The Bygone, located at 400 International Drive,  invites you to "step back into  the roaring glamour of days passed." It has a 20s flair, and  is billed as Harbor East's most elevated and exciting dining experience. You enter the Four Seasons Hotel lobby and take the Bygone elevator to the 29th floor for a spectacular view, creative and delectable dishes and  phenomenal service!
Two weeks ago, Carrie and Izzy came from New Jersey and took me to the Bygone for brunch. On Sunday, John joined me for a return visit. It's fantastic! 
I wore my vintage dress with the Baltimore Oriole print (see below) and we spent hours enjoying the view while we dined on the finest and freshest seafood, fruits and vegetables, and delectable pastries. It's an experience you'll  always treasure! 

The heavy drapes in the sewing room have been replaced with sheers for the summer - a perfect back drop for playing with the gorgeous silk batik scarves from my neighbors, Hatai and Sue! 

Most of the scarves are geometric patterns but there are a few one-of-a-kind batiks featuring animals and landscapes. They are all such special treasures and I will be very thoughtful in how I use them in future projects. 

Two weeks ago I attended a lecture and exhibit at Towson University called 

from the

INSIDE OUT
​building the silhouette
​

 I promised to add more information and post photos from the Inside Out exhibit, but chorus, creating curriculum, painting, trips, and  birthday celebrations got in the way. Better late than never. This is the description from the program overview. I'm still trying to identify the "morally uplifting " garments!
​

"Clothing, and the silhouettes they created, changed at a dizzying pace during nineteenth century, emphasizing and drawing attention to different body parts by cinching here, pooling there, raising and lowering hens and necklines, and adding or removing bustles and decorative flairs. Although today we rely heavily on exercise and diet to create a pleasing armature, in the past it was the outfits themselves, and particularly the undergarments, that did the work, pushing, prodding, hiding and emphasizing the lines and curves of the body, providing clues to what was considered attractive, risqué, scandalous, pleasing, appropriate of even morally uplifting." 

Co-curated by the 
Erin Lehman, Director of the Department of Art and Design Gallery
and 
Julie Potter, Associate Professor of Theater

​The exhibit will be on display until March 17, 2018

Gallery Hours are Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21252

​

​Yesterday was delightful! We had planned to go to the parade in Philly but as it turned out, we watched in television and the internet, and undoubtedly had a much better view of the event in it's entirety. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles for their first ever Super Bowl win and the incomparable follow up celebration. Watching the season was a gift!

​Last evening  we attended two events at Towson University. One was a lecture by an artist who is currently displaying her innovative creations at the Baltimore Museum of Art. The other was a reception for Inside Out, to open a new exhibit that will be on display until mid March. It is a perfect compliment to the Marc Jacob's course I'm taking where he gives an in-depth perspective on how undergarments impact fashion. 

Annet Couwenberg presented a lecture entitles Intimate Architecture at Towson University
Couwenberg's work reveals the intersection of science, art, technology, and history that makes textiles such a fascinating art form. A Fibers professor at MICA, the artist's most recent show is at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

https://artbma.org/exhibitions/berman-annet-couwenberg

​FROM THE INSIDE OUT: BUILDING THE SILHOUETTE
Tuesday, January 30-Saturday, March 17
Gallery Hours Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 a.m.-8 p.m.
 
OPENING RECEPTION FEBRUARY 8, 2018
This exhibition celebrates Towson’s extensive historical clothing collection, with a focus on the century betwen 1820-1920. Visitors get a behind the scenes look at the clothing we so often see in old photos and ads. From the most private of undergarments and hidden tricks of the trade to the outfits and accompanying outerwear, we answer the question, "How DID they wear that?"

At the beginning of the new year, and occasionally though out the year, I update my manifesto. This is a guideline based on my values that help keep me on track with the way I spend my time. This year I've included a poster with my manifesto. I suggest you take some time to consider your own personal values, create your own poster and post it where you can frequently be reminded of what you value and how you can most wisely spent your time.

1.     Use my energy level as a barometer to gauge the value of my relationships. Nurture those who increase my energy, avoid those who drain it. 

2.     Enhance the quality of life by using creativity to have more FUN! Schedule fun and adventure!!!

3.     Take the time to stay in tune with my spiritual self - journal, meditate, time in nature, yoga, sketching, painting, creating, gratitude lists.

4.     Respect my health as a precious gift.  Use exercise and nutrition to be healthy - not to look good. Have a health-based, not-ego based, life style.  

5.      Continue to spend time in, and learn lessons from, nature.

6.      Embrace and actively commit to my education and learning - knowledge, skills and attitude.

7.      Dharma - use my passion in all aspects of my life's work through paid and volunteer positions.

8.      Keep clutter to a minimum.  Give away one item for every new one that comes into the house. 

9.      Incorporate systems to simplify housework, business, finances, etc.

10.    If it isn't good for my soul, I won't buy it, eat it, watch it, read it, spend time with it, wear it  . . .