Love in Taipei ~~

This is a season of appreciation, rejoice, and reunion with our love ones and my musical Christmas Tree !! 

On this  special date.. ~~

酒不醉人，人自醉。。。

別問我是說佛法時間，還是品酒時刻～～～

酙上一杯最愛的酒，酒不醉人，人自醉。。。

倘若我覺得我和某人特別契合，那是因為心在完全清淨之下開啟了譲他的心與我的心合而為一的時間與空間。
無二無別。 — at Deloin.

Luncheon with good friends ~~~~ TC, VH, PL. VY, CK

Blue Jasmine ~~ A Life Struggle

凱特．布蘭琪（Cate Blanchett）是當代最會演戲的才女，伍迪．艾倫（Woody Allen）的新片《藍色茉莉（Blue Jasmine）》因為有她獨挑大樑，伍迪式的神經喜劇有了傳人，時髦女性進退失據的徬徨無助，更讓人深繫同情。

破題有神，是一部精彩作品的必備條件，《藍色茉莉（Blue Jasmine）》的破題就既有神又有趣。

凱特．布蘭琪（Cate Blanchett）飾演的Jasmine／茉莉是穿名牌、戴名牌用名牌的時髦女郎，開場就是她在頭等艙內向鄰座女郎誇耀先生有多愛她，當年兩人如何在「Blue Moon」的歌聲中定情...有問有答，顧盼自得間，優雅與奢華成了她刻意經營的身段與姿態。直到飛機落地，觀眾這才明白：鄰座貴婦不是她的仰慕者，而是她朱唇一啟就再也停不住了，只好應酬一下；而Jasmine的落腳地也不是大飯店或豪宅，只是平常公寓...原來她已落魄，昔日王謝堂前燕，飛入尋常百姓家了。

吹噓，是伍迪．艾倫送給Jasmine的第一道遮瑕用「粉底」；蒙塵，則是伍迪．艾倫送給Jasmine的第二道戲劇「定妝」。

住慣豪宅的Jasmine，要怎麼窩進妹妹Ginger（由Sally Hawkins飾演）的狗窩？房間格局小是其一，Ginger還有兩個小孩，還結交了談吐粗魯的勞工男友Chili（由Bobby Cannavale飾演），Chili不但毫不情面地揭露Jasmine破產敗家的往事，甚至還不時要向Jasmine介紹比他更粗鄙，涎臉黏纏，但求一晌貪歡的「炮友」，不悅、不屑和不耐的情緒充份顯現在她的表情和肢體反應上，但是她不敢、不能，也不願就這樣撕破臉，為了生活，她必湏低聲下氣；為了翻身，她必湏忍氣吞聲等契機。驕傲的孔雀如此別無選擇地墮落風塵，誰不好奇？

《藍色茉莉》的兩位主角名字都與花有關，境遇亦然。

姐姐Jasmine屬於大家閨秀般的優雅茉莉，清香自適；妹妹Ginger則是小家碧玉的小薑花（Ginger Lily），香氣不遑多讓，只是多了點樸拙，但根莖塊薑卻也另有發熱祛寒的療效，這也說明了高貴的Jasmine一旦落難，會去投靠Ginger了。用花語敘事，或許並非伍迪．艾倫的創作始意，但是花語卻也是理解《藍色茉莉》的巧門旁徑。

我選擇的是「飄零的落花」這首傷情名曲。

「飄零的落花」初始歌詞唱的是：「想當日梢頭獨佔一枝春，嫩綠嫣紅何等媚人」恰恰呼應了Jasmine與夫君Hal（Alec Baldwin）揮金如土的奢華人生，但是Jasmine為何會「不幸攀折慘遭無情手，未隨流水轉墮風塵」？卻也成為全片熬到最後才真相大白的謎團，究竟是誰懷了薄倖惹她傷心，讓她成「無主任飄零」的落花，而她又能「向誰去嗚嗚咽訴不平」？

凱特．布蘭琪的表演考驗在於Jasmine其實勢利，並不討喜。她會喃喃自語，並非財貨優人，而是陷入不敢面對現實，「適應不良」的焦慮困境：明明已囊空如洗，債台高築，卻還是打腫臉坐頭等艙，高吊名牌包......

