Oh my golly! Even though it's Monday, I'm excited for the forthcoming weekend. I'll be jumping off the SS GW Ghetto-Dorm and swimmin' on over to Capitol Hill. The Hill! In a quaint house full of its own bathroom / kitchen / laundry / garden!! On the downside, I'll no longer have the thrill of walking by the White House every day, and Georgetown will be hard to get to, and I'll probably have to start taking the Metro to get to work.
Wow, I'm a yuppie!
What else will I miss about this side of town? Proximity to the Kennedy Center, the Reflecting Pool, and jogging around duck shit / the Lincoln Memorial. I will not miss the dorm's basement 7-11, which does not sell any alcohol (discovered the hard way, and I'm still a little bitter, even though it actually makes sense). I might miss the speedy Internet connection, which may powerfully impact this blog's existence... However, I hereby pledge to spend one minute watching flatscreen DirectTV in my new mansion, like a proper adult, in order to make up for every two minutes that I have spent in a dorm room, blogging on a laptop, two feet from a sink. So shameful!
It must also be nearing the end of my second month in DC, which is incredibly surprising. I feel like I've been here for two years.
Today I visited the Exhibits Central offices, which are all the hella way out in Maryland. It was pretty cool to see all their gizmos -- my absolute favorite is the 3-D copier, which they described as having the capability to "print out 3-D objects" such as a scanned human skull (!). You simply scan the real, 3-D object, and then the machine spends about 12 hours building - level by minute level - a copy of that object, using this strange fine sand and a gluey mixture. Basically, it's a machine that can sculpt anything for you. They use it to create copies of objects that can subsequently be used in the museum, either for the public to touch, or as exhibit bling.
Otherwise, I finally heard the words "Illustrator" and "Photoshop" slung casually around, and for that I was grateful. It was a pretty informative field trip.
Tomorrow: The National Archives (and work, I actually do work, but field trips are also part of my work and the safe thing to talk about).
Monday, July 27, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
DC: Off the beaten path...
I totally neglected to mention visiting NGA's amazing exhibit, The Art of Power. It simply was an amazing achievement. NGA buddied up with the Royal Armory in Madrid (and others) to build an incredible collection of Imperial court armour; not only were there many nice, shiny suits of armour to see, but they were often coupled with paintings. I mean, paintings by masters, who copied those actual suits of armour to create paintings in which the figures wore suits of armour. Does that make sense?
Put another way, I've seen my fair share of painted knights/kings/etc., and have always wondered how much of the armour was the painter's imagination, and how much was model. This exhibit was so incredible because you could see the actual suit of armour that, say, Velazquez painted hundreds of years ago, and it's the same suit as you can see in the painting beside it and it's real and it's a foot away from me!!!! How such things can even survive history, let alone be in such beautiful condition and be assembled for such an exhibition, is really the greatness of museums. Well done, NGA curators.
Otherwise, a bout of not-altogether-healthiness has dampened my galavanting. I did attend a dance performance at the Kennedy Center, called Gimp. It was presented in conjunction with the Very Special Arts, and I'm glad I saw it -- quite poignant -- quite challenging.
By the way, if any AAd'ers have questions about how to apply for federal jobs, ask me! I spent all day in a conference about it. Really. It's so arcane that they block off six hours to explain it, en masse, to fresh interns. I guess I get it now. I also really "got" that in the world of SmAthsonian Human Resources, five days = 500 applications! It seems somewhat miraculous for anyone to get a SmAthsonian job, ever, and I'm glad I'm not one of the faceless thousands with a Master's in Art History (no offense to those with that degree).
Since last weekend was not actually my last in the dorms (this forthcoming shall be), I have compiled a very exciting list of less obvious things to do in DC. How many can I possibly accomplish? Try this on for size:
Put another way, I've seen my fair share of painted knights/kings/etc., and have always wondered how much of the armour was the painter's imagination, and how much was model. This exhibit was so incredible because you could see the actual suit of armour that, say, Velazquez painted hundreds of years ago, and it's the same suit as you can see in the painting beside it and it's real and it's a foot away from me!!!! How such things can even survive history, let alone be in such beautiful condition and be assembled for such an exhibition, is really the greatness of museums. Well done, NGA curators.
Otherwise, a bout of not-altogether-healthiness has dampened my galavanting. I did attend a dance performance at the Kennedy Center, called Gimp. It was presented in conjunction with the Very Special Arts, and I'm glad I saw it -- quite poignant -- quite challenging.
