Movie review: "To Rome With Love"

I watched "To Rome With Love" at The Roxy last night. Loved the a/c at the theatre. Didn't really like the movie. There are four stories happening here, but they seem to be thrown together without much thought. I walked away thinking that perhaps Mr. Woody Allen had been trying to come up with ideas for the movie, tossed them aside then in a huff of deadline impatience grabbed up the first four balled up papers in the wastebasket and said, "this will have to do". Three of the 4 stories were just too fantastical to sit through. I was squirming with embarrassment for the writer. The 4th story would have made a great full length movie had more time, thought and effort been put into it, but it fell flat for those reasons and there was no chemistry between the two characters. They're better suited for outrageous comedy vs. romance. As for the whole Rome aspect: though the scenery was shot beautifully and the characters constantly ramble on about where they are and how much they love Rome I just wasn't feeling it. I love to travel and my travel switch did not even twitch so I wonder, really, how much does Mr. Allen love Rome when he can dedicate such a mess to it.

Shelburne Museum - Shelburne, VT

Please note: lots of words first then some good pictures...read then look or page down and look...whatever makes you happy...would make me happy if you read at some point, though... :-)


     Last Tuesday I had a mini breakdown in my head and knew that it was going to be a major breakdown if I didn't take some time away from the office so I checked with to Supervisors I work with then asked my boss for this week off. Thankfully he said yes and I didn't have to go beg and tell him that I was about to break. I've been working there for over 17 years so I'm pretty sure the boss man has figured out that if I'm asking on a Tuesday for the entire next week off that there is a really good reason and considering there wasn't anything too date oriented happening at my desk he figured he'd give me the break I was asking for. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Boss Man.
     
     I've spent this week away from the office doing various things at home, but the one thing I did away from home that counts as touristing is that I visited Shelburne Museum on Sunday and Monday. I've been there a dozen or so times and never tire of the place, but I can't go more than twice, maybe thrice a season or I do become a little bored. It's nice that they have different exhibits that keep people coming back again and again. This season there are eight showcased exhibit. Seven of the eight appealed to me and I was able to see five of those seven.


     I took my 15 month old friend Keagan with me both days and though he was a great companion I did have his stroller and it seemed each time we got to a spot where I'd have to take him from the stroller to carry him up or down some stairs he was fast asleep and I was not about to deal with Mr. Cranky McCranky while trying to enjoy an exhibit. Therefore, I WILL be going back to the museum before the end of the season to see those other two exhibits.


     First a little bit of information about Shelburne Museum. You can find them at www.shelburnemuseum.org for updated information, but this is what's inside the brochure I picked up: Open May 13 - October 28 (daily including holidays)
Museum Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12pm-5pm (open until 7:30pm Thurs between June 21-Aug 9).


     One very cool thing about the admission is that VT residents get in for $10 (non-res $20....see website for the breakdown of kids, babies, etc) and that you can go back the next day for free with your receipt from the first day. On Sunday I went with Keagan and his mom, then Monday I was with Keagan and my son Quintyn. They don't take your names when you buy the ticket the first day but I was prepared to 'fib' should someone remember me and the fact that I was with a female Sunday and a male on Monday. 


     I remember years back we went to the museum with my mother who lives in New Hampshire and when I showed my VT id we all were given the discount, but on Sunday Caeliegh hadn't brought her id with her so we were charged for a non-resident. I love the museum and I understand they need to make money, but come on...but, as I said, you can use the ticket two consecutive days and honestly, I'd pay $20 a pop to get in every time anyway. It's a fantastic place.

This is the inside of the brochure. 

A map of the grounds. This place is HUGE! If you can break it up over the two days I recommend it. If you're like me and soak it all in you really will appreciate taking your time to see it all. If you need to skip some parts then skip the permanent stuff and focus on the changing exhibits.

I love elephants so when I saw these I was in awe...can't wait for a trip to Thailand or Africa to see the elephants up close and personal.

From the brochure: Circus Elephants: Kat Clear

Burlington, Vermont-based sculptor Kat Clear creates the Museum's first exhibition of outdoor sculpture. A parade of elephants - nearly life-size - extends from the Round Barn to Circus Building and is made entirely of recycled metal forms such as heating fuel tanks, wheelbarrows, and trivets.

