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Thursday, April 17, 2014
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The "ARTS" of El Dia de los Muertos
Do I love to blog about holidays or what? Halloween. Christmas. Valentine's Day. St. Patrick's Day. I'm knocking 'em down one by one. Hey, and Thanksgiving is coming up, which means that lucky readers such as yourself might be fortunate enough to read about my annual feat of getting canned cranberry sauce out of the can, still in the shape of the can.
While here is an example of a rustic tapanaco, or table, that the Yaqui Indians from the Mexican state of Sonora would make:
But their purposes are the same. It's believed during the time from October 31st to November 2nd, the boundary between the living and the dead is thin, and these altars are meant to welcome back the souls of the dead to visit. Food and drink is laid out to sustain them after their long journey (and often they are the favorite foods and drinks of the deceased individuals being reached out to, the smells of which are said to guide them home). The altars also feature pictures of these loved ones and different items that may include candles, sugar skulls, cut paper decorations and more.
It's a lot of fun being able to go to town on such a palette, and you can do so twice this week. The ARTS is hosting a sugar skull workshop from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. tomorrow, when you can go in and decorate your own miniature skull however you'd like.
Additionally, the Rockwell Museum (which has a ton of amazing pieces in its collection, more than worth a visit in its own right) will be hosting an altar making demonstration on Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., which will be followed by decorating sugar skulls.
The Rockwell currently has a temporary altar made of non-perishable items that will be rebuilt and replaced on Sunday by Mexican artist Leonel Rosario and his family:
It's a finely-honed skill.
However, I think an important aspect to note about the Southern Tier, one that I haven't touched upon so much in covering its events for extremely well-known days like those, is that it is eons more culturally encompassing than one might initially assume for a region in the thick of Upstate New York, and has a myriad of offerings that embrace the world beyond this country alone. For a prime example, look no further than The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.
The ARTS Council, in partnership with the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, is spending the rest of this week hosting events that allow the public to experience the Mexican holiday El Dia de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead. It's one of the most fascinating celebrations I've ever encountered, and possibly one of the most misunderstood at the same time.
The ARTS Council, in partnership with the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, is spending the rest of this week hosting events that allow the public to experience the Mexican holiday El Dia de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead. It's one of the most fascinating celebrations I've ever encountered, and possibly one of the most misunderstood at the same time.
Here's what the celebration isn't, despite what its name might imply at first glance. It isn't a morbid or solemn affair. El Dia de los Muertos is about reconnecting with deceased loved ones, particularly through the building of altars. And these altars, as I came to discover, are not all made the same way; different regions in Mexico have different approaches to building them.
Take the two currently on display at The ARTS. The first is an altar, or ofrenda, made in resemblance of the style one would see in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico:
Take the two currently on display at The ARTS. The first is an altar, or ofrenda, made in resemblance of the style one would see in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico:
While here is an example of a rustic tapanaco, or table, that the Yaqui Indians from the Mexican state of Sonora would make:
Made by Mercedes Piatt.
But their purposes are the same. It's believed during the time from October 31st to November 2nd, the boundary between the living and the dead is thin, and these altars are meant to welcome back the souls of the dead to visit. Food and drink is laid out to sustain them after their long journey (and often they are the favorite foods and drinks of the deceased individuals being reached out to, the smells of which are said to guide them home). The altars also feature pictures of these loved ones and different items that may include candles, sugar skulls, cut paper decorations and more.
El Dia de los Muertos is operating on a lot of levels. The celebration has multiple religious connections; it's a blend of indigenous cultures (particularly Aztec) as well as Roman Catholic elements implemented after Spanish colonization. The at-large cultural connections that can be made to this celebration are likely innumerable; it's a beautiful celebration of those who have passed, much better described here.
Never one to pass up a chance to attempt to be artsy, I was all over making a sugar skull as a way to introduce myself to the celebration. These skulls are decorated in a variety of different ways, and can be made to look scary or funny, to resemble someone or no one. It's one of the ways that the celebration can make light of death.
