If I were to use a trendy and tired convention, I’d say this last weekend was quiltastic. There was no booksigning and lecture at the recently-reopened De Young Museum — perhaps our intrepid young miss hambox totally got some dates wrong. However, the Quilts of Gee’s Bend exhibit was there and it was worth being alive for. Not only that, but there was free admission; the sun was shining; there was crazy amounts of activity since it was opening day of the Chicano exhibit (although speaker Cheech Marin cancelled — cheeeesh); chattering pods of people frolicked everywhere; the De Young was packed to the gills with art art art. It was like the start of an opening musical number.. all the extras milling around in happy throngs, smiling, laughing, greeting… just before — ta dah!! — the protagonist (Cheech?) can’t help himself — he plants his feet, raises his arms and siiiiiiings! Then the extras bust out in synchronized glee, while the more spectacular dancers throw in some power leaps, Twyla-style. What is WITH San Francisco these days?

Say what you will about the exterior design of the museum, about the alleged bad behavior of the main fundraising cheerleader, about Target, about that tower — poo poo to you. It’s all wonderful.

And the quilts. Damn. A call to Bay Areans: run, don’t walk to the exhibit. Throw in some power leaps, if you can. As always, my flickr photostream supplies the visuals.

This day happened after going to bed the night before with mah belly full of one of the finest meals I’ve ever had (Hello, Pechuga de Pato — pan roasted Muscovy duck breast, over foie gras tacu-tacu, sautéed tatsoi and duck jus? Will you marry me?)

After the meal and the De Young, did I simply expire from happiness? Nope! The rest of the weekend wasn’t a cherry on the sundae — it was a whole ‘nother sundae. Stay tuned.