The Week at IAS (Oct 5 - 11)

IAS is all about an optimum environment for thinking and creating, so we spend a lot of time doing exactly that. While Daryl works in his office in Fuld Hall, I work at a desk in the Humanities Building library. A view of the pond and trees (now in fall foliage) at the edge of the Institute woods provide a pretty cool setting for me.

It's been a while since I worked on an actual book, and I'm pleased that the haphazard writing I'd been doing in the last six years is shaping up into a manuscript. Still a long way to go, but it's happening ...
Opportunities for other forms of enjoyment abound, and here's what I did last week when I wasn't at my desk:

• Monday morning conversations hosted by Helen Goddard, wife of the previous director of IAS, at their lovely home on Maxwell Lane. What a splendid house with an open interior, and big windows providing natural light and views of their attractive garden areas. We were an international group of about 15 female "partners" of IAS members. Helen's idea is to provide a safe forum for non-English speakers to practice the language with native speakers. We partnered up – I with a gorgeous lady from Cameroon – and exchanged information and personal experiences. A woman in her 90's - the widow of a famous mathematician who'd been a permanent faculty member at IAS - remarked that China is better than Japan, when a Chinese lady shared something about her home. We roared with laughter. Helen said to her, "It isn't polite to say that especially because we have two women from Japan here." She looked puzzled. "But why not? My husband and I spent time in Japan and China and China was so much more interesting." The mood was lighthearted all morning. At 11:00, Helen who is English, served "elevenses" in her very large kitchen. Over tea/coffee and homemade raisin cake we mingled informally.

•  Marc Maron gave a public lecture at Princeton University on Tuesday evening which I went to. A very friendly New Jersey native sitting next to me raved about WTF, the speaker's biweekly podcasts. "I love how he does his interviews. I feel I can relate to him. He's honest and quick to admit his failures." I'd only ever heard the podcast of the Obama interview - the one in which Obama created waves when he used the "n" word. Marc Maron has great stage presence and is full of humor, so I enjoyed the talk a lot. 

• One noteworthy thing about Wednesday was my productive morning of writing. Another was that the weather was glorious - a perfect autumn day. The air was still, the sky was blue, and the temperature blissful. I went for a cycle ride along the D and R canal. Even on a week day afternoon the towpath was full of walkers and joggers.

• On Thursday evening I went with my friend Christine – an art historian – to the McCarter Theatre to see "Baby Doll", a play based on a movie script by Tennessee Williams. Set in the Mississippi delta in the 1950's, it deals with the multilayered struggles of a cotton gin owner and his very young and immature wife. It was a superb production, with engaging actors pulling you into their individual worlds. 

• The timing of a heavy thunderstorm on Friday couldn't have been worse. It struck at precisely the start of a welcome barbecue party given by an organization called "The Friends of IAS". Tables and chairs were set up inside a large tent, and while lighting flashed continuously and rain bucketed down, we filled up our plates with the fine spread of food prepared for us. Barbecued meats; interesting salads like orzo with toasted pumpkin seeds and organic greens with pecans; chips and a selection of salsas and guacamole; craft beer, including IPAs; a selection of fruit pies and ice-creams for dessert. The party literally went on - a live band played bluegrass type music, the kids made crafts, a balloon man made funny balloon shapes, and "The Friends" displayed flyers of services they offer to bring IAS members into the Princeton community.

On Saturday we were back in NYC for more opera at the Met. This time we saw Otello, performed by a mainly Eastern European cast of exceptional singers. Otello's skin was not darkened and in the titles the phrases "thick lipped" and "my black skin" were changed. Not sure how I feel about this, but grateful for the sensitivity. After the opera we checked out the gorgeous crafts at a craft show in Lincoln Plaza. I was quite taken by the quality and uniqueness of everything – the paintings, sculpture (glass), formal clothing, and jewelry. 

It was late afternoon and a perfect fall day. We strolled over to Columbus Circle, and in the shopping mall checked out Bouchon Bakery and Per Se – a 3 Michelin starred Thomas Keller restaurant.  We debated the ethics of a $310 per person  9 course vegetarian meal. Another life time maybe ... So we continued our walk, ending at Blossom Restaurant in Chelsea where we had a delicious vegan meal within our budget.