Studio Ruthe

Phipps Conservatory

Phipps is one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh, second only to the tunnel under the convention center. They are open until 10 at night every night this month (Christmas excepted, I think). Last night Robin, Steve, Charna and I went to see what it looked like. We were charmed. I took a few pictures, but I want to return, alone for better picture taking, at dusk. I'd like a little outside light with all the other lights.

Some of the areas were a little spooky. There weren't many other people and it was very quiet. Here is a staghorn fern. (I think it would benefit from a little adjusting in Photoshop. Maybe tomorrow.)

This huge tree is amazingly beautiful. My photo doesn't do it justice.

Most of the rooms had holiday displays; this one is entirely devoted to the holiday.

With just a little Pittsburgh kitsch. That's a melting snowman in front of the plastic flamingos.

You can take an online tour of Phipps here, and read about their trip to India to prepare for the next tropical forest exhibit. 

Missed deadline

I'm still writing the paper; this will probably go on until Christmas, or maybe New Years. The due date, last Thursday, was for the students getting a grade. Since I will get no grade it doesn't really matter. I spoke to my professor and she will read the paper whenever. She's very good to me.

The tooth extraction was relatively trivial. I'm healing well. But it had all kinds of other implications. I've been on an antibiotic for four weeks. That's a killer all by itself. The antibiotic affects the blood thinner I take. I don't remember how many blood tests I've had to endure, or how many more until it all gets straightened out. Nothing is ever simple these days.

I've been wanting to tell about Eli. He and Charna and his gf drove in from Chicago for Thanksgiving. We had a lovely dinner, then, Friday morning, Eli and gf, Adele, drove to her home where her sister would be coming out at a cotillion on Friday night. Eli and Adele had to dress for the party; they looked beautiful. Adele could wear rags and look beautiful. My grandson, of the torn jeans (rags) wore white tie and tails. Amazing how well he cleans up.

This kind of society stuff is way beyond anything I was ever exposed to. My most interesting foray into high society came when we went to a wedding (or party, I don't remember) at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. We had Aunt Ev (one of my ex's wealthier relatives) with us in our somewhat beat up VW beetle. The doorman wanted to ignore us, but she got out of the car in her sable (really) jacket and told him to take the car from us. He did. It was probably forty years ago, but I still remember it vividly and with pleasure.

Back to the paper. I'm about half finished. It's hard for me to know when to stop doing research. Makes the whole thing longer.

 

Dear Alice and Mage

I'm OK. I've been working on the paper, and of course, this is the time life catches up with you. Nothing terrible--Just my first tooth extraction since I was a kid. It will happen next week. In the meantime, I'm on antibiotics and they're not kind to me. Don't ask what happens.

We had Thanksgiving at Robin and Steve's. Charna, Eli and Eli's friend Adele, came from Chicago, Steve's mother, Renee, came from New York, and my two Chinese students (and one's wife) joined us. I have pictures and stories but that will wait until after the paper is finished, I hope before the tooth goes. Thanks for your concern and hugs to you both.

Start! Heart Walk

Sorry I've been so slow about this, Mage, but I was very tired afterward and also had some other work I had promised to do on Friday, then promptly forgot.

So, here it is: The event was held at Heinz Field, home of the Steelers. This is the first time I've ever been there.

Mostly it was held in the parking lot and the area near one of the entrances. They let us go in to what is known as the Great Hall, but the stands and the field were securely locked up.

Vendors with heart related products had booths, along with a few hospital groups. There are only a few hospitals around here. Most of them are UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). 

I had the feeling most of the people attending had some kind of relationship with the vendors or the hospitals. I don't think the American Heart Association did a very good job of publicizing the event. They were able to use the stadium because this was the Steeler's bye week. Every news broadcast talked about the Steelers not playing this weekend; it seems to me they could have mentioned the Heart Walk in connection with it.

The event began at 10 am with lots of milling around and opportunities to visit vendors. Nothing really happened until 11.

That's the Steeler's mascot, Steely McBeam, scaring a small child.

Then there was a half hour of speeches and some warm up stuff geared to thin, healthy people of which there weren't too many around. Finally, the walk began, about 11:30.

