Ideal PhD situation

J and I drove up to Vancouver on a couple-only overnight getaway. We got to see the musical "Beautiful" as an early anniversary celebration. It was sunny and beautiful outside while we drove. We talked about what it would be like if I got a PhD, and I said that I really would want to do one if it was convenient for me.

We joked about what the ideal topic would be that could fit all of my interests: the undiscovered personal ancient art collection owned by a female archaeologist who lives in Victorian England (so the topic can connect to issues of colonialism and imperialism but also Victorian culture and fashion) and she is friends with the Pre-Raphaelites, John Ruskin, and William Morris. And somehow paintings of women reading books in domestic interiors will be involved too. And this collection and archaeologist have been relatively unknown and unresearched until now.

That's all I need. Oh, and if this topic could be studied at UW so I don't have to move or be inconvenienced, that would be great. Can courses be offered in the morning, so I can teach or be with my kids in the afternoon and evening? Thx.

The Phantom Returns

We just finished a very successful Halloween season. Sam was a dementor (from Harry Potter) and Lucy was a flamenco dancer. J went as Bob Ross and I went as a witch. But a day or two before Halloween, Sam started talking about the costume that he wants to wear for Halloween next year. He said that he wanted to be the Phantom of the Opera, which surprised me because I didn't know that he was really familiar with that character. Anyhow, he started peppering me with questions about the Phantom and his costume, and finally two nights ago I pulled out my soundtrack of the original London cast so that he could hear. Since then, he's listened to the soundtrack several times, and he sings along with the help of either the lyrics book or sheet music. He's listening to it now while I type. He has also started to figure out how to play the songs on the piano, and last night he watched the 2004 film on Netflix. Lucy is getting into the spirit of Phantom too, and she tries to squeakily sing the high notes that Christine Daae hits.

It's really fun for me to see this sudden and intense interest in The Phantom of the Opera, because it reminds me of how I became obsessed with that show when I was just a year older than Sam is now. My dad took our family to see the show when we lived in Denver, since one of his patients was the understudy for the Phantom. I remember we had really good seats too, in the front and only about six rows from the stage. I was blown away by the set, music, and costumes, and then after the show we got a backstage tour from this patient, which made the whole event utterly unforgettable. I became obsessed with the show. I even remember finding a book at the library with the contact addresses of famous people, and I wrote a letter to Michael Crawford to let him know how much I loved his voice.

At this time, I had converted the closet of my bedroom into a reading room. I had pulled in some pillows and a lamp so I could comfortably read while sitting on the floor. I remember reading Gaston Leroux's book and comparing how the phantom Erik was different from the one in the musical. I thought the phantom was the epitome of masculinity back then, which is funny now.

Sam isn't interested in the phantom for his "masculinity," but he likes how the phantom is spooky and plays the organ. He's impressed with how he knows his way around the opera house and can pull off creepy pranks. And he likes the idea of wearing a fancy mask, hat and suit for Halloween. We'll see if he ends up wearing this costume next year. Regardless, I think this interest in the musical is going to last for a while. And this is fun for me, since I get to relive my own past a little bit and think about what it was like when I was about Sam's age. So far Lucy has been the one who is keenly interested in musicals, but it is apparent that Sam has a little bit of my genes too.

Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle, once owned by William Randolph Hearst, is probably the strangest historical house/museum that I have ever visited in my life, aesthetically-speaking. The exterior of the main house looks like the facade of a Spanish Renaissance church, for starters, and is complete with two bell towers. And the interior of the main waiting room and dining room are decorated with choir stalls for wainscoting. The ceilings are carved with panels, the walls above the wainscoting are covered with tapestries, and paintings are interspersed in the remaining wall surface area. It's all super bizarre.

But I'm drawn to this place, too. It seems to have all of the things that I enjoy about art and art history: it is a collector museum, it has Baroque and Neo-classical art (including a copy of Canova's "The Three Graces"), it even has ancient art (such as an Egyptian sculpture of Sekhmet). There are gardens and mosaics and a beautiful seaside coast. The castle even has connections with feminism, since it was designed by the architect Julia Morgan, who was the first woman to receive a degree in architecture from the School of Fine Arts in Paris. William Randolph Hearst's mother was also connected to the Suffragette movement, which makes me interested in his family. I can even connect the estate to art crime. I can even connect my interest in Old Hollywood to this place, since Hearst would invite stars like Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and Charlie Chaplin to visit.

