while joe was off conferencing today , rebecca and i went exploring! i decided to check out the mission district, a latino neighbourhood, also known for its many wall art murals. by the time we got there via bus (my first time busing with baby in the stroller – let’s just say not the easiest way to travel when you’re in a crowded bus) it was time for lunch. i stumbled upon a local authentic-looking mexican tortas restaurant and had a (very authentic-tasting) pulled pork torta.

after lunch i walked down 24th street, down to Balmy Alley. Its website describes the block long alley as:

the best place to see the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco. The murals began in the mid-80′s as artists’ outrage over human rights and political abuses in Central America. Today the alley contains murals on a myriad of styles and subjects from human rights to local gentrification and Hurricane Katrina

there where murals everywhere, not just in the alley. here are a few shots from around the mission neighbourhood:

art.

pottery.

crafts.

i found some pretty rice paper from paper-ya and ribbon which i glued onto the lampshade with spray adhesive and a glue gun.

the end result.

waiting (pen on paper, 2009)

i went to the ‘one of a kind’ show at canada place with helen. fun and unique crafts, clothing, jewelry, food and housewares. notable finds: apple maple syrup, beeswax infused plate and bowl covers. i think there’s a show in chicago too, maybe i’ll try to check that one out as well.

i liked the little mushrooms.

i thought this painting by salvador dali was very interesting. up close, the painting consisted of white dots. how many images can you see?

and we couldn’t miss the near eastern gallery, although it was on the small side.

by the time we finished at the museum, it was already early afternoon, and we were starving! conveniently, the museum is right at the edge of central park, so we found an empty bench and had a picnic lunch. then we strolled around the park, watching people in their boats. it was really pretty with the buildings in the background.

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we walked through the park and came out at the southern edge, so we headed down fifth avenue towards rockefeller center.

it was time for a hot dog.

then we checked out bryant park, which was undergoing a bit of construction in preparation for fashion week in september. there was an area called “the reading room” with free books for people to read and enjoy.

view of buildings around bryant park.

finally it was time for our broadway show! we saw “in the heights”, which is a newer musical, based on the neighborhood of washington heights, on the northern part of manhattan. it won the tony award for best musical in 2008. we had great seats, and really enjoyed the show!

i’m not sure why it took me three years to visit the hyde park art center despite passing it a billion times, but i finally dropped in to check it out for the first time. in addition to offering many programs for the community, the center exhibits work from emerging artists from the chicago area. i like it.

a portrait of my mom as a little girl (pen on paper, june 2009)

family room window (pen on paper, june 2009)