The Book Report

 

This afternoon Catherine and I were chatting about common interests and, of course, the subject of books came up.  Now, I know I have previously stated I’m not exactly the biggest reader these days, but I was actually quite the voracious bibliophile in my youth.

That being said, my favorite book EVAR is Currer Bell Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, so when I came across a book entitled The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde several years ago I was intrigued.  I bought it on a whim and have read them in their entirety every summer, always waiting for the next installment!

    

It’s a bit of a challenge to sum up the series in a couple of sentences, but I’ll do my best.  Set in an alternate England in the 1980’s, Thursday Next works for a literary policing agency (black market Shakespeare and Byron are hot commodities) and discovers that she has the ability to travel into the book world.  In The Eyre Affair, the villainous Acheron Hades has also figured out a way to do just the same and has absconded into Bronte’s Jane Eyre, holding the characters from the original manuscript ransom—for if you change something in the original, all subsequent editions of the book are changed.  In this alternate reality, Bronte’s work ended with Jane leaving the Rochester estate and never coming back (boring!!!), but, through her dealings with Acheron in the book it becomes the ending we know today. She goes on to join the policing agency within the book world under the tutelage of Miss Havisham of Great Expectations fame and in the course of the series are introduced to the “real” versions of the literary characters of lore.  All that to say… I’m not promoting it to be high literary art but it’s super clever and gives me some semblance being well versed in the classics without ever, you know, actually having to read them (Oh that Heathcliff, he’s such an ass!)

These works, along with Doctor Who and Catherine Tate, are often my go-to conversation starters whenever I meet someone from across the pond.  Case and point, I knew that Hester and I were going to get along famously when she too was a fan of the Ffordse’s!

At any rate, the newest addition to the series, One of Our Thursdays is Missing, came out yesterday and though I haven’t had a chance to get to a bookstore yet… it’ll happen sooner rather than later.

Come to think of it, this sounds awwwwwfully similar to my favorite game, “Um… Hey guys, where’s Hester?”  Why do you Brits keep on disappearing!!!!

Artist: Clark Gesner/ Album: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Up on the Roof

 

You know how it goes… you meet a sassy Brit, make a few Catherine Tate* references and all of a sudden you’re on the roof of an art gallery making up one fifth of a United Colors of Benetton ad.  Oh those sassy Brits, always getting me into trouble.

That’s right, folks, it’s time for another one of our (mostly) monthly installments of “Gallery Row” openings, brought to you of course by Catherine and the John Cleary Gallery. I was unable to make the last one, but luckily they held showing over for one more month.

“Untitles (42- December 2006)” from Renate Aller’s One View, Ten Years

 

In addition to the main exhibit there are always a rotation of other pieces from the Cleary collection.  I hadn’t seen this one during any of my previous visits and couldn’t look at it without thinking of one night at Blue Lake when my friend Mason and I went out to the beach and took a much needed respite from all those campers.

Where’s the soccer ball!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

In addition to geeking out over photography at the Cleary, I also love these evenings because there is such a breadth of styles and genres spread out over the various galleries.  My other favorites of the night came from Thom Andriola’s New Gallery.  Their current exhibition of Russian artist Valentin Popov’s work actually fit in perfectly with the sea-scapes next door.

“Looking into…” (2009)

 

Much like the Cleary, they also had a variety of other pieces not representing the main exhibitionist.  Or is it exhibitioner?  Exhibiter? Painter… we’ll just say painter.

Margaret Munz-Losch’s “Black Cat” (2009)

 

Gordon Terry’s “Depleted Aristocrats, marginal Poets, Unhealthy Socialites and other Deviants” (2003)

 

Upon being asked by the girl (wo)manning the wine I had to comment: “you must hear this all the time, but your accent is absolutely intoxicating!” And thus Betsy and I were instant friends.  We chatted throughout the evening (while she wasn’t answering questions about the artwork) and I even subbed in a bit:

“Ugh, darling, I’ve been at it all night and haven’t even had the chance to sneak away to the lou.”

“Sheesh, lemme take over for you!”

So… I did a little impromptu bartending (the options were red, white, or water; it’s not like I was whipping up Pisco sour’s or anything) and fielded some questions about the artist, knowing about 30% of the answers and making up the ones I didn’t. Betsy even gave me some of the tips at the end of the evening with one stipulation: you can use this to buy me a drink later.  SOLD!

Left: Popov’s portrait of Thom.  Center: Betsy Betsy  Right: Thom

 

After closing, two other art-goers invited us to the roof of a nearby gallery which was of course answered with an emphatic “YESSSS” by Betsy and me.  We were joined by her two Italian friends (their names escape me…let’s just call them Roberto and Francesco, shall we?), bringing together the Benetton add I mentioned earlier.  Also on the roof was another patron (I say “patron” because she probably actually has the money to buy the pieces on display) who was decked out in a black top hat, veil and a ruby red jacket, the culmination of which I can only describe as Alexander McQueen meets the Ringling Brothers.  Yet another reason why I love the arts… the crazies are always out!

I had the chance to follow through with my drink promise when we all headed out to Zimm’s Martini Bar. Two more of Betsy’s friends, this time a bevy of Mexican beauties, Laura and Paulina, met us there effectively rounding out our mock U.N. assembly for the evening. A lovely evening was had by all and it’s always a plus when I can add new names to the short list of friends I have in the city.

As always, I’ll put my final caveat here… GO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ARTISTS!!! (Hell, support foreign artists—just support!)  Much like opera, it is something that can only really be experienced in person, so just get out and DO IT!

Artist: Carole King/ Album: The Essential Carole King

Don’t know who Catherine Tate is?  SHAME ON YOU!!  Besides being my favorite companion on Dr. Who, she is also one of Britain’s best sketch comedians.  There was a point when I was in Michigan and all I could talk about was the most recent skit I had seen on The Catherine Tate Show. In honor of Matt and Joanie, Matt and Mallory, and basically anyone who has ever had a child, here are two clips from her show that I love:

 

“Do you remember that baby I had six months ago?…”