adam at the hotel for dinner and caught up on family, work and future plans.  Flickr pics.

Woodbridge, VA

Driving Cat

We've been doing nothing but driving the last 2 days, 7 hours from Anna Maria to Walterboro, SC and 9 hours from Walterboro to Woodbridge, VA.  There were some traffic issues that slowed us a bit.  (And there was the funny incident of the driving cat.)  We had a grand welcome at Juanita's and Carlton's.  Sandra and her beau, Todd, were there.  Juanita, the grandest hostess of all, had a full meal cooked for us.  Discussions were lively as always with them.  We criticized the sequestration which is personally affecting Butch and Sandra, analyzed the newest and oldest of movies, elaborated upon the Ai Weiwei show at the Hirshhorn.  A soothing end to a long day of driving. 

Perfectus

Christy and the Sarasota Art Center

Today was the final day of a wonderful and most relaxing month on Anna Maria Island.  I have high marks for the culture, one of civility, cheerfulness and openness.  We were told that the house we have rented for next year would be available for a visit today.  Before noon we picked up the key and drove over.  We are thrilled with it.  The flickr link includes a video of it.  Following the house visit we drove over to Sarasota.  They have a small community Art Center we visited last year and were impressed with.  Again this year the members juried show was hung as well as two invitational shows.  The members show is surprisingly good, the best being unusual takes on a subject or creative use of materials.  One of the invitational shows is an annual event in which artists from around Sarasota produce pieces of fashion from avant-garde materials.  The most interesting pieces were ones which surprised me when I realized what the materials were, i.e. a glittery gown made from pasta shapes that I first thought was threads and metals.  The second invitational, Child's Play, challenged artists to portray their formative years where "they were most likely a bully, victim, bystander or up stander-with the later being the least popular group. ... Some objects represent joy, other works, images of confusion and sorrow.reflect upon their formative years, they were most likely a bully, victim, bystander or up stander-with the later being the least popular group."  From the Art Center we walked up the street to a gem and jewelry show.  I anticipated jewelers selling unique and intriguing pieces.  Instead, it was vendors selling low end beads.  Back home, we're all packed and ready to hit the road tomorrow.  First stop Walterville, SC.  Pictures and video at flickr.

A Good Walk

Anna Maria, Bean Point

Wayne and I walked together today taking the beach route.  We walked completely around the end of the Island, known as Bean Point, over to the Tampa Bay side.  It was a good walk.  We stopped in at the Waterfront Restaurant again to repeat our experience with the fish tacos.  Still the best I've ever had.  On the way back to the house we finished off visiting any shop we had missed.  After a month we still love it here and are looking forward to next year.  Pictures of the walk are at flickr.  

Anna Maria

I began my day with a walk.  It is showing signs of spring here with plants that have new leaves and flowering trees.  I haven't seen any bulbs popping up.  But maybe they aren't prevalent here.  They might need a good freeze that doesn't happen here.  I think the plant pictured above is some sort of Magnolia.  The unopened leaf was about 12 inches long and the entire plant was approximately 10 feet tall and 12 feet around.  But it grew to the ground and was shaped like a bush.  I think it would make a nice painting.  Later, Wayne and I took a bike ride along our regular route which takes us to the end of the island and back along Tampa Bay.  

Singing in the Rain

Waterfront Restaurant, Anna Maria

It was pouring rain today; the first substantial, extended rain we have had since arriving.  We thought, "a perfect day to attend the movies and see Life of Pi".  We headed over to Bradenton for a 1:30 movie.  Upon entering the lobby I couldn't even see where the line began and where the crowds ended.  It seems everyone had the same idea.  Who would have thought on a Tuesday afternoon there would be so many people with nothing to do.  Well!  Anyone who thought for a second would.  The whole of the area is comprised of retired folk with too much money and too much time on their hands.  Before we could even have time to get bored standing in line, came the announcement, "Life of Pi is sold out."  Back in the car and back to Anna Maria we headed.  We changed our plans to shopping for Anna Maria Island t-shirts.  There are countless shops for such items.  In fact, every type store stocks tourist needs and wants; grocery, liquor, you name it, they have a t-shirt.  As we finished shopping, the sun came out and we decided to have our 2nd lunch of the day at The Waterfront Restaurant which faces Tampa Bay.  We had the best fish tacos ever!!!  No need to cook dinner when you've had two lunches!  

