corpho

After staring at enough promotional posters for the Ron Mueck sculpture exhibit at Brooklyn Museum long enough, my husband and I met up with two friends and went to check it out this past Sunday. The weather was very cold, but it was also clear and pretty outside. My friend got there before we did, and managed to get tickets for all of us even though the line was very long. Everyone had decided to go to the museum that day, of course. The exhibit was very tantalizing to the public because the sculptures were so eerily life-like, yet in unnatural proportions. I could have stared at them until I would have imagined them breathing and twitching. If his work comes to your town, you should check it out.


These were the size of toddlers:






The boat was canoe-size, but the man was quite tiny:











These were about the size of small cats, and they were so realistic that everyone was mesmerized:






There were so many people at the museum that it was virtually impossible to see the Annie Leibovitz exhibit. It was a nightmare to navigate. All you saw was heads, heads, heads. And I'm not talking about the portraits! But seriously, everyone was talking about how crowded it was and how impossible it was too see anything and how it was the afternoon rush (there's an afternoon rush at museums?) and blah blah blah. Everyone I was with agreed that we should just book it out of there before we lost our sanity. I really do recommend Brooklyn Museum, though, on a sleepy weekday. They have quite an extensive, comprehensive, and impressive collection.

Our friends invited us back to their little flat to hang out and watch the end of a football game -- what I was calling the "Stars versus the Reds" game. I like to be obnoxiously anti-sports most of the time, but that was the only crack I made all night. The hosts kept me well attended-to in the snack and drink department, and eventually fed me dinner, so I was a happy guest. The highlight of the evening, though, was their new kitten, Duke. He's a little cutie black tabby with some extra toes. The whole litter he came from has extra toes, or is polydactyl. He's sho shweet.







His unwilling roommate is the gorgeous Alabama. Her name is from a movie -- do you know which one? I lived with Alabama for a little while. She's an itty bitty thing, even though she's several years old. She's sweet as can be, too.






I like being at my friends' place because it's so peaceful. In the summer, they have a nice roof garden and I go there every year to watch the fireworks for the 4th of July. They gave me a pretty little jade plant this time. You can snap off just one leaf and stick it in some moist soil, and a plant starts to grow from it eventually.






There's something about a bistro-like atmosphere that makes me feel good. Their place has that feel. Low and sparkly lights, rich smells like wine and coffee mixed with simmering sauces and caramelizing onions. I felt cozy and contented, which made it hard to leave.







They tried to get me to watch the movie, The Ref, but I knew we'd stop it after a little while because I'd have to go home before it got too late. I did learn something new that night. Apparently, Christmas lights come in LED form now. The colors look a lot brighter and they have an intense yet somehow subdued glow. Will China never cease to dazzle us with their holiday R&D breakthroughs?







Well, that's life these days in my tiny world. I bet everyone has some kind of holiday machinations in mind like trips or visiting friends and family. Like gifting and re-gifting and eating and trying not to eat. I will be going to Ireland with my husband for a much-awaited and somewhat extended vacation. I'm not a fan of traveling on major holidays, so we always go toward the very end of the year. I really don't mind the extreme cold in Ireland at that time of year -- I think it makes it cozier. Call me crazy.


I hope all is well with thee.