By the way, if any AAd'ers have questions about how to apply for federal jobs, ask me! I spent all day in a conference about it. Really. It's so arcane that they block off six hours to explain it, en masse, to fresh interns. I guess I get it now. I also really "got" that in the world of SmAthsonian Human Resources, five days = 500 applications! It seems somewhat miraculous for anyone to get a SmAthsonian job, ever, and I'm glad I'm not one of the faceless thousands with a Master's in Art History (no offense to those with that degree).
Since last weekend was not actually my last in the dorms (this forthcoming shall be), I have compiled a very exciting list of less obvious things to do in DC. How many can I possibly accomplish? Try this on for size:
- Art Museum of the Americas (free!)
- Textile Museum (free!)
- Visit Arlington (cemetary, presumably free)
- Attend a Nats game (it's baseball and it's $10)
- Somehow attend the famously gory Museum of Health and Medicine (giant hair balls and the bullet that killed Lincoln, free)
- National Building Museum (free!)
- National Geographic Explorer's Hall... (photography exhibits, mostly free!)
- Science Museum / National Academy of Sciences ($3 with my UO ID... sweet)
- Luce Center (because I love it too much)
- Bike ride to Mt. Vernon (entails bike rental, 16 mile trail and $15 admission)
- Visit a gallery or two
- International Spy Museum ($18... ugh)
or
- Newseum ($17.76... adorable price-gouge!)
Maybe I'm compensating for Le Week-end de Target, but my increasingly easy internship is leaving me with more and more energy to suck out of life. I guess that's mighty fine.
I am, on a more serious note, putting the time to good use -- I checked out a bunch of nerd-tastic books from the SI library, and have set up a meeting with Americans for the Arts. The American Association of Museums, mind you, has broken my heart with promises, promises, promises; and now radio silence. I guess I could storm the headquarters, but it's just an office, so it's not like I can walk around and absorb knowledge about the organization without a proper meeting. Maybe they'll pull through.
But seriously, and this will alarm my academic colleagues, I... am re-thinking my research proposal. Again. I know. I know. But ever since it followed me to DC (thanks, Patricia), I haven't had the energy to read it over again. Interesting, and I feel I've poked around quite a lot on the Internet this summer and read a lot about social networking, museums, and museum education... I guess I feel like I've learned a satisfactory amount about my subject through my own efforts this summer, so to spend nine months compiling that into a paper seems repetitive. I don't like being repetitive. I like fresh blood (academically speaking).
Which is why I'm really looking forward to Americans for the Arts. Seriously. Can improving the quality of people's lives be achieved through Facebook? Or rather, by providing kids with inspiring early experiences with the arts (via teachers who can access resources and administrators who value arts education)? As an arts adminstrator, I find myself pondering the reality of my profession, as experienced in the internship, and confronted with the question of what is truly, personally meaningful.
Research is just a big paper, I know, but it's also a platform to explore a field and ground your practice. I'd just like to be on very solid ground. And I'm paying good money to write that paper, after all.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
dorm life
I forgot this gem!
I am really happy that this may have been my last weekend in the George Washington dorms.
Example: I try really hard to eat well, despite the challenges of having no real grocery store, very few cooking utensils and a kitchen that's about 200 feet from my room (a typical dinner requires me to run back and forth at least three times, and that's on a good day).
I know I've done well when young men start collecting in the hallway, drawn by the smell of food. It's hilariously predictable. Last week one wandered in while I was making some kind of ratatouille thing, and asked if the dorm provided any cooking utensils. I said no, and to be polite, asked if he'd just moved in. "No," he said, "I've been here for three weeks; I just haven't cooked anything yet." And he stared sort of mournfully at me. I smiled, covered the pot, and ran away.
Tonight, even better: curry. Different guy comes in; some Texas douchebag who I've talked to once: "Oooh, that looks good. What have you been up to? (feigns interest in my life while staring intently at the percolating garbanzo beans) Yeah. I'm recovering; my birthday was the other night and now I'm 23ohyeaharen'tyouinyour thirties, ha ha, oh yeah...wow, that's a lot of curry." And stares meaningfully at me. Wow.
As I'm running away, another guy pops out into the hall -- "Hey, that smells good!" he wails after me.
So, yeah. Dorms are not as delightful a place to be when you're "in your thirties." ?$!#$#%@
I am really happy that this may have been my last weekend in the George Washington dorms.
