ARTFUL WEEKEND

OK...I had a great weekend. Went to LA and visited LACMA this is always fun....any time I get to see a Diebenkorn is a day well spent.

The visit began with a trip by the wonderful garden
on the way to the fabulous Urban Light display. This consists of 202 antiue cast-iron street lights from various cities in ad around LA by Chris Burden.
All that I had to shoot with that day was my iPhone...so forgive the photos somewhat.


These are simply gorgeous....here is a view of some photos in a video by Joe Sixpack.

There was the LACMA's version of the McDonald's playpit. They were phenomenal hanging "vines" made up of various plastic household objects that looked like they just escaped from a Dollar Tree. From a distance they looked like fun necklaces for the kids to run through.

Then, of course, there was the Diebenkorn....

Rauschenberg

and Hockney

Then on to one of my favorite stores in South Pasadena, Zinnia...who moved into new space...here is the very wonderful floor from their new space.

HEIGHT OF LAZINESS

I used to think that it was bad that Henry and I would sit in opposite rooms in the house and play gin rummy with each other online because we were too lazy to sit at a table and shuffle the cards, deal the cards, and write the score down. It seemed a little odd. Had we really sunk this far into the technology era that it seemed the most prudent thing to do.

Actually, noone will play games of any kind--OK, I am a little competitive, I admit. It does not bother me to lose over and over again, because I know that eventually I will never lose. I played Gin with Henry for years before the tide turned and I would win all of the time...then he would not play with me anymore. Now even in other rooms I hear him screaming. Now he will not even computer play with me any more.


I also never believed in letting children win because they were children. My parents did not let me win...maybe that is what made me so determined to win. Cliff would sit and play Scrabble for hours with me, and never win; but he would play. One of the biggest moments of parental pride was when he said "all those years of losing to you makes me seem like a genius when I play at college." See you can pass it on.

One of my favorite games of all time is Tile Rummy or Rummikub. It is super Rummy with tiles....mmmm what fun! The only time I would get to play is when Mark and Katie would come and visit and Mark and I would play for hours. Playing tile rummy is like a dying art, but the good news is I found a place on-line that is only Rummikub...I play for hours now with people from China and Finland. I love it!!


Back to the height of laziness--focus, Cathi. Henry and I actually just Skyped each other to speak in different rooms over the computer because neither one of us would get up to walk into the other room. Seriously, we wonder why I am overweight.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW??

PERMS AND POLYESTER

I went to the local grocery store today, and while I was following out a fellow patron and I began to wonder at what point in your life do you wake up and have the need for a pair of polyester pants.

• Is it because they are washable, and you are into easy care?
• Is it because they go so much better with white shoes?
• Is it because a guayaberra shirt goes better with them?

For the female side....is there a time that you feel the urge to get a perm or a roller set? Are the floral shirts sold at the store next to the beauty parlor??


The flip side of this is that I spend my days walking by women who are shopping for clothes that are way too young for them. No matter how well toned your body is, at 55 it is way to late to wear low cut jeans with your midriff showing. You are only as young as you feel--body parts are a different animal.

I walk by the clothes and think how cute they are and then it dawns on me: I actually had them the first time around...thirty years ago. I can close my eyes and still think how cute I looked in the very short bubble skirt that I wore over black and white striped leggings.

Those were the days!! Sigh! I probably still have the clothes upstairs in the size 4-6 closet--soon to go to eBay as Vintage!!

In keeping with these thoughts, I read an article today that said that the Moody Blues are still touring with two of the original members--seriously they are 68 years old. My old boss and his wife are Moody Blues groupies (at 58 years old-I wonder if they are the youngest). They spend the summers following the band around and they have to drive, because his wife fills the trunk with memorabilia.

I can honestly say I never understood the Moody Blues, and actually until last year I thought it was Knights in White Satin and I could never figure out how that would help them in battle.




That was them then......

This is them now!!


See...everyone has their little foibles, I guess Henry playing golf is not so bad!!

ICE TEA FOR ME

My drink choice year round is Iced Tea. When we moved to Massachusetts we were shocked to find that they considered it a seasonal item and most restaurants only served it in the summer--forget about Iced Coffee you had no shot at that. They seemed to think that it was fine that you would have Cokes with ice--but tea, no way.

I was just making a new pot of Iced Tea using my sister's recipe. She made the best iced tea on the face of the earth. Every time I have iced tea I think of her. I decided to share the recipe here--it is all in the timing.

It begins with Tetley tea British blend. These are adorable round teabags easily ground up in the disposal. You will need four teabags.


You need a four cup pyrex measuring container. Add four cups of water (I use tap for this part, but our tap tastes good) and then four little round teabags.
Place this in your microwave (this is mine above) on HIGH for FIVE minutes exactly!! Not seven or four--FIVE!!

When the microwave goes off set your timer for TEN minutes to steep!! Ten minutes, not eleven, or eight.



I like mine a little sweet so in my 2.1 quart Flip-Spout Acrylic Styrene Pitcher (which I get at the container store), I put exactly six sweet and low packets. These pitchers are narrow--I am mad for them. They are $9.99 in Acrylic, and $6.99 in a Polycarb version.

When the timer rings, I remove the teabags and dispose of them. Then I pour the tea into the Pitcher. Then fill the Pyrex with four cups of filtered water, and add it to your pitcher.

It chills overnight, and voila! Tres facile--perfect iced tea in any weather. Sometimes I will think about it while driving home from work--then face disappointment if Henry has drunk my tea.

I have two pitchers (actually three). Two for me--the heir and a spare, and one for whatever Henry wants to drink.

A recap is four cups of water, four teabags, five minutes, six sweet and lows, and ten minutes to steep, four more cups of water.

How Martha of me.

BODIES/PEARL

Today, I had an unexpected day off and Henry and I went to Las Cuatras Milpas (yum-o) and then to the Bodies Exhibition.

The exhibition was amazing and something that we all should see. One of the bodies had a pacemaker which was interesting because you could see exactly how it works within the confines of the body. I think that it would be great for Julia to see. She would find it amazing.




Earlier in the week, I had watched the documentary called "A Man Named Pearl". This is the story of Pearl Fryar.

Pearl Fryar is an amazing man who lives in a depressed town in the deep South. The things that he has accomplished via his garden: relationships, inspirations, and motivations are unbelievable. His work is breathtaking, however, he has the vision and the patience to see his vision come to fruition over years and years.
The message that he sends as a humanitarian, sculptor, teacher, and visionary needs to be seen by all. I urge you to rent/buy this an then share it with all people that you know.