A Bite of the Big Apple

When faced with the decision to sit down and write a blog post or check out the gym in my building's basement, I'll have you all know I most certainly choose the former.  I'm not exercise averse, in fact I've been walking quite a bit the last few weeks, I just have a diehard dedication to updating my readers.  Well that, and I'm pretty damn comfy after a glass of nebbiolo and a belly full of chicken soup and jalapeño cornbread.  I guess you could say I got it good up here in New York City.

in Central Park near the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir

In the course of a year I've shared a living space with 2 Californians, 3 Southern Italian men, an Iranian Muslim, a French Jew and now a 78 year old retired writer and grandmother of 2.  Makes me smile just thinking about it.  As you all know, I'm currently residing on the UWS (that's how we New Yorkers abbreviate the "upper west side") with my professor's mom, Phyllis.  She is such a hoot!  (And yes, when I'm around her I find myself saying things like what a hoot, oh my lands, and heavens to betsy)  Phyllis may be 78 but she's as sharp as a tack - she volunteers at the Natural History Museum doing research on a 19th century Norwegian explorer and now she's contributed to a book about his life and work!  This aside, she has been so magnanimous as to offer me a place to stay, AND (here comes the best part) a home cooked meal every night that we're both home together.  Ok, that's it, I'm calling my lawyer and drawing up adoption papers.  Can I keep her forever?

Phyllis' cheesy jalapeño cornbread.  I think she likes me.

Night 1 in my new place Phyllis had a chicken roasting in the oven, steamed broccoli and a buttered sweet potato.  Oh my lands, it was amazing.  She showed me her worn cookbooks and countless spices, the fridge was full of fresh fruits and veggies.  We have made a habit of chatting over supper and well into a cup of herbal tea.  Each night she tells me to sleep tight, and sometimes in the morning she has coffee ready when I get up.  Oh, I'm not done yet.  When she learned I have an undying love for Mexican food she told me she'd take me to her favorite little place - we went there on Sunday for brunch, her treat.  To somehow repay her I bought the ingredients for a buttermilk pie as per a dinner conversation one night and we baked it together.  Divine!

view of Central Park on Jan 20

my new neighborhood, a winter wonderland

The place is nice and cozy, I've got my own room and bathroom (can't really remember the last time I had that!) and a living room with windows that open up onto a slice of Central Park.  Part of the dining room table is now my desk, or my office as I like to call it.  This weekend it SNOWED in the city so my view of the park was delightfully serene.  Oh, and did I mention the building is called The Turin?!  How oddly serendipitous, right?

in front of my building, The Turin!

Oh yes, I should probably mention my internship!  When I started a few weeks ago I was thrown straight into the mix, which is probably the best way to learn though simultaneously the most intimidating.  The first hour I was already answering phones and transferring calls for the department.  There are currently 4 interns including me, though 2 of them are leaving at the end of this week as they completed their term.  Interestingly 2 of the other girls are Italian so I have been keeping my language skills polished.  The work includes general office tasks, supporting the specialists in our department which includes Old Master Paintings, Old Master Drawings and 19th Century Art.  Aside from fielding calls from everybody and their mother who claims to own a Rubens and wants it appraised, I have been helping prepare for the big 2-part auction our department is holding this week.

20 Rock, we're in the same building as the Today Show!

The other interns and I have been doing research on artists, artworks, checking and re-checking provenance, forwarding bids, confirming estimates, sending catalogs to important clients, setting up the gallery preview show, photographing and handling the works, etc.  At one point last week I was helping a specialist adjust Netherlandish Art placement in the galleries, including the top-of-the-lot Hans Memling which is estimated to bring in $8 million at auction tomorrow.  But that was nothing compared to the work that was brought in on Friday afternoon - a work by Francis Bacon that is estimated at $30 million for a London auction in February.  I'd like to know the chap that's got $30 million in disposable income to throw down on a piece of contemporary art.  And more importantly whether or not he's single.  Don't judge me, I like flying First Class.

BLOWN away by this experience.  Ha.  (Empire State Building)

I'll be interested to see my first auction now that I've been working behind the scenes.  Things are much different here in the for-profit art world, the capital of the western world for that matter.  All in all it's been a whirlwind first few weeks with lots of exciting changes -  new home, new job, new friends, new experiences, New York, New York!  

