waterloo sunset

waterloo sunset

Okay, long story short, I ventured up to London on Wednesday at my tutor's request to see this:

Manet's "The Execution of Maximillian"

and this:

Manet's "Music at the Tuileries" (which sadly wasn't hanging)

at the National Gallery.


At the Courtauld Gallery, I went and saw a personal fave, "Un bar aux Folies-Bergeres", which was absolutely stunning (of course).

The Courtauld Gallery was marvelous, a little out of the way and not as well known - I don't think. There were barely any people there when I visited. I was able to fully examine the works without feeling shuttled about.

My tutor related his whole life story to me and what little I remember is that he was some industrialist who collected all these amazing Impressionist works. They're all displayed now within the Somerset House. The Gallery itself reminds me quite a bit of the Neue Gallery in New York, partly because it's so deeply attached to a certain patron (the Lauders with the Neue) and also because it's displayed in this old, very grandiose house that nonetheless gives it a more intimate atmosphere. The only discrepancy was the floor; the wood boards were unpolished and creaked a lot. I don't know if it was a style statement, but it definitely felt odd in contrast to what was on the walls.

I also went to the National Portrait Gallery, which is one of my favorites, if only because I love portraits. (That's a horrendously obvious sentence, by the way.) They were display the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008, which "showcases the work of the most talented emerging young photographers, photography students and gifted amateurs alongside that of established professionals."

One of the loveliest was Hendrik Kersten's "Bag":

Which was meant as a commentary on our usage of plastic bags and also evoke the old Dutch masters. I think it most closely resembles a combo of Vermeer's "The Milkmaid" and "The Girl with the Pearl Earring":



They also were displaying Madeleine Waller's portraits of poets, which were rather unexceptional. I was just excited to read the poems attached. She had a portrait of one of the poets that I happened to be reading, Lemn Sissay, along with his wonderful "Love Poem". So simple - frugal, even - but it makes my heart skip. Love.


Love Poem, by Lemn Sissay

You remind me
define me
incline me.

If you died
I'd.

holla to the heartland!

holla to the heartland!

Two quick things before I head out:

1) Happy Kansas Day!
To celebrate, listen to Donna Fargo's lovelorn "Manhattan, Kansas".

I'm not entirely sure if the images are very representative of the song or the town itself, but it's amusing in its own way, kind of like "I will always love you, lions". Enjoy!


2) Went to London yesterday, where I wandered around like a sodden cream puff. Lots of museums, lots of food. Details to come!

EDIT:
By the way, you should all check out Maira Kalman's pictorial narrative of the inauguration. For those unfamiliar with Kalman, she's an artist who illustrated the Strunk and White's Elements of Style and often does covers for the New Yorker. She's also the author of some pretty stellar books, including the Max series and one of my favorite books, The Principles of Uncertainty.

it's all in the hat

it's all in the hat

Does anyone remember the TV show "Blossom"?




I can't stream most of the TV shows I keep up with (30 Rock, Pushing Daisies, the omnipresent Gossip Girl) because of international copyrights and apparently if I access any of the illegal sites, I'll be kicked off the network. So I've been a loss at what to do with my time on quieter nights, outside of reading and consuming king-sized Cadbury bars (they're only a pound!).

Anyway, I finally discovered a LEGAL UK website that has a bunch of early 90s shows, none of which are really all that appealing...


Well, all except for "Blossom".
I've been keeping a running tab on her different hats in my journal. So good!

resolutions

resolutions

Also, my motto:

O to the BAMA

O to the BAMA

Nothing much to report on. I'm constantly exhausted - I don't know if it's because of jet lag (still???) or because I've been walking so, so, so much. I'm determined to get a bike...

Except that I'm terrified of Oxford traffic.

Celebrated the inauguration last night by going to King's Arms after the ceremony(K.A., for those in the know!). Got more than a little emotional when they swore him into office. It was a really strange experience watching it with a bunch of British students, but not in a bad way. I think the was a sense of perspective that they brought to proceedings. Alas, there just wasn't the same crazy energy as I'm sure it was like back in the states.

Katie, I know we're not supposed to be going there, but my friend Jenny and I are rapidly and obnoxiously making friends with all the bartenders there. Last night we got a free pint! BEN2!

Other than that, it's just been a LOT of reading. I'm reading Robinson Crusoe right now for my Postcolonial Lit tutorial and several books on Manet and Haussman's Paris for my Art History. As soon as I have some energy, I'll explain how this fandangled tutorial system works. Basically, I have to write a 7-12 pg paper for my primary each week, and one for my secondary every other week. Needless to say, it's going to take some getting used to for such a slow writer like me.

Today I went to an Art lecture on Naturalism and the Third Republic, which coincides nicely with what I've been studying in my AH tutorial. It's the first in a series of lectures, and definitely the first of one of the many lectures throughout Oxford that I'm extremely excited about! The professor has the most beautiful elocution and it's in the Natural History Museum, which is gorgeous. I'll remember to take pics next week!

Actual pictures will hopefully happen soon. I haven't been taking many sadly, but there's a college "fancy dress" party this weekend. They're called "Entz" and supposedly incredibly racous. I'll report back. It's circus-themed this time around - what should I dress up as? Hopefully something offensive as possible.


