Walkabout With Wheels Blog: August 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Splendor, Myth & Vision: Nudes from the Prado at the Clark Art Institute

This summer's exhibit is Splendor, Myth and Vision: Nudes from the Prado. This selection of nudes, painted in the 1500s and 1600s, came under intense scrutiny from the Catholic Church. The human form was considered to be an unfit art theme. Works that officials wanted restricted, and even destroyed, were treasured and collected by Spain's kings.

Fortunately, the paintings were left in tact and visitors to The Clark are able to see these "lewd, immoral" masterpieces from a bygone era.

Sight & Smell (1618 - 1623) by Flemish artists Jan Brueghel the Elder, Frans Francken II,

Hendrik van Balen, Jan Brueghel the Younger & others is an introduction

to the artwork Eric & I are about to explore.

We will be viewing paintings with mythological, religious and historic themes. Some works are set in beautiful landscapes, making nature a major theme. Some paintings are focused soley on the individual(s) in the work. My favorites:

Cleopatra, with the fatal asp
at her breast, was painted by
Guido Reni in 1640.

Flemish artists Denis van Alsloot & Hendrick de Clerck made nature a major

theme in Landscape with Diana and Actaeon, painted in 1608.

The Christian martyr,

Saint Sebastian, is the

subject of this Guido

Reni painting

(1617 - 1619).

"Contemporary" & classic mythology co-exist in Venus with an Organist & Cupid,

painted by Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) from 1550 to 1555.

The revelry of a Bacchic Scene
is captured by Nicolas Poussin
(1626 - 1628).

The grandeur of nature leaps off the canvas in Paul Bril's Landscape of Psyche & Jupiter

with later additions by Peter Paul Rubens (1610 & after 1625).

Rubens' Fortuna is a

celebration of the

female form

(1636 - 1638).

The faces in Jacob Jordaens' The Marriage of Peleus & Thetis (1636 - 38) shows

that every celebration is fraught with tension & undercurrents.

Death of Nessus by Luca Giordano
(1696 - 1697) is one of the
mythical themes the Catholic
Church disapproved of.

The Clark Art Institute hosts unique exhibits every year and the Nudes from the Prado are magnifico!

The Drive East to Williamstown, Masssachussets

Most of today's drive will

be on New York Route 7.

A few leaves have started to turn color... Fall is on its way.

Troy, Uncle Sam's hometown,
stretches out before us.

Most of Rensselaer County
is rural.

A covered bridge spans
a creek.

Tis the season for

political signs.

We drive past Grafton

Lakes State Park.

Eric enjoys driving this

windy road east.

We reminisce about driving this road, on a dark and stormy night with our 25 foot camping trailer. Eric wanted to drive as fast as possible and still drive safely. I'm glad he kept his thoughts to himself.

We enter Massachusetts...

... and start our drive downhill

on a 7% grade.

A custom road sign alerts

drivers of the upcoming

Runaway Ramp.

The densely packed gravel ramp

ends in a substantial pile

at the end of the ramp.

This is an important safety feature that no one wants to use.

The A-Frame Bakery tempts
visitors to western
Massachusetts.

After a hearty breakfast at Star's Cafe, Eric and I are not in the mood for pastries. Eric turns onto South Street and we arrive at our destination...

...the Clark Art Institute.

Much has changed since our last visit, about nine years ago.

This building, with an Orientation Theater, is "new" to us.

I admire the artfully painted bus that sits waiting for passengers. Let's see what else is "new."

Breakfast at Star's Cafe in Amsterdam, New York

Eric and I start our day driving west....

... to Star's Cafe, is located
in the Valley View Motel
complex in Amsterdam.

Eric and I ate here regularly before we retired in 2012. It's been way too long between visits.

This small cafe's griddle is

just behind the dining

counter.

Daily specials are listed
on the chalkboard that
dominates the wall.

The owner decorated with

home made crocheted

decorations.

Eric and I lingered over our breakfasts:

My Two Eggs Over Hard
with Bacon, Home Fries
& Rye Toast

Eric's Three Eggs Over Easy,

Bacon, Home Fries

& Rye Toast

Eric paid $20.00 for this meal, and that included a generous tip. We are now ready for our drive east....

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Surprising Eric on Our Wedding Anniversary

It's hard to surprise Eric. We are together 24/7, and our credit cards are joint accounts. What to do? Use cash and be be sneaky...

Eric gets a delivery from
Edible Arrangements.

"All of my love" is in

this heart shaped box.

Eric unties the ribbon.

Love comes in the shape

of Chocolate Covered

Strawberries.

Surprised & happy...

That's the way I
like him...

Happy 38th Wedding Anniversary, Eric!

Thursday, August 25, 2016

My Birthday Dinner at Yono's Restaurant in Albany, New York

Jerry took this picture of
Eric & me before we
left for dinner.

Eric chose Yono's Restaurant

for my sixtieth birthday

dinner.

Yono's Restaurant is owned by Chef Yono Purnomo. He and the staff provide the Capital Region with world class American cuisine with Indonesian influences. Master Sommelier, Dominick Purnomo, built an exceptional wine inventory at Yono's and creates pairings that delight diners.

Eric & I have personalized

menus....

Eric selected a flower

arrangement for our

table.

We were given complimentary glasses of sparkling wine to celebrate my special day.

Eric & I are seated at a
corner table in a quiet
room for our intimate
dinner.

Eric & his glass of

Sparkling Wine.

Eric and I are enjoying The Chef's Grand Tasting Menu tonight. We are enjoying eight courses, with selected beverages. Here are just four courses....

Frisee & Hearts of
Palm Salad

This course is paired with Dr. Konstantin Frank's 2015 Gruner Veltliner.

Duck Fat Roasted

Colorado Lamb with

Heirloom Carrots

This course is paired with 2007 Chateau Vignot Grand Cru from the Saint-Emilion in the Bordeaux Region of France.

The Adirondack Co.
Old Fashioned
Cheddar Plate with
Homemade Pretzel
Chips, Nuts &
Spicy Mustard.

This course is paired with SingleCut Beersmith's Half-Staff IPA Beer.

Me with my Lemon

Custard Tart &

Blueberry Ice Cream

paired with the 2008

Tokaji Oremus from

Hungary.

Eric and I agreed that this evening's meal is exquisitely prepared and presented. This is fine dining at it's best and an amazing way to celebrate my Big 6 - 0.

*****Update: Yono's has been included in Open Table's National Top 100 Places to Dine! Here's the link for Yono's and the other 12 New York restaurants on the list.