Read 'Til You Drop

No, I didn't travel to Rome this past weekend.  Well, not really.  As in, I didn't get on an airplane and actually *go* anywhere.  But I attended a full day seminar at the Smithsonian, a four-lecture seminar by a friend, Nigel McGilchrist.  Nigel is a *font* of information about art and architecture, and I've enjoyed his lectures in the past (which have covered topics like classical Greek influences in contemporary architecture, and the growth of individualism in Renaissance art, and the actual techniques for tempera painting and fresco painting, etc.)  Nigel is the sort of lecturer who makes his audience feel smarter, merely by listening to him.  He lays out a series of dots and then connects them up - but that makes him sound pedantic and boring.  He is one of the most entertaining and informative lecturers I've ever heard (even when - *especially* when - technology fails him, and he needs to improvise patter while a balky slide machine, or two, or three were fixed.)

Having spent the day as students on Saturday, Mark and I spent Sunday as hosts, inviting some friends over for brunch with Nigel.  We had a wonderfully relaxed meal, catching up on writing and Italian politics and life in general.

All in all?  A perfect weekend.

If you could travel anywhere in the world for 10 days (no, you can't sneak more time from your busy schedule) where would you go?

Mindy, off to enjoy her first day of freedom between jobs, impersonating a shopping queen!