The Beauty Of The Bust

Ever since my first trip to Italy in 1984, I've been fascinated by statuary. It's one thing to see their pictures in books. It's a completely different experience to see them in person. It's both a combination of awe and admiration that someone can create something so beautiful out of stone.

19th century Italian marble bust.
My latest acquisition. 

I especially love to see the many ways that a bust can be incorporated into rooms of all design styles. I can't help wonder the history. Is it of an ancestor? Does it have a symbolic meaning to the owner or the property? Or did the person who owns it simply fall in love with the face?

In my case, I fell in love with the face. I've searched for a bust of my own for years. I've been to auctions, estate sales, antique shops and never found one I loved at a price I could handle. However, two weeks ago, while shopping for client projects in one of my favorite antique shops, I happened upon this bust of a young woman. Although I have always wanted a marble bust, I had always imagined it would be of a man? But she was so beautiful, even with her layers of dirt and significant discolorations. I've been "bathing" her the last few weekends. She will eventually reside on an antique mahogany pedestal in my living room.

Until then, here's a sampling of some of my favorite images showing busts and head sculpture:

And for those of you who can't pick a favorite? How about one for every season!
The bust in the lower right corner is so similar to mine. I combed the article in the
most recent issue of AD trying to get more details, but it only indicated these are antique marble.

Images courtesy of Architectural Digest, Traditional Home, Veranda, and many unknown from my files.

Oh, Behave!

I can be a bit nutty with list making. I step it up anytime I travel. I have this list that goes on and on of things I must do before departing for fun.  I make lists for my husband and kids of what I think they need to get done too. The act like it's poison when I try to hand it to them.  It doesn't matter if it's 2 days or 2 weeks, I am possessed and powerless to stop myself from being one car ride away from the nut house. Driven (fast) by my husband with the kids in the back seat...smiling.

It seems it is not enough to have on my list the "normal" things to-do such as: laundry, pay bills, stop mail and pack. Nope, I have a whole other list. These are the items that I must do in order to relax and enjoy myself. And, the really twisted thing is that I am fully aware of how unnecessary it probably is that I accomplish these things, but I do it anyway. Every time. No exceptions, including today. I ran around like a nut checking things off my list including: file every last receipt and paper (just in case...), drop off dry cleaning (that nobody is going to wear), have the car serviced (even though we're flying), clean the house (in case someone breaks in, I couldn't live with myself if someone thought I was messy), clean out the fridge (who knows, we may have completely different taste prefrences when we return), hit the bookstore (in case there aren't any where I'm going), get a manicure and pedicure (a true vacation must), make returns (I can not possibly explain why this can't be done when I get back), and one quick purchase (I swear I needed this). I am in a good mood despite the list because I've been crossing things off all week and I'm on schedule to get it all done. Or so I thought.

We all know at least one person, be it friend, co-worker or  family member who thinks they are not allotted the same 24 hours per day as the rest of us, in which to manage their time. Or even worse, they think that their time is far more valuable than ours. We know the traits of this type: selfish, self-centered, unorganized and unapologetic. I personally think these types are huge part of why our society lacks manners and civility.

Today, during my scheduled appointment at the local salon, a women (aka Madame client) came in with her daughter and stated her daughter needed her (long) hair cut and blown dry and that she needed her eyebrows done. Not sure what that entailed. Maybe she doesn't own tweezers? She wanted my technician (one of the owners) to do both procedures.  When she was informed it would be about 10 minutes, she scoffed left and returned exactly 10 minutes later, demanding to be taken. My technician instructed her brother (the other owner) to cut the daughter's hair and the Madame client literally stood over us and waited while my nails were being finished. Madame client talked on her cell phone, loudly, torturing us all with the details of her day.

Why don't people realize that strangers don't want to know what you ate for lunch, what your boss said or what you're doing the rest of the day. It's quite possible the person your talking to doesn't want to know. Why aren't cell phones banned in salons? Aren't salons and spa's suppose to be relaxing? I digress. Oh, the look on Madame client's face when my nail tech made a little smudge and had do one nail over. I looked at Madame client smiled and shrugged as if to to say "see what happens when you don't have an appointment and make people nervous....you wait longer." I paid and left, still in a good mood.

Next up, retail therapy. Well not exactly. I needed to make a return of three items and buy one item. Sounds simple enough right? Nope, I had someone new. After several attempts to do the return, she suggested it may take awhile because she is not exactly sure what to do, but if I wait while she helped her friend she'd figure it out. WTF!? Sure enough,  the woman with an unruly child hovering (what is it with people thinking it's okay to stand 2 inches away from you anyway? Bugs the crap out of me) behind me is the friend. The clerk bends down and starts rummaging through her purse trying to find a 20% off coupon to give her friend. I am not kidding. Then she sees I am holding one, and says "can I use that for her items and then we can do your transaction?" I am not kidding.  I said "Sure, your friend can have my coupon, just as soon as you're done with my transaction that I have been so patient waiting for you to figure out how to do." Are you ready for what comes next? The clerk says, "but that will take longer and she needs to go now." I want to rip her head off so she would shut up and not say another thing that would ruin my good mood and distract me from my list.

Instead, I say "I suggest you call someone over here to help you do my transaction now or I will have to locate the store manager and report your behavior captured on the camera above. In this moment, I think about all the people who desperately need a job and wonder how someone like this has one? She looks up at the camera and then makes a quick call to an associate for directions and was finally able to check me out. I bolted down the isle because now I am feeling a bit behind. And, just when I think it's over...the friend runs up behind me and says "I need your coupon!"  My response? "Sorry, I am running late now and don't have time to search through my purse." I wonder if any of these women will remember to behave next time they find themselves having difficulty managing their time?

Of course, what I really want to know is what weird things you do, dear readers, before you go on vacation? C'mon make me laugh so I can improve my mood...otherwise I may pack something ugly!

All of these lovely ladies were found on Google.