A study in Saturday contrasts

What to do on a snowy Saturday? Two more inches have fallen since my last post this AM.  Well, Mrs. Phactor decides we needs us some culture, so nothing for it but to mount a small expedition to see some fancy art glass by Dale Chihuly and some Murano glass artists.  A few years ago there was a TV special called something like Chihuly over Venice, and it showed them making some of the pieces on exhibit. It was quite impressive, the more so that this exhibit is wholly a private collection, someone with some very deep pockets! The Chihuly pieces were quite different from others we have seen in various places and venues (1conservatory,1 botanical garden, 4 museums).  From a biological perspective, the coolest pieces were a large collection of very life like glass insects, mostly beetles, but also a small swarm of bees complete with full pollen baskets. Before getting some culture, the idea was to stop for a bit of lunch on the way, and feeling a bit adventurous, the decision is made to dine at the Burger Barge, a lovely bit of Americana on the river. This is the quintessential burger joint where the burgers are quite good and served on paper and the finest of cafeteria trays and the beer is served cold and in bottles.  This is one of the more attractive things about the old USA; you can eat at a good ole boy bar and grill and then without even changing your jeans go to an art museum. In another coincidence, the museum admission for a couple of senior citizens and lunch for a couple of senior citizens was almost exactly the same amount showing the equality of culture and a couple of fancy burgers with beer (Dos XX & Red Stripe). At any rate a most pleasant Saturday diversion, and TPP got a nice Darwin greeting card in the museum shop!