Sunday, November 1, 2009

De Young Museum

Last weekend I went to the De Young Museum in San Francisco with my family in celebration of my little sister's birthday. I'd never seen their contemporary art collection and enjoyed it so much. As I walked through the rooms, absorbing each piece and listening to the narration on audio, I kept wondering, why don't I do this more often?

The above painting is Petunia by Georgia O'Keefe.


The Blue Veil by Edmund Charles Tarbell.


Easter Morning (Portrait of a New York widow)
by Frederick Childe Hassam.



This is a sculpture called Anti-Mass by Cornelia Parker. The pieces, which are suspended from above, are the charred remains of an African-American Baptist Church in Alabama that was set on fire by arsonists. It was so moving.


Winter's Festival by Willard Leroy Metcalf. This is a scene I will never see outside my bedroom window here in sunny California, which is why I like it so much.


We ate lunch at the museum cafe, and I had this delicious chicken curry salad with figs, grapes, and mangoes. I didn't eat the figs because, as I explained to my family, I only like them in newton form.


Sculpture of a giant safety pin outside the cafe window.

This is the botanical garden where we took a walk in the afternoon. It was a surprisingly warm and sunny day in San Francisco, and there were squirrels everywhere. They've been fed by tourists so much that they run right up to you and look up in to your eyes, waiting for food. I was constantly explaining to them I don't feed wild animals.

I'm having a lazy Sunday today, laying in bed reading and writing. I can hear my neighbors yelling at the football players on television, and my cat Apollo is curled up against my feet. It's supposed to be 80 degrees today, but I'm pretending it's a cozy rainy day so I can slow down and enjoy being at home. It feels so good to just stop for a day ... stop running around, stop trying to accomplish anything, and just be present in my life and feel gratitude for all that I have.

Happy November to you ...

12 comments:

Dogwood said...

Thank you for such a lovely, peaceful post. Georgia O'Keeffe is one of my favorites. I have one of her big floral prints above the kitchen sink in San Francisco.

Forrest and I took a walk at Golden Gate Park two days ago and it was one of those sunny warm days.

You lunch at the cafe looks yummy.

Have a nice and restful day.

Theresa said...

Peaceful post. Loved my tour of the Museum with you and lunch... so pretty, I thought it was another painting-hehe:) OK have a great day!

Suz said...

I love the blue veil and the winter painting....what a lovely day...so much to take in
I know what you mean by "why don't I do this more often?'
i don't know why either...we have so many fabulous museums in Chicago....and most of the times I have been there have been either on a field trip with the kids or for a hospital fundraiser
time to change this!
Oh, and that safety pin!!!!!

Rachel said...

Two lovely days you've described: going to the museum (one of my favourite things to do) and lazing on a Sunday (love that too, but rarely get to do it). That was a very lovely post.

Wow - that Anti-Mass sculpture. I would love to see that and know more about the story behind it! And if you want to see snow, come and visit me in the winter, which could be anytime between October and May. You'll see snow then! Ugh.

It's not snowy now though... I'm hoping it stays away for a few more weeks (fingers crossed).

Joshy and belle said...

lovely day out it looks really inspiring! fliss xx

Woollywotnots said...

Oh wow, what great photos. I love visits to museums, sculpture parks and galleries. Thanks for sharing your visit. The paintings are beautiful and I always love sculpture.

Michelle said...

Hi Stacy!
I've been having a lovely time catching up on your blog this morning:-) Your sweet kitty Apollo being "mothered" by charlie makes me long for a kitty again...

Your travels and photos are so wonderful to enjoy, as well as your knitting-- what a great idea to knit for yourself, I just did that too for the first time!

Thank you for a lovely visit at your place:-)

Happy November!
~Michelle

Niesz Vintage Home said...

Thanks for sharing such beautiful photos! Sounds like you had a wonderful day.
And I hope you enjoyed your layed back Sunday. :-)

Kimberly

Thimbleanna said...

Looks like you had a wonderful weekend! I love that you pretended it was a rainy day outside -- sounds just perfect! Also love that giant safety pin!!!

Quince and Quire said...

It's always inspiring to be in the presence of great art, isn't it? Then I go home and don't know what to make first.

Ronna said...

Lovely post. Love the art. And the figs! (I'd have eaten 'em...)

Susan Gallacher-Turner said...

I love San Francisco...my husband and I vacationed there 3 years ago, went to golden gate park and the museum. It was wonderful!!

Reading your post brought it all back and felt like a mini-vacation.
Thanks!
Susan