Where are your manners?
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Nature Picture Overload. Brace Yourself.
Before I decided on law school I seriously wanted to go back to school to get a horticulture degree. I know, I'm not much of a gardener (yet!) but plants are amazing. I think there's an element of magic involved in how exactly they grow. (I have the same feelings about photography and developing film. It's magic.) And I maintain I'd be really good at it because so much of studying plants is visual. I like visual!
Ever the responsible one, I decided to accept my admission to law school instead. However, I admit that the last few days I've been surrounded by so much nature it made me want to change my mind...
Lunch and a Rest in Central Park, Sheep's Meadow:
Allison and I went to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and it was incredible. Definitely, definitely get out of Manhattan and into Brooklyn the next time you visit the city. The Museum and the Gardens are worth the trip (also: next door to each other. Bonus!).
TURTLES!
I was especially taken with the Fragrance Garden.
Peppermint Patty in plant form.
It actually smelled like pineapple! Tasted like sage, though. (Uh, don't tell anyone I tried it. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed.)
I didn't get a picture of it, but they had a honey garlic plant that was the most heavenly thing I've ever smelled.
I could've lived in this tree forever.
More nature to follow including a trip to upstate New York and a garden party in Manhattan. It's been an amazing few days.
Ever the responsible one, I decided to accept my admission to law school instead. However, I admit that the last few days I've been surrounded by so much nature it made me want to change my mind...
Lunch and a Rest in Central Park, Sheep's Meadow:
Allison and I went to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and it was incredible. Definitely, definitely get out of Manhattan and into Brooklyn the next time you visit the city. The Museum and the Gardens are worth the trip (also: next door to each other. Bonus!).
TURTLES!
I was especially taken with the Fragrance Garden.
Peppermint Patty in plant form.
It actually smelled like pineapple! Tasted like sage, though. (Uh, don't tell anyone I tried it. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed.)
I didn't get a picture of it, but they had a honey garlic plant that was the most heavenly thing I've ever smelled.
I could've lived in this tree forever.
More nature to follow including a trip to upstate New York and a garden party in Manhattan. It's been an amazing few days.
The Brooklyn Museum
I'm lucky to live just around the corner from the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. The other day I popped into the Brooklyn Museum to see a show of Gustave Caillebotte, a French Impressionist who worked in a more realist style.
Floor Scrapers, 1876
31 1/2 x 39 1/2 inches,
Oil on canvas
I really enjoyed the exhibition even if it's not my usual area of interest. Sometimes you just need to see a room full of beautifully painted canvases.
I wandered around the museum for a little while and was, as usual, taken aback but how strange this institution is. I've been several times but it always gets me. (Don't get me started on the insane wall colors). The Brooklyn Museum strives to be a teaching institution, which I'm all for in theory. The way they try to achieve this, though, is kinda wacky. Rather than use a strictly chronological or geographical curatorial approach (which has its own flaws, I admit), they group works together by themes. Or something. I'm not sure. Sometimes it works out just fine, like this area of what they are now calling "plain art."
(The Brooklyn Museum has very low lights in some areas, so I apologize that my pictures are a little fuzzy)
I'm not going to go into the long, complex history art has had with this genre or the social implications of calling something "primitive," but I will say I'm not sure deeming it "plain art" really changes anything. However, it made me think. So, success!
But then you get things like this:
Late 19th century portrait on the left, check. Early 20th century portrait, check. Uh, 1960s photograph of a naked lady stuffed in a box? Check? Something tells me the photographer, Ruth Bernhard, would not have appreciated being so literally shoved into an area devoted to women and interiors. I sure didn't appreciate it.
One thing I really did appreciate, though, was a new project installed at the museum to show off some of the permanent collection not generally seen.
There's a big ol' problem in the art world of the ethical implications of an institution selling off works in the permanent collection to fund anything other than more collecting. I understand the problem because it requires people to be smart in how they handle deaccessioning and no one will ever agree on what that means. I also have a problem with institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art being stuffed to the gills with, well, stuff but only showing 5% of its permanent collection. And they are still buying. AND they "suggest" that people pay $20 to get in because the museum has problems paying for maintenance and they pay their staff a pittance. SELL SOMETHING SITTING ON A SHELF SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AND YOU CAN PAY YOUR STAFF ADEQUATE, LIVABLE SALARIES.
