We meet today in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery
for an exhibit that opens today. Highlights from the art collection of the Cone sisters of Baltimore opens with beautiful specimens of modern masters, most particularly Henri Matisse, with whom they had a great friendship and the largest single private collection of his works:
We’re kind of surprised that there really isn’t too much of a line, maybe about 30 people, but we’ve already bought our tickets and we go right in. The collection is beautiful and even more interesting is the story of the sisters, who were also great friends with Leo and Gertrude Stein, also from Baltimore. The two of them introduced the sisters (one of whom was a doctor, unusual at the turn of the century, and neither married) to the world of art, Parisien salons and modern art. Etta started the collection when her brother gave her $300 to decorate the house in Baltimore and she instead used it to buy 6 works of art (the first acquisition was there in the gallery). There was something really unique also: a large, flat-screen monitor that used touch technology so you could bring up a floorplan of their joint apartments and go to any room and see the master works as they were housed. Amazing technology and really something to see how the women lived among such valuable and incredibly beautiful work.
When we finished with that exhibit, we headed up one floor to check out the Beat Nation show, ending that day, that showed how the First Nation people were using hip hop to create art and music to share their experience and cultural truths with the rest of us. Interesting…some themes are universal for sure.
We stepped out in the sunlight and split up; Steve and Lauren went on a harbor boat tour and I hopped a bus to go to Lin’s restaurant, reputed to be wonderful and have amazing authentic soup dumplings. So easy to get to and I plop myself down and order dumplings
and then wok-fried spicy green beans:
Excellent, both, although beans oilier than I’l like. None left on the plate when I’m done, though.
I head back to my little house, and feel like I’ve been drugged. I pass out on the bed for about 30 minutes (yea!) and then dress to go for a bike ride. I head down to the waterfront, rent a bike (they have an excellent Mrs. Gulch bike for me) and head out to ride around Stanley Park (8.8 km) along with at least a quarter of the city. There is a great bike path full of bikers and rollerbladers, and a separate, parallel path for pedestrians. It takes some weaving and attention, but I find a good pace. The view is beautiful – the snow-dusted mountains, the harbor, the cargo ships and carefree citizens all in view:
Ad day at the beach, complete with laughter, beer and grills:
Unusual rock sculptures along the way:
A large public swimming pool at one point and a lake with a sweet little fountain:
I ask a passing pedestrian to snap my picture:
As I start to close the loop, I am back in the harbor where there are hundreds of docked boats:
that look so pretty and provide a nice contrast (again) with the rockies in the distance. The ride has only taken about 50 minutes, so I continue on in the other direction, past the cruise ship docks (where there are two behemoths tied up) and on into Gastown. I’d have to ride up and over a big bridge to go further, so I turn around and return my bike. I walk back to my room, shower and wait for Steve and Lauren. We head over to a new bus line (#14!) and get off near the cellar Jazz Club, where we have reservations to see an afro-latin quintet. We sit and order some dinner (surprisingly good for a post like this) and enjoy the music:
I know that last photo is really dark – I will edit it lighter when I get home and have access to an editing program.
We decide to leave after the first set, and head back downtown. We head to Granville street, which they block off at night to create the “Granville Entertainment District”, so named because there are about 4 or 5 big music venues within two blocks as well as a number of dance clubs. We walk along because Steve thinks he might find a piano bar or something we’d like. 🙂 We find nothing of the kind, and head over west, toward a club I remember in the Shangri-La hotel. However, while making our way over there, I comment that I see a nice hotel because it has the Relais and Chateau emblem. Then I notice they have a bar, so decide to walk across the middle of the street to see if there’s a piano in that there bar…and indeed, there is. The decor and personnel in the hotel are obviously quite chi-chi and we are seated to a gentleman singing a Neil Diamond medley – we have arrived! Sitting by the fire, we enjoy cocktails, cribbage and song. We enjoy for quite a while – the lounge voted frequently the best bar/lounge in Victoria – and then head home. Busy day tomorrow!