(1) An excerpt from Daily Meditations on the Psalms:
“We sing when we are happy. A lover sings when he has found his beloved. Sports fans shout for all to hear when their team has won. When Christians sing on joyous occasions, they name God because He is the source of all the good things that bring them joy.”
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(1) One final, musically inspired quote, from Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami:
“‘It’s an usual opera [Der Rosenkavalier]. The plot’s critical, of course, like with all operas, but with this one even if you don’t know the plot it’s easy to give yourself over to the music and be completely enveloped by that world. The world of supreme bliss Strauss achieved at the peak of his powers. When it was first performed, people criticized it as nostalgic, unadventurous even, where in reality the music is quite progressive and uninhibited. He was influenced by Wager, but Strauss creates his own strange, unique musical realm. Once you get into this music you can’t get enough of it.'”
(2) Der Rosenkavalier Suite (YouTube)
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(1) Dvořák Carnival, Op. 92 (YouTube)
Heard this last night at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. The performance on YouTube is from Royal Albert Hall in 2012.
(1a) Limestone Photo Archives: Royal Albert Hall
(2) A quote from Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami:
“I was a mere caretaker, and they were kind enough to let me listen to the records there. And I enjoyed listening to the music of Bach, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, and Beethoven. Not forgetting Mozart, of course. Their music was deep, amazing, and gorgeous. Up to then in my life I’d never had the opportunity to really settle down and listen to that type of music. I’d always been too busy trying to make a living, and didn’t have the wherewithal financially. So I decided that, as long as I’d been provided this wonderful opportunity, I’d listen to as much music here as I could.”
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“‘If there is hope,’ wrote Winston, ‘it lies in the proles.'”
— George Orwell
(1) Sorry, But Obama White House, Not Dossier, Was Behind Trump Investigation (Investors Business Daily)
(2) Susan Rice Sent ‘Unusual Email’ To Herself Moments Before Trump’s Inauguration (The Daily Caller)
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“The music was somehow addictive, as he had warned. An uninterrupted stream of emotion, Musical instruments in colorful profusion. It was Strauss who boasted, ‘I can describe anything in music, even a common ‘broom.’ Maybe he didn’t say ‘broom’—it could have been something else. At any rate, there was something painterly about his music.” — Haruki Murakami, Killing Commendatore
“In a profession that has been an unending voyage of discovery in the realms of color, sound, and motion, Fantasia represents our most exciting adventure. At last, we have found a way to use in our medium the great music of all times and the flood of new ideas which it inspires.” — Walt Disney
Related photo from the Limestone Archives.
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Concluding my three city swing (Austin, Portland, and Southampton) with another list.
What’s surprisingly missing from this one is anything White Star Line / Titanic related. I was in Southampton for a football match…not to find the Heart of the Ocean.
(1) Sir James Matthews Building is part of Solvent University and features paintings that commemorate the legendary Spitfire.
(2) Boo Hoo Records & Vinilo Record Store. The former is on Old Northam Road.
(3) Old Northam Road had its heyday in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s as the antique quarter. The storefronts are a little worn and tattered but many are full of antique furniture. It’s hard to tell whether or not the space is just being used as storage now or if these are functioning antique dealers. It’s a great location for pictures though and the procession to St. Mary’s includes a stint on Old Northam Road.
If you like ocean liner memorabilia and ephemera make sure to visit Cobwebs.
(4) St. Mary’s Stadium is home to the Southampton Football Club. The Saints are currently in the Premier League. According to Wikipedia, the stadium has a capacity of 32,505 and is currently the largest football stadium in South East England.
The stadium is next to a concrete plant that abuts the River Itchen. In this sense Southampton is like Portland in terms of its industry.
There’s wasn’t anything ostentatious about this ground (certainly NO Jerry’s World). There’s a statue of Ted Bates (Mr. Southampton) near the main entrance and on match day the Saints Brass perform for fans.
