Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.

Almost fifteen years ago my daughter Cassandra and I spent three magical weeks in Paris. On her list of must see places to visit was the L’Espace Dali. Located high up in the Montmartre, it is Paris’s enduring home to the city’s artists and philosophers. The museum was unassuming from the outside, but the moment you walked through the door you were greeted by a very steep set of stairs. As I held onto the railing for dear life, I realized that one could expect nothing less from the Great Salvador Dali. I was about to enter his eccentric world of Surrealism.

Once we arrived safely downstairs our senses were immediately assaulted. Circular black walls swirled in front of us, chanting music filtered the air and lights became alive. Incredible, fantastic and bizarre are three words that best describe both the museum and his work.

It was hard not to be caught up in the mystical spell of Dali. The museum focuses particularly on the creative process that produced some of Dali's most famous works and contains paintings, drawings, cartoons, and sculptures. One symbol that was present in many of Dali’s works was the butterfly. He used the butterfly both as a thing of beauty and as a symbol of the soul.  
 
Before we left we went into the gift shop, where most of the items were out of our price range. On a large wooden stand was a heavy open book where visitors were invited to write a message. Surprisingly, many were in English and we stood there, mesmerized for at least 20 minutes. As we flipped the pages, reading post after post after post, I was enthralled with the messages that varied from personal and  funny to sad and poignant. We both left messages but I’m not sharing what I wrote. You’ll just have to go to Paris and read it in person!   

I will however share one of my favorite Dali stories. He had only one great love in his life, Gala, his muse and wife. It is said that on his wedding day he tied a hundred helium balloons around his waist and floated up to greet her as she waited, like Juliet,  on the balcony for her Romeo.  Whether it is true or not doesn’t matter, for it is romance personified. And we all need a little of that in our life.

A few years ago Cassandra entered the Beard and Mustache Competition in New York. She dressed as Dali, complete with a butterfly mustache. Do you love or hate Dali? There is no in between. When I showed Tony my completed 8x8" layout, he quietly looked it over. Then, choosing his words carefully said, "It's nice, but the edges are torn." Guess I did a good job of distressing.