back in the burgh

the children's museum in pittsburgh is amazing... they expanded into the abandoned buhl science center and everything just got BETTER. normally i hate change, especially when i'm very nostalgic about the original, but it's so much more spacious and i made the coolest "dynamite" screenprint, so i'm okay with it. there's a gravity room where everything is tilted, and an instrument room and it was just bright and fun and filled with kids. normally that would cause my uterus to get all anxious, but i was with my niece and nephew, who are natural contraceptives b/c after spending the day with them i realize i am in no way energetic enough to have kids. it's 10:30 on a saturday night and i'm wondering why i'm not in bed yet.
there were some impressive video installations that put the shadow pictures of my youth to shame - go here, the best is called 'gathering'. the group, creative nerve, has a website, but they talk about other projects on it. worth a look just for the impressive resumes...

watched some bbc america - so sad about my lack of cable sometimes, although netflix ALMOST makes up for it. caught the end of the smoking room, which is hysterical and cancer-craving, and tim's birthday episode of the office. aww. so utterly wonderful, and puts the new one to such outrageous shame. my parents both gave up after watching for less than ten minutes. losers.

the universe is against me

it's true, time out ny's horoscopes said so. and good thing too, because i needed some written proof that the way i was feeling wasn't my fault - it's the UNIVERSE'S. damn universe. always fucking with my head. yes, i'm very jokey now, but i broke down a bit last night... too much stress, not enough solutions. i know escapism isn't the answer, but right now i'm not sure what is - perhaps quitting the job and becoming a bartender? healthcare sucks, but i'd save money on alcohol. i'm going home in two weeks and plan on dumping this onto my parents and having them make it all better.

this weekend i went to the forum gallery and saw some incredible work. david mach has pieces made out of matchsticks and coat hangers that are guaranteed to blow your mind. this bear is my (new!) cellphone's wallpaper:



his collages aren't quite as impressive, but they're fun to look at (esp for a new york audience).

go to Forum Gallery, 745 Fifth Ave, 5th Fl (bet 57th and 58th)... on until April 16th. I wonder how well they're selling - and how much they are (neglected to check)!

we really need to institute a four o'clock Friday, so i can start hitting up galleries this spring/summer... next staff meeting i'll try to dredge up the courage.

Lucile at FIT

There is a new exhibition at FIT on Lucile, Lady Duff Gordon. The exhibition, curated by grad students, looks very interesting, most especially because Lucile had what they call "a controversial escape from the Titanic." No kidding. I found this really fascinating account of the Duff Gordons, who were labeled "Cowardly Baron and his Wife" by the newspapers. They had managed to escape the sinking ship in an emergency boat that could hold 40 people, but only held 12 - it came out that they had given the crew 5 pounds apiece... gift or bribe, it became known as 'the Money Boat'. And holding a champagne supper upon their arrival in New York wasn't exactly a good pr move. They were exonerated, and what a sweetie...

"Regrets? I have no regrets. The Titanic disaster made me a fortune. Look at the tremendous amount of publicity it gave me...When I opened my dress establishments in New York and Chicago, people mobbed the places. I made thousands and thousands of dollars."



Quick! go see....
Designing the It Girl: Lucile and Her Style
March 1 - April 16, 2005

Tues - Fri Noon - 8pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Free admission.