It's so beautifully arranged on the plate - you know someone's fingers have been all over it. - Julia Child
If you know me, you know it started with Julia. My love affair with food and the preparation thereof was described in my very first post in this blog in September 2007. A few weeks ago I finally got to view the shrine to the life of the Blessed Saint Julia at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.Yep. I got to see her kitchen (and you are dealing with a guy who has Julie and Julia on his iPod!). It was wonderful to see the tools she used to practice her craft preserved with such care.
But the experience felt sterile. Since my wife first visited the display they have erected Plexiglas barriers. Take a look at the last few moments of Julie and Julia - you do have a copy, don't you - it's like a movie theater rope. When we saw the the real Star Spangled Banner that day, and the Founding Documents the next day we expected heavy protective coverings, but this should have been an easier view.
Plus it made photography a pain. And there were no good chachkies in the gift shop as a momento.
Still, I am glad to have made the pilgrimage. And I left butter. :-)
4 comments:
Such a shame, Scotty. A lack of good stuff in the gift store is enough of a buzzkill without the addition of plexiglass. Julian would not have approved of her kitchen being unused and hermetically sealed.
I would have been happy with just a t-shirt with the Bon Appetit logo on it. There is hope though - Walter Staib of City Tavern was the first to cook at Monticello since the 19th century.
oh stupid me now I know what you meant by tzotchkes....potatoe:potato
Not sure if you heard about this, but I saw an ad and though you might be interested in Bon Appetit! the opera. It is being performed in Hudson, NY in a week or two. Not sure if it is traveling your way or not.
http://www.wtdtheater.org/
Post a Comment