Day Six In Spain

Plus Proust and a must-see museum

Hi friends,

It’s day six in Spain, time to figure out a routine to accomplish my work goals while enjoying the fabulous surroundings and immersing myself in the lifestyle of coastal Spain. I need a morning routine to keep me on track. In New York, that routine includes exercise in the morning, a dedicated time to study Spanish, and getting to work as early as possible while my brain is still fresh. Right now, there’s a houseful, and my attempt at a routine has already been sidelined. I got as far as morning tea, a non-negotiable, Spanish, emails, and a glorious walk, which is part of my mental and physical maintenance program. I even meditated in the sunshine to the sounds of birds. Maybe tomorrow morning, the work portion of the routine will come into play.

Views from my morning walk (and top photo). At right, an abandoned villa with the most spectacular view just waiting to be rescued.

Proust and the Arts

While in Madrid, I saw the Exhibit Proust and the Arts at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. A mere five minutes before entering the museum, I was not even aware of its existence, but what an absolute treasure it is. The line for the Prado was too long, so my savvy friend suggested this as an alternative, and I’m glad he did.

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (a mouthful, I know, locals refer to it simply as the Thyssen, pronounced tissen) is relatively new, established in 1993. The collection was officially acquired by the Spanish government in 1993 for a cost of $350 million, the deal of the century, though the main goal of Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza and his Spanish wife Carmen was to keep the collection intact and open to the public. It’s a fascinating story covering three generations, you can see here.

These larger than life portraits of Baron and Baroness Thyssen-Bornemisza, 1987, hang in the entrance hall of the museum.

The Proust show masterfully unites works of art that figured heavily into the author’s literature and personal preferences to offer a succinct snapshot of Proustian Paris. I highly recommend it. Save energy for the rest of the museum, which honestly can’t be fully appreciated in only one day. Here is a small sampling of what I saw. The website can give you a better understanding of the collection as a whole.

Marcel Proust

Left: Johannes Vermeer, Diana and her Nymphs, 1653-54. Right: Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1916-19

James Tissot, The Circle of the Rue Royale, 1866

That’s all for now, but you can expect an extra post this week of a dress edit from an indie brand I love. For my paid subscribers, a house tour of the villa I’m calling home for the next month.

Thanks for reading. As I find my footing writing from abroad, I welcome your comments or ideas on what you would like to see. This is the time for me to break patterns and try new things. I would love to know your thoughts!

xxx Jolain