Francis Rákóczi at Budapest’s Parliament
Sandor Karolyi at Varosliget
Along Andrássy út
At Várhegy (Castle Hill)
Whether the Pest or Buda side
Inside or out
At Hősök tere (Heroes’ Square)
Heroes are always heroes, whether we know their names or not. They are either heroes out of bravery, industry or notoriety. Snowdapest had many heroes encased in snow, but no less esteemed.
Sometimes heroes are not our own favorites, but someone else’s.
Living forever in our hearts, and never to fade away.
Sometimes there is joy in just being able to do what you can do. This year is no exception, as I move along quickly to get things done before we roll the year out. Two years ago, I re-cut Chris Brown’ds Transform Ya for the fifth graders end of the year video. During the course of the year I have been trying to re-cut Kanye West/T-Pain’s Good Life because I thought it was such a good video, in spite of the pretty girl with the big boobs and some of the imagery.
I showed this to my fourth grade class and it was interesting to hear how they picked up on what I was trying to show them about their world. I know I should have included food, but it came to me at the end. There were a lot of little goof ups, and I admit I don’t do film for a living. Still as an idea for a classroom and being able to incorporate it in, it works.
I embedded this clip of Girl with a Pearl Earring into the Promethean program and I don’t have to worry, it just comes up. This year I spoke over it, explaining some of the colors as they spoke and worked in the film. I think this is wonderful to show. I used to speak about mixing paint when I taught Leonardo and also the Impressionists. Now with only 10 thirty minute sessions per year (5 hours total art), all of that has gone out the window. I also used to show the clip from Pollack, when Ed Harris works in the garage. That went a long time ago. I’m planning a final collage/painting for 5th as a bye-bye present, as we have been busy with clay this semester, with only a little printmaking thrown in.
It still fascinates me sometimes, what kids can do, without me interfering.
Final table sculpture, after Nevelson. Each kid responsible for one box.
3rd grade color wheel, 2nd grade color wheel.
These were last year. I went into a quilt this year for third, but some of the idea came from here. And was more satisfying than the quilt which combined texture.
The coloring/completion contest for my 2nd graders.
While doing my homework, I came across this restaurant, that I got curious about: Trófea Grill Buffet-Meal. Frommer’s Budapest had said:
“After your afternoon of thermal bathing, you may want to head back to your hotel to rest, but if you have done so at the thermals, then head out for dinner. You can take the Yellow metro from Széchenyi and go one stop to Mexikói or choose a dining spot from our recommendations, but either way, make a reservation.
7. Take a Break — TRÓFEA GRILL ÉTTEREM
You have had a full day of exercise, so treat yourself to the best Hungarian all-you-can-eat restaurant in the city. With more than 100 choices from soups to desserts and everything in between, everyone is sure to leave satisfied.
TRÓFEA GRILL RESTAURANT ZUGLÓ
1145 Budapest, Erzsébet Királyné útja 5. Mexikói út line orange, last stop, walk a block south
Reservation: 09:00 – 21:00 Phone: 06-1-251-6377 06-20/30-251-6377″
Even though Phil had suggested going to the baths, a short period of time only allowed very little time. As we spent the day largely on Andrássy út, it was logical to wind up here. I thought we could walk it, but it is divided by highway, I believe and we wound up on the wonderful orange line. It was exactly as Google maps showed it, a block or so from Mexikói út exit along the tram tracks. There it sat in a neighborhood setting. For 4449 Hungarian Forint ($19.70), it was a fun time. Good food, free booze.
Three soups on a snowy day: Gulyás (Goulash soup) (front, the real thing!), a vegetable soup (left, back) and farina dumplings in a chicken soup (right, back).
With my central European background, you knew I had to be a sucker for soup, especially out of the cold. The gulyás, with that good taste of beef and that spiciness that paprika brings was perfect. The farina dumplings were fine, even without the eggs as I am accustomed to. In fact, as the meal ended, I went back for a second bowl.
As Trófea is a grill, and me like a “duh,” is wondering why all these people are loading their dishes with raw meats and asides. It took me sitting across from the grill to realize these things would be “cooked,” including eggs, by a chef, kind of like a Mongolian barbeque. But if you did not want that, there was plenty of wonderful cooked meats and lots of side dishes.
