Cool Snap

It's September in Omaha. I have my windows open and my air conditioning off. It rained earlier this afternoon, quietly and gently. It's almost cool enough for me to wear my new leather jacket. Summer is - and I know this breaks some of your hearts - officially over. At least today it is.

Post college, thanks to the hard convincing of my friends, I've become a lover of summer. But I have to admit that I've always been more of a fall girl at heart. I don't like swimsuits and beaches all that much, and I slather on sunblock like nobodies business. True, I like a good BBQ and some time sitting by a pool now and again. But when the air begins to cool, the days get shorter and I can pull on a thick sweater, a knit hat and pair of slouchy, suede boots. Well. Color me happy.

The fall also gets me in the mood for some serious art, and in Omaha, its the time to be an art lover. It gets me revved up for the Bemis Auction - unarguably the premier art event in the city - and this year is its 10th anniversary. I can't wait to see what tricks the Bemis has up its sleeve. It makes me want to spend cool evening in the warm light of a gallery with a glass of red wine. This season find me at the usual haunts: Tugboat, Modern Arts Midwest, Project Room and the Sheldon in Lincoln. And in Omaha, the Bemis, the Bemis Underground and the Joslyn (Can't wait for Diego Rivera). The RNG Gallery, A Moving Gallery and PULP never let me down. Fall is an exciting time to be an art lover.

The season makes me want to seek out my favorite brewpubs and wine bars in Omaha and Lincoln and gather with friends. La Buvette is lovely on a fall afternoon. And my new found love for the Omaha outpost of Jake's is sure to continue through the season.

I'm starting off my fall art season this weekend with a press tour I've been working on since January. Eight journalists are coming to Nebraska to learn about our thriving arts and culture and hopefully write lots of stories about how great it is here. I'm nervous about it. Wish me luck, and if you see me this weekend, be sure to brag about how great our city is. You might even make it into the pages of a magazine.

photos: above left, "The Last Fire" by Eric Anderson, showing at Project Room in September. At right, "Candid Rear View" by Olivia Jeffries, showing at PULP beginning Sept. 12.