A day in The City

My friend Dorothy and I took the train this morning to the new Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. The architecture is striking, starkly modern elements juxtaposed with a 19th century brick powerhouse, a blend made necessary by the latter's being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But the architect, Daniel Liebskind, made it work beautifully, both outside and (especially) in. The interior space is broken up in interesting ways, each area feeling both cozy and spacious. The current exhibitions (there is no permanent collection) include "Being Jewish: A Bay Area Portrait," a photo montage accompanying various items ranging from Jewish ritual items (menorahs both modern and old, a spice box in the shape of the Transamerica pyramid) to the whimsical—a denim yarmulke made by Levi Strauss complete with the rivet at the top and, my favorite, the Rally Rabbi bobblehead handed out to fans at the Giants' 2007 Jewish Heritage Night—a Hassidic rabbi blowing a shofar and wearing a typical wide-brimmed black hat emblazoned with the orange intertwined "SF" logo. If I can find one on eBay, I'll buy it, money (almost) no object. There's also an exhibit entitled "In the Beginning: Artists Respond to Genesis" (plenty to see and think about in this one) and "From The New Yorker to Shrek: The Art of William Steig."

We had a lovely day; fun train ride, great weather, and a delicious lunch at the museum cafe, lots of time to talk, and I was back home in Davis by 7:15.