Walk: Union Square
Distance: 4 miles
Petter Nass, Northern Hawk-owl, seen in Norway |
Walk: Union Square, SF Ballet
Distance: 6 miles
Oberon and Puck wait to see if the Opera House will reopen and the dance continues |
So, A Midsummer's Night Dream, the ballet, was particularly memorable in San Francisco this afternoon. Somewhere toward the end of the first act lights started flashing, sirens began blaring and an announcement repeated over the loudspeaker: "A fire emergency has been reported in the building. Please get up from your seats and calmly leave the building. Do not use the elevator"
It was quite a feat walking down the steep marble stairways for many of the audience, but we all did it as instructed. Calmly.
Out in the brisk sun, many realized they were waiting amidst the interrupted dancers. And the fun began. Phone cameras came out. Characters talked to dazzled children, other waiting attendees and among themselves. When it was announced that we could all return to our various places, one formerly anxious dancer had been so enjoying the break he announced "I'm not nervous any more!" on his way back to the stage.
To widly cheering support from the audience the dancers resumed their performances from exactly where they had left it and danced without further interruption to all the happy marriages at Midsummer's conclusion. More wild cheering.
Walk: Presidio
Distance: 6 miles
Saint Patrick's Day at San Francisco's Temple Bar |
Happy Saint Patrick's Day ☘ San Francisco is a pretty Irish town - even with our own Temple Bar - so the celebrations will surely continute the next day or two arouund here. Ciwt can only imagine the festivities at the original and famous Temple Bar Pub in Dublin where there is already a vast whiskey and beer collection and Irish Music all day every day!
Saint Patrick's Day at Temple Bar Pub, Dublin, Ireland |
So, who is this Irving Penn? Is he related to the actor, Sean Penn?* Ciwt had those questions and more when she got her Press Preview invitation from the de Young Museum for its Irving Penn show.
Then she arrived at the event and found it crowded with press people who had no question whatsoever about who Irving Penn (1917-2009) was. Almost all were photography lovers excited to see so many works by the famed cameraman. Probably fashionistas who follow Vogue will be there in droves when the show opens because Penn was the magazine's celebrated photographer for over sixty years.
Vogue Photographs:
Irving Penn, Kerchief Glove (Dior), Paris, 1950, Gelatin silver print |
Irving Penn, Girl with Tobacco on Tongue (Mary Jane Russel), New York, 1951, Gelatin silver print |
Irving Penn, Issey Miyake, Staircase Dress, New York, 1994, Platinum-palladium print |
Pablo Picasso at La Californie, Cannes, 1957 |
Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, 1957 |
Edith Piaf, New York, 1948 |
Balloon Seller, Paris, 1950 |
Rock Groups, San Francisco, 1967 |
Anzio Beachhead One Year After Battle (A), Italy, 1947 |
Walks: Hood, de Young Museum
Distances: 3 miles, 3.5 miles
Maybe because she just snaps with her iPhone and is done, Ciwt's eyes glaze over a bit when taking tours of photography. Whoever the guide is often talks at length about the exact camera used, the steps of developing the photo, the paper and whatall. Then Ciwt stands waiting as the many amateur photographers in the crowd ask with great interest about matters techical. Probably because of Instagram and phone cameras that number is growing significantly and photography shows are drawing more and more museum crowds.
But today at the Press Preview of the Irving Penn show opening soon at the de Young the quality of the photos she saw had her riveted. And she was actually fascinated by the techinical information the visiting curator from the Metropolitian Museum passed on. Penn meticulously created his own settings, made his own paper, hand printed his photgraphs again and again with silver and other rich emulsions. No lab assistants for any of this. The resulting surface of his final products are often so thick and rich, they register much like paintings. They are more lasting object rather than photograph. And oh the depth and clarity; every photo in the show, no matter when taken, appears new, fresh immediate.
Here's Penn's beautiful wife, Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn, arguably the first super model, looking as breathtakingly alive as she did when Penn took this portrait in 1950. This not just because of her stunning presence but also due to Penn's well considered lighting, rough curtain behind, positioning of the subject and rich printing.
Irving Penn, Woman with Roses, (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn in LaFeurie Dress), Paris, 1950, Platinum-palladium print |
Walk: Hood
Distance: TBD
It's 11:22 a.m. out here in San Francisco; just 38 minutes until we can start watching Oscars-related tv programs on channel 7.1 (ABC). Crazy! Even crazier, if you forgot about Daylight Savings clock change and rush to your Oscars Countdown at noon, it will actually be 1:00 and you will miss the first hour.
She'll hold off until one of the Red Carpet shows when she can change her bed, set her clocks, do other household chores and be present for her 50+ year of Oscars viewing.