Friends and Neighbors

Kites Flying on Anna Maria Beach

Other than our normal day of living large, the only thing out of the ordinary today was that we locked ourselves out of the house.  That in itself would be annoying enough, but we also happened to be on the second floor deck.  Wayne had boiled some shrimp and we were enjoying them when the door slammed shut.  "I hope we're not locked out,"  I said.  And when Wayne tested the door saying, "oh, no,"  I of course laughed at his joke.  NO JOKE.  Although I did laugh a lot.  The deck is about 20 feet off the ground and cantilevers out.  No way to every get off without a broken bone or two.  From experience, we knew people would be walking past to see the sunset.  We bided our time and sure enough, Connie our neighbor came by.  Her first response was, "Jump.  I'll catch you.'  Now, the little added complication is that Connie has the beginnings of Alzheimer's.  It took some convincing to get her to go up the stairs and come in to let us out.  Thank goodness the outside door was unlocked.  At first, she just opened the door and was going to leave.  After some convincing, she came in and let us out.   
We walked down to the beach for the sunset.  Connie was there with Howard, her husband.  She lived in Lowell, MA and he is from Alabama.  It's quite convivial at the sunset ritual.  There are a lot of pictures of the sunset and day at the beach on flickr.

Just Another Day

Slim's Place

I realized as I began to write that each day has become more or less the same.  The usual walking and reading, beach sitting and bike riding occurred.  Yawn.   I thought could begin to write about some aspect of the Island that extended beyond my minute by minute activities.  So, alternatively I will delve into Island dining.  All the restaurants in Anna Maria are small, privately owned establishments; none of the chains are here.  They range from intimate such as the Beach Bistro to big and family oriented like the Sandbar.  Nearly all have outdoor dining space, the best being the Sandbar for its Gulf facing deck where we have pledge to go for at least one sunset.  Two of them sit at the end of piers that reach out into Tampa Bay where you can watch the dolphins entertain everyone.  The fare is, what else, seafood with some nods to steak and chicken.  Grouper and Mahi Mahi abound.  We've done our best to try all the establishments.  There is still the Waterfront Restaurant to be tackled.  Tonight we went to Slim's Place, which looks like a place I would never entertain dining in. It's only 2 blocks from the house and we walked.  From the outside it looks like a biker's joint.  But all the online reviews said it was surprisingly good food, and we felt it was worth the try. While there is a pool table and 5 TVs hanging on the walls, there is also a beautiful copper bar.  The view is non-existent.   I had a quesadilla and Wayne had a fish taco.  My quesadilla was deep fried and had no salsa. But there was enough melted cheese in it to sooth my disappointment.  Wayne said his taco was okay.  Bottom line, it's an okay place for lunch or last minute dinner.  It was inexpensive and price and quality aligned.

Looking Ahead

Wayne, Shucking Oysters

We made arrangements today to take the house on Lakeview with John and Kathy.  Next year, we will be there for 2 weeks in January and all of February.  Kathy and John will arrive Jan 4 and stay through the second week of February.  The house sits on a dead-end short road with 2 other houses and backs up to a canal.  The island is riveted with man made canals.  The house is very near the City Pier and shops, a great location.  We drove over today and found a spot to see the back of the house on the canal. To celebrate we got a dozen oysters and slurped them down while watching the sun set.  Yahoo!  Pictures and video of the day at flickr.

Anna Maria

My Walk Past City Pier

I took a new route today for my walk; I passed the City Pier where people were sitting on the boardwalk enjoying the view, continued on around Bean Point  and back to the house.  I calculated it was 3 miles.  Later, Wayne and I rode the bikes and stopped in at Green Realty to check on the availability of a house we liked for next year.  It is not available.  In fact, getting what we want for next year is looking dire.  We spent the afternoon on the beach reading.  It was so very nice.  As we readied to leave, Wayne tossed our stale bread to the gulls.  We enjoyed another beautiful sunset before retiring to the inside. Pictures and video at flickr.

At the Movies

Fuzzy Pillow

The day started out cloudy and we made plans to go see Les Miserables.  The sun came out before we left but that did not deter us.  The movie was almost 3 hours long and not all of it interesting to me.  I did like all of the scenes to do with the French Revolution.  And, the art direction was interesting.  There were a lot of shots with points of view that the eye doesn't normally see, extreme angles, bird's eye views.  No pictures today.  Just a sketch of Wayne doing his thing.  

Out and About in Anna Maria

Anna Maria Beach Sunset

Today was dedicated to getting out and moving.  The last 2 days were cool and not receptive to outdoor activity.  I started the day with a 3 mile walk down the beach and back.  There were millions of preschool age children on the beach.  Okay.  That's a bit of an exaggeration.  But it has been so empty of kids around here that I was surprised to see them.  It is school vacation in the northeast; that may account for some increased activity.  After the walk Wayne and I road the bikes around checking out houses for rent that I found online.  One was quite suitable, right on the canal with a pool.  We talked to the neighbor who described himself as a Georgia Cracker.  He had cotton plants growing in front of his house.  Tonight's sunset was particularly beautiful.  After watching it, we walked to the Sandbar for supper.  It, too was crowded and we had to wait about 45 minutes for a table.  They have an outside dining area with benches where we sat and enjoyed the remainder of the evening sky.  See the sunset pictures at flickr.

