I've always found myself drawn to working with my hands in one way or another; Needlework is one of the ways. I've done many belts with plans to do a few more in the future, but this was a simple one that was pretty easily whipped up and made a nice gift.
I've also been exploring embroidery work lately, and hope to post some pictures soon!
It's an extra special day today; it's my grandmothers 94th birthday! And while I can't spend time with her on her big day, I was lucky enough to have spent time with her for a few days during the late summer.
While she doesn't do a lot these days, some of the nicest memories I have are her cooking, knitting, canning homemade jams, and sharing stories from the past. However, her circumstances have changed a great deal in the last 10 years. During the holidays, when she was more mobile and independent, I would drive from New York City to Pennsylvania to pick her up, and then we would drive down to Kentucky the next morning. It was really one of my favorite fall/winter experiences. We did this for many years, and she was a great road trip buddy who never hesitated between stories tell me, "Come on, Rani! Let's go! Faster! Faster!". Once on the way home, she even demanded we stop at a roadside ceramic store during a blizzard. Yup, true story.... and still makes me laugh today.
So in the spirit of creating something that she inspired me to learn, I knitted her a lap blanket. It was my first large piece done with a simple knit stitch where I alternated between a couple of her favorite hues. It is by no means perfect, but its huge, soft, and super warm for the inevitable snowy winters of Pennsylvania....It's something I think she would have loved a lot.
I hope your day is filled with love, chocolate, and bluejays (her favorites)...Happy Birthday Grandma. xo
I've lived in the Hell's Kitchen area for perhaps more years that I care to account for...I've seen it when it was a shell of an area, filled with theaters and whorehouses and where the only thing on the shelves in a bodega was cat liter and coffee grounds. Where huge semi-vacant buildings in the center of Times Square held 2 small 12 paneled food bars in the center of what could have held a cruise ship. why? because they could, but mainly because no one wanted that space. And I remember when the mold and musty smells on 42nd street seeped out of rundown buildings like gas from an old mans ass or the pores of a friday night drunk during a Saturday morning workout...
Let's just say, the area of Times Square has changed in the last 15 years...so when I read what they were doing, I have to say I was excited. Basically, for the month of May at 11:57pm, and for only 3 minutes, the Times Square Alliance re-appropriated billboards throughout Times Square with Andy Warhol's 1960's Screen Tests. It was a wonderful contrast, and I ended up going a few times during that month and took some pictures, below are a few from those evenings.
As a side..... I went to a Dean Wareham & Britta concert over at NYU a couple of years ago where they played their album underneath a huge projection of these same Andy Warhol's screen tests along with some others. It's definitely worth a listen. The album title is...
13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests
dreamy. hypnotic.
dennis hopper.
Looks like they are doing it again this month with another artist with a show called Gopi Contagion..Not that anyone is asking but it might also be nice to see some Barbara Kruger...