A New Year, A New Chapter

It's strange.  Every time I finish writing in a journal it seems that starting a new one coincides with new beginnings in my life.  I believe I've filled up 5 since moving to Italy, and now it looks like number 6 will be penned on the East Coast.  For some reason it still hasn't hit me that I'll be living in New York City.  But I'm confident that by tomorrow (when my plane leaves) that reality will rouse me from a near month of rest and relaxation in Texas.

Black and Bleu Burger, The Hobbit, Houston

To recap my winter break I'd venture to use two sinfully simple terms: sloth and gluttony.  After a semester of hard work it was delightful to indulge in the finer things in life.  Those being sleep, napping, waking up whenever I want, watching addictive TV shows with the fam, hot tubbing, happy hour (cocktails in general, really), queso, guacamole, bbq, chicken fried anything -- I imagine you know where I'm going with this.  Basically living the American dream, folks.

Biscuits 'n Gravy, Le Peep, Houston

Well, let me rethink this, I wasn't completely inactive.  I went from Houston to Austin twice, shopped to my heart's content, spun around under the Zilker tree, cut and colored my hair, rode on the back of an '86 Harley, played with fireworks, completed a painting, crocheted several projects, had a father-daughter date, went line dancing while wearing my cowboy boots, and somewhat organized my clothes collection that now spans 3 cities, 2 continents.

pre-creativity/pre-wine, Painting with a Twist, Houston

I was happy to have seen my family over the holidays, allowing my worries to melt away in their presence.  I even snuck in a visit to San Antonio to see my girlfriends, one of whom just got married and the other is planning her big day! (Contextual inference: I am getting old.)  Really though, I loved gabbing with them over margaritas and Mexican food, it's amazing how I couldn't even tell that 1.5 years had gone by.  Catching up with my old book club girls was refreshing and such a blast!  I'm so glad I was able to have dinner with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins (who are soon to be attending my alma mater).  I didn't get to see everyone I'd hoped to see as time was short and my mobility was limited, but I was luckily able to chat with my Uncle who'd been in the hospital and is recovering.

Sara & Me, New Year's Eve 2012, Katy

I rang in the new year at a house party in a suburb of Houston with my friend Sara and a group of people I'd only just met.  I had a fabulous time playing games, shooting fireworks and watching the 2012 ball drop in the new city where I'll be living.

fun with a sparkler, New Year's Eve 2012

Things have changed since I left Texas, that's for certain, but some things never will.  Like the way my Mom always knows when I need a kind word and a warm beverage.  Or how Dad can always give me a serious case of the giggles.  How a chai latte (or a margarita) and effortless conversation are sometimes all I need.  Before we know it, years have gone by and the chapters of our lives have written themselves.  The question is, will we have readable material for future generations?  I plan to.  New York, get ready.

you can take the girl out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the girl

Final Countdown

Can someone please tell me when time started flying by so fast?  It's somehow December and that means a lot of deadlines are approaching, one of which means coming back to Texas.  But before that happens, there are A LOT of projects/papers that need to be finished.  This weekend I'm going to lock myself in my room and churn out an art theory paper on postmodernism and globalization.  Then I'll be compiling the final version of my strategic plan for fundraising.  I need to apply for a grant, create a 5-year plan and draw up creative details on some original fundraising events.  Oh, and my exhibition is opening next week!

my exhibition poster (italian version)

Yesterday I was at school all day, but not in class, I was installing the artworks in the castle courtyard which was quite an endeavor.  Planning and executing this exhibition has perhaps been some of the most useful practical knowledge I've gleaned so far.  I am now incredibly familiar with Murphy's law, that is, if anything can go wrong, it will.  And it does.  First of all this would have been great as a group project where I could manage and delegate, but considering I'm the only one in the course I did everything myself.  Developing the theme, selecting the artworks, writing the curatorial statement, creating the logo, doing the (preliminary) translations, designing the posters/flyers (and distributing said posters/flyers), writing the catalog entries, writing and doing research for the catalog essay, designing the catalog, writing the press release, organizing the location and permission for hanging, managing the artists, scheduling the installation/opening, negotiating with a local business for sponsorship (5 bottles-o-vino for free), collaborating with the local library for volunteers, creating wall labels and curatorial statements in 2 languages, (I mean do you guys need me to go on?)  Let's just say it was a huge undertaking, even for a final project.  The hardest part?  Working with Italians.  (I say that with the least-intended discrimination, of course.)