Never one to pass up a chance to attempt to be artsy, I was all over making a sugar skull as a way to introduce myself to the celebration. These skulls are decorated in a variety of different ways, and can be made to look scary or funny, to resemble someone or no one. It's one of the ways that the celebration can make light of death.
Additionally, the Rockwell Museum (which has a ton of amazing pieces in its collection, more than worth a visit in its own right) will be hosting an altar making demonstration on Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., which will be followed by decorating sugar skulls.
The Rockwell currently has a temporary altar made of non-perishable items that will be rebuilt and replaced on Sunday by Mexican artist Leonel Rosario and his family:
The Rockwell also features a gorgeous altar that was constructed by local middle school Spanish students:
The ARTS Council, which is a service organization for artists, the public and other community organizations, is currently celebrating its 40-year mark. If you haven't been in their offices to check out what they're doing, you really should. They feature a gallery space for aspiring artists of all disciplines and always have interesting programming going on. (I find their calendar and e-mails to be the most comprehensive source to find out what's going on arts-wise locally, and well-worth checking out and signing up for, which you can do on their website.)
Stop on by The ARTS and the Rockwell this week, make yourself a sugar skull and experience one of Mexico's many rich traditions right here in the Southern Tier!
The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes
32 West Market Street, Corning, NY 14830
(607) 962-5871
The Rockwell Museum of Western Art
111 Cedar Street, Corning, NY 14830
(607) 937-5386, www.rockwellmuseum.org,
Friday, October 19, 2012
Chemung County Loves Halloween
Chemung County has several claims to fame, not the least of which are its ties to Twain and Soaring, but a lesser-known fact? It's also the place to be to celebrate Halloween in the area.
You can take my word on that because I've seen the movie Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers - um, hundreds of times more than anybody should probably watch the fifth installment of a horror film franchise.
In other words, I'm a Halloween junkie. It's my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin carving, costume buying, trick-or-treat candy procuring, cable horror movie marathon watching - I have a different Halloween-themed screen saver for every week this month. I've been known to listen to AOL Radio's all-Halloween station. I'm a geek for this holiday.
And Chemung County certainly doesn't disappoint in its offerings. Last year, I went to one of the longest-running events in Elmira, the Holiday Inn Riverview's Monster Bash. This year, it's being held on Friday, October 26th beginning at 7:00 p.m. at 760 East Water Street. (Admission's only $8 in advance or $10 at the door, for ages 21 and older.)
(A little mood music?)
Here's what I liked most about the Monster Bash. One, it's just a pretty cool atmosphere, being in a hotel for a huge party like this one. They dedicate Anthony's Lounge downstairs and a giant open space upstairs to the festivities, and deck the place out with lots of fun Halloween inflatables to boot.
Two, the costumes. Some were fun, some were frightening, some were vintage, some were risqué, the whole gamut was represented, and the most impressive part for me was seeing how much work some people put into their ensembles. These were some of my favorites:
The party also features a good ol' fashioned costume contest, with prizes for funniest, scariest, sexiest and most original costumes, for which there were plenty of contenders.
It's billed as the region's ultimate costume party and more than lived up to the name as far as I was concerned - if you've never been, it's well-worth a Friday night and certain to put you in the Halloween spirit.
A few other fantastic Halloween events have already occurred locally (Tangle With Zombies 5K at Tanglewood Nature Center, psychic Phil Jordan at The Starlite Room), but make sure to be on the lookout for them next Halloween season.
Some of the other great offerings in the coming weeks?
• Haunted Happenings at Tanglewood Nature Center - Head up to Tanglewood tomorrow for an afternoon full of apple launching, gourd and skeleton hunting, guided hikes, face and pumpkin painting, scary story telling and a chili cook-off.
• Chemung Valley History Museum Ghost Walk - Being held tonight and tomorrow night in partnership with Elmira Little Theatre and Friends of Woodlawn Cemetery. You'll be transported from the museum to Woodlawn to go on a guided evening tour and meet several "ghosts" from Elmira's past. Call (607) 734-4167 for reservations.
