Jersey 1 Estonia 0

So, I was just googling and planning an imaginary trip to Estonia to see this:

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
in Tallinn, Estonia
Architect Mikhail Preobrazhenski, Completed in 1900

When I found this:

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
in Howell, New Jersey
Architect Nikolaus Karsanov, Completed in 1997

I know. Seriously.

If you live in New Jersey or New York, please go see this and email me a full report on how beautiful it is in person.

*Photo of Alexander Nevsky in New Jesery from Cathedral's website.

Brrr...

Oh, how I love December! Not only does it contain two very important birthdays, (Jesus's ...and mine, haha just kidding) but it's when you really need to start bundling up.

The Snow Maiden, c. 1890s

Art Museum of Ryasan, Ryasan, Russia

Like this lady. This dainty painting by the Russian artist Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel was a sketch made for the opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. I don't know what I like more- the over-sized snowflakes that have stuck to her hair, or the little squirrel to her left. The only thing about this painting that's off to me is the unsettling gaze of the woman at something next to the viewer. However, even that is pretty in a haunting sort of way.

We float like two lovers in a painting by Chagall

Marc Chagall was a 1900s modernist painter born in Belarus. If you have never seen his work before, it is good stuff. He painted, did stained glass for Reims Cathedral in France, illustrated books, made tapestries and used a whole lot of other mediums for art. His art is vibrant and happy, a nice change from some of the political, defiantly ugly modernist works.

Three Candles, c. 1938-40

Private Collection

The folk-indie band The Weepies have a song entitled "Painting by Chagall" that I just love. The band is pretty awesome as well. Its composed of a married couple and they have beautiful duets in a lot of their songs. If you need a lift in your mood, play this song and check out some of Chagall's works! They're so romantic.

Les Maries de la Tour Eiffel, Marc Chagall c.1938-39

Musee National d'Art Moderne, Paris

The Promenade, Marc Chagall

1917-18. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia