Historic Milan and the influence of beauty

Gabry and I had wonderful conversations as we made our way through Historic Milan. She showed me her schools and the places she most enjoys, always pointing out interesting architecture and places she would visit as a student. We began discussing differences between Dublin and Milan because the atmospheres are entirely different. We ended up discussing something Alaric and I discussed frequently which is the affect of beauty on daily life.

In Historic Milan there are the groomed public parks, the deliberate and lasting beauty of the buildings, the detail in the architecture and accents... there is an accumulation of influence that creates a sense of stability, of elegance, of memory. And in the historic parts of Dublin (i.e. the Georgian area near Merrion Square and St. Stephen's Green or the Victorian homes in Rathmines and Rathgar) there are some similarities, though not nearly as old nor with as lasting an influence on the people.

We discussed fashion, how in Milan there is beauty everywhere that a person cannot compete with, but may try to emulate (clean lines, accents/details rather than bright colors or angles, etc.). We discussed how Dublin is in the midst of significant change, that as the landscape of the city is changing, the identity of the population therein is changing. It seems the more visually oppressive/aggressive the buildings, shops, etc. are, the more the fashion and the attitudes reflect it. The more people try to tune out their surroundings, the more they can tune out other people.

I don't mean to say that this doesn't happen in Milan, but the energy and quality of interactions on the street are different in Historic Milan than in the shopping center or other more rapidly changing parts of the city. I have been thinking about where I like to live and where I feel most comfortable and continue to find myself like neighborhoods in which there is a consistency in the architecture and lots of trees nearby. I think that's what I love about the outer Sunset district in San Francisco; yes, the garage is often the most prominent part of the home's facade, but the homes were all done by the same company and have a similar look. The buildings are not the most elaborate and exciting, but they create a backdrop against which people's lives can become the focus.