Power falls

Magnet #1149 - Niagara Falls State Park

Huh. Well if you have to go to the restroom, don't visit the Niagara Falls State Park site. I'm just sayin'.

This magnet's from my sister and BIL's trip up there - I swear when I end up there, I'm there for like a couple of hours - if that - then I'm out. But, I haven't seen the falls lit up at night, so maybe that's one point for trying to go back to Niagara for more than a quick pitstop?

The first Niagara power plant went online in 1894, and was built with the help of tycoon investors such as Morgan, Astor and Vanderbilt. Nowadays, Niagara Falls is one of the largest sources of hydroelectricity in the world - serving five power plants between the United States and Canada. It's hard to imagine today because we take our electricity for granted, but going from one lightbulb to lighting millions upon millions of homes truly must have been the marvel of the day.

Picked this magnet today, because we've only just now gotten our power back this evening, after heavy storms knocked down a couple of trees down the road. Of course, there are whole countries out there whose power supplies aren't enough for their population, so they're constantly browning out, or rationing their power. So, really, I dunno why I get so cagey when we lose it for more than a few minutes. But I do!

It's actually kind of funny, you'd think it was the end of the world, the way I was sucking down every ounce of power on my cell phone, Tweeting and FBing and texting - just trying to suck every ounce of entertainment from that poor thing before I was exiled to reading by candlelight a la Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Although, if it were a real emergency, man, I would totally fail at survival, because I didn't ration the power on the laptop or the cell at all.

Ooops.

Lobby got back...to Capeside

Magnet #1068a & b - Boston Lobster

This two-sided magnet that I picked up at Quincy Market in Boston last year is freakin' awesome.

The lobster's grinning face reminds me of my messageboard friends whom I miss.

But how cute does Lobby look - so happy! You'd think he doesn't realize he's about to get eaten by people of Boston. Poor thing.

Using this magnet today because I finally - finally - finished my Dawson's Creek marathon. Seven seasons over the past three weeks or so, with a DC (Washington) break in between. I mentioned what started my Creekathon a few weeks ago, and it's been so much fun revisiting Capeside and Boston. Fun, and funny, watching a whole series back to back, and from so long ago.

It's slightly dated, with it's constant pop culture references and fashion sense. But mostly the fashion sense. I mean, the shoes alone made me giggle. Still, that cast had some of the most adorable outfits. Even "wrong side of the creek" Joey had some adorable stuff. Though, in later years, that Dawson Leery Scholarship must have paid off buckets, for she was actually wearing a DKNY Jeans winter coat, according to the tag on her sleeve. And good grief, she had a different coat for every occasion! And the scarves! They had the cutest, most adorable scarves!

The music made me crazy. They basically re-scored the show, to save on music rights - which I totally get. But some of the replacement songs were just not right for the seminal moments of the show, and made all the more upsetting when you've got a scene burned in your brain and it's totally not the same song they used in the original.

On top of that, in some of the scenes, some of the music levels overpowered the actual show dialogue. I shouldn't be hearing more of the lyrics than the dialogue, sound dude! And don't even get me started with the use of the international opening for seasons three-six, rather than the Paula Cole track. (Though I was happy they kept it intact for the series finale.)

The show really should have ended at season four - it was a perfect ending to the show. But no, we had to be subjected to the last two seasons...which were made bearable only by adding Busy Phillips. As my sister says, she was like a breath of fresh air to those seasons. It's true.

It was funny because I can recite dialogue from almost every episode from the first four seasons, but I had a hard time remembering some of the episodes from the last two seasons. Like, how in the world did I forget that Joey was Pacey's temp admin assistant for an episode?

It was probably because those last two seasons were very much uneven, and almost a totally different show, riddled with a lot of trial and error in terms of relationships and characters. They did a pretty good job of showing how each of them were leading separate lives, but in doing that, it lost a lot of what the show was about, I thought. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if they had done the One Tree Hill route and skipped college, and jumped right into "real life."