Communing with Nature

Sarasota Bay

It was still a bit cool today.  We went down to Leffis Key, which is just across from Bradenton Beach on Longboat Key, to walk the Coquina Baywalk.  It is a tiny little key that has had the flora all restored to native plants.  One should be able to see dolphin, manatee and birds on a good day.  This day was not so good.  I think it is still early for the manatee to be in these waters.  At the top of one small hill, the walk affords a 360 degree view of the area.  From Leffis we explored an area of Longboat key that has a marine animal facilities: aquarium, research center, rescue center and a park.  One can see Sarasota across the bay.  We had lunch at St. Armand's Circle and then window shopped. On the way home we sighted a bald eagle soaring overhead.   Pictures of the Coquina Baywalk are at flickr.

At the Movies

Argo

No, we haven't been hanging out with Ben Affleck.  Although, I would certainly not say no to that.  Today was cold, really cold, 54 degrees.  So we put on our socks and sweaters and headed for the movies.  We mistakenly thought tonight was the Oscars and wanted to see Argo ahead of the awards.  We always cheer for our hometown boy, Ben.  And this time he truly deserves it.  The movie was fast paced, with just the right amount of tension mixed with humor.  It's about the rescue of 6 Americans who escaped the American Embassy in Iran during the hostage taking of 1979.  Now that we know the Oscars are next week, maybe we will take in The Life of Pi or Les Miserables.  

St Petersburgh, Etc.

Sunset over Tampa Bay from the Skyline Bridge

My Berlin friend, Carolyn, contacted me to say she was in St. Petersburg visiting her sister.  Wayne and I met Carolyn and Saundra in Gulfport for lunch at the Neptune.  Gulfport is, wait...wait, on the Gulf of Mexico and was part way to our destination of Dunedin.  It was a great visit and an opportunity to discuss art.  

Dunedin was having a week end arts and crafts festival of which we have seen several. They are mostly made up of amateurs who make ticky tacky kitsch.  I've had my fill.  But we had a nice stroll past a hundred or so booths, stopped for pizza and headed home.  The sunset was the best entertainment of the day.  See it on flickr.

Anna Maria

Sunset over Gulf of Mexico

We spent the day visiting Realtors and checking out possible rentals for next year.  We are going to share with Kathy and John.  They will begin in January, we will overlap 2 weeks in January/February and we will finish the last 3 weeks of February alone.  It will be fun to have another couple around to share with.  There were 1 or 2 houses that fit our wish list.  We will continue looking.  We rode bikes again today.  It's a good way to explore the island and get a feel for the neighborhoods.  The sunset was good, AGAIN!  On the way back, we met our neighbors, Howard and ????  They've lived here for years and have only good things to say about the area.  Sunset pictures at flickr.

Tampa

Tampa Bay Museum of Art

We've had the first rainy and cool day which gave us a good opportunity to visit the Tampa Bay Museum.  They have a exhibit of 100 works from the Phillips Collection that is marvelous, fabulous and just wonderful.  Duncan Phillips used his inherited wealth to begin a collection in the home he shared with his mother that eventually became the Phillips Collection of Washington DC.  He described the project as "a memorial...a beneficent force in the community where I live - a joy-giving, life-enhancing influence, assisting people to see beautifully as true artists see."  It was nice to see his collection so soon after visiting the Barnes and compare the French influence of Barnes' collection to the American influence of Phillips'.  Among my favorite of the day were Richard Diebenkorn's Girl with Plant, Ernest Lawson's Spring Night, Harlem, Walt Kuhn's Plumes, and Guy Pene Du Bois', Blue Arm Chair.  In reality there were few works that I could not say were wonderful to look at.  
The museum has little in it's permanent collection, one room of Roman/Greek antiquities and one room of contemporary works.  The museum is located in a lovely section overlooking the Hillsborough River with the Hunter Museum in the distance.  Rainy day pictures of the Skyline Bridge are on flickr.  

