Brain full. Tummy full. Life is good.

[gurdymonkey]

I was on the phone with my sisters this morning  when my cell rang. It was Andy - crap, I know too many Andys. Anyway, I tooled down to SJ, met kproche  and bovil  at their place and did brunch at the pancake house in their neighborhood. This is the first time I'd actually had pancakes there (I think I did an omelette the last time) and I can report that they know how to do pancakes.

Then we met up with a bunch of folks and hit the Tech Museum for the Leonardo exhibition. Fascinating, built around his scientific method - even going into such details as the influence of optics on his art, and well worth the trip, particularly as it opens with an introduction into the technological and architectural work of Brunelleschi and others, demonstrating that Leonardo did not spring fully formed from the head of Zeus. The Renaissance did not occur in a vacuum and it's good to see what the intellectual and technological atmosphere was.  And happy dance! I found the Italian manuscript De Machinis by Paolo Santini online. Several facsimile images were featured in the exhibit - the double page spread of a medieval encampment was what made me hope I could remember enough of the MS information to find it online, though judging from the many other images on the Bibliotheque Nationale site, I should post it to the SCA lists I'm on:  Ingenious machines, yes, but details of clothing and other objects too.

EDIT: http://images.bnf.fr/jsp/index.jsp?destination=afficherListeCliches.jsp&origine=rechercherListeCliches.jsp&contexte=resultatRechercheSimple

If the above link does not work, go to:
http://images.bnf.fr/jsp/index.jsp?contexte=accueil&destination=accueil.jsp
Enter "santini de machinis" and click on "Rechercher."

Needing a sitdown and a chance to mentally digest, I spotted several computer stations just outside the exhibition. For reasons unknown, the British Library link at the one I plunked down in front of was not to their Leonardo manuscript but to THIS. A History of England written by a fifteen year old Jane Austen. Absofricking brilliantly hysterical.

We went downstairs to check out the two paintings on loan from the Uffizi - not by Leonardo himself, but by two students of his. The boys played around with an interactive exhibit where you could design your own water wheels using differently shaped paddles and try to come up with the most energy efficient design. "No fair," Chris complained to Kevin, "you're a scientist." (Note to self, this looks like a fun science museum that would be well worth coming back to visit just to see what else is there. Kid friendly too.)

We had dinner at a place in the neighborhood called the Tandoori Oven. My saag (curried spinach) chicken was tasty, and accompanied by plenty of naan, rice and veggies. The mango lassi was yummy. 

Thanks guys, this was fun.

Comments

[eleryth.livejournal.com]

I wants that dinner! I love saag chicken and mango lassis. Om nom. Haven't had good saag chicken since Japan, strangely enough (there was a delicious all-you-can-eat East Indian restaurant in town - it was my favorite).

Glad you had an enjoyable day!

Today was Highly Enjoyable

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

It was good seeing you there and sharing information.
The French link didn't work. :(
And for those with Broadband - A better link to the Austen is http://www.bl.uk/collections/treasures/austen/austen_broadband.htm
There are more bells and whistles to the broadband version.
But yes, the text is very silly. I'm glad this was saved and is now being shared with the world.
Glad we didn't stay for supper. Moose doesn't like many foreign foods, and I'm allergic to chili peppers, so usually avoid Indian. So I'm glad we bowed out and let everyone else have a good time.
And Yes, Moose and I have had membership in the Tech for a number of years, as he loved playing there until he memorized all the exhibits. But they've changed some around, so we've rejoined and will get a few more visits in before he has them all memorized again.