GLORY OF CHRISTMAS at Crystal Cathedral

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo

Visitors from around the world plan holiday travel with Orange County, Southern California in mind. While wonderful attractions, parades and merriment at Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm are major draws to the area, there is a large and loyal audience for the inspirational Broadway-quality production “Glory of Christmas,” at the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA.

There is still time to enjoy “Glory,” as performances continue through January 3, 2010. Audiences return year after year, and this season, on the show's 29th anniversary, children are still mesmerized by the spectacle of Roman centurions on horseback, splendidly robed Wise Men on camels, and townspeople with their wealth of livestock. Mary rides on a little gray donkey to Bethlehem, with Joseph at her side, where a sympathetic innkeeper finds a place for them. The theme parks make merry, but it is the unique “Glory” nativity full-scale musical production which tells the story of Christmas.

It is a simple story. Yet, this well-produced little “opera,” with over 150 performers, and 350 volunteers working in various capacities, brings the nativity alive through dance, singing and recorded music by the London Symphony Orchestra, complimented by the Crystal Cathedral’s world-renowned pipe organ. There are six horses, three adult camels, one baby camel, goats, sheep, donkey and a miniature donkey. Many talented singers and dancers enliven the story in showcase musical scenes. After the performance ends the Wise Men and other cast members are available outside the auditorium to greet visitors or pose for photographs. This year, Miss California (Miss America) Kristy Cavinder, returns to the production for her seventh year, finally as prima ballerina. “I’ve been dreaming of this dancing role since I was five years old,” says Cavinder.

The show includes lovely ballet numbers, solo singing roles by children and adults, as well as choral music. Many familiar Christmas carols blend into the story seamlessly. There’s not an opera scene to compare to hearing “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” as seven “real” angels soar through the air above the heads of believing children and adults. This is the entertainment that captures the true spirit of Christmas.

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Crystal Cathedral
12141 Lewis St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Ticket information: 1-877-544-5679, 714-54-GLORY
www.crystalcathedral.org
Discount performances: $20; Dec.18, Jan. 2 & 3
Other performances $35 -$45. Seniors and children 12 &
younger receive a $2 discount, except on discount nights.
December 18th, 2009-January 3rd, 2010

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Angela Rocco DeCarlo, copyright, 2009

Chicago: Softball and Italian Museums

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo, copyright, 2009

There’s a lot of Chicago immediately west of Chicago.

Chicago’s western suburbs offer stimulating attractions, “A” class shopping centers, such as Oak Brook Center and Yorktown, with plenty of lovely open spaces and easy access to the city’s attractions, via the Eisenhower Expressway. I chose a Marriott property in this location on a recent trip to visit the new 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame, Forest Park, and the “ Italians in Chicago” exhibit at the Italian Cultural Center, Stone Park. Marriott’s Residence Inn Chicago Oak Brook, is perfect for extended stays and offers a high level of service, comfort and convenience.

I love this all-suite hotel for its homey and convenient layout, complimentary cooked and cold breakfasts and afternoon “socials” with food and beverages and huge lounge, perfect for after-hours meetings on comfy sofas around the fireplace. The design of the registration and entrance area makes for very quick check-ins, putting guests in their rooms within minutes of arrival. There’s plenty of free parking and carts for handling luggage if needed. The spacious and comfortable suites provide a full living room, televisions, desk with internet connections, full kitchen, plenty of closet space and dining area with complimentary coffee supplies. You never feel confined, even with long stays, in what is essentially a mini-apartment. Of course, there is an indoor pool, fitness center and business center with free computer access. The staff is friendly, professional and accommodating; there are safe deposit boxes at the front desk.

The hotel is set back, in a small commercial park, Jorie Plaza, south of 22nd Street, the main east/west road in Oak Brook. From here you can be at O’Hare Airport or downtown Chicago in half an hour (traffic permitting), shop at Oak Brook Center or dine in upscale restaurants, such as Braxton’s, next to the former Marshall Field’s store (Macy’s) in the OB Shopping Center. As a frequent visitor to the area I’ve come to rely on Braxton’s for meetings; the booths provide privacy and guests are allowed to linger as long as necessary. And the seafood is delicious and moderately priced. There are plenty of other good restaurants and shopping along 22nd Street and west in the Yorktown Shopping Center. I always visit the Fannie May candy stores in OBSC for a supply of their delectable chocolates to take home and for gifts. While a frugal sort, I’m happy to purchase luxurious Fannie May chocolate, as I believe it to be the very best. It lacks that waxy taste some other chocolates entail, even expensive ones.

Oak Brook is about 6 miles from Chicago’s western edge where the suburbs begin at Oak Park, land of Frank Lloyd Wright houses, Ernest Hemingway history, and stately Gothic churches. The surrounding towns, original farming communities, such as Downers Grove, Naperville and Aurora have grown so that now the suburban sprawl along the commercial/corporate corridor of I-88 is cheek to jowl west to Iowa. Oak Brook is different; it is a totally new town, the vision of the late Paul Butler and is home to many corporate headquarters. Among the companies that populate Oak Brook are MacDonald’s, Blistex, Ace Hardware, Federal Signal Corp., Papermate, Lions Club International and many more. These days the above-mentioned towns have Disney-ized Main Streets and glamorous residential developments. Their cute Main Streets are a sort of reflected glory, as Walt Disney was a Chicago boy, who also lived in other Midwestern towns growing up. The Main Street he designed for Disneyland, California, 1955, reflects the look and feel of his boyhood hometowns. He knew this image would resonate with the millions of Americans who visit the Park every year. Oak Brook is spread out, was developed carefully, with Butler’s tasteful design control influencing every aspect of this beautiful area, down to the placement of scrubs around the red brick commercial buildings. Like Walt Disney, Paul Butler created a unique environment for enjoyment, sporting and business interests. Polo and golf enthusiasts know the area for its fine sports facilities.

Chicago has always been known as a great sports town. There is plenty of excitement with professional teams in football, hockey, and basketball - with two baseball teams. Fans can support all the pro teams, but they have to choose one baseball team. Either you are for the Chicago Cubs or the Chicago White Sox – never both. The only place those two opposing groups might come together would be on the fields of the famously competitive Chicago 16 inch softball leagues. This game, which began back in the late 1880s, when the Butler family had a diary farm on what would become Oak Brook, developed into the perfect game for the Depression era – all kids needed were a bat and softball. No gloves or fancy uniforms for these kids that played on small schoolyard gravel fields or in neighborhood parks.


As a rather clueless little girl I only knew about softball because my two older brothers, the late Chris Rocco and Peter Rocco, played. There seemed to be dozens of boys in our far west Chicago neighborhood that played softball. Yet, I don’t recall ever going to a game unless it was in our local schoolyard. There isn’t one photo of the Rocco boys in their baseball uniforms – if they had them – or with their ever-changing teams. Softball was a male world, without the adult fanfare accorded Little League players today, who routinely have dozens of parents, grandparents, and assorted relatives cheering them on. I wonder about this somewhat over-adulation where little kids get a trophy for just showing up. But that’s another story.