After eating all that, and you know I have to be a sucker for red cabbage, as well. And the Italian in me, has to have some of those hearty breads. So by the time desert is ready, well, I’ve already swallowed enough to feed half of India–for a year! But you have to leave room to sample some desserts.
There were magnums of champagne for you to sample, beer on call, but my favorite, was a little table near the grill. I originally went over for some bread, and there were raw vegetables for the grill, I think. But on the little table was a small wooden flask, so I got a glass and took some, it was a wonderful homemade wine. It reminded me of the wine that my Grandpa and Uncle Tony made in the basement, years ago. It was dry and delicious. I wondered if people used it on their salads! What a delicacy! I am not a boozer, but this was priceless.
The service was wonderful. These two young ladies took your coats and got you upstairs to the food and seats. They were wonderful and spoke some good English. After all, this dumbo can only say about 4 words of Hungarian.
Trófea from it’s translation means trophy. They have this kind of hunting lodge look, which has its charms when it comes to food. There are 3 locations, this one was convenient to us. In the States, when we think buffet, we think of a lot of yuck food. This is not the case here. They also had birthday party things going on! It is a wonderful place, in a wonderful city, full of wonderful food. Try it!
“When they are alone they want to be with others, and when they are with others they want to be alone. After all, human beings are like that.” –Gertrude Stein
Édessegék, minőségi borok Ajándékkosarak (translation: Sweets, quality wine gift baskets)
I loved this little storefront, the minute I spotted it on the Pest side. At once, nostalgic, until you catch the drift of the grafitti which fits quite nicely.
Hungarian sure is one of the most visually challenging languages I ever saw. It does not scare me when I hear it. Although any semblance of pronounciation is pure conjecture! The above shot came from nearby Mátyás-templom. (translation:Matthias Church)
I have written about screens, and how screen are just about everywhere in our culture. Windows and posters are a little different. It is like the difference between a postcard and a commercial. Doesn’t that sound very Steinian?
This shot (above) was also on Castle Hill. The painted front was appealing as this is the city that Victor Vasarely launched his art career. The other famous Hungarian is László Moholy-Nagy.
We were on Dahony and Janene picked up on this little shop.
The clock window was also in Prague.
I’m a sucker for wedding dresses.
I loved this billboard, the girl is such a natural.
Next to the United States Cafe, and north of Blaha Lujza tér on Erzsébet krt. This reminded me of the Parisian photographer, Eugène Atget.
Fashion is often strange. I don’t know if this fashion shot was intentional to be reminiscent.
The Halászbástya (Fisherman’s Bastion) on the Buda side, a sightseer’s dream, gives a great view of the Pest side of the city.
I will go great depths to travel. So when I heard that it was in the low thirties and chance of snow in Budapest, I gave up on my black suit and packed a heavy coat and a ton of sweaters. Hey, it was on a tour, and 2 days only. So Janene and I stomped around in low, 
but steady snow for two days. In a way, I never mind fall or winter, because it kills some of the foliage and you can see the architecture better. This time, the grayness of light and the white blanket of snow lent itself in odd ways.
Krisztina said the gaslight is kept on all the time in Varhegy (Castle Hill area), because there are no more lamplighters.
Budapest, is not quite what I expected. Post WWII, post-Communist, Budapest reminds one a little of its roots to Vienna, with a lot of its own style. Most building are of that style of elaborate concrete stucco over brick. Most rusticated in that Italian style done in Baroque style. Some in later Art Nouveau style.
A walk along the Andrássy út reveals both elaborate stucco design, as well the understructure of some buildings in disrepair.
Reminders of WWII, in the Castle Hill area.
It is amazing to see this city which survived one of the worst barrages of gunfire and destruction during WWII, as well as gunfire suffered from tank attacks during the 1956 Revolution against the Soviets.
The beautiful Fővárosi Állat- és Növénykert (Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden) art nouveau buildings designed by Kornél Neuschloss and Károly Kós.
