Ciwt's Holiday Musical --- Days 12/326 & 327

 Walk: 1. Hood & Marin West Elm 2. SF Playhouse (Guys and Dolls)

Distance: 3.5, 4

Adelaide (Melissa WolfKlain) and Her Debutantes

Adelaide and Her 24 Year Fiance, Nathan Detroit (Joel Roster)

So, Ciwt just saw her holiday musical. Guys and Dolls.  Not as old as The Nutcracker but totally up her alley with showtunes galore, high kicking, goofy romantic plot, and .....

A Happy Ending!

Did Your Team(s) Win? --- Days 12/324 & 325

Walks:  Hood, Presidio, Shopping

Distences: 3.5 miles x2

The football games have been played (mostly), the Black Friday sales are over (mostly), the leftovers have been eaten (mostly), everyone has headed home after the Lonnnnggg (and lovely) Thanksgiving weekend.

Who? --- Day 13/323

Walk: Errands Home and Abroad

Distance: 2 miles

So, after these past few days writing about Botticelli, it occurred to Ciwt that some of her readers might not be familiar with the artist.  But they probably are familiar with two of his most beloved paintings.

Sandro Botticelli, Primavera, 1480, tempera on wood, 207 x 319 cm (6.8' x 10.5")
Uffizi. Florence

Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (c. 1484–1486). Tempera on canvas. 172.5 cm × 278.9 cm (5.65' × 9.13'). Uffizi, Florence

Art School --- Day 12/322

Walk: Presidio

Distance: 4 miles

Sandro Botticelli, Portrait of a Young Man Holding A Roundel, ca 1480, tempera on poplar panel

So, as Ciwt understands it, some art schools today encourage their young students to "Express Yourselves!" often without training in even the most rudimentary basics of making art.  

Not so with Sandro Botticelli whose father arranged for him to become an apprentice to Fra Fillipo Lippi (1406-1469), who operated the most sought after art workshop in Florence. Botticelli was either 14 or younger when he was accepted to this intensely competitive beginning position.  He didn't come and go; such a workshop operated like a boarding school.  With his small group of fellow apprentices, Botticelli lived, ate, slept, worked there.  And pure self expression by artists was a good 450 years in the future.  Botticelli was taught by acidulously copying his master in all drawing and painting techniques, beginning with just sky, then buildings and architecture, and, finally when he had mastered these painstaking skills, he was elevated to figure painting. 

This is how a renowned Renaissance artist born with extraordinary talent began learning how to express his Art.

Thanksgiving Wishes --- Day 321

 

Walk: Presidio

Distance: 4 miles

Happy Thanksgiving to Cooks and Non-Cooks Alike.

Day Before Thanksgiving --- Day 12/320

Walk: Marin shopping returns

Distance: a mere 1.5 miles

Everyone, including this squirrel in Ankara, Turkey, is getting ready for tomorrow's feast.

This Time of Year (1) --- Day 12/319

Walk: Legion of Honor (Botticelli Drawings), Fillmore Street Errands

Distance: 4 miles

It's a couple of days before Thanksgiving and Ciwt noticed one of her neighbors has gotten an early - and festive - start on Holiday house lights.  Also how pretty the city is on the clear nights we have at this time of year.  

Monday Errands --- Day 12/318

Walk: Monday errands

Distance: 5 miles