Midwest Travels--Part II

Friday's outing was geared toward The Arts, with a trip to the Cincinnati Art Museum. My sister Kathy woke up with a migraine so went back to bed. We left her with directions to the restaurant that Cousin Florence had arranged reservations, the former Rookwood Pottery site, and set off for Eden Park on Mount Adams.  I just love those names!

This Pinocchio sculpture had recently been installed at the museum.  Isn't he fun?  We were there for the Monet exhibit, which was small but very wonderful.  I would love to have taken a favorite painting home for that bare spot above my piano.  Photography was not allowed, unfortunately, and we soon exited the crowded Monet gallery for open spaces.  As we moved forward, we heard angelic voices singing and came upon this scene:

A local high school singing group, I believe from Marymount (?) High School, with a token three boys to counter the sopranos.  They were wonderful to listen to as we strolled towards other galleries.

You can guess why I couldn't resist this painting!  I took photos of it last year which both came out blurry, so was happy to find it again.   Unfortunately, neither time did I get a photo of the artist/description plaque.

I loved this gem, of young Venetian lacemakers in their fancy gowns, sitting to their tatting needles lace bobbins and gossip.

I just love the girl resting her arms on her baffle as she leans in for the latest news, and the cheeky grin on the girl on the left.  Mom pointed out that Venetian blinds still always end up looking like these crooked ones.

A bit blurry, hope you can read it!

After a pleasant couple of hours at the museum, we headed to the nearby Rookwood Restaurant.  We were early for our reservation so I took a walk back to the large property's hillside edge to capture some downtown shots.  That is "Diana's Crown" atop the tallest building in the center, after Princess Diana. 

Here are three bridges linking Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington  Covington, Kentucky over the Ohio River.  I like the colors--especially the yellow one, and the old row houses in the foreground.

Carved rooks guard the entries to the drive.

I loved these patterns stamped into the stucco.

 Florence arranged for us to dine in one of the former kilns, massive round brick structures connected with 8" gas pipes. It has been a number of decades since any pottery has been fired in these kilns, so we were perfectly safe.  Mom asked me to take a photo of the figure guarding the entry.

Rooks even decorated the chairs in the restaurant.  We were eating a delicious lunch when Kathy called as we were nearly finished, and we were so pleased that she felt well enough to join us.  She had an adventure finding the restaurant and relayed a story where she approached a Parks Maintenance guy and told him she was from Missouri, was lost, and was supposed to meet us at "some pottery place".  He knew exactly where she meant and jumped in his truck to lead her through the twisting narrow and steep streets on the hillside.  Nice people abound in the Midwest!  Mom and Cousin Florence headed back home while Kathy and I set off for the International Quilt Festival.  I've already relayed beginning of that story, so will pick up with Part III in the next post.