Original subway stop along the yellow line
This little gem of a station, Opera, is part of one of the oldest subway lines ever made. The black and white photo below actually shows the onsight construction along Andrássy út. It is only predated by the London line.
These are only a couple of gems of a most amazing city, both for architecture, planning and engineering.
I noticed how nicely the blue in the tie matched the shirt, that the young teller at the counter had on. That is very interesting that you were able to match that. Oh, he said, the bank is responsible for the tie. Really, I said, they give you the tie? I presumed as a bonus. They sold it to us, he said. Sold it to you? I was surprised. They did? How much?
It cost $19. That seems like a lot since they require you to wear a tie, I thought. Did you pay for the shirt that says “Chase,” too? They give us an allowance for that. If you resent hearing that employers not only require employees to wear a tie, but sell it AT RETAIL, read on about these crumbs:
Note: This is a service message with information related to your Chase account(s). If you recently closed your account, please disregard this message.
Mark Gongloff
Chief financial writer, The Huffington Post
Posted: 07/03/2012 12:59 pm
Did Jamie Dimon break a mirror or something? Because his bank, JPMorgan, once less fallible than the Pope, is suddenly having a terrible run of luck.
The bank’s stock price was hit by a series of blows on Tuesday — including a fresh scandal that raised the specter of Enron — even as the rest of the stock market rallied.
The biggest blow was probably a New York Times story that the bank pushed mutual-fund clients into its own brand of mutual funds, which performed poorly and charged high fees. The story might make you think that maybe JPMorgan Chase cares only about money and not its clients! And you’d be right.
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But wait, there was more: The bank is also the subject of a probe by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission into charges that it manipulated power markets in California and the Midwest, the Financial Times writes:
But wait, there was more: The bank is also the subject of a probe by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission into charges that it manipulated power markets in California and the Midwest, the Financial Times writes:
The electricity investigation involves whether JPMorgan’s bidding strategies extracted “inflated” or “excessive” payments from two wholesale power markets serving California and several Midwest states. The bank’s commodities business owns or has rights to output from several electric generators.
If charges of power-market manipulation sound familiar to you, then you win the prize for remembering the Enron scandal.
JPMorgan says it is no Enron, that it is working with FERC and that it complied with the law.
As is so often the case, we might not even know about this investigation at all if there were not emails involved. Except, sadly, JPMorgan is refusing to give FERC its emails about the power market, claiming some sort of privilege.
Clearer. Simpler. A better experience for you.
We’re always looking to improve your banking experience, which is why we’ve been working hard to bring you a simpler, clearer, more streamlined experience on the Payments & Transfers section of Chase Online and Chase Mobile.
____________________________________________________________________________
If this story and the crumminess of this bank infuriates you, please check out this.
All this and Adele and Oscar, too. (Vevo yanked the “official video” off youtube.)
Aside from being one of the best Oscar shows in years, I was knocked out how much was an apology for former wrongs. This included Dame Shirley Bassey singing the never nominated “Goldfinger” onstage, when one can hardly remember the winner of that 1964 category, “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” Sammy Davis once did a whole song about this at the Oscars. Oh, yeah, it was 50 years of Bond. So why didn’t someone assemble the entire cast of Bonds onstage? That would have been a show!
Another former snubee, Streisand, delivered a beautiful memorial for Marvin Hamlisch. Friendship has no bounds. You remember the year the former director, songwriter and singer of The Mirror Has Two Faces, was not asked to the Oscars to sing her own nominated song. Instead, they let Celine Dion do it and her own song for the Titanic. No one mention Lauren Bacall.
This was the reverse of the treatment Adele got. The other nominated songs, barely squeezed into the production like the last blobs of toothpaste, while Zeta-Jones and Hudson, did big renditions of Broadway songs, again never nominated. You know, original songs category.
But apologizing over old snubs, had nothing to do in the face of new snubs. Speilberg winning for Lincoln, is reminiscent of Warren Beatty for Reds. Affleck for example, has joined the ranks of Hitchcock or Chaplin, both of whom never won an Oscar, and sometimes never nominated. He also joins “women” directors, Streisand (Prince of Tides) and especially, Penny Marshall snubbed for both Big and the beautiful Awakenings. They got as much as Dame Judi, who received nothing, neither for Marigold, nor Skyfall.