• Flashlight Cemetery Tours at Mark Twain's Gravesite - Twilight tales of Twain and his family at his final resting place. Offered Monday evenings throughout the rest of the month. Call The Christmas House at (607) 734-9547 for more information and reservations.
• Charlie's Cafe's Blind Harvest Dinner on November 5th, featuring a gourmet meal served in complete darkness. Call (607) 733-0440 for reservations.
Plus, for the non-Halloween fanatics, there are a number of fall events continuing in the community this month:
In conclusion, in the opinion of this blogger, this is a particularly wonderful time of year to be living in or visiting Twain Country.
Happy Halloween!
You can take my word on that because I've seen the movie Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers - um, hundreds of times more than anybody should probably watch the fifth installment of a horror film franchise.
In other words, I'm a Halloween junkie. It's my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin carving, costume buying, trick-or-treat candy procuring, cable horror movie marathon watching - I have a different Halloween-themed screen saver for every week this month. I've been known to listen to AOL Radio's all-Halloween station. I'm a geek for this holiday.
And Chemung County certainly doesn't disappoint in its offerings. Last year, I went to one of the longest-running events in Elmira, the Holiday Inn Riverview's Monster Bash. This year, it's being held on Friday, October 26th beginning at 7:00 p.m. at 760 East Water Street. (Admission's only $8 in advance or $10 at the door, for ages 21 and older.)
(A little mood music?)
Here's what I liked most about the Monster Bash. One, it's just a pretty cool atmosphere, being in a hotel for a huge party like this one. They dedicate Anthony's Lounge downstairs and a giant open space upstairs to the festivities, and deck the place out with lots of fun Halloween inflatables to boot.
Two, the costumes. Some were fun, some were frightening, some were vintage, some were risqué, the whole gamut was represented, and the most impressive part for me was seeing how much work some people put into their ensembles. These were some of my favorites:
Pretty sure that's Jason carrying Freddy Krueger in a cage.
The party also features a good ol' fashioned costume contest, with prizes for funniest, scariest, sexiest and most original costumes, for which there were plenty of contenders.
Points if you can identify that gentleman's film homage.
It's billed as the region's ultimate costume party and more than lived up to the name as far as I was concerned - if you've never been, it's well-worth a Friday night and certain to put you in the Halloween spirit.
A few other fantastic Halloween events have already occurred locally (Tangle With Zombies 5K at Tanglewood Nature Center, psychic Phil Jordan at The Starlite Room), but make sure to be on the lookout for them next Halloween season.
Some of the other great offerings in the coming weeks?
• Haunted Happenings at Tanglewood Nature Center - Head up to Tanglewood tomorrow for an afternoon full of apple launching, gourd and skeleton hunting, guided hikes, face and pumpkin painting, scary story telling and a chili cook-off.
• Chemung Valley History Museum Ghost Walk - Being held tonight and tomorrow night in partnership with Elmira Little Theatre and Friends of Woodlawn Cemetery. You'll be transported from the museum to Woodlawn to go on a guided evening tour and meet several "ghosts" from Elmira's past. Call (607) 734-4167 for reservations.
• Flashlight Cemetery Tours at Mark Twain's Gravesite - Twilight tales of Twain and his family at his final resting place. Offered Monday evenings throughout the rest of the month. Call The Christmas House at (607) 734-9547 for more information and reservations.
• Charlie's Cafe's Blind Harvest Dinner on November 5th, featuring a gourmet meal served in complete darkness. Call (607) 733-0440 for reservations.
Plus, for the non-Halloween fanatics, there are a number of fall events continuing in the community this month:
In conclusion, in the opinion of this blogger, this is a particularly wonderful time of year to be living in or visiting Twain Country.
Happy Halloween!
Holiday Inn Riverview
760 East Water Street, Elmira, NY 14901
(607) 734-4211
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Mon Cappy-taine
I've been doing a heckuva lot of card buying lately. 'Tis the season. Weddings, bridal showers, baby showers - and that's on top of the regular summer anniversaries and birthdays.
