Sonnet 98

From you have I been absent in the spring,
When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim,
Hath put a spirit of youth in everything,
That heavy Saturn laughed and leaped with him,
Yet nor the lays of birds, nor the sweet smell
Of different flowers in odor and in hue,
Could make me any summer's story tell,
Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew.
Nor did I wonder at the lily's white,
Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;
They were but sweet, but figures of delight,
Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.
    Yet seemed it winter still, and, you away,
    As with your shadow I with these did play.

-Shakespeare

New York, je t'aime

Yesterday, it was hard to pine for New York's winter under a San Francisco sun. The Bay Area found itself in a glow, 100 % independent from all the TV screens playing the Super Bowl. I soaked in every hint of ray I could, not for one second missing my beloved coziness of gray clouds or rain. Snow, on the other hand, I could handle for maybe another day or two. I got a cozy taste of that on my not-so-long-ago trip to NYC. I better blog about it one more time before I'm completely swept up into a San Francisco Spring. So here we have raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...aka my favorite things:



Let me open the doors for you with lunch at The Spotted Pig! We ate burgers, fries, chicken liver on toast, smoked haddock chowder and mulled wine. A dream meal, with some surprises!



A must-see: 'A Woman's Wit: Jane Austen's Life and Legacy' exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum. For all you New Yorkers out there who've yet to visit the library, watch the 16 minute film before seeing the actual exhibit. It gives great context, as well as loads of inspiration.



Laughing on the street corner with Sophie, in her pretty pink coat and black-rimmed glasses.



In the mood to sort through piles upon piles of vintage cookbooks? Joanna Hendrick's cookbook store in Soho is the place to be.



Dreaming of plum season...



Rainy day with Rachel, under an enormous umbrella! I love those German rain-boots.



I finally got to see Broadway's musical revival of Westside Story. Now my relationship with the story transcends the 1960's movie screen, as it progresses onto a new stage and into a new century and a new time.



I can't visit NYC without bringing home my one and only souvenir. I never miss a mug at La Terrine on 73rd and Lex.



My mom and I came across this gem of a gallery owned by Mark Murray. While it felt more like a cozy home from another decade than an art space, the collection was beautiful as was the art from the London gallery they rent out to.



Paintings don't just hang at this gallery. They lean too.



When can I move in?



Oh, friends! Rachel, Peter and Ian gave me a great final night, making it so hard to leave! We did it all: ordered rabbit's feet, shared some angels and drank dragon tears. Oh, how I miss that state of mind...

Knee-Deep in Briones

During last Sunday's muddy loop around Briones Regional Park with Liz, I think (stress on 'think') I saw a coyote. First it was a mountain lion, then it was a coyote...and I'm sticking to it!

Chelsea Girls

One of my favorite activities when visiting NYC is gallery hopping in Chelsea. And I usually don't know it's my favorite thing to do until I finally arrive and am led around by my private art gurus, Heather (my sister and Ms. LA in Bloom herself, pictured above) and Melissa (one of our oldest friends from home and proud Brooklyn resident). They take me to the best galleries, the ones that exhibit work often written up in The New Yorker. As good as a go around in a museum, I find these experiences worthwhile because of the variety of art and the way it is all curated. Each gallery has its own angle and approach to art. One of the places we visited was the David Zwirner gallery, currently showing "Primary Atmospheres: Works From California 1960-1970." Feeling both at home and far away, I was transported by the exhibit: into multiple landscapes, time zones, decades, genres and times of day...all at once.

This piece is by Craig Kauffman and it's Untitled. I might call it 'Hanging Purse.'



'Glass Box with Ellipses' by Larry Bell.



'Theta Two' by John McCracken.



In the background, 'Crazy Otto' by Robert Irwin.

Below is an exhibit, also at David Zwirner. It is Dan Flavin's "Series and Progressions." This part of the exhibit was colorfully named, 'Alternating pink and "gold."' The whole space is lined by these pink and yellow fluorescent lights. I could have stayed in this room for a while, just wondering what determines the space between the lights and their measurement.



The first gallery we visited was the James Cohen Gallery, showing "Demons, Yarns & Tales: Tapestries by Contemporary Artists." These pieces were beautiful, for sure, but also very haunting. Let's just say, they weren't your average bed and breakfast quilt.



Kara Walker's "A Warm Summer Evening in 1863." This was the most evocative, and one of the first you see as your walk through the doors. It really set the tone for the show. Against the wool tapestry is the silhouette of a woman, hand-cut and felt.



Peter Blake's "Alphabet." Appearing oddly small, I actually went through the letters to make sure that they were all there. And they were, so onward, make words!



"Zelada" by Jaime Gili. Reminds me of the South of France.



"Canoca" by Beatriz Milhazes. Sudden fantasy. I'm a fashion designer on Project Runway and the challenge is as follows: Tim Gunn will take you on a field trip to a gallery in Chelsea. You must find inspiration in the art that you see. (Italics obviously spoken in Heidi Klum's voice.) I would focus on the tapestry above and design a mod shift dress. Too obvious? Maybe that's why I'm not on Project Runway.



Julie Verhoeven's "Far from the Madding Crowd." There's a lot going on in this one, including a unicorn, a knife and a shell. Yet, everything blends.



She's not part of the exhibit. Just a Chelsea girl.

Teen Dream-y

I keep trying to blog about my trip to NYC but keep getting distracted by things like this:



I know it looks like nothing at first, but beyond first glance you will find what is the cover art for Beach House's new album Teen Dream. The design is kind of botanical meets animal print, all in a peachy light hue almost lost unless seen from the proper angle. Now this is something I've been waiting on, ever since I saw them perform many of these new songs at their show in October. I blogged about it. Here's another picture of the band:



When I get into one of their albums, I know it will follow me around for a while. Or, I will follow it. Go to 'Norway,' 'Walk in the Park,' and 'Take Care.'

Costume Star

I promised myself I would stop blogging about "Bright Star," but today I couldn't help myself! For two reasons. First: I finally got the DVD in the mail. Oh my goodness, so excited to relive the magic. Second: the Oscar nominations were announced today and guess who got a little shout out? Bright Star's Janet Patterson for costume design. I swear, that one little nomination warms my heart. I know the Oscars are most insignificant on a daily basis, however the awards do have a soft spot in my heart considering how much I loved them as a young girl. Oh, who am I kidding? I love them now! And I love that "Bright Star" will have a little moment at the ceremony. Instead of harping on how the film has been shut out of every award's show this season, I will take comfort today in it's one nomination. You go, Academy, for throwing this under-appreciated Jane Campion love story a bone!

A City Can Be

And underlined, I might add. It's unbelievable how a city can change in just one week! I'm mostly talking about weather in this instance, although I do believe that New York City is one of the most exciting and eclectic places I ever visit, and it never gets old! I can't count the number of times I've frequented the fair city and each time is like my first. Maybe it's a poor memory (although, who am I kidding, it usually serves me well), but wonders of the city just keep popping up for me like I'm experiencing each sky, line and angle for the first time. It's like I'm on a hunt for that fantastic place, the great unknown hot-spot, and at the door I've been there before, but I don't know it. That kind of thing.

Just like everyday on my trip last week was unlike the one preceding and the one to follow. One day I'm going from thing to thing to thing and the next I forgot what time and what day it was. Forget trying to figure out the month, time flies. One day, the blustery wind pounds rain against the window, turning umbrellas from rainbows into capital "y's" and the next day, you feel the sun's rays against your back as you walk from it. Talk about different sky phases. I saw gloomy skies, pink skies, clear skies. I saw sun, rain and snow. I'm a teeth chatterer, and boy, did I do a lot of that--like this day below, when cute kids frolicked to Central Park to build snow men and throw snow balls.





Changing...

Changing...

Changed...only to change again, oh too soon.