The long-ago boys played softball, (the ball is actually heavy and hard, but not as hard as a league ball) as my brother Peter said, “…for the love of the game.” Enough people loved the game to organize a 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame Museum. It began in 1996 as a movement to preserve the unique history of the game and to encourage the playing of the game for today’s youth. The modest outdoor museum is located in suburban Forest Park, at DesPlaines and Harrison streets, in a small park; www.16inchesoftballhof.com/history. The museum forum consists of eight display cases featuring hundreds of Hall of Fame inductees, surrounded by four baseball bat columns with a monumental center “clincher” softball to anchor the arrangement.

The outdoor Hall of Fame Museum was dedicated earlier this year, with about 1,000 persons attending. This is a big game in Chicago. A permanent building is in the planning stages. I visited the fledgling museum with my HOFer brother, Peter Rocco, in October. Rain was falling, winds were blowing, nonetheless it was a delight to look at the kiosks to find Peter’s picture and then to read of other players who were known to me only as softball player pals of my brothers. There were Chicago media people, the brother-in-law of the great American tenor Mario Lanza, the ubiquitous restaurateur Rich Melman and other names once known to me as a little girl. Untold numbers of Chicagoans, beginning in the 1920s, fell in love with this hometown game, where it took mighty arms and a quick wit to play successfully. The great thing about this game is men could and would play eternally. Men in their 70s are still playing today.

Now, I wish I had been taken to watch the games when I was young. I wish I had photos of my big brothers with their bats and balls. The Softball Hall of Fame is a wonderful museum that will grow because it honors a significant Chicago institution and the many devoted supporters of the game. It’s worth a look for folks interested in supporting this homegrown Chicago sport.

Afterwards, we headed north west of the baseball museum, going north on Mannheim Road to check out the Italian Cultural Center, 3800 Division St., Stone Park, Il 60165; phone 708-345-3842. www.casaitaliachicago.net. The rainy weather kept us from enjoying the lovely grounds. Frankly, it was difficult to find the museum building as the streets were under construction, but I’m told they have been completed. Nonetheless, I recommend visitors call the Center to obtain directions to the museum and the hours and days of operation. The day we visited no other guests were present.

We had gone to view Dominic Candeloro’s “Italians in Chicago” exhibit. Dr. Candeloro is the author of several books on the Italian experience in Chicago, including "Italians in Chicago."

The small museum building has several small rooms with Italian artifacts and art objects, including a celebrated model of St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Italy, but it was the narrative of “Italians in Chicago” that had my attention. Candeloro’s intention is to tell the story of Italian immigration through photographs, clothing, letters, work papers and ephemera.

Italians were among the approximately 12 million legal European immigrants to enter the United States through Ellis Island, which was in operation from 1892 to 1954. Today, approximately 50% of the U.S. population can trace ancestry to some person in that 12 million. Italians, most from repressive Southern Italy, were among the Europeans who entered the U.S. and submitted to both legal and medical examinations. These individuals could not have a criminal record and were required to be self-sufficient, in good health, with a promise of work and a sponsor. They neither expected nor received any monetary assistance from government agencies. They expected to work, not being inclined to accept any "free lunch." Being admitted into America was all they asked – they did the rest themselves.

Dr. Candeloro’s exhibit requires focused attention as many objects and photographs are in the original format, not enlarged. The materials are divided among four subjects: family; work; neighborhoods and gatherings. For example, the “work” section held photos of small shops, men working at various manual jobs, work papers, including papers permitting children to quit school to help support the family, which was considered honorable. According to this exhibit the immigrants sent 75% of their wages back to Italy to help their families. The estimate given for the amount was $750 million sent from 1880-1920. Considering that a man might earn 10 cents an hour it was a considerable sum. The materials also include steamship logs, tickets, receipts and citizenship papers.

An undated letter written by Angela Digiorgio, a wife in Italy, to her husband in American, offers insight into the hardships endured in this period where communications was mostly restricted to letters.

“I have not heard from you, dear husband…some said you had been injured….” She wrote how she wept each night…yet, ended with hope and “I embrace you with all my heart…your children kiss your hand…Your affectionate wife” That line, "...your children kiss you hand..." broke my heart. The end of that story is not shown.

In general, the immigrants settled in various sections of Chicago according to their towns of origin. Italians, as other ethnics do, identified themselves through their family and their towns. If your family, such as mine, originated in the mountain town, near the ruin of a medieval castle, inland from Sorrento and the Bay of Naples, called Ricigliano, you were a Riggi. I’m told my Rocco family arrived in Chicago some time in the 1880s. A small 1925 photo of a religious procession in Ricigliano, Italy, shows the men carrying a statue of the town’s patron Saint Rocco. Those festivals have continued to the present time. My late sister, Christine Francis Rocco, attended mass honoring the feast of Saint Rocco every year at St. William Church, Chicago, until 2005.

As the Italians prospered they moved out of the old neighborhoods, buying homes at the edge of Chicago. Some families, such as my Rocco grandfather, took the neighborhood with them. Three sets of married siblings, who bought several three-flat buildings in the mid-1920s, in the Austin area, took some of the neighborhood with them. But some did not. Many moved and then longed for the warmth and comfort of their former homes. One placard laments “…the new neighborhood can never become what the other one was…like a mother dying…the stepmother cannot take the place of the mother…and the new neighborhood cannot replace the old…”

Candeloro’s book, “Italians in Chicago” has a photograph of a typical newspaper stand. The caption states that virtually "...all the city’s newsstands were run by men from Ricigliano, who then sent their sons to college and law school." The book states that as late as the 1960s the barber’s union indicated the majority of barbers were of Italian decent. They, too, sent their sons to college and grandsons to law and medical schools. My husband’s father and grandfather were among these men. These were men who moved up from working class to small businessmen. This was the promise fulfilled for the Italians who came to Chicago in the early 1900s. This is a museum worth experiencing for those interested in the immigrant and Italian experience in Chicago. As a traveler I relish museums such as the softball and Italian, before they become Disney-ized and slickly over-produced. There is a charm and sincerity about them in the early stages when the experiences depicted are immediate. I'm glad I saw these two little gems. For additional information contact: Chicago Office of Tourism; www.cityofchicago/tourism.orgwww.explorechicago.org.


Marriott’s Residence Inn Chicago Oak Brook, 790 Jorie Boulevard, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, is perfect for extended stays and offers a high level of service, comfort and convenience. Contact reservations@residenceinn.com or google the hotel name for information; Phone 1-630-571-1200; FAX1-630-571-1300.

Angela Rocco DeCarlo is a former Chicago journalist, who covers travel, entertainment, and lifestyle. She lives in exile, in Southern California, missing her old neighborhood. Copyright, 2009.

Chicago: Favorite Things

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo, copyright, 2009

Chicago – like any great city – has to be enjoyed in small bites. I recently revisited my former hometown, where you can sample at one time only a small slice of the great confection that is this beautiful lakeside city. However, there are attractions that are unique or stunningly significant that should be on any traveler’s short list. This is a sort of "Best of"...Some favorite things include: tour of the magnificent Lake Michigan waterfront museum campus of parks; Art Institute’s Impressionist paintings and Thorne Miniature Rooms; Cultural Center’s magnificent Tiffany Dome ceiling, largest in world; Sue, the largest and most complete T-Rex, Field Museum of Natural History; Museum of Science and Industry, 1893 Colombian Exposition building; Lincoln memorabilia/death bed, Chicago History Museum; Chicago’s 38 bascule (meaning see-saw) bridges, including Michigan Avenue Bridge Museum; Sears Tower (tallest building in Western Hemisphere) and Hancock Center observatories; and Chicago Water Tower on Michigan Avenue, a remnant of the Great Chicago Fire, 1871.Yes, I know Sears Tower has been renamed, as has Marshall Field’s, but Chicagoan are loath to let go, hence the names Sears and Marshall Fields reverberate.