Venice

Coy Wayne posing with Koi Dolphin

We drove down to Venice today.  Alice had said she and Henry liked the area.  We want not to discount anything as a possibility for next year.  It was more metropolitan than Anna Maria, a bit of a low key Naples.  But we still prefer Anna Maria.  And there is always St. Armand's Circle if we want a Naples day.  The main street was peppered with dolphin and turtle painted sculptures.  Check them out at flickr

Anna Maria

My Cutie with Oysters

We hauled the bicycles out today and road down to the city pier and then along South Bay Boulevard.  There are some lovely homes facing the bay that are for rent and sale.  It's more and more tempting day by day to sell and move here.  Still, time will tell.  We mustn't be seduced by sun in February.  Bike riding was fun and exhilarating.  We ended at Poppos Taqueria for chicken burritos.  

Back home I did some drawing and Wayne went to the fish market.  He returned with oysters (see the happy man in above picture) and mahi mahi.  There was another beautiful sky this evening which we enjoyed from the deck with our oysters.  We prepared the mahi like we had last night at Eat Here.  

We watch President Obama's State of the Union speech tonight.  It has been nice to be removed from politics while here.  I gave up on the speech about 3/4 through.  It was too long and too dull.  I went to bed to continue my book, Dennis Lehane's Live by Night.

A couple of more pictures are at flickr.

Anna Maria

Wayne Reading on Anna Maria Beach

After a lazy morning reading the paper, we walked the several yards to the beach and settled in.  I walked what I think was about 2 miles along the surf line to the north point of the island. There are many houses set along the beach there that would be great to rent.  There would be beautiful sunsets every night.  

We ate at a restaurant called EAT HERE.  It turns out to be owned by the same people who own The Beach Bistro where we ate the first night with John and Kathy.  We both had Mahi Mahi which was excellent and about half the price of the Bistro.  Tonight we stayed in watching tv and eating Wayne's blueberry pie.  flickr

Sarasota

Banyan Tree at Marie Selby Gardens

The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens are practically in downtown Sarasota.  It's surprising to find 7 acres of lush landscaping adjacent to busy roads and skyscrapers.  But once one is inside the compound, there is little evidence of the nearby city.  Two sides of the property are bordered by water, Sarasota Bay and Hudson Bayou.  The Selby's, William and Marie, bought the property in the early 1900's.  William and his father formed the Selby Oil and Gas company which later merged with Texas Oil to become Texaco.  Hmm, yes, a bit of money there.  Marie was the gardener and upon her death, will the estate to the city of Sarasota.  The gardens have an emphasis on epiphytes with hundreds of bromeliads.  There is a conservatory, too, with a chocolate tree.  I've asked to have one for Valentine's Day.  :-)  

Koi Pond at Selby Gardens

After leaving the Gardens, we explored further down the keys onto Lido.  It was blanketed with high rise condos and hotels.  The drive home was arduous with traffic moving at about .5 miles per hour.  Note:  never leave the island on a Sunday.  We went to Fresh Market and bought supplies for a blueberry pie.  Love that cook of mine.  

The sunset was grand tonight.  We were sitting on the front deck around dusk watching the locals stroll past for the beach and thought they must know something about sunsets.  So we walked down and caught the end.  No one applauded except me.  I guess that practice varies with each community.  
See pictures from the day at flickr.  

Sunset on Anna Maria Beach

Anna Maria

Wayne totally relaxed

We saw our friends Kathy & John off today.  They are going home to PA.  Wayne and I took a 2 hour walk after they left.  We're getting a feeling for the place.  There are a lot of art galleries, none of which has any information on open studio drawing.  I'm thinking there must not be anything.  After all that walking we stopped in at Vinny and Cheryl's Italian Kitchen where I bought 2 sfogliatelle, a most mouth-watering ricotta filled pastry.  I'm doubting I broke even on calories in (sfogliatelle), calories out (my walk).  

We've been following the Nemo storm that has hit New England.  95% of Wareham has lost power and received 2' of snow.  To complicate matters it is 5 degrees there.  Many people will have no heat.  We're very happy to be in Florida.  

We spent the afternoon at the beach doing the usual: reading, napping and sketching.  Tonight dinner was left overs.  Kathy emailed they are in Knoxville and it is 44.  Pictures of the house are on flickr.