Example: I try really hard to eat well, despite the challenges of having no real grocery store, very few cooking utensils and a kitchen that's about 200 feet from my room (a typical dinner requires me to run back and forth at least three times, and that's on a good day).
I know I've done well when young men start collecting in the hallway, drawn by the smell of food. It's hilariously predictable. Last week one wandered in while I was making some kind of ratatouille thing, and asked if the dorm provided any cooking utensils. I said no, and to be polite, asked if he'd just moved in. "No," he said, "I've been here for three weeks; I just haven't cooked anything yet." And he stared sort of mournfully at me. I smiled, covered the pot, and ran away.
Tonight, even better: curry. Different guy comes in; some Texas douchebag who I've talked to once: "Oooh, that looks good. What have you been up to? (feigns interest in my life while staring intently at the percolating garbanzo beans) Yeah. I'm recovering; my birthday was the other night and now I'm 23ohyeaharen'tyouinyour thirties, ha ha, oh yeah...wow, that's a lot of curry." And stares meaningfully at me. Wow.
As I'm running away, another guy pops out into the hall -- "Hey, that smells good!" he wails after me.
So, yeah. Dorms are not as delightful a place to be when you're "in your thirties." ?$!#$#%@
the fun never ends
Wow! Nearly a week has gone by with nary a post on my DC comings and goings!
According to my daily planner, on Tuesday I attended the first of my Brown Bag lunch series (which I put together for the professional benefit of the interns). The first speaker I invited was the department head with the most confusingly named department! I learned a heck of a lot about research projects going on at our museum, our use of technology, and our digital catalog. As the only graduate student in attendance, I was of course the only intern with any questions for the real, live museum professional, but that's okay.
On Wednesday, I was sent to a meeting on eldercare with a mission: determine organizations and people to whom we can contact group tours. I have an extremely vague new project, to "market group tours." Those really are the sum total of my instructions. So, away I go! I'm sure that the elderly are a great place to start, don't you? Who else has the time and interest for an activity that happens at either 11:45 am or 3:30 pm?
On the upside, I visited the National Museum of African Art. It was great! It's one of those SmAthsonians that you have to really hunt down; it's subterranean, to begin with, and sort of lost in the Castle complex. I literally ran into it by accident, actually, and I'm so glad I did. There was an amazing exhibit up, which closes this coming week -- the mythology of Mami Wata, an African water spirit whose presence has heavily influenced diaspora art. AKA, mermaids!! Very exciting stuff, and my computer is denying my ability to directly provide a link to the site, so check it out.
On Thursday, I failed to attend a screening on Handmade Nation, followed by a book signing by the author. I missed it because the event was held at the Renwick Gallery, not at the American Art Museum, which promoted the event. I know they are related, and I guess I should have double-checked on the room more than 10 minutes before I intended to leave the office, but still. It's sad. But why did they schedule it for 12:00 pm anyway? What a dumb time! The prime demographic -- crafty young women such as myself, I presume -- are also working ladies who would have to sacrifice their lunch hour in order to attend, so it's doubly strange that the event happened in Foggy Bottom as opposed to the centrally located, downtown museum... whatever. Wouldn't it be interesting to ask the public programmers what they were thinking?
On Friday I only popped in to the office for an hour. My supervisor gave me the OK for this, so I conducted an extensive self-guided tour of the National Gallery of Art. Yes, I've been in before, but it's huge and to know you can spend all day inside is just amazing. If you're a geek like me. Anyway, I made it over to the East Building for the first time; home of "modern art" and an incredibly weird waste of space. Literally; the building is amazing but also amazingly empty. I learned that I hate Philip Guston and adore Stanley William Hayter. It rained. I attended another IMAX film, on dinosaurs. The fun never ends.
Saturday: The Phillips Collection turns out to be one of the absolute best places in DC, hands down. I loved the collection, the philosophy, the exhibits -- Paint Made Flesh is the title, I believe -- and the fact that I got in for free. It's in Dupont Circle, which is a great neighborhood with a tiny bookstore named Kramerbooks. People here seem to be very excited about Kramerbooks, with good reason; it's not pretentious at all and has lots of lovely books / a bar. However, it's the size of my appartment (back home). If they ever visit Powell's, they will never again be content with their lifestyle, I thought to myself, pitying the East Coasters.