On my recent trip, my plan was to sample two Marriott properties, one in the suburbs, Residence Inn Chicago Oak Brook and one on Michigan Avenue, Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile, do the Chicago museums, have tea in a fabulous location, such as the Peninsula Hotel, gorge on Chicago’s uniquely delicious deep dish pizza and see the Softball Hall of Fame, Forest Park and Italian Cultural Center, Stone Park. I’ll deal with the suburban attractions in a separate article.

With Chicago a lifetime wouldn’t be enough to see it all. A taste of Chicago could include many other attractions such as Wrigley Field and the Cubs; Lyric Opera House; El train ride; Buckingham Fountain; Navy Pier; Architectural boat and lake cruises; Tribune Tower visit; deep dish pizza at Pizzeria Uno or Due or Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. The best way to peruse the vast panoply of Chicago delights is to access the tourism information at www.cityofchicago/tourism; phone 312-567-8500.Or www.explorechicago.org/tourism. For now we’ll go with llama-like leaps among some favorites everyone should know about.

First off, if you plan to pack up and leave soon, include plenty of warm clothing, boots and heavy coat. You can Ice skate downtown and enjoy waterscapes along Lake Michigan’s shoreline that are breathtaking, but you need proper clothing. So don’t let the weather keep you home; Chicago knows how to handle cold and snowy weather. Life goes on - excitingly.

It’s too bad Chicago wasn’t lucky enough to be founded by the Romans, as were London, Paris, Cologne and a long list of other European cities. Then it might have had instant world-class recognition instead of having to scramble to introduce itself. But then London (Londinium) is 2,000 years old and the city of Chicago not even 200 years – it was christened as a city in 1837, was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire, 1871, and was almost instantly rebuilt with echoes of the urban Parisian parks and boulevards of that era. Astonishingly, it opened the Art Institute of Chicago in 1889, just eight years after cleaning up the ashes.

At that time, the city was fortunate in its wealthier citizens and architects, such as architect and city planner Daniel Burnham, who determined to make the city as beautiful, elegant, and cultural as any European city. Burnham ensured the lakefront remain open park space. However, when developers sought to foil Burnham’s grand design, retail tycoon Montgomery Ward sued and won the protection of Chicago’s Lakefront. People like this, who loved Chicago, kept it beautiful for future generations.

The tycoons of the era, such as Marshall Field, Potter Palmer and others, had enormous civic pride and gave generously to establish Chicago’s great cultural institutions. Bertha Honore Palmer, wife of millionaire businessman Potter Palmer, (Palmer House Hotel) was an intelligent and avid Impressionist painting collector, under the guidance of American painter Mary Cassatt, who was part of the artist Impressionist cohort of the era. Palmer amassed a large collection of the best of the time. A fascinating Palmer exhibit at the Chicago History Museum includes gorgeous gowns, jewels and other artifacts, along with biographical details of Palmer’s life. It is said she traveled with her favorite Impressionist painting, Renoir’s “Acrobats at the Cirque Fernando,” which keeps company with “On the Terrace” at the AI. Mrs. Palmer’s Impressionist bequest in 1922 and the 1926 donation by Helen Birch Bartlett ensured the Art Institute of Chicago as the preeminent Impressionist collection.

The Impressionist collection at the Paris Musee d’Orsey, situated in a former train station - love those ginormous clocks – has the reputation, perhaps because of its location, but most agree it is Chicago’s collection that shines.

Chicago’s Impressionists includes Renoir’s “On the Terrace”, Monet’s “Hay Stacks”, El Greco’s “Assumption of the Virgin”, Seurat’s “Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte,” Gustave Caillebotte’s “ Paris Street, Rainy Day,” Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” as well as works by Mary Cassatt, Van Gogh, Degas, Monet, and so many more.

Imagine - 2,000 acres of the city’s core burned in 1871, and eight years later there’s an art museum amid the new buildings. The city’s energy enabled it to host the 1893 World’s Colombian Exposition with its magical “White City.” The Fine Arts Building survives today as the Museum of Science and Industry, with its superb colonnade of caryatids (female support columns). It’s working coalmine and German submarine are major attractions.

Chicago spreads out in three directions – with Lake Michigan on the east. Therefore, to easily reach favorites, I selected the Marriott on Michigan Avenue for its convenience, luxury and excellent service. Settling into the newly transformed Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile, 540 N. Michigan Ave., 312-245-4728, ChicagoMarriottDowntown.com, was easy. With this hotel you are near a huge array of restaurants, shopping, museums, attractions, summer boat rides and foot-cruising the Magnificent Mile Michigan Avenue with its world-class retail shops.

The hotel has recently been beautifully redone and features a lobby Great Room, which brings to mind the “Wizard of Oz.” Perhaps the designers took their cue from Chicagoan L. Frank Baum’s famous “Wizard of Oz” books, the first published in 1900. The classic movie came out in 1939, forging indelible images in Americans’ minds of tornados, Dorothy Gale and her three charming friends. The Marriott’s Great Room lobby features a gigantic architectural column, which for the entire world looks like a tornado funnel cloud. The horseshoe bar curves around it - visually riveting. The bank of TVs and beer taps equals after-hours relaxing.


I loved the bed in the comfortable guestroom. Wondering if I could buy one like it, I learned the beds are for sale on the hotel’s website. Though large – 1,173 rooms, including suites – the hotel's service is boutique-style. The staff took pains to banish feathers from this allergy sufferer’s room: A health-saving service. There are all amenities one desires - location, fitness center, pool and steam room.

The auto entrance is at the back on Rush St., both valet and self-park are available for slightly under $50 per day. Room rates depend on season and dates, so best to contact the hotel directly for the best rates. Phone: 312-245-4728; ChicagoMarriottDowntown.com.

After settling into the Marriott we took a $5 short cab ride to see “my” Impressionist collection and Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute. Alas, Renoir’s “On the Terrace” has been moved; I liked it in the center of the left wall – it anchored that gallery perfectly. After searching I learned the Wedgwood Portland Vase, a copy of a magnificent 2,000year old Roman glass vase (Roman original, British Museum) was not currently on display. As this is a great favorite I missed seeing it. But the museum has more than a quarter million objects, not everything can be on display.

If time is limited it’s best to take a bus tour to get a taste of the city’s charm as you glide around the beautiful lakefront – unique for an American industrial city – and take a peek at its new Millennium Park and other major cultural attractions. Be sure to make note of the entrance to Grant Park, at Congress Plaza Gardens, for the two magnificent Ivan Mestrovic 1928 bronze equestrian statues of Native Americans – the Bowman and the Spearman. Though not specified, the warriors’ obvious superb horsemanship and imposing power suggest they may represent the great horsemen of the plains, the Cheyenne. The sculptor purposely did not include the weapons – leaving that to the viewers’ imagination.

