The 6 1 5 + Making Stuff

The 6 1 5

I have been fortunate to be able to go on little trips almost every two months this year. In September, I took a solo trip to the 6-1-5 (aka Nashville) to see my family and attend my cousin’s wedding. We had a mini Sinz reunion with almost all of the immediate family and grandkids. Nik was the only one missing, but having 11 of 12 there for a whole weekend was pretty fantastic. My sister, brother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law and I even got to go out after the wedding for drinks without kids!!! It might have been the first time that we have ever done that, and we all decided that it should happen more often.

The old Marathon Automobiles building, and the new home to Antique Archaeology

Also, I requested a trip to Antique Archaeology…you know…the place where Mike and Frank of American Pickers fame sell their wares? So my entire family (parents, brother’s family, Aunts, and Uncles) loaded in cars and met there as soon as they opened on Saturday morning. Well, the location was awesome and it was really cool to see some of the stuff from the show, but the shop is more gift store/museum than pickers paradise. And the place was PACKED. We luckily got there right when they opened on Saturday morning, but if we had waited half an hour, we would have had to wait in line. To get into a gift store. Seriously?? But I bought my American Pickers sticker and my dad and brother geeked out on all the old motorcycle engines on display, so it was worth the early wake up call!!

My dad explaining the intricacies of the Indian motorcycle engine sitting at his feet

Niece and Nephew being adorable

After the weekend in Nashville, I went to Kentucky to help warm my sister’s new home. This is the home they see themselves living in for the rest of their lives, so I wanted to be there in the beginning. My nieces are sure to have incredibly fond childhood memories of the house, and I was able to participate in a few of their very first ones. We spent a couple afternoons doing cart wheels and dance moves in the backyard. One evening we raked huge piles of leaves that they jumped in without realizing that the leaves were peppered with dog poop. (The joy of being an aunt is that I didn’t have to clean them up afterwards!!) Then one evening my niece rode her bike for the first time without training wheels!!!!!

R taking her first ride with her Mom and Dad following closely

A Spinning

(A. specifically requested a spinning photo of herself after seeing the one Nik made of me here.)

I was also treated to a couple days of sister-sister bonding time. We went to the American Quilt Museum in downtown Paducah and saw one of the coolest collections of vintage quilts. We had lunch at a cute little bakery after listening to part of the city-wide cell phone walking tour. Then we went to a fabric store where Keisha and I picked fabrics for a quilt that I will be making for their family. Now that my week with my sister is over, I miss her more than ever.

The generator room for an old bunker at the Presidio

A condemned military prison

In other new and exciting bits from San Francisco, I have spent some quality time in the Presidio lately, I have been sewing a ton, and I am about to take my final test to become a licensed architect next week. My days are busy and varied, just the way I like them.

The sewing process

A quilt I made for my parents 40th Anniversary and 60th Birthdays

Star Quilt (the back)- I am making this one out of scrap fabric for Nik and I

BEFORE / AFTER – Today I rescued an old wool sweater from Nik’s donation pile, and made myself one super cozy, slim fitting sweater.

The next time you hear from me, I will have gone on our BIG TRIP OF THE YEAR!!!!!! We are going to Japan for two weeks over Thanksgiving…that’s less than two weeks away!!! We cannot wait.

Mexico City: Historic District & Other Buildings

For some reason, visiting Mexico City was the first time in quite a while where I felt like an architect traveling. I was constantly dragging Nik into this building and that building just to see the buildings. I went to several art museums and wandered down several small streets just because I could see an interior or the corner of a building that I thought might be interesting. I could easily imagine leading a group of students around this city to sketch. So many details are worth studying!! Also, several of the buildings are open to the public. Some are art galleries, but many of the largest and most ornate structures are publicly owned, like the central post office.

Bicycles parked in front of the Ángel de la Independencia on Reforma Avenue

Post Office

The courtyards of the Secretary of Public Education are lined with Diego Rivera murals on all three levels. It is the most pleasant public building I have ever been to.

The iconic eagle eating a snake that marked a critical moment in Mexico City’s settlement.

Mexico City: Museo Nacional de Antropologia

Entry Fountain – Museo Nacional de Antropologia

Per my cousin’s recommendation, I dedicated an entire day to wandering through the Museo Nacional de Antropologia (the National Museum of Anthropology). Luckily, it was only a five minute walk from our hotel so I got there as soon as the museum opened and had the place to myself while I walked through the first few galleries. Admission was free, but I did pay for the English audio tour (75 pesos/$5.50). I never like reading in museums because the lighting is always dark which gives me a headache after about thirty minutes. Unfortunately, the audio tour map was extremely hard to follow and I often found myself searching for the artifacts that went along with the description. By the second or third room, I just pressed numbers for items I knew were in the room even if I didn’t know which item it was. I wish the recording would have played continuously so that I could wander aimlessly with it in the background. But life isn’t perfect all the time!!

Courtyard

Mexico City before the Lake was completely filled in

The Aztec Calendar

On the walk home I finally took a photo of one of the many public sculptures that I adored on Reforma Avenue. The series of twenty-four bronze sculptures are by Jorge Marin. My favorites are of men in various poses with extremely long beaks. I wish I had one of these in my living room.

Equilibrista en Split Monumental by Jorge Marin