另外，她還是鴕鳥達人。明明品味與格調與妹妹的前夫Augie（由Andrew Dice Clay飾演）與現任男友Chili完全不對盤，卻不說破，又躲不了，和稀泥的虛偽成性，不但苦了自己，更註定了她故意忽略丈夫的花心，更不願接受丈夫的真相告白，也無法向新男友竭誠以告，這個性格缺撼，跡近悲劇理論的「tragic flaw」，個性決定命運，一旦壓力臨身，註定激情失控，錯誤與悔恨並肩而來，只能坐視大江東去了。

有了粉底和定妝，伍迪．艾倫送給的Jasmine的第三道胭脂，則是愛情變奏曲。

伍迪．艾倫說不膩愛情議題，他的電影人物其實都是「參不透鏡花水月」的癡人，嘴上唸的和身體做的經常矛盾，以Ginger為例，她與Augie的婚姻，帶給她們短暫的暴發戶喜悅，卻因為誤信Hal的投資建議，血本無歸，愛情也跟著泡湯；Ginger的新歡Chili同樣也是血脈賁張，不太用大腦的粗人，使得她一度迷航，戀上了愛情騙子，就這樣跌跌撞撞，打打鬧鬧，又繞回原點。

 

Jasmine也同樣在買愛情保險，明知Hal會鑽法律漏洞，但是榮華富貴讓她睜一隻眼閉一隻眼，金錢如此，愛情亦然，若非愛情破產，她不會走偏鋒；同樣地，她的新男友是政壇的明日之星，也是因為害怕失去，所以避重就輕，只用美麗唬人，不願缺憾曝光，她的委婉心事，道盡一位「說真話，就怕失去一切」的小女人心情。腮紅胭脂理應讓人更明豔，曾經何時卻成了涕淚泣殘的暈散紅雨了。

兩位姐妹，有幸有不幸，幸未必是幸福，不幸亦未必就絕望。《藍色茉莉》就這樣完成了又一則當代愛情寓言。

From  藍色電影夢

What is the Light within ? Inspired by 17th Karmapa

No matter you like me or not....

I am smiling at you,

giving you warmth and light !

Watching 17th Karmapa's video ~~~

at Ritz, Taipei

A serious and beautiful story ~~~

Director:

 Mark Romanek

Writers:

 Kazuo Ishiguro (novel), Alex Garland (screenplay)

Stars:

 Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield 

This is a serious discussion about how you are going to treat a manmade human being. How do they conceive the notion of responsibility and contribution from childhood education and never had a though to rebel the system? 

Are we human beings similar to them that we are so content in living our lives in Samsara and never though of emancipate and transcend to other higher realm or even to eternal life? 

" Never Let Me Go"  is a not only a lyrical romance, or science fiction,  but also a soft warning for the related institution in considering moral values and ethics awareness ! 

How do you call yourself a human being? Is it because you have a soul? or Is it because you are naturally conceived by human beings? or is it because the authorized institution constitute the law to make you so ? At the end, we feel so sad and wonder that are we the ones who have feelings and souls or are those characters in the movie? This is a sad but beautiful film portrayed in a special light effect that has a reminiscent and fantasy quality. 

2013 Charity Ball, Taipei

" 常羨人間琢玉郎， 天應乞雨點酥娘。
自作清歌傳皓齒。風起， 雪飛炎海變清涼。
萬里歸來年月少。微笑。笑時猶帶嶺梅香。
試問嶺南應不好？卻道，
此心安處是吾鄉！！  "

歲末，站在熟悉的耶誕樹下，
台北窗外看不到冷冷的白雪。。。卻是冷颼颼的戰風四起。。。
不是前陣子的食品事件，就是最近廢水處理事件。
Angel 看來，都只是政治鬥爭，媒體炒作新聞。
善良的台灣老百姓跟者起鬨，
資本主義與共產無資產的鬥爭， 想把台灣企業界架上台。。。
很可怕的心態。。。！

不過，在暖暖的愛心氣氛下，我們仍付出愛心，援助需要幫助的孩童們。。。
又想起這麼一闕詞，
此心安處是吾鄉！
只要我們心安，清淨，善意，
無論外界多麼的紛紛擾擾，
我身在何處都是我的家，我的故鄉，
更何況是台北台灣！

Birthday at De Lion, Taipei with Mouton 1996 ~~

Chateau d'Yquem 1997 

Gu Gan Painting 

1996 Mouton  Rothschild  

Thank you, my dear friends! To receive a special gift is always the most  heart warming feeling on my birthday, beside the fine jewelries, fashionable accessories, beautiful luncheon , dinner,  my favorite wine, and a handmade 3 D birthday card !! I am so grateful ! May all be joyful, healthy, and spiritually free at each moment in life! HUUUGS ! 

