Pop or Soda? or Fizzy? Sparkling?

Duane Hanson exhibit in Volklingen, Germany


By now I'm sure everyone is tired of reading about another pop/modern art exhibit I have seen. Too bad! Duane Hanson is what you would call a 'super-realist.' His sculptures are scrupulous recreations of the average Joe. His exhibit in Volklingen, Germany at the Weltkulturerbe (World Culture Heritage) Site was titled 'The American Dream.'

One of the most memorable pieces at the site was the moustached police officer who stood at the back of the museum with his arms crosses, looking for trouble-makers and photo-takers. Other works include construction workers, a body builder, an elderly tourist couple sitting on a bench, a trash can with a suffocated baby in the bin (which I didn't notice at first, it just looked like a heap of garbage), a Chinese student protester, and a derelict woman.

REAL German (and French) Christmas Markets

Saarbrucken, Strasbourg, and Cologne

Avenue Q

Friday, 14-Dec-2007

It would be an exaggeration to say that it has been a dream of mine to see Avenue Q performed. But I've been really keen to see it ever since Marena recommended it and Esther gave me the music. This show was absolutely amazing totally awesome genius fun stuff.

Andy, Sea Bass, and I went to the Friday matinee at the Noels Coward Theater in London's West End Theatre District. We had front row seats--so close you could see the spit fly from the actor's mouths. So close you could see the stitches on the puppets' faces. So close you had to move your head from side to side to follow the action across the stage.

This show was so much fun. I couldn't stop smiling or singing along (which was probably a bit distracting for the person next to me).

Ultimate Update

Traveling around after finals means that I have so much to share, but limited computer access. Has it been only a week and a half since I sat my last exam? In the coming hours/days/sometime, I'll be updating with my lastest adventures. Enjoy.

Happy Christmas Eve!!

Finals Schminals

Why am I doing all this fun stuff in addition to (instead of?) studying for my exams which are worth between 50%-100% of my grade? I'll tell you why...


I am a bad student.


But an awesome tourist.

Mary King's Close

11-Dec-2007
A spooky look at the ancient underground city of Edinburgh. For real, yo. No photos were allowed inside so I'll let wiki explain it.

Tartan versus Plaid

09-Dec-2007A short trip to quite possibly the world's largest giftshop.

Edinburgh Castle

09-Dec-2007

I finally went.

Weezer wants a bite of the Christmas pie

Alone: The home recordings of Rivers Cuomo
Release Date: December 18, 2007 (USA)

I Was There!

05-Dec-07
Talbot Rice Gallery
You Are Here!

Today was the last day of You Are Here!, a course for international students who would like to get to know the Talbot Rice Gallery. Good times.

A group shot of us exploring the space with our bodies, or something like that.

Yoshiko lying down in the Monika Sosnowska exhibit.

Every Wednesday afternoon we would meet in the gallery and learn and talk and dance and run. I learned that the gallery was formerly a natural history museum and was frequented by Charles Darwin. There was also a pet puma that roamed around before it became a specimen. We wrote storied to go with one of Monika Sosnowka's miniature architectural installations, and made maps of 'our' Edinburgh.