But it was nice, and I attended a BBQ full of international relations workers. Boy. I can't remember rightly what me and my friends back home discuss during a Saturday night BBQ, but it's rarely abortion and the implications of ostentatious gay pride parades (does it help or hinder the gay rights movement? Discuss!). I, meanwhile, wonder if anyone in the party is interested in Ovid. I can talk to you about Ovid. The Venezualan economy? After three drinks? Boy. After awhile, my inner anthropologist just kicks back and enjoys the show.
Gosh, I really need to update more, because I'm tired of writing... but STILL NOT DONE!! Because in DC, the fun never ends.
Today I crawled all over Georgetown. It's so cute. I love the architecture and the tiny little houses, and upscale shops and wholesale snobbery. Rich people do some things right, after all, like Dumbarton Oaks! I just kind of ran into it -- that happens a lot, I guess -- and lo and behold, there's a museum inside full of Byzantine, Greek and pre-Columbian art! Right up my alley, folks! I was very excited, of course. And of nearly equal excitement is the fact that for a mere $5, you can frolic on their extensive garden grounds. I felt very Elizabeth Bennett about the whole thing, and read my book whilst overlooking the Lover's Lane Pool, as the summer sun sank into the embrace of an azure sky.
Up next: am I going to New York City next weekend? Am I??
According to my daily planner, on Tuesday I attended the first of my Brown Bag lunch series (which I put together for the professional benefit of the interns). The first speaker I invited was the department head with the most confusingly named department! I learned a heck of a lot about research projects going on at our museum, our use of technology, and our digital catalog. As the only graduate student in attendance, I was of course the only intern with any questions for the real, live museum professional, but that's okay.
On Wednesday, I was sent to a meeting on eldercare with a mission: determine organizations and people to whom we can contact group tours. I have an extremely vague new project, to "market group tours." Those really are the sum total of my instructions. So, away I go! I'm sure that the elderly are a great place to start, don't you? Who else has the time and interest for an activity that happens at either 11:45 am or 3:30 pm?
On the upside, I visited the National Museum of African Art. It was great! It's one of those SmAthsonians that you have to really hunt down; it's subterranean, to begin with, and sort of lost in the Castle complex. I literally ran into it by accident, actually, and I'm so glad I did. There was an amazing exhibit up, which closes this coming week -- the mythology of Mami Wata, an African water spirit whose presence has heavily influenced diaspora art. AKA, mermaids!! Very exciting stuff, and my computer is denying my ability to directly provide a link to the site, so check it out.
On Thursday, I failed to attend a screening on Handmade Nation, followed by a book signing by the author. I missed it because the event was held at the Renwick Gallery, not at the American Art Museum, which promoted the event. I know they are related, and I guess I should have double-checked on the room more than 10 minutes before I intended to leave the office, but still. It's sad. But why did they schedule it for 12:00 pm anyway? What a dumb time! The prime demographic -- crafty young women such as myself, I presume -- are also working ladies who would have to sacrifice their lunch hour in order to attend, so it's doubly strange that the event happened in Foggy Bottom as opposed to the centrally located, downtown museum... whatever. Wouldn't it be interesting to ask the public programmers what they were thinking?
On Friday I only popped in to the office for an hour. My supervisor gave me the OK for this, so I conducted an extensive self-guided tour of the National Gallery of Art. Yes, I've been in before, but it's huge and to know you can spend all day inside is just amazing. If you're a geek like me. Anyway, I made it over to the East Building for the first time; home of "modern art" and an incredibly weird waste of space. Literally; the building is amazing but also amazingly empty. I learned that I hate Philip Guston and adore Stanley William Hayter. It rained. I attended another IMAX film, on dinosaurs. The fun never ends.
Saturday: The Phillips Collection turns out to be one of the absolute best places in DC, hands down. I loved the collection, the philosophy, the exhibits -- Paint Made Flesh is the title, I believe -- and the fact that I got in for free. It's in Dupont Circle, which is a great neighborhood with a tiny bookstore named Kramerbooks. People here seem to be very excited about Kramerbooks, with good reason; it's not pretentious at all and has lots of lovely books / a bar. However, it's the size of my appartment (back home). If they ever visit Powell's, they will never again be content with their lifestyle, I thought to myself, pitying the East Coasters.