Elephants in the Circus Building.

Giraffes lining the aisle inside the Circus Building.

I love the Beach Lodge. It's a hunting lodge and has lots of trophies from game hunting. Kids will love it. Vegans will cry. But you must remember this was a way of life way back when.

If you have read my earlier blogs you know I have a 'thing' for fireplaces. In this building I imagine myself as being the wife of a hunter on a nice wintery evening laying on a rug (not an animal rug, because....gross), cuddling, having a drink and doing the sexy in front of the roaring fire.

This is the Railroad Station. It's next to the Rail Car called "Grand Isle". When my kids were younger we'd go to the station to look around and I'd pretend we needed to buy tickets to get on the train to look around. Of course the station is only a replica and no one is selling tickets but the kids would believe me and we'd walk around the station looking for the ticket master then after a while I would tell the kids that we ought to go on the train anyway and if we get caught we will just pay for tickets then. My kids would freak the heck out and not want to be bad or break the law but I'd assure them that we would explain we had waited for someone. We'd tour the train then move on. I swear I did this three or four visits before one of the kids wised up and said that I was probably an idiot for thinking I had to buy tickets when I had bought a ticket to the whole place before we walked in. That's what I get, I guess.

Trunks at the Rail Station. I love trunks and baggage. So glad I have my big ole backpack now. Hauling trunks would be so cumbersome and I'd really hate travelling with those things.

A seat on the train. Gosh, I love this kind of stuff.

A bathtub on the train. A little small but it could be fun.

The steamboat Ticonderoga. A land locked boat....it was transported from Lake Champlain to Shelburne Museum via roads and Route 7. This is a fantastic piece of history. (That's Caeliegh under the RRX sign taking a picture).

I would love to have been a Purser on a boat...would probably go for a job like that now if not for the awesome one I have now...security vs. writing material and travel...ugh.

My buddy Keagan on the handicap ramp on the boat. He was a champ and a great companion to the museum. I'm excited to bring him again when he's a few years older.

The Horseshoe Barn Annex has wagons,  stagecoaches, etc, but my favorite piece in here has always been this hearse from 1849. It reminds me of the movie Harold and Maude and I end up thinking of Bud Cort and  then I think about the movie M*A*S*H and then I think about Donald Sutherland and then I think about when he was in Animal House and showed his butt and then I realize I'm at the other end of the annex and I tell myself that next time I go in that building I need to go in the other side because seeing the hearse at the other door distracts me. He had a nice butt, admit it...

A long view of the Annex.

This is the Webb weather vane on top of the Horseshoe Barn. The Webb's are the folks who founded the museum. 

This and the following five photos are from the exhibit as described in the brochure as: 

Time Machines: Robots, Rockets and Steampunk

Fanciful exploration of dreams of the future from Flash Gordon to Robbie the Robot. Toys and textiles, decorative, graphic and fine art representing the Golden Age of sci-fi - the 1930's-1950's - as well as work by contemporary artists and designers. Webb Gallery.

We had these when we were kids and I remember my mother telling us to use the robots to end our fight as opposed to us fighting each other.....yeah, we demolished those little robots.

Time Machine.

Robot Octopus Sculpture.

Darth Vader and friend...what/who is that guy?

If not for my son Ben I'd have no idea that this is no ordinary call box.....Dr Who apparently has a swinging shagalicious home inside this thing...I think that's what I was told...or maybe I was thinking about Donald Sutherland again...

From the brochure:

Man-Made Quilts: Civil War to the Present.

A unique selection of quilts made by men, from a civil War soldier's quilt to the innovative digital quilts and sculptures of quilts. Hat and Fragrance.

That's Quintyn in the tie-dyed shirt.

I love the permanent quilt display but man, some of these exhibit quilts showed how boring some of the other ones are. Loved all the colors and brightness.

Time for a rest. We sat and enjoyed the scenery.

Bird on a rock.

From the brochure:

Snow Mobiles: Sleighs to Sleds

The transformation of travel over snow from horse drawn sleighs of the 19th century to motorized snowmobiles. Featuring vintage snowmobiles from the experimental early days to the heyday of the 1970's through the present. McClure Round Barn.