(5) Holyrood Church and Bargate. I took dozens of photos of the former during my 2014 visit for the Brompton World Championship. The church was destroyed by the blitz in 1940. The latter is a town gateway from the 1100s that includes a statue of George III (in Roman dress). Other notable buildings in Southampton include St. Michael’s and the Civic Centre.
(6) The Giant Ferris Wheel near Bargate isn’t the London Eye but it affords some spectacular views of Southampton. It’s seasonal and its last day of operation was October 28th. It will be in Bradford for Christmas so IF anyone fancies a little holiday magic get cracking!
(7) In need of some ale and food from a classic pub? The Duke of Wellington near the Isle of Wight Ferry Terminal is a safe bet.
(8) The lobby at room2 is really cool. I may have still been euphoric from my first trip to St. Mary’s (or just really cold) but the Peroni was extra satisfying. The space is modern, comfortable and very cozy.
(9) My train arrived and departed from Southampton Central via South Western Railway. This is a very simple station but there’s a Costa and Naked Coffee next door. The trip from Waterloo is about 2 hours and includes some brilliant vistas of the countryside.
(10) Take the Red Funnel to the Isle of Wight.
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(1) Can You Bring Citronella Plants Inside (SFGATE)
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The one on the west coast. I was there for a long weekend and in traditional limestone fashion wanted to draft a top ten…
(1) The Hollywood Theater at PDX. My favorite shorts from the Summer Program are Oregon: Only Slightly Exaggerated and The Famished Frog. I also liked The Water’s Fine because it reminds me of the work we’re doing on the Bike and Pedestrian Committee.
Tip: The Fish & Chips at Mo’s Seafood and Chowder at PDX is delicious.
(2) Bikes, bikes, bikes! There are bike lanes and bike shops everywhere. Bike culture is thriving in Portland. If cycling had a patron saint it would be Elly Blue.
A couple of notable shops are North Portland Bike Works, Community Cycling Center, Upcycles, and Clever Cycles.
Tip: Don’t miss the mural at the Community Cycling Center and stop for a cup of coffee at the Fresh Pot if you’re at the North Portland Bike Works.
(3) Union Station. The ‘Go By Train’ neon sign beckons would be travelers / adventurers.
(4) The Chapel of Christ the Teacher at the University of Portland. The chapel/campus is on a bluff overlooking the Willamette River.
“Slowly the procession advances, across the meadows and over a bridge…
Bonus: Ed’s story: Lose a dream, find a life
(5) Boys Fort, Powell’s Books, and the Portland Outdoor Store. You could get a one-of-a-kind journal at Boys Fort, a travel guide at Powell’s, and a coat at the Portland Outdoor Store before heading to Union Station to start your adventure in the Pacific Northwest.
Tip: Budget plenty of time (and pack a really comfortable pair of shoes) since there is some amazing (and unique) retail in Portland like Chrome Industries.
(6) Pearl District. You could spend a full day with just a camera immersed in the architectural detail of this developing area. Visit the Bridgeport Brewing Company when you’re thirsty.
(7) St. Johns / Cathedral Park. Stand in the shadows of St. Johns Bridge before enjoying the neighborhood retail/restaurants.
“…Finally, we enter a vast forest, and the branches of its trees interlace in the likeness of gothic arches…”
Bonus: Dinner at Wood Fired Eats.
(8) Portland Saturday Market. Impressive array of arts/crafts/food along the Waterfront Park Trail.
(9) Bridges. A trestle of delights for bridge enthusiasts like the Broadway, Steel, and Fremont.
“…Soon we emerge into a blaze of morning light. Once again, the powers of life and death have triumphed over the hosts of death and despair.”
(10) Entrepreneurialism. The industriousness and creativity of Victor Atiyeh endures in so many Portland businesses (everything from breweries to messenger bags). There is a statue of this former governor at PDX.
*Photo is from the marble tabernacle inside the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Quote is from The Legacy Collection: Fantasia.
