Auntie Sarah about to board the Log Jammer at Kennywood with Cole (left) and Jack.
After a quick trip to Paris, I flew back to Palm Beach and re-packed my bags for a three week excursion to Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The amount of costume changes involved was dizzying. First, I had to pack for five days in Pittsburgh which included a day at Kennywood with my nephews, then a three day birthday party extravaganza for the fabulous Ann Tenenbaum and another week in Los Angeles...what's a girl to do? Send steamer trunks ahead? Taking my fashion cues as I always do from fashion legends and Warhol icons Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor, I was appropriately dressed and still a little "out there" respectively for each leg of my trip.
A roof viewed from a ride where people have decide to toss their gum rather than in a proper receptacle. perhaps they were choking by the violent, jerking motion of the ride and rather than die mid-air, they heroically spit their gum, the sticky projectiles landing here creating a fascinating surface quality. Sounds like Miss Manners has visited many art galleries in Chelsea...
While one may not necessarily think of Pittsburgh as being on the forefront of fashion, people do have some cute style. I still think the Black and Gold of the hometown sports teams as THE most chic and sophisticated of all the major professional sports colors. That said, I was still a bit shocked at the, how shall we say it, overwhelming lack of "proper" clothing at my favorite amusement park Kennywood. While it is not a water park, people were walking around as if they were at the beach, which I found appalling until I rode one of the rides that literally dumped gallons of water on my head and I was completely soaked to the bone. I was a bit less of a fashion snob then, seeing how the idea of just walking around in your bathing costume was actually using your brain....Anyway, Kennywood has amused my own family and all of Pittsburgh for several generations with an idyllic 19th century history that boasts one of the oldest hand-carved merry-go-rounds in the world and wooden roller coasters almost as old. I threatened to take Eric Shiner, Director of the Warhol, who has never been to Kennywood! I can't imagine how he managed that, but he demurred and I managed to enjoy screaming on the roller coasters with my sister Lauren and my nephews Jack 9 and Cole 7, without Mr. Shiner. Or well, probably a good thing for a colleague to not see such a childish display, although I don't think Eric will ever be the same after seeing me in my Steelers jersey on game day. It seems, no matter how far I travel and all the wonders of the world that I see, I the still love that old dusty Kennywood park with its views of still active steel mills along the banks of the river and the smell of grease from old wooden rides and funnel cake. If I were going to make a scented candle, it would be that scent, dough frying in oil with top notes of confectioner’s sugar and light notes of roller coaster grease...
Vegas Baby! Ann's amazing cake of the sunset strip.
Next stop, Vegas baby! I had no idea the level of extravagance, excitement and fun that awaited me and 150+ of Ann Tenenbaum's friends for her big birthday weekend at the Wynn Encore. Ann's entire family was there, along with friends she grew up with, went to school with and has known for many years. I am a relatively new friend since her and her husband, Tom Lee, have added some of the gallery artists to their very impressive collection. The party itself was a blast with incredible food, dancing until 4am (at least that is when I left and it was still going strong) followed by brunch the morning after, helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon and, of course, shopping. Monday morning I awoke to the phone ringing. One of Ann's brilliant party organizers was inquiring if I needed assistance with my luggage. WHAT!?!?! It's time to go to the airport!??! I must have overslept! I jumped up and in fifteen minutes flat had the explosion of three weeks of wardrobe, jewelry, makeup, gifts and swag collected along the way contained back in my suitcase. Whew, I made it to the airport with time to spare before my flight to LA for the next adventure. Why did I nearly miss my flight you may wonder? What happens in Vegas, darling....stays!!
Tomorrow... La La Land with Lisa Anne Auerbach...
Dancing the night away in Vegas.
The otherwise mild mannered art dealer Craig Starr of New York with his goth barbed wire fake tattoo.
I opted for a more demure Cherry icon like the kind one hopes to get three of on the slot machines...