Mother's Day etc.

I once read somewhere (I say as if I don't know full well it was the American Spiritualism Society's web site) that a penchant for seasonal allergies can be an indication of psychic ability. If this is true, all I can say is half of New York City must be clairvoyant this week. "They" say it's a bad year for allergies (isn't it always?) and certainly an al fresco dinner the other night left my eyes streaming and my nose twitching. No hint of a sign from the other side, alas.


While I may not have communicated with the Beyond, I did see the Costume Institute at the Met, which is terrific, and marred only by the constant repetition of Lenny Kravitz's "American Woman" in the final room, which is wholly audible in the gift shop. Entertained brief fantasies of dressing like a Gibson Girl for 2010-11; decided I'm too old. Even more fascinating than the Costume Institute, I thought, was the show "Playing with Pictures: the Art of Victorian Photocollage." (Yes, these are images from the show.) It was apparently fairly commonplace to make collages of original drawing and watercolor with photographs - early scrap-booking, but far more whimsical and ornate and impressive than this implies. An outlet, one supposes, for all sorts of artistic talent - after all, every lady of the era could paint and draw, or at least was schooled in it.

In case you're wondering, yes, I did see these shows with my mother, following a lovely early brunch at Cafe Sabarsky and the receipt of a (very modest) tin of (American) caviar.

Things to think about: how do I shell the black walnuts I bought yesterday? And, what's the deal with Harmony Korinne's new film?