Angie's Rating : 100 pt for d' Yquem 1997 

98 pt for Mouton 1996

!!!!

Surprisingly Good ～ Facon Restaurant in Taipei

Facon ~~

法式法熊餐廳。。。 

All Rating : 7. 7

Food : 8.0    Ambiance: 7.0

Decor: 7.0    Creativity: 8.5

Service: 7.5   。。

Price : Dinner Set Menu NT$2300 -- 3800 

           Lunch Set Menu NT$1100 -- 2000

地址 :
台北市大安路一段83巷7號

Life is too short to wait ~

Life is a challenge - meet it. 

Life is a dream - realize it.

Life is love - enjoy it.

at 石門。。。

多情卻被無情擾。。。。

感謝劉少雄教授 ～～～

重新讀東坡詞～～～

1 江城子： 借年年明月寫出了無限哀悼的深情！

十年生死兩茫茫，
不思量，自難忘。
千里孤墳，無觸話淒涼。
縱使相逢應不識，塵滿面，鬢如霜。

夜來幽夢乎還鄉，
小軒窗，正梳妝。
相顧無言，唯有類千行。
料得年年斷腸觸，明月夜，短松崗！


葉嘉瑩，較論東坡與李白， 區分了仙而人，和人而仙，個性之差異。

東坡雖然亦有波仙之稱， 但如果與這一位敵仙太白比起來，則東坡之稱乃人而仙者，所以他的人的煩惱，反而正可憑藉幾分飄忽的仙氣得到解脫。
而李白是個自由的孤獨的靈魂，瀟灑的天才，原就不該受此庸俗之塵世的種種是非成敗，甚至禮法道德的束縛  ，顧稱為仙！然而誕生為人，自又無法不生活於周圍的社會人群，  因此他時常飲酒，生活於種種人間範疇之中  !



2 水調歌頭：由明月觸發的離恨轉化為超矌的精神 ！

明月幾時有，把酒問青天，
不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年？
我欲乘風歸去，惟恐瓊樓玉宇，
高處不勝寒。
起舞弄清影，何似在人間。
轉朱閣，低倚戶，照無眠！
不應有恨，何事長向別時圓。
人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，
此事古難全。。。
但願人長久，千里共嬋娟！

3 蝶戀花： 多情的困擾。。。。

花棧殘紅青杏小，燕子飛時，綠水人家繞。
枝上柳綿吹又少，天崖何處無芳草
牆裡鞦韆牆外道，牆外行人，牆裡佳人笑。    
笑見不聞聲漸悄 ，
多情卻被無情擾！

Leonard Bernstein Letters

正想看的書～

If you want to understand classical music (and maybe even musical theater) in the 20th century in America, you have to understand Leonard Bernstein, who was classical music's public face for 30 years. He was its champion and indeed without him, it's unlikely that high European culture would have had nearly the influence it did in America during my childhood. All those piano and violin lessons kids took back then (which seem to have been replaced by soccer practices since Bernstein's death) would not have been. There are no Leonard Bernsteins today. The public has lost its love and interest in complex music. For me, this is a sad state of affairs, and reading this book of letters brings to the fore the beauty of what people are missing.

Leonard Bernstein was a titan, an irrepressible charismatic figure who lived his life fully in every way. A globetrotter, a composer, a Zionist, a leftist, a musical theater creator, a performer, and, of course, a conductor, it's truly dizzying to read his letters and be confronted with the scope of his achievements, energy and intelligence straight on. He was superhuman in what he accomplished. I am in awe.

There is warmth and insight in these letters. Famous and obscure people of the late 20th century come and go through these pages. There are friendships that last decades and some that flame out. There is, not infrequently, a showbiz-I-love-you-man tone in these letters, as well. My one quibble about this collection of letters is that the less than savory and very messy parts of Leonard Bernstein's personal life have been mostly edited out. Leonard Bernstein was a genius, but he wasn't at all a saint. In many ways, he was a flawed and tragic figure and much of that is gently alluded to rather than shown on the page. That all said, this collection is a must read for anyone interested in classical music.

Smile is the Warmest Gift in the Winter ~~~~

"Sadness gives depth. Happiness gives height.
Sadness gives roots. Happiness gives branches.