I never found my cardio-rehab people, Robin was otherwise occupied, and I never saw a single person I knew. So I walked alone among hundreds of people.

It was a nice walk; half of it was on a pleasant trail next to the Allegheny River. But the day was unseasonably hot. It would have been much better if they had walked at 10 and had the speeches afterward. I completed the entire 3 miles, but the heat knocked me out.

This is a survivors hat that was given to me for surviving heart disease. I should have gotten another one for surviving the walk. My idea of a survivor is someone who had gone through the event and lives to tell about it. I think I've only survived the skirmishes; the battle won't be over until the afib wins.

Thank you again, Mage and Robin, for helping me raise money for the event. If anyone else wants to contribute, it will count towards my goal for the next 30 days. I dedicated my walk to Arvin's memory; it would be nice if I could reach my goal in his memory.

More health stuff

I've decided to do the American Heart Association's Heart Walk next Sunday. I'll be walking 3.1 miles, a little more than usual, but not impossible. Since I've been doing the cardio rehab I hear about all these opportunities to contribute. The rehab is holding a raffle with some great goodies in it: an iPad, a Wii and some other stuff. Needless to say, I bought lots of raffle tickets. I made a contribution to the AHA in memory of my brother who suffered from heart disease most of his life, including having 2 bypass surgeries. I've been lucky: just a stent and a pacemaker.

If you'd like to sponsor me, family, just click on the "Sponsor Me" button on the badge to the right. You might also come and walk with me.

Wrap up of the week's good classes and events

It's a dark, rainy, somewhat chilly morning and I don't have to be anywhere until 4 pm. I went back to bed for awhile, then read blogs and finally took a long, hot shower. Amazing what that does for all my aches. It doesn't seem to matter where the water hits me, usually on my back and the back of my neck, and all of the pains in my hip and legs go away. It's better than Tylenol, the only thing I'm supposed to take.

I've really had a busy week. On Saturday, Ivetta and I went to the SPF Expo--Small Press Festival. It was very nice to see all those publishers, but the best thing for me was the venue: AIR: Artist Image Resource. They have open studio time; I could go and make silk screen prints if I can work up enough ambition. Something to keep in mind, anyway.

We went to another festival: Little Italy Days in Bloomfield. As with most large city ethnic neighborhoods, identity is anchored more in nostalgia than in reality. It was fun, a little like a New York street fair.

Sunday night Robin served dinner in the sukkah--a Jewish holiday tradition. We had dinner in Dina's sukkah on Friday night. Miraculously it didn't rain either night--the usual sukkot event.

Monday I went to my World War I class. That one is good. We are not fighting each battle, but rather, examining possible causes. Excellent presentation. Tuesday was Japanese art history, then an open house at the Intel lab at Carnegie Mellon. I find I can understand about half of what they try to tell me.

Tuesday evening there was a lecture by Rev. Tom Johnson, Jr., who runs a school, the Neighborhood Academy, for children living in poverty. His goal, which he mostly has met, is to have 100% of his children graduate and go on to college. He explained his philosophy and his methods. I wish I had his talk written out. He's an amazing man.

Yesterday was infectuous diseases, another great class. I can't say I have any special interest in diseases, or in World War 1, but a good teacher can really capture me. That's the best part of these OLLI (Osher LIfelong Learning Institute) classes. Yesterday was also my next to last cardio rehab session. Friday is the end, but there are ways to continue and I may do it. First, I'll see if I can get religious about going to the health club.

In the evening I went on a walking tour of some of the art in East Liberty and in Mellon Park. I enjoyed the teacher and will be taking a class with her next month.

Home again

Drove back on Sunday with Robin, Steve and Charna. Happy to be back and not moving. I've been going to the rehab. They never weighed me, but I haven't gained anything. Amazing! Ordered my new glasses, working on Photoshopping images, but otherwise don't have much ambition. Too hot again.

Here's a Photoshopped picture of Charna:

From this original:

Eventually, I'll put up another slide show with all my New York images.

As I was saying...

The party was a great success: good friends, loving family, good food. What more could anyone want. Actually, I should have wanted less food. I'm afraid of what the scale will say at the rehab on Monday.

