Ghost-grey

"The days are short,
The sun a spark,
Hung thin between
The dark and dark."
- John Updike


Ghost-grey the fall of night.
Ice-bound the lane,
Lone in the dying light
Flits he again;

Lurking where shadows steal.
Perched in his coat of blood,
Man’s homestead at his heel.
Death-still the wood.

Odd restless child; it's dark;
All wings are flown
But this one wizard’s - hark!
Stone clapped on stone!

Changeling and solitary.
Secret and sharp and small,
Flits he from tree to tree,
Calling on all.
- Walter De La Mere, The Robin


It is Yule, Montol, Brumalia, Lohri, Yalda, Koliada, Dongzhi, Midwinter's Day [whatever you choose to call it], the Winter Solstice - the longest night - today.

Good news, however - the days get longer from here on!

Roll on Spring...

Sinuous

It's World Art Nouveau Day, you say..?

Well, if you insist!

Hugely influenced by both the Arts and Crafts movement and the style known as Aestheticism in the late 19th century, and definitely a la mode in the heady years of la Belle Epoque, a taste for massively over-stylised curlicues, swags and carving, sinuous, sculptural, organic shapes, arches, curving lines, gilding, hammered metal, enamelwork, and sensual depictions of nature emerged at the turn of the 20th century - and the world went mad for it.

Ooh la la!

Tuschinski - mooi oud theater

My favourite building in one of my favourite cities on Earth...

From the Tippin' the Scales blog:

The Amsterdam Tuschinski Theatre is considered one of the most beautiful cinemas in the world. Visitors are very impressed with the thousands of electrical lamps, the marble, the stunning stained glass windows and the exotic objects d’art. The theatre opened its doors in 1921 and is a mix of Art Deco and Amsterdam School/Art Nouveau styles.

Visitors enter the Tuschinski fairy-tale world on deep-piled carpets. The entrance and the foyer feature stunning decorations, including peacocks, cranes and butterflies. One of the hall’s showpieces is the famous 150 square metre large hand-knotted carpet. Another striking detail is the cupola.

In 1921 this was a huge sensation for the people who came to the theatre. Founder Abraham Tuschinski commissioned top artists to incorporate the various styles he loved in the building. Tuschinski’s dream came true when the theatre opened in 1921. He was of the opinion that every person had a right to relaxation.

Various celebrities have entertained the public on the stage in the main auditorium, including Marlene Dietrich, Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker. These days Tuschinski is mainly a cinema.

Pathé Tuschinski, Reguliersbreestraat 26,1017 CN Amsterdam