Out and About in July

I ask the question because it doesn't SEEM like July... it's 75 degrees today. Beautiful, yes, but summer? Not so much. I actually needed a sweater this morning. But I'm not about to complain seeing as I hate hot (and humid) weather... although I do love sunshine, something I have found to be few and far between on my recent trips to our neighbor 'across the pond' as it were.

On another note, check out the new link in my "Watching" column for "Little Miss C." That's my adorable niece, "C" who's just the cutest thing in the world. If we drum up enough traffic, maybe we can encourage "C's Mommy" to post more pictures. Who's with me?

I seriously used to be so much more interesting... at least in my head. It seems that as of late I've been much more "in" the world than an observer of it, hence my lack of inspired blogging. Guess that's what happens when you fall in love (did I say love?! Hmmmm... I imagine I may be getting some comments and phone calls from that one... heehee). Yes, so I'm officially out. This perpetually single gal actually has a boyfriend. But since I tend to avoid overtly personal anecdotes here, that's about all this topic will bear... wonder how that's going to fly...

Happy summer! (If it's summer where you are...)

Blackbird

Keep Me In Your Thoughts

Slammed

I'm completely getting slammed-- on other people's websites (okay, okay, my twin's...), for not posting. I'm going to lose my (whole) one faithful reader with my laziness... I'm sorry, faithful reader!! I have no excuses... life has gotten in the way of good posting, but for once, it is for a very good reason and not just things like work and, well, life. Let's just say that I plan to spend a lot of time in England in the near future. And that, my friends, are for only good reasons. I was in Wales last weekend for a little holiday... Llandudno, actually, for a wedding; and then toured Conway, and more specifically, the Castle Conway (photos below). Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Very green, which is expected, given it rained the whole time. Ummm... and it was 56 degrees. Yes. In June. And that's normal. Oh boy. In any case... :) Good times.

Dig That! and 10 Years Later

So, in the season opener last week, we killed it-- winning in three games, the last a monumental 25-1. Newcomer David served a blinding 22 points in a row. He says he blacked out. It was fantastic. Game two is tomorrow... let's see if we can start a streak.

On another note, I traveled to my dear alma mater, Vassar, last weekend for our 10 year reunion. We walked around all weekend saying, "I can't believe we got to live here." The campus is still gorgeous (besides being overrun with weeds because the campus decided to go the route of popular-- and, okay, environmental-responsibility, culture and be "green" by discontinuing the use of pesticides). We lived in the dorms (Lathrop) for four days (ummm... I've never stepped foot in Lathrop... it was smelly), ate at ACDC (All Campus Dining Center), shopped in the revamped bookstore and hung out in the College Center. And despite a little side trip to St. Francis Emergency Room (don't worry, everyone's fine), it was a weekend to remember.

Jewett however, was apalling. They retained the outside but gutted the inside so that it now looks like an office complex. Sure, the best view in the house is now available to the public, but some of my favorite memories occured in that now extinct room from which these photos were taken. As a whole? Thoughtful design it was not-- they could have considered subtle things like carrying the exterior window design/shape through the inside windows, so that it better blended the old with the new; the entry door arches could have been mimicked by incorporating a valuted or groin-vaulted ceiling in the lobby. Don't get me wrong-- my favorite style of architecture is the blending of old and new-- when it's thoughtfully planned and expertly executed; when it's done with integrity and as a creative solution to a problem (e.g. space) without sacrificing historical integrity-- think Soldier Field or Grand Central Station. Sure, we should be grateful for their not completely bulldozing Jewett and building a new and improved version-- the days of tearing down historical buildings for new and improved are for the most part gone (less we forget, a moment of silence for the original Penn Station). So, on the outside Jewett's pretty much the same; but on the inside? Well, let's just say as a whole, it's an empty shell of its former self.