Vacation
I am supposed to be painting something fabulous for the art show but it was not going well so I thought I'd take a break. There is many things I should be doing like going through mail, laundry and all the stuff that you have to do after a trip. As I sat looking at the blank canvas and thinking about what to do with it I remembered Laura. I worked with her at Lilly's, the posh eatery on Bardstown road. She is an artist and called work to tell us know she could not work that day because she was too inspired and needed to stay home and paint. I however will have to wait.
Laura was a unique human. Not a people person really. If you have been to Lilly's you know the booth by the front door. A cozy dark table off to the side of the bar. She worked as our hostess and took two ladies to the table. They asked "Can we sit by the window?" Laura, perpetually annoyed, looked twelve feet up to the ceiling at the tiny transom above their heads and pointed "There's a window..." She said before walking away. I think the server relocated them to a nicer table and we never worked with Laura again. She had a "guest appearance” in our lives and poof she was gone. Yet I thought about her and still have nothing to paint about.
To have gone away and relaxed by the beach at one of the most romantic places on the planet was divine. The Don CeSar Beach Resort is a beautiful place to dwell. The lobby bar is home to a grand piano that at night is brought to life with songs like "Someone to watch over me", "Moonlight serenade" and "I'll be seeing you". The music quietly evokes the casual glamour of the 1930's. Years before my time but timeless. It is as though time stopped and when you walk in the doors (held open for you by the doorman) you become a movie star. I can almost feel my white dinner jacket and smell my gardenia boutonniere. The hotel pours Vouve Clicouque by the glass and serves it with fresh strawberries as the piano sings its hypnotic melodies. Try, just try, not to fall in love there.
My mind is still there. I am afraid to do anything that may chase away the ghosts of the weekend. It is so easy to lay down the crosses of real life when you get away. All the cares of the world seemed to melt away. Even my extra pounds acquired at the holidays seemed to look good with a tan. I did watch the yoga class from a safe distance across the pool and down the beach. I convinced myself it looked too dangerous. I'm sure many people are injured doing yoga on the beach. I stayed safely on the lounge chair and reached above my head to erect the tiny flag bolted to the chair that requested bar service. It's a work out if you do it three times a day for a week. I did pass through the gym, on my way to the spa for a massage. I'm sure that is a death- trap.
During the rain we went to see the movie "Phantom of the Opera" Wow! See it on the big screen. I have friends that think musicals are stupid. "Who does that, sing all the time?" they asked after walking out of "Evita". So when I'm in their company I look for reasons to bust out in song, just to illustrate how great it would be to live in a musical. I helped Julie put leftovers away one night after dinner and sang the Tupperware jingle "We know how to do things, a million and two things for locking in freshness!" I have never been in a situation that I could not think of a song that seemed appropriate. Like now, I'm singing "Make the world go away".
The songs are like tiny vacations in my head. Or a celebration depending on the situation. Not sure how people do not get that. Try it sometime. If a crazy hostess seats you at a bad table and you want a window seat, stand up, take her hand and sing "A new life. what I wouldn't give to have a new life..." You might get a free appetizer. Or asked to leave.
The real world does sneak in on us and pulls us home form a beautiful, musical vacation by the sea. Things like the Presidential inauguration and all the money spent on that could help the victims of the tsunami. Or cure a disease and pay for the war. A new season of American idol, "OK not everyone should sing". Looking for a job so that when I do become inspired again I'll have someone to 'call- in' to. I'm not ready yet. But as soon as my head gets back from the Don CeSar I'm sure I'll have something to paint about. Just not yet. Still nothing. "Guess what song I'm thinking of now..."
Laura was a unique human. Not a people person really. If you have been to Lilly's you know the booth by the front door. A cozy dark table off to the side of the bar. She worked as our hostess and took two ladies to the table. They asked "Can we sit by the window?" Laura, perpetually annoyed, looked twelve feet up to the ceiling at the tiny transom above their heads and pointed "There's a window..." She said before walking away. I think the server relocated them to a nicer table and we never worked with Laura again. She had a "guest appearance” in our lives and poof she was gone. Yet I thought about her and still have nothing to paint about.
To have gone away and relaxed by the beach at one of the most romantic places on the planet was divine. The Don CeSar Beach Resort is a beautiful place to dwell. The lobby bar is home to a grand piano that at night is brought to life with songs like "Someone to watch over me", "Moonlight serenade" and "I'll be seeing you". The music quietly evokes the casual glamour of the 1930's. Years before my time but timeless. It is as though time stopped and when you walk in the doors (held open for you by the doorman) you become a movie star. I can almost feel my white dinner jacket and smell my gardenia boutonniere. The hotel pours Vouve Clicouque by the glass and serves it with fresh strawberries as the piano sings its hypnotic melodies. Try, just try, not to fall in love there.
My mind is still there. I am afraid to do anything that may chase away the ghosts of the weekend. It is so easy to lay down the crosses of real life when you get away. All the cares of the world seemed to melt away. Even my extra pounds acquired at the holidays seemed to look good with a tan. I did watch the yoga class from a safe distance across the pool and down the beach. I convinced myself it looked too dangerous. I'm sure many people are injured doing yoga on the beach. I stayed safely on the lounge chair and reached above my head to erect the tiny flag bolted to the chair that requested bar service. It's a work out if you do it three times a day for a week. I did pass through the gym, on my way to the spa for a massage. I'm sure that is a death- trap.
During the rain we went to see the movie "Phantom of the Opera" Wow! See it on the big screen. I have friends that think musicals are stupid. "Who does that, sing all the time?" they asked after walking out of "Evita". So when I'm in their company I look for reasons to bust out in song, just to illustrate how great it would be to live in a musical. I helped Julie put leftovers away one night after dinner and sang the Tupperware jingle "We know how to do things, a million and two things for locking in freshness!" I have never been in a situation that I could not think of a song that seemed appropriate. Like now, I'm singing "Make the world go away".
The songs are like tiny vacations in my head. Or a celebration depending on the situation. Not sure how people do not get that. Try it sometime. If a crazy hostess seats you at a bad table and you want a window seat, stand up, take her hand and sing "A new life. what I wouldn't give to have a new life..." You might get a free appetizer. Or asked to leave.
The real world does sneak in on us and pulls us home form a beautiful, musical vacation by the sea. Things like the Presidential inauguration and all the money spent on that could help the victims of the tsunami. Or cure a disease and pay for the war. A new season of American idol, "OK not everyone should sing". Looking for a job so that when I do become inspired again I'll have someone to 'call- in' to. I'm not ready yet. But as soon as my head gets back from the Don CeSar I'm sure I'll have something to paint about. Just not yet. Still nothing. "Guess what song I'm thinking of now..."
posted by Leland at 3:45 PM
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