somerville open studios

Today Somerville hosted an "open studios" where artists of all kinds throughout the city open up their studios or their living rooms for neighbors to walk door to door as if every street is a string of galleries. I really, really dug it and was so impressed at how many people here were involved! There were about 100 different locations you could visit and at least 400 artists on display. I went to just five.

Warshington

So I think I'm often criticized for taking too many building pictures and not enough people pictures. In D.C. last week I had some fun with self-portraits-in-front-of-a-thing on a really beautiful day -- crazily enough, people kept passing me and saying "Can I take a picture for you?" - and I had to give an awkward "No, thanks!" I didn't intentionally coordinate my red, white and blue but it was downright hot out, I needed Julius. Yes, the cherry trees were pink. No, I didn't get to meet Bo. Yes, President Obama was born in the United States. Come on, people.

more photos over here

Wide Open Spaces

I don't normally ooh and ahh over Colorado - unless it's Mexican food we're talking about - but I have to admit it was a gorgeous day yesterday. In fact, we were swearing at ourselves for not wearing shorts. Today, of course, the Spring's sick sense of humor returned, and it dumped snow midway through an otherwise sunny morning while we were walking outside in light jackets and t-shirts. The photos here are from Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, a free park that's unparalelled on scenery. We also spent a good chunk of the day in a penny arcade in Manitou Springs where they have four rooms of Donkey Kong, Frogger, Space Invaders, Ms. Pac-Man and you-name-it (all still in working order) for a quarter, plus all the pinball and "love testers" you can dish out for 5 cents. I scored high at skeeball, as usual. The Elton John pinball machine (below) was super vintage cool and in great condition.