After a tour of the Thorne Rooms, splendidly recreated miniature period rooms that feature setting from the 9th century to 1930s, exquisitely furnished with authentic materials of exotic woods, stained glass, silver, gold, stone, terrazzo, Wedgwood plaques, and sculptures, we headed to the Peninsula Hotel for afternoon tea. There’s something soul-satisfying in such a day. The Thorne Rooms, 68 finely tuned replica room settings commissioned by Mrs. James Ward Thorne between 1932 and 1940 are favorites of adults and children alike. My then-three year old granddaughter, Michelle, when viewing them for the first time, uttered an awed “They’re so cute.” Don’t miss them.

So much beauty over-awes and afternoon tea is just the thing to revive the soul. So after the art we cabbed it to the splendid Peninsula Hotel, off Michigan Avenue at Superior. Afternoon tea is something I enjoy in every city visited. All are distinctive, but share a predictability that is relaxing and soothing. Everything is bite-sized, no cutting required and everything is slightly sweet. In fact, this is my favorite meal – well, maybe Chicago pizza ties the score. In any case, afternoon tea usually has three courses: scones, pastries and sandwiches, along with the tea, of course.

The Peninsula boosts a gorgeous space called The Lobby, with Murano glass chandeliers, custom carpets and octagonal-backed padded armchairs. The impression is of sun-kissed splendor even on a rainy day. Murano glass has a long history, from the 9th century to the present. The manufacturing center is located near Venice, Italy, on a tiny island in the Adriatic Sea. The Peninsula’s ceiling fixtures are delicate cascading droplets of sparkling light that draws the eye in a room full of beautiful accouterments.

The table is set with Wedgwood china set on cream-colored linen placemats. Two string musicians on an upper balcony serenade the guests below. My anticipation was well rewarded when the small chocolate chip scones arrived with cream and strawberry preserves; the combination is scrumptious. Green tea was served in a small plain white pot, along with sealed envelopes of sweeteners– so long to the darling sugar cubes long associated with tea service.

All the food is brought to the table at once on a three-tired silver server. Among the delectable treats were the scones, chocolate mini-cupcakes; pink macaroon cookies and perfect chicken salad sandwiches. However, guests need not order the entire tea service.

“My wife and I always celebrate our birthdays at tea, “ says guest, Dr. Michael Mercer, an industrial psychologist and author of several books, including “Hire the Best – Avoid the Rest.” He and his wife, Mary, admitted to sampling tea service in all the fine Chicago hotels.

“We like the Peninsula best because we can order only what we like,” he continued. “Mary likes scones and finger sandwiches, but not pastries. I don’t care for the finger sandwiches. So we order a la carte and each is happy. And we love the charming, very airy and open feel of the room. And the music is wonderful.”

They were the kind of people one thinks might be on their way to the Lyric Opera to catch Puccini’s “Tosca.” The Lyric lists 77 performances for the 2009-2010 season, with “Tosca” playing again in January 2010. If it’s the Zefferelli production I’m tempted to fly back for a matinee, if only to erase the memory of the Metropolitan Opera’s recent screwy “Tosca” production. The 1927-’29 Civic Opera House is a beautiful auditorium that enhances the stage experience. Many modern facilities resemble padded shoeboxes with no place of beauty to rest the eye.

There were some shoppers at tea, not surprising, as the Peninsula is convenient to Water Tower Place and other premier Chicago retail centers. If weather permits, a stroll the length of Michigan Avenue from the river north to the Drake Hotel, is worth the shoe-leather: the Michigan Avenue bridge, Tribune Tower, Wrigley Building, new Trump building, American Girl Place, Marina Towers and upscale retailers line the boulevard. Anyone with a little girl will relish AG Place – a virtual harem of girlie-ness. As the mother of three sons, I found it rather exotic and somewhat bewildering, especially the beauty salon for dolls. Nonetheless, it was the realization of my heartfelt dream to surprise my granddaughter with an American Girl look-alike doll of green eyes and auburn hair. Adorable.

It is impossible to be in Chicago and not eat deep-dish pizza. My husband and I have been diners of the originals since our dating years as teens. Lou Malnati’s, a descendent of the original Pizzeria Uno and Due (Italian; one and two) is a favorite. We usually load up on a dozen frozen Malnati pizzas in a special bag, which was forgotten. Result: no Chicago pizza in California, truly a sorry state.

In any case, there are dozens of Malnati outlets all over Chicago and one on Wells St. However, the night we wanted pizza we were walking and it was raining so we landed in Pizzeria Due on Rush. It’s the place we went to as college-age kids. The pizza was nearly as we remember it.

It’s nice to be able to go back “home.” Especially when the city is Chicago.

Angela Rocco DeCarlo, former Chicago journalist, covers travel, entertainment, and culture for www.travelingdiva.com, www.angelaroccodecarlo.blogspot.com, and www.heralddeparis.com. She lives in exile in Southern California.

A Holiday Festival of Trains

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, CA

They're back!

Sadly, there was no train exhibit last year at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda, CA, and plenty of train enthusiasts were disappointed, especially those who had enjoyed the trains the previous two years. But this year the train exhibits have returned, bigger and better, thanks to the dedication of various model train clubs, including the Southern California LEGO© Train Club and Train Collector’s Association and Empire Railway Museum, Perris, California. This is a “must-see” holiday event for the entire family: A tradition to treasure.

It’s hard to tell who is more thrilled by the 1,500 feet of track, 13” tall multi-layered landscapes with 14 trains running on six tracks – adults remembering their own toy trains as children or the children they have with them, experiencing the romance of trains as their fathers and grandfathers once did. The exhilarating displays call for repeat visits to fully appreciate the charm of the two rooms of trains. The entrance lobby is taken up with a ginormous LEGO© landscape, while the traditional mountain of trains keeps company with the George Washington “Crossing the Delaware” painting in a separate room.

The LEGO© cityscape is spectacular, with skyscrapers, heliports, street cafes, miniature vehicles of all kinds, including, of course, moving trains. There is a 20 foot-long suspension bridge and a 15 foot-long cable-stayed bridge and two others. There’s even a little pirate’s cove hidden beyond “civilization.” It is difficult for the eye to accommodate the fabulously diverse features, so the museum made a little game to help the children along. Two whiteboards list items for viewers to find. The day we were there, the items viewers were encouraged to locate were: Superman; four American flags (hint: look for Superman at one of the flags); sea monster (look under a bridge); five helicopters, two pizza trucks and much more. It was not an easy task - but made the experience more challenging. Older kids especially liked circling around to find as many of the designated pieces as possible.

The second display room, in addition to the mountain of trains, had an 8’ x 8’ glass-enclosed, button-operated inter-active game. The children could push a button to make the helicopter fly, the RR gate go up, the conductor emerge from the station and other actions. Wonderful vintage videos of the opening of Disneyland, 1955, played on, with then-Vice President Richard Nixon and family cutting the ribbon to start the Disneyland Monorail train and having a tough time doing it. Walt Disney had to rip it apart with lots of laughs all ‘round.

In this room the huge mountain of six levels of moving trains – all different sizes, tiniest at the top, largest on bottom – was enchanting. The landscape was dressed for autumn on two sides with a beautiful winter scene of a snow-dappled village, complete with an infinitesimal flying Santa sleigh at the top, on the other side. The children never tired of going round and round to marvel at the trains rushing through tunnels and over bridges, finding something new with each look. They have asked to go back again.