But I suppose the best part of revising Capeside and Boston were the guest stars and cameos. Eddie Cahill, Oliver Hudson, Andy Griffith, Pauley Perrette, Dr. Drew & Adam Corolla, Brenda Strong, Mimi Rogers, Jack Osbourne, Melissa Clare Egan (twice in 2 different roles), Greg Rikaart, and Jensen Ackles. And it just really cracks me up that Seth Rogen, of all people, will forever have Dawson's Creek on his resume.

Overall I have to say, the show held up for me. The same squees at Dawson & Joey and Pacey & Joey and Dawson & Jen 2.0, the same tears at the killer ice cream, all the proms and Jen's good-bye, and of course, the same sighs over Pacey Goo and "I remember everything."

I won't lie. Watching the final montage, there was a big part of me that wanted to run back and grab disc one all over again.

Of course, I'll wait.

But I don't wanna.

Pictures on my mind

Magnet #847 - Horace Pippin quote

I've said it before, creative people stump me. I love 'em, but I dunno how it is they do what they do. Sometimes, I stare at their heads and their hands to wonder how one thing dictates another, and beauty is the result.

Earlier this week, I was marooned in Queens with my art director, and a photographer. We were supposed to be visiting what we thought was going to be a fantastic (and free) location for a client of ours. But when we got there, it was something straight out of the Wedding Singer. Marble walls, gilt, mirrors and a parquet dancing floor. For serious.

So, while one of us desperately called for another location, the art director and the photographer started sketching out how we wanted some of our shots to be set up.

On a piece of paper, some squiggles and lines, and magically, it became a great reference point for the two artistes to get their points across to each other.

Dudes. When I draw things? They usually end up like this and this. No foolin'. Whenever I have a pen in my hand, or multiple colors at my disposal, that's what I draw. That, or cursive Ls. What?

So, that's what I notice most when I walk into any museum. The very idea that any of these folks hanging on the walls, or sitting in the galleries - or indeed, two guys sitting at a foldy table in the heart of Queens - can draw something out of thin air and a brush or pen, is just amazing to me.

This guy, Horace Pippin, he was a self-taught artist from when he was very young and won a box of crayons. He served in WWI and was injured, losing use of his right hand. When he came home, he managed to find himself a calling to painting, becoming one of the most notable African-American artists of his time, painting legendary scenes and figures central to African-American history.

He did that, having to hold his right arm with his left, to guide his painting. That, my friends, is determination.

That my friends, is God-given talent.

All of time and space...but not for me

Magnet #783 - New Doctor Who

OMG, an official DW magnet!

Look, I'm not saying it's because someone in the official Doctor Who world got tired of me using my two official DW magnet sets to magnetblog, or me making my own DW magnets to magnetblog about.

Maybe someone at BBC-A just really loves magnets.

But dudes. I'm just sayin'. OMG, an official magnet!

Mind you, I'm still disappointed I didn't get into last night's screening/panel in the village. (You know, the other, public screening/panel, instead of the one that I missed at the Paley Center.)

It was kind of silly for them to pick such a small venue in the first place, but yet again, US audience for this show was underestimated. (To be honest, I did, too, really, because from what I understand there were people who drove 6 and 7 hours to get here. Something that I likely wouldn't have done, even if it were David Tennant and Russell T Davies and Billie Piper.)

Eh, it's fine. I can live with my not true-fan status. I'm still more mad about the Paley member communications thing anyway.

Besides, in the end, we walked down the street for some supergood S'Mac (Imagine, a place that only sells mac & cheese. Like Rice to Riches that only sells rice pudding, it's one of the happiest places on earth.) and got to watch a police chase at the same time! And ya'll wonder why I don't go below 14th street.

I will confess, though, that because of that missed first session at the Paley and this missed session in the village (and no, I didn't want to brave the Apple crazies on Tuesday), I've kinda been avoiding the Whovian media blitz.

