Tag: japanese

Love is Calling: Your Guide to the Tampa Museum of Art

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“Dots are symbols of the world, the cosmos. The Earth is a dot, the moon, the sun, the stars are all made up of dots. You and me, we are dots.” – Yayoi Kusama

Love is Calling: Your Guide to the Tampa Museum of Art

If you live in Central Florida and spend any time on social media, chances are you’ve seen the glowing neon tentacle-like sculptures that form the LOVE IS CALLING exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art. As someone who spends her fair share of time in art museums, I was especially drawn to this colorful mirrored exhibit, and knew that I had to make the trip across the state to see it in person.

LOVE IS CALLING, an infinity room by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, was well worth the visit. The exhibition, which first came to Tampa in September, will be leaving the museum on February 14, so if Kusama’s works strike your fancy, be sure to plan your trip ASAP.

Here’s what you should know before you go:

  • Buy a timed ticket ahead of time. The ticket you purchase online will guarantee you access to LOVE IS CALLING at a set time, and will also grant admission to the museum as a whole. Entry to LOVE IS CALLING does not require the timed ticket, but because of the exhibition’s popularity, you may not be able to get in otherwise.
  • Go early, especially if you’re going on the weekend. I visited on Sunday and set my entry time for 10:30 a.m. to avoid the crowds.
  • Space in Kusama’s infinity room is limited, and visitors only get two minutes to enjoy the exhibition. However, you’ll have unlimited time to enjoy the other exhibits.
  • You’ll hear a recording of Kusama reading her poem Residing in a Castle of Shed Tears in Japanese. When you exit the room, you can read the poem in English. The poem has different meanings if you read it from top to bottom vs. bottom to top.
  • If you’re uncomfortable with dark enclosed spaces, this exhibit may not be for you.

Love is Calling: Your Guide to the Tampa Museum of Art

I would be remiss not to share my experience with another exhibition at the museum, Robert Indiana: A Sculpture Retrospective. Known for his LOVE series, Robert Indiana was an artist who created sculptures, mixed media, pop art, and other works over the course of more than 50 years. His exhibition is on display though March 17, and I enjoyed it as much as (if not more than!) LOVE IS CALLING.

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Be sure to spend some time exploring the galleries to learn about other artists and even enjoy the classical antiquities. Afterward, pop over to Anise Global Gastrobar across the street for a delicious lunch, or take a stroll along the water through Curtis Waterfront Park and take in the beautiful views of the University of Tampa (which houses the Henry B. Plant Museum from my previous St. Pete/Tampa post).

What’s next on your art-themed bucket list? Share your favorites in the comments!

Link Love December: Holiday Takeover

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Happy Hump Day! With Christmas just around the corner, you may have noticed a holiday theme here on the blog in recent weeks. Although my content will soon transition toward more wellness and goal-setting posts for the new year, I wanted to cap the holiday season with a festive Link Love for the month of December.

As far as life updates go, since our last Link Love post in October, I’ve been keeping busy with fun local adventures and have some exciting surprises for you coming to the blog in 2019. Since our last Link Love, I made a pound of chocolate at Farris & Foster, watched a UCF football game from directly on the field, dolled myself up for the Pineapple Ball, and so much more. I can’t wait to see what the rest of 2018 will bring!

What have you been reading lately? Check out some recent favorites of mine and share your own in the comments!

What links are you loving lately? Sound off in the comments section!

Link Love Wednesday: Rock Mafia and Haunted Houses

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ridinghoodshoI can’t believe Halloween is already almost here! The month of October really flew by, and I’m still not really sure what my costume will entail this year — although there’s a good chance that I’ll break out the famous tiger ears again! 😉

What are your Halloween plans this year? Let me know what you’re up to in the comments section below. (I’m in need of some costume inspiration!) As always, enjoy this week’s Link Love.

Things I’m Loving Lately

  • The delicious handcrafted marshmallows at Wondermade, a local cafe in Sanford, FL. You can purchase their many flavors as gift packages online!
  • When The Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka, about one family’s experience with the Japanese internment camps during World War II. A very moving read.
  • The Big Bang by Rock Mafia. It isn’t new to me, but I could listen to this song for hours on repeat.
  • My recent purchases made through Pop Your Pup. It’s an awesome place to make pop art T-shirts of your pets!
  • Julian Edelman, Wide Receiver for the New England Patriots. He’s been on my fantasy football team from the beginning, and what he lacked in points this week, he easily made up for in dashing good looks. 🙂

What’s your favorite link love this week? Share your latest findings in the comments section below!

Adventures in Florida: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

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MorikamiA couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to cross another item off of my 25 at 25 Bucket List: visiting the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida. When you’ve lived somewhere for most of your life, you start to take it for granted, and sometimes miss out on some of the amazing hidden gems right in your own backyard. It is my goal this year to pursue new experiences in Florida and visit some of the places I’ve always wanted to see. The Morikami Museum was definitely one of those places, and it did not disappoint.

The Morikami Museum sits on 200 acres of Japanese gardens, all representing different eras of garden design. I went with my parents on a breezy, overcast day — perfect walking weather in Florida — and it felt like we were in another time and another world.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

We learned about the history of the Yamato Colony, a pioneering group of Japanese farmers who settled in South Florida in the early 1900s. The colony never grew past 35 farmers, especially because it consisted mainly of young single men (most women weren’t interested in relocating from Japan to the Yamato Colony). However, the land was donated by one of the last colony members and preserved as a place to celebrate Japanese culture and educate others on the lesser-known history of Japanese heritage in Florida.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

We also walked through the museum, modeled after a Japanese villa, and visited the art installations as well. The art installations focused on life during World War II in the Japanese internment camps, a dark time in America’s history. I didn’t know much about the internment camps prior to my visit (just that they existed), but the exhibitions were so moving that they inspired me to learn more after I left. I am now reading Julie Otsuka’s novel When The Emperor Was Divine, which focuses on a family sent to an internment camp in Utah, and still can’t believe that this really happened here less than 100 years ago. One room of the museum features The Tag Project, a set of seven hanging installations that consist of replicas of each identification tag for all of those displaced to internment camps. It creates a startling visual of just how many people were displaced at that time.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Visiting the Morikami Museum was an amazing educational experience that I cannot recommend enough.  For those who live in South Florida or are planning a trip, take some time to walk through these gardens and learn about the Japanese culture, past and present.

What’s on your bucket list this year? Share your latest adventures in the comments section below!