When you go, be sure to inspect the various cases along the walls, which contain marvelous Lionel trains – invented in 1901 by Joshua Lionel Cowan. Initially, the animated trains were used to attract window shoppers in New York City. Each year the Lionel Company produces 300 miles of track and has built 50 million train sets.

Each year my own Christmas fireplace tableaux features a Lionel engine from one of these trains - a last remnant of a post-WII Lionel train set. The set belonged to my husband, Dan, when he was a boy, but the rest of the set – tracks and trains– were flooded out in the basement of our suburban Chicago home years ago. Only the treasured heavy black metal engine remains.

In his memoirs, Richard Nixon wrote: “All through grade school my ambition was to become a railroad engineer.” His father, Frank, who built the family home, which is located at the Museum, had been a street-car motorman in Columbus, Ohio, before the family relocated to California.

Today, with our ability to fly across the country in the time it would have taken Nixon’s father to travel by horse and wagon from Whittier to Anaheim, the romance and wonder of the adventure trains once represented is hard to imagine. This exhibit rekindles that amazement of travel and trains and the longing to explore, which is engendered by powerful trains cutting through the countryside.

Don’t miss the full-size steam engine, “Chloe,” a sugar plantation engine, displayed next to the presidential helicopter (go inside the helicopter for extra fun) east of the Nixon home at the edge of the library property. On your way to the helicopter take a peek in the windows of the White House East Room replica with its glorious crystal chandeliers and oil paintings.

Something of the horse and wagon remains in modern trains and their tracks. It is said the width of the early train track – 56.5” wide – replicates the width of two horses and the wagons they pulled. Going farther back, there were roads of wood rails in Germany in 1550, which had horse-drawn wagons hauling freight and people. The iron rails and wheels arrived about 1776 and by 1789 a flange was added to allow the wheel to gripe the rail. Once the steam engine appeared – 1803 – in Wales, the world was changed forever. Various inventors are credited with the steam engine, among them James Watt, but there are others.

Of course, everything goes back to the Romans and train track widths are no exception. The width of modern train tracks are approximately the width of ancient Roman chariots’ wheels. The engineer of the Knott’s Berry Farm full-sized steam engine first shared this with me. Further research indicated he was on the mark and the Romans can take another bow for their contributions to Western culture.

The Romans were in England 54 B.C. and didn’t leave until about 425 A.D. They left their beautiful roads, walls and centrally heated villas with hot running water to go defend the Empire elsewhere. It would be more than 1000 years before an Englishman would again have a hot bath in a warm house - and longer than that for fast transportation. They didn't call it the Dark Ages for nothing. Technology and trains threw a bright beam of enlightenment across the land.

“A Holiday Festival of Trains,” Nixon Museum, runs until Jan 10, 2010.
Nixon Presidential Library & Museum
18001 Yorba Linda Blvd
Yorba Linda, CA92886
714-993-5075 – www.nixonlibrary.org
Admission: adults, $9.95; seniors $6.95; children 7-11 $3.75; children 6 and younger are admitted without charge.
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.

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Angela Rocco DeCarlo, a former Chicago journalist, now residing in Orange County, covers culture, travel and entertainment.

Loving San Diego

San Diego, like Shakespeare’s Cleopatra, “…age cannot wither nor custom stale her infinite variety…” enjoys a glamorous reputation. The Southern California city, is a sparkling jewel set about with water and dotted with lovely hotels, fabulously fun entertainments, and historical sites such as SeaWorld, San Diego Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, architecturally adventurous Balboa Park with its many museums, the USS Midway, and the first of the 21 California missions, Mission San Diego de Alcala, established by Franciscan Friars in the 18th century for the Spanish crown.

It is true to say that no matter how many times one visits San Diego there is always more to see and relish. Having written about San Diego for decades it is refreshing to know there is always something left unexplored to which one can look forward. Though summer is past, fall offers continuing warm weather, with fewer tourists, online discount coupons and lower hotel rates.

There are many special events to entice visitors: Fleet Week San Diego, actually runs into mid-October with many events, including US Navy ship tours; Miramar Air Show, Oct. 2, 3 and 4; SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular; Little Italy Festa, Oct. 11 and SD Wine & Food Festival, Nov. 18-22. Admission to SD Zoo and SD Wild Animal Park is free for children ages 3-11 in October. The Da Vinci Experience (to Nov. 1) at the SD Air & Space Museum features over 30 full-sized and interactive replica Da Vinci machines along with reproductions of 12 of Da Vinci’s most famous paintings. It’s best to consult the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, one of the best such sources, for complete information on the vast array of attractions: www.sandiego.org or call 619-236-1212.

Recently we treated two of our grandchildren, Michelle, 11 and Andrew, 9, to a few days in sunny San Diego in order for me to be introduced to the killer whale, Shamu – a celebrity nearly as famous as the late Michael Jackson. Alas, we had missed him on previous visits to see artist Edgar Degas’ Little Ballerina sculpture, the Pompeii exhibit, the SD Zoo pandas, the Wild Animal Park giraffes, the USS Midway and the mission San Diego de Alcala. I was intrigued to see this world renowned performer. As I consider myself to be something of a “non-fish” person– yes, I know Shamu is not a fish, but our cousin mammal - I was not anticipating what happened to me at SeaWorld. While there are a wide variety of animals such as polar bears, penguins, walruses, dolphins, sharks, fish, whales, etc., at SeaWorld I wanted to see Shamu.

San Diego SeaWorld is an easy drive from our homes in Orange County, CA, and to cut down on driving even more we selected hotel accommodations ten minutes from Shamu’s place…we didn’t want to waste a moment. So after settling into the lovely Paradise Point Resort & Spa on Mission Bay, www.paradisepoint.com, a 44-acre charmer with lavish tropical gardens, five pools, bike trails, marina and an 18-hole putting green (Andrew’s favorite), we dashed over to see Shamu.

It was love at first sight.

Much to my surprise – and not a little embarrassment – I became emotionally enthralled as Shamu began to perform. Silly to say, but I felt as I did the first time I’d seen Frank Sinatra in person and immediately understood his half century successful career. I felt he was singing especially for me. And Shamu – with apologies to Frank – was nearly as enticing. Shamu seemed to be smiling at me as he slid up from the water in a marine salute to the audience. My emotional response accelerated and produced a near-Stendhal syndrome experience. I’d heard about the Stendhal or Florence syndrome after being dazzled by the art at the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy. Apparently, it is a recognized phenomenon in Italy. A highly emotional response consisting of a mixture of awe, wonder, delight in great art or natural beauty which can produce, among other things, dizziness, fainting or weeping.

How else to explain that Shamu, in his own way, was nearly as awesome, in the correct sense of that over-used word, as a Florentine art treasure. It seemed to me Shamu is one of the wonders of the world.

Shamu is sleekly black and white, spectacularly beautiful, agile and talented – and yes, he certainly has personal charm. It was the Sinatra effect all over again. This glorious creature graciously enacted improbably daring – they looked that way –skills just for me. Well, OK, for the entire audience.