I don't want to see pictures about what I'm missing. I don't want to see Tweets about what I'm missing. I'm like that spoiled brat who didn't get her candy, and now doesn't want to know that candy exists. Like I know it's out there. But not for me.

Yes, I'm pouting. Yes, I'm considering canceling my Paley membership.

Still. Hmph. I guess we'll have to see if BBC sends the team out for Comic-Con in July.

eta:
Oh! I have to tell ya'll, I've been reading the RTD book, A Writer's Tale. Great fun. Heavy to lug around the subways/buses, but worth the read, if you're a fan. Then again, if you're a true-fan, you've probably already read the original and the revised editions.

Back off, bub!

Magnet #761 - Feet off seats

Seriously. Until I started thinking about this magnet from the London Transport Museum, I don't think I ever realized how much having people's feet on my seats bugs the bejeepers out of me.

Think about it. You're in a conference room with rows of chairs. You sit down, and all of a sudden, on the back rung of your chair, you feel two feet, schmulchzing around, trying to get a good foothold and get comfortable. All while you're trying to concentrate on whatever presentation you're at.

You're sitting at a bar, and all of a sudden, you feel someone stick a foot on the rung of your chair, effectively blocking you in against the bar. Ok, ok, sometimes you want that. But really, sometimes? Back off, bub!

You're in a darkened movie theatre, when all of a sudden, you feel a sudden pressure, of someone's feet on the back of your rockery chair. All while you're just trying to take mental note of what movies you're gonna see based on the previews.

Hmmm, I really never knew how resentful I was of the feet on my chair. I'm guilty of all of the above, I know. Still. Back off, bub!

This reminds me of the time when I was sitting in a movie theatre, and I tried to lean my head forward, and I couldn't. And I was like, OMG! These people have their feet on my hair! WTF! Back off, bub!

After a few tries of moving my head forward, I was getting more and more agitated. Until I sat straight up.

And realized that it was me. My hair was so long that my own back was keeping my head from tilting forward. I didn't even realize.

What?

Back off, bub!

Stop to smell the roses

Magnet #759 - Faberge's Bouquet of Lilies Clock

And the lilies, so it seems.

Sigh. Here's another one sitting in the Armoury Museum of the Kremlin in Moscow, just waiting for me to visit.

You know I love my Faberge eggs - this one's the Bouquet of Lilies Clock, also known as the Madonna Lily Clock Egg.

It was produced in 1899, and is pretty sizable at just under a foot tall, and is made of golf, diamonds, platinum, white and yellow enamel, and white chalcedony. Dudes, I don't even know what chalcedony is, but it just sounds pretty.

As is the custom with all of my eggs, it's a unique combination of flower symbols with its meanings of love (roses) and purity (lilies). Add in the ornate curlicues toward the bottom, which signify flames, and you have a strong representation of familial love.

The detail is astounding with the flowers and their small diamonds and the leaves and stems tinted with gold. I bet it's amazing to see up close!

Actually, based on my limited viewings, they all seem to be unbelievable up close and personal. Plus, the thing I always forget with these eggs is that their opulence is in a direct contrast with a nation and people in deep trouble at the time.

Goodness. I know need to visit Moscow, at some point.

I miss having our little Forbes stash of eggs down the street! Of course, right now, all I can see when I see this superpretty magnet, is that the egg's off center! But pay that no never mind. Heh.

I really picked this for today, because it's April First, and I wanted something gorgeous to match what I was told was a beautiful day outside.

Happy April, folks!

I say San Remo, they say Sanremo

Magnet #758 - Sanremo

A friend brought this magnet back for me from Sanremo, Italy. Superdupercute!

I love these flipflop magnets, because they can be found everywhere. I know I've seen them from Florida to the Philippines, and a couple of South America ones as well. It's just darn ingenuity, is what I say, trying to design a 2-D magnet to fit this format.

