Today 2009 and April 20, 1999

Today the 2009 Pulitzer PrizeWinners were announced. It is also the 10th Anniversary of Columbine. Columbine is a one word title for an event that happened in the US on this date in 1999. It is also Hitler's Birthday. I remember being totally totally consumed with any information on Columbine. At the time I lived on Oregon Street. I read and listened to anything about this topic. Enough to voice my opinion to my elected representatives and Trent Lott. I wrote to them about my opinion on our country's gun control laws. Although I was remember being impressed they responded (and I kept their letters) they in no way changed my view. I still have the same opinion ... and happily they no longer are employed federal employees. But seriously, I think it is important to change with the times and not be a one issue person. I also appreciate that we live in a country where you are allowed to say what you think and I think it makes our government better. Well, today on NPR Talk of the Nation I heard an interesting segment where Neal Conan interviewed Dave Cullen, a Columbine news reporter who just wrote a book on the lessons of Columbine. Cullen was critical of himself and the press in general . Particularly on the reporting the story too quickly. Lots of mistakes were made with Columbine and more interestingly important lessons learned were explained. Ok so the Pulizter Prizes awarded this morning were: JOURNALISM 1. Public Service Las Vegas Sun (Alexandra Berzon) 2. Breaking New Reporting *Staff of the New York Times ( they were great in 2008!) 3. Investigative Reporting *David Blarstow of NYT 4. Explanatory Reporting Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart @ LA Times 5. Local Reporting Detroit Free Press Staff notably Jim Schaefer & M.L. Elrick East Vally Tribune Ryan Gabrielson & Paul Giblin 6. National Reporting St. Petersburg Times 7. International Reporting * Staff of the NYT 8. Feature Writing Lane DeGregory of SPT 9. Commentary *** Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post (love him!) 10. Criticism Holland Cotter of the NYT 11. Editorial Writing Steve Breen of the San Diego Union - Tribune 12. Breaking News Photography Patrick Farrell of the Miami Herald 13. Feature Photography Damon Winter of the NYT LETTERS, DRAMA and MUSIC 14. Fiction Olive Kitterage by Elizabeth Stout 15. Drama Ruined by Lynn Nottage 16. History *The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed 17. Biography (or auto) * American Lion: Andrew Jackson by Jon Meacham Diane Rehm had 2 shows on the above 2 books that were excellent. 18. Poetry The Shadow of Sirius by W. S. Merwin 19. Music Double Sextet by Stve Reich A recap of today in history and memory.

Natchez

Saturday April 7th, 2009 George, Lorene, spouse and I took a day trip through the Natchez Trace and to see a southern plantation home. It was very sweet of them because this involves 2 things spouse and I really enjoy.

So a little history about the Natchez Trace... from their national park services website:

The Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates an ancient trail that connects Natchez with Nashville. This prehistoric trail probably evolved by repeated meanderings starting with the prehistory American Indians.

Once we got to Natchez we asked at the Visitor's Center which home to see if we only have time for one tour. We were told to go to Longwood.

Above is a picture of the front of this mansion and a close up of it's front balconies. This 30,000 square foot 6 story home capped with a byzantine onion shaped dome was framed up in 1861. The workers (from Pennsylvania) left their tools here to return home to fight in the Civil War. The believed the war wouldn't last long. The first 4 floors were to be the main living area, with a 5th story solarium and 6th story observatory. Of the 32 planned rooms only the 9 in the basement were ever completed. Longwood is the largest octagonal home in the US. It is listed on the National Registry as a historic antebellum (Latin for "before" (ante) and "war" (bellum). It's style was unusual for the era. Greek Revival was the more common style of this period. Longwood (according to the tourist book I bought) is "a superb example of the mid-nineteenth century "villa in the oriental style".

The architect was Samuel Sloan from Philadephia. Dr. Haller Nutt and his wife Julia hired Sloan in the late 1850's and work started in the spring of 1860. The house was framed by 1861 when the Pennsylvania workers left. Slaves finished the 9 rooms in the basement so the Nutts could move into their "temporary home" in 1862.

Dr. Haller Nutt died in 1864 officially of pneumonia (he also had gout.) His "gout inspired" chair still is still in the basement on this home tour. Anyhow, his wife Julia Nutt said he died of a broken heart. Julia lived in the basement with her many children until her death many years later. The pictures below are of the 1st floor level main entrance, very open rooms. The preservationists of this home believe the alcoves were going to have some kind of sculpture representing the 4 seasons.

Longwood was referred to as "Nutt's Folly". Dr. Nutt was a fierce unionist . He chose not to delay construction because he never thought there would be a war.

One of their 11 children (not all survived until adulthood) was also named Julia. This is the crate that delivered her piano. The family used the upstairs as storage. The home stayed in the family until the 1970's and today is owned and maintained by the Pilgrimage Garden Club as a house museum.

Longwood represents that last burst of southern extravagance before the cotton baron dominance went bust. This is at least part of the reason it was never finished.

Last day in New Orleans

Friday March 6th spouse and I woke up in this room at Hotel Provincial in New Orleans. We had 1/2 a day to spend together in New Orleans before we left for Brandon, Mississippi to stay with spouse's Aunt L and Uncle G. That afternoon we headed back to the airport to get a rental car and drive about 3 1/2 hours to George and Lorene's home. So that morning we took the cable car from the French Quarter to the Garden District. The weather was nice. We didn't have plans however we were very lucky that just as we were coming out of a random coffee shop in the garden district we basically stumbled on to what turned out to be a great 1 1/2 hour neighborhood walking tour. Here is some of what we saw on the walking tour.

This is where it started.

Our tour guide had lived her whole life in this neighborhood. She was so knowledgeable and just really a great guide.

According to the cemetery preservationists this next picture is where they believe the most bodies are buried. Several movies have been filmed in this cemetary. At least one based on an Anne Rice's book. Anne Rice used to live in the neighborhood.

This home was used in the movie Benjamin Button which was just filmed last year. Brad Pitt and Kate Blanchett were in this movie with a reverse aging theme. Our tour guide said she and her neighbors thought the cast and crew for this movie were very nice.

Some amazing architecture and history about these homes as well.

The last picture is of the Manning's home, where Peyton and Eli grew up. Archie Manning and his wife still live there. Our tour guide had the nicest things to say about this family.

Below is a description of Antoine's (from their website) where we went for lunch. This was spouse's idea. He had been there with his co-workers and thought I would love it. And it was fun. Also afterwards the restaurant staff told us we could wander around (see below description from http://www.antoines.com/). We ran into our morning tour guide with a tour group while we were wandering around.

Last picture is the wine cellar. Although Antoine's did not suffer a lot of Katrina damage b/c of lost power the restaurant lost $1M in wine.

Since 1840, world-renowned Antoine's Restaurant has set the standard that made New Orleans one of the greatest dining centers of the world. For over 160 years, Antoine's Restaurant's excellent French-Creole cuisine, service, and atmosphere have combined to create an unmatched dining experience for both locals and visitors to New Orleans. Antoine's has a selection of 15 dining rooms, each with their own unique history and charm, for private parties and events for up to 700+ guests. Memorabilia from its many notable guests line the walls....and include General Patton, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, President Roosevelt, Judy Garland, Carrol Burnett and Pope John Paul the II...to name just a few.... We invite you to experience the culinary delights which have made Antoine's Restaurant a living history!

So after lunch we walked back to Hotel Provincial to get our luggae and a cab to the airport.

We got to George and Lorene's in time for dinner and to go to bed early. The next day the four of us went to see the plantation homes in Natchez