The show is artfully conceived and Shamu is presented in a creative narrative in an aquatic theater overseen by highly talented trainers and performers. And like the Stendhal response I nearly wept with the beauty of what I was seeing. Even now, I’m not sure why I responded so emotionally to what is, after all, only an animal act. I can only say the Shamu (actually there are several killer whales that enact the role) I saw perform has “it” – that indefinable quality that grabs an audience and leaves an indelible impression.

We also saw the dolphin show, which was wonderful. The dolphins are trained to swim around the perimeter of the water tank while flipping water at guests – who love it! It was fun, but I did not fall in love with any of the performers, same with the dog show. Cute pooches doing cute things, but no love affair developed. The Wild Animal Park denizens were lovely to see, especially the giraffes that come up close to the guest tram to nibble one of the few trees – maybe they it would be good to plant more trees in the animal area. Anyway, again, no bells ringing. Yet, I’m willing to bet that each visitor will have his or her unique experience in response to the splendid variety of experiences within San Diego. No doubt someone has fallen in love with the giraffes or dolphins, as I did with Shamu. This is a city which offers so many entertainments return visits are necessary.

With fall there are more special promotional discounts on parks and accommodations.The best strategy is to first check the San Diego Visitors & Convention Bureau, then the individual attractions you wish to see. Leave time for unexpected delights that will certainly turn up. One should check online for discount coupons for SeaWorld and other attractions, as well as hotel rates, vacations packages and operating hours for various attractions. Request any available informational booklets, brochures, coupons, etc., be mailed to you. Once you go, you’ll know and will return again & again.


Before you go:

* SeaWorld – www.seaworld.com, and www.seaworldsandiego.com, 1-800-25-SHAMU.
* San Diego Convention &Visitors Bureau – www.sandiego.org, 1-619-236-1212.
* Paradise Point Resort & Spa – www.paradisepoint.com, 1-858-274-4630.

Angela Rocco DeCarlo, copyright, 2009

Long Beach Museum of Art: “Novel Constructions – Artists Create Monumental Books” May 1 through August 16, 2009

There’s still time to catch the captivating exhibit, “Novel Constructions – Artists Create Monumental Books” at the charming Long Beach Museum of Art, 2300 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. The exhibit closes August 16 and I’m sorry I didn’t see it earlier.

When I first walked into the exhibit I was, by turns, puzzled, confounded, but ultimately delighted, by the novel approach crafted by the six artists who created the works in the exhibit.

I was taken by surprise by the circular wordy disks artist Cheryl Sorg created. At first glance it is not apparent there is text in the graceful shapes on what appears to be huge plastic panels. Upon closer inspection the monumental scope of her creation comes into view and one is charmed by the originality and celebration of the printed word. It is a monstrous task to cut and paste, all in a circular format, the printed pages used in the display. How she achieved the precise design is a wonderment. The museum brochure tells us “…she cuts the books apart line by line, sometimes word by word, and reassembles the text with acid-free clear tape on to the Mylar.” I was delighted by the works featuring printed texts. Anyone who loves books may feel the same.

The installation, 280, by Edith Abeyta, refers, according to the artist, to the number of ill-fated French Queen Marie Antoinette’s prison cell. The entire room display is framed, according to museum information, by pages from Marie Antoinette’s diary. There is a cot and other pieces of furniture in the enclosure, creating a fanciful setting for the queen’s final days. The actual cell in which the queen spent her final days was eventually turned into a chapel.

The entire Novel exhibit features not only the printed texts, but books of leaves, tarpaper and other unique altered books. It is a fascinating exhibit.

The museum’s “Dark Forest” exhibit features a gallery full of sculptures by David Simon, based upon the contemporary play The Black Rider: The Casting of the MagicBullets. The Faustian storyline gives birth to strangely realistic figures shown to advantage in the eerie low-lighted gallery.

The Long Beach Museum of Art, situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a gem of a venue with always interesting exhibits. The Museum’s “Family Artmaking Workshops ”encourage children to “come get your hands dirty and your brains engaged!” These FREE drop-in workshops for adults and children, take place Fridays from 1:00 -3:00 p.m. in the Ralston Family Learning Center on August 7, 14, 21 and 28.

Long Beach Museum of Art
2300 E. Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA90803
562-439-2119
www.ibma.org

Museum hours: Tues. –Sun. 11 a.m. -5 p.m.
Fridays are free.
Admission-$7 adults, $6 students & seniors

Angela Rocco DeCarlo, copyright, 2009

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Man on the Moon: Nixon Library Apollo Exhibit

Before Galileo built the first complete astronomical telescope, 400 years ago, humans were nearly universally unaware of the specifics of the solar system. In fact, it was accepted the Earth was the center of the Universe and only in imagination did man fly to the Moon. Yet, in 2009, the International Year of Astronomy as designated by the United Nations, in recognition of Galileo's first telescope observations, American men walked upon the Moon. It is a time to celebrate Galileo and his scientific decedents, the astronauts and scientists and builders of the NASA lunar projects

Those of us fortunate enough to have been alive July 20, 1969, to watch a world-wide television broadcast saw Commander Neil Armstrong float down from Earth’s spacecraft, Eagle, onto the virgin surface of our Moon, enshrining man’s footprint with the words, “That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

It was wondrous. Beyond thrilling. Heroic. As a nation it was, as President Richard Nixon later said, in a phone call to the astronauts, “…proudest day of our lives…”

As my babies slept, I, along with an estimated half a billion other persons, were privileged to experience the fulfillment of mankind’s ancient dream to touch the man in the moon. The astronauts became one with that dream and brought it home to us all.

Now we are reliving the excitement and wonder with the 40th Anniversary of the first lunar landing by Apollo 11 and its astronauts, Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar-Module Pilot, Buzz Aldrin and Command-Module Pilot Michael Collins. There have been TV shows and print coverage galore. For those who would like a more personal review, make plans to visit The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum’s exhibit, “Man on the Moon: The Fortieth Anniversary.” Located at 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd,Yorba Linda, CA, the exhibit runs through January 30, 2010.

Like Neil Armstrong’s public persona, the Nixon exhibit is a rather unassuming low-key affair. It features a variety of artifacts – space suit, small lunar module model, moon rocks, plaques, printed documents, audio tapes and photos of the astronauts, including the iconic color photo of the three Apollo 11 astronauts. There they are – their faces radiating some indescribable secret - rendering them forever young and heroic in our imaginations. For they were our star emissaries, with their ‘satiable curiosity, to find out exactly what the Moon is made of.

The Man on the Moon exhibit features descriptive and hands-on exhibits on all six Apollo missions that reached the Moon and the one that did not, Apollo 13. Artifacts given to President Nixon from NASA astronauts from the Apollo 11 to Apollo 17 lunar missions are featured. Apollo in-flight suits and a lunar sample bag are also on display. There is also a pair of astronaut underwear with descriptions of the “waste management” features.

Four decades after the historic Moon landing we tend to forget how laden with danger these missions were. Of course, in retrospect it seemed destined to succeed. However, those involved knew nothing of the kind. They prepared, trained, tested and made the spacecraft as safe as possible...but in the end it took the courage of the astronauts of test the viability of each and every spacecraft. Anything could happen and only the dedication and skill of those 400,000 workers on the ground who built the crafts, as well as the highly competent test pilots - astronauts - in space to keep disaster at bay. Nonetheless, to be prepared in the event of a tragic circumstance for the astronauts on the Moon, a press release with statements by President Nixon was prepared ahead of time. Fortune was with the US and it was not needed. .