I was gonna do this long write-up on how some people go with Sanremo as one word, and how I could swear it's two. And how it's located on the Med, just east of France, and how I think that's the Sanremo municipal casino on this magnet. And how I'm wondering if the flowers have anything to do with one of their big roads being called, Autostrada dei Fiori, or "Freeway of Flowers." Scintillating blogging, I'm sure.

But I found out that I should have used this magnet a couple of weeks ago, because they just did the Milan-San Remo cycling race! Click on those pics. Cuteboys in kitted out in cutesuits, in pretty locales. Yeah, I don't mind it.

That's our new big thing, after the tiny, tiny, tiny decomp bubble from the Transitions Championship has burst, we've found ourselves gearing up (pun intended) for helping out Team Garmin-Transitions pro cycling team here in the U.S.

It's gonna be awesome fun.

Of course, I'm kinda wishing that one of my clients would sponsor Television Watching or Film Viewing, because at least then, I wouldn't need a Dummies book or dictionary at the ready.

Apotheosis of pork*

Magnet #727 - Wildwood BBQ

In case ya'll haven't heard, I grew up in North Carolina. In case ya'll haven't heard, they're kinda known for their barbecue down there.

That's why I hesitate to go to any BBQ places here in town, because inevitably, I compare it to a couple of local places at home.

Wildwood BBQ, a BRGuest restaurant billed as one of the first organic BBQ restaurants, is across the street from us at work - which makes like the 4th BBQ place within a 10-15 block radius of me. I'm definitely not lacking up here in BBQ joints. Wildwood has a great space, and usually, the food's pretty good.

Mind you, I wasn't the biggest connoisseur of BBQ growing up. We didn't have it in the house, growing up - so the only time I ever had it was for school lunches. Indeed, it wasn't until I got to college, and maybe even beyond, that I learned there was even a difference between Eastern NC and Western NC BBQ.

Seriously. I don't think I went to the famous Lexington Barbecue* restaurant until college - and I live like 20 minutes away from it. And, if there's any place you should try BBQ in North Carolina, it's in Lexington. Damned good, that stuff. Plus, it's family owned!

I know. It's weird. I promise you, my mother's the best cook for miles, so we weren't wanting for good recipes to knock your socks off. But when it came to the traditional American fare like green bean casserole, tuna fish sandwiches, or sloppy joes, nothing could have been more foreign from our kitchen table.

But to her credit, anytime we'd run home and say, can we have X? She'd find the recipe and go to town. Still does.

Well, except one thing she refuses to make. There's a family we go to for holiday dinners every once in a while, and there's this lady who always makes that green fluffy dish that sits on the dessert table, circumspectly avoided by the Filipinos. Except me, because it's totally the Pistachio Ambrosia stuff we learned how to make in Home Ec. In fact, the (Filipino) lady of the house always knows I can be counted on to take it home. Heh.

Anyway, I picked this magnet today, because yesterday, I discovered that I've been missing out. I just learned about this odd (apparently Southern!) concoction of crockpot meatballs smothered in some sort of chili and grape jelly sauce. Never heard of it before. But the funny part is that everywhere I turned - online and offline - people are like, what do you mean you've never had that? And I'm like, what do you mean, what do you mean? I've never even heard of it!

Part of me wants to try it. The other part of me? Never wants to mention it to my mother, because otherwise, we'll be have it until she perfects the recipe. Hahaha.

Shaping the future

Magnet #708 - Eero Saarinen's Gateway to the West Arch

Earlier this week, some random Tweet popped up about the Eero Saarinen exhibit leaving the Museum of the City of New York on January 31st. I didn't even know it was around, and it's been here since November!

But, yay for that random Tweet, because I squeezed it in this morning, and I'm so very glad I did. Loved it. I think what I like about architectural retrospectives are the cool building models. I just love looking at the cool fake buildings. Granted, every time I see them, I think of Michelle Pfeiffer running around New York City trying to repair her own building model, and then ending the night kissing George Clooney in One Fine Day, but there really is something neat about being able to draw something, and then getting it built.

