Did You See a Movie in a Theater This Year?

Did you see a Movie in a theater this year? December is a month full of new releases. Many families celebrate the holiday season by going to the movies. With streaming at home readily available, movie theater attendance has declined over the years. Here’s an article from January 2022 telling how movie attendance is below historical norms (quotes are from article)

  • “U.S. adults saw an average of 1.4 movies in a theater in the past 12 months”
  • 61% of Americans have not attended a movie in a theater in the past year”

I have friends who are regular moviegoers? I used to see a lot of movies in the theater but since the pandemic, I can count on one hand. Once.

Balloons on Hudson Street

Happy Passover. Eappy Easter
from Big Head Balloons

On the way to the parking garage as I was leaving town, luggage in hand….I had to stop and take a photo.

There is a Balloon Banksy at work (although the article says he’s retired) Joel Klein has been in the ballon biz for more than 40 years and runs Big Head Balloons and you can see his creations on Instagram bigheadballoons.

Music and Chocolate Cake in Zagreb, Croatia

So I got home from my weekend in Ohio, Sunday night with no chance to photograph the neighborhood for the weekly photo challenge as it was dark outside.  Changing the clocks didn’t help me with enough light by the time I pulled in the driveway

-but in my inbox I found a message  from my son Matthew who lives in Zagreb, Croatia (9 years already!)

The  subject of his email:  Guest blog 🙂                  The dilemma of what to post?                    SOLVED!

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Dear Ma, 
Yesterday I spent the evening with the Kaplowitz family.  My dear friend Joe Kaplowitz is pretty much the only American I know over here and he invited me over for an American-style chocolate cake.  Not only is he a brilliant jazz musician but he is quite an accomplished baker to boot!  His beautiful wife Lela is a marvelous singer and they recently came out with a big-band album of original compositions called With Every Breath that you can hear (and buy!) here
 
After enjoying a generously-sized hunk of cake chased by a glass of milk, Joe, Lela, their daughter Lucija and I played a cut-throat game of Name That Tune. Lucija is also a budding musician, so as you might imagine the competition was pretty stiff.  Then we headed to the parlor for a concert.  Joe and Lucija, who plays the violin, teamed up for a set of traditional Croatian melodies played over some soulful blues piano.  
Perhaps I was witnessing the concept for the next album being born.
Joe’s cake was so tasty that I plan to go back over tomorrow for another sliver.  
In keeping with the spirit of the blog, will get the recipe tomorrow and send it to you!
 
Love, Matthew
p.s. Here is the recipe, just in from Zagreb this morning    

 
only got 3 stars but i thought it was fabulous!

Kaplowitz Family

 
 

Without the 3-D Glasses, the Movie’s Blurry

Girls night at the Dollar Theatre (well more than a dollar but weeknights it is 1.75!) Maura on a booster, Erika, Anna and Laura.  

Last day of school, two art rooms cleaned and packed up until mid-August.  Time to relax and enjoy.

Today is the 999th post so tomorrow it will be one thousand.

Marking summer with a brighter header of the city,  taken June 14th.

 

How to Keep Four Children Entertained at the Motel

Well, three of them.

You know how I love to capture those candids.  When electronic devices are involved they’re in another place and pay no attention to me and my camera.  Shot in October 2009 but when I found it today it made me chuckle.

17 Years in the Making – There are Rules to Follow

1. No styrofoam in the center is allowed. Has to be a rubber band core.

2. You have to find the rubber band or be given a rubber band.

Rubber is heavy.  Like a medicine ball.  I was surprised by the weight of it.

This ball is so large that the newspaper rubber bands can’t fit around it.  A chef donates his escarole rubber bands.  Mr. Laszlo Zongor has taught a couple of young people how to start a rubber band ball the correct way.

I believe there are other rules but I can’t remember and he said to not misquote him!!

In Pittsburgh, rubber bands are called gum bands by many!

And yes, I looked it up and there is a guy who claims he has the real deal biggest authentic rubber band ball that he has stretched each band onto, individually.   My friend E at work has a ball she started 11 years ago! She said she had started to buy the lettuce, pre washed in a bag and wasn’t getting those nice big fat Romaine bands lately.

I wish I had asked what motivated them to start making the rubber band ball……………….and then the commitment to “growing it”.

 

And a P.S. from Melinda (his wife) after viewing the post

“I think the last rule you forgot was that the rubber bands cannot be lengthened by tying one to another – each band has to fit entirely around the ball on its own.  That’s the challenge at this point:  finding bands that are long enough, since most will no longer work.  ….Makes it somewhat self-limiting in size!”

Not sure who checks if one is following the rules but wanted to include it, since I forgot!

 

People at Work: Body Artist

This is not your ordinary face painting!

Last week one of my student’s moms came in to create a special gift for the Communications student teacher as a farewell present on her last day of student teaching.  The timing of it fell on Friday afternoon when they were scheduled for Art class and they asked if it would be okay and I agreed it would be fun to see an artist at work. ( I think she is going to return for Career Day, too)

Michele Johnson is the owner of 7 Heirs Body Art Co/ 7 Heirs Media and was telling us about how she was doing body art  painting during the Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears concerts, drawing a crowd as concertgoers looked on at her work.  It is true, she is quick and creative and the design appears rapidly and beautifully and the addition of jewels tops it off. The students gave a nice round of applause and it took no time at all!

Have an event and need some pizazz, call Michelle 412. 586.5006 or email her –     kristal_klere(at)yahoo(dot)com

Pittsburgh jazz scene alive and well at CJ’s in the Strip

My Funny Valentine expertly played by Sean Jones on trumpet- we stopped in for about twenty minutes as we headed to megabus. Matthew was here for about ten hours.
Jazz starts at 8 on Thursdays Check out http://www.cjsinthestrip.com and to listen go to http://www.rogerhumphries.com

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