Blow a bubble

Beginning Saturday 11, a bubble will burst. More specifically, many of Casey Carle’s shiny spheres will explode at BubbleMania at the New York Hall of Science at his three daily shows (bubblemania.com). Carle says that it’s important “to respect the bubble. And know that they are ephemeral. You have to plan for when it’s not going to be there by having a backup plan.” Sounds like good advice—someone tell our 401k.—Drew Toal

Illustration: Atsuhiro Saisho

Step 1: Make a solution
Pour an entire gallon of distilled water into a bucket. Begin to stir it slowly, then add twelve ounces of Dawn Original Scent dishwashing soap (not the Ultra kind). Then stir in three tablespoons of glycerin.

Illustration: Atsuhiro Saisho

Step 2: Find a suitable implement
A wand can be made of most anything you can blow bubbles through (though a wedding ring might not be the best idea), but Carle cites a Hoberman sphere as being particularly versatile.

Illustration: Atsuhiro Saisho

Step 3: Do some wacky tricks
“I’ll blow a series of bubbles from my hand, and I’ll go to juggle them,” says Carle. “There might be a dozen of them in the air, and I will grab the ones that look healthier, based on the colors.” Nothing’s sadder than a sickly bubble.

Illustration: Atsuhiro Saisho

Step 4: Have an exit strategy
“The bubble is going to blow up in my face eventually, I know that, so I get out from underneath it so I don’t get soap in my eye,” says Carle. How important is timing? Just ask the folks who didn’t dump their real estate before that bubble burst.

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