The typed statement, written by William Safire, dated July 18, 1969, reads in part –
“…Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace…they know there is no hope for their recovery…”

How marvelous the three space explorers were returned home to help continue the NASA missions. It wasn't only Americans who were awed by the accomplishments. Leaders from around the world send messages to the US president.

One congratulatory note, from India’s Indira Gandhi, reads in part, “July 21, 1969…all…hailing historic achievement of the United States and her astronauts…thrilled at this victory for mankind won by your country’s science and spirit of adventure…pray…for safe return.” An appropriate message - eloquent & heartfelt.

The exhibit puts the visitor into the moment of that era. One simple plaque is a heartstopper - “America’s Men in Space – Mercury Gemini Apollo - They worked together in the high adventure of exploring space, and helped make the heavens a part of man’s world.” The plaque carries the engraved signatures of the astronauts.

The astronauts’ work can be viewed as the fulfillment of every human’s desire who gazed in wonder at the heavens, making star pictures of the constellations to tell the stories of Gemini, Taurus and the other ten constellations.

Four hundred years ago the Italian astronomer, mathematician and physicist, Galileo Galilei, 1564-1643, constructed the first complete astronomical telescope (1609) which enabled Galileo to confirm Copernican theory of the solar system with the Earth orbiting the Sun. No doubt he must have known – or hoped - that someday man would create the means to fly to the Moon. For seeing is never enough. Man’s ‘satiable curiosity must find fulfillment.

It's a good time to celebrate - by Americans and the world - the astronauts 40th Anniversary of the first lunar landing as well as the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first telescope observations of the heavens. Galileo pointed the way - the astronauts followed.

The American astronauts embody the fulfillment of ancient wonderment at the heavens.

We Americans can be proud.

Contact: The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
18001 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
714-983-9120
Http://www.nixonlibrary.gove
nison@archives.gov
Hours: 10-5, Mon.–Sat.;11-5, Sun.
Admission: Adults -$9.95; children age 7-11, $3.75; younger children free.
Seniors $6.95, Militaryw/ID $5.95, Student $6.95
School groups are free.Contact nixon@archives.gov.

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Eternal Beauty, Eternal Rome: “Pompeii and the Roman Villa – Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples”

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo, copyright 2009

The ancient city of Pompeii, Italy, has fascinated the world since excavations began in 1748 on this city buried more than 1700 years ago. Victim of Mt. Vesuvius’ cataclysmic volcanic eruption on August 24, 79 AD, it remains one of the world’s most important travel destinations.

Today, visitors can get a taste of the lost city of Pompeii at Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) exhibit, “Pompeii and the Roman Villa - Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples.” The show runs from May 3 through October 4, 2009. It is testament to the voracious appetite ancient Romans had for all Greek culture and art. That single-mindedness resulted in priceless treasures being preserved for nearly two thousands of years.

Fortunately, we know exactly what happened to the ill-fated people of ancient Pompeii thanks to the scholar, Pliny the Younger, who wrote a detailed eyewitness description of the sudden explosion, in 79 AD, of Mount Vesuvius on the Bay of Naples, Italy. The powerful volcanic eruption, together with earthquakes and tsunamis, devastated the coastal area and the cities were covered under volcanic rock and nearly forgotten, until 1738 when the royal family of the region initiated excavations on Herculaneum and on Pompeii ten years later.

As an Italian American, seeing an ancient Pompeii exhibit is a bit like going home. My 19th century Italian ancestors came from the Pompeii, Campania, Italy, area and when visiting that site several years ago there was a profound sense of connection. I was puzzled to see faces in frescos which looked familiar – then I realized they looked like people I knew, cousins and other relatives. Over the years I’ve seen many Pompeii exhibits in various museums and each has been different.

LACMA’s “Pompeii and the Roman Villa” is a bountiful feast of beautiful specimen art pieces, from Roman villas, in various media, designed to illuminate the richness of taste and refinement of the elite Romans who built spectacular villas around Pompeii. Other exhibits had slightly different perspectives.

The Art Institute of Chicago’s glorious display more than 25 years ago put the visitor immediately into the atrium, (center courtyard) of a Pompeii town home. One heard and saw the graceful fountain, just as the Roman families would enjoy. Last year’s San Diego Art Museum Pompeii exhibit showed another side of life in Pompeii, focusing on how the ordinary people of the area lived. There were huge commercial scales; models of storefronts; displays of goods for sale; where people lived (often above the store); the type of businesses they ran and the cleverness of the city engineers in keeping the city clean and prosperous. There was also a film which belabored the eruption of Vesuvius and the possibilities of future explosions - much like a Hollywood disaster film might show.

Some past Pompeii exhibits have included casts of dead bodies – actually the spaces where the bodies had been trapped in the eruption – but the LACMA show does not. This exhibit seeks to soothe with scenes and artifacts from magnificent villas, showing the glory of furnishings of great art. Interestingly, there are several fine paintings or frescoes of villas, but no scale models. As many villas covered huge tracks of land, such models would have added interesting information to the exhibit.

This show is an elegant collection of Roman and Greek artifacts, as well as 19th century European photo albums, paintings and books by those who traveled to the discovered cities and fell in love with the entire Bay of Naples region, including Pompeii, Herculaneum and other cities, after they were uncovered in the 18th century. These modern Europeans were amazed to see entire cities emerge from underground to reveal secrets of past lives. The news of the discoveries swept Europe, and ultimately North America, and people became just as fascinated with the art and culture of Pompeii as the ancient Romans had been with the original Greek art that informed so much of Pompeii culture.

Suddenly, all things Roman became the frenzy of fashion after the excavations began and anyone who aspired to refinement sought to attach themselves to Roman art. Many artisans were influenced by the discoveries of Pompeii and the art of the area, including the great English potter Josiah Wedgwood. He was inspired by the classical vases and jewelry found in the Pompeii region and opened a new factory, Etruria, in 1769 to produce jasperware art objects which utilized low relief designs based upon art pieces of antiquity.His designs were inspired by Greeks and Roman myths and were depicted in Wedgwood’s distinctive white relief on blue vases, tableware and other objects. Alas, a Wedgwood display does not appear in the LACMA exhibit. Nonetheless, it is an elegant exhibit filled with spectacular artifacts showing the great love of Greek art the Romans cultivated and passed on to us all in the Western World. For example, our Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., mimics this great architectural tradition, together with many public buildings throughout the country.

Ancient Pompeii and the surrounding coastline cities were popular and successful commercial and artistic centers centuries before the 79 AD eruption, attracting the Roman elite, artisans, merchants and entrepreneurs of every type. This was the place of the Lifestyle of the Rich and Roman, where ruling families and emperors such as Julius Caesar, Tiberius, Caligula,Claudius and Nero had summer homes filled with the best of Greek culture and art. The lawyer Cicero had eight homes in the area. Fortunate for us, this LACMA show details the great love Romans had for Greek art and culture and how they emulated it all in every aspect of their homes and lives.