Anna Maria

Anna Maria Island

For the last two days we have had a fairly normal routine as if we are residents.  Kathy and I walked yesterday while Wayne and John shopped and arranged a chartered fishing trip for today.  In the afternoon we spent a brief time at the beach trying to read.  The wind was so strong and cool that we only lasted about an hour. The house has a big wagon that is perfect for hauling gear to the beach.  There is also a beach umbrella and some rickety chairs.  There are no beach towels to speak of.  In fact all the towels are chintzy.  The beach is beautiful with that silky white sand.  A variety of birds keep us amused; the pelicans dive for fish and the gulls stand nearby begging for scraps of food.  There are schools of sting rays that swim just below the surface at the water's edge.  There are few people on the beach that is directly in front of the house.  Further north it is more congested where parking and a restaurant and bathrooms are available.
After a morning today of getting ready to fish, the captain called and said he couldn't get his boat to start.  He wanted to reschedule but Kathy and John are leaving tomorrow and that was not possible.  It was disappointing but better to find out the engine is gone before we leave than when we were miles off shore.  So instead we drove to Cortez, a village that had been described as quaint, old Florida with shopping.  After driving around Cortez and unable to find anything quaint, we determined what old Florida means is double wides, pawn shops and junk shops.  There was a big fish market and processing area.  We decided to head back to Anna Maria and sit on the beach.  The wind was up again  and our stay was short.
Wayne picked up steaks for dinner which he grilled.   I recreated the strawberry salad we had at Beach Bistro.

Anna Maria

Anna Maria City Pier

It was a perfect Florida day.  The kind that is written about in travel magazines.  We packed a lunch and headed to the beach.  The road our house is on sits perpendicular to the beach.  Our house is the 5th one up from the beach or about 100 yards.  There is a boardwalk bridge that spans the beach plants leading directly to the sand.  We saw a big tortoise at the bottom of it.  We read, walked; I drew until about 4 pm.   A few hundred feet from our area we discovered a beach front restaurant appropriately named The Sandbar.
After, we drove to the city pier.  The whole area around the pier is packed with shops and restaurants and is really walkable from the house.  John bought us all hats.  The pier is built out about 100 yards into Tampa Bay.  People were fishing off the end.  You could see big fish schooling just below the surface.  There is a small bar.  We met a couple from Chatham who have a home here.  She took our picture and gave local information about good restaurants and charter fishing.
We ate at The Sign of Mermaid tonight.  No one liked what they ordered.  We will not return.  Pictures at flickr.

Sarasota

The Howard Brother's Circus Model

We revisited the Ringling Center for the Cultural Arts today.  John and Kathy had never been and it is certainly a place one can revisit.  We had not visited The Circus Museum our first time and so did today.  The cornerstone of the Museum is the world's largest miniature circus, a model replica of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919-1938.  It took Howard Tibbals more than 50 years to build.  Other circus memorabilia  in the museum were costumes and wagons, games and posters.  
The John and Mable Ringling home on the grounds is a 5 story, 56 room palatial winter residence modeled on the Venetian Gothic style. This web site will give you a good idea of the grandeur.

Finally, we visited the Museum, which is now Florida's official state museum and houses over 500 years of the history of European art.  Our group voted one of the new acquisition as a favorite.  It is a glass sculpture, about 10 inches high, of a seated woman by Nicolas Africano.  The above image is not the sculpture we saw, but it is one that gives you an idea of his style.  The transparency is so beautiful.  
Tonight we drove to St. Armand's Circle to have dinner at Columbia, a Peruvian restaurant, recommend to us by Jack and Julien.  It was a warm evening that made for a beautiful stroll around the circle following dinner.  Pictures at flickr.

Anna Maria

Anna Maria Beach

This is our first day spent just relaxing and getting to know Anna Maria.  I took a walk this morning that went far beyond my intended goal.  It ended up being about a 4 mile, hour and a half trek.  Half was walked on the beach and half back through the streets.  When I left the beach it seems I had walked all the way to Holmes Beach.  So I walked the neighborhoods on my return as the sand can be tiring to walk on.  Most homes have rental signs in front.  So our options can be many should we elect to return here next year.  

Wayne went exploring in the car while I was walking and found a good little fish market and a bakery. We needed hor d'oeuvres for Kathy's and John's arrival.  We had dinner at the Beach Bistro.  Everything about it was what we liked:  sophisticated atmosphere with just the right noise level, extensive wine list, and inventive menu.  I liked the strawberry and arugula salad best.  A few pictures are at flickr.

Day Trip to Fort Myers

Fort Myers Art Festival

Today we drove down to Fort Myers in order to visit their annual art festival.  It's a 2 day event with over 200 artists, music and food.  The sun felt so good as we walked around.  The art was mostly commercial and did not appeal to me.  Some of the jewelry was nice and the leather purses.  But the prices were very high.  We stuck to a $5 pizza.  Tonight we are in watching the Ravens dominate the 49ers.  Half time has just ended with Beyonce doin' her thang.  She's amazing.  A few pictures are at flickr.