Of course, today was one of the last gallery tours, which means they were inundated with people, and it was hard to enjoy the tour because of all the bodies. But MCNY did a fantastic job setting up the exhibition. Apparently, it's been traveling since 2006, and when it leaves here, it heads for Yale to close out the 4-year-tour.

His work covers a very specific time - the 1950s (and early 60s) - that's when he was most successful, working for prominent corporations and individuals, before he passed away way too young at 51. For those of you who haven't seen Eero Saarinen's work (not to be confused with his pop, Eliel Saarinen), you totally, totally have. If you've seen the Arch in St. Louis on this magnet, you have. If you've ever flown out of Dulles, you have. If you've seen one of those cool Knoll womb chairs, you have.

It's weird how I didn't know how much of his work I've seen before. But, I was quite charmed by the fact that in addition for having designed their technical building (the supercool blue on in this blogpost) , he als0 did a ton of corporate design work for IBM - product brochures and even the neat 1964 World's Fair IBM egg.

I'm sad I didn't get to spend more time reading all the placards and looking at the models, I really just buzzed right through. Otherwise, I'd probably still be rattling off many more facts and figures and quotes and buildings than you wanted to know.

I guess it's not for everyone, as I had to dodge the guy sleeping in his wheelchair...and that was even before we entered the exhibition space!

All in a day's work

Magnet #707 - The Office

Here's something. Out of all the television I watch, from both the US and the UK, you'd think that I'd be watching such a successful show. But, I don't. In fact, I was really sad when the NBC rep gave me this magnet (rather than the two shows I actually watch on my once-beloved peacock network).

I had thought I'd use this magnet at some point, even though I don't watch the show. And, since I don't know anything about the show - dudes, I had to look up Carrell's character name - I figured that was pointless.

Then I thought, I'll use this during Ricky's stint during this year's Globes. Then I saw the show and was like, um, nooo. (though he did hit a few good bits)

Then I thought, I could totally use this for the next Steve Carrell movie. Then I decided I was too lazy to look up when that was.

Then I thought, I'll wait till I have a really bad day at the office to do it. Then I figured, no, that's just too telling, to do that. And besides, supposedly, folks from work read this blog. So really, that wouldn't be smart. Besides, no complaining, yay promotion!

Then I thought, I'm thinking way too much about this silly magnet, so here's your workplace thought of the day: Just when you think the office is not the funnest place ever, just remember, it can always be worse.

A helping hand

Magnet #691 - American Red Cross

I picked up this Red Cross magnet many years ago, in the post-September 11th haze of preparedness.

Yes. I know I didn't fill out the rest of the numbers. Don't focus on that.

It's early days yet...and it's going to be a marathon of lending a helping hand to the devastated country of Haiti.

But while there are already several places to donate for Haitian Earthquake Relief, and definitely more to come in the future, for now, there's really only one place that I trust that has the infrastructure and resources to help in the immediate future:

The American Red Cross.

Call: 1-877-733-2767

Or visit:
NY Red Cross
American Red Cross

eta:

Or:
Text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate. 100% of your $10 donation passes thru to @RedCross for Haiti relief. Your cell carrier keeps nothing.

And? As of 5:35pm or so, Mashable confirmed that more than $800,000 was raised just from the txting! Well, there's something to be said for this mobile age, after all.

Geek love

Magnet #690 - I heart Geeks

Here we go with another Smurfy magnet from Target, this one with one of my favorite Smurfs of all, Brainy Smurf.

From Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: geek
Pronunciation: \ˈgēk\

Function: noun

Etymology: probably from English dial. geek, geck fool, from Low German geck, from Middle Low German

Date: 1914

1 : a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake
2 : a person often of an intellectual bent who is disliked
3 : an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity

I needed a little reminder of what qualifies anyone as a geek. Though, I suppose MW should update their listing a little more toward Urban Dictionary's entries.

