You know who’s looking fine tonight? Matthew Crawley.

Do you love Downton Abbey and Mean Girls? Of course you do. You have taste.

Rejoice! For I present to you: Mean Ladies.

Sybil! Stop trying to make “fetch” happen. It’s not going to happen!

And it's like the fog has lifted...

So, this past weekend I headed back to PA to see my dear friend Amanda, who was visiting home from Texas. Amanda's family has a huge shindig every July in which they roast a pig and invite everyone in the tri-county area up to the farm. It's great fun and much delicious food is consumed.

This year, we set off some luminaries. Think that scene in Tangled where the whole kingdom sets off lanterns for the lost princess and the soaring notes of "At Last I See the Light" (the song which clearly should have won the Oscar last year) emanate from the screen as I cry uncontrollably and try to shield my face from my little niece so as not to scar her.

You know, like this. Rapunzel and Eugene 4eva!

These luminaries were a little less "Tangled lantern" and more "Pope's hat." But still very cool. Check it:

Amanda had to whip the luminary around to fill it up with air.

At this point I'm just praying it doesn't go up like a Roman candle.

Pope's hat, about to launch.

Up, up, and away...

They're very cool because once they fill up with air and the air heats up, they just lift off your hands...

This green luminary gave us a bit of trouble. It lit and took off fine, but then things got complicated. It started to lose altitude, like Carl's house when he and Russell sailed into the storm (what is with my Disney Pixar references today?) and came down on Amanda's parents' roof. Then it scraped, flame-side down, along the roof like Russell across the windshield of Charles Muntz's zeppelin, and up over the top and down the other side of the roof.

Imagine this portly child is a flaming luminary.

I'd have taken a photo, but my mouth was agape and I could only think "I can't believe we burned down Amanda's parents house." All the kids screamed and ran around the other side of the house. Amanda, Gena, and I took the shortcut, in the back door and out the front. Amanda chased the lantern as it floated into the trees and down into the clover field. I just stood on the porch and thought "I can't believe we burned down Amanda's parents farm." Just before it could ignite the greenery, I guess it got enough hot air to lift off, because it took flight as the kids squealed in delight and we sighed in relief.

Can't wait to do it again.

Petunia thieves, be warned.

"Do not test me, mate!"

Are you, like me, so excited for the Olympics that you’re reading random news stories about England?

I saw this story on a blog that surmised it may be the most British news story ever. Just look at the subheading: “A pensioner confronted two thieves trying to steal his award-winning petunias and saw them off with his garden trowel.” 

Heh. "Saw them off with his garden trowel.” I love England! I love their journalists and their trowel-wielding pensioners.

Other gems from the story:

"They had targeted his front garden, which won a Britain in Bloom competition in three consecutive years…"

"There was one man loading some of my pots into the back of a van, while his mate was sitting in the passenger seat as cool as you like. I walked over and stood in front of the van. "I said to him, 'You're not having them. You can put the blooming things back.'"

"I was furious, I was holding my garden trowel and I think they both knew I wasn't going to give up my flowers without a hell of a fight."

"It was probably lucky for the van man because my wife Patricia was at Wimbledon watching the tennis but if she had been with me she would have been at my side and they would have had two of us to contend with."

Opening ceremonies Friday night, guys!

More from the National Gallery

More great art from my trip the National Gallery...

Blowing bubbles...

It's interesting to see that 18th century French children weren't so different from my four-year-old niece.

Doesn't this look like a serious fellow? Rather Puritanical, I'd say. Would it surprise you to know...

...he's on ice skates? Yeah, me too.

One of the things I really love in paintings of this era is the way the artists captured fabric. The ripples and creases and the way it catches the light with the silks and brocades, it all amazes me. There were lots of good examples on display.

I think some of the Gallery's greatest unsung artistry can be found in the magnificent gilded frames that accompany the artwork. They're a triumph of woodworking and just stunning.

The final artwork I visited was that of the plaster mold used to create the bronze memorial to the Massachusetts 54th Regiment that sits on Boston Common. This is the regiment portrayed in the film "Glory."

The sculpture depicts Colonel Robert Gould Shaw leading his men into battle, looking fierce and determined.

I've seen the bronze in Boston, so it was great to see the plaster model, too. The details are wonderful and the sculpture is very moving.

Colonel Shaw and more than 100 of his compatriots gave the last full measure of devotion at the Battle of Fort Wagner, 149 years ago this past Wednesday. Maybe next year on July 18th, I'll visit it again and pay my respects.

"You're the National Gallery, you're Garbo's salary, you're cellophane!"

So, the National Gallery. Oh, my my. This was the first of what will be many trips, since there are over 100 galleries and I only got through fifteen. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. There are three components to the National Gallery: the Sculpture Garden, the modern East Building which houses the NG's modern collections, and the original museum building, now called The West Building, which houses the museum's original collections. That's where I spent my time since sculpture and modern art aren't high on my list. Except for this silver tree, which sparkles beautifully in the sunshine:

The building itself is amazing. When it was finished in 1941, it was the largest marble structure in the world. Pillars, a rotunda, a central fountain, and sunlit hallways branching off to the galleries...

But oh, the paintings! (Please excuse the poor photography. I was concerned with getting too close and setting off the alarms. Not that I've done that in other museums. Twice.)

Renoirs...

Monets...

This one is my favorite. It's of his wife and son. I love the movement of it. Her dress is just dancing in the wind.

And I could not stop staring at this one. Look at the way he captures the reflections on the water. 

There were art students practicing their craft, which I think takes a lot of courage in such a public space.

I was so pleased to come upon this one because I used to have a small print of it in my book room. I love how she’s so absorbed in her book that she doesn’t even notice her skirt is caught up on the chair’s arm. I’ll bet it’s Austen or Bronte.

And this was the subject of a gorgeous postage stamp that I’m always wishing was a forever stamp.

This is Leonardo’s da Vinci’s portrait of Ginevra de Benci, a young Italian noblewoman. Guys, this painting is a huge deal. So little of da Vinci’s work remains in existence and it was an enormous coup for the museum to acquire this. It’s the only da Vinci on display in the country. (There are actually two Americans who also have da Vincis in their private collections. Can you even imagine?) 

Ginevra graces much of the museum’s literature because they’re so proud to have her. Check her curls. They are so exquisite up close. Kristen directed me to this gallery because it’s her fourth favorite painting. I wonder what the top three are. You should tell us in the comments, Kris. 

The painting is displayed on a punched-out wall because da Vinci painted a wreath on the back listing some of Ginevra’s qualities. 

Apparently, she was beautiful and virtuous. 

Check out this terrifying scene, painted from a real life incident. Gah! 

You’re gonna need a bigger boat. 

I love this dude, who is taking on the monstrous shark with what is basically a pointy stick. I would have been like the guy behind him. “Yeah, I think I’ll just row. I’m all set.”


I saw a lot more amazing stuff, but this post is long enough. More later...