It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I’ve had interviews, visits, money issues, knitting projects, arguments, and paintings all happen in the last 10 days. Whew! Takes a lot out of ya! Where to begin?!
Well, just about 10 days ago, an old friend called me up and asked if my boyfriend and I would like to be in a charity art and fashion show. I asked her to email me the details before I could say yes. About 3 days later I received an email that informed me of an art show that was to happen in less than two weeks. They needed 4 artists and 4 fashion designers. The charity in question is called Bear Necessities, a pediatric cancer foundation. The cause is a worthy one. Unfortunately, the event is leaves a lot to be desired. It’s being held in a nightclub in an area nicknamed Viagra Triangle, before the club opens to the public at 10pm. There is no wall space, so all the art work will be displayed on tables. Lighting will be “provided” by the club. Meaning they’ll turn the lights up. I told my friend that I’d participate and produce some paintings, one or two for donation. Now if you know me, you know that I don’t paint. I’m just learning how. But my embroideries take too long to produce in 10 days and more importantly, the ones that I already have finished, I can’t afford frames. A constant problem with textile arts is that people, with the best intentions at heart, want to touch them. Seems the “please don’t touch the art” sentiment that is strongly associated with fine art is completely disregarded when it comes to textiles. If it looks soft, you must be able to touch them. Unfortunately, my embroideries are very delicate and the natural oils from peoples skin will discolor the silk and the tiny stitches and cutouts can become stretched out and distorted just by simple fingering of the fabric. And so, my decision to donate paintings is born. I’m not a good painter. This is getting stressful and completely foolish. Why did I say yes? Out of some desperate need to show? Or to be able to say that I’m an artist? I’m embarrassed already. (If you happen to live in Chicago and you want to see me awkward and uncomfortable in the corner of La Passage, $20 at the door @ 7:00pm on March 27th is all it takes.)
And last weekend my sister and her boyfriend made the all-night bus trip from Kansas City Mo to Chicago to visit! In the preparations for the trip, Bridget and I discussed what entertainments we could cultivate while they were here. It’s worth noting here that I’m broke. Savings are run out and I’m in desperate need for a second job and some extra shifts at Subterranean to boot. So the entertainments that I could enjoy all cost $0. Bridget and Dan, wanted to see every museum in town and had researched all the restaurants that they wanted to go to. My feelings were hurt (though completely unintentionally by them) because I couldn’t join in on any fun and so I vehemently disagreed with their overly-ambitious plans. Dan was set on his plans and had conferred with his Russo-Polish Jewish grandmother about the Russo-Polish Jewish things he wanted to see and eat. Bridget, having been to Chicago a few times already, was content to please him. I threw a fit. (Aren’t I kind?) I had thought that it would be a weekend where we could all hang out and just, well, hang out and casually do things that friends and family do in a relaxed environment. I hadn’t thought of it as a quick tourist vacation for them. And so we argued. Poor Bridget was caught in the middle of her high-maintenance boyfriend and her high-maintenance sister. She held her own though and I have got to say, gracefully. She didn’t let either of us take her down into our wallowing pit of selfishness. They basically did all the things that Dan wanted to do and paid for me to do some of those things with them. We went to the Field Museum (she paid my entry) and saw the Aztec exhibit - very cool. And we went Eleven City Diner (she paid for my lunch) and we had a nice Jewish brunch full of lox, latkes, deli meats and challahs. They came to my work and with my tips, I was able to buy them their drinks. And the next day we went to a polish restaurant for lunch (bill was split between Bridget, Dan and Gabe). ((I personally thought the food was absolutely disgusting, oily and cold and fatty and I’m pretty sure I ate meat and the coffee was weak and the tablecloth was plastic and had dried spots of food on it. Yuck yuck yuck!)) And then we went to Chinatown and walked around and bought foodstuffs to make Vietnamese Bun and spring rolls. Thank god, I was able to take the rest of my tips from the night before and pay for some of the groceries. The Vietnamese dinner was incredible though, thanks to Dan and Bridge who have made it before. My friends Jen and her Dan joined us and provided the wine. It was a great evening. In fact, despite the stressful and hard feelings going into the weekend, the whole weekend was fun and I’m glad they came. I even found a pair of brand new Pumas lying the top of a trash receptacle while waiting for the bus! A little Lysol and I’ve got some new sneakers to kick around in!
Last week, before the visit, I had my 3rd interview for the new Lula. Lula is Logan Squares’ most awesome restaurant. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I know someone who is good friends with one of their managers. They mentioned that I would be a good candidate for the new Lula that is opening in Pilsen. I met with Chanel first. She was fun and awesome and will be the new General Manager there. Second interview, I met with John, the current General Manager for Logan Squares Lula. Last and final interview, I met with Jason Hammel, the owner. He seemed nice, if a bit overwhelmed. Frankly, I couldn’t tell if I made a good impression on him or not. He wasn’t very easy to read but asked me all sorts of personality type questions. For instance, what’s my relationship to food in a non-job related sense of the question. I told him about the feed sacks full of sweet candy corn that we used to get from my Moms’ siblings who farm in rural Iowa. I told him about my container garden and that I don’t drive any longer but bike year round and that I’m working on an apartment-friendly composting system. I’m a nervous interviewee and I tried to keep my fidgeting under control but most people can read that anxiety and don’t like it. At the end of the interview, he told me that they had to wait 2 weeks or so before they could hire anyone because they are waiting on the final city inspection to open the new facility. Would they wait 2 weeks just to tell me that they didn’t want to hire me? I’m not sure. I know Chanel and John liked me, I hope Jason did too. It would be such a great place to work. And word in the industry grapevine is that they would be great people to work for. Pilsen is a cool artist and Mexican filled neighborhood that has a lot of galleries, coffee shops and delicious queso tamales. I sent them all thank-you notes in the mail. I hope I spelled their names right.
My Wicked sweater from Zephyr Styles is coming right along. I had thought it would be done by now but I’ve had to set it aside to do some paintings. I’m nearly to the point of knitting the pocket and knitting it to the sweater front. Bridget sent me some more yarn, which she didn’t have to do, (but I’m totally grateful for!) and she sent me some of the same Peacock colored Patons Merino wool yarn that I’m making the sweater in. I now have enough to make a sweater dress if I want to and matching leg warmers! She also sent me a wool/alpaca blend that I think I’ll make some felted teddy bears out of and some black cashmere that I’ll make Ysolda Teagues’ Struan with.
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