Posterity benefited from the tragedy of Pompeii. The circumstances of the destruction and preservation ensured the area’s place in history and art. On that day of doom for Pompeii, in 79 A.D, the nephew of Pliny the Elder, the commander of the fleet, wrote an eyewitness account of the volcano’s eruption (“Eyewitness to History”, edited by John Carey).

“My uncle (Pliny the Elder), on active command of the fleet….” observed a threatening cloud and set out at once to investigate. …the huge cloud blackened the sky and appeared “…as being an umbrella pine, for it rose to a great height on a sort of trunk and then split off into branches…” The Pliny account describes how people fled with pillows tied to their heads to ward off the burning ash. Many survived, but still more perished, incinerated by volcanic ash. The uncle, Pliny the Elder, died of suffocation in attempting to rescue those trapped near the volcano. Pliny the Younger and his mother fled only after learning of the Elder’s death. This horrific story was recast in the 1834 novel, “The Last Days of Pompeii,“ by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, which has had many reincarnations in films and books. It is a story of endless interest to succeeding generations.

Today, visitors to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) exhibit, “Pompeii and the Roman Villa – Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples,” can relive the Mediterranean glamour in which the elite of first century Roman politics and commerce luxuriated. The LACMA Pompeii exhibit has a vast array of fine examples of stunning antiquities, from gigantic Aphrodite/Venus sculptures to beautiful frescoes, mosaics, bronze figures, jewelry and literature set off to advantage by the rich background of deep hunter green walls with white surrounds.

Images such as “ The Three Graces”, 1st century BC and “Relief of an Athlete with Hoop”, 1st century BC -1st century, AD, seem so familiar, as these classic figures have been reproduced repeatedly. It also reminds us that there’s nothing new under the sun. The hoop in the “Relief of an Athlete” was used in various ancient games, so the hula hoop is, in fact, rather ancient.

Here you will experience the luminous blue and green garden scenes so often used in a Pompeii villa, as well as towering sculpted urns, precisely carved cameo brooches and bracelets, exquisite gold, pearl and emerald earrings, delicate glassware, silver mirrors and finely cast bronze figures, including a magnificent Alexander the Great astride his beloved warhorse Bucephalus. A mosaic of Plato with his students indicates the reverence for Greek intellectual values which the Romans sought to emulate.

The ancient Romans knew a good thing when they saw it.

Already master militarists, architects, lawyers, administrators and engineers, whose magnificent roads have endured as long as the city of Pompeii, which had the dubious benefit of lying under volcanic ash for 1700 years, the ancient Romans fell in love with Greek culture and set out to capture it. That they vanquished Greece in 146 BC is almost beside the point, as they seized upon and elevated every aspect of Greek culture and built upon it.

The Romans loved the “old masters” from the “Golden Age of Pericles” of the 5th century BC, much as we today revere Michelangelo and Da Vinci. Beauty is eternal and the Romans saved and enlarged the best of Western art from the Greeks. We lucky few can see some of these ancient artifacts in Los Angeles, CA.

This exhibit benefits from curators Carol Matausch, Art History Professor at George Mason University, who developed the Pompeii exhibit for the U.S. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and Kenneth Lapatin, Associate Curator of Antiquities at the J. Paul Getty Museum, who is guest curator at LACMA.

This exhibit at LACMA runs May 3, until October 4, and offers a tantalizing peek into an ancient luxurious era, which may resonate with modern viewers. It may seem somewhat reassuring that no matter how dire circumstances may be, some things endure, especially the love of beauty.

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LACMA –“Pompeii and the Roman Villa”
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-857-6000
Admission –general admission $12; seniors/college students, $8; under 18 yrs free. After 5 p.m. pay what you wish. Second Tues. of month, free admission. Hours: Mon.,Tues., Thurs., 12-8 p.m.; Fri., 12-9 p.m; Sat., Sun., 11-8 p.m.
Parking –prepay at welcome center; parking across the street.

MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON

by Angela Rocco DeCarlo

Watching the story unfold of the US Airways jetliner's Hudson River landing January 15, 2009, filled Americans with an overwhelming sense of gratitude, awe and wonder.
As more was learned about the pilot and crew it was clear this incident - "Miracle on the Hudson" (no one is better than New Yorkers to create instant tag lines) - was apparently the most marvelously competent water landing - ditching is not the correct term for what Pilot Sullenberger did - ever seen.
Reports blamed an unfortunate flock of birds, which apparently collided with the jet engines minutes after takeoff. (Why can't the engines have a fine titanium mesh screen protector?) The jetliner was carrying 150 passengers and five crew members from La Guardia Airport, NY, to Charlotte, NC.
With two disabled engines, the pilots and crew had about as much time to decide and execute a plan of survival as it takes to microwave breakfast bacon - a few minutes. Yet, from among few options the water landing was targeted and executed with superb results.
That Captain Chelsey Sullenberger III and his co-pilot, who has yet to be named, demonstrated that elusive quality many think of as emblematic of the best of American character, and so sorely absent in public figures of late - extreme competence combined with integrity of duty - fills spectators and survivors with respect and awe.
It is impossible to not contrast this heroic and ultimately fortunate event with the sordid revelations of corruption, incompetence, thievery, venal avarice which abound in the demise of America's economic structures - banks, mortgage companies, Wall Street firms, government officials.
Americans are shell shocked by the enormity of bad people doing bad things resulting in the wrecking of the very foundations of the economic systems of the country. So absorbing the elegant and effective execution, by Captain Sullenberger and his crew, of the seemingly perfect landing - except that is was on water - and the survival of all shook us to our socks.
Not only did the passengers get a stay on their own mortality, giving us all the vague notion we might effect some permanent avoidance, but the water landing and rescue by New York City water personnel was instantaneous and completely effective. People wait longer for a commuter train than did the survivors who stood shivering on the floating aircraft's wings.
This miracle was made possible by people doing their jobs extremely well. It's pitiful to admit, but we must be honest, we have seen so little of such competence in our government officials and "titans of Wall Street." The survival rate indicated the crew included people of knowledge, skill, talent, integrity, and a sense of duty. Where do you see that these days?
In government and private business we've seen too much of people who lack all of these traits while they face television cameras and blame others for their failures. This aircraft landing somehow renews our faith that there are, indeed, Americans who still can and do respond with heroic efforts to bad situations.
Reportedly, Capt. Sullenberger, patrolled the interior of the aircraft twice to insure no one was left behind, before he exited his ship. Apparently, the constellation of his training - he flew fighter jets, and is a safety expert - and leadership of duty is what marshaled the crew to make the correct decisions with alacrity.
Luck and prayers may also have played a role. But that's something we can't quantify.
So we devour the news coverage of this spectacular cheater of death.
It renews our sense that "Yes, there are competent people left in the country upon whom we can rely!" We know them by their actions, not by their words.
Hats off to US Airways captain Chelsey B. Sullenberger III and his magnificent crew and all the New York City rescue workers who made it possible for 150 persons to continue on with their lives. They made it possible for all of us in the country to renew our faith in the ultimate goodness and competence of Americans.
Amazing how a near-castrastrastroke can ultimately buoy the entire country.
It has been reported Captain Sullenberger was educated at the US Airforce Academy before serving his country as a fighter pilot. This water landing may have done more to serve his country than any of his previous brave battle actions. Faith renewed in American competence and integrity is priceless.