Grand Opening of the Healdsburg Hand Fan Museum
Hotel with a view--looking over the living roof of the h2hotel to Fitch Mountain.
Sometimes we come back to a site that meant something at one time and now is something entirely different and even the opposite of the previous incarnation. This is the case for me when I visited 219 Healdsburg Avenue, where I worked at Fast Gas in 1973 and 1974. The gas station is long gone and probably resides only in the memories of those who once worked there. The new incarnation of 219 Healdsburg Avenue is the chic and eco-conscious, h2hotel and spoonbar.
I met Liz Keeley, museum director, to talk about the grand opening of the Hand Fan Museum in its new location as part of the h2hotel building. A natural host, Liz gave me the grand tour of the spoonbar and h2hotel as part of our interview. This LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building offers travelers with an eco-bent all they could want in eco-responsibility. From recycled materials in floors, staircases and lounging area to its fourth-floor living roof that captures rainwater, the hotel is a model for sustainability.
A modern Bali fan, fabric with palmetto on display at h2hotel in Healdsburg.
The spoonbar, named for its installation art wall showcasing 2500 spoons and trickling water created by Ned Kahn is an affordable place to lunch ($10-$14 for sandwiches) and the ambiance can’t be beat. Open, refreshing and comfortable—you won’t feel out of place in casual wear.
The Hand Fan Museum, the only one of its kind in the United States, reopens on Sunday, November 7 from 5 – 7 p.m. Wine will be poured by Portalupi Wine. The 2010 Annual American Fan Collector museum exhibit will feature American fan collector, Gina Hook.
An 1880 fan with bone sticks, satin with lace, on display at h2hotel in Healdsburg
The Hand Fan Museum serves as a means to teach art, history and geography through the use of hand fans. According to their website, “This endeavor is intended to be both educational and fun—bringing enjoyment to participants of all ages.”
The Museum features rotating exhibits
On Monday, November 8, a luncheon to honor Gina Hook will be held in the spoonbar and Gina will talk about her fan collection. The price for this event, including lunch, is $25.
Why the spoonbar? Because of the art, of course, 2500 spoons and water combine in a dynamic art installation.
I enjoyed my tour, and though I only got to see the fans in h2hotel, as the exhibit was not yet installed, I can’t help but say the new incarnation of 219 Healdsburg Ave. has a lot more to offer than the old.
Details:
Grand Opening:
Sun., Nov. 7, 2010
5 – 7 p.m.
Gina Hook Luncheon at spoonbar:
Mon., Nov. 8, 2010
12 noon
RSVP: Liz Keeley 431-2500
219 Healdsburg Avenue
Healdsburg CA 95448
contact me
I bought two fans from the Hand Fan Museum when they were in their former location. What a great little museaum/store! I will definitely try to attend the grand opening.
I’m sure Liz will be delighted to hear that, ER. I like the gracious beauty of hand fans. I wish I had all the fans my grandmother once collected. I have no idea where they went.
Wow. Those fans are absolutely beautiful! What is “the spoon bar”? If it lived closer I would check it out for myself, but I’m afraid that’s a little too far for me
Spoonbar is a bar and restaurant that is named after an art installation featuring 2500 spoons with water trickling over them creating movement and light. It has an affordable lunch weekdays and offers dinner on the weekends. The spoonbar’s doors can be opened to the sidewalk and it offers a way to be part of Healdsburg while eating and drinking.