Tom Johnson, Untitled, charcoal on paper, 250 x 170 cm, 2010.

Originally I wanted the show to be up from December to February but a few weeks ago the administration informed me there was another exhibition planned to be installed on 15 Dec and the other artists wanted to be the only ones on display.  Meaning my exhibition would last all of one week.  I finally convinced them to de-install and then re-install once the other exhibition was over (3 days), because I had worked really hard on this project and it would be a shame to only show the works for one week.  Then they gave me problems about trying to install 5 days early, but the artists had to arrange vans to bring their work plus bring people to help them hang.  Their issue was that a guided tour was happening over the weekend and no one would be here to supervise the works, so I had to get the artists to sign a liability waiver.  Yay, legal.  

Rocío Aguilar-Nuevo, RIMSKY KORSAKOV Flight of the Bumblebee, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 200 cm, 2011.

So Thursday, the morning of installation, I am informed that we can't put any holes in the walls of the courtyard because "this is a very old castle."  Yeah, I get that, but I'd been given permission by the highest decision maker who decided to change their mind at the last minute.  And what is that thing behind your head right there, oh, a kitty calendar with a nail holding it in the wall, isn't it?  Whatever.  So I had to negotiate with the library and borrow 4 metal stands for some works I wanted to mount on the wall.  Fine.  I printed and attached all the labels and information guides when the first artist arrived with his work.  The minute he comes through the door someone tells him he's not allowed to put the works up today.  Subsequently there is was an argument (in Italian) between me, the custodian, the student services coordinator, the artists/my professors and the event manager.  There was poor communication between the staff, each had their own opinion and no one knew where to turn.  I said I didn't understand why putting beautiful artworks could in any way be negative for the university, if anything it will be a great addition to the tour and they should all be trying to help me with the project, not impede my efforts with bureaucratic nonsense.  But, that's Italy for you in a nutshell.

my prof and her boyfriend installing her works, to give you a sense of the dimensions

view from across castle courtyard, I really like the multiple perspectives the space provides

We finally are granted permission to install when I realize one of my artists brought not only the wrong number of works (5 instead of 4) but he didn't bring the right ones!  Two of them were not selected for the show, meaning I had three I wanted but was stuck with 2 extras that I hadn't cataloged/designed in the layout/generally prepared for.  Ugh!  So I made a last minute decision to shift the set up and include all of them, since it seemed silly to leave a nice drawing in a dark dusty corner of the castle.  By the late evening we had the paintings attached to the metal stands via zip-ties and all the works were positioned.  Suddenly all the stress from the day melted away when I saw how the paintings and drawings played with the space.  Everyone still at the university came to peek at the show and they all said it looked so much better than before, that the courtyard felt more warm and the university had more vivacity.  I felt good about my work, despite everything that went wrong in the process.

inner hallway of castle courtyard

view across the courtyard

Friday I went to the local copisteria, aka photocopy/printing store, and got 5 copies of the catalog printed in color on nice paper.  One for me, each of the 3 artists and one for the university.  Cost me 12 euros a copy (egad!) but they look amazing and I'm going to see if the university will reimburse me for the expense.  Once I saw the catalog printed, (even with one work that didn't even make it into the current show), I felt extremely proud of what I had produced.  I called the university and had them contact the website designer somewhere in New Hampshire so they could attach the pdf of the catalog online (the file is really big, but worth a look! And while you're at it you could check out the front page of the university website to read a testimonial from yours truly.  What can I say, I like to keep in the campus spotlight.)  The show is opening on 7 December, I can't wait to have an end of the year celebration and see all of my efforts come to fruition!

me being thoroughly excited about the printed catalog

super awesome and professional looking (not me, the catalog, clearly.)

