Sabato Solo

With plans thwarted for a day trip to Florence, today I had to fend for myself. Around lunchtime yesterday Josh was put on a different project at work that meant working most, if not all of the weekend. Although frustrating at first and disappointing, we both were looking forward to a little excursion, it is important to remember that Josh’s job is the reason that I live an hour and a half from Florence that would make a day trip possible in the first place. So, when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. In Rome, life hands you grapes, so you make wine! Today, my glass of Chardonnay was a visit to one of Rome’s newest tourist attractions, the Museo dell’Ara Pacis. Or the Museum of the Peace Alter. Thanks to the book that my friend Jamie gave me before I left, I was anxious to see the Ara Pacis, constructed in 13BC! It is a giant shrine basically and on its walls are some of the best preserved friezes with actual images of August and Agrippa!! Very exciting characters to us Romans! The Alter itself is a site to see, but making the trip even more interesting is the new museum literally built around the ancient site. The museum is the first building to have been built in central Rome since the fall of fascism. It’s ultra-mondern design of glass and smooth, sleek white walls stick out like the sore thumb of an ancient Roman Gladiator next to all of the crumbling ruins of the rest of the neighborhood, including the alter itself inside.

I do believe the architecture folk would call this an interesting juxtaposition. If you still wouldn’t care to see this clash of time, to further entice one to visit, was the current exhibition housed inside, “Valentino in Roma: 25 Years of Fashion”. Hundreds of wonderful Valentino dresses are on display, along with sketches and notes from the design guru himself. All of this combined for quite a spectacle, you have a barn of modern architecture sheltering an ancient pagan alter, kept company by hundreds of gold painted manikins wearing haute couture from the 60’s and 70’s. Now, my academically enhanced friends, that is jux-ta-freaking-pos-i-tion to the third power, don’t you think?

Part of the exhibit included a collection of Valentino dresses worn by celebrities. It was fun to see in person the dress that Halle Berry won her academy award in, a cute little number that was once owned by Princess Di and my favorite, a beautiful white beaded gown worn by Miss Audrey Hepburn, the room was oozing with glamour! It was a dream of any little girl who ever played with a Barbie.

The alter was astonishing, you could peer right up and see the face of Augustus! I think I bit of the majesty of the alter is taken away by the building. The alter is pretty snug inside of its contemporary house, so you never get a chance to feel the vast space around the alter that was part of its original character.

The building, which I am told was quite controversial in Rome, is nice to see as well. Designed by one Richard Meier, whom I am sure we have a book on somewhere. I shall not provide any architectural critique so as not to offend my loyal archi-type readers!