"Vernissage" a fancy word for "Opening"

I have a small gripe: the word "vernissage." I'm not exactly sure when this word started to replace the more adequate and appropriate "opening" but armory week was filled with vernissages. "Oh, it's the preview!" a friend of mine said. "Ah! The Pre-View." Now that's a word that makes sense--the first view or view before the view...well, it kind of makes sense. What's the etymology of "vernissage"? It's French of course (which makes it fancier), from 1912, and it refers to the day before an exhibition's official opening when artists were able to put the finishing touches on their paintings and then varnish them (vernissage comes from varnish). There's not much varnishing going on at these private previews, just plain old beer and sometimes $12 glasses of wine. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a good vernissage now and then, I'd just prefer to call it the preview...and I will. 

Also, a weird thing I MUST comment on is VernissageTV. I would love for someone to explain to me this blog's merits, but honestly, it's truly ridiculous! I cannot imagine anyone watching this stuff. Boredom is an understatement. If only VernissageTV were an artwork on the ennui of the art world, then it would be high satire and awesomely funny, but as is, it's an exercise in patience. Check it out right before you get into bed.