Giving Thanks

Yesterday evening we celebrated an Italianized Halal Thanksgiving at the University, making this the 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Celebration planned and organized by yours truly!  We were able to secure a halal turkey from the local butcher which was cooked by the family that runs the café under the castle.  The funny thing about ordering a turkey in Italy is that since it's such a rare request they are ridiculously expensive, (we're talking 50-70 euros) and they seem to interpret "stuffed" as "meat-stuffed" so our turkey had A LOT of halal sausage inside.  So that was fun.  And delicious.

italian sausage-stuffed halal turkey

green bean casserole

One of our administrative staff was in the States last week so I asked her to bring me back 2 boxes of Stove Top, for authenticity's sake, you know?  Ok, last year I made stuffing from scratch and that was a huge commitment so believe me with my schedule that wasn't happening again.  (In fact the President thanked me for the Stove Top because he said his mom used to make it when he was a kid.)  Seriously though, 5 minutes and you've got stuffing.  A Thanksgiving miracle!  What I spent most time on was my green bean casserole.  Green beans, cream of mushroom soup, but French's french-fried onions are non-existent here.  Hence I spent about an hour slicing, breading and frying those little buggers, but I must say it was a big hit at dinner.  One of my friends at school, an Iranian MBA student, was assigned mashed potatoes but he'd never made them before, so I made sure to send him an informative youtube video and they turned out great!  Oh, and the university's founder made a speech thanking me for my initiative in putting the party together.  *Blushes*

(back) Lindsay, me, Taraneh

(front) Javad, Fatemeh, Jennifer

our pilgrims and indians

roommate pic!

I'd definitely say it was a success -- another year of students, staff, professors and administration from all cultural backgrounds coming together to give thanks and share a meal.  It's a beautiful thing.   Really though, there's something inexplicable about the ability of food to bring people together, to make someone feel at home, to bring back memories, to create a family atmosphere, to inspire camaraderie.  I find it fun to share our staple cultural celebrations and traditions with people who have never experienced them before.  For instance my roommate Lindsay and I were invited to our neighbor's place for coffee this week.  There is a Moroccan family living on the first floor of our apartment building and they're some of the nicest people we've ever met.  Their daughter was mesmerized when I told them we'd be celebrating Thanksgiving, a holiday they'd only ever seen on TV and in movies.  

feeling like we're in Morocco.

They invited us to come over today and have cous cous with them, as the mother prepares it every Friday afternoon.  (How great is that?? It's like Spaghetti Thursday or Pizza Fridays in American families!)  Let me just say this was hands-down the best cous cous I've ever had in my life.  Not to mention that being in their apartment is like stepping into an exotic oasis with floor-to-ceiling tiles, colorful textiles and pillows on a wall-length couch, a running fountain and several stuffed pheasants mounted to the wall.  

north africa, just south of our apartment

cross-cultural gluttony.

The mom brought out a HUGE bowl of cous cous with veggies and lamb and everyone ate from their own corner of the cous cous mountain with big spoons.  In a way I felt like this was another sort of Thanksgiving meal, coming together with our neighbors that hardly knew us but wanted to share their culture with us without asking anything in return.  I'm feeling very thankful these days, for family and friends that support me (and take time to read my blog), for the opportunity to be living and studying in Italy, for getting the internship in New York.  Oh, and getting an email from my professor today stating his mother will be happy to host me for 4 months in NYC rent-free in her Central Park West apartment.  I am further convinced that there are an abundance of gracious individuals in this world, many of which I've seemed to find in the most unexpected places.  Yes, I'd say thankful would be the minimum expression of the way I'm feeling right now.

The Gamechanger

There comes a time in everyone's life when something absolutely unexpected happens. Actually, life is full of these little twists and turns, some larger than others, and the true test of our will is how we react and what we choose to do next. Maybe a loved one passes on, a baby comes into the picture, or, in my case, a badass internship somehow presents itself to you. That's right everyone, this week I accepted a position as a Spring intern for Christie's in New York, the #1 Auction house in the world!

© TripAdvisor.com

Now let's quickly rewind to this summer: *insert harp chords to signal memory sequence* It's a swelteringly hot June afternoon in Turin, I sit in my un-airconditioned room hoping for even the slightest breeze to enter through the open window. A frown has positioned itself upon my face along with a vacant stare through watery eyes. It's official. I've now been systematically rejected from three internships in the past few months. My irrational thought process is as follows: I'm a failure, I suck at life, I have no friends and family around, ergo I will never get a job and clearly no one will ever marry me. When it rains, it pours, and this summer it may have been hot outside but I had a raincloud over me, Eeyore style. I was lonely, homesick, dejected/rejected and working as a glorified personal assistant.  Ugh.