Daytona Beach to Anna Maria Island

Entering Anna Maria Island

It was a short 3 hour drive today from Daytona to Anna Maria.  We cruised right past Orlando without a thought or temptation to visit Disney World.  Although, we did consider Gator World, one of our favorite places.  
Anna Maria is a very small (1 sq mile) municipality on Anna Maria Island.  The Island is one of several keys that lie west of Sarasota.  Last year we stayed here for a week on Longboat Key.  The keys are connected by causeways.  Our house is large but dated.  We think it may belong to a young couple who have inherited it from parents or grandparents.  We base this on the generational pictures everywhere, the plastic coverings on furniture and the dated kitchen gadgets.  It is raised with parking under the house.  This allows for a great balcony where one can view the water.  We are about  50 yards from the beach.  
We are settling in tonight after shopping for essentials and having hot dogs.  

Daytona Beach

North Turn Restaurant

John and Kathy showed us the Daytona Beach area today.  The beach here is 23 miles long and hard packed sand.  11 of those miles allow cars to drive along it and park during the day.  John drove us down those 11 miles.  At the end we pulled out onto the road and into The North Turn Restaurant which is located at the original Speedway's north turn.  It was warm enough to eat outside and enjoy the Atlantic.  After lunch we drove around looking at the different neighborhoods and finally stopping at John D. Rockefeller's summer home, The Casements.  It is an unostentatious house which is now the cultural and civic center for the City of Ormond Beach.  Some of the rooms retain original pieces, pictures.  Our final stop of the day was at The Daytona International Speedway.  While I know or care nothing for racing, it was interesting to see something so famous.  There was a walk of fame with winner's hand and foot prints in the walk.  Dale Earnhardt was the only name I recognized.  This evening Wayne and John cooked steaks for us.
More pictures can be seen here at flickr.

Savannah to Daytona Beach

Savannah River

We started the day with a walk along the Savannah River waterfront.  The entire area is one long road of gallery, shop, and restaurant after another on one side of the road facing the open river.  My mission was to find the best peanut shop I have ever been to.  Twice, I've bought nuts here, but this time I couldn't find it.  However, the weather was warm, the walk pleasant.  It is early spring here and the trees are blooming.  It was about a 3 hours' drive to Daytona where we are staying with John and Kathy.  The house is beautiful with two outdoor living spaces with fireplaces.  John had prepared oysters on the half shell, crab legs, shrimp and cheese.  For dinner he served the wonderful mussels and pork dish that he is soooooo good at making.  Some photos are here at flickr.

Savannah

The Olde Pink House

Most of today was spent driving from Durham to Savannah.  We're listening to Ian Rankin's latest Rebus book, which helps the time pass and also reminds us of our time in Edinburgh where the book is set.  Our hotel is on Bay Street overlooking the Savannah River.  It is a perfect location to enjoy the sights of Savannah.  Tonight we walked one block to The Olde Pink House, a significant historic home turned restaurant for dinner.  We have eaten here before and knew it to be good.  This time we did not make reservations but walked in and requested a table in the cellar tavern where jazz is played.  On our first try we were there an hour before the Tavern opened so we walked to a local pub, The Churchill, to kill time.  There the bartender chatted with us about the trip.  He had recommendations for restaurants in Daytona Beach.  Back at The Olde Pink House we worked our way through throngs of people and waiters to the cellar.  It was packed to the gills with diners.  Playing jazz at the piano was quite a character; a woman of significant age wearing bright red sequined gown, bright red plumed hat and lipstick to match.  Her voice was so-so.  The room is very nice with  a large fireplace lounging area, an end to end bar and small tables along the wall.  We were told there would be a 1/2 hour wait.  We stood and listened to the chanteuse for about 15 minutes.  The hostess told us there was a table cancellation and took us to a small domed adjacent room where the wine was stored.  It was delightful.  We overate but had great fun as we were catered to by a charming waitress from Maine who knew of Joe and Lex.    See some more pictures here.

