The Curatorium

While in Providence, Rhode Island on business, I had some free time to explore the city. I chanced upon Wickenden Street. It is a very cute little street lined with antique shops, coffeehouses, and some very tempting looking restaurants. One of the adorable stores that I stopped in was the Curatorium. Filled with art books, fine tea sets, and many other curious, but beautiful items, the store is an excellent place to shop during the holiday season. I picked up some lovely, unique Christmas gifts (including a Jane Austen action figure!) and made a mental note to return next year.

A collection of philosophical vignettes

I like a philosopher who can make me think and make me laugh. I discovered this preference during my freshman year of college as I tittered my way through Voltaire's L'Ingenu in the original French. While scanning my sister's bookshelves for something I had not yet read, I came across The Heart of Things: Applying Philosophy to the 21st Century by A.C. Grayling, a British professor of philosophy. Filled with short philosophical vignettes on various subjects and current events, the book is thought provoking and the author's wry commentary is quite funny at times. The book is peppered with fantastic quotes from various historical figures. A mix of references to pop culture and great thinkers The Heart of Things makes light reading out of a dense subject.

Ten Pehn

I popped down to Washington, DC for this past weekend. While I was down there I had dinner at Ten Penh. Cleverly named for its location at 10th and Pennsylvania, the restaurant features East Asian cuisine. Its sumptuous decor mixes Mongolian warrior statues with Vietnamese teak tables and a Burmese gong. The menu also reflects a diversity of ethnic influences with recipes reflecting Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino cooking. I tried the truffle honey glazed duck breast, which was served on a bed of gingered sweet potatoes. It was absolutely delicious. My companion had the Asian tabbouleh lamb chops, which he found to be excellent. Ten Penh's chic decor and wonderful Asian-inspired food make it a restaurant not to be missed.

Marie Antoinette

I have always loved director Sofia Coppola. From the very first time I saw the trailer for The Virgin Suicides, I was fan. With its dreamy music by Air and its riveting portrayal of the relationships between sisters trapped in a suffocating household, I was captivated. I was also moved by Sofia's second foray into directing with Lost in Translation. Her portrayal of female complexity and dilemma is unequaled in Hollywood. I approached her latest film, Marie Antoinette, with some trepidation. I was excited by Coppola's return to Kirsten Dunst as a muse, but was hesitant about the subject matter. Roundly booed by the French at Cannes, the film dismissed by some critics as "cotton candy." Filmed on location in Versailles, the film was a visual feast. So much so, it was jarring when Dunst actually spoke. Filled with etiquette, champagne, shoes, and sweets, the film follows the rise and fall of Marie Antoinette. I was touched by Dunst's performance and felt her depiction of the queen to be sympathetic. Beautifully shot with a compelling subject, I would highly recommend Coppola's latest film.

iPod red

I have finally joined the modern world! I now own an iPod. It is absolutely adorable. I had been thinking about purchasing one for quite some time because I travel so much. Then I read about the iPod nano red. $10 from each purchase goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. I have always supported the Global Fund's disbursement of resources to help fight the world's greatest killers (tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS), so I could not resist the offer. Now I'll be happily creating playlists to listen to on my next adventure.

Hilltop retreat

I recently visited the Cranwell spa and resort. Situated on a hillside in the picturesque town of Lenox, Massachusetts, the spa is a pleasurable retreat. After a stimulating Pilates class, my core muscles felt delightfully stretched and strengthened. I then enjoyed a long hot shower in the spa followed by an aromatherapy facial. I added on the pumpkin enzymatic peel, which smelled spicy and delicious and left my skin softer than a baby's. I felt rejuvenated and refreshed by the end of my evening and ready to face the world. I plan to return for the Hatha Yoga/Kripalu Yoga class to continue my mental and physical renewal.

The Shield of Achilles

I was re-reading The Iliad (Robert Fagles' translation -- I love his strong, forward moving style, so much better than Lattimore's version) and it reminded me of one of my favorite poems by W. H. Auden, The Shield of Achilles. When I read his description of the horrors of the world, I cannot help but tremble. Auden's ending image of the rage-filled Achilles resonated with me from the first time I read the poem and I always think of it when I read The Iliad. "Strong/Iron-hearted man-slaying Achilles/Who would not live long."

A discussion on Darfur

Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia University's Earth Institute, is one of the world's foremost economists (not to mention one of the world's sexiest economists!) He is most recently the author of The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities in Our Times. Here is a frank and thought-provoking discussion on the tragic circumstances in Darfur between Sachs and Jonathan Ledgard, Africa Correspondent of The Economist. Sachs gives an in depth analysis of the environmental changes facing Africa and the political and economic implications of these changes.

Hidden gem in the Berkshires

Although I have lived in and out of Massachusetts all of my life, I have never spent quality time in the western part of the state. While on a recent trip to the Berkshires I was astounded to come upon the Clark Museum. Situated in Williamstown, the museum is home to paintings by Renoir, Monet, Degas etc. I was delighted to find a couple of Winslow Homer paintings, as I am always partial to nostalgic Americana. I also was thrilled to find several Alma-Tadema paintings. Ever since I was a child, I loved his dreamy neo-classical style, with his langourous ladies clad in Greek-like robes. Wandering through the galleries, I found a most intense, almost mystical painting by John Singer Sargent, seen below, which absolutely mesmerized me. Entitled Fumée d'Ambre Gris (Smoke of Ambergris), it depicts an exotic appearing woman inhaling the smoke of a seawater resin that was believed to be an aphrodisiac.