Sigh.
Where was I? Oh yeah, the storage. The Brooklyn Museum received a grant to fund this room, which I think is wonderful. It's not the whole collection but it's a start. And I got to see this amazing bike:
I also really like how the Brooklyn Museum collects contemporary art despite having a varied permanent collection. This new acquisition was pretty cool:
Yoram Wolberger, Red Indian #4 (Spearman), 2008
3-d digital scanning, CNC digital sculpting, reinforced fiberglass composites, urethane paint
There's something wonderful about supersizing something originally so small. It makes you look at it differently. I don't pretend to know the deeper implications of this work because I'm not familiar with the artist, but I'm sure it didn't involve this unfortunate curatorial decision, which I assure you was deliberate:
Yes, making the Native American look like he is about to attack the sweet lady in that painting is a great idea. Great.
Even weirder? These works are crammed in a little corner with a great Dana Schutz painting.
When I moved to New York, Dana Schutz was the art world's new golden child. I imagine the wait list for buying one of her works is still a mile long, even in this economy. And the Brooklyn Museum, in a very smart move, acquired a great painting. And promptly stuck it in a corner. With a toy Indian. Attacking another painting.
Sigh. It's a thin line between playful and ridiculous.
When it comes down to it, I like the Brooklyn Museum. I always want to go when I'm here because like I said above, it's wacky. I may have some real problems with how they do things but it never fails to be interesting. And they put on some incredible exhibitions. Maybe the Brooklyn Museum is like that friend everyone has that is so awesome but has a few personality quirks that are almost unforgivable. Almost.
Floor Scrapers, 1876
31 1/2 x 39 1/2 inches,
Oil on canvas
I really enjoyed the exhibition even if it's not my usual area of interest. Sometimes you just need to see a room full of beautifully painted canvases.
I wandered around the museum for a little while and was, as usual, taken aback but how strange this institution is. I've been several times but it always gets me. (Don't get me started on the insane wall colors). The Brooklyn Museum strives to be a teaching institution, which I'm all for in theory. The way they try to achieve this, though, is kinda wacky. Rather than use a strictly chronological or geographical curatorial approach (which has its own flaws, I admit), they group works together by themes. Or something. I'm not sure. Sometimes it works out just fine, like this area of what they are now calling "plain art."
(The Brooklyn Museum has very low lights in some areas, so I apologize that my pictures are a little fuzzy)
I'm not going to go into the long, complex history art has had with this genre or the social implications of calling something "primitive," but I will say I'm not sure deeming it "plain art" really changes anything. However, it made me think. So, success!
But then you get things like this:
Late 19th century portrait on the left, check. Early 20th century portrait, check. Uh, 1960s photograph of a naked lady stuffed in a box? Check? Something tells me the photographer, Ruth Bernhard, would not have appreciated being so literally shoved into an area devoted to women and interiors. I sure didn't appreciate it.
One thing I really did appreciate, though, was a new project installed at the museum to show off some of the permanent collection not generally seen.
There's a big ol' problem in the art world of the ethical implications of an institution selling off works in the permanent collection to fund anything other than more collecting. I understand the problem because it requires people to be smart in how they handle deaccessioning and no one will ever agree on what that means. I also have a problem with institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art being stuffed to the gills with, well, stuff but only showing 5% of its permanent collection. And they are still buying. AND they "suggest" that people pay $20 to get in because the museum has problems paying for maintenance and they pay their staff a pittance. SELL SOMETHING SITTING ON A SHELF SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AND YOU CAN PAY YOUR STAFF ADEQUATE, LIVABLE SALARIES.
Sigh.
Where was I? Oh yeah, the storage. The Brooklyn Museum received a grant to fund this room, which I think is wonderful. It's not the whole collection but it's a start. And I got to see this amazing bike:
I also really like how the Brooklyn Museum collects contemporary art despite having a varied permanent collection. This new acquisition was pretty cool:
Yoram Wolberger, Red Indian #4 (Spearman), 2008
3-d digital scanning, CNC digital sculpting, reinforced fiberglass composites