Gayle Brennan Spencer – sending random thoughts to and from South Austin
Above: Pinxtos at Kapikua Casco Viejo
For a break between traditional American holiday fare, here is part two of restaurants we sampled for you in Bilbao last year. Might as well begin with more of the competitive sport of ordering pinxtos in our crowded neighborhood spot, Kapikua Casco Viejo. Doesn’t take very many of these hearty appetizers to make a meal.
Continue reading “Postcard from Bilbao, Spain: Buen provecho”
Above: Reflections in the viewing mirror installed above the Ardabil carpet, a commission for the ruling Shah of Iran made by Maqsud Kashani about 1540
One of the most popular spots in the Victoria and Albert Museum is the long sofa next to the ancient Ardabil carpet. While the rug’s design is exquisitely executed with about 3,500 wool knots per square inch, for many, the bench is the main attraction. Ah, the chance to reflect and rest. We were fortunate to have the time to visit more than once during our stay.
It’s easy to be bowled over by the swirling, shimmering colors of Dale Chihuly’s immense contemporary glass chandelier suspended under the graceful dome of the grand entrance hall to the museum. The sheer size of the 1862 iron choir screen from the Hereford Cathedral addressing the space competes for your attention.
Continue reading “Postcard from London, England: Journeying inside the V&A”
Above: House of Vineyard exhibition reacted and related to historic artifacts in the Abraham and Louisa Willet-Holthuysen House Museum.
Historically, the voices and experiences of Black and Brown femme queens have often been marginalized. But their resilience, courage, and unyielding spirit have paved the way for progress both off and on the runway…. In the dining room, we honor five queens who not only fought for a seat at the table, but created their own.”
House of Vineyard curator notes for temporary contemporary art exhibition
Keeping a house museum fresh, appealing and relevant to diverse audiences is extremely difficult, speaking as someone who had chaired a committee running one. I wish my visit to the Abraham and Louisa Willet-Holthuysen House Museum, a house built on the Herengracht Canal in 1685, had been years earlier.
Instead of keeping its collection static, the house museum stimulates repeat visitation by weaving thoughtfully curated contemporary art throughout its rooms. Often times, house museums are filled with gray-hairs, but not everyone there had our same color hair. The House of Vineyard’s “Grand March: A Historic House through a Ballroom Lens” attracted a diverse, youthful group. And it worked. All ages appeared interested in both the old and the new.
Continue reading “Postcard from Amsterdam, Netherlands: Making room at the table”
Postcards from Barton Springs 