David Hockney de Young Exhibition SF Blues: Sunday, December 1st

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. -Steven Wright, comedian (1955- )

 
Hello Elena!

I'm Patruck Dunn, Chloë's father. We have met, a number of times, over the years, if only rather briefly, if memory serves me well .

I am writing to say thank you very much for being so kind as to agree to allow me to leave wine with you. I understand, via Choë, that this is the case so I need to know if Tuesday, December 3rd would be convenient. I will be staying overnight in Portland on Monday, December 2nd, and imagine that I will be in Bellingham some time between 3:00-4:00 pm, depending on traffic, weather, etc., on Tuesday afternoon. I have your phone number and address so finding your home should not present any problems.

However, should this not be convenient please don't hesitate to let me know. I am able to leave the wine with friends in Portland but would appreciate knowing I need to do so before I leave Portland on the morning of the December 3rd. Again, thank you, in advance, for agreeing to this. Hope to hear from you, at your convenience, and we can plan accordingly.  Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Felicitous:

MEANING:

adjective: 1. Well suited. 2. Pleasing.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin felix (happy). Earliest documented use: 1641.

 

Hi Goils!

Trust you spent an unfettered time at Target after you didn't have me to kick around!

Trip went well but traffic was nightmarish. Started almost as soon as Hollywood Freeway joined I-5 and I, along with thousands of other Los Angelinos slowed to a snail's pace. Emergency vehicles of one sort and another wove their way through the jam so I knew it was probably an accident as opposed to road construction. Quite a pile-up when, about 20 minutes later, I finally passed scene. I counted about eight or ten vehicles, some very nastily smashed, some turned completely around, up against median divider, shocked drivers/passengers sitting in cars with open doors, looking pretty shaken, as you can well imagine. Learend later, by chance as I was searching for music, that it was a fourteen car pile-up but heard anothing about injuries so I trust no fatalities. Still, what a Thanksgiving weekend for those involved.

Before!

Rest of drive wasn't much different in the sense that it really was freeway traffic for first 200 miles. Both lanes were pretty much bumper to bumper, although travelling at speed limit, more or less. Still nerve wracking as every so often flow would slow without much warning so one had to be very alert. Thoughts of earlier accident were not very far from my mind and how quickly things can happen. One time I had to apply brakes very, very quickly and I could see a number of cars behind me , in rear view mirrors, taking to the shoulder to avoid rear-ending cars in front!

After highway bifurcates, I-5 to Sacramento, I-580 to Oakland/SF, traffic opened up and it was smooth sailing until Livermore where it was back to rush hour-like gridlock until near Castro Valley. After that the traffic really thinned out and moved well. It was so quiet on last stretch, the Warren Freeway/CA 13, that it was very pleasant to be on the road after having to deal with the dense holiday traffic.
 

Anyway, I made it safely to Vicente and was knocking on the door by just after 4:30 pm so was pleased with time, given packed highways. Had a fabulous dinner, Persian lamb, (David used a shoulder cut and I have asked for recipe.), with green beans for vegetable, delicious mixed green salad to start. We lit the Hanukkah candles before the meal and spent a lovely to hours or so chatting before turning in around 10:0 pm.
Had a grand sleep after long day and was up at 6:30 am. Heard David creep downstairs at 5:30 am and could smell the coffee he brewed shortly thereafter. Have already sent a message to Elena, in Bellingham, to make sure it is fine to leave the wine with her. I will be heading into SF to the de Young Museum in about an hour. Plan to drive to Redding for the night, perhaps slightly further, depending on how long I stay at Hockney exhibition, traffic out of SF, weather, etc. Tuesday night in Portland and then home on Wednesday.

At any rate, will be in touch to let everyone know how plan unfolds. Greetings from David. Nancy is still asleep! Must away as I want to load car, put bike on rack, etc., before I have a quick shower. Thanks again, Ayn, for lovely visit. Love to all my Goils and The Lost Burritos, Dad/Patrizzio! 

 Hi again, Goils!

Forgot to attach David's recipe! Cheers, Patrizzio the Forgetful!

Hi Poppa

We had a nice day...woke up and decorated my place for the holidays with Mom...then we left to meet the boys for the afternoon and happened upon a puppy adoption event. Nana could only take it for so long as she wanted to adopt each one as they pressed their little faces up against their crates-pens.

Sam arrived with the boys and we went to lunch for sushi and then we went to see Dallas Buyer's Club..superb film. We saw Philomena last night and Judy Dench was phenomenal in it.  Oscar worthy!!

Happy to hear you're making your way nicely! Love your favorite drill sergeant!

the recipe sounds delicious and I will have to make it!

After!

Hi Pat,

We are back from Tulum beach now.  What a fabulous holiday. Here is where we stayed:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJJrHmY1Tpw

Our two daughters and their boyfriends joined Claire and I.  The ocean is perfect for swimming and frolicking in the waves.  Everyone agreed it was the best vacation ever.

