How cute is this painting by APAK!

They’re opening a new show called “Tiny Adventures” at Schmancy in Seattle this Friday, so if you’re in the area, check it out! (Every other post on my blog lately seems to involve Schmancy, I know… They’re just always up to something interesting!)

Gosh they are the cutest.

Also, tomorrow (9/10) gallery hanahou in NYC (where I work when I’m not knitting) reopens with a solo show of works by Tina Berning. Tina’s paintings and drawings are simply amazing (I have a piece by her hanging on the wall next to me right now, in fact) and must be seen in person. Join us for the opening reception of “The Passengers” tomorrow, 6-9 pm, or come hear the artist talk about her work on Saturday (9/12) at 2 pm. (RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com for either event.)

Tina Berning: THE PASSENGERS III, 32 x 23.5 cm, Ink and Gouache on paper, 2009

In the past I’ve had trouble finding the right Oklahoma souvenirs for my New York friends, but Hobby Lobby came through for me on my last trip with Testamints, sugar-free gum that is officially holier than whatever gum you’ve been chewing!

I had heard of these before, so probably they’re not unknown, but I thought it was extra great that they were available where I was shopping for polyester stuffing. And according to the Testamints website, they are currently ONLY available at Hobby Lobby (and online via Oriental Trading Co).

What makes this gum special is not, as you might think, a Christian message printed on each piece of gum, but instead it’s just a Bible verse printed on the back of the package. So the idea is that you have to give whole packages of gum away to spread the word, and not just a piece. Sweet Jesus that’s clever.

Yay another trip to Oklahoma today! It is one of my top 50 favorite states (in the US). And getting there is fun too, sometimes.

Anyone been to the fancy New Jersey Transit waiting room at Penn Station? I’ve taken the train to Newark Airport from there before but hadn’t seen the waiting room before this trip for some reason. It’s such an interesting atmosphere, combining the dinginess of contemporary American rail travel with what seems like an attempt to recapture the glamour of trains from the past. So homeless people nap and tinny classical music plays overhead. Also: an art installation!

This is “New Jersey On Parade,” a piece by George Mossman Greenamyer that was commissioned by NJ Transit in 2002, according to a plaque on the wall. It’s actually a pretty neat display of New Jersey landmarks and icons made of steel suspended from a track and constantly in motion. You see, because of trains and stuff. And here is Mr. Peanut.

The nostalgic style of the piece and the clicking mechanical sound it makes going around the tracks seems so very 1940s, I think, and strangely complements the old flickering monitors, the surly passengers, the piped-in classical music, and the smell of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels mixed with body odor.

This is a bit off-topic, but I’ve always sort of admired these signs that appear in the subway stations of New York City:

I think it’s the simplicity, the font, and the size of the sign. At first glance, it almost looks like a minimalist ad campaign. Whether or not these notices are meant to be stylish, I don’t know, but something attracts me to them.

I’ve noticed recently that they’re being replaced with a less awesome design, which is disappointing. So before they’re all gone, I took a picture of one at the Broadway-Lafayette station.