Sad Winter Girl

It's a phrase that I picked up from Instagram, perfectly forecasting what so many of us become after a summer of nearly perfect weather in the Pines.

 

A Digit Shy of Evil

I enjoyed celebrating my birthday more this year than usual thanks to the thoughtfulness of friends and reaching eligibility for full Social Security benefits.  Yep, I'm 66!

First the cards.  Florian's made me laugh, especially the jazz-hand annotations.  He also enclosed a Fairway gift card.  The amount matched my age.

Magda's & Joe's card gave me a chuckle, too.  Inside it said "I got you this card knowing what a dog lover you are."  They know their Uncle Jiffy very well!

Speaking of pooches, Arko sent his greetings from Chicago.

Thom, as usual, went above and beyond.  First, he brought a slightly smashed tiramisu birthday cake from Veniero's, a bakery in little Italy, to celebrate in the Pines with Randy & Varick.

And then took me to dinner at Park Side where he gave me a pair of nifty pair of bathing trunks from Vilebrequin, a French brand I can't pronounce but have long coveted!

Thanks, everyone!

Play It Loud

Not exactly what you'd expect to find at the Met.

The headstock from Eric Clapton's famous guitar, "The Fool," restored by Todd Rundgren.

A poster for a Guitar God concert.  Are you experienced?

What a stylish instrument.

I wonder who played this baby?

Joni Mitchell picked this electric guitar when she recorded "Shadows & Light," her live album from the 70s.  Prince identified "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" as one of his favorite recordings.  It's one of mine, too.  She was into world music before it had a name.

St. Vincent shreds with this.  I love, LOVE "Fast Slow Disco," and not just because the video looks like an outtake from "Cruising."

And who knew Rick Nelson of Cheap Trick had so many fingers?  He probably used them all on "Surrender."

Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.

Many of the items are on loan from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

One of Paul's early guitars.

Kate Pierson played this Farfisa electric organ on many of the B-52s most wackadoodle tracks. I saw their first show at CBGBs and dressed as a rock lobster for Halloween.

"Light My Fire" introduced me to rock, Jim Morrison and black leather.  Thank you Ray Manzarek!

 

Lady Gaga tickles the ivories as well as she sings.

I didn't know Patti Smith played the clarinet.  Fred Sonic Smith, her late husband, gave her this one.

Metallica's drum kit.

 

The Roots' tuba.

Camp Redux

It was so fabulous I had to go again (I certainly didn't feel that way about summer camp)! Gender queer existed long before it had a label.

Tea anyone?

Jean Paul Gaultier obviously watched "Querelle," Rainer Werner Fassbinder's adaptation of Jean Genet's novel starring Brad Davis, as breathlessly as I did.  Camp is deep.

Aubrey Beardsley, whose often perverse Victorian art has dominated my living room since college, influenced Alexander McQueen.

"Lacing a dandy."  19th century life was tough.

The main gallery is as colorful as anything I've ever seen.

M & M, anyone?

Bjork knew exactly what she was doing.