What great sets, but another goof for the memorials. Did anyone mention that they forgot this to include these two guys, after forgetting this former Academy Award supporting actress nominee the year before. The mystery flavor dum dums that put that category together ought to get a one-way ticket to Palookaville.
Seeing Jane Fonda reminded me how insider these awards can be. Her ailing father, who had hardly been nominated for anything (Grapes of Wrath), won for Golden Pond, after Fonda called in every marker she could find. It pulled in Katharine Hepburn for an unprecedented fourth Oscar! Take that Daniel Day Lewis. In his defense, there was nothing more sappy than the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? film, even the technicolor was crappy. Oh, yeah, the third one she “shared” with Streisand.
Wasn’t it funny they included Andrew Sarris in the memorial. He was always supercritical of the Oscars. In the 70s, he regularly devoted yearly a column in the Voice to knocking them for their choices. He would have probably have knocked them for not nominating Jake Gyllenhaal for End of Watch. Much less, Daniel Craig.
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All pictures here are probably copyright protected, if I thought the Oscars would have been that much fun, I would have used a camera like I did with Mick.
Museum of Contemporary Art designed by Josef Paul Kleihues
I am fascinated with spaces and always have been. I was born in a city where you can get a crook in your neck from the verticality of the place. Chicago is more kind on your neck, even though home of the skyscapers. Sam Alexander, my design and film teacher said, the job of the book designer is to look like you aren’t there, and all the while you are guiding them through spaces. The same holds true for architects and interior designers.
Museum of Contemporary Art stairwell view. Carp optional.
The famous Picasso sculpture, around which the skateboarders go, and office workers sitting having lunch. Murals at the Midway. Both show how a city thinks about it space, what it utilizes.
How it may redefine spaces.
Which space is more famous?*
Typical, yet not so typical urban.
Or how spaces exist when someone is not there.
The shot directly above was in a storefront. Notice the placement of red.
Or how self-aware a city is.
The shot above was done within the exhibition, Skyscraper: Art and Architecture Against Gravity, at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
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*For more on one of its giants.
Gate of Chinatown
I’m a sucker for Chinatown. Being brought up in NYC, Chinatown was a natural to go to when it was a smaller venue south of Canal from one side of Mott to the other. Chinatown went into a sprawl in the 70s, crossing over Canal and surrounding Little Italy. And the other way passing the theater and moving into the business section east. Main Street in Queens became Chinatown Flushing (唐人街, 法拉盛華埠) of the modern immigrants to the US, as Chinatown Manhattan becomes sleeker and more hip.
Dragon Wall in the Forbidden City, 1987 (above) and Chicago, 2012 (below).
There is a smaller Chinatown in LA and Philly, an interesting one in Boston. There is the amazing Chinatown of glitter in SF. So I felt very comfortable in Chicago with a real Chinatown. Lots of good smells and food. And very established in the community. Chinatown Manhattan was dominated by its closed in spaces. Chinatown Flushing reflects its Jewish roots where places like Gertz, Alexander’s and Korvette’s used to be.
Chinatown in Chicago is not huge like San Francisco, but the food is good and the sights remind me more of the real place, than many of the other cities.
The theme of Communist China and Mao serving you food at Lao Hunan, had great visual and stomach appeal.
Chinatown old and new.
Only a block from the Cermak–Chinatown CTA station on the red line. Go.
Cotton in bloom.
We often take it all too serious inside the museum, but sometimes our museums are en plein air, outside open air/open spaces. I had less time to shoot, as I was behind the wheel, but the stretch of extreme south 75 in lower Georgia on my way to and from Atlanta afforded me the look of plein air and how things relate to people around them. I did similar a time back to 95.
I was a little perplexed by this series of ads below, I’ll reserve the right to show one.
These folks held up traffic but appeared okay.
I missed out on several choice signs, like “Best Hot Dog in the World” and one about why Christians need to vote for Romney. Although I am happy about getting this little guy below.
