Quartets and Sunsets

Kronos Quartet is a unique group of men who play stringed instruments - like in a quartet - primarily at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. But, they are not your average every day quartet; along with the violins, viola, and cello, they use instruments like toys and mouth organs and transistor radios. And, today, they played with the amazing Wu Man, the pipa master (for good reason!) in a preview of their show called A Chinese Home. It's like a history of Chinese music from the times of the 19th century Qing dynasty in the mountains of the north and southwest to the present with cellphones and technology and noise. Wu Man played the pipa in the traditional way and ended up rocking on it like a guitar, to illustrate the present day din. It was a great show!

 The stage before A Chinese Home

Directly afterward, my friends and I wandered through the Song Dong exhibit which is a variety of pieces that he created about his family, mostly his father whom he struggled with much of his life. But, the largest exhibit that had the biggest impact was the one called Waste Not. It was a large room filled with the stuff his mother hoarded during her life, made into an artful installation that could be viewed from above or within. Truly thought provoking.

After an art-filled afternoon, I made my way with another friend to Beach Chalet for a great dinner. I enjoyed a tasty Thai beef salad, with beef so tender and juicy I wanted more. My fellow Chalet-goer enjoyed a burger and fries which left him quite satisfied. We watched the sun set and the youth start storming the Great Highway (I still don't know why) as summer tried to start. The Chalet's historic murals were also of interest from the days when the building served as the Golden Gate Park visitor's center.

View of Ocean Beach