Monday, February 27, 2012

A Weekend of Rodin



Just the perfect sunny weekend to get out. This weekend the Lad and another cutie were staying with the Mistress, so I decided we would be off to see the Rodin Museum in center city. I'm not usually turned on by sculpture, but I can appreciate it. And to see what Rodin could do with it is just amazing. Plus it had been a while since I was there loves, so lets check it out. The Rodin Museum was the gift of movie theater magnate Jules Mastbaum to the city of Philadelphia. Mastbaum began collecting works by Rodin in 1923 with the intent of founding a museum to enrich the lives of his fellow citizens. Just three years later, he had assembled the largest collection of Rodin's works outside Paris, including bronze castings, plaster studies, drawings, prints, letters, and books. In 1926, Mastbaum commissioned French architects Paul Cret and Jacques Gréber to design the Museum building and gardens. Unfortunately, the collector did not live to see his dream realized, but to date, the museum still has the largest collection of Rodin pieces.



Designed by Jacques Gréber as part of the Museum's overall plan, the Rodin Gardens have remained a calm respite from the clatter of the city, even as the Parkway has changed over the years. As Rodin himself knew, the appreciation of works of art is heightened by nature—and that is the goal of the Rodin Gardens. My favorite part of the garden is the reflecting pool in the garden courtyard which evokes calm, and echoes the cool beauty of the building. And I just love fountains.



Auguste Rodin brought monumental public sculpture into the modern era. Though he was well acquainted with the academic traditions and idealized subjects of classical and Renaissance sculpture, Rodin's aim in his work was to be absolutely faithful to nature. His uncanny ability to convey movement and to show the inner feelings of the men and women he portrayed, the use of his light-catching modeling, and his extraordinary use of similar figures in different mediums, have established him as one of the greatest sculptors of all time.







After viewing of so much hard muscly art it was off to get some dinning going on. After much debate, and the decision always left to me, it was off to JG Domestic, which is recently open in a new space, conveniently located directly behind the 30th Street train station. This is chef Jose Garces's place, and his seventh in Philadelphia. Being in the lobby of the Cira Centre— a 29-story glass building that goes disco at night, bedazzled with a multitude of multicolored twinkling lights—I expected the design of the place to blend with the feel of the building. But it stood out against it—with a refined-but-rustic look. Think: exposed wood beams, wood tables, and wood shelves lined with baskets, plants, and metal cans. The last picture is a shot of one section that will be open for dinner. Very cool looking.





I started with the maple-glazed pecans with tiny chunks of bacon and surprise.... a cheese platter, whose selection is constantly changing. I enjoyed a Rogue River blue cheese, Nettle Meadow Kunik, Keswick Creamery tomme, paired with brandied candy walnuts, pumpkin butter, and apple truffle compote. For my dinner I went with the Smoked Bar B Q soft shell crab, which I couldn't finish.



The highlight by far for me though, of that meal was dessert. We treated ourselves to the beignets which come with a bourbon vanilla mouselline, which were out of this world.



After dinner it was back to the Casa, where the Mistress made cock-a-tails and gave us all Borghese facials and settled in to watch movies. A very nice weekend and a relaxing one. The Mistress will be out for most of the upcoming week as Mistress and team will be going window shopping and numerous visits to designer showrooms. This is one of my favorite parts of my job. And maybe....just maybe....I'll finally run into my next husband....Marc Jacobs. Tootles and see ya soon!

25 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. We viewed the Help and Bridesmaids! And after the gin I barely remember the second!

      Delete
  2. Sounds like a wonderful weekend! Culture, good food, cock-a-tails -- what more could you want?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous2/27/2012

    Have fun during the week. I'll be working in the office for my last few days before I start working from home.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I went to the Rodin Gardens there when I was a teen so I barely remember, but I am wondering how it compares to the Rodin Gardens here at Stanford.

    And I love soft shell crab. I will have to get some of that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well fluffy, while I have never been to the Stamford one, I do understand the Philadelphia location has most of Rodin's most major works, including the Thinker and Hell's Gate, which I can't believe the detail in that! It is just amazing.

      Delete
  5. This looks like a gem of a museum. I'll have to do some research on the collection, but just the outside is worth a trip. I have to admit I only live like four blocks and have never been!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have never been inside this museum when I was in Philly. But I am a Cret fan, so I would probably love this place also! Thanks for the detail shots!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh yes, is that the Gates of Hell? I would so love to see that one day. One of his most famous pieces. Looks like another treffic day with your boys.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm sure that door alone is worth the trip. I was not familiar with this museum, so thanks for highlighting it.When I come back to philly I'm so doing the whole post you wrote about. Jg's looks sooo good! Have a great time, we'll miss you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mistress, Rodin is one of my most favored sculptors! Simply genius! And those beignets look out of this world!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I absolutely loved this museum, and haven't been since I moved here, but for the prime fact that when I visited there, there was hardly anyone there. It was great just to sit in solitude with all these wonderful sculptures

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the Rodin. My absolute favorite piece of his is Cathedral--a set of two hands, praying. But with the Burghers of Calais, or the Gates of Hell and the Thinker you can't go wrong! Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if you would ever go there, or maybe you have a nd I missed it! And you went with two boys????

    ReplyDelete
  12. What an unexpectedly lovely way to spend an afternoon...
    While I didn't know much about Rodin, other than the ubiquitous Thinker, I'm a total fan. Some beautiful and intriguing work there.

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a great way to spend the weekend with the boys!!! And the Rodin museum must have been nice too;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Being able to have such a large collection of his works in one place is most certainly an honor for Philadelphia,this being the second largest collection in the WORLD outside of France. I never knew that. It must be one of the best kept secrets in Philly. I've been by but have never been in. And you had a guy on each arm???? bitch.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nice weekend Mistress! It;s a wonder you had time to see anything.lol!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Absolutely amazing little gem!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am a pretty big Rodin fan and I would love this place.
    The courtyard alone looks wonderful as does the food!!!! Have a great week. Sounds like more fun......

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looks like a lovely "intimate" museum with an interesting collection of sculptures. Don't be gone to long, who will watch the houseboys?

    ReplyDelete
  19. A National art treasure right in your own front yard.
    Love it! Looks like a swell day. Have a good week girl!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oohhhhh nice, looking at more men!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous2/29/2012

    You have the best weekends! I love the mix of your posts too, today eloquence and elegance personified, tomorrow bad to the bone!

    ReplyDelete

Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!