© Kippreport.com

Fast forward to today: *harp music* I am decidedly awesome. I got paid (a pittance) to work at an international art fair with a Dutch gallery in which I ended up successfully selling the 2nd edition of the artist's video work to an Italian collector (in Italian!)  I was still getting off that high when last Monday I received an email from Christie's about working in their Old Masters and 19th Century Art Department. I'd applied for the internship back in September on a whim (half expecting it'd be like the last THREE that have flat-out rejected me) because it was a "Winternship" so it would've been for 6 weeks over my Christmas holidays. Meaning if they were offering, I wouldn't be able to come home at all. Despite me being unsure about the timing, I decided it would be worth the experience.  

© MarilynMonroeCollection.com

Friday comes around and I have the interview at 8pm my time, 2pm their time. There were questions about my interests in the company, my master program, my thesis, etc - she was really impressed by my current degree and the international scope. She explained what my role would be and offered me the position with the start date of early January until mid May. There had been a clerical error on their part because I didn't apply for the Spring semester. I asked if there was a chance I could be considered for a Summer or Fall internship but she said if I graduated I was no longer eligible to be considered. Meaning it's now or never. She assured me they thought I was super qualified and they thought I would be an asset to the company. And when Christie's tells you you'd be an asset, well damn that makes you feel like a million bucks. Or pounds sterling, euros, yen, etc.

© elogedelart.canalblog.com

This, my friends, is the gamechanger. I mean, it's Christie's. Just having that experience would be like dusting my resume with powdered gold, you guys! GOLD! But I'll have to move from Torino back to Texas, find an apartment and move to NYC for 4 months, then move back to Torino to finish my thesis and remaining workshops. I talked with the administration at my university and everyone's very supportive and excited (also because it'll look great on their website) and they're going to give me a credit for "Art Market and Art Collecting" just by doing the internship, so that'll fulfill my last course requirement.

© jewelry01.blogspot.com

So, this is my life. It completely shifted directions in a matter of days. In a matter of weeks I won't be studying in Italy anymore, I'll be in New York City, that mythical island in the northeast where all those important people live and work. Consider this an open request for virtually pinching me because I still don't believe it.

Fairs, Festivals and Ferrero Rocher

I realized this week that every shitty job serves a purpose. Even if it teaches you a small, unexpected lesson.  This summer I did an internship in which I was working with an Egyptian artist in a residency program near Torino.  She was a pleasure to work with, even though most of the tasks involved being her personal assistant.  I admit I had hoped for more responsibility beyond translation and transportation.  Luckily she was very open and spent time describing her work to me in detail, explaining the ins and outs of the art market, and she even asked for my research and logistical help in executing the video artwork she completed in-residence.  I'd met an international artist, attended high-profile events and gotten a new perspective on the art world - I thought I'd leave the experience at that.

Artissima! giant fair pavilion featuring hundreds of international galleries

The artist had kept in touch with me over the past few months, and 2 weeks ago she emailed me about her involvement in the upcoming international arts fair in Turin, Artissima.  The fair is in its 18th year and continues to grow in prestige and popularity.  She was invited to participate in a competition among 15 other emerging artists from across Europe by displaying an artwork at the fair.  She wanted me to be there and help with the booth because I knew the work personally and watched her develop it this summer.  I of course said I was interested and her gallerist in Amsterdam said she'd be happy to have me and pay me a total of…. *drumroll please*… 50 euros!  For a whole weekend of work.  Let's not even try to do the math on that, ok?  Believe me, by now I've worked for so long sans payment that somehow pennies an hour seems like a blessing.  And I would have done it for free anyway just to gain some practical knowledge.