But it was nice, and I attended a BBQ full of international relations workers. Boy. I can't remember rightly what me and my friends back home discuss during a Saturday night BBQ, but it's rarely abortion and the implications of ostentatious gay pride parades (does it help or hinder the gay rights movement? Discuss!). I, meanwhile, wonder if anyone in the party is interested in Ovid. I can talk to you about Ovid. The Venezualan economy? After three drinks? Boy. After awhile, my inner anthropologist just kicks back and enjoys the show.
Gosh, I really need to update more, because I'm tired of writing... but STILL NOT DONE!! Because in DC, the fun never ends.
Today I crawled all over Georgetown. It's so cute. I love the architecture and the tiny little houses, and upscale shops and wholesale snobbery. Rich people do some things right, after all, like Dumbarton Oaks! I just kind of ran into it -- that happens a lot, I guess -- and lo and behold, there's a museum inside full of Byzantine, Greek and pre-Columbian art! Right up my alley, folks! I was very excited, of course. And of nearly equal excitement is the fact that for a mere $5, you can frolic on their extensive garden grounds. I felt very Elizabeth Bennett about the whole thing, and read my book whilst overlooking the Lover's Lane Pool, as the summer sun sank into the embrace of an azure sky.
Up next: am I going to New York City next weekend? Am I??
Monday, July 13, 2009
No cute title tonight
Wow, last week was frickin' busy! I really did do all of the stuff I bragged about potentially doing. I guess I won't rehash it all, but two -- no, wait, three moments -- glow in my memory, like a DC firefly:
- Quote: "It's not aesthetic, it's... [grimaces] sociological." This from a Hirshorn curator, who looks my age and whined for an hour an a half about how torturous the Venice Bienalle show evidently was this year. The Washington Post art critic commiserated. Who f*cking whines about spending two weeks at an art show in Venice? It was fabulous listening to them, though, because now I can better discuss modern art: "Dear god, it's just too coy/sentimental/trite/superficial/precious/sociological."
- The Holocaust Museum is one of the best/most important museums I've ever visited. It's narrative structure is incredible and collections compelling, obviously. But just as obviously, it is an emotionally draining experience, and I took the rest of my day off work. That's all I'll say on that.
- Samantha Craine and the Midnight Shivers are a great band, and I became their weekend groupie because I managed to see them twice. Check 'em out!
- Dammit! A baby tomato just maliciously burst onto my white camisole!!! That's the third shirt I have ruined since arriving here. Seriously. People wonder why I have so many clothes; this is why; I cannot be trusted. Stupid, stupid, stupid tomato. It's not the fork's fault.
Oh yeah:
5. ... and I visited The White House! Hurrah!
On Saturday. It turns out that your reservation, made 4-6 months in advance, gets you a fabulous, explanatory map and a brief chance to walk through the East Wing only. No purses, no pictures, no cameras. I have no proof that I was there, which really sucks. I mean, fine, maybe I could have snuck some cell phone pictures, but when they say "no pictures" I tend to believe that they mean it; I would not f*ck with the Secret Service. I walk by the WH every single day on my way to work, mind you, and it's not exactly a friendly atmosphere -- those cops will yell at you like crazy. So I can't imagine that the security guards inside are any nicer.
Anyway, it was very nicely furnished and shockingly small. That press room is so wee! The ball room, the state rooms, the grand hallway -- so very wee. Which is good, because the American president's home should not be the same size as Versailles. Even if the decor is heavily French and reminiscent of a monarchy.
So, after all of those overly exciting events, my old heart wanted to do nothing more on Sunday than take leisurely cat naps and visit Target. It's the least touristy thing I've done since I've been here, and thank god. I mean, you can't top the WH, right? Now it's time to sit back and put on the metaphorical sweatpants of daily life.
Speaking of my internship, I had a good chat today with the Sup about public programming, and the annoying trend of planning for the toddler demographic. I think I won her heart when I said "Paper plate art... can be done by any bad babysitter in this nation," a mocking reference to some rather uninspired public programming of late presented by certain museums in the nation's capital. Seriously. Museums aren't about providing crayons and butcher paper.
Side note: I enjoy being city-surly! I turned around and glared at a couple who were conversing on a sidewalk today. Really, really glared at them. They deserved it, because she was on her bike and taking up the whole damn sidewalk and did not move, by God. Yeah, they saw me coming. But I bet they didn't anticipate that stone-cold glare! I'm hoping that if I go back to that block tomorrow, I'll discover them frozen, Medusa-like, by my city-surly-looking powers.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Projected plans for early July
Monday: Errands Day (put on jogging clothes, but neglect to jog).
