road trip | Miami by Night

Excerpts from the conceptual multimedia project

“Axes Mundi: Perceptions and Understanding of Places as Intersections of Space, Time and Culture"

road trip | Alligator Views

road trip | Paradise Found?

Excerpts from the conceptual multimedia project

“Axes Mundi: Perceptions and Understanding of Places as Intersections of Space, Time and Culture"

road trip | Florida: Sunset at St. Pete Beach

After a hot day in the car, I finally made to the Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida and I was rewarded with one of the most magical sunset ever witnessed.

Excerpts from the conceptual multimedia project

“Axes Mundi: Perceptions and Understanding of Places as Intersections of Space, Time and Culture"

road trip | Atlanta Architecture

camminando | Moon Over Miami

“For every one, as I think, must see that astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another”.

Glaucon, the older brother of Plato, in Plato's The Republic, c. 380 BCE

Traditionally, the April full moon is known as the Pink Moon because the grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Also known as Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and – among coastal tribes – the Full Fish Moon, when the shad come upstream to spawn.

The first full moon of spring, however, is also known as the Paschal Full Moon. Traditionally, Easter is observed on the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.

Every April I can see the moon dropping over downtown Miami as it shines into my bedroom at 5:00 A.M. It is impossible not to conjure up the song MOON OVER MIAMI when faced with this glorious lunar vision.

And while the lyrics do not reflect exact personal experiences of my subtropical oasis, it none-the-less is understandable why the sight provoked this romantic jazz ditty. . It was written in 1935 by Joe Burke and Edgar Leslie and recorded by many over the years: Glenn Miller, Ray Charles, Eddy Duchin, Vaughn Monroe and even Buddy Holly & the Comets.

Moon over Miami
Shine on my love and me
So we can stroll beside the roll
Of the rolling sea

Moon over Miami
Shine on as we begin
A dream or two that may come true
When the tide comes in

Hark to the song of the smiling troubadours
Hark to the throbbing guitars
Hear how the waves offer thunderous applause

After each song to the stars

Moon over Miami
You know we're waiting for
A little love, a little kiss
On Miami shore

Moon Over Miami was also a 1941 movie starring Betty Grable & Don Ameche about carhops looking for a rich husband. Not the deepest of premises, but consider the era.

Irene Sperber

Photos by Irene Sperber

road trip | The Sound of the Blue Ridge

After a day of major rain and flooding today the Virginia sky turned to bright blue, almost constant visual field at the zenith interrupted only by puffy clouds. Ideal day to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Excerpts from the conceptual multimedia project

“Axes Mundi: Perceptions and Understanding of Places as Intersections of Space, Time and Culture"

road trip | Monticello: the architecture of life

The day started with a visit to Thomas Jefferson’s universe: Monticello ---Italian word for small mountain. Monticello was created thanks to help of several hundred slaves ---which is quite contradictory with Jefferson’s famous creed stated in the Declaration of Independence “all men are created equal” in this sense he was very much a modern politician. Despite his privileged position, nature did not excluded him from tragedy: his lost his wife to childbirth complicated after ten year and lost four of his six children to illness. Jefferson was a true visionary in his Renaissance view of the world. Monticello, together with the University of Virginia he founded, is a perfect example of architecture as expression of ideals and a philosophy of agrarian life. The house follows a perfectly symmetric layout based on forms and proportion of classical architecture. The recurring shape in plan is the octagon, which for Jefferson was a symbol of perfection. In the architecture of the house includes a compass and several time keeping instruments, from sundials to astrolabe and a clock he himself designed. Jefferson was also a passionate meteorologist, making weather observations personally twice daily. Jefferson expertise extended to horticulture: several vegetable gardens and orchard (which he personally supervised) are integrated within the design of the landscape surrounding the house. Jefferson spent several years in France, from where he continued importing wine and glass for Monticello. His library, which he donated to Washington to replace the original library burned in the 1812 war, became the foundation for the Library of Congress. His art collection included painting and sculptures portraying some of Jefferson’s inspiring figures, from Isaac Newton to Locke.

But after all, what really makes Monticello so unique is the holistic vision behind its design and fruition, where ideals intersect with lifestyle and knowledge motivate actions.

Excerpts from the conceptual multimedia project

“Axes Mundi: Perceptions and Understanding of Places as Intersections of Space, Time and Culture"