It’s my first day back in Bucharest and the city smells like linden blossoms. Linden blossoms, honeysuckle, and overripe mulberries. Like me, the city has a hint of something that is too much, and like me, it treats its excesses and neuroses with humor. We resonate with each other in this way. I felt immediatelyContinue reading “Friends with Wings”
Author Archives: havewatercolorswilltravel
From Above
It’s my last day here, and torn between my sadness to leave and the happy knowledge that I am ready to move on from this beautiful city plagued with the cognitive dissonance of needing tourism but hating tourists, I decided to do something special. I decided to allow myself a sense of perspective. Literally. AndContinue reading “From Above”
L’Ou Com Balla
Today marks the start of a peculiar holiday in Barcelona. L’ou com balla – the dancing egg – is a ritual dating back to the 1600s for which nobody seems to know the exact origin or explanation. Some say it’s tied to Christianity and the Eucharist, some say it’s the continuation of a pagan fertilityContinue reading “L’Ou Com Balla”
Colors of Barcelona
The day started with rain and me sitting in my room getting plenty caffeinated and contemplating the beauty of losing one’s head. Living intensely. Pursuing passion, that kind of stuff. It reminded me that the Chanel mannequins on Paseo de Gracia have literally lost their heads and that I wanted to paint them. Later, theContinue reading “Colors of Barcelona”
Easy
The old friend I met for lunch today said it was officially the first day of summer. I felt it too. Something in the air, beyond the scent of linden blossoms or the ease of wearing a sundress. There was suddenly a certain freedom to just walking around, a certain lightness to everything. It’s likeContinue reading “Easy”
In Which I’m Happy to Be Here
And then, though the jet lag hasn’t completely faded, I remembered many of the reasons why I’m so happy to be here, why I always choose to return. I also bought a fabulous red dress I might wear for my solo show. And I discovered the best surprise of all: in my favorite horchata place,Continue reading “In Which I’m Happy to Be Here”
Back in Barcelona
I got here late last night, too late to even blog. My jet lag is still with me and it’s brutal this time around. I’m in a state of perpetual exhaustion that makes me question everything. Even my desire to come back so often to this city I love so much. There are, after all,Continue reading “Back in Barcelona”
Day 2
Still jet lagged. Going back and forth between some sort of existential anxiety (after all, it’s extremely disconcerting for your whole life to be far enough away that you almost get the perspective of an outsider while you have long hours to roam a city by yourself) and excitement about some of the experiences here.Continue reading “Day 2”
Sunshine in Amsterdam
It’s sunny and warm here in Amsterdam. I’m drifting in and out of jet lag, but I did get to take a long walk, with bicycles buzzing by me like magical insects, and I did get to start working on one of my watercolor commissions. I will give you more details in the days toContinue reading “Sunshine in Amsterdam”
Coffee
Few things are as comforting as knowing that after a long flight a friend will be waiting with coffee (and a big yellow cat). I’m about to board my flight. And happy the adventure has started. As a good omen, the paintings I made last night were bought this morning by a very special collector.