Annual Tradition: Art in Bloom

Spring is in the air! Well, at least that's what my allergies tell me... With the season change also comes my favorite springtime activity (and now an annual tradition): Art in Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

The last Sunday in April, I spent part of the afternoon with a friend taking in all of the wonderful floral interpretations throughout the museum. This is now my third year in attendance (and my third time sharing highlights here), and each time I'm struck by how Art in Bloom makes me take a second look at so many pieces that I normally just glance over. Also for the third time, my favorite of the floral arrangements has taken me by surprise. This year, more than others, I had a hard time actually picking a favorite. But in the end, it came down to this one:

Normally, I just breeze right through the contemporary galleries, but this one stopped me in my tracks. I love how the lips and the shawl are captured so vividly, and how the floral arrangement really seems to bring the person aspect of it to life.

The two others I was really wowed by were:

Seriously. How awesome are these? And, of course, for your viewing pleasure, here are a few of my other favorites in no particular order:

You know what I love even more than Art in Bloom? Wandering around, getting lost and making completely new discoveries at MIA. I seriously could not stop staring at this... :)

Summer Bucket List Item No. 1: Art Perchance

Well, it's been a busy last few weeks, so I'm making an admittedly slow start on my summer bucket list. That said, I've fully completed one of 10 activities: the MIA's Third Thursday Art Perchance event.

Intrigued by the promise of carnival-like games, cocktails and the chance to win free art, a few friends and I gathered outside of the much-loved art institute on a beautiful Thursday night.

For a few hours, we made our way through a number of fun art-inspired games, collecting prizes and raffle tickets along the way.

There was Sand Man Dollar Land

Dali Fishing

Bowling for Brancusi and more

It was a great opportunity to see some of our favorite works come to life in a fun way and to mingle with other art enthusiasts. While we didn't win any of the raffled art, we did bring home a number of kitschy swag items - in the form of fake mustaches, patriotic sunglasses, sheriffs badges, handkerchiefs and more.

I could definitely see this turning into one of our fun annual summer activities.

I'm cautiously optimistic that I can still cross off a few of the other summer activities...stay tuned!

Art in Bloom 2011

Art in Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is quickly becoming one of my favorite spring traditions (at one of my already favorite destinations in the city).

This year, and for the first time in my adult life...I went to the museum all by myself. And, I've gotta say, it was actually kind of magical. I purchased one of the Art in Bloom guidebooks, put my headphones on and just began to wander from room to room, taking in every bit while lost in my own little world (though I will admit that I missed my friend who went with me last year...I even texted her midway through to tell her she was missing out).

Similar to last year, I was surprised by how most of my favorite Art in Bloom pieces are interpretations of artwork I usually don't pay much attention to during regular visits to the MIA, like this year's overall favorite:

This Rembrant painting is usually one I just gloss over as I take in all of the period art, but when I saw the floral depiction, I paused to really take in the meaning and significance of the painting and of the woman's pain as she begins to experience death. I thought the florist did an amazing job bringing this piece to life.

My other most striking favorite was of the Armor, where the florist brought the human aspect to life, juxtaposing the "exposed human next to his high-tech shell."

And then there's one painting that I do love that had a fantastic floral interpretation: Tornado over St. Paul:

Followed by my remaining Art in Bloom favorites:

(I LOVE Kandinsky, and this is the first time I've ever noticed any of his paintings at the MIA)



If you missed this year's Art in Bloom (or have never been), be sure to watch for updates early next spring - just when you're reaching the point where you think the weather in Minnesota couldn't possibly get any worse.

Making Things a Bit More Homey

I've lived in my 'new' apartment for several months now, and for the longest time, it didn't look much different than it did the day I moved in. I put my bed up, of course. Stocked the kitchen with the necessary utensils, plugged the TV in and put the clothes in the closet. But, that was about it. I went on the first of several work trips the day after I moved in, and then just didn't seem to be around much for anything other than sleeping for quite a while.

So, I left boxes stacked up. And random furniture scattered about.

