Busy Times; Kenz Exhibits

Song of the Day: Cavalier, James Vincent McMorrow

London Stuff: We're growing food underground here - like, way underground - in WWII bomb shelters (hat tip: Tina Rucker).

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Kenz and I have been like two ships passing in the night these past two weeks. I'm facing various work deadlines and she's busting tail to get ready for her final year show. On top of that, each of us has begun to say "yes" to as many things as possible, both living in the shadow of a countdown clock.

We do, still, have the weekends, but they've gotten just as busy. We've booked roughly one play or art exhibit for each weekend through June. It's great on paper, but I think it has left both of us perpetually drained. 

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Dom & I met up for dinner last Wednesday.

Jason & I met up for lunch last Friday.

He and I then went to Borough market for him to get some cheese; we were met with this line for the single ATM.

About those plays: Kenz and I went to The Old Vic to see Other Desert Cities last Saturday. This 'season', The Old Vic is doing theatre in the round, which is a welcome change. This is one of our favorite theaters; it's located in south London (12 minutes from our house) but has all the talent of a West End theatre. It was neat to see how they'd changed a proscenium stage into the new, circular design. I failed to take a sneaky picture, but we'll have two more opportunities to do so before it's all said and done. We already have tix to two more shows in June.

Kenz was excited to grub afterward. 

South London has a funny way of celebrating Easter Sunday. Or, should I say, the college kids in south London have a specific way of celebrating April 20th, which happened to fall on Easter Sunday this year. I was on my way home and ran across groups of questionably-costumed characters, lined up for a club entrance.

That evening, I met up with Owen to go see what will likely be the most violent film of 2014: The Raid 2. He and I met up early, went for a stroll around Leicester Square, and proceeded to gut laugh at the absurdity of the film. It was a fantastic boy's night.

Nelson's column foregrounding Big Ben.

Leicester Square

We ran into a movie being filmed.

We debated whether or not to gamble at the Hippodrome Casino...for about 30 seconds.

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One of Kenz's school friends, Ragna, is from Denmark. She is who Kenz was visiting in Copenhagen last month. A talented artist, Ragna won the Danish Embassy Art Prize, which means her work will be featured in the embassy until this time next year. It's quite an honor and we were excited to attend her private viewing on Wednesday night. 

This was the only picture I felt comfortable taking (because I was all alone).

One of the Danish officials gave a speech at the beginning of the event, wherein he revealed that Ragna's grandfather was the architect of the embassy. Embarrassed but classy, Ragna had a perpetual blush all night as she mixed and mingled with her family, friends, and countless embassy guests.

Ragna, Alejandra, Annie, and Kenz

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Speaking of art, Kenz has been making progress on her own work:

She's reworking the ergonomics on the chair mould. 

And finally getting the last bits of plaster off her bronze casts.

She still has some trimming to do, but they're coming out nicely.

This week, they had a professional photographer come to the studio in order to take pictures for their final exhibition. The photos will be a part of the exhibition catalogue. For the past two months, Kenz and her friends have been scurrying around town trying to find sponsors for the catalogue. They have a fundraising website, complete with rewards for benchmark donations (for those interested, you can find it here). It's pretty exciting to see bits of everyone's work, having been to their first and second-year shows; Kenz and her classmates show marked progression over the past three years. I'm looking forward to June 14th. 

One of Kenz's pieces (I think the chair is going to extend onto the wall, but don't quote me).

Kenz is exhibiting at the Hotel Elephant Gallery this weekend, and I'm about to head out the door to her private viewing this evening. She won't be showing everything that she's been working on, but it'll be enough to satiate my excitement/curiosity until June.

She's already there setting up.

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Friendly Faces Dismount:

Lucy & Kikster

Lucy & Jamie

Lucy on the Oregon coast

Papo and I debating legislation as he drives to work.

Me: sick, Kenz: eating, Kara: laughing - how we spent our Saturday night.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend! 

Grab Bag

Song of the Day: Future Strings, Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita

London Stuff: Old London Paintings in front of a Google Map rendering of their current day cityscapes. Bad hair day? The future of the skyline.

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This week is a smorgasbord. I decided, against my better judgement, to clog the blog with a few videos. 

Quin and I rode his skateboard a bit while in Hong Kong. 

 Quin & Zora do a Sumo drill during wrestling practice. 

Sam does a cannonball into the pool. 

Kenz comments on the melancholy of a monkey call.

A horse race starts right in front of our spot. 

Another race.

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After returning on Friday, Kenz and I geared up to go to the London Marathon on Sunday. Celia was running, so Owen had organized a few friends to come out and stand alongside the course at a strategic spot - one that she'd pass twice (at mile 9 and 15 or something like that). 

Kenz and I got there before anyone else and had a chance to see Mo Farah run past us at the speed of light. You Americans may not be all that familiar with him, but he's a UK hero after his performance at the 2012 Olympics wherein he won two gold medals for Team GB. He was running by himself, just outside the lead pack. The swell of enthusiasm from the crowd was unmistakable. I got a quick little video of him passing.

Five minutes later, Owen & Co. showed up to find a spot along the fence. 

A one-man inspiration train, beating the field.

Getting set up.

Alex brought her dog, Buttons.

Our crew, waiting anxiously.

Nervous we'd miss her.

Lots of people.

But, after a bit, our little runner arrived! 

Since we had time before she looped back around, the seven of us went for a stroll. 

By the time we made it back, Owen's mum had arrived.  

I failed to make it to the street by the time Celia came back around...

...I had to take pictures from a distance (Look how freaking smiley she is! it's as if she's not been running all morning!)

Hugs!

And she's off again!

This was the second year I'd attended the London Marathon, and I have to say it's just as inspirational the second time around. To see that many people running that far is amazing. Folks are dressed up in costumes - sometimes to their own detriment - and the majority of folks are running in support of a charity they've chosen. To have an actual friend in the event made it that much more special. Celia was running to raise money for Shelter England, a housing and homelessness charity. If you'd like to learn more about it, you can do so here. 

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Kenz has been steadily putting in work since returning from HK. The wood shop is open, so she's been able to complete the mold for her rope chair:

I say "complete" the mold for her rope chair, but I'm not sure it's finished. I guess I'll find out in June when I go to her final show. 

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London's experiencing a bout of nice weather. Folks are out in parks during lunch, enjoying the sunshine, and smiles are beginning to emerge on faces. It's nice. 

Taken from inside a bus near Waterloo. The entire park was littered with folks.

It's good to be back around The Shard. I used to hate this building.

Easter specials at the Mixed Blessings Bakery yesterday. I wanted some patties, but couldn't wait in line.

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Last (and certainly least), I got prodded into putting these videos up from last month's competition. At these competitions, you get three chances at the snatch and three chances at a clean & jerk. In those three chances, you want to lift as heavy as possible. I missed a lift in each category, so I didn't break any personal records but at least I matched them. It was quite an interesting day, to say the least. 

The snatch is 220 pounds and the clean & jerk is 265. Enjoy a chuckle at the sight of 30 year-old David back in a singlet (never thought that would happen!). 

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading (and watching). If you didn't see the Hong Kong post, it's the one after this. Have a great weekend!