Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Untitled, 2012, by Ahmed Alsoudani

Tar Baby on Pig with "N," 2011, by Vanessa German

Triple Silver Disaster, 1963, by Andy Warhol

Goodwin Tavern sign, circa 1800-1825, by William Rice

Fall-Front Desk, circa 1870, by William Howard 

Chinese Firecrackers, circa 1890, by John Haberle

Wall Drawing #1131, Whirls and Twirls, 2004, by Sol LeWitt

Library inside museum

Untitled/Tower, 2001, by Charles LeDray (carved from human bone)

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It was to be our last breakfast at Mermaid Inn.  Tien had havarti/lobster omelette and I had a raisin bagel with ham steak.  While eating, Tien and I marveled at Josephine's innkeeping.  She sent us packing with a bag filled with a small bottle of Italian sparkling wine "Proseca," two organic yellow peaches already washed, napkins, bags of her wonderful cookies and her granola, and bottled water.  Clearly, Mermaid Inn of Mystic is one of the best B&Bs we have ever stayed in.  Very few that we've encountered can hold a candle to Josephine's hostessing.

Tien's first meeting began at 8:30a and he left me with the car.  We rented an intermediate-sized car and got a gigantic Dodge Charger.  While entering info into the GPS, across the street from where I parked were several bird feeders, loads of birds and a couple of squirrels, and I watched for a few minutes.

Apple GPS helped me get to Hartford easily.  It was a one hour drive with no morning traffic to speak of, the likes of which we are used to in California.  The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is smack in the middle of downtown.  I arrived too early, so I drove around looking for a good lot.  The convention center garage was an expensive $18, but the clerk let me out and also gave directions to a closer one, $12.  Now I was only ten minutes early.  A museum security guard headed in the same direction walked me to the entrance.  He asked where I was from and wasn't surprised when I said California.  When I asked why he said that, he said it was my magenta suede sneakers, which he liked, and said I had that "hip Cali vibe" (what?  hahaha).

The museum was undergoing renovations and none of their costume and textile collection are on exhibit, BOOHOOHOO!!!  That was the whole reason for my drive there.  Still, I wanted to visit.  The first gallery contained works by famous painters, Chagall Munch Dali Magritte Miro Picasso Mondrian Pollack DeKooning Warhol Krasner.  I took loads of photos (no flash).  So many interesting pieces in the contemporary gallery, such as a stack of dollhouse-sized furniture each carved from human bone (Charles LeDray).  My favorite contemporary works were an assemblage, Tar Baby on Pig with "N" by Vanessa German and an untitled painting by Ahmed Alsaldani, depicting the aftermath of a car bomb.  There was an on-site mixed media installation by a South Central L.A. artist, Mark Bradford.  There were old American furniture of exceptional quality, including a baby crib carved from the Charter Oak.  The Colt (guns) family's art and antique collection was here too.  There was much to absorb and I spent 3.5 hours here -- I love going to museums alone.  No one to rush me.  On the drive back to Groton, again, there was hardly any traffic.

Tien emerged from work with his colleague Rob.  We three drove up to Boston and traffic was awful for parts of the two hour drive.  We dropped off Rob at his hotel, then Tien checked us into the Kendall Hotel, a converted fire station -- very cute!  Lots of American folk art decor, including a doll whose skirt was made from an old leather punching bag.  Our bathroom has dalmation art, the classic firehouse dog.  Guest rooms are in a modern six-story building attached to the 1894 firehouse.

Our dinner was at Legal Seafood across the street.  The location of our hotel is the center of the MIT campus, tech and pharma companies.  Google and Microsoft are nearby.  After dinner we walked around and I'm sure we were very near my pal Tzotsy's former office where I met her for lunch a few years ago.