红酒·绿茶 / Red Wine & Green Tea / Vin Rouge et Thé Vert

每次去纽约市玩，我都尽量顺路寻访一个纽约上州的景点。 比如洛克菲勒庄园（ Kykuit the Rockefeller Estate ），就是位于哈德逊河边上众多美国第一代大资本家的庄园之一。虽然是七八年前去的，我还能记得当时导游告诉我们的几件老洛克菲勒教子有方的逸事。作为白手起家的第一代，老洛克菲勒的庄园尤其简朴。他没有太多爱好，就喜欢驾马车兜风。于是庄园里就有马棚。他要求自己的儿子（小约翰）和孙子们（包括曾任纽约州州长和美国副总统的纳尔逊洛克菲勒）从小就在马棚劳动，喂马、洗马、倒马粪。每天的“工资”是一毛钱，可以用来换糖果、冰淇淋。劳动后的奖励还包括跟老洛克菲勒一起在自家后院驾马车兜风。此外，他还要求子孙把每天工钱的十分之一，也就是一分钱，捐给教会。今天的美国社会，到处都是洛克菲勒家族的影子。除了非常明显的如洛克菲勒中心、洛克菲勒大学，还有芝加哥大学、纽约现代艺术博物馆、好几个国家公园。 虽然这次旅行多了一个两岁半的女儿，也不能破例。 等我们匆匆赶到范德堡庄园（ Vanderbilt Mansion ）的时候，身穿国家公园护林员制服的导游正带领大家从游客中心走出来。他在一棵大树下站定，等游客陆续到来围成半圈，才不紧不慢地开口道：“大家下午好！我的名字叫Dimitri。” 像一个善于讲故事的说书人，Dimitri一开口就把大家的注意力吸引住了。他娓娓道来，大家眼前的这栋欧式建筑的主人，是镀金时代传奇的资本家、“铁路大王”范德堡之后。他从范德堡如何发迹于一艘渡轮讲起，到他如何建立铁路帝国，富甲一方，福荫子孙。然而与其他美国早期资本家族不同的是，他的子孙却几乎个个热衷于跻身上流，富而求贵。（当时社会风气正处于转型期，遗老遗少依然重血统而轻新富。）为标榜富豪，范德堡的子孙大兴土木，最有名的莫过于位于北卡罗来纳州的比尔特莫庄园（ Biltmore Estate ）。朝歌暮宴，一掷千金。 这个位于纽约州的范德堡庄园的主人，是范氏子孙中的异类。据说他是唯一一个遗产多于继承来的财富的范氏子孙。这个庄园，也只是他夫妻两人消暑小住的地方。导游这才带我们登堂入室，一览当年的奢华。 导游最后告诉我们，与范德堡同时代的大资本家族如洛克菲勒、卡内基、摩根、梅隆，都为私福荫后人，为公泽被后世。唯独范德堡家族，竟没有一个能守住当年积累的巨大财富的后人；对美国社会的贡献，...

I had a lot of aviation-related activities this summer, which is not surprising given the world largest aircraft manufacturer, Boeing , is just around the corner. Inside Museum of Flight Originally uploaded by yisu79 First I visited the Museum of Flight , which is nonprofit organization independent of the Boeing Company. Nevertheless, it has a strong tie with the company. Coming from Baltimore-Washington area, I have no surprise seeing things like this because of the great Smithsonian Air and Space Museum . Blackbird M-21 Originally uploaded by yisu79 However, it was my first time to see a Blackbird , the fastest spy plane in the world, even though it was not exactly a SR-71, but a variant of its precursor. More Planes Originally uploaded by yisu79 The museum has a decent collection of planes. Blue Angels: A-4F Skyhawk Originally uploaded by yisu79 This Skyhawk was an early Blue Angel . Concorde 1 Originally uploaded by yisu79 I was ve...

Musei Capitolini Originally uploaded by yisu79 I started my second day in Roma with Musei Capitolini , an underrated, much less crowded but surprisingly good museum of Roman art and archeology. Colorful Athena Originally uploaded by yisu79 The museum is located on a small hilltop, Capitoline Hill. Once you climb it up, you would see the Piazza del Campidoglio with a replica of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in the center. I will show the picture of its original later. This Athena statue sits right in the center of the main building, Palazzo Senatorio. Sitting Athena Originally uploaded by yisu79 Because Athena is the goddess of heroic endeavor, you would see her a lot in government and military buildings. Coutyard Originally uploaded by yisu79 The entrance of the museum is in Palazzo dei Conservatori on the right of the Piazza. This time I didn't forget to ask for a floor plan. The first thing you see is the spacious courtyard. ...

My short vacation was about to end. So I flew back to Beijing only to fly over the Pacific Ocean. Having visited so many art museums in US and Europe, I realized that I had not visited a single art museum in China. (Typical, huh?) Although I had only one afternoon to spare, I managed to pay a visit to the National Art Museum of China . National Art Museum of China Originally uploaded by yisu1979 The museum looked like a Ming-Qing era garrison, like the famous Jiayuguan I had visited eight years ago. Black Kite Originally uploaded by yisu1979 As usual, I started my visit from the top level downward. There was an exhibition of kites. Blue Kite Originally uploaded by yisu1979 I liked these two traditional designs. New Year Pictures Originally uploaded by yisu1979 The exhibition on the second floor was about the so-called "New Year Pictures", something you would put on your door for the New Year. Like the kites, they were made by "art...