It seems like this place is just calling for me to write something about it. An article? A dissertation? I'm not sure yet. But for now I'm thinking about how this place is full of contradictions: New World (California) vs. Old World, traditionalism (in style) vs. progressivism (female architect), fictive environments (including the movie theater and the impromptu plays that Hearst's Hollywood guests would perform), and public vs. private spaces. Maybe there is something I can derive from his mistress Marion Davies, who acted as hostess alongside Hearst? We'll see what I come up with after I finish mulling these ideas over in my mind.

Ceiling of the waiting room

Wainscoting in the waiting room - this was inspired by another architect

Statue of Sekhmet rests on an Art Deco fountain designed by Julia Morgan

The dining hall

Detail of the Game Room, next to one of the billiard tables

Detail of the movie theater in the house

A copy of Canova's "The Three Graces," by Boyer (late 19th century)

This indoor swimming pool was my favorite place on the estate - gorgeous!

Sam is Ten!

Sam is ten years old! It has been a busy day trying to make sure that he has felt special and celebrated. Everything worked out and he really did have a good day. In between the busy schedule of the day, I've had a few moments to reflect on how I entered parenthood a decade ago when Sam was born. I feel like I am in the thick of parenthood right now, and sometimes it is hard to remember a time when I didn't have children. But at the same time, I feel like the time has passed so quickly from when Sam was a tiny little baby and a tiny little boy.

I know I've written this before, but I am so struck with how mature Sam is for his age. He is always willing to obey my requests for help. He is very good with Violet and always steps in to help when we ask him to. He doesn't complain or talk back to me, and is very kind and patient with Lucy. He is still imaginative and will occasionally pretend some type of role-playing game with Lucy. Most of the time, though, his pretending is inside his head, when he makes his Lego figurines interact with each other.

Sam loves to play games on the computer. Lately he has been very interested in playing the Roblox games, and we are starting to explore the dynamics of playing games online and what it means to play interactive games with other friends online. He is only allowed to accept friend requests from people that he personally knows, and he is very good at following this rule.

Sam still likes to play the piano and is starting to take the initiative to learn songs outside of his lesson books. Over the past few weeks, he learned how to play "The Sound of Silence." He knows it well enough that he can play it slowly (as written) or sometimes with a sharp allegro beat. Right now we hear that song a few times a day - and often he sits down to play it as we are trying to walk out the door and go somewhere!

Right now Sam just earned his Webelos badge in Cub Scouts, and he will be working on his Arrow of Light for next year. As of now, he isn't interested in continuing onto Boy Scouts, which is fine with me and J! Sam has also been participating in the Drama Kids before-school program on Fridays. Even though he feels a little out of his comfort zone, he has been a really good sport and I think that he has enjoyed learning the script and thinking creatively about his character role.

Sam still loves to read. We read A Wrinkle in Time earlier this year together. He also read The Hobbit with Jeremy a few months ago, and now they are reading The Fellowship of the Ring. This year he also has been interested in reading the Origami Star Wars books, and he liked reading Inkheart with his class. He still loves comics. Since he has finished the library's collection of Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes books, he has tried some Dilbert and also FoxTrot comics.

Sam loves one-on-one conversations and is very chatty if you get him talking about something that he is interested or excited about. He mostly is chatty if he is explaining the features of a video game. For his birthday he asked for money so he could get some "Robucks" to by Roblox avatar features and games. We spent quite a bit of time this afternoon talking about the avatar features and the different things that he likes in Roblox.

We love Sam!

Opening presents in the morning

Wearing a new Star Wars t-shirt from the F-family. Sam wanted chocolate crepes with whipped cream and strawberries (as well as some eggs) for his birthday breakfast.

A Harry Potter team shirt from the Hawaii S-family!

