A happening in Pittsburgh, PA (I know right?)

Photo by Cup of Couple

Mike & Gabi of Cup of Couple

Gala of Amlul

Wearing: Cardigan – ATEA. Leather trousers – Raquel Allegra. heels – Alexander Wang. Full outfit coming SOooosooon.

Yonks ago – September last year to be exact – I woke up in a truly irregular setting: Pittsburgh, USA. Kidneys, did I have them? Both fine. I ordered up some breakfast room service, and got dressed to join the rest of the equally puzzled crew down in the lobby. We were going to see a train – one inhabited by artists, musicians and their various instruments – that had arrived at Penn Union Station the night before. Brought together by Levi’s, curated by artist Doug Aitkin, this train (an assortment of vintage carriages dating back to 1914) had originated from New York and over the course of 3 weeks was to travel through the country to the West coast, dropping off and picking up creatives on its way, putting on festivals in celebration of art, street culture, music and food in ten cities between New York and Oakland, California. Much like going West for gold, in fact, especially in how the journey itself transpires to be the more valuable reward. It was essentially a kinetic, modern art installation championed by one of America’s oldest, and most identified brands – an ad campaign, of course, but only technically. I must admit, much of the art was lost on yours truly, to whom the world of contemporary art is a dizzying mystery… I did although enjoy myself all the same as the world of food, is in fact a sanctuary (especially when ghost chili cucumbers are involved). All-in-all, given the similarly dizzyingly mysterious nature of waking up in Pittsburgh one September morning – like some kind of abstract performance art- I remember it all as though I had some kind of an official part in the expedition… Alas, I was no artist, and we – the motley crew (international press of all shapes and sizes) – travelled by air. My only regret is having spent too long checking if my kidneys were there and then gobbling down scrambled eggs that I didn’t allocate enough time to explore the city at all. Classic.

Huge thanks to Levi’s for allowing me to experience a small part of the Station to Station adventure.