Tuesday: Watch a discussion on the work of Jean Shin, led by a conservationist from Lunder, the artist herself and an AAM curator.
Wednesday: Smithsonian Intern Ice Cream Social at the Postal Museum. This excitement will be followed up by docent training, on the forthcoming Daguerre exhibit.
Thursday: Options include a curator-led talk about Margaret Sanger (oooh, controversy!) or a panel discussion over at the Hirshorn, whose theme is basically "art critics vs. curators."
Friday: Morning field trip to the US Holocaust Museum with the interns. Evening plans may include an IMAX show or the Jazz Garden, if I have any energy left.
Saturday: Here's hoping that my special tour of a certain world-famous house won't be cancelled...
Sunday: The Lord's Day, of course. Reflect heavily on all the important work I have accomplished, such as background checks, flyer designs, networking, and receiving my Smithsonian library card.
Tuesday: Watch a discussion on the work of Jean Shin, led by a conservationist from Lunder, the artist herself and an AAM curator.
Wednesday: Smithsonian Intern Ice Cream Social at the Postal Museum. This excitement will be followed up by docent training, on the forthcoming Daguerre exhibit.
Thursday: Options include a curator-led talk about Margaret Sanger (oooh, controversy!) or a panel discussion over at the Hirshorn, whose theme is basically "art critics vs. curators."
Friday: Morning field trip to the US Holocaust Museum with the interns. Evening plans may include an IMAX show or the Jazz Garden, if I have any energy left.
Saturday: Here's hoping that my special tour of a certain world-famous house won't be cancelled...
Sunday: The Lord's Day, of course. Reflect heavily on all the important work I have accomplished, such as background checks, flyer designs, networking, and receiving my Smithsonian library card.
Arlington
A brief introduction to the frontier-like danger of the greater DC metropolitan area:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo
Monday, July 6, 2009
Post 4th: Me Barry, Neil.
I did not make it out to Artomatic this weekend. My afternoon plans wrinkled up (aka, a fire alarm cancelled the movie we had bought tickets to see on the Big Day Off), which consequently led to other lazy Fursday activities, which bumped Artomatic, which I dimly remembered on Sunday evening. Ah well. I'll pretend it was nine stories worth of Thomas Kincade / American-flag-wrapped-puppy art.
I did manage to have a great informational interview, on Fursday morning, with the Education director of a certain non-profit museum in town, whose collection is pretty great (aka, European). She has a degree in Arts Administration, too! We commiserated over art historians.
The 4th of July in Washington, Distrct of Columbia?!?!? Just how amazing is that, you ask? Well, I avoided most public festivities, so I really can't vouch for it. I did not join the typical "fustercluck of humanity on America's Mall;" instead it was a dinner party on Capitol Hill. The big concert was being broadcast in the background of this intimate, elite event; we leisurely strolled over to the Capitol once Barry Manilow appeared on the telly -- oh, how I was excited to hear the live sweet strains of Barry, drifting up the hill (like acidophilus)! -- but alas, the program's time delay was deceptively long. We showed up to hear no Barry, and see only half the fireworks (slightly obscured by the blinding lights of the concert directly below us). No Barry, I tell you! I watched one lonely drunk girl pump her fist to the silent show of sky-fire; then we headed back to the appartment for more tapenade and shrimp.
Where, amazingly, the fireworks were still on the television! And un-ironically accompanied by Neil Diamond's "Coming to America," which almost literally killed me.
Still, I am counting my blessings: no blood, shattered glass, firework mishaps or 911 calls this year! In my immediate vicinity, at least.
Also of general interest: MTV's "Real World: DC" is now filming in Adams Morgan, and on Sunday I witnessed filming. It was creeeeeeeepy. I and a mystery friend were simply walking through a quiet residential neighborhood on a mellow weekend evening, when we noticed three camera men running backwards before a group of overly angular and well-dressed tweens. I mean, young adults. We saw the whole cast; evidently an "action shot" of them walking together, in total silence, down a silent street. Being gawked at by people like me (less angular thanks to pasta). Based on this glimpse, I believe their names will prove to be Jack, Noho, Shannika, Skot, Allyson, Pug, and Blanket. Their house is very large, and conveniently located near a mini-Safeway.
That's not the "Real World: DC" at all, yo! Which reminds me, I need tomatoes.
