Monday, November 19, 2007
So Brian and I made the trip up north this weekend. I am so glad we went. Not only did we get a good amount of paintings done/started, I also had a chance to become re-enamored with Berkley.
I just like that people look healthy and content there. Most women don’t wear make-up and are funky and natural. Kids wear bright red rain boots on sunny days. Men smile and carry their babies around. Cars have bumper stickers. Stores are owned by people. Happy things.
Friday, after Breakfast at this electric blue new-revolutionary cafe, Zach, Brian and I took the train to SFMOMA. Luckily we started from the top down. Olafur Eliasson was on the 5th floor across the bridge (which he modified amazingly). His pieces were primarily interactive, which might seem hokey, but since it was environmentally/science based I thought it was interesting. Especially the little hole filled with mirrors that made you feel like you were a million stories up in a dark building at night. Here is a picture of me in the mist cave.
Friday, after Breakfast at this electric blue new-revolutionary cafe, Zach, Brian and I took the train to SFMOMA. Luckily we started from the top down. Olafur Eliasson was on the 5th floor across the bridge (which he modified amazingly). His pieces were primarily interactive, which might seem hokey, but since it was environmentally/science based I thought it was interesting. Especially the little hole filled with mirrors that made you feel like you were a million stories up in a dark building at night. Here is a picture of me in the mist cave.
Following this was a dock with water projected from behind it. As we were standing there, a woman with an older man figured out that if she ran his wheelchair into certain planks she could make ripples. She rammed the chair excitedly about four times while I wondered if this thrilled or annoyed him. It was really dark though, so I couldn’t read his features.
On the next floor we visited the ice car that Eliasson had also designed. I was fascinated by the girls that stood at either ends and importantly called out the temperature of the freezer to each other. I liked the idea of these really young women being entrusted with maintaining the delicate existence of the car. I didn’t stay in the freezer long. Not because of the cold, but because the perfectly formed rows of icicles that made up the car begged me to smash them. I was really surprised no one else had felt the same urge at a more uncontrollable level. According to Zach the incident they did have only involved licking.
The Joseph Cornell exhibit was great but perhaps a bit overwhelming/extensive. I surprisingly found myself wishing it had been edited a little more so that I could spend more time on individual pieces without regretting the hundreds that I had yet to see. He did have an amazing zine like publication called the pultry pages that stuck out for me. It was all about poulty and prizes and appropriated nonsense. Very inspiring.
Though it was a running joke that I see Berkley through rose color glasses, Friday, after we had gone to the Moma I found proof of its undeniable superiority. Zach took me to Berkley Bowl, the hippy market not far from his house (and also near the biggest movie rental place in the world.) It was unbelievable. Every vegetable you can imagine was there, and then for each kind there was a dozen different varieties. I couldn’t even count how many different kinds of mushrooms there were. I did count the sweet potatos. 13 different types. Here is a picture that does not even begin to explain it.
On the next floor we visited the ice car that Eliasson had also designed. I was fascinated by the girls that stood at either ends and importantly called out the temperature of the freezer to each other. I liked the idea of these really young women being entrusted with maintaining the delicate existence of the car. I didn’t stay in the freezer long. Not because of the cold, but because the perfectly formed rows of icicles that made up the car begged me to smash them. I was really surprised no one else had felt the same urge at a more uncontrollable level. According to Zach the incident they did have only involved licking.
The Joseph Cornell exhibit was great but perhaps a bit overwhelming/extensive. I surprisingly found myself wishing it had been edited a little more so that I could spend more time on individual pieces without regretting the hundreds that I had yet to see. He did have an amazing zine like publication called the pultry pages that stuck out for me. It was all about poulty and prizes and appropriated nonsense. Very inspiring.
Though it was a running joke that I see Berkley through rose color glasses, Friday, after we had gone to the Moma I found proof of its undeniable superiority. Zach took me to Berkley Bowl, the hippy market not far from his house (and also near the biggest movie rental place in the world.) It was unbelievable. Every vegetable you can imagine was there, and then for each kind there was a dozen different varieties. I couldn’t even count how many different kinds of mushrooms there were. I did count the sweet potatos. 13 different types. Here is a picture that does not even begin to explain it.
On Saturday we met Brendan and Evah for a late Breakfast at La Note. I thought that ‘note’ meant night, which would have been delightfully ironic, only it doesn’t. Our waitress was really French and unbearably beautiful in a way that makes you believe the French are right to feel superior. The food was good to, but I made a mistake in not getting a savory breakfast. Here we are.
When I told them I was taking a picture Brendan started slo-mo-ing food into his mouth. (Just in case you thought I was being inconsiderate.) La Note has the best potatoes garlic and cooked tomatoes. It made me want to cook. After breakfast we walked through the farmer's market (further proof) and I felt so happy to be with friends and to have had such a nice meal that I spontaneously planned a dinner party while saying goodbye without even making sure it was okay with Zach. (Luckily it was, and we had another nice meal before we left)
After breakfast Zach and Brian hauled out a table into the living room of Zach’s apartment and we all started painting. This was what we did for the next two days (besides eating) and it was really really satisfying. It made me a lot more excited about the show (which we just found out will be the 16th of February). We don’t have a name for it yet. Here are two if my favorites.
After breakfast Zach and Brian hauled out a table into the living room of Zach’s apartment and we all started painting. This was what we did for the next two days (besides eating) and it was really really satisfying. It made me a lot more excited about the show (which we just found out will be the 16th of February). We don’t have a name for it yet. Here are two if my favorites.
Over the weekend I got a chance to read the sequel to my favorite book ever (Youth in Revolt by C.D.Payne). This made me pretty happy. As did the new music Zach introduced me to. Right now I am listening to Kimya Dawson and having a hard time believing I haven’t always been listening to her. On her website she has picture of herself at Cranberry lake, a place my dad would take my brother and I every weekend of the summer when I was in middle school. We would row a rubber raft into the middle of the lake and then jump out and swim around. It was a little scary because the water was so dark, but totally exhilarating. I like the idea of her being there, in that place I loved so much as a kid.
Happy Early Thanksgiving.
Happy Early Thanksgiving.
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