I left my aunt's apartment in Greenwich Village and crossed the street to
Think to get my espresso. I love mah espresso. So much so that I have an ongoing project called "
My espresso in its native habitat." I tumble that project.
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| This is the building across from her apartment. |
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| Macchiato |
I took the subway and wandered through Central Park on my journey to
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. When I lived in the city I didn't spend much time in Central Park so it was nice to have the opportunity again. Nothing was in bloom so the park had a mysterious air and it reminded me of the inspired feeling I get when the weather gets cooler and fall awakens. Looking past fall, I always find the end of the year a good time to
reflect.
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| Art in the subway |
Once I got to The Met the first room I came upon was the European Gallery, which houses paintings from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Britain from ca 1230-1900. The Gallery is divided into two suites, one houses works of the Old Masters and the other 19th century paintings. I was in awe. Beyond the incredible skill of the masters I always fantasize about the lives of the artists and their subjects, whether they were real or fictional. And there's something incredible about being at the same distance the artists were from these incredible works. Going to the museum always makes me emotional. I get teary eyed. It's ridiculous. I don't know why exactly. It's just amazing the dedication that artists have to their passion. It certainly isn't an easy profession and sometimes the way the lifestyle and personality traits of artistic types are perceived actually works against them in the real world.
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| Leon Bonnat, An Egyptian Peasant Woman and Her Child |
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| Henri Regnault, Salome |
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| Hugues Merle, Falling Leaves, Allegory of Autumn |
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| Jules-Joseph Lefebvre, Graziella (the Neopolitan Fisherman's Daughter) |
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| detail of Henri Rousseau's The Repast of the Lion |
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| detail |
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| Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant, Judith |
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| Alfred Stevens, In the Studio |
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| Jean Leon Gerome, Arabs |
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| Leon Cogniet, Rebecca and Sir Brian de Bois-Gilbert |
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| Gerome, Almeh with Pipe |
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| Paul Cezanne, Antoine Dominique Saveur Aubert, The Artist's Uncle, as a Monk |
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| detail of Claud Monet's Haystacks (Effect of Snow and Sun) |
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| Pablo Picasso, Head of a Woman |
I had to tell myself to stop taking pictures like a silly tourist and just keep soaking it all in. I wanted to be able to share some of my favorite paintings from the day as well as educate myself on some artists with whom I wasn't familiar.
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| detail of Paul Gaguin's Two Tahitian Women |
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| Gerome, Bashi-Bazouk |
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| Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough and Her Son, Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill |
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| Rodin, Cupid and Psyche |
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| Jules Bastien-Lepage's Joan of Arc |
I went to The Met because there were two photo exhibits I wanted to see, the first one I saw was Spies in the House of Art: Photography, Film, and Video. I was most excited about seeing the work of Cindy Sherman and Francesca Woodman, two photographers I've long admired. The second was the collection of Alfred Stieglitz. It was interesting to see the photographs he was drawn to personally or those he thought were otherwise worth acquiring. Honestly, I was much more taken by the paintings you see here but I'm still glad I saw the photo exhibits.
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| I took this as I was leaving The Met |
After The Met I went to
Mottsu, a Japanese restaurant ... on Mott St. This is an unassuming little place my dear friend, and wonderful model,
Michelle discovered when we lived in NYC during the same period of time. Ahh, we had such great times!
Next, I strolled around the lower east side. I wanted to check out
End of Century, a boutique that houses uniquely wonderful artisan jewelry and clothing by independent designers. The space also dedicates a few white walls to artwork like paintings, mixed media, and photography. What a dream for a girl like me - it embodies every kind of art that is part of (my) daily life. Awesome, friendly place.
Then I strolled over to
143, which I tried to visit in December but apparently I was lost. I just thought they were closed (it was dark and I was rushed). 143 features vintage wear and casual pieces from Chrissie Miller's Sophomore line and higher end designs by Lindsey Thornburg, known for her luscious cloaks. Cool place.
Somewhere along the way I saw the best jacket ever. And if you don't know what this is, I'm sorry. Now you have homework.
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| Come As You Are |
Before I headed back to my aunt's I made one last stop. I was heading for coffee and a sweet snack or maybe pizza but something caught my eye.
Oficina Latina in Nolita. The atmosphere was a handshake between old world Latin charm and sleek, modern design. It's a romantic and perfect space for any occasion. I had an avocado cilantro margarita with a spicy rim and the albondigas - ground pork and cotija cheese meatballs in a homemade tomato sauce with crusty bread and served in a mini cast iron Dutch oven. Perfect. Love this place. The bartender gave me a sample of the blackberry piña colada. It was like dessert! About the avocado margarita, the girl next to me said, "It sounds weird but it just works." She came to try it out because she heard about it on The Morning or Today Show on National Margarita Day recently. Sometimes I'm so proud to be Texan.
Going to the museum isn't just about time solely spent at the museum; it's the journey and what you do with the entire day...And the time you take to see, experience, and think about what's around you.
