Scholastic Surroundings

Princeton University was one of the last Ivy-League schools on my must-see to-do list and I can happily say that after today, Pennsylvania and Cornell are the only two left. It was just a fleeting glimpse from the inside of a beat-up BMW but it made the scholastic check-off.

I'm on assignment in New Jersey with Adam, Lisa, Matt (a younger version of Brad Pitt) Adrian and myself. After a long marathon stretch of shooting we dined at a favorite hang-out for business execs called the Triumph Brewing Company. Men of all ages (and sexual preference) lined the 2 lengthy mahogany bars while servers invited us to try samples of fresh brewed beer on tap. I milked a Vienna dark amber lager until the apps arrived.

Adam misspelled rumors that Princeton is expensive. Of course it is expensive but affordable to most because nearly every student goes on scholarship and research grants. In fact, it's rated as one of Ivy League's most generous academic institutions in terms of financial endowment. It was founded in 1865, fourth in longevity after Harvard, Yale and Pennsylvania. Adam goes on to inform me that the Ron Howard movie, "A Beautiful Mind" (2001) was filmed here as was "Scent of a Woman" (1992),"I.Q" (1994)and "One True Thing" (1998).

Not sure why I have this fetish for visiting the "Ancient Eight" or even the "Seven Sisters"; Barnard, Radcliffe, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Bryn Mawr and Wellesley but the castle-like architecture is most certainly one the reasons. From gothic revival archways, cloisters and formidable spires to pink weeping cherry trees, gargoyles and dusty libraries, old colleges are ageless in beauty.