Durham, NC

Duke University Gardens

We are definitely south of the Mason Dixon Line today.  While yesterday we were bundled up against sleet and cold, today we shed our jackets to enjoy the 70 degree sunny weather of Durham, North Carolina.  We started our day at Duke University and the Nasher Museum where a fabulous show of 50 works collected by the Cone sisters of Baltimore was on view.  The Cone sisters began collecting art in 1905 directly out of the Parisian studios of Matisse, Picasso and more.  They were great friends with Gertrude and Leo Stein who introduced them around the Parisian art scene. The collection is just beautiful with pieces I've seen only in reproduction like Matisse's Large Reclining Nude.  You may link here to see a few of the pieces.    There is one other gallery of several enclaves that holds a few acquisitions, some Greek & Roman antiquities, and a show of works chosen from the collection, Exposing the Gaze: Gender and Sexuality in Art. Here, I saw a Mickalene Thomas, the artist currently showing at the ICA in Boston.  I was pleased to see a Petah Coyne (having met her several times at my old Fairhaven neighborhood B&B)  The last time I saw her work it was all white wax.  This piece was black.   
Later, we visited the Duke Chapel, which is a strong example of collegial Gothic architecture.  The organ was impressive, but we were puzzled by the representation of Girolamo Savanarola in the door jam statues.  He was responsible for the Bonfire of the Vanities, a most sad campaign of burning art and other vanities.  
A final campus venue was the Duke Gardens.  Extensive and already showing spring life, the gardens are 55 acres that include rose and iris gardens, a koi pond and 5 miles of pathways.  
We drove downtown for lunch where we found The American Tobacco & City Center.  Here, the old tobacco factories have been converted into a mixed use place of restaurants, businesses and schools.  We had a nice lunch at Cuban Revolution.  Nearby was the Bull Durham baseball stadium.  
Tonight we found Nana's, a very above average restaurant.  Wayne had a scrumptious short rib dish and I had risotto with a duck confit salad.  The waiter was professional.  The art on the walls superb, Jane Filer.  
See some of our day at flickr.

The Philadelphia Barnes

The Barnes

We had a 10:30 docent tour at the new Barnes this morning.  The last time we visited the Barnes it was in Merion.  Today the collection is in downtown Philly adjacent to the Museum of Art.  After much finagling the court allowed the Barnes to move its collection. While the exterior and the entrance areas are unlike the Merion building, the interior layout for the collection is identical to Dr. Barnes original setup. And what a fabulous collection it is.  Every room is packed with the greatest art from the 19th & 20th century.  The representations of Cezanne, Renoir, and Matisse are mouth watering.  Wayne and I had great fun visiting each room and then each of us deciding which piece we would take home. The foundation posses more than 2,500 objects, including 800 paintings estimated to be worth about $25 billion.  Dr. Albert Barnes derived his fortune from the development of the antiseptic drug Argyrol, used to prevent blindness from infection in newborns.  It was his goal in life to use this art to educate the greater public about art.  Still, today that is the mission of the Foundation.
We left a snowy and cold Philadelphia around noon and arrived in a much warmer Durham about 7pm.  We're settled in for 2 days here.  
A few more pics of the Barnes are at flickr.flickr

Philadelphia

Philadelphia City Hall, Broad St.

We had a really nice day.  We left West Haven about mid morning and arrived in Philadelphia around 1pm.  We are staying in the same hotel we used last year, The Double Tree on Broad Street.  It's a perfect location for us.  We can walk to everything.  Broad Street is the central artery of Philly and home to the major performance and art centers.  Out our 25th floor room we look directly down Broad St to the Philadelphia City Hall atop of which sits a sculpture of William Penn.  Much to my amazement I discovered the sculptor to be Alexander Calder, grandfather to the 20th century sculptor of the same name.  Tonight we had a perfect dinner at The Capital Grill. Everything was cooked to perfection, the service was unobtrusive and complete and the setting rich and comfortable.  After dinner we saw Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband at the Walnut Street Theater, America's oldest theater.  It is over 200 years old and has had such notable performers as the Barrymores, Will Rogers, The Marx Brothers, Helen Hayes, Henry Fonda, Sidney Poitier and Jack Lemon.  The play was funny and the acting good although a bit dated in its take on women.  

Yale University Gallery

Wayne admiring Abbey

Our winter trip began today with a short 3 hour hop from Wareham to New Haven, CT.  I had read Sebastian Smee's account of the new Yale University Gallery and wanted to visit.  The collection is marvelous, second only Harvard as a university collection.  According to Smee, 

"The result is wonderful.  For breadth, depth, and that crucial ingredient (call it the 'umami' of gallery-going), a sense of delectation and surprise, there can't be many museum-going experiences anywhere in the country to rival it.  The collection, like many other college art galleries (but with greater claim to success than most), aims at universality. Yale’s justly famous collections of American, European old master, and modern and contemporary art are complemented by more than respectable holdings in Indo-Pacific, African, Ancient American, Ancient Mediterranean, and Asian art, each of which have dedicated galleries. Photography, prints, drawings, Islamic art, and coins and medals also get a look-in. The American decorative arts displays are a knockout.

Both of us remembered Edwin Austin Abbey's  Richard, Duke or Gloucester and The Lady Anne from a visit several years ago.  Abbey painted several large paintings to illustrate a book of Shakespeare plays.  Hamlet Play Scene is hung on the adjacent wall to Richard.

