Brainy, Bigmouthed, and Black....by the Brooklyn Bridge

St. Cyril Slovenian church in NYC's East Village

Noticing a lag in this blog, the Powers That Be have elected to send me on long-term assignment to perhaps the most exciting city in the world -- NYC. I will try to keep you posted as to any of my experiences, things I read about, and goings-on that pertain to race, culture, Slovenians and/or other Slavs here, at home, and abroad.

Stay tuned.

Trendy Slovenia

Soncna Hiša

Just a sidenote: Yet another article in the NY Times about Slovenia. This time on trendy (and expensive!) boutique hotels.  Check it out here!

Swimming Cities in Slovenia

Last year The Captain and I saw The Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea, a beautiful art-scrap-flotilla created by the artist SWOON and other artists and friends.

This year, the group will be coming to Slovenia of all places, but they need help. They will be here in just a little over a month and they don't have a space to stay or build (someone here was helping them, but flaked). See images from their last two voyages and read their call for support below. All help is MUCH appreciated. You can write directly to the email below or email me.

Dear Friends,
Last year a group of artists/friends built sculptural raft boats and traveled down the Hudson River to New York City. This year some of those same people will build 3 large sculptural rafts to navigate the Adriatic. Their ships our en route to Koper, and they're looking for a place to build and friends to help and to house them. This is happening soon! Build in April, launch May 7. Please spread the word! If you have ideas for a friendly build location and housing for the artists involved nearby please contact info@swimmingcities.org.
Thank you so much!
your new friends,
the Swimming Cities crew

The Swimming Cities of Serenissima is a fleet of three intricately hand-crafted vessels that will navigate the Adriatic Sea from the Karst region of Slovenia to Venice, Italy in May of 2009. Designed by the artist SWOON, the floating sculptures are descendants of the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea (Hudson River, 2008) and the Miss Rockaway Armada (Mississippi River, 2006 and 2007). The Swimming Cities of Serenissima are built from salvaged materials, including modified Mercedes car motors with long-tail propellers. For Swimming Cities, SWOON will collaborate with 30 artists from the United States. As the Swimming Cities move toward Venice, the crew will collect and install keepsakes in an ark-like cabinet of wonders that will be on display on the boats when they arrive. Once in Venice, the boats and crew will offer intimate performances that incorporate music, shadow puppetry, and story. The project is produced with the assistance of Deitch Projects, Paper Monster and Black Rat Press.

Miss Rockaway Armada (2007)


The Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea (2008)










SWOON's artwork

Also....

Jose, Gilles, but no Camille?

NOTE: New York friends, go see these people (and many other dope ones) in Central Park for free- THIS SUNDAY!!!

I was planning to go to Serbia (Niš, to be exact) to see two of my favorite music people Gilles Peterson and Jose James in concert at the Niš jazz festival, but then the television blared with news of people rioting in the streets of Belgrade....which is a city I would have to pass through. The Captain is none to keen on my adventurous backpacking to Serbia trip anymore. Anyone out there got first-hand news on the situation? I hear it was just a bunch of football hooligans, but I am in no mood to be hooliganized.

Munich - Part II (final)

Viktualienmarket, Moderne Pinakotheke, street scenes, Englischgarten, Olympic Park























See you next year Munich!!

Fiinally! Snow!

Snow finally came. On Saturday, The Captain and I went to Tarvisio, Italy and walked around and had coffee.Then we came to this side of the "border", went to a wonderful dinner, and then to a silly event in Kranjska Gora (which I guess was mostly just sort of a Pust event combined with skiing). We also watched a tiny bit of a (criminally bad) band called The Tide and then went in and watched the (even more criminally bad) Eurovision song contest competitions.

Here are some pictures. I stood in front of a lot of signs.

My footprints. I took this picture when I came back in the house.


Another NYC themed place. This is definitely a new photo project


The grammar


My incredible steak and knedl dinner. Yum!


EMA...the costumes! the horror!




Partiers in Kranjska Gora


Kranjska Gora - the scene


Apres-ski - at last! good music!


The Captain indicates

Standing Tall

I haven't posted pictures in a few days, so here are a few to make up for that.

I just sorted out quite a few technical difficulties here soI will try to be more disciplined about it. Unfortunately the biggest technical difficulty (my crappy Nikon Coolpix camera) is still being in the slow process of being remedied...Fingers crossed for my upcoming birthday!

Me in front of the New Yorker store in Ljubljana shopping center. So surreal...


Radovljica municipal building


Local fire department


Begunčica




Ljubljana


Centromerkur department store


Kamen Grad (Kamen Castle) at Begunje


Sculpture at MGLC yelling to me "Yo chick, museums are closed on Mondays, fool!