Some High Points of the Past Week

October 12 - 18

The Moth Story Slam

Had a blast with Michelle, Therese, and Sada at the Moth Story Slam. It all happened at an old fashioned bookstore - Housing Works Bookstore - in SoHo, New York. Michelle had the crazy idea to drive into Manhattan from Princeton, but thankfully it all worked out. Ten talented and engaging speakers each related a 5 minute story on the theme "I was my own worst enemy". An enthusiastic audience dished up loads of atmosphere.
Later, around 9:30, a jazz quartet's uplifting music lured us into Antique Garage, a lovely Turkish Restaurant with vintage décor. We dined on tasty mezzes, which included a spicy muhamarra dip, and haloumi wraps. There was no front wall, giving the interior a delightful terrace like feel on this warm October evening. With such perfect ambience it was hard not to fall in love with NYC!

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of General Relativity, IAS director, the suave Robbert Dijkgraaf, gave a talk about Einstein's work and how his equations continue to help us understand the universe. He spoke about the principles that connect the physics of motion and mass to the geometry of space and time. Most of the people in the audience, including Daryl, found the talk riveting. Not me ... but I did a good job of faking it.
After the talk we indulged in the monthly buffet dinner at the IAS Restaurant. After stuffing ourselves with fresh salads, roasted portobello mushrooms and asparagus, and pumpkin ravioli, we studied the dessert table. Willpower abandoned us - we sampled it all - pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate mouse, apple crisp, and chocolate pots de créme. Needless to say, we are still recovering!

Lake Carnegie

Took full advantage of the pleasant weather all week, going on morning walks in the woods and cycling along the Delaware Raritan Canal and Lake Carnegie. The ground is now carpeted with leaves and the trees are beginning to don fall colors. It's all so beautiful.We see deer frequently. Found out that to prevent the deer population from exploding five hunters are given special permission in the fall to hunt them using a bow and arrows!

Spent all Saturday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. IAS arranged for a coach to drop us off at the entrance right at opening time. How does one navigate through the overwhelming collection at this art paradise? Looking at the map I found it impossible to limit myself to just a few highlights. This Tiffany piece was created entirely from colored glass. Isn't that amazing? I loved the Egyptian antiquities and the American landscapes and the Dutch Old Masters. Of course I teared up at the many Van Gogh pieces displayed. The Islamic art, especially from Turkey, was breathtaking. You could spend months in this museum and still take in only a fraction of its collection. It begs to be the setting of a story, an idea seized on by E.L. Konigsburg. The fountain in the American wing made me think of Claudia bathing in it at night in the company of beautiful sculpture.

It's been a chilly weekend, a reminder that summer is definitely over. Yesterday we needed gloves, hat, and warm coat on our walk into Princeton town. We purchased 4 books for $4, at the library's annual book sale. Then, over tea and hazelnut chocolate cake at Café Vienna, we did some reading. Walking back through Princeton University we nipped into the Art Museum. In the half hour we had before closing we took a look at the Cézanne still lifes on special exhibit. This museum, on a very human scale, has a pretty decent collection of art through the centuries. We'll be back for a few more visits.