{processions, drawings, & travel}

I have been super busy over the past few weeks and have had little time to keep up with my blog. I've been away every week for the last 5 weeks and am currently trying to write a paper on the triumphal arch and processions in Naples, for a conference (RSA) in Montreal in 1.5 weeks.

What makes me happy & get through the stress? Well, when I go to open my fridge to fetch food, I come across three great drawings, that warm the heart & ease the stress:


{a picture of me as a princess by my nephew & godson, Sebastian (left); a note from my sis on a drawing from my niece, Paulina (centre); and a hilarious creature I made as part of a game with my sis, Esther, niece Maria Leticia, and bro-in-law, Juan in Ecuador over Christmas}

So where have I been? Well I was in NYC (see my blog here), enjoyed the gorgeous grounds and library at Mt. Holyoke:

{exterior of library (above) and interior (below)}

I was in Binghamton for a talk, where I enjoyed lovely company among fellow scholars...and this week I was in Richmond, Virginia, where I stayed at the absolutely gorgeous Jefferson Hotel. It reminded me of some of the colonial hotels we usually stay at in India.

{photo from Virginia's National Register}

It has an old-world feel, and 5* service...I just love turn-down service. I arrived at about 730pm, and was happy to see that the maids had already come in to do turn-down service, with my bathrobe out & ready, calm music playing, ice in the ice-bucket, and a chocolate & weather report waiting for me beside my bed.

The room was spacious, with a fireplace, high ceilings, and lovely Molton Brown bath products. I wasn't ready to hop into bed or the bath though, so I went downstairs to the lovely swanky bar, Lemaire, for a glass of wine. The architecture is fantastic throughout Richmond, but unfortunately I didn't get the time to take pictures or enjoy...
now I must get back to work.