Day 7: Rochester to E-ville

Day 7: Rochester to E-ville

Weather: Overcast in morning, clearing by noon, warm-ish in the high 70s and then cooling off a bit

Pics: Eastman House and RIT

QOTD1:  

I'm just taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line
'Cause I'm in a New York state of mind

QOTD2:  

For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

THB actually makes it to the Strathallan FtCtr, there are actually two other people there. Breakfast of Kashi, berries, and toast. Checkout and the bus is loaded such that the early airport departer’s bags are in one compartment and late airport departer’s are in another.

 

Shuttle tour used for dinner two nights

The morning is George Eastman House and International Museum of Photography and Film. Since we’ve prearranged, the first hour is an overview of the history of photography, with example from the Museum’s collection of 450k items, by the chief archivist. The second hour is a rapid tour of the Eastman House and a visit to the store for those that want keepsakes and time to see three special exhibits (Amish, Israeli orthodox, famous photographers grouped into a limited edition portfolio). The total time: around 2.25 hours. The time needed: 4 hours.

Note: No photography allowed inside the Eastman house (semi-ironic?)

Main entrance at rear of Eastman House

Employee entrance 

Side of main house (looks good enough to be front)

Part of gardens

Lilac festival is a big thing in Rochester

The house is both massive and yet intimate, the tour guide very knowledgeable and gives a quick (all quick) review of the evolution of the camera (with many unique cameras on view) and a rush through the exhibits and a jog through the house.

Front of Eastman House

Home of the Rochester Red Wings

Another view of stadium

From here, we head to the Rochester Institute of Technology to meet for lunch with the “craft” department faculty, followed by tours of the metal, glass, ceramic, and design (wood) studios. Lunch of spicy turkey sandwiches, spicy cucumber salad, spicy carrot sticks, water and two excellent chocolate chip cookies. And, on the way in, THB samples grilled apple slices and pineapple with brown sugar: excellent! There’s a monstrous Paley piece outside of the lunch spot (student union?); very impressive!

RIT campus 

Giant Paley

another view

detail on sculpture

Lunch with RIT faculty

THB and DB and E &J sponsored a Bay Area residency for a CCA student

As we tour the various departments and see undergraduates and graduates work, THB and DB meet a young MFA graduate in glass, Gina Zetts, who is moving back to Oakland and her work will be displayed at Bullseye in E-ville; she’ll e-mail THB with show hours. Another of the MFA graduates, Danielle Haendiges, has some intriguing work and THB and DB and the rest of the tour still around (some have already departed via bus to airport)  motate across the campus to see more of Danielle's work.

Students at work

Danielle Haendiges

Gina Betts poster

Another piece by Danielle

Time to head to the airport, THB and DB are in the second group of departers. No problema: as we get through security (we are PRE now, it is a breeze, highly recommended for you frequent fliers), we spy the early departers. Their flight is delayed, there’s plenty of time to reconnoiter and compare notes. At the transfer in Minneapolis, thank goodness for the people movers as we travel above two major roads and the equivalent of a mile or so to arrive at the restaurant that is our gate. Yep, all the seats are in front of tables for two or at counters, with i-pads set up to order food and wine deliveries right to your spot (along with free internet access).

Arrive in SFO on time around 10pm, to extraordinarily balmy weather and a huge crush of cars meeting arrivals. Is there some sub-culture of getting to Bay Area after everyone else has gone to bed?

Book Review: Still Life With Bread Crumbs, Anna Quindlen (novel): Chic-lit complete with a 60 year old woman meeting up with a sensitive younger man (is 15 years or so younger too young?), recovered wealth, renewed creativity, self-realization that the simple country life is more rewarding than the impersonal city life, and a father that tolerated an unloving mother. Even a son that shows the right amount of humor and empathy. Well-written, simple sentence structure, recommended if you like this kind of book.