In the past 24 hours, I've seen folks like @NathanFillion and @Alyssa_Milano, and @ZacharyLevi refer to themselves as geeks. And of course, every time I hear a David Tennant interview, he tends to self-deprecate his Doctor Who and music fanboy behaviors as less than cool.

They're certainly not the only ones around, they're just the ones I've noticed recently. Eh, I just think it's funny how most people tend to dismiss themselves as geeks, whether or not people believe them or not.

As for myself, I tend to wear the term proudly - I mean, after all, you're sitting on 690 magnets' worth of geekiness.

Now, excuse me, I need to go find a live chicken. And maybe a carnival.

Hi, ya'll, from joy magnetism

Magnet #689 - Georgia

State crop: Peanut

State fruit: Peach

I want to say that this was given to me by a friend of mine that lived in Atlanta...or, it's quite possible that I picked it up myself. I can't tell if this magnet it's cute, or too stereotypical.

I just kinda like it cuz of the y'all.

Ya'll is pretty funny word - some folks can carry it off, some can't.

Some spell it ya'll. Some spell it y'all.

And, some folk use ya'll when addressing more than one person, and some use it even when addressing one person.

It's that last one that makes my head spin - drives me batty to hear someone approach one person and go, "How ya'll doin' today?" It's weird. After all ya'll is short for "you all" and if there's one person, where's the all in that?

Eh, at this point, I'm thinking I've devoted way too much thought to the use of y'all or ya'll. And I suppose all of ya'll would agree.

Right?



Ya'll?

Do you know the way to La-la Land?

Magnet #685 - Hopper's Lighthouse at Two Lights

Another sale magnet from the Met. I think I might singlehandedly be supporting their magnet sales.

As I was looking at my little fridge magnet art gallery, I realized I have a couple of Hoppers, well, in the hopper, so to speak.

So I won't wax poetic about Hopper's work in general, and how meant for Lighthouse at Two Lights (Maine) to stand for the individual's stand against industrialization. One, because I don't totally get it, but also because really? fight against industrialization?

But, a twofold reason why I picked this one today.

One, because I kinda like the idea of the lighthouse sitting as a bastion of hope on this promontory. And, two, because of the amount of sky in the painting.

Why sky? Because it really didn't even take the full first week of 2010 before I remembered my theory about advertising folks, and I suppose, people in general:

There are two people in this world.

The ones who have their head in the clouds, going about their merry little way singing their happy la-la-la's.

And those behind them, who have their noses to the ground, scurrying about, just trying to pick up the pieces.

Which one are you?

Capeside, seaside

Magnet #676 - Monet's Regatta at Sainte-Adresse

This is part of the Monet magnet set I picked up from the Met - it's an inset of this painting from the Met's site.

Monet spent a lot of time at Sainte-Adresse on the coast of France, where his Parisian parents moved. He painted Regatta at Sainte-Adresse (at the Met) supposedly as a companion piece to the Beach at Sainte-Adresse (at the Art Institute of Chicago), both in 1867.

There's some speculation that he painted it to show the class differences - the posh bathers versus the local fishermen.

I just like it because regattas always remind me of when stupid Dawson Leery entered Capeside's Annual Spring Regatta to win the heart of Joey Potter, even though everyone knows that the Joey belonged with Pacey J Witter.

What? I have a million Monet magnets...plus, my sister totally got me the complete series boxset of Dawson's Creek.

Now, if only I had time to do a proper marathon!

Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.

Magnet #641 - New England Aquarium

A friend of mine brought this magnet back for me...I had to look up where the aquarium was. It's in Boston.

I do so love my little magnet - it's adorable. Though, I'm not a huge fan of zoos or aquariums - don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge animal rights person - I do consider both venues a necessary thing to help folks understand the animal kingdom.

I just worry about venues and how humane the animals are being treated - the last one I went to locally freaked me out with their really small enclosures and smelly water.