We did some bike riding in Tulum, but just toodling along the 10km stretch of beach road.  There are some very good and very wide roads once you get out of the citiies/towns and away from the beach.  The roads are in excellent condition, and there is little traffic. But you don’t see any one cycling like you cycle.  I think it is because the heat/humidty is oppressing once you are away from the beach.  It was per 40C when we were there factoring in humidity. And it will even be hotter in May.

My advice, spend the week swimming the beach.  The beach and the ocean are the best in the world.

The unfortunate thing is that Claire came home with a case of turista, and I came home with a chest cold that I caught on the flight home.  There was a guy in the row behind us who was sick as death, head in hands, coughing the whole flight. Take care, Dennis

Hi Digitale and Fingare!

Trust you spent a wonderful Thanksgiving! We certainly did. Left LA yesterday. Tuesday night in Portland, if still welcome and then home on Wednesday. I assume I might come knocking around 5:00 pm, again, depending on traffic, weather, etc. At any rate, will be in touch before I hit the road on Tuesday to confirm reservation at the Cornelius Pass Stagecoach Inn! Thanks again, in advance, The Pushy Canuck! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

See you Tuesday. M. Hi Marilyn! Guess I was suffering from too, too much Persian lamb and not enough vino and malt with last night's dinner before I sent you the message, this morning, about staying, as I plan to arrive on your doorstep on Monday afternoon, (tomorrow, December 2nd), not Tuesday, December 3rd! Sorry for this but originally this was to have been the case. I was planning to arrive back in Vancouver on December 4th as I thought I'd take in the David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition at the de Young Fine Arts Museum of SF on Monday. Subsequently discovered Museum is closed on Monday so had to move my return schedule back a day and suppose my brain was thinking of original itinerary when I wrote what I did!

I trust this will not be inconvenient but, as always, please don't put yourselves out. You've already done too, too much for me in the way of hospitality, generosity and plain old fashioned graciousness, as it is. At any rate, let me know what you think and I'll adjust my return as necessary. Hello to Michaelo. Cheers, Patrizzio, The Chagrined Dope! 

Ok tomorrow it is

Hello Duhlink! Thanks muchly for your forebearance, tolerance and understanding! See you tomorrow! Fondestos, Patrizzio!

Pics: Cactus and Donna Florida this morning; de Young, in case you've not visited, with artists displaying their work around fountain; included my shadow to produce a quasi-self-portrait, au plein air, a la Hockney! 

I forgot to mention trimming the fat and cutting the lamb into small pieces. So this is a better version....Cactus 

Hi Cactus and Donna Florida!

Thanks again, to you both, for the simply marvellous stay, the evening, the food, the wine and the talk. Thanks, of course, to you, Nancy, for the family searches and print copies of same. Thanks for lamb recipe, Sherpa Davey. Can hardly wait to try to replicate your fabulously tasty dish. As well, I must not forget my brown bag lunch! (See below!)

Had little difficulty, as you intimated, finding De Young. One small detour as most direct route was blocked, once I'd reached Golden Gate Park, due to a street closure. Garmin Goil was up to snuff, however, recalculating to save her electronic soul, so I was soon parking underground at the California Academy of Sciences. Short walk across a lovely park with a fountain, around which numerous local artists displayed their paintings, sculptures, etc. Felt almost as if I was back on the Left Bank with Coriandre!
 

Strolled around the front of the museum for a few minutes, snapping away, but wanted to try to do justice to the exhibition with time I had to spend so inside around 10:10 am. The exhibition is mounted on two floors and one is encouraged to start on the Lower Level. Did just this and can honestly say I was completely mesmerized for the full three and half hours I was there. Aside from the paintings, whether in acrylic or water-colour or charcoal, what I found absolutely fascinating were his works done on both his iPhone and iPad using a sketch feature of sorts, I gather. Not having an iPhone and not having used such a feature on the iPad, I wasn't familiar with this exact technological possibility. And it really is astounding! At least to me.

What is so exciting is that one is "virtually" there, looking over the artist's shoulder as he creates a given sketch, doodle or more complete landscape or portrait. Time-lapse photography is closest approximation to this technique, I should think. At any rate, it really was exciting, thrilling even, to see how he starts something and then proceeds to fill in detail. Literally, creation in the making. Once again, perhaps and obvious technique for those familair with such possibilities but until you see it realized you say "Of course!" So simple but so insightful, so profound. What a remarkbale look at the possibilities which digital media allow. I suppose it takes true artistic genius to realize what others simply don't see in the ordinary, in the gadgets we take so for granted that we don't see them for the magic tools they happen to be.
 

