There's no place like Pittsburgh

Plain brown wrapper
Originally uploaded by elixir graphics

I arrived yesterday at the William Penn Omni for the Mensa Annual Gathering (AG or convention). Downstairs other members are starting to trickle into the hotel. I'm so glad I brought my iMac. I put it in a plain brown wrapper so that it looked much like this. I took a picture of the actual box in the actual room with my camera but I brought the wrong cable. Such is life.

I spent this morning rising leisurely, doing a spot of yoga, and then walking over to the Andy Warhol museum. One of the nice things about Pittsburgh is that most of the critical must-see tourist sights are within walking distance. Yesterday evening, after our six hour car trip here, my roommate and I walked out to The Point Park (so, okay, what's the point? No! where's the point.) a boat dock, fountain and light park, currently under renovation. Tons of wild plants are safely locked in behind six foot temporary fencing. I could tell they were desperate to get into the park and into their new digs. heh

The Warhol Museum is a definite must see. I suggest you put aside at least two hours to make the tour. You take the elevator to the top floor and then work your way down. It's all wonderful. A sort of cacophonous medley of sight, sound, music, art, sculpture and films. The only thing left out from the Warhol experience is the smell which only occurred to me after I watched my third "party" film and was nearing the final gallery. Certainly after hours of sex, drugs and rock and roll there were some fumes.

Be sure to go to the end of the hall on the last floor and step inside the silver pillow gallery. Lots of giggles. You can bat around the helium-filled silver pillows while watching a film of two dancers not dancing with silver pillows. There are multiple fans in the room so the pillows keep dancing even if you don't help them out.

I knew that Warhol had been seminal in a lot art movements. I had not realized just how far his reach was. He influenced movies, art, graphic design, music, packaging, and attitudes. My favorite saying, "I never fall apart because I never fall together."

I can recommend the Warhol Underground Cafe. I had the jerk chicken salad. Very tasty and chaotic. Sorta like Warhol.
Time to check in with the AG folks and tighten up my itinerary.