For me, card selection has historically been about as enjoyable as a trip to the orthodontist. I mean, it's no easy task to find the one card that suits one particular individual for one particular life event. I used to spend ridiculous amounts of time at various stores, hemming and hawing and generally befuddled by what some greeting card makers find funny or touching? If I never saw another twenty cards featuring jokes about squirrels or rednecks, it'd be too soon.
In any case, here's the place that saved me from that madness:
Additionally, you can find Mighty Wallets - also made from recycled materials. Known for being super-thin, super-durable, and in some cases superhero-esque.
3. Unique Book Finds.
Cappy's carries a few titles that I find pretty darn clever. The Lover's Dictionary, the story of a relationship categorized by entries for various words, from arcane, ardent and autonomy to yarn, yearning and yesterday, etc. You Give Love a Bad Name: Timeless Poems of Tainted Love from the Pop Hits of the 70s and 80s, featuring song lyrics in poem format. Selected songs include such classics as Cuts Like a Knife by Bryan Adams, Maneater by Hall and Oats and I Hate Myself for Loving You by Joan Jett and the Heartbreakers.
You're welcome if you have any of those in your head now.
Or my personal favorite, The Long Distance Relationship Guide: Advice for the Geographically Challenged. Look, never before has a more in-depth book been written about the ins and outs of a long distance relationship. There are chapters on the pros and cons of so-called LDRs, long distance relationship statistics, a history of couples who had LDRs, and tips for visits, life between visits and communication. It's cute. And I wish I knew it existed sooner, it would have made a great gift for some of my girlfriends.
4. Song Lyric Decor.
Up on the walls of Cappy's, you'll see quite a collection of decorative signs.
These signs all feature song lyrics. So if you know, say, a Beatles fan (who doesn't?):
I think they make for pretty fun gifts (or gifts to yourself), and there's a solid selection of songs represented.
5. Pre-Made Diaper Cakes.
These things are a baby shower staple, and I can't make them. Not since discovering pre-chopped veggies at Wegmans was I so excited.
And diaper cakes are just the tip of the iceberg as far as children's items go:
6. Theme Table.
Indeed. Check them out.
7. Soap Too Awesome to Use.
9. Slew of Scarves.
Any type you could want, really.
10. Celebrating Elmira.
Cappy's carries a number of items specific to Elmira and the region, which makes it a good stop for visitors. Postcards, magnets, 101 Things You Didn't Know About Elmira, and more. Plus, you can buy a Mark Twain tie there. Can't do that just anywhere.
For me, card selection has historically been about as enjoyable as a trip to the orthodontist. I mean, it's no easy task to find the one card that suits one particular individual for one particular life event. I used to spend ridiculous amounts of time at various stores, hemming and hawing and generally befuddled by what some greeting card makers find funny or touching? If I never saw another twenty cards featuring jokes about squirrels or rednecks, it'd be too soon.
In any case, here's the place that saved me from that madness:
I don't know how to explain it other than that I just don't have trouble finding a good card at Cappy's, located in downtown Elmira. The store has a great artistic, well-humored, beautiful selection, probably because this is the kind of place where the owner, Amani Vlasic, hand-selects each card that goes on her shelves.
Which brings me to #1 on my "Top 10 Reasons to Visit Cappy's" list!
1. The Card Club.
Every time you buy a greeting card, you get stamped at the register. Buy 10 greeting cards, and your next one is free. Think I've already burned through two of these Card Club cards in the past few months. (And I'm not a coffee drinker, but if my Mountain Dew intake is any indication of what kind of coffee drinker I'd be, I'd have burned through a buy 6, get 1 free Coffee Club card right quick, too.)
Always enjoy looking at the elaborate pop-up cards.
Plus, for all those "Blergh, forgot ________ day, have to get a card out STAT" moments in life, Cappy's also provides tables inside and outside where you can sit and write your card. The store also sells stamps, has a mailbox right out front, there's free gift wrapping for any item you buy, and you can FedEx there as well. It's a one-stop shop for all your well-wishing needs.