     This blog has concentrated on the exhibits but please keep in mind the permanent displays are fantastic as well. I didn't hit up most of them this trip because after 20+ years of going to the museum I've learned to check out the new stuff first then review the permanent stuff the next trip. I really hope you get a chance to see all there is to see at the museum.

The Boston Massacre - 242nd Anniversary Reenactment - March 10, 2012

     So I'm spending the weekend with my oldest kid Ben and we're just kicking back, relaxing and enjoying our time together and away from our homes. I picked him up last night in Chicopee, MA and we stayed the night there before leaving this morning to check in to another motel in Danvers, MA. Today the only plan was to eat dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and attend the Boston Massacre reenactment and thanks to public transportation that's pretty much all we did.
     MapQuest is a beautiful thing for personal transportation. I had directions from the motel in Danvers, MA to the train station in Salem, MA and I've driven that route several times before so it was a cinch to get to the train station. On the way I was lucky enough to be stuck in traffic and had time to take a few pictures of the sites:

 Cuz I loves me some burgers and fries and because I'd just told Ben about Q's boss Steve at Five Guys South Burlington, VT telling Q to warn me about staying out of south Boston due to the Irish mob being all bruhaha ish lately.

I was jonsing for a venti caramel machiato.

     At the train station we parked, fed the wall our $4 and wondered how the train station parking police know for sure that we paid our parking fee and even though the two guys near us were saying 'screw it' and not putting their fee in there I was a good girl and put my four bucks in because I have said 'screw it' and gotten the ticket that taught me a lesson. We sat around in the chilled day and waited about a half hour for the train. All the great weather at home has spoiled me. I truly thought 'la dee dah, I don't need a heavy jacket, la dee dah'. Well, thankfully my hoodie worked good enough and also thankfully I brought my gloves with me.

 Ben and I waiting for the train. That's Ben with the tongue about to be cut out and the hair he refuses to comb...oh, the things a mother puts up with.

     There was a note on the marque at the train station talking about buses at Lynn Station taking a half hour to get to North Station and we blatantly laughed it off and sort of, but not really felt bad for people who were going to be stuck on the bus for a half hour...but come to find out that note was written for us and everyone else getting on the Salem train wanting to go to Boston. The Saugus River drawbridge is being rehabilitated for the next 6 weeks during the weekends and that affects the trains. At the Lynn train station we had to hoof it to the parking lot and get on a bus to North Station. 
     I'm one who takes a kink in the plan and tries to make the best of it so I had no problem getting on the bus, but it occurred to me that I was putting my life in the hands of a Masshole in a large vehicle and those people had already proven to me that they are maniacs, but we survived. 
     Once we got to Beantown we made a beeline for Hard Rock Cafe and tripped across a book store. Ben inherited my disability to pass a $1 book sale without buying anything so he got a book and I proudly forced myself not to get anything...laziness in not wanting to carry books around town trumped the pull to buy, buy, buy.

 Ben coming out of a book store on Milk St, Boston.

     I don't know what my fascination is with the Hard Rock franchise but I love it there. Must be the music. I love music, music and more music. The reason for this weekend is due to the concert we're going to and how fantastic it is that the concert is Van Halen and  there was Van Halen stuff at the restaurant! Also, I'm going to see Madonna in September and she had stuff at the restaurant as well. I'm in music heaven.

 Eddie Van Halen - oh my gosh, remember that hair? Oh my...

    Madonna's, oh, I don't know what it is, but she is an original...unlike that nasty woman who copies Madonna at every turn these days.

     After dinner we headed over to State St for the reenactment and I'm fairly certain the British were at fault over the whole thing. It was a fun experience. Reenactors were in the crowd of onlookers and got us all going with the snarky yelling at the British soldiers. It was quite interesting trying to get pictures of the scene and getting shots of other people's cameras. We were watching history reenacted where we're not really sure who said or did what first because it was before the technology of cameras, etc. It was just odd. 

 Boston Massacre reenactors.

  Boston Massacre reenactors.

                                                            Boston Massacre reenactors.

     After the reenactment we headed back to North Station, got on a bus to Lynn Station then back on the train to Salem. Tomorrow we're going to continue to kick back and do nothing. Well, we will head into Boston and go see Van Halen. That is the point of the weekend after all.

