Exploratorium 08/27/2016

Dawn and I visited the Exploratorium's new location, for the first time, on Saturday. Dawn wanted to see the Strandbeest exhibit before it closed.

Overview:

"This summer, experience Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen at the Exploratorium from May 27 to September 5, 2016. This special exhibition features enormous kinetic sculptures called strandbeests—“beach animals” in Dutch—that mesmerize with their eerily lifelike motion. Constructed largely of PVC tubing and equipped with sensory organs and ever-evolving survival strategies, these amazing beests walk a wandering, wind-blown line between art and engineering, mechanics and biology.

Physicist-turned-artist Jansen has been creating strandbeests since 1990. Iteratively designed and intricately assembled, Jansen’s self-propelled creatures have evolved over the years, becoming increasingly complex and lifelike, with specialized adaptations to help them survive in their seaside environment.

On tour for the first time in North America, the exhibition is illuminated by artist sketches, immersive video, live beest demonstrations, and the lyrical photography of Lena Herzog, who spent more than seven years documenting the strandbeests’ evolution."

We watched one strandbeest move, then watched a 30-minute documentary, "Strandbeesten", which featured music by Marcio Doctor.

Afterward, we drove down Highway 1 and ate, at Cameron's Restaurant & Inn, for the first time. I went with the "King's Draught", which turned out to represent Hop Dogma's "Pyros Prost":

"Pyros Prost - In the mood for something unique? This chili beer has an American rye as its base but then has habanero and jalapeño peppers added post fermentation.  It’s hot, but not overwhelming. The nose is of freshly cut peppers and it pairs quite well with many foods.  6% ABV (Honorable mention for specialty beer of the year at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition)"

Dawn had a can of Murphy's Irish Stout , and we split an "English Pastie: 'Pasty stuffed with beef, potatoes, peas, carrots, and smothered in rich gravy'" and a Chocolate Brownie Sundae. Dawn had wanted to go to Tartine Bakery, but we decided to postpone.

The pub had a book on the shelf, "Folklore of the Australian pub", by Bill Wannan (1972), ISBN 0333139062.

Links:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/strandbeest
https://www.jwz.org/blog/2016/06/backstage-at-the-exploratorium-heat-exchanger-is-a-truly-epic-series-of-tubes/