Happiness is like a tree going into the sky, and sadness is like the roots going down into the womb of the earth. But both are needed, and the higher a tree goes, the deeper it goes simultaneously. The bigger the tree, the bigger will be the roots. In fact it is always in proportion. That's its balance of the universe. "

Wine and Chocolate ~~ Surprisingly well ~~

This was the First time I tasted Wine and Chocolate together ~~~~~

Surprisingly Riedel Glass really made a " huge" difference in drinking the same bottle of wine, and it influenced the flavor of the food as well !!

I would categorize Burgundy, Pinot Noir as one kind, Syratz another, and the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvigant as the third group, so that you use three different kinds of glass....

How does it make a difference? Because it is all physics! The width of the rim of the glass will control the flow of the liquid going into your mouth touching a particular area of your tongue's pallet! 

At the tip of tongue is the sweet taste, which will be using for tasting a light, fresh and flowey wine such as Burgundy; at the root is the bitterness, which will be using for a taste that needs all concertration and roundness; at the surrounding side the acidity taste, and at the middle is the salty taste, thus you use the whole tongue to feel the rich aroma and full body of a Bordeux wine.  All of these were addressing about the choice of glasses we use. 

Mexico's Mazatlan Mojo is back ~~

Mexico's Matzalan 

Deer Island 

Tourism quickly picks up again in the famous beach retreat's Golden Zone~~

A favored beach retreat since the 1940's, Mazatlan has been shunned lately, tarred by the same brush that paints the country as crime-ridden and unsafe. But now, 2013 is shaping up as the town's best year in a decade. $6 million has been allocated for tourism from the US and Canada .

Beauty will not fade in the stage of Nirvana ~~

My favorite  , Robucheon 

當你發現一切在世間任何有形無形都是不真實存在，
例如生命，愛情，財富，山河，青春，
美麗的人事物。。。
此時此刻，
你將進入了極度悲傷難過的狀態。。。

這個宇宙所有的遊戲規則，都已是既定的，
我們無法用人為的方法改變，
人的角度，
輪迴是無法改變的。。。

這是ㄧ件很悲傷的事實。。。
人無法定勝於天
除非，不當人！

她說，要安住在悲傷裡。。。
並相信空性的顯現，
寂靜永恆，
那是真我，涅槃，
佛性的真相！

永恆的美麗將在此顯現！

What is beyond the universe ?

It is very sad that life goes on and on ...
Life After death ...there is another life...
soul after soul...
consciousness after conscious ...
Only if  I can go beyond the rules of the universe....
Only  if I shall attend enlightenment ....
I will not be bound by the boundaries....
Only if...

I always wonder how come he is so happy always....

He said in the truth, at the end, you do not need any teacher, any Guru, because all the truth  is within yourself, in your own heart. 11/26/2013

My Guru, MungSang Rinpoche

法王子 穆松古千仁波切

Live Performance on DaVinci's Violia Piano!

A bizarre instrument combining a piano and cello has finally been played to an audience more than 500 years after it was dreamt up Leonardo da Vinci.

Da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance genius who painted the Mona Lisa, invented the ‘‘viola organista’’ - which looks like a baby grand piano – but never built it, experts say.

The viola organista has now come to life, thanks to a Polish concert pianist with a flair for instrument-making and the patience and passion to interpret da Vinci’s plans.

Full of steel strings and spinning wheels, Slawomir Zubrzycki’s creation is a musical and mechanical work of art.

‘‘This instrument has the characteristics of three we know: the harpsichord, the organ and the viola da gamba,’’ Zubrzycki said as he debuted the instrument at the Academy of Music in the southern Polish city of Krakow.

The instrument’s exterior is painted in a rich midnight blue, adorned with golden swirls painted on the side. The inside of its lid is a deep raspberry inscribed with a Latin quote in gold leaf by 12th-century German nun, mystic and philosopher, Saint Hildegard.

‘‘Holy prophets and scholars immersed in the sea of arts both human and divine, dreamt up a multitude of instruments to delight the soul,’’ it says.

The flat bed of its interior is lined with golden spruce. Sixty-one gleaming steel strings run across it, similar to the inside of a baby grand.

Each is connected to the keyboard, complete with smaller black keys for sharp and flat notes. But unlike a piano, it has no hammered dulcimers. Instead, there are four spinning wheels wrapped in horse-tail hair, like violin bows.

To turn them, Zubrzycki pumps a pedal below the keyboard connected to a crankshaft. As he tinkles the keys, they press the strings down onto the wheels, emitting rich, sonorous tones reminiscent of a cello, an organ and even an accordion.

