So MAD

I'm not mad. I'm just MAD about MAD MEN! Hahahahahahahahah! (I'm also not drunk. I just don't feel like starting with a sane opening.) 

Today, Ari and I took the train all the way to Queens to visit the Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI, or "Mommy" as I like to pronounce it) and see the exhibit on the TV show Mad Men, which is there through September. If you talked to me in May, you knew that I was, and am, a die-hard fan of this show. It might be my favorite show ever. (I have yet to see the Sopranos, but I have given Breaking Bad and The Wire a chance. They are good, but they didn't capture my interest the same way that MM has.) 

Ari is also a fan, so we had a pretty good time looking at the notes and costumes and sets for the show. The coolest part was definitely seeing Don Draper's office. Sigh. I am so sad this show is over. 

Covert photo taken when the security guard wasn't looking

On the way back to the train, we stopped at a Venezuelan restaurant and had arepas. Or rather, Ari did. I got the "Venezuelan breakfast" which was DELICIOUS.

                           

Mini-Me

Yesterday, Ari and went to the Museum of Art and Design (free with Columbia ID!) to see their exhibit on 3D printing, which I'd heard from a fellow teacher was pretty cool. It was worth the trip--after waiting in line for about half an hour (not too bad...), I got scanned by a nice lady working there. I had to stand on this grey pedestal, and then hold a pose completely still (no change in facial expressions) as it slowly rotated me around in a circle.

Today I got an email, which took me to this link: 

 It was a bit surreal to purchase myself, in action-figure size. It was also a bit pricy at $40, but how could I resist?

Old stuff is cool

I guess the coolness of looking at old stuff is the basic premise of most museums. And it certainly applies to the Transit Museum in Brooklyn. Ari and I were free this Saturday, so we decided to make the relatively short trek out to see this place, which was recommended by my friend Jenny as a fun, cheap way to spend an afternoon.

And it was! The best part is the lower level, where they have all these subway cars from different decades lined up along the platform (the whole museum is a converted subway station from the thirties). You can get on each one and see ads from that time period.

This ad was my favorite (dating from some time in the 40s or 50s, I believe):

The most remarkably different train cars were the wooden ones from the 1910's. So rustic! With wicker seats! 

At the end of the trip, I made Ari pitch in for a "Q" subway magnet for our fridge. That's the subway line that stops closest to our apartment (Parkside Ave.), and it's basically one of the best lines there is in the city, considering it runs express into Manhattan, and rarely has delays. Thanks, Q!