2. Coolest Money Holders Ever.
On a particularly fun shelf with voucher books for friends, tarot cards for housewives and cupcake-flavored toothpaste is a collection of coin purses made from recycled materials - with bright colors, fun designs and clever labels like This Economy Sucks, Lunch Money, Can't Buy Me Love and Insufficient Funds.
Additionally, you can find Mighty Wallets - also made from recycled materials. Known for being super-thin, super-durable, and in some cases superhero-esque.
3. Unique Book Finds.
Cappy's carries a few titles that I find pretty darn clever. The Lover's Dictionary, the story of a relationship categorized by entries for various words, from arcane, ardent and autonomy to yarn, yearning and yesterday, etc. You Give Love a Bad Name: Timeless Poems of Tainted Love from the Pop Hits of the 70s and 80s, featuring song lyrics in poem format. Selected songs include such classics as Cuts Like a Knife by Bryan Adams, Maneater by Hall and Oats and I Hate Myself for Loving You by Joan Jett and the Heartbreakers.
You're welcome if you have any of those in your head now.
Or my personal favorite, The Long Distance Relationship Guide: Advice for the Geographically Challenged. Look, never before has a more in-depth book been written about the ins and outs of a long distance relationship. There are chapters on the pros and cons of so-called LDRs, long distance relationship statistics, a history of couples who had LDRs, and tips for visits, life between visits and communication. It's cute. And I wish I knew it existed sooner, it would have made a great gift for some of my girlfriends.
4. Song Lyric Decor.
Up on the walls of Cappy's, you'll see quite a collection of decorative signs.
These signs all feature song lyrics. So if you know, say, a Beatles fan (who doesn't?):
♪ "Hello, Hello..."♪
I think they make for pretty fun gifts (or gifts to yourself), and there's a solid selection of songs represented.
5. Pre-Made Diaper Cakes.
These things are a baby shower staple, and I can't make them. Not since discovering pre-chopped veggies at Wegmans was I so excited.
And diaper cakes are just the tip of the iceberg as far as children's items go:
6. Theme Table.
Cappy's has an ever-changing front table display with great seasonal items. This time o' the year, it's back to school, from the basics (composition notebook) to the endearing (lunchbox notes for kids, tweens and teens), to stuff I might buy for my office just for funsies, including Gourmet Scented Pencils, and "Borrow My Pen" pens, featuring fake business advertisements "guaranteed to leave an impression."
Indeed. Check them out.
7. Soap Too Awesome to Use.
Enough said?
8. Entertaining Kitchen Stuff.
The kitchen collection includes Ninjabread Men Cookie Cutters, Gangster Graters (a grater in the shape of a gangster car), Cake Candelabras, Crustache: The Moustache Sandwich Cutter, and cookbooks including Insanewiches: 101 Ways to Think Outside the Lunchbox, Rock n' Roll Diner, The Newlyweds' Cookbook and Allergy-Free Treats to Make and Serve. Just a few of the many offerings.
Plus? The most amazing deviled-egg tray I've ever seen.
Any type you could want, really.
Cappy's carries a number of items specific to Elmira and the region, which makes it a good stop for visitors. Postcards, magnets, 101 Things You Didn't Know About Elmira, and more. Plus, you can buy a Mark Twain tie there. Can't do that just anywhere.
And those are just my Top 10 - Cappy's is a trove of unique items, it's conveniently located, and it's got great hours, including being open until 6 p.m. on weekdays in case you need to grab something after work, and having Saturday hours.
Stop in through this Saturday and as part of the "Cappy's Gives Back" promotion that has been going on all this month, you'll contribute to the 10% of Cappy's sales being donated to the Economic Opportunity Program. Every week this month, the store has been donating 10% of its profits to a different non-profit organization that helped the community during the recent tornado.
A reminder, perhaps, that there's never been a better time in recent years to shop local and support downtown Elmira businesses.
Cappy's
205 West Clinton Street, Elmira, NY 14901
(607) 732-1152
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