7 Deathly Boring Takes Friday!

(I just re-read this post, and I have to apologize for what you’re about to be put through. I shouldn’t be allowed to talk about Europe, cause I can’t stop.)

It’s been a while since I’ve been elated on a Friday. I loved Fridays back in Vegas because they usually meant the Ogre being home, a family outing, Saturday brunch and catching up on TV at night. It’s been hard for me, hardest on the weekends really, being away from the Ogre.

But this weekend I took his ~~advice~~ edict and scheduled a homeschooling field trip for us. And we’re going to one of my all-time favorite places this afternoon!

#7
The Nasher Sculpture Center

I love this place. It’s right next to the Dallas Museum of Art, but as far as I’m concerned overshadows the DMA.

The Ogre and I used to go there when we were dating and when Sienna was little. They rotate the sculptures they feature and there is a gorgeous outdoor sculpture garden for the little kiddos to run wild in. I just love this place so much.

#6
I Must Admit

The UD Rome campus. That building to the right is the dormitory, and almost all the dorm rooms have a gorgeous view of the rolling hills of Albano. Gorgeous, no?

that everything I learned about art I learned in Rome in our Art and Architecture class. I don’t know much, but I did learn in that class that sculpture is my kind of art.

There are painters (particularly Boticelli, Caravaggio, and Filippo Lippi) whose works I could stare at for days on end. But most painting doesn’t grab me the same way sculpture does.

For Example, This

is one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever seen. You can practically see David breathing. The muscles and veins under his skin are so real. It’s insane. The entire time we were in the Galeria dell’Academia I circled around and around this statue, half-expecting him to turn his head and look at me.

And if he had, I don’t think I would have been too surprised.

My Absolute Favorite Place

in Rome is here, the Villa Borghese.

It’s actually a huge park with tons of awesome things to do, gorgeous sculptures and fountains scattered everywhere, and in the actual Villa is Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s art collection.

The gallery is full of Bernini statues. Bernini is my favorite artist of all time, ever. His statues are absolutely divine. We went as a class the first time I was in Rome and I was one of the last people to leave the gallery. I was absolutely entranced by this statue

in particular.

Here, I’ll show you a close-up of Hades’ hands.

Astounding, isn’t it?

The Second Time

I was in Rome with Sienna we didn’t make it into the actual Villa, much to my chagrin, but we did wander around the park for hours. She fell in love with this sculpture and kept giving it baci (kisses). I finally had to drag her away by promising her a gelato.

Which she heartily enjoyed

#2 & #1
Since I’ve been waxing all nostalgic, you’re just going to get gratuitous pictures of Europe.

Lucky you!

I love the Roman met.ro. It is so dirty, urban and awesome. And so easy to get lost on.

Waiting for a bus on a rainy Sunday…obviously this was in my college days, in case you couldn’t tell by the non-length of my skirt.

Sienna, trying her best to get us kicked out of the Pantheon

Sienna and I at the Coliseum

Sienna and her Zia (who lives in Rome), being very naughty and illegal at the Trevi

Me and my then-friend, now sister-in-law, in front of the Trevi on our last day of our semester in Roma

The Acropolis in Athens…it was kind of hard to get a decent photo of anything up there

Running on the track at Olympia, Greece

Sienna and I at the Piazza di Spagna

Okay, now that I’ve bored you to death, happy weekend! Go and see Jen for more quick takes.

And if any of you out there live near Dallas but haven’t yet visited the Nasher, you must!