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(1) Haruki Murakami: ‘You have to go through the darkness before you get to the light’ (The Guardian)
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A quote from the National Being by Æ:
“For all the talk about democracy our social order is truly little more democratic than Rome was under the Caesars, and our new rulers have not, will all their wealth, created a beauty which we could imagine after generations brooding over with uplifted heart…our democracies too often take the huckster from his stall, the drunkard from his pot, the lawyer from his court, and the company promoter from the director’s chair, and elect them as representative men.”
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Cool flea market find this weekend for $3.00. I found the soundtrack for Explorers on vinyl. It’s notable for Disney Geeks because the music was done by Jerry Goldsmith who composed the theme song for Soarin’.
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(1) A cool link between Nolan Bushnell and Retta Scott. The quote is from They Drew As They Pleased: The Hidden Art of Disney’s Musical Years (The 1940s – Part One) by Didier Ghez:
“From early 1983 to February 1984, Retta got to animate, develop character designs, and paint backgrounds (along with Mary Blair’s husband Lee) for a project that excited her more than working on commercials. The project was a half-hour animated Christmas special called The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t. Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, who at the time owned Pizza Time Theater, had decided to use his company to produce the special.
(2) Watch The Real Mary Poppins (2014) on Hulu. I had NO idea one of her (P. L. Travers) early mentors was George William Russell (Æ). I have an original copy of The Interpreters (1922) on my bookshelf. It was acquired during my dystopian binge-reading and probably first made known to me in The Future As Nightmare by Mark R. Hillegas (also on my bookshelf). Here’s Hillegas on The Interpreters:
“While the anti-utopian tradition was establishing itself during the early decades of this century, other works than those we have so far discussed were being written with a more or less strong infusion of anti-utopian values…The excellent but little-known The Interpreters, for example, tells of a night of revolt against a Wellsian scientific state, during which five imprisoned intellectuals discuss the philosophical and ethical justification for the rebellion.”
(3) A quote from the Art of Atari® by Tim Lapetino:
“Design was at the root of Atari’s success, even from its earliest days. What began as a scrappy Silicon Valley startup with Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney at the helm grew to pioneer the new industry of video games…This ethos came through from the earliest days of Atari, and Bushnell explained that their approach was necessarily [emphasis mine] rooted in creative thinking and design as a competitive advantage.”
(4) Except from the Promise by Æ:
Those delicate children,
Thy dreams, still endure:
All pure and lovely things
Wend to the Pure.
Sigh not: unto the fold
Their way was sure.
Scan is from Art of Atari® by Tim Lapetino
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It’s not really a trilogy but I suggest watching (1) Darkest Hour, (2) Dunkirk, and (3) Their Finest all together (in that order).
If history isn’t your cup of tea…how about a trilogy with Jeff Bridges? Try (1) TRON: Legacy, (2) Seabiscuit, and (3) Tucker: The Man and His Dream. They may seem unrelated, but I’m working under the precept that, “everything ever is connected.”
“This is not the finish line, my friends. This is the start of the race. The future is the finish line!” — Charles Howard
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(1) A couple of quotes from They Drew As They Pleased: The Hidden Art of Disney’s Musical Years (The 1940s – Part One) by Didier Ghez:
“While at Disney, she [Retta Scott] used to walk to work from time to time. Walt would sometimes see her and give her a ride the rest of the way to the Studio. Many years later she would confide that she saw Walt as a second father. That second father would chide her at times, like when her saw her feed the cats at the Burbank Studio. As a good Midwesterner, Walt feared that the well-fed felines would become less-effective as rodent deterrents.”
“In the late 1950s, David [Hall] established an indirect connection with Disney when he was hired by the former first vice president of Disneyland, C.V. Wood, to help design Freedomland, a theme park that opened in New York the following year.”
I’m coming back to the subject of C.V. Wood in another post. I’m also just reading about the extraordinary connection between Retta Scott and Nolan Bushnell.
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