Its garden, too, glowed with flowers: hollyhocks had sprung up tall as trees..." ~ Jane Eyre


Last Sunday was the most perfect of days with the Prince, thanks to his thoughtfulness and talent for making any day or night whimsical so long as we are together.

Ironically, I have been to the lovely Cloisters at Westminster Abbey in England, but never to the Cloisters of the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Fort Tryon Park here in New York. Though he and I discussed going together this summer, the original plan for last Sunday was to go to the MET itself on Fifth Avenue to see the Superhero Exhibit at the costume institute.

When he got into the car, he had a plan for the entire day of times and transportation routes: plans had changed. We were going to take the train to Penn and then take the A train to the Cloisters, take the M4 bus back to the Met on Fifth, see the Superhero exhibit, and then take the W down to East 8th street and walk to the Indian Bread Company for a dinner of "naninis."

And we did just that. If you know anything about New York City's layout, you know that we were literally all over the city that day!

The Prince's laugh is one of my favorite laughs - there is something infectious about it (I love watching comedies with him), and the train ride in was enjoyable to me because we were listening to comedic sketches on his Ipod. After the train ride into Penn Station and the A train ride up to Ft. Tryon Park, we exited and I couldn't’t believe I was still in New York City. While we waited for the bus, the Prince and I shared a Spiderman ice pop thanks to our good fortune that a Good Humor truck was right there! It had been ages since I ate any ice pop that had gumball eyes on it. Arriving at the Cloisters was exciting, for it’s located on a hill and is just stunning to view from its base.

As much as I loved the Unicorn tapestries and the indoor relics, my favorite aspects of the Cloisters were the actual gardens and courtyards. The Prince took amazing photos – he has a great eye when it comes to photography- a few of which are seen above. He got a wonderful shot of a butterfly perched on a flower. The courtyards themselves are regal, as you can see from the second photo. The third is one I took of a fountain amidst a courtyard that only contained stone columns. As bare as it was, there was a zen-like quality to the space that was peaceful and relaxing. My favorite garden was the Medieval Culinary garden outside...the Cloisters planted trees, vegetables, herbs, and roots that would have been grown in the Middle Ages. Some of the culinary trees and plants included fig trees, pear trees, cherry trees, garlic bulbs, parsley, rosemary, sage, leeks, chives, and kale.

By the time we finished and after viewing the food garden, we got back on the bus and arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art needing a snack. Nothing beats a dirty water dog and lemonade on a hot summer day. I had mine with relish and mustard, and the Prince had one with everything. We sat in the shade on a bench by the sidewalk art vendors, and all I could think about is how perfect the day is because I was with him.

Inside the MET, we viewed the Superhero exhibit, which is a must see if anyone is visiting the museum this summer. After that we sat in my favorite place for a few moments - the European Sculpture Garden - once again visiting our favorite statues of Perseus and Andromeda. We then ventured out of the museum and headed to the subway to go down to Greenwich Village for a dinner of "naninis" at the Indian Bread Company. We both ate the Saag Chicken (grilled chicken tikka cubes with spinach spread, caramelized onion and tikka masala sauce) and I had a mango lassi. By this time we were exhausted and decided to head home.

After showering and falling into bed after the day, I was not sad that the day was over. I know there are plenty more to come. Besides, there may not be gardens with flowers or tapestries or leisurely bus rides down Fifth Avenue each day when we are together, but that is no matter, because all moments I spend with him are perfectly beautiful.

Some fun websites from our fun day:
http://www.indianbreadco.com/
http://www.metmuseum.org/special/superheroes/index.asp
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Unicorn/hunt_unicorn_transcript.htm
http://citysbest.aol.com/new-york/best-dining/hot-dogs/

"A fortnight of dubious calm succeeded..." ~ Jane Eyre

The cottage room, main house, and reception area possess beautiful Japanese accents, and the gardens at the bed and breakfast also felt quite influenced by Japanese-style horticulture. I am a believer in feng-shui, and in addition to the physical environment achieving feng-shui (Chinese for "wind-water"), the energy between he and me also feels completely balanced, as it has been since our first date. When I am with him, a gentle wind blows over my soul and my emotions are as clear to me as water. It does not surprise me that a breakdown of the feng-shui theory is the yin/yang. It all comes down to energies balancing each other, whether that energy be love, passion, or desire.

The above photo was one of the prints in the bedroom depicting Japanese women preparing for a wedding. At first glance, there seems to be a great deal of chaos and activity, but if you focus deeper into the lines of the image, you see how evenly balanced the painting is, right down to the colors used. The deep and passionate red is balanced out by the cool and calming blue; an excess of either color would ruin the equilibrium. As one woman looks up, the other looks down; other women are facing each other on a perfect diagonal. There is a particular smooth curve to the riverbank the women stand on. There is nothing sharp or jagged about the lines - they all compliment each other in one fell motion of the brush.

Earlier this evening I was thinking about how some aspects of the Bushido of the samurai may be applied to a romantic relationship, especially rei. The amount of respect I have for him is immense; his mind and his soul command it. I know it is reciprocated, making it mutual and balanced.

Other aspects of the Bushido, such as self control, do not apply at all and it becomes a paradox of sorts. I lack all when it comes to him, yet I feel as though my emotions would be completely unaligned I possessed any at all...

"All this is visible to you by the light of an oil lamp hanging from the ceiling..." ~ Jane Eyre

I never take for granted the fact that I love so close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That building is a shrine to me, and all of its contents are idols to be worsipped as if they were set on an alter.

This past weekend I stood delighted in the special exhibit "Louis Comfort Tiffany and Laurelton Hall—An Artist’s Country Estate." Not only did the collection highlight Tiffany's personal art collection, but so much of the estate was decorated by his own hand, so the weaving between the two throughout the exhibition rooms was beautiful.

Trying to figure out the etymology of his middle name proved difficult; I searched because his middle name is ironically so indicative of his artwork. I do not really connect the jewelry I wear from Tiffany's now with his art, as comforted as I am when I wear those pieces. It is the glass windows and stunning lamps and vibrant vases that give me comfort. As I stood infront of pieces in the collection, the beauty I absorbed through my eyes took me to a place of comfort.

Especially in the windows.

I wish I could step into those windows as Alice steps through the looking glass and just exist in the beauty of them for a while. The windows are textured in layers and jewels are prominant on many of the panels. I was struck the most by one he created of an autumn scene: pumpkins and eggplant. The color of the glass eggplant was as rich and deep as the purple on the skin of a real one.

During my very early years, my parents kept a Tiffany-style lamp above the dining room table. There are very few pieces I remember in terms of decor in the first house I lived in, but I do remember that lamp. Its as if you were always looking into a kaleidoscope when you stared towards the light of that chandelier. I associate that lamp, which they have in storage to this day, with my family.

Stained glass images have always been in my head during my life since Armenian churches are arrayed with stained glass windows all over. Religious figures aside, these glass panels tell stories of perseverance, strength, beauty, and love. What makes them so special, and Tiffany's windows so special, is that these insiprational feelings are illustrated both figuratively through the images and literally through the sunlight that enters each glass pane. The windows remind me that it is better to absorb and reflect than to just absorb, for as dark as the glass gets during the middle of the night, the sun will always be there to shine through in the morning.

http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={5D70EF2E-38E2-4F9C-95A4-7582FE0A9B84}&HomePageLink=special_c3b

http://www.armenianchurch.net/diocese/cathedral/art.html