The area around the Yale Gallery is filled with cafes and book stores as one would expect on a university campus.  We ate at the counter of the Atticus Book Store where we were waited on by a beautiful, friendly and funny Hispanic woman who had the features of a Mayan.  The entire wait staff of about 20 people hustled and bustled around, never stopping for a moment and all jabbering in Spanish and English.  It was simply delightful.

Later, we had clam pizza at the famous Pepe's Pizza. The line was out the door and about an hour's wait.  Since is was about 15 degrees, we went to the original Pepe's in the back of the new Pepe's and waited inside for about 15 minutes.  

A blurry me waiting for pizza.

There are a few pictures at flickr.

Location:West Haven,United States

A Little Bit of Cambridge

Our flight didn't leave until 5:40pm so we took in a little bit more of Cambridge. Peterhouse is the oldest college but had what I thought was the best chapel windows. I wouldn't compare them to King's College Chapel whose windows were simply massive. But Peterhouse's were beautifully painted with the richest, purest reds and golds. The images still sit in my mind. We also visited Pembroke where we found a statue of Pitt and need to find out if he is the same William Pitt of Pennsylvania. We are at Heathrow now. Some thoughts on the trip.

1. One month later I still want to live here. I admire the civility of everyone and the order of things. And enough of the colonized have come home to roost that even the food is interesting.
2. It was reenforced today that Americans are crass and rude when we got on the Avis transport bus with a couple who undoubtedly were from NY. He ignored the queue rule and pushed passed us onto the bus. He refused to move his arm out of the aisle causing me to bump his wife. He groused and snarled for the entire trip to the airport. He departed the bus without consideration of his wife. At the terminal elevator, he got on first with his luggage cart and immediately started pushing the close door button before anyone else could board.
3. The best meal was the grouse at York Arms. Also, it doubled as the funniest meal because we were alone in this Michelin starred restaurant. How often can that happen?
4. The best hotel was the Caldonian in Edinburg, a huge suite with a perfect view of the castle.
5. The most transforming moments were the drive through the Grampian Mountains in Scotland.
6. The most beautiful man made sight was King's College Chapel.
7. The weirdest thing was the 1am drunk intruder in Oxford.

Shades of Venice and Eel Pie

Bridge of Sighs, The River Cam at St. John's College

St John's College has a bridge over The Cam that resembles the Bridge of Sighs, or so it is said. The college is set deep in toward the Backs, and one passes through arcade after arcade and court after court traversing it. The Backs is an expanse of green that edges the Cam and offers some of the best views of the colleges. Before leaving for Ely, we visited the Round Church, built along the idea of Jerusalem's Holy Sepelchre. It's very small with powerful columns. There was a nice 20 minute video on the history of Cambridge and made frequent note of the many accomplished graduates mainly Isaac Newton, John Harvard,

The trip to Ely was a short 15 miles. The name Ely came to be from the fishing of eels in the area. Ely was once an island surrounded by fens. The fens have been drained (we passed a windmill) but eel pie is still served. Ely Cathedral could be seen across the fens as we approached. It is called the Ship of the Fens. It is asymmetrical. The north west transept was demolished when it began to show signs of instability. The central tower collapsed in 1322 due to one massive supporting column giving way. It had unknowingly been built on sandstone. The tower foot was enlarged and the current octagonal tower built in its place. We took a tour of the tower guided by a charming gentleman I would guess was in his 70s and spritely led us up the 170 steps. We got the bird's eye view of both the interior transepts and nave and the country around Ely. We were able to see Cambridge. It reminded me of our rooftop excursion on the Milan Duomo. It leaves me speechless when I try to comprehend how men were able to build these massive structures without machinery. Pictures at Flickr.

Cambridge

King's College Chapel is a wonderful formation of late Gothic English architecture. It is extremely perpendicular. As a chapel your eyes are not pulled to side aisles or transepts, instead they keep sweeping up the columns and across the delicate fan vaulting. Consider these dimensions: 289' long (300 make a football field), 40' wide (6 2/3 Waynes) and 80' high (an 8 story building). The ante-chapel walls are heavily decorated,with heraldic carvings of the Tudors. Dragons, hounds, roses, crowns, and more reside here without any religious accompaniment. The rood screen was a gift of Henry VIII and has his and Anne Boleyn's initials, which helps date the screen between 1533 and 1536. Beyond the rood and through the choir stalls the front of the chapel is devoid of wall carvings. Beneath the great east window is Reuben's The Adoration of the Magi.
From the Chapel we walked to the Fitzwilliams Museum which has a strong showing of Greek, Roman and Egyptian holdings as well as Italian Renaissance, Pre-Raphaelite, and French 19th century.
Lunch was at Dojo, a noodle place where we had rice curry. Berry, berry good.
More photos at Flickr