Albert Bierstadt
I have always liked this painting. Bierstadt was apparently quite the operator. / I’ve been in DC the past few days and had the chance to spend a few hours at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. It is the best museum in a city full of great museums. It shares the old patent office building with the National Portrait Gallery which in itself is pretty cool. While there I got the chance to see some of the people that Peter Carroll and I worked with on the Lunder Conservation Center project, and had a really nice visit. / Back to Massachusetts tomorrow and will mail out the next level of rewards for the suitcase backers.
John Wilson Painting
I love this painting. John had given it to me in December, but since it needed to be taken off the stretchers for transport back to the States I wasn’t able to get it until Peter and I were back in the UK in March. We rolled it into a big cardboard tube and I was able to carry it onto the plane. Michelle at Hope and Feathers did a fantastic job restretching it and built a great frame. I was so happy to pick it up yesterday. It looks great in the living room.
Pia and Flying Angel Seafarers Club
I spent a fantastic couple of hours with Pia Massie walking around the completely non-touristy parts of Vancouver. We started in Gastown and went to the area that is mostly inhabited by addicts and street people. She really knows her way around and it was fascinating. Her latest work is a documentary about Canadians of Japanese descent who were forcibly moved from the area just after Pearl Harbor. Everything was taken from them and they and have never returned as a community. There are still remnants of their lives if you know where to look, as in the name underneath a doormat at the entrance to this building.
We ended up at the Flying Angel Seafarers Club, which is as close as one can get to the port without encountering pretty heavy security. Unless you knew it was here, you might never find it. An amazingly beautiful building and since there was a sign on the front that said open, we went in. A volunteer named Frank gave us the grand tour and we learned a ton. Here is a link. I was especially taken by this book which is in a glass case at the front of the building.
Here is a description of its purpose.
Very touching. / We fly home tomorrow. Thanks Pia for the tour. It was great fun.
Stanley Park
It is grey and cool here today but the past three days have been sunny and pleasant. I’m just as happy with the grey as with the sun. Yesterday we walked around the perimeter of Stanley Park. The water in English Bay was clear and calm and loads of people were out enjoying the day.
Vancouver reminds me of San Francisco with all the water and bridges. / This morning I am going to meet up with Pia Massie whom I met through Kickstarter. Check out her project here. It is really interesting. She lives here and will give me a quick tour of the waterfront.
Crow
Cris and I are in Vancouver. She is here for the AERA conference and I am just tagging along. This is a most remarkable city. I am happy that there are lots of crows about. They seem to have displaced the usual pigeons that often dominate cities. There is water everywhere and lots of seagulls but it is the crows that are the most fun to watch. / The weather has been lovely; lots of sun and in the mid to upper 50s which is perfect for walking in Stanely Park.
I was in London a month ago and the magnolia trees were just starting to bloom. Now they are at the same stage here in Vancouver. Everything is popping out. Flowers are everywhere in the city and I am overwhelmed with how beautiful this place is.
Moon
I saw an amazing moonrise as I was driving home from the Museum last night. Huge and orange; more like a harvest moon. I have always wanted to get a night-time picture of the Gulf station at the Lee travel plaza so here it is. You can see the moon just to the left of the flag, but it looks so tiny! Much more dramatic in “real life”.
Home
Peter and I flew home yesterday. It was an amazing trip and has solidified his wish to live in London, which I really hope he can do someday. Saturday was a big day for us with lots of travel on the tube and walking. As we were heading into central London from Heathrow we had a lovely exchange with a very nice woman who seemed to be about my age. P and I were talking about where to stop off to wander around and get a bite to eat, and she was apparently over-hearing our discussion. As she was leaving the train at her stop she said, “English people aren’t meant to speak to people on trains, but Gloucester Road is a bit dire. You might want to go on to South Kensington”. England has changed a ton since I started going there, but I am occasionally reminded of why I love it so much.
Fish and chips
I usually don’t post pictures of food but due to popular demand, here it is. It was haddock which to me is just a bit better than cod. Sublime.
Jonny Donuts
We were so tempted to get donuts here. But we had just eaten the best fish and chips EVER at Steeles Corner House in Cleethorpes. So we just had an ice cream (with Flake). This is a beautiful little seaside town on the North Sea. Well worth the visit. I just love the deco design of this building.
Burton to Scunthorpe
I took this shot of the road atlas yesterday while Peter was speaking to the Safety Officer of the Burton Albion Football Club. I was looking at the map to see how to get up to Scunthorpe. It turned out to be pretty easy and only took about an hour and a half. Burton was nice and it was the first place in the UK where I heard someone use the word “nowt” (meaning “nothing”). I asked a woman in a teashop in Burton about Scunthorpe and she said Northerners weren’t as friendly. The difference between north and south here is much different that in the States. It is only a matter of about 65 miles. In my years of travel I have found that everyone who comes from somewhere other than the locals couldn’t possibly be as pleasant. For me, though they all seem pretty nice.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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