LOL, the state of hawaii owes you a free trip or something for all of the great research

catch the next plane to Stapleton, land right i n the neighborhood (it's an old airport, right), and set up my tent until they give me the keys

Dear Mary,

Is Mary short for Maryland?
Sorry, I'm sleepy after 3.5 hours of Giant.

Coop, perhaps you can find the Sally books and close that chapter? Here I am, putting you to work on your holiday.

absolutely, I just posted all of my thoughts on the move in a separate post

the author of GIANT was raised in Wisconsin. perhaps that's the connection.

post your comments, I just did. I'm so tired but I know my 6-month old is getting ready to wake up for a feeding. What's wrong with me! I should have slept these past 3.5 hours!!!!

Interesting you mentioned Anastasia. I believe it was a Russian that designed the 2nd Empire Victorian in the movie GIANT?

Wisconsin

The author of Giant lived there. Sidwell Friends school (the Obama girls' school) is on Wisconsin AV in Washington DC, the main building looks a lot like the Maryland home in GIANT, except Sidwell is made of STONE instead of brick. The Sidwell school has a campus in Maryland... the DH is in MARYLAND!!!

Maryland or Virginia

GIANT – kdwhit’s impressions:

Definitely Maryland or Virginia (west of Maryland)

•Whew, it’s a long movie. 200 minutes
•Opening scene: beautiful Maryland horse country. Bik comes in on the train and is going parallel to a hunting party. It made me think of the Kentucky Derby and Mary Poppins. Green rolling hills, red coats, and white fences. Once he arrives at the homestead, he realizes the hunting party is also going to the same place, then sees leslie (liz taylor) riding THE horse he has come to buy. That smile she gave him is the same smile I always remember her by, and is the same smile that instantly won him over.
•HOUSE #1 – Leslie’s family home was a traditional southern country mansion, all brick with white pillars, black shutters, and all
•HOUSE #2 – The super large 2nd Empire (Mansard) Victorian from the picture. The huge entry foyer was the main family living room and the centerplace of most of the drama for the movie. Cool to see the décor change with the times throughout the movie.
•HOUSE #3 – (kind of) When Leslie first saw the Benedict mansion, her first response was, “That’s it? It’s huge! I thought it was going to be a Texan rambling ranch!”
•OK, so the big deal : Jett Rink, or JR’s (James Dean’s character) is told to drive the city slicker Leslie home to rest [background, Leslie is having a little difficulty adjusting to the hardy food, the Texas heat, and is too well-mannered for the Texas folk. Biks sister thinks Leslie is just the trophy wife. Leslie gets up everyday and goes out with the cowboys to learn how they handle the steers]. JR is totally smitten with Leslie and is completely anxious and jittery the whole way home. On the way, mentions she’s the only one to come to Texas… everyone else is trying to get out… (OK I’m paraphrasing, but then he says) I’M GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE TO ONE DAY, MAYBE TO MARYLAND!!!!!
•Also, when Bik’s son-in-law comes home from fighting in WWII, they have a pool party, and the revelers are dancing the Virginia REEL

JR loves everything about Leslie
•Her looks, her independence, her courage
•Her home state
•Her sophistication, her wealth
•Once he inherits the land, he starts to prepare for her: builds a house, fills it with flowers, posts newspaper clippings of her on his wall, reads self-help books to improve his speech, learns etiquette so that he can serve her tea,
•He’s constantly trying to find excuses to drive the boss's car. As soon as he’s rich, he buys one just like it but better
•He tries to be Bik in every way, even names his new ranch “Little Reata.” He wants to be “good enough” for Leslie, even asks her if she had any sisters at home that would like poor people (like him), and asks Leslie’s daughter to marry him (him being in a drunken stupor, thinking/hoping/wishing it was really Leslie).