Another truly delightful display involved his so digital films, five or six relatively short works, (duration from about 9 minutes to 2-3 minutes, if I remember correctly), in which he has a number, (10?), of jugglers performing different routines, shot with numerous digital video cameras from different perspectives with the overlapping results shown on one huge wall screen composed of (18?), flat-screen monitors. What I liked even more were the exhibits involving his sketchbooks. There were about 7 or 8 monitors, with some of the individual sketch books opened, displayed below, each showing the contents of two sketch books, covering, more or less, time spent in Yorkshire, London, Iceland and Spain. What an inspired way to show the contents of these "building block" sketches. One is able to identify early iterations of some landscapes and figures which find their way into larger and/or more complete works. Again, simply fascinating to glimpse the making of his art, in progress, so to speak, in such a dynamic, immediate way.

Since it was included in the price of the ticket, I took a very, very quick look at The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, almost obscene in its opulence and ostentation when compared to Hockney's brilliant, brilliant  landscapes and riveting, intimate portraits. Made for Tinsel Town or Vegas there are 150 pieces which highlight the "pivotal period in the evolution of Bulgari's distinctive Italian style and the jewels loved and worn by celebrities and jet-setters, including several from the legendary collection of Elizabeth Taylor. 'The only word Elizabeth knows in Italian is Bulgari.'- Richard Burton". The Art of Vulgari it should have been called as, generally speaking, I am not drawn to this style. However, I suppose this jewelery is in the tradition of  Fabergé and I must admit some of the designs were remarkable.
 

Although I had spent almost four hours "devouring" art, I was famished and so ate your wonderful sandwich, David! Delish in the extreme so thanks for the needed sustenance! I entered Fairfield into Garmin Goil's circuitry while I munched and took off as soon as my sandwich was gone. I suspected, early on, that she was taking me back across the Bay Bridge and I didn't argue as it was almost 2:00 pm by then and I really didn't want to delay my journey north any longer, not relishing finding my way to the Golden Gate Bridge and the necessary connections beyond, at this point.

Everything went very smoothly out of SF, (Have you ever visited Treasure Island, bye the bye? What is there?), as traffic wasn't too, too heavy, from the get go. Quite enjoyed traveling over the Bay Bridge, both ways, so that helped me over my disappointment at not going using Golden Gate. Was soon whizzing past Ashby Exit, waving to you both, then El Cerrito, San Pablo and Pinole to cross over the Carquinez Bridge, ($10 in tolls for the day, $20 for parking, not that I'm complaining, mind!), to head for Suisun City, Fairfield and then Vacaville, taking the I-505 N towrds Winters/Redding here. 

Once I joined the I-5, just before Dunnigan, the traffic started to build up again so I decided I'd stay in Williams for the night, instead of pushing on to Redding. I was tired of fighting holiday traffic after Saturday's demanding drive. Furthermore, Redding is only about an hour and a bit further along so it wouldn't add all that much time to my drive next day, staying in Williams. More importantly, Jack's is not open on Sunday. If it had been, I'd have made a point to get there. Stage Stop Inn, in Williams, is just fine, cheap and clean and with WiFi that works and but a block or so from Granzella's, for dinner/breakfast.

Have been checked in since 4:00 pm and spent time sending messages. Will probably stroll over to Granzella's around 7:30 pm so must away as I need to take a bottle of wine out of the car to let it arm up a bit, after the chill of overnighting on Vicente Road! Thanks again for everything to my favourite Sherpa and his Divine Genealogist of a wife! Take care of each other. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Portrait of landlord/landlady with morning papers; de Young, in case you've not visited, with artists displaying their work around fountain; included my shadow to produce a quasi-self-portrait, au plein air, a la Hockney! 


Hi Goils!

Trust all still goes well without me! Thanks again for everything in Tinsel Town/Simi Valley to my favourite Barking Out Orders Person and her Divine Shopper Mom and to Aunt Leah's Volunteer Coordinator for helping to keep my new credit card incandescent! Take care of each other. Fondestos and Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio!

Hi again, Goils!

Forgot to attach David's recipe! Cheers, Patrizzio the Forgetful! 

Hi Jack and Gail!

Loved the holiday workout! How very, very appropriate!!! Trust you spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with Laury and Nora. We had a grand time in Simi Valley. Left for home yesterday. Take care of each other. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hello Simi Valley and Felines Extraordinaire!

Trust the remainder of your Thanksgiving weekend went well. Thanks again for fabulous stay! I had a grand, grand time in Simi Valley.

On Friday, Alejandro came by for dinner before he had to leave for work, Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bar, beautiful downtown Burbank, waiting on tables, raking in the tips, to feast on Ayn's Armenian butcher's chicken and beef kebab-like "things" and then Xavierino and his friend, Chris, arrived for same nosh before they has to leave for Sound, their regular security gig.

Next morning we stopped at Macy's at 9:30 am to take advantage of incredible sales and then I kissed The Babes farewell and blasted north to Berkeley and Villa Vicente. All is well although my heart is heavy for Chandler and Joey and the broad, clean bike lanes of Simi Valley! Fondestos and Cheers to Rae and Judy and you, Ricardo. All the best, Patrizzio!