The effect is a sound that da Vinci dreamt of, but never heard; there are no historical records suggesting he or anyone else of his time built the instrument he designed.

A sketch and notes in da Vinci’s characteristic inverted script is found in his Codex Atlanticus, a 12-volume collection of his manuscripts and designs for everything from weaponry to flight.

‘‘I have no idea what Leonardo da Vinci might think of the instrument I’ve made, but I’d hope he’d be pleased,’’ said Zubrzycki, who spend three years and 5000 hours bringing da Vinci’s creation to life.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/leonardo-da-vincis-wacky-piano-is-heard-for-the-first-time-after-500-years-20131118-2xpqs.html#ixzz2l4MHhqrY

Nobel Prize Winner ~ " 蛙 " 1 : 莫言 的自我內心的探索

　新浪读书：我记得您曾经说过《蛙》是“裹在皮袍里的小我”，这个“小我”和“大我”有什么区别？

　　莫言：这是我从鲁迅先生一篇文章小说《一件小事》借鉴过来的，小学课本里都有这篇文章，鲁迅先生对这篇文章进行了严格的剖析，我觉得我们应该继承鲁迅先生言语解剖的精神。《蛙》的这部小说也是我自己对人生几十年的回顾，在很多冠冕堂皇的借口之下掩藏着很多个人的私念和私心。《蛙》有一个重要的意义，这个重要意义是面对自我，是面对自己的内心进行挖掘，是一种自我批评的精神。

　　新浪读书：您说过中国当代文学需要有一种知其不可行而要行之的精神，您为什么要这么说，哪些题材是不可行的？

　　莫言：不只是中国当代文学有这个问题，其实人类社会一直面临着这种问题，这实际是孔夫子原来的话，孔夫子要恢复周礼，改善社会政治改革的政治主张，但当时的难度非常大，很多事情不可挽回，也无法推进的，但他为了坚持自己的信念就知其不可行而行之，作家在现在这个社会里，面临经济全球一体化，面临着人类探望的欲望，对物质疯狂的索取，短时间内要解决难度很大，而且很多事情短时间内无法控制，这种情况下，作家要坚持自己的信念，你认为你这个信念是对的，明明知道它很可能说出来不会被任何人听，也不会实行，还是要写到作品里，对世人是一种非常清醒的声音，一种提醒。

An Identity Searching in the Tibetan Suitcase ~~~

Tibetan Suitcase !!!

The Author Tsering said he was compelled to write a novel, in which he went through a journey of searching his own identity. 

You can read those exile Tibentan's  identity confusion of being a Tibetan, an Indian, or an American, and the spiritual hunger in the novel, on top of those political uprising of independence in Tibet. 

Meeting with the author after reading the book was an exciting and insightful experience. 

Berlin Philharmonic's Rite of Spring Inspiration ~~

今晚是柏林愛樂在台北演出的第二場！親眼看見主席指揮家Simon Rattle 臉上投入的表情，,及熱烈嘶吼，實在是此場「春之祭」最令 Angel 感動的時刻！當然無懈可撃的切分節奏，銅管樂嘹亮，令全場秉息的層次乾淨的聲響，專注及細膩的弦樂，等等⋯文字無法形容。。

小提琴家 樫本大進Kashimoto 演出Prolofiev Violin concerto No1 ，很有味道！

Rattle 爵士説：「教育計畫提醒我們，音樂並非奢侈品，而是我們根本的需要。音樂應是每個人生活中一個重要且不可或缺的元素。」

因此他成立了網絡音樂會～
只要加入會員，就可以欣賞柏林愛樂在世界的演奏！

Tonight was the second concert that Sir Simon Rattle conducted the Berlin Philharmoniker in Taipei. From where I was sitting, I can see the total devotion in his facial expression and his shouting, beside the striking syncopated rhythm, the enormous sonority of winds and brass, and the delicacy of strings, it was the most touching moment of this performance " Le Sacre du Pritentemps". No words can describe a live performance !

Solo Violinist Kashimoto gave a very exquisite Prokofiev Violin concerto No1.

Sir Rattle said: "The education programme reminds us that music is no mere luxury , but instead a fundamental need. Music must be a vital and essential element in life of each individual !"

This is the primordial idea of its digital concert hall for Berliner Philharmoniker !

 — at 國家音樂廳 National Concert Hall.

Let's fight all the obstacles !!

You know what you want, but you must make sure others around you realize that you have your own needs as well. Hold to your plans but free your mind to create all that you need.