It’s been a week filled with architecture, music, and art. On Sunday, I joined Francis Marrone’s Divorak in Love walk for the Municipal Art Society. Among the MAS regulars, Francis’s walks are fabled and usually sold out. He’s animated and infuses his talks with knowledge and delicious details. From 1892 to 1895, Divorak lived on East 17th Street. The house was demolished by Beth Israel, in spite of the fact that the New World Symphony was composed there and the late Czech prime minister Havel petitioned to preserve it.
The one and only Ruby Rims standing in front of lots of teddy bears
Ruby Rims and Friends is an annual cabaret event held at Judson Memorial Church. I went to the first of two performances. Such fun! Ruby was in full regalia: slinky gown, a shedding boa and quite a hairdo. Some of the highlights were Ruby, of course; Lennie Watts belting out “Schadenfreude” from avenue q and Sidney Myer’s “Santa Bubba”. The
photo is in glorious/nauseating salmon pink.
I made the mistake of going to The Great Beauty this week. I have a weakness for all things Italian except Fellini. Aside from La Strada and I Vitelloni, I think his movies reek of superficial mystery and lots of pretentiousness. Hello, Paolo Sorrentino, the director of The Great Beauty. What a bore. It’s filled with all those elements that make Americans’ mouths water: bespoke clothing, Roman architecture, luscious apartments, an arrogant leading man, a long winded script about the meaning (zzzzz) of life. The only thing worse than Fellini is warmed over Fellini.
Clover Vail in her studio
To the good stuff: Clover Vail’s studio. Clover is a wonderful artist who paints in watercolor and in acrylic and sculpts. Please, do not judge her work from my lousy photo.
