Foogarrooonaaa

ooOOhhh foggaroonarrrr!!!!

What amazes me about the San Franciscans is that they only have one word for FOG.

Today I walked across the Golden Gate bridge which was nice but if I am honest, not very exciting. Its a bridge. Its cool but its a bridge. Sorry if that offends you but I come from Bristol and I think our's is nicer. Had to buy a 'SAN FRAN' hoody in the gift shop as it was SO DAMN COLD!

I then took a bus to 'The Palace of Fine Art" which is beautiful but has no art in it.

I was a confused for a bit.

They are referring to the architecture itself which is quite beautiful. My favourite bit is the large voluptuous ladies and their big bottoms at the top of each column leaning away from you - they look like they are weeping into the columns and there is a lake at the bottom which has turtles and ducks in it. Couldnt believe it when I saw a turtle staring back at me.

I then got the number 28 and then got off again and got it the other way, which was exciting.

When I eventually arrived at the GOLDEN GATE PARK and went to the 'De Young Museum'.

Wow. Another amazing museum. There was a monumental impressionist exhibtion on and when i got my ticket I said

'Just a general thanks ... not too keen on the impressionists.'

Then I changed my mind and thought ... we're talking DEGAS, MANET, WHISTLER and MONET here girl.... How could you DIS these DUDES? So I changed my ticket and went in. I bloody hate impressionist art work. It makes me feel queasy. Sorry but it does. I was quite surprised to see that Renoir was in fact a bit of a dish but other than that I can take it or leave it. There were some fantastic pre impressionist paintings which made me feel very humble but when i got to the Monets and the Manets... I sped up and got the hell out of there.

I then went to see the Papa New Guinea exhibition which was amazing. I am so definitely more into materials and making than paint. Paint bores me. Its so yesterday! ;)

And there he was again .... NICK CAVE! MY hero. I want to work for him.

I thought as I looked around... do I really want to carry on with embroidery? I would love to find a new medium. I want to maintain that cutting and sticking and embellishing aspect of my work but are there other ways of doing this other than sitting at a machine? Would it be as impressive without stitch? Is it the painful and painstaking process that is appealing to people? Would I miss it? Can I get more three dimensional? Shall I go back the hostel and drink red wine?

I pottered around the Japanese tea garden pondering life, stitch and the price of carp. I then got the no 28 back, listened to a Texan couple on the bus behind me and their very entertaining conversation and went to Safeways to look at the fabulous produce they have. Honestly, its so good , so amazing, so plentiful, so perfect that it is hard to take in. Never mind MOMA darlings, go to the local American Supermarket .... and be amazed.

Loufroosisco Caligardiner.

:)