But then something magical happened. My mom found the most perfect little table for my most precious little dining room. And so I went about making one little spot feel like home.
Here's the dining room at night. The black table and chairs, and the dark brown stand were both purchased at auctions. They don't go together perfectly, but I like them both in the dining room nonetheless, especially since I use the shelves in the stand for dining room storage (extra napkins, place mats, candles, etc.). The red place mats and candlesticks are from my recent Pine City adventure, and the gold curtain is just one my mom randomly gave me in a box of stuff she didn't want (curtain rod purchased at Target).

And here's the dining room from a different angle during the day with art. This piece used to hang above my bed in the old apartment, but I like it better now with the dining room colors.

I still have quite a bit more to do in order to fully transform the apartment, but I'm pleased with these baby steps. I'll share updates and maybe ask for advice from time to time, too.

Side note: one of my New Year's resolutions is to get back in the habit of blogging more regularly. Two posts so far - not a bad way to start the year :)

Friday Fun Day

Well, it seems the last several weeks have really taken a toll on my blogging abilities, and I find myself in catch-up mode yet again. The good news is I have several updates to share over the next couple of weeks!

I took one recent Friday off to enjoy an afternoon about town with a friend. First up, lunch at View.
View is located in a B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. building just across the street from the equally beautiful Lake Calhoun. I'd always wanted to try it, and thanks to my friend's coupon deal, I now had the perfect reason.

I really liked the restaurant's decor and the use of the color orange throughout. The lighting cast a rich hue over everything even during the middle of the day.

The one thing that struck me as odd though was that we basically had the whole place to ourselves. There were probably six other people there the whole time. Perhaps it was the chilly weather, because I found most of our experience to be quite good.

I had delicious strawberry lemonade to drink, which really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone at this point. I've jointly become addicted to strawberry lemonade and root beer. Both of which, I hope to cure myself of in the near-term. ;)

To start, we shared the Mediterranean style grilled chicken wings. These were amazing. With a seasoning rub to die for and a splash of lemon juice, they were incredibly flavorful.

I then had the smoked turkey and avocado melt, which was served on multi-grain bread with mesquite smoked turkey, avocado, lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese (note that it generally comes with Swiss). It also came with french fries and a pickle.

The french fries were awesome. Crispy and perfectly salty. The sandwich was also good, but nothing spectacular. While the turkey and fixings were great, the bread was kind of dry, making it a little less delicious.

Overall, I found View to be quite enjoyable. I'll definitely go back, at least for the wings.

After lunch, we headed to The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis, the only museum in North America dedicated exclusively to Russian art. I've always wanted to check out the museum - as any locals know, it is simply one of the most exquisite buildings in all of MSP.

With quite lovely landscaping...

Unfortunately, photos weren't allowed inside. But, the interior is just as breathtaking as the exterior. While we were there, the main gallery featured elegant works of Russia's countryside and touching portraits of the country's people.

There was also an enchanted art exhibit, displaying beautifully detailed Russian lacquer miniatures. The pieces were magical and showcased the rich history of the artistry throughout a number of Russian villages.

Admission is $7 for adults, however, you can score free passes through the Museum Adventure Pass offering at local libraries...probably one of my favorite things in life.

Visit to the Sculpture Garden

Twilight in the sculpture garden

When we walk around the place

Look upon the beautiful secrets

That all the artists made.

Midnight in the sculpture garden

Underneath the cherry moon

We can make our own beautiful secret

We can join the fabled few.

- Semisonic, Sculpture Garden

Every summer, I make at least one visit to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center. This year, a friend and I made it a day-date.

With more than 40 permanent works, it's one of the country's largest urban sculpture gardens and one of my absolute favorite places in all of MSP. Well-known Minneapolis band, Semisonic, has a song about the garden that I just love (two verses above beneath the iconic cherry and spoon).

Nestled smack dab in the middle of Minneapolis near Loring Park, the Sculpture Garden, with its awesome sculptures and pristine grounds, feels like a true urban retreat. That it's free and open daily from 6 a.m. - midnight is an added bonus.

Also on the grounds is the Cowles Conservatory, home to many beautiful plants and flowers.

During our visit, we also explored the Walker, courtesy of free passes from the library. We saw the 1964 exhibit, which runs through Oct. 24 and features several Andy Warhol pieces. And also the Benches & Binoculars exhibit, on display through Nov. 21. Both were fantastic, and I would place the B&B exhibit among the top of any I've seen at the Walker. How's that for good word-of-mouth? ;)