Some Favorite Things: von Trapp skirts

Every year, the community theater in my hometown puts on a production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." It was kind of a big deal to 10-13 year-old me and I tried out a few times.

During my first year of auditions, I was inexperienced and did not come equipped with a song, so they told me to sing "Happy Birthday." Halfway through, I forgot the words and froze. Then I just nervously wandered off the stage, thinking that if I just exited casually, they might not think I was actually auditioning.

Reflecting on my performance afterward, I decided that I should have been more spontaneous and just made up a whole new birthday song. They would have said 'she may be an idiot, but dammit she has the moxie we've been searching for in this talentless town.' Lesson learned. Next year they would see moxie and the addition of some choreography.

So the following year, I came fully armed with a routine to "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music. In my interpretation, there couldn't be enough physical zest to express "raindrops on roses" and "door bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles." I tended toward the literal in my interpretive dance. But when I ran out of ideas, I filled time by waving my arms in a sunrise motion while tapping my heel. My mother told me that it was a performance to remember. I agreed and imagined the casting director discussing my star quality over dinner later.

Much to my surprise, I didn't get a call back.

Not taking the hint, "My Favorite Things" appeared again for my third audition. This time around, it tasted strongly of bitterness. I was thirteen and started to be conscious of my degradation as I waited to be called, sitting between the 8- and 9-year-olds who were all cast in the play last year. Sadly this didn't end my career in theatre and I continued to seek out humiliating roles in school plays, such as "Hippie Dancer," "Santa's Third Reindeer," and "Elderly Betsy Ross."

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That anecdote is a very off-point segue into the reason for this post: von Trapp-inspired skirts.

Rob's sister, Elinor and her friend Evelyne are starting a custom clothing company called E&A&E&A&B&K&Co. One of their designs is called the Von Trapp skirt and I love it, especially the contrasting interior pockets. The fabric is of course inspired by upholstery. I'm convinced if I had worn this as part of my audition ensemble, I would have clinched a speaking role.

They're on Etsy or you can bid on one of their custom creations at the Seduction of Duchamp Live Auction. So if you're auditioning anytime soon, this is a must:

This one is my favorite

Weekly Weird: cake babies and balls of clay

You might say that my Weekly Weird could probably be more accurately described as monthly. No matter, I'll soldier on.

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Rob and I were in San Francisco a couple weeks ago for a way-too-short weekend. Rob's sister, Deet Dee (ejddiamond*) of I Dream of Cake fame was graduating from San Francisco Art Institute with her MFA in 'New Genres' -- a concentration that sounds very avant-garde and way over my head.

The weekend was a whirlwind with a thesis show opening at Fort Mason, graduation ceremony, party, taco stand.

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The thesis show was really fun and chock-full of weird. Jail cell constructed out of soap -- weird and impressive; Man making ball after ball of clay with staring problem -- weird and creepy; ejddiamond's baby sculptures made entirely of cake -- weird and super awesome!

In their incubator-fridge

Actually cake!

Missed opportunity: Deet Dee could have totally trumped clay ball man in the weird-creepy performance-art genre if she actually ate these.

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A couple things of note on art school graduations: it's not like a customary graduation. It becomes immediately apparent that no one is there to receive their B.S. or is German (logic: scientists and Germans need order). For starters, it took me a while to realize that the ceremony had started because people were kind of drifting in (and out) and only 10% of the graduates were in gowns. I wised up when someone started talking into the microphone and asked me for a donation.

Procession; Niemand hier spricht Deutsches

If you've never been, the SFAI is a really amazing building, full with Diego Rivera mural, pretty courtyard, and beautiful rooftop view of the city. I would normally think it was really awesome to hang out on their roof, but it happened to be 90-degrees that day and the roof happens to be made of clay. My species was not made for the sun and I think desperate thoughts when I start baking on clay tiles. I wanted to give Ed Ruscha a mouth kiss for giving only a 90-second speech to accept his honorary degree.

But the most significant note about art school graduations: you can apparently tack on a speech even if you're not in the ceremony program and it's 90-degrees outside (true story). So while the ceremony hijacker talked and talked, I thought about what I would say if I had the moxie to grab the mic away from her. I think it would begin with "I'll be your party master this afternoon. Hey-Ho! [blow horn]... A wise man once said, [insert Jesse Helms quote]" and then lead into a long retrospective of Anne Geddes.

Cool things to do on a roof overlooking San Francisco Part I

Cool things to do on a roof overlooking San Francisco Part II

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More Deet Dee cake at the after party:

even tastier than bacon

* I'm in charge of setting up Deet Dee's portfolio site in exchange for what will be a really cool wedding cake. I need to fix some image issues, but then I'll post so you can see how cool her work is.