Artissima

Thursday I worked all day at the booth.  (Ferrero Rocher was a sponsor so naturally I've eaten at least my age in small spherical chocolate confections over the past few days.)  It was great to see the artist again, and her gallerist was such a pleasure to work with, she was only 29 years old!  I asked her about her education, interests, and how she managed her gallery in Amsterdam.  She happily answered all of my questions further debunked my theory that all for-profit arts professionals are aloof and elitist.  I stayed there talking with passersby who watched the video and held an interest in the artist's work - at one point I was discussing Egyptian superstition with a German collector and at another I was describing the artist's process (in Italian!) with an older couple from Venice.  Crazy!  Amazing!  :)

Artissima

I met an "artist liaison" at the fair who is working for White Cube gallery in London (huge!) and as it turns out she's originally from Texas (well, Dallas, and we all know what that means).  We talked a bit and she told me about working for another gallery in Rome for several years.  Ahhhh, too cool.  Among others I met some Milan gallerists, American curators, a Swiss art critic and a Spanish hypnotist/artist.  There was even a pavilion of designer cakes decorated each as an homage to a specific artist - gotta love edible exhibitions.

Art Cakes!

The judges for the emerging artist competition came by to talk to the gallerist and artist, see the video and her portfolio - it was fascinating to see the "fair dynamics" and the anxiety everyone felt in presenting the works.  By the end of the night, at the fancy invite-only opening party, it had leaked out "secretly" that our artist won the prize!  We were all so excited - this meant the artist would be awarded 5,000 euros by illy (the coffee company) and the opportunity to design a limited edition mug!  This was so overwhelming for everyone, especially the artist because this signals a big turning point in her career to be recognized this way.

Artissima

There was a small press conference the next day, and I made sure to be there.  It's crazy to think that this summer I was toting her around Turin in a car, helping her communicate at events in Italian and collaborating on her video production which was then given the only prize awarded at this huge international contemporary art fair.  How cool is that??  Even today the news just got better because her gallerist sold the first edition of the video to a Dutch collector.  So exciting!  It's great when things come full circle and you can be there to see a project succeed in the most positive way.

And the winner is...

I suppose I could mention that this weekend I've ALSO been volunteering at Paratissima, an "off" festival in an artsy/multicultural neighborhood in Torino that's an alternative response to the commercialism of Artissima.  I figured if I wanted to really learn something I might as well do both, get the experience from the for-profit art market side, then the non-profit grassroots side.  I feel as though these past few days have been very necessary to supplement my theoretical education thus far.  In fact I ran into two of my professors at the show and they were proud of me for taking the initiative to find my own way into these events for the purpose of gaining experience.  One more day of work at Artissima then it's back to the books because I haven't studied all weekend.  Though oddly my biggest worry right now is weening myself off the free Ferrero Rocher...

We'll Always Have Paris

or, The Time I Walked Shoeless Down the Champs-Élysées (aka the most expensive strip of real estate in the world)

 

ahhh, Paris...

Last week was "Fall Break" for my university, which really means "hey we're not going to observe American holidays (i.e. Labor Day, Thanksgiving), soooo I hope this makes up for it!"  Today is Halloween and I wouldn't have remembered if it weren't for the themed Google homepage.  This marks the 2nd year I haven't participated in masked mayhem, as Halloween is just starting to gain popularity in Italy.  But I suppose I'll give it up if that means I get a week off school to pretend I don't have deadlines looming over my head and visit my friends in chic european cities!

 

Ricarda, Me and Nathalie - the Paris Reunion Tour

I spent 4 days in Paris, epicenter of mode, heartland of glamour, a bizarre social vortex where classy women can smoke cigarettes and somehow appear sexier!  I met up with two of my former roommates, Nathalie and Ricarda, for a mini-vacay in Île-de-France and it was just the kind of getaway I needed!  Weeks of studying, reading and writing finally culminated in a pleasant jaunt up to our neighbors beyond the Alps.

 

ze French cuisine, ooolala!

On the plane ride up to Paris I ran into a French guy from my school who was going home for the break.  He offered me a ride to the city center via his parents, and knowing I could save a solid 15 euros I could do nothing but accept, naturally.  I met Nathalie and Ricarda around 10pm in the city and I must say that just seeing my friends after months was worth the trip alone.  I happily caught them up on university gossip and it was as if no time had passed at all!

 

The Belles of Notre Dame!

