Pining For: Northeastern Autumn

Last year, around September, I began a slow-burn pine session for the Northeast and New England. Especially for its stunning Autumns and snowy winters. Home from Dallas, finishing final papers and decompressing from a semester of no free time for entertainment, I started watching Gilmore Girls, set in Connecticut. It may be the one television show I have watched from beginning to end.

While I'm not always 100% with the developments and characters, I am usually deeply satisfied with the supposed geographic setting and references to places such as Cape Cod, Boston, and New York. Watching this show filled some deep internal longings for home, small towns with old institutions, long-term female relationships, and the smell of dried leaves.

A recently viewed episode yielded a surprising treat. Sparks (and, not shown here, a still intact Sonic Youth) in Stars Hollow, slightly akin to the many towns on Cape Cod I got to know each summer while visiting my Grandmother. According to these lyrics, the olfactory sense is the sense that strongly evokes memories of the past. It's true.

I have been feeding my hunger for the northern effect in other ways. Higher consumption levels of maple products, apples, and squash-based meals accommodate some sensual needs while films, especially 70s/80s Halloween and horror, help re-ignite memories. A wood-fire scented candle would bring it all together. 

Elvira: Mistress of Darkness, 1988, with Cassandra Peterson.

Set in Massachusetts, famous for its witch trials, this is a flick I've been watching since childhood. Upon a recent re-watch, I realized how much this contributed to my feminist, hedonist adult character and was glad to see that it still holds up. 

Eraserhead, 1977, David Lynch.

Drab tones reminiscent of cold days walking with a purpose in Philadelphia or Providence, Rhode Island. 

For reading in a time travel vortex created by a hot bath, John Demos' The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America, 1994, gets me close to the colonial New England landscape. My imagination takes me to something like this magical picture of abandoned mills on Erie Canal which I captured during a sad occasion trip one year ago. 

Dreaming of another chance next year, to breathe in the crisp air and taste cider doughnuts. For now I will screw the past, and appreciate the tropical storms, rockabilly bayou terror, and rich Mexican traditions found throughout the Texas-style season.

Alex, Jamie, and Goose Halloweenie by Maria-Elisa Heg, 2015.

Jorge Ben For Writing Papers

Still dancing to the Brazilian sound as I finish up writing for the semester. This album, which I cannot find anywhere, is my main motivator right now (coffee, chocolate, and sunshine in one package). Please enjoy it with me! 

Jorge Ben, Tropical, 1976

If anyone has a lead on where I can get this on either CD or vinyl, for a reasonable price, I'd be very happy to know.

UPDATE: Record procured! Obrigada!

Brasil 4-Ever

The best thing about this semester has been the work-adventure to Brasil. Even though I'm now in a deep hell pit, two weeks behind schedule on all these papers, I have a million magical memories and no regrets. This clip of live music encapsulates my feelings much better than words or images.

The beginning of the best night in Vila Madalena, São Paulo. 
We all danced...samba, then salsa, til 4am.

Thanks to SMU for hosting our seminar group in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. 

People of the Book: Post-Grad Reading

It's been two years since I've read a book. Fiction, that is.
Reading a book that fits in your bag and can be easily transported is an amazing thing!
Trading in the Oversize art history books that have turned many trips home from the library into near meltdowns (usually my eyes were bigger than my bookbag). Struggling to carry 10 huge books, for three miles, is never a great idea.

Before I started this crazy grad school adventure, I had several paperback books on my nightstand. They remained there for 24 months. It's taking me a long time to get back into reading these kinds of books. I've only finished two in the last six weeks.

I got one of these books because of a note I had scribbled on a scrap of paper. I have no idea who or what motivated this. I wish I could remember because I loved this book so much and it was the perfect transition from academic art history reading to fun and crazy art history reading. Geraldine Brooks has written a novel based on what medieval art historians do in their attempts to discover the history behind illuminated manuscripts. I'm so excited about this book I can't even describe how much I appreciated it.

The leading lady in this story, Hanna Heath, works internationally as a book conservationist. Heath is asked to examine a Hebrew manuscript, the Sarajevo Haggadah. A Haggadah is a prayer book used during Passover to tell the story of the Hebrews' journey out of slavery in Egypt. Created in medieval Spain, the Sarajevo Haggadah is a lavishly illustrated Hebrew manuscript made at a time when Jewish belief was firmly against illustrations of any kind. However, as we know from Dura Europos, there are Judaic figural paintings (even nude ones!).

3rd century fresco of baby Moses' rescue from the bullrushes in Egypt.
 From the Dura Europos synagogue, Damascus, Syria.

The novel follows the migration of the actual manuscript, moving backward from:
Sarajevo in the 1940's, then to 19th century Vienna, 17th century Venice, Catalonia during the Spanish Inquisition and finishing (at the beginning) in 15th century Seville. At each of these stops, an artifact found in or missing from the manuscript is explored: a portion of an insect wing, salt remnants, a wine stain, a white hair, and absent silver clasps.

Awesome map from the book.

A thrilling adventure! Each layer of history is revealed, showing the richness of the manuscript and how a moment in time can affect something permanently, often leaving historians in a perpetual state of mystery and obsession.

Much of the story takes place in Spain, which always got me dreaming of my upcoming trip there (72 days!). Plans are going very well so far, now that I've gotten the green light from Colby-Sawyer and some non-refundable airline tickets. ¡SO EXCITED!