Year: 2010

The Legion of Honor: “Japanesque”—So Picturesque!

Written by diana on December 28, 2010. Posted in Art. 1 Comment on The Legion of Honor: “Japanesque”—So Picturesque!

Before Xmas my husband and I saw an unbelievable art exhibit, “Japanesque”, at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco (see flyer below). It is such a beautifully organized exhibit of Japanese ukiyoe woodblock prints, from the Legion’s own Achenbach collection. I hadn’t seen such an exquisite collection in one place since a similarly conceived...

Carmel Rancho Art and Framing Center—Frame Your Memories!

Written by diana on December 19, 2010. Posted in Art, MPC Print Club. 2 Comments on Carmel Rancho Art and Framing Center—Frame Your Memories!

Gift giving is an art form, as we all know! And so is framing, which may not be so obvious. But have you ever looked at a framed piece and said that the frame was spectacular…or totally wrong…or even made the art or photo look a little sad or tired? If you have a favorite original artwork, photo, scrap of fabric from a vacation or special...

“127 Hours”: The Instinct to Survive and the Will to Live

Written by diana on December 14, 2010. Posted in movie reviews.

My husband and I just saw the movie that brings to the screen the harrowing tale of 23 year old mountain climber Aron Ralston, who literally cuts himself loose from a boulder in a slot canyon in Blue John, a remote area of the Moab desert in Utah, the state with the most slot canyons in the world. (A slot canyon is a narrow and extremely steep...

“Wine Shop At Home”—The Art of Wine “Gifting”

Written by diana on December 10, 2010. Posted in Unhealed Wound.

It’s that time of year again, when all of us curmudgeonly folks have to think about that tired old ritual of gift giving. Each year I try to figure out what to give—a thoughtful gift which will be enjoyed, something original or unexpected. But, I think I am the world’s worst gift-giver. I love any gift given to me, and I have very...

“Ascent Aspirations: Up, Up and Away!”

Written by diana on December 4, 2010. Posted in Unhealed Wound.

I recently discovered a gem: an online art and literary journal, entitled Ascent Aspirations (www.ascentaspirations.com), based in British Columbia. (It is also published semi-annually in print media—“hard copy”.) I love the fact that Ascent Aspirations’ mission is to give aspiring writers, poets, and artists a chance to present their work...

“FAIR GAME”—Go see it!!

Written by diana on November 28, 2010. Posted in movie reviews. 1 Comment on “FAIR GAME”—Go see it!!

I just saw perhaps my favorite movie so far this year, the political thriller “FAIR GAME”, based on memoirs by Valerie Plame (My Life as a Spy) and her husband, Joe Wilson (The Politics of Truth). I was glued to my television set when the events were actually happening in 2004 because of the nakedness and brutality of leaking a spy’s identity....