But, I think that aquarium is set for a renovation, so maybe it won't be so bad. I'd actually consider going to the big ones - Monterrey, Atlanta, Chicago, and this one. At the very least, I'd go just for the supercute magnets.

C'mon, can't you just see this penguin's buggy eyes, just bursting to get out of his little pen here? He's totally planning his escape.

Larger than life

Magnet #638 - Carnegie Hall

My parents kinda hoped that I'd play Carnegie Hall, probably since watching The Competition, with Amy Irving, all about these competitive pianists who fell in love. I dimly remember going to see that movie. Ironically, competitions ended being one of the things I hated most about my 13 years of piano lessons. Ugh.

Still, one of the best things that piano and band instilled in me is a love of performing arts, and being behind the scenes of famous venues. So, every so often, I take a day off from work, just to play tourist town. A couple of years ago, I ended up packing one day with tours of Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

Carnegie Hall and the behind the scenes tour is fairly impressive. Designed by William Burnett Tuthill (An architect. And a cellist. Wha?) back in 1891, the interior and exterior architecture's really cool. And while the seats are still rather small, the theatre is daunting and crazy intimidating. You can just feel the history of great performances within those walls.

My favorite part of the tour, though, was the performing arts museum they have there as well. They had Benny Goodman's clarinet! I was so excited, I had to call my dad right afterward to tell him to tell him. I distinctly remember crossing a busy 57th street oblivious to oncoming traffic as I busily yapped about how cool was it that I played the same kind of clarinet that he did. (While my dad basically said, duh, that's why I bought you that Buffet clarinet.)

The other tour that day was Lincoln Center, which sadly didn't have a magnet back then, but I'd bet money they'll start selling them after this current major renovation is complete. But, that tour was supercool as well, split between the actual Lincoln Center complex, but also the Rose Jazz Center at Time Warner Center.

Aside from learning about the architecture and design of all the buildings and venues in both locations, we actually got to see and hear the NY Philharmonic rehearse on one stage, and Placido Domingo rehearse on another.

What a fabulous day! Besides being outside the office on a weekday, I got to see Benny Goodman's clarinet and watch Placido Domingo all in one day! C'mon! How cool is that? Ok, well maybe cool isn't quite the applicable term here, but really, you can't get more New York performing arts cool than that.


* "It has been said that the hall itself is an instrument," said the late Isaac Stern [of Carnegie Hall]. "It takes what you do and makes it larger than life."

Boys who wear glasses

Magnet #630 - David Tennant in specs

Another lovely magnet from @KristinaMyers' Etsy store. I sent her this, my favorite pic of the David Tennant's Tenth Doctor, and she made this magnet for me!

Who says publicity junkets don't work to cull favor? I was saving this for another time, but this guy's allll over the airwaves right now - plugging several things. First, is this Sunday's Waters of Mars UK premiere and the end of his Doctor Who run, St. Trinian's 2, and even Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, his NBC pilot.

Seriously. Co-hosting a handful of radio shows, dozens of radio interviews, magazines, trailers, blogs, websites, auctioning off his 15-year-old manky old bed for $8,200 to British Gas of all bidders - the man's everywhere. And I'm not even in the UK!

But, since I'm here late waiting on some client work to come through, regarding eyewear, I wanted to use this magnet as my blatant to attempt to convince the clients that we should totally use David Tennant as our UK brand ambassador. I'm full-on prepared to go on set for that TV shoot.

Or, maybe at least score a product placement deal if his pilot hits, even if it's an NBC pilot. I'm just saying.

I love this guy in his glasses. Many girls make passes at this boy in glasses. I'm just saying.

Well, ok, that wasn't much of an sales attempt.

I won't lie, then. I really, really, really just wanted to use this magnet.

Things that go bat in the night

Magnet # 616 - Indian Echo Caverns

The AGE10* bought me this Indian Echo Caverns magnet during their last Pennsylvania trip.

It's a cool magnet, even though the three of them know that caverns make me crazy with the scary "an earthquake could happen and kill me right here on this tour" thought.

