Low Kickin It --- Day 13/294

Walk: Monday errands

Distance: 5 miles

So there are usually a few of these 'dames' kicking around Ciwt's Halloween neighborhood and she always gets a kick out of them herself.  Maybe because she has a friend who.much to the delight of those who know her, is famous for her socks and completes every outfit with a pair ranging from outrageous to tasteful

Fleet Farewell --- Day 13/293

Walk: Up and down bringing art out of storeroom

Distance: 1.5 miles

Bye Bye, Blue Angels.  Incredible precision flying, amazing machines, outstanding air show.  But oh the noise and relief that your Fleet Week visit was again accident free as you soared just a few feet above many of our homes.

Really Creepy Entrants --- Day 13/292

Walk: Hood, scouting for contest entrants

Distance: 3 miles

Let Them Tell You --- Day 13/291

Walk: UCSF for Mohs surgery

Distance: 1 mile

Since Ciwt is an inadequate spokesperson for Tamara de Lempicka, let's let the people who champion her art speak for her:

The youtube link below takes you to a short documentary that opens a window into the life and art of Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka. Featuring interviews with curator Furio Rinaldi and the artist’s great-granddaughter, Marisa de Lempicka, as well as archival footage of the artist herself, this film traces Lempicka’s life and career, from her childhood in Russia to her burgeoning art career in Paris to how she became an Art Deco icon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCoQ8ej4a2Y

What to Say? --- Days 13/289 &290

Walks:  de Young Museum Press Preview; Fisherman's Wharf; Greens Restaurant; Hood

Distances: 3.5 each

Tamara Lempicka ('dba' Lempitzky, aka Tamara de Lempicka), Her Sadness, 1939, oil on canvas

So Ciwt has a problem telling her readers about the de Young's new exhibition, Tamara de Lempicka.

Here it is: Ciwt doesn't respond to the art styles cubism, art deco or futurism; she doesn't particularly resonate to the color grey; or to glamorous, flamboyant, lustful but seemingly cold women who take on different identies and seem to live always in their own superiority reality.  And all of these apply to Tamara de Lempicka, the Polish born, Russia raised artist whose work is having its first retrospective in this exhibition.

So don't listen to Ciwt on this.  There were many members of the press in attendance at the preview most of whom seemed captivated by and admiring of Lempicka's art and probably of her courage and wilyness in so successfully surviving times when it was not safe to be Jewish.  These people will likely write glowing reviews.

Ciwt did find it interesting that the mostly grey painting above of one of Lempicka's lovers (this one female and a long time one), also beautiful, glamourous, larger than life, was once owned by Barbra Streisand.  It captures Ira Perrot, who was wealthy and wrote poetry under the 

pseudonym Ira Verte.  At the time she painted it, Tamara de Lempicka, was working under the male name Lempitzky.  

She was also interested to learn that Lempicka played Wagner full blast while creating much of her art.

Photo: Tamara de Lempick (1894-1980)

Five More Barrels --- Day 13/288

Walk: Hood 

Distance: 3.5

So when Ciwt was out scouting for entrants to her Neighborhood Halloween Decorating Contest last weekend, who should she run into but one of those neighbors spending his weekend decorating.  As you can see, it isn't kids in this contest.  Really to a neighborhood, every house decorator is a full fledged adult and fully into the decorating.  And it isn't even an October event for them; many think about what their homes will look like for a good part of the year and collect decorative objects.  

Some collect wildly.  Like the neighbor at his garage door above. He has already hung a few ghosts and creeped up his patio entry But he has FIVE MORE BARRELS of decorations waiting to be stood, hung, whatever around his home.  He has to wait until after October 19 to do that for reasons Ciwt didn't totally understand.  But he said "Come back after the 19th.  That's when it will all be up"  And Ciwt definitely plans to.   

He also told Ciwt that another grown up neighbor told him their block had TWO THOUSAND trick or treaters last year.  Maybe she'll will go back just for that scary spectacle.

Entry Vignettes --- Day 13/287

Walk: Wrist Therapy

Distance: 3.5 miles 

Still Hot, Still Hanging --- Day 13/286

Walk: Early in Hood scouting for Entrants

Distance: 3.5 miles

ANHDC Entrant status to be determined