Our first full day in Paris was spent in Notre Dame (no verifiable hunchback sighting, fyi), walking along the iron-balconied avenues, peeking in shops and boutiques, inhaling the delicate smell of fresh baguettes, stopping for a crêpe at a street vendor and enjoying it in Luxembourg Park.  Luckily I'd brought my gloves because Paris was decidedly colder than Turin, and in a way it gave the city a bit  more romance.  (That is, until I had to add on socks and a scarf on during the night.)  We stopped for a petit chocolat, which means 'small hot chocolate' for those of you who aren't up on your French :)

mon petit chocolat!

I had my only disappointment when we reached the Musée d'Orsay which was scheduled to reopen after big renovations on the very day we arrived.  But alas, France will be France.  The museum was closed due to a strike.  Argh!  The agony, the frustration!  It lasted only a few minutes until I remembered I would finally be seeing the Louvre after what has by now amounted to a 3 year evasion of the truth.  What do I mean by this?  See I'd been to Paris in 2008 on a backpacking trip with my friend Sara but we didn't get a chance to see the Louvre.  And let me just say that especially as a student of the arts, you can never ever admit you've been to Paris without seeing the Louvre. That'd be like going to Rome without seeing the Coliseum, or New York City without passing through Times Square.  And you'd be surprised how many times that conversation comes up in 3 years, each time I had to keep my dark secret a mystery!  Ohhh, Paris is greeeeat, and the Louvre... incredible isn't it?!  

 

Louvre at first sight.

But this time I did it!  And with my permit to stay in Italy I managed to enter free of charge (they assumed I was a European Citizen, that means my mysterious airs and colored pants are working over here).  I saw so many of the paintings and sculptures I'd studied for years in my undergraduate courses, Antiquities, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, you name it we saw it!  Not to mention the most famous artwork in the world, the Mona Lisa.  I'll just say that when you've spent nearly the last 7 years of your life studying art you feel a bit like you've completed your pilgrimage to Mecca by visiting the Louvre, it is quite the religious experience.

 

we climbed a nearby hill to get a better look.

We made a trip to the Eiffel Tower by night and somehow reached it just as it started to glitter and twinkle with thousands of lights -- so beautiful.  By the time we arrived at Natalie's house her mom had made us a delicious Polish dinner of pierogis and even a pie for dessert.  Ricarda and I thanked her countless times for her hospitality and she told us (in French/Polish) it was her duty to take good care of us since we were so far from our own moms.  *so sweet!*

 

this is what breakfast in Paris looks like.

Ricarda and I set off on another artistic adventure at Centre Pompidou, a famous collection of Contemporary Art, which was a nice compliment to what we'd seen at the Louvre.  Again I got in for free by appearing devilishly European (yes!)  We had fun perusing the immense galleries and after a few hours we realized Paris had gotten the better of us and we took a break from standing, walking and looking at art by stopping in a local bistrot for a delicious charcuterie plate and macaroons.  Later we happened upon the Bridge of Love where thousands of couples had affixed their padlocks to the railings to demonstrate their lasting commitments to each other.  We met Nathalie in the evening for a trip up to Montmatre, a hill in Paris where artists like Picasso, Dali, Monet and Van Gogh were once working!

 

l'amour...

On our last night we went out to an über elitist Parisian nightclub where in truly chic metropolitan fashion those of us non-French-speakers were made to wait outside for over an hour in ze cold!  Inacceptable! (to be read in a thick French accent)  Needless to say after walking kilometers, standing and then dancing, this Texas girl simply couldn't make it to sunrise in cute black heels.  I tried to be glam, people, I did.  But 3 full days of museuming, touring and simultaneously looking great can really take it out of a girl.  So there I was on arguably the most famous avenue in the world with my Old Navy socks tramping along the Champs-Élysées.  Trés chic, no?

 

old roomies together again.  not pictured: georgina!

This week I'm getting serious about several projects, including the exhibition that needs to happen in less than 5 weeks, oh and organizing the 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner!  Paris was absolutely lovely, a real pleasure to experience in the brisk autumn air.  I savored every moment, from reuniting with good friends and chatting over tea and buttered croissants, to witnessing some of the most important artworks in our world's history.  Not bad for a 6 euro flight, a free ride from the airport, free museum entry and staying with a good friend while her mom spoils us with tasty French and Polish food!  It's a rough life, everybody, but someone's got to do it :)

Me, Mona and Ricarda, just chillin' at the Louvre.