On Friday I went out with Robin and Steve and Dana and John, to the Museum of Finance on Wall Street, after which we walked down Broadway to Soho. It was a good walk, but not enough to make up for all the calories. Dana and John left us to go to a play with Renee; Robin, Steve and I met up with Charna and her Chicago roommate at a vegetarian restaurant, called Franchia. Good place.

Today, I was on my own. Charna is out with friends. R and S are in Jersey. Renee is still suffering, although not nearly as much. I went down to the village to another street fair. The vendors were much the same as last week, but I always enjoy people watching.

 

 

As I walking toward the fair I spotted these amazing towers looming overhead. I took lots of photos, trying to get something satisfactory, but didn't check out the building until I had walked through the entire fair, taking lots more pictures. To my amazement, the building is a branch of the New York Public Library. It's gorgeous, although you can't see much of it, aside from the towers, because of scaffolding. I visited three floors on the inside and looked through two scrapbooks about the building. Amazing place.

 

 Back to Pittsburgh tomorrow. I've spent lots of time here reading about book making and looking at exhibits of artists' books. Now I want to get back to work.

Day One - New York City

The thing about living on the 28th floor is the lightning is right outside, not above you. Fifteen minutes ago I returned from a short walk. It was still hot and very humid, felt like walking in water. Now the skies have opened up, thunder is almost continuous, lightning is right here and lights from the cars reflect off large pools of water.

I arrived in NYC very early this morning: about 1:30 am, after an extra long trip on the Mega Bus, the one that advertises fares as low as $1. It wasn't the price that I found so enticing: it was the wi fi. I had this idea I would be able to use my computer throughout the entire trip. It didn't work that way. I was able to get connected, but through most of Pennsylvania there was no internet access. (Not much phone access, either, when you get right down to it.

The bus had trouble leaving Pittsburgh because of some kind of demonstration so we were most of an hour late before we really got started. The bus was OK for a bus, but trains are better: more leg room and walking space.

Now for the price: I've been planning this trip for a long time. When I first looked at the bus, I could have booked the round-trip for $3 ($1 each way and 50 cent service charge each way). By the time I made sure Renee wouldn't be here (so I wouldn't be walking in and waking her at 1 am), the price had gone up: $8 for the entire trip. Then Julia called and said she was making a birthday party for David and herself on the day I was leaving. Would I postpone my departure. Sure. That cost another $5. Then Robin asked why I wasn't coming home in time for Shabat dinner, Charna would be there. That change cost an additional $15 or $16. I think I've spent about $30 for these tickets: still a big bargain.

Ah, but we're not finished. Steve wants to come to Julia's party and Charna would like to come to New York (she's still in Chicago). I think Robin and Steve will drive, Charna will fly from Chicago, and we'll all go back in the car. Fine with me. I'm not sure I want to get back on that bus.

After a very late start, I spent most of today walking around the city. Work on the Second Avenue Subway still has the neighborhood torn up. I went to the Center for Book Arts and saw two great shows. Mage, you would have liked the poetry books. Not chap books, but wonderful ways of combining words and graphics. The other show had several pop-up books and other books with cuttings. They have artist talks on the next two Wednesday evenings. I may try to get back there. I took some classes there while I was living here. Wish I could do it again.

Back home

just in time to do laundry, get a blood test, visit the doctor and get ready for another trip: New York in about 2 weeks. But...let me finish the last trip. After the wedding we picked up Charna who was returning from Peru (I am amazed at how international my family has become), then Robin and Steve dropped me off at Betty's and took Charna and the car to the south side of the city: no more parking problems. Betty and I went to dinner with her son and daughter-in-law to celebrate her birthday. Here is a picture of Betty and me at dinner.

On Sunday we went to the Art Institute to see another show about Louis Sullivan. This seems to be his year. This show had some of his wonderful drawing and mostly photographs of demolished buildings. Fortunately, several excellent architectural photographers concentrated on Sullivan's work before the buildings were destroyed.

Here is a last picture of the city; it was that silver tube that caught my eye.

And a few pictures of the lake from Betty's window.

Looking at Navy Pier and all the boats

As the sun sets shadows of the buildings appear on the water.

North Avenue beach and sunshine on the water.

 

And the doctor doesn't need to see me until December, but the blood tests go on and on.