Paintings of Dresses and Fabrics

Several weeks ago I came across a post on Instagram about Viktor Schramm's paintings of fabric. About this same time, I was watching the second season of "Victoria" (with Jenna Coleman), and I by looking at those costumes (see HERE, HERE, and HERE) I was struck with how well Schramm was able to capture the shimmery and even iridescent quality of the fabrics from the late 19th and early 20th century.

Viktor Schramm,  Bei der Anprobe (The Fitting), 1900

Viktor Schramm, "Preparing for the Ball," c. 1900

Here are some other paintings of fabulous fabrics. The fluidity of the brushstrokes really emphasize how the fabric is silky smooth:

Edmund Hodgson Smart, "Dawn," 1907

Sir John Lavery, "The Green Couch," c. 1903

I adore how the brushstrokes reveal the multiple colors that comprise the dress, so you can see the painting process but also get the suggestion that there are many layers of fabric. I also love how the black sleeves are clearly sheer. More information on this painting from Sotheby's

Hans Andersen Brendekilde's "Springtime: The First Anemones" (1889)

I came across this picture today and thought about how the subject matter resonates with me. Lucy and I have taken many springtime walks together (usually with Violet), and we both enjoy looking at the flowers and talking about their pretty colors. Springtime is still such a new idea for Lucy - I don't know if she remembers it last year, when she was two - and I love seeing her celebrate all of the life and color around us.

Although my life with a toddler is not as idyllic as the scene presented in this painting (our walk to the bus stop today involved Lucy whining and loudly crying), I still can connect with the quiet, loving moment that these two people share together as they hold hands and make eye contact. Each day I spent with Lucy, there is at least one memorable moment during the day where we have held hands, had a snuggle, or laughed together. And I do love to feel her small hand in mine; I know that little hand won't stay little forever.

Trip to Germany: Day 11 (Sans Soucci)

Germany Trip Day 12: This day was a polar opposite experience from my visit to Sachsenhausen the day before. Instead, I visited the Schloss and Park Sanssouci, which was begun as a summer retreat for Frederick the Great (1712-86) so he could be "sans souci" (without cares). What luxury and opulence were here! This park has numerous palaces, monuments and gardens. I spent seven hours here and still didn't see everything! 

I first visited the Sanssouci Palace itself. I was interested to learn that a specific strain the Rococo style can be seen at Sanssouci, which is known as Frederician Rococo. This style embraces nature in all its forms, including spiderwebs and spiders! 🕷 I also loved seeing the oval dome in the Marble Room (it reminded me of Borromini) and the floral garland on the ceiling of the Voltaire Room.

I really adored the bedchamber nicknamed the "Voltaire Room." Voltaire was a guest at Sanssouci for three years, from 1750-1753.

Ceiling of the Voltaire Room

Wall paneling in the Voltaire Room

The Bildergalerie:

This is the Bildergalerie in Sanssouci Park. The lighting is similar to the original lighting for the gallery (i. e., using windows, so the glare is terrible), but it was still fun to see Caravaggio's "Doubting Thomas."

The Orangerie:I then went and visited the Orangerie. This palace contains a Raphael Hall, which is based off of the Sala Regia in the Vatican. The room is filled with copies of Raphael paintings. I thought of my late friend Hasan when I walked into this room - he would have loved it!

The New Chambers: 

The Chinese House:I really enjoyed seeing the Chinese House and thinking about chinoiserie. I love that Corinthian column were replaced with lush, exotic palm trees. 

The Roman Bath House:

This is the Caryatid Room in the Roman Bath House

Neues Palace:
The most impressive room to me in the Neues Palace was the Grotto Hall, since the walls were covered with iridescent shells and colored stones. When I was there, I remember thinking how I've never seen anything like it before. The royal family would spend Christmas in this hall.

Neues Palace

Schloss Charlottenhof: 

The red door color was in vogue in the Neoclassical era because of the discoveries of red Roman wall paintings at Pompeii. 

This is the Tent Room at Schloss Charlettenhof. This was a guest room and was supposed to evoke a Roman commander's tent. I imagine there also was some interest in tents because of Turquerie.

This was an unforgettable day in Potsdam. I saw so many beautiful things and I learned a lot, too. I'm really glad that I got to go here at the very end of my trip - what a great finale to my experience in Germany!