PS:

I want this scarf - AMERICA!

This is what writing a paper at Oxford looks like:

This is what writing a paper at Oxford looks like:

1. Sit down at my desk and clear the clementine peels.
2. Read a secondary source and take notes, then stop halfway through.
3. Go to the kitchen to make a cup of Nescafe.
4. Come back and "take a break" by reading entirety of the NY Times Style section.
5. Stare at my paper and finally type a sentence.
6. Rearrange said sentence more attractively.
7. Peruse the thesaurus.
8. Stare at the paper; move previously typed sentence to a different part of the paragraph.
9. Pace around the room, picking up clothes.
10. Eat a clementine.
11. Take another break and go out for a walk; get annoyed at judgmental swans.
12. Come back and stare at the paper.
13. Finally give in and read more Shakespeare.
14. Type a quotation. Satisfied.
15. Go to rinse out my mug in the kitchen.
16. Recheck the NYTimes and various blogs for updates.
17. Frustrated that nothing has been updated, obsessively check Facebook instead.
18. Delete a sentence.
19. Realize that thesis doesn't make sense and write a new one.
20. Overenthusiastically cultivate active hatred towards Shakespeare and tutor. Create elaborate fantasies involving piercing them on a college spire/drowning in the Thames.
21. Freak out about how unprepared I'll be for tomorrow's tutorial and calm myself down by eating a cookie and rearranging the pictures on my wall.
22. Wonder if I have ADHD.
23. Repeat.

The one where I pretend to care about Shakespeare

The one where I pretend to care about Shakespeare

Okay, so term hasn't even started yet (tomorrow!) but already I've been crazy busy, so I won't be able to write much this time either. There are so many things to tell: my fake-British tutor who's actually from Appalachia, Ben the Bartender - my first British "friend", my room overlooking the Thames, and my overenthusiastic embrace of street food in all its greasy glory. (Eww- ME, ME, ME)

All will come in due time. Perhaps when I don't have a paper on The Tempest (UGH) assigned two days ago and due tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Until then, here's my address if you feel so inclined to send me love/money/Adderall/yourself:

C/O The Porter's Lodge
St Catherine's College
Manor Road
Oxford
OX1 3UJ
United Kingdom


Just don't send me food - my overeating has returned ever since I moved into my room. The ubiquity of salt and vinegar chips and Bueno bars is going to be the downfall of me.

Oh, and comment! Surely some of you are reading this... right?!?

here, there, everywhere

here, there, everywhere

I'm in Oxford and finally moved in to the room where I will be living in! I don't know where to begin... so I won't.

I'll update soon enough with real content, but for now, allow me go huddle in a corner.

Packing Saga, Pt. 56

Packing Saga, Pt. 56

I'm ALMOST done with packing, which I think is about the hardest part... right?

Everyone tells me that I'll buy a ton of stuff there so I'm trying not to bring a lot, but it's difficult to decide what's essential and what's non-essential.


Case in point:

My lacquered wood portrait of Burt Reynolds that I found at a garage sale back in high school and that has since followed me EVERYWHERE (yes, including NYC). After much deliberation and heartache, I've decided not to bring him along. It's especially upsetting because apparently mustaches are making a comeback, but I think it's time we spent some time apart...

I'll miss you, Burt!


It's been strangely awkward telling people that I'm going to Oxford because:

1) I'm never sure if I should assume people know where Oxford is
2) And therefore feel the need to preface with "England"
4) I feel really pretentious stating it
5) I still feel like I'm a little undeserving

So when they say, "Oh, you must be so excited!", my reply is usually incredibly mundane. But I am excited! Promise!



Shalom, suckas! See ya in England!

And suddenly, reality

And suddenly, reality

It's strange being able to check to see how the weather forecast in England will affect me.

Waaaarrrrrriiiorsss, come out to pla-ay!

Waaaarrrrrriiiorsss, come out to pla-ay!

I'm back in Lawrence one last time, but that's besides the point. What I'm really interested in is a '70s movie called "The Warriors". My friend Tyler introduced me to this "cult classic" and needless to say, I am completely hooked.



Here's a synopsis from IMDB:
"A gang called The Warriors are framed for killing a gang leader trying to unite all the gangs in the area. With other gangs gunning for them they must get back to the home turf of Coney Island... Alive."

And the trailer:



I liked spotting all the NYC locales (CONEEEEY), but what's really amazing to see are the different gangs and their colours, all of which are over-the-top amazing. I would (MAYBE!) join a gang to have an excuse to wear some of these things. Okay, not really.

Tyler's favorite gang is the Baseball Furies who are CREEPY as hell.

Mine?

I'm in love with the dudes with the sparkly, purple vests or the mimes in black-and-red striped shirts and top hats (sorry... couldn't find pics). I'd really love to see a NY map of each of the rival gangs' territories.


Seriously- it's amazing.

If that weren't inducement enough, here's a Lego re-enactment of one of the more famous scenes:


EDIT: Also, one of the actors has since been in "Sex and the City" and "Ratatouille"! Brilliant!

PS. this is what I'll be listening to on the plane

PS. this is what I'll be listening to on the plane

Neon Neon, "Raquel"