Unpacking

Moving is such a mess, no matter how well planned! I've calculated that this is my 35th move since I turned 17 and left Brooklyn to join the US Navy a few years ago.

Anyway, the kitchen is nearly set up now.

The new house is great (built in 1961), although it needs some work here and there, like most homes do. My biggest issue is ensuring that water flows away from the house, as this is the most effective way to keep your basements dry and this is very important to me, since I do a lot of work (my studio will be ther), framing, etc.

My previous house in Potomac is still up for sale, although now that I've reduced the price by over $100,000, it's a hell of a good deal and it's getting tons of showing, as it is priced at least $175,000 less than any other house in that neighborhood.

Yesterday I drove to State Street in downtown Media, where the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union has an amazing little bank that looks like no bank I've ever seen before, it is so nice, open and welcoming, including having a terrific little coffee shop on the entrance with free WiFi!

Media is quite a charming little town, and State Street is really attractive and I look forward to exploring it later.

Just don't ask anyone in town for directions.

Medians must rank amongst the friendliest, nicest people on this planet, and amongst the worst direction-givers that exist on this Universe and all the other infinite Universes that probably exist out there.

At the coffee shop I asked for directions from State Street to Rose Tree Park on Providence Road.

Ten minutes later I was completely confused, as the two nice attendants each gave a different set of directions, further complicated by a customer, as all three argued over the issue of whether Baltimore Pike (also called Baltimore Avenue when in crosses Media) and Route 1 were the same.

Confused I thanked them, and went inside the bank, and asked three people who were waiting around, including the kid whose job is to greet customers as they come in (yes - this bank has a door greeter). He was very nice and told me that he lived near Rose Tree Park.

And then he and the other two began arguing about how to get there.

And so, armed with around six sets of directions, I go on Baltimore Avenue and turned right, which was the wrong way.

By the way, I eventually found my way home, and discovered in the process that both streets on either side of the bank (Baltimore and State itself) run into Providence Road.

When I asked how to get there, someone should have said at the same time that they'd be pointing to State Street through the huge windows: "Follow State Street to the right and it ends on Providence Road."

Maybe that's what they were trying to communicate to me.

All six of them.

Every Curve, Every Dot

The Jerusalem Fund Gallery presents Every Curve, Every Dot, the modern Arabic calligraphy designs of Nihad Dukha from September 8 – October 27, 2006 with an opening reception and artist presentation: Friday, September 8, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Space of Change

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has awarded the District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC) $45,000 over two years to support new Curatorial Initiative program.

And now DCAC opens its third Curatorial Initiative Exhibition, titled "Space of Change" with an Opening Reception on Friday, September 8, 7-9pm and an artists' and curators' talk at 7:30pm.

The show, curated by Claire Huschle, Margaret Boozer and Anne Surak, will introduce the work of five artists: Amy Kaplan, Martin Brief, Justin Rabideau, and the collaborative team of Wendy Weiss and Jay Kreimer.