I did manage to have a great informational interview, on Fursday morning, with the Education director of a certain non-profit museum in town, whose collection is pretty great (aka, European). She has a degree in Arts Administration, too! We commiserated over art historians.
The 4th of July in Washington, Distrct of Columbia?!?!? Just how amazing is that, you ask? Well, I avoided most public festivities, so I really can't vouch for it. I did not join the typical "fustercluck of humanity on America's Mall;" instead it was a dinner party on Capitol Hill. The big concert was being broadcast in the background of this intimate, elite event; we leisurely strolled over to the Capitol once Barry Manilow appeared on the telly -- oh, how I was excited to hear the live sweet strains of Barry, drifting up the hill (like acidophilus)! -- but alas, the program's time delay was deceptively long. We showed up to hear no Barry, and see only half the fireworks (slightly obscured by the blinding lights of the concert directly below us). No Barry, I tell you! I watched one lonely drunk girl pump her fist to the silent show of sky-fire; then we headed back to the appartment for more tapenade and shrimp.
Where, amazingly, the fireworks were still on the television! And un-ironically accompanied by Neil Diamond's "Coming to America," which almost literally killed me.
Still, I am counting my blessings: no blood, shattered glass, firework mishaps or 911 calls this year! In my immediate vicinity, at least.
Also of general interest: MTV's "Real World: DC" is now filming in Adams Morgan, and on Sunday I witnessed filming. It was creeeeeeeepy. I and a mystery friend were simply walking through a quiet residential neighborhood on a mellow weekend evening, when we noticed three camera men running backwards before a group of overly angular and well-dressed tweens. I mean, young adults. We saw the whole cast; evidently an "action shot" of them walking together, in total silence, down a silent street. Being gawked at by people like me (less angular thanks to pasta). Based on this glimpse, I believe their names will prove to be Jack, Noho, Shannika, Skot, Allyson, Pug, and Blanket. Their house is very large, and conveniently located near a mini-Safeway.
That's not the "Real World: DC" at all, yo! Which reminds me, I need tomatoes.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Fursday is Awesome!
Fursday is what I dub the Thursdays preceding Federal holiday Fridays. Today was a very happy Fursday!
It began with my first gallery check, which turned out to not mean leisurely walking around the museum before hours, ensuring that everything looks lovely and is accounted for. I was handed a Swiffer (tm), a rag and Brillianize and was instructed to 1. Check the galleries and 2. Dust the artwork / wipe down the plexiglass cases.
Yes, it is pathetic that I was instantly excited about this. But I like art, and I like to play house, and I like the fact that I was allowed to (sort of) touch priceless and incredible works of real, real art. By touch, I guess I mean Swiffer (tm). I swiffered Marcel Duchamp's face! I swiffered Bob Hope! Through plexiglass!!!
Next I joined a tour (which I coordinated) of the Lunder Conservation Center. Conservation is amazing. This center is absolutely beautiful, and it was very exciting to see x-rays of John McQueen basketry and marble statues whose appendages had broken off during unloading (foot re-attached, hand still disembodied). Our guide was excellent, too, and I know I learned more about museum collections and conservation in one hour at LCC than I have all year at UO. Sorry, school, but sometimes practice defeats theory.
I tried to attend the famed Penn Quarter farmer's market, but -- I have learned that a "farmer's market" in DC actually translates as "one block's worth of fresh produce, but mostly stupid flowers and Buffalo steaks."
Saddened, I visited Georgetown, because Zara and Anthropologie usually cheer me up. They did. I topped off the lovely day with a visit to Five Guys and ohmygoditwasreallysogood. The beef melted in my mouth like delicious, buttery animal flesh, topped with grilled onions and grilled mushrooms.
And now it's evening, and I must get a bit of research done so that when I meet the Education Director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts tomorrow morning, their take on public programming will be fresh in my mind.
Happy 4th of July!
It began with my first gallery check, which turned out to not mean leisurely walking around the museum before hours, ensuring that everything looks lovely and is accounted for. I was handed a Swiffer (tm), a rag and Brillianize and was instructed to 1. Check the galleries and 2. Dust the artwork / wipe down the plexiglass cases.
Yes, it is pathetic that I was instantly excited about this. But I like art, and I like to play house, and I like the fact that I was allowed to (sort of) touch priceless and incredible works of real, real art. By touch, I guess I mean Swiffer (tm). I swiffered Marcel Duchamp's face! I swiffered Bob Hope! Through plexiglass!!!
