learnteach: (Default)
learnteach ([personal profile] learnteach) wrote2009-09-11 12:50 am

Life is Full of Cool

5 things, well, because.

1. Saw the Samurai exhibit at Asian Art Museum with Karen today. The upper galleries were more fun. She had a very good point: after seeing the muse's homes in Europe, American museums seem rather thin. Still, a cool exhibit, with a cool person, and we sat, drank tea, and talked.

2. Upcoming coolness in music: Little Feat at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Great Big Sea coming, Mist's Bardic. Many cool things.

3. Other coolness: Tom's competing in http://handcar-regatta.com/ !!!! That will be stunning, I'm probably going to be blowing off a pickling date to go (sorry!) Hey Tug, wanna go see?

4. I'm teaching waltz at Friday Night Waltz on the Third Fridays. I teach differently from Tom or Scott, focussing on feeling and partnering, less on feet. The classes go well. www.fridaynightwaltz.com

5. SCA events are suddenly back on my calendar: Esfenn feast, with the AMAZING food of Ysabella (I helped cook a little. I'm helping serve. It's going to be major fun. Go get on the waiting list, odds are good you'll get in, and no, really, Ysabella has made pasta and sausages and salted tuna belly and is running it as a professional kitchen, and it's in Fremont!) Darkwood Masked Ball (riding with Xtal), then Mist's Bardic (Judging), then the playcook date and Pas at Fall Coronet.

6. Cooking...I need to fix the bike, and go lurk in Ysa's kitchen and help and learn. And pickle more, they're very tasty (lemme know if you want some, although we're leaving cuke season). And more salsa (ditto, but I have plenty of tomatoes.) And of course bruschetta and pesto and I really want to try brining some olives. So much to do!

7. Conrad (whom I have met.) And Lumina (who I have not yet met.)

[identity profile] tugrik.livejournal.com 2009-09-11 09:27 am (UTC)(link)
The 27th? Sure, would love to go see, if work permits! (I have to look at the on-call rotation tomorrow; I'm trading weeks around to prep for vacation)

Also, if bored on Sat/Sun, want to go to Yosemite? There's a 3rd seat free in the Blue Van of Doom if you're up for camping. Leaving dirt-early Saturday, returning early afternoon Sunday. Campsite (I'm sleeping in car, Garth in tent), not cabin or anything.

[identity profile] kawgirl.livejournal.com 2009-09-11 01:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I must disagree with regards to the generalization about US vs European museums. I think it depends on the museum that you visit, no matter where it is located. We have fantastic, world class museums in this country such at the Getty, the Gugenheim, and any of the Smithsonians. The Philadelphia Museum of Art also stands out in my mind as an outstanding museum and I have been impressed with displays at the Legion of Honor as well. I have also been to "thin" museums in Europe, including ones in Heidelberg, Florence, and Munich.

Yay for fixing bike! Indian Summer is here and that means fantastic riding here in California! I will be touring around for sure! Let me know if you're interested.

Sat/Sun taken.

[identity profile] learnteach.livejournal.com 2009-09-11 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
So thanks, but pass.

I'd hold up

[identity profile] learnteach.livejournal.com 2009-09-11 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
the Exploratorium and the Monterey Aquarium as our best overall. The Smithsonian, as of my last visit, has lost a lot of luster. In part, it's simply the depth of European collections and history--hard to beat having local supplies of historical artifacts going back beyond 1750.