Yeah, I don't know when it happened, but I've become a bit of a fraidy cat.

I think, mostly, it's because I'm hard of hearing, and people come up behind me in my cube, sometimes scaring the bejeepers out of me. Then again, one weekend, STWfiance arrived with a knock on my door. You know, the knock that usually indicates someone's at the door. Logically I knew that, and still when I opened the door and saw him darkening my doorway, I totally jumped out of my skin.

And don't even get me started on movies. The US version of The Ring? Do you know how many unmarked VHS tapes I have at home??? Yeah. That.

But, truly, the last time I was Cover my eyes, cover my eyes! scared was when we went to the Central Park Zoo, and into the rainforest pavilion. Dudes. Not only were the birds all free-range-y and flying around, but they had a whooole BATcave. A cave. Full of bats. Ummm, yeah, I hightailed my butt out of there.

The bats were probably ok. Really, it's the birds I totally can't stand.

Particularly pigeons, if you must know.

But that's just cuz a dead pigeon tried to kill me once.

Uh, yeah, that's totally a different magnet.

*AGE10. My new name for my two sisters, and the one sister's fiance. Made up of our last name, and his last name, combined with the fact that they live in the 20010 zip.

Check each column

Magnet #613 - National Building Museum

There's this interesting sentiment in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead (that I still haven't finished reading) about how Greek and Roman classical architecture has just been copied over and over again through the ages - in wood, in stone, in marble, and finally, steel and glass. The point being that there's no more originality in architecture.

This is not that magnetpost. After all, the same could be true of television and books and movies, and life, really.

I for one, am always caught between not knowing if I like the classical stuff, or the modernist stuff or the whatever stuff. I tend to just like some design, and some not. No rhyme or reason for my tastes, but most likely attributable to not having any architectural training or education in this stuff, as someone pointed out to me today.

Anyway, the National Building Museum is a particular favorite of mine. Besides the really great tour, it's just an awesome building to wander around in, and filled with such history.

It was designed by US Army Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs a couple of decades after the Civil War. Meigs modeled the exterior after Michelangelo's Palazzo Farnese, while the interior was after the Palazzo della Cancelleria, both of which are listed here. And the Corinthian columns were inspired by the ones in Michelangelo's church, Santa Maria degli Angeli. Whew. What a mishmash.

Still, it's totally one of the more interesting government buildings out there. It was the pensioners building! Can you imagine all the Civil War vets and civil servants filing in for their monies during the day, and then at night, the building being used for Washingtonian social gatherings?

The building spent years as a government building before being repurposed with a new life as the National Building Museum Yes. Repurposed. Unlike other buildings we know - crackheads who destroyed Penn Station, I'm looking at you. Now, it's a forum for all things, well, building. Exhibitions, collections, seminars, events, tours, discussions, the works.

From this magnet, you can see that they weren't joking calling this room the Great Hall - it's 316 feet x 116 feet, and like 159 feet at its pinnacle. You could play football games in here. For reals, yo. Well, ok, you'd have to ditch the 26-foot-fountain in the middle, but you catch my drift. Whoa.

Check out gigantor Corinthian columns in the forefront (see little people to the right?) and toward the back. They're 75 feet high! Eight feet in diameter! Twenty-five feet circumference! Seriously! Of course, I was surprised during the tour to see that it was just bricks...painted to look like marble. Wha?

I do love that on top of the Corinthians, there are 72 Doric columns on the ground floor, topped by 72 Ionic columns on the second floor.

This room always gives me a giggle, because it reminds me of the school project that I didn't do back in elementary school. I haven't the faintest why we were learning about Doric, Ionic and Corinthian Columns in elementary school, but I distinctly remember the three types of columns on posterboard - complete with knife-sharpened pencil guidelines, beautifully hand-lettered labels, painstakingly drawn detailed sketches...by my dad.

What? It's not like I didn't learn the difference between all three of them. I did! I did!

Also? Thanks, Tatay!