Bellagio Backstreet

My writing fellowship ends on Monday, and it will be hard to leave this enchanting place. The villa, the people, the food, the quiet, the food – and, I am overjoyed to say, I have finished writing all thirteen chapters of Managing the Wild. Thank you, Rockefeller Foundation.

So now, I can just close the computer, and Elysa and I can start our holiday in Italy. Among othe venues, four days in Venice. 

Lake Como

Well, I made it to Bellagio, and this is the view of one of the arms of Lake Como visible from the balcony of my study at the Villa Serbelloni. Not my room, my study. I can't think of a more beautiful place to write a book.

Hmong Blouse

Another incredibly beautiful hand-loomed and vegetable-dyed textile from the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi (see Textiles). I especially like the necklace that goes with the blouse.  [NOTE: Heading to Italy, but missing Vietnam].

AWVFTS+Nils Frahm at Royal Albert Hall

Something sublime for Friday. Nils Frahm (see Nils Frahm) and A Winged Victory for the Sullen (see Steep Hill of Vicodan Tears) join forces at Royal Albert Hall for BBC Proms 2015. Nice.

La Catrina (The Elegant Lady)

In the early 1900's, the famous Mexican illustrator and engraver José Guadalupe Posada invented La Catrina (The Elegant Lady). She was created to mock the European-influenced ruling class of Mexico during the autocratic reign of Porfirio Díaz, who served seven terms as president of the country. La Catrina has become an iconic symbol of Día de los Muertos and has been re-invented in a number of forms. The life-sized statue of The Elegant Lady shown above is from the Oakland Museum of California. [NOTE: Love the hat, the feather boa, the lit cigarette – and the tiny, tiny waistline].  

Self-Portrait

Yoko Ono's Self-Portrait (1965) at the Musuem of Modern Art. Envelope with graphite and stamped ink, mirror with graphite inscription inside a small wooden box with a door you lift. That's Amy (see Amy and the Dolphin and World's Best Carrot Cake) on the left.

Billboard Hacker II

Another Billboard Hacker (see What Have I Done To...) mural has gone up in New Rochelle. I really like everything about this public art project. [NOTE: The mural is on Centre Street between Huguenot and Main. Can't miss it].

Journal

I keep a journal every day that I am in the field. Have done so since the first trip to Myanmar in 2005 (see Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey). Was actually Elysa's idea (thx, Elysa) to keep a record on this trip and she gave me my first journal. I am currently on journal number five. Given time and motivation, the idea is to turn all of these observations into a book at some point. We'll see. [NOTE: As shown above, my journal of choice is the classic 5 X 8.25 inch Moleskine Ruled Notebook. The vintage Cleveland Indians cap is also a classic. Oh, and the Pilot G-2, extra fine point, retractable gel pen is a real jewel].

Flowers In The Front Yard

You walk out the front door and there are day lilies (Hemerocallis spp.) and black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) and bee balm (Monarda didyma) and butterfly bush (Buddleja spp.) flowers all over the place. And the amazing thing is that this happens every year (see Why They Call It Bee Balm and Flowers 2013). What a great planet we live on.

Bellagio

I have been awarded a writing fellowship by the Rockefeller Foundation and will be in residence in northern Italy at the Bellagio Center, also known as "Villa Serbelloni", from August 17 to September 14. I will be working on a book about the field projects and botanical inquiries that I have been involved with over the last three decades; tentatively entitled Managing the Wild. I am thrilled about this. [NOTE: Image above, by Peter Anderson, shows the view of Lake Como from the Villa Serbelloni].