Ethan Allen Park - Burlington, VT 05408

  I went to Ethan Allen Park today for a little hike and picture taking. I realize this park is just over a mile from my house and can't truly be called "TRAVELLING" for me, but lots and lots of people come to Burlington for its awesomeness and sometimes they want to get out of downtown and into some wilderness without venturing too far depending on their schedules. Ethan Allen Park is a good choice - among many. So for other peoples travels I'm adding my notes of the day to my travel blog. I recorded thoughts as I went along. The following is a transcript of that recording. It's weird, but inventive, I think.

     

     Oh, before I get started....could you please, please leave me a comment? Anything - tell me how great I am or how much I suck...something...I want to know I'm not wasting my awesome skills here. Thanks much.

The intro board to let you know where you are and how great the place is.

The play ground area. There's a nice garbage can and there are even doggy poop bags in case you forgot yours at home.

Straight ahead is a bbq stand. Just past it is one that's been knocked down. I pay enough taxes that I'm sure there is someone on the payroll scheduled to fix it by spring. See that snow. That's about it for Burlington this winter. Yay (don't tell anyone I said that).

The path runs up against some neighborhoods so it's obvious we should show some respect and not venture into back yards, but someone must have been ass enough to warrant the signs.

     “Ok February, shit..14, 15, 16…19^th, February 19^th, Sunday around noon at Ethan Allen Park. I’m hiking a little bit. I, um, just came from the tower, it’s still locked so I couldn’t go in but took some pictures. 

 Just north of Burlington Bay looking over toward New York.

  Just north of Burlington Bay looking over toward New York.

 Inside Ethan Allen Tower.

  Inside Ethan Allen Tower.

Looking up to Ethan Allen Tower.

     Note to self: I need some hiking boots with some tread because it’s a little muddy. I haven’t fallen yet, but, yeah, it’ll happen. Just walking. I’m gonna try to get to the gazebo that Quintyn showed me the last time I was up here before I have my roast beef sandwich and chips. It’s nice today. There’s no snow on the ground. A little wet, probably from the last snow or the last rain. Who knows when that happened, but, um, it’s nice. It’s a little chilly but I don’t have my mittens on; I didn’t grab my scarf; I just have a light hoodie. It’s all good.

     Ah, the mud is from melting snow. Cuz the elevation is a little higher here. Ooh, squirrels! Anyway, let’s see if I can get a picture. 

 Just up from the center of the picture is the squirrel. Really.

Top of picture, just to the right of center. That little guy posed for me. So nice.

     The good thing about squirrels, I was on a trail, off the paved trail, I didn’t know where it was gonna go, but it looked liked it was gonna go to the other side onto another paved trail that meets; there’s two paved trails and they kind of start either side of the park and they meet up so I was off trail but I was headed back toward that or toward that second paved trail and SQUIRRELS, you know, I ended up on another off trail which is kinda cool. It goes right between those two paved ones and, um, the end of it meets where those two paved ones go together so it’s cool. The squirrels are the same color as the damn trees so it’s hard to get pictures where the squirrels are gonna show but I tried. I took a couple. We’ll see what happens. Now back on the paved trail let’s see if I can find another non-paved. They’re so much more fun.

     Remind me to put the brush slash mirror thing in my bag for hiking, yeah, well thanks to contacts I’m pulling buggers out of my eyes. I just realized I didn’t have a mirror with me, but I need to keep the brush and mirror set in here anyway for a mirror, you know in case I get lost. K, thanks.

     It’s really nice today. There were a lot of people down at the park with their kids and their dogs, but, um, even on that trail I could see the, um, paved roads and no people on this trail trying to get up the Pinnacle or, you know, walking so, I don’t know, maybe they’re just thinking about a nice day but not venturing any further in case it gets chilly. Seems like the higher I go, though, a little bit more chilly, maybe I should’ve brought that scarf. But that’s ok. It’s nice. A good day.

     I almost fell down the hill trying to get a picture of a birch tree. The picture better come out. My left butt hurts now. 

 Birch tree with things growing on it. Pretty.

That's the birch tree left of center (love that song!). Anyway, that's the tree and the sloping hill.

     There’s a nice little trail just after where I almost fell down the, down the hill, thinking I’ll go up there, see if there’s a good picture, but really the trees just got more dense coming higher, so not good picture, but the Pinnacle, the Gazebo, are right here so I got a good picture of the Gazebo through the woods. It’s nice. Oh, a person and their dog, nice.  I’m staying off trail. Well, off paved trail. I’m on a dirt trail.

 We're there! We're there!

 Looking north toward New York.

 The Gazebo. You'd thing it was the end of March, beginning of April with the brown grass and lack of snow.

Steps to the Gazebo. A nice place to rest.

     Trying to get a picture of myself in the Gazebo but my cheeks are all red and rosy from the cool walk. Took a good picture, though.  Finally, using the timer thing. I don’t know why I didn’t do it in Paris. Well, I know why. Too many people around; I thought I’d look like an idiot. So, I need to, like, get over that.  Um,  yeah, I’m gonna have my lunch now and try to get my cheeks to warm up and take a little bit of a non-rosy picture, but, um, yeah, the rosy wasn’t too bad of a picture. I’ll use it if it’s the only one that comes out well. Okey dokey. Havin’ lunch.

 Yours truly, at the Gazebo.

Interior Gazebo shot. I was trying to not get the graffiti in the shot. Crap. The whole place has been tagged and it sucks...maybe they'll clean it up for spring...we can hope.

     My camera doesn't like the cold so I put it under my armpit to warm it, forgot it was there, dropped it, now the lens is fucked up. Um, hope I don’t have to get another one, but I’m gonna want one before the Van Halen concert so I guess I’ll see what happens. Um, try to take it in and get somebody to look at it or something. Anyway. So I left the Gazebo. A couple people had come up. A couple so I was letting them have the Gazebo alone. I’m off trail again. I’m not sure if I’m gonna end up at the river or back at the parking lot. Huh. Time will tell.

 Picnic table, bench and lots of space for a little touch football or Frisbee throwing.

It almost looks like a parking lot, but cars don't come up here. Maybe once upon a time ago they could? Anyway, another picnic table and lots of space to park the baby strollers and your bike.

     To verify, I’m on a dirt trail. I’m just not on the paved trail. I don’t go off trail too much so when I’m saying off trail I mean still on a dirt trail but not the paved one. K. Oh, listening to Adele too. (music is in the background of the recording). K, bye.

     I've come to a paved trail. This was parallel with it, so I’m gonna kind of back track and go on the paved cuz the paved is definitely gonna go back to the parking lot so I will go back north. Oh, now I’m off trail, but I’m headed toward the paved trail. I’ll go north. See what happens.

     The cool thing about walking today, the people I have passed on this paved trail, look at them, you smile, you say ‘hi’, they’re all saying ‘hi’ back. Sometimes in the summer, people are out here with the kids or their bikes like they HAVE to be, or, I don’t know, they’re not just hanging out, relaxing and pleasure; they’re assholes. Today’s awesome all the way around; except for my camera, but, you know, whatever.

     The paved path turned to a dirt path up behind a neighborhood and then from there forked left or right. I think a right probably would have taken me around the neighborhood a little bit more, maybe brought me back up to Ethan Allen, but could have brought me over to Ethan Allen Homestead. There’s one path that does that. You know it takes the bridge over, but I took a left, ended up on a little bit smaller of a dirt path. Now I just climbed up the hill, turned left thinking it might take me back to the park one way or the other but realized I’m right at the, um, that spot where I tried to take a picture of that birch tree and almost fell down the hill, so if I’d fallen down the hill I’d of been bruised and battered, but I would have fallen down onto a path so that would have been cool. Anyway, turned back around, headed back toward the, um, parking lot but, you know who knows whatever path I might find out there.

     I figured it out…the path I would have headed toward, before the squirrels caught me off guard was that path a little bit down the hill. One big maze of paths. It’s great”.

     That's it...my great day at the park. Oh yeah, special shout out to the dad with the son and dog…yeah, I was checking you out. That beard and your daddyness were yummy.

     Folks, the next time you're looking for a place to relax go on over to Ethan Allen Park, sit on the swings, take a walk, people watch and say 'hi' to me if you happen to see me. I'll give you my famous smile and say 'hi' right back atcha.

    PS: sorry about the UM's. I truly didn't know I UM so much.