Next I joined a tour (which I coordinated) of the Lunder Conservation Center. Conservation is amazing. This center is absolutely beautiful, and it was very exciting to see x-rays of John McQueen basketry and marble statues whose appendages had broken off during unloading (foot re-attached, hand still disembodied). Our guide was excellent, too, and I know I learned more about museum collections and conservation in one hour at LCC than I have all year at UO. Sorry, school, but sometimes practice defeats theory.
I tried to attend the famed Penn Quarter farmer's market, but -- I have learned that a "farmer's market" in DC actually translates as "one block's worth of fresh produce, but mostly stupid flowers and Buffalo steaks."
Saddened, I visited Georgetown, because Zara and Anthropologie usually cheer me up. They did. I topped off the lovely day with a visit to Five Guys and ohmygoditwasreallysogood. The beef melted in my mouth like delicious, buttery animal flesh, topped with grilled onions and grilled mushrooms.
And now it's evening, and I must get a bit of research done so that when I meet the Education Director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts tomorrow morning, their take on public programming will be fresh in my mind.
Happy 4th of July!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
MOMA: I See...
This nearly brought a tear to my twinklin' Irish eye:
http://www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/37/272
Thanks, Britney! And Megan, for finding it and from whom I poached the link...
http://www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/37/272
Thanks, Britney! And Megan, for finding it and from whom I poached the link...
almost a major American holiday...
I. I'd like to point out that it's been a full three weeks in DC as of today, and my feet are still acting like incredibly stupid and needy Golden Labs. I just can't shake 'em! Band-aids have become my substitute layer of flesh!! Kevin found me in a park last night, wimpering because I didn't want to make the new blisters any worse. Four band-aids later, we hobbled over to check out my potentially new habitation on Capitol Hill.
Context: I'm living in a dorm on the GW campus, three blocks from the White House. Although the location can't be beat (in terms of Trader Joe proximity), I... find this dorm... rather gross. There's historic charm, and then there's dilapidated crap. I live in the latter. They apparently repainted my room while I was at work yesterday; this I know because of the white paint splattered all over two shirts I had left on my bed. I'll not repeat my tirade about that matter in print.
I had to move in August anyway, so just so y'all know -- I'm going to abandon GW a bit early and essentially house-sit for a husband-wife teaching artist team, who are away for residencies in August. They have a sincerely beautiful house on Capitol Hill, so I'll be able to watch fireflies in the evening and have a nice big kitchen and do laundry without fretting over my quarter supply. This is very good news.
II. Intern stuff: well, it's true: Big Brother is watching you. During happy hour with the interns tonight (in Georgetown!), I learned that one of the PR intern's tasks is to monitor how much a certain museum's name pops up in people's personal blogs. I totally understand why the museum would want to track such information; it's like tracking down honest, unsolicited comment cards on the Web -- at the same time, it pays to be prudent -- or altogether silent -- about all things professional whilst on the Web. Ahem.
So let's keep it frivolous, and talk incessantly about my feet and my food supply!
Oh, and a modern dance performance I saw today, for free, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Pretty amazing way to spend one's lunch hour.
Context: I'm living in a dorm on the GW campus, three blocks from the White House. Although the location can't be beat (in terms of Trader Joe proximity), I... find this dorm... rather gross. There's historic charm, and then there's dilapidated crap. I live in the latter. They apparently repainted my room while I was at work yesterday; this I know because of the white paint splattered all over two shirts I had left on my bed. I'll not repeat my tirade about that matter in print.
I had to move in August anyway, so just so y'all know -- I'm going to abandon GW a bit early and essentially house-sit for a husband-wife teaching artist team, who are away for residencies in August. They have a sincerely beautiful house on Capitol Hill, so I'll be able to watch fireflies in the evening and have a nice big kitchen and do laundry without fretting over my quarter supply. This is very good news.
II. Intern stuff: well, it's true: Big Brother is watching you. During happy hour with the interns tonight (in Georgetown!), I learned that one of the PR intern's tasks is to monitor how much a certain museum's name pops up in people's personal blogs. I totally understand why the museum would want to track such information; it's like tracking down honest, unsolicited comment cards on the Web -- at the same time, it pays to be prudent -- or altogether silent -- about all things professional whilst on the Web. Ahem.
So let's keep it frivolous, and talk incessantly about my feet and my food supply!
Oh, and a modern dance performance I saw today, for free, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Pretty amazing way to spend one's lunch hour.
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