Get up to speed on Claude right here
I showed up late at last night’s NightLife so I wasn’t able to squeeze in at the Swamp – here’s the best shot I have of the crowd while it sang “Happy Birthday” to San Francisco’s favorite reptile:
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Adults only at this weekly Night at the Museum get-together:
See you there next week!
Alligators have cat-like eyes? Did not know that. No sir, did not know that.
Claude waiting for ever more fish parts from above – as seen at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park:
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All the deets…
Our de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park just kicked off its new show. It’s called Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne, and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay and it runs from September 25th to January 11, 2011.
Here’s what the kick-off looked like.
John Buchanan, Director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), says this is your “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Listen to him talk all about the new show on KQED-FM’s Forum program – it’s on right now.
“Post-Impressionists From the Musee d’Orsay
We discuss the second of two exhibits hosted by San Francisco’s de Young Museum, featuring Impressionist masterpieces from the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. This exhibit highlights Post-Impressionist works from Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and beyond. We talk with the directors of both the Musee d’Orsay and the de Young Museum.
Host: Michael Krasny
Guests:
But if you miss the radio show, they’ll post an mp3 soon enough.
It’s Didi! Diane B. Wilsey, Board President of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), reminded everybody about the goings on at the “little sister” Legion of Honor Museum just to the north of the de Young:
And here’s Romain Serman, our brand new French Consul General. He’s been on the job in San Francisco for seven weeks. He says that we’re “truly the sister of Paris.”
And here’s Guy Cogeval, President of the Musee D’Orsay. He says this exhibit is more beautiful than the first one he loaned us this year.
See you there!
See you there Saturday morning. Get all the deets, after the jump.
*Unlike you, I know the 1980′s from personal experience…
Here it is, baby. It’s Starry Night Over the Rhone and it’s already hanging in the lower level of our de Young Museum right now, direct from Paris, France.
This isn’t exactly the painting that Don McLean was singing about four decades back, but it’s close enough.
See how close you can get your nose to the details of the three-dimensional brush-strokes (if you get Tasered, you were too close), starting September 25th, 2010:
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What do you think, how’d VVG do?
Starry starry night
paint your palette blue and grey
look out on a summer’s day
with eyes that know the
darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills
sketch the trees and the daffodils
catch the breeze and the winter chills
in colors on the snowy linen land.
And now I understand what you tried to say to me
how you suffered for your sanity
how you tried to set them free.
They would not listen
they did not know how
perhaps they’ll listen now.
Starry
starry night
flaming flo’rs that brightly blaze
swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in
Vincent’s eyes of China blue.
Colors changing hue
morning fields of amber grain
weathered faces lined in pain
are soothed beneath the artist’s
loving hand.
And now I understand what you tried to say to me
how you suffered for your sanity
how you tried to set them free.
perhaps they’ll listen now.
For they could not love you
but still your love was true
and when no hope was left in sight on that starry
starry night.
You took your life
as lovers often do;
But I could have told you
Vincent
this world was never
meant for one
as beautiful as you.
Starry
starry night
portraits hung in empty halls
frameless heads on nameless walls
with eyes
that watch the world and can’t forget.
Like the stranger that you’ve met
the ragged men in ragged clothes
the silver thorn of bloddy rose
lie crushed and broken
on the virgin snow.
And now I think I know what you tried to say to me
how you suffered for your sanity
how you tried to set them free.
They would not listen
they’re not
list’ning still
perhaps they never will.
Brace yourselves, another huge exhibit is coming to our de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.
It’s called Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne, and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay and it runs from September 25th to January 11, 2011.
A bunch of post impressionist masterpieces have just come in from the D’Orsay Museum (Musée d’Orsay) in Paris, France – here’s what it was like when they unpacked one of those Van Gogh Self Portraits yesterday. (It was just like when they uncrated Paul Gauguin’s Portrait of the Artist With the Yellow Christ a few days back.)
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Easy does it:
Just put it down next to a Bedroom at Arles,wherever you want. It’s like all those paintings you learned about at Wellesey College have been gathered together in one place, real close to where you live.
And then the inspection comes, to make sure nothing got damaged:
They compare what they see with handwritten charts that show existing defects, just like when you turn in a rental car:
Everything should be ready by Saturday.
See you there!
September 25, 2010 – January 18, 2011
The second of two exhibitions from the Musée d’Orsay’s permanent collection, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne, and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsayfollows on the heels of the first witha selection of the most famous late-Impressionist paintings by Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir, as well as works representing the individualist styles of the early modern masters, including Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin, and the Nabis Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard.
It is here where the Orsay’scollection shines brightest with masterpieces such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night over the Rhone, a haunting Portrait of the Artist, and Bedroom at Arles. The exhibition includes a superior collection of paintings from the Pont-Avenschool, including Gauguin’s masterpiece Self-Portrait withThe Yellow Christ. The exhibition concludes with the Orsay’s spectacular collection of pointillist paintings, represented by the masters Georges Seurat and Paul Signac.
Like the previous exhibition (“Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay”), this treasured collection is on loan from the The Musée d’Orsay in Paris while they undergo a partial closure for refurbishment — the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings will be reinstalled in their permanent galleries in spring 2011 in anticipation of Musée d’Orsay’s 25th Anniversary.
The de Young is the only museum in the world to host both of the Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay exhibitions, and this particular combination of paintings will never travel again — so get your tickets now before they sell out.
Claude the alibino alligator‘s 15th birthday party at the California Academy of Sciences went off this morning without a hitch.
KTVU TV has the best video of the affair, AFAICS (and there’s no pesky commercial so that’s a bonus).
The observation galleries were filled with sciencey-types:
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Claude knew something was going on – he was looking upwards like a pup about to get a special treat:
A couple of human birthday boys brought over the special cupcakes as Director of Communications Stephanie Stone emcee’d the affair:
Then the chief gator wrangler went over the wall and down the ladder - once more into the breach, dear friends:
She quickly tamed the hungry beast and kept it under control until…
…the special gatorcakes came down:
Then it was a frenzy:
Chewing, sort of:
He got most of the cupcakes into his mouth…
…but not all. Here, some green “frosting” ends up landing on his snout:
Afterwards, there were plenty of regular cupcakes to go around for those born on 9-15:
Joyeux anniversaire! Bonne fête!
See you next year.
Read all about it at the Richmond District Blog and SFist – Claude‘s birthday is tomorrow morning over at the California Academy of Sciences.
Tail study, port side:
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See you there!
“Claude, the Academy’s albino alligator, will celebrate his “golden birthday” in September– that is, he’s turning 15 on the 15th day of the month. Visit between Sept. 8-15 and help us celebrate with gator-themed craft activities in the Naturalist Center (located on Level 3, near the planetarium exit). Make an alligator-inspired birthday hat, or color in a birthday cake for Claude. After all, just because his “birthday suit” is all white, that doesn’t mean his cake has to be!
Then, on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 9:30am, gather around the Swamp for a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday,” and watch as aquarium staff present the reptilian star with cupcakes made of gator chow, and decorated with tasty fruit and flowers. Do you share a birthday with Claude (9/15/1995)? Let us know, and tell us what your favorite b-day treat is (probably not gator chow!).”
Are you all set for Bastille Day in San Francisco? If not, check out 7×7 Magazine for some hasty planification de dernière minute. And see Joe Eskenazi’s take right here.
Or you can keep it simple and just wander over to the “French Quarter” (of one-percent of) San Francisco around Bush Street betwixt Union Square and the Financial District, on tiny streets like Belden Place (home of Plouf, Cafe Bastille, B-44, and le Best-O-Burger), Mark Lane (home of the Bank of Ireland, aka the Irish Bank), and Claude Lane (home of Cafe Claude).
This is what Belden looked like on July 14th last year. Click to expand:
And this is the Mission from this year. Can you see les drapeaux tricolores? Peter Acworth’s Kink.com famously makes pornography at the old San Francisco National Guard Armory and Arsenal, but they’re never too busy to let a holiday go by without hoisting some huge flags for the occasion:
Here are some more deets:
“This party is back on Belden Place, considered a great out of many of San Francisco’s best street parties, this year will be one of the best for sure. Why? Well, the music, of course!!
Come early to get a seat, some wine, your favorite food, and listen to some of SF’s finest dj’s. Audionista will be playing first, probably the best time slot of the day, so make sure you get there by 4pm.
Also featuring Trevor Simpson of Worldtown-energy 92.7fm
Pheeko Dubfunk of Swank SF
Jared F and Nima G of Connected Grooves”
And there’s ever more stuff below too.
Happy Bastille Day!
Bal Populaire du Comite Officiel Directions
Saturday, July 11th, starting at 6 pm at the Basque Cultural Center.
Cost: $60 per person, gourmet dinner: choice of filet mignon or half-chicken – wine included.
A program of Franco-American music and dance, and a raffle (grand prize: a trip for two to Paris Courtesy of the Official Committee. (Read More)
The Santa Barbara French Festival Directions
Join the fun at the 22nd Annual Santa Barbara FRENCH FESTIVAL
(Bastille Day Weekend, July 11 & 12, 11am-7pm, FREE admission).
Great food. from crepes to Cajun. Over 40 great acts on 3 stages: cancan, folkdance, Poodle Parade, Femmes Fatales Drag Review, Moroccan bellydance, Napoleon, Maurice Chevalier, Edith Piaf, Hot Jazz a la Django Reinhart, African drumming, Tahitian dance, accordeons galore, and much more. Huge Eiffel Tower. Free drawing. Lots for the kids.
It’s where AMERICA celebrates FRANCE! (Read More)
Bastille Day is back on Belden! Directions
Come enjoy a fun and vibrant Bastille Day celebration, July 14th(4 to 10pm) in Belden Place, San Francisco.
DJs, drinks, open restaurants, all the ingredients to have fun!
Restaurants: Sam’s grill – Cafe Bastille – Cafe Tiramisu – Plouf – B44 – Belden Taverna – Trademark – Brindisi
Official Belden Bastille Day After-Party, Scuba, at Harlot – 46 Minna between 1st and 2nd streets, SF(10pm to 2am)
Napastille Day Directions
Join us for a very special Bastille day on July 14th (10am to 9pm) in the wine country for an all day celebration of our French community!!! Come celebrate 220 years of revolution and 220 years of French presence in the wine country..!
The whole market will have a French flair for a very special Bastille day!
All vendors will have French specials: French everything: French songs, French surprises, French Dancing. (Read More)
Bastille Day Soiree Directions
On July 14th (8pm to 2am), French Tuesday organize Bastille Day Soiree. For this extra special occasion, the revolution will take place in Ruby Skye. an upscale entertainment venue especially decorated for Bastille Day!
At this event you will find: complimentary stationed horsd’oeuvres graciously offered by San Francisco top French restaurants along with French Wine tasting, live Band and Special performances, music by DJ Frenchy le Freak & Pheeko Dubfunk.
The suggested dress code is Blue/White/Red. Tickets prices will be $10 for the first 100, $15 afterwards, $20 for the last tier and $25-30 at the door (upon availability). (Read More)
Bastille Day at Sofitel Directions
Join the Sofitel at the bay bar on Tuesday July 14th (8pm to 12am) for the ultimate “Bastille Day” celebration with DJ Cris and a special dinner at Bay223.
For more information & reservations: Call: 650 -508 -7126. (Read More)
Bastille Day at The Bubble Lounge Directions
Celebrate Bastille Day with French Champagne Tuesday July 14th, lively music and a fun atmosphere at The Bubble Lounge starting at 4 pm.
Enjoy discounted prices off Taittinger Champagne as well as select Champagne cocktails and food items from 4 – 8 pm. (Read More)
This is the scene at the back entrance to the California Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park during the early hours of a recent nightLife night - it’s famous Claude the Albino Alligator chilling in his crib, the Swamp. Unseen is Bonnie the banal, non-albino gator who cut him with a quickness earlier this year.
But Claude’s back in action these days, better than ever. Take a visit to check it out – you can actually see the dino damage suffered by this crafty crocodilian from the railing high above. Let’s have a look-see:
The mise-en-scene. See how big he is? Click to expand:
Now it’s time for the close-ups. Here’s Claude from last year – you can see five digits, right?
And here’s Claude these days. It’s underwater, but you can see just a nub where his starboard pinkie foretoe used to be. (The rumor that Bonnie is in fact innocent and that San Francisco Chronicle Editor-at-Large Phil Bronstein got in his old wetsuit and attacked Claude’s right foot yelling “lagarto vendetta!” all the while is simply that – just a rumor with no proof whatsoever.)
It always appears as if he’s looking up at the visitors to the Cal Academy – is he wishing for someone to fall in?
Can you see the fish in the photo above – it got snapped up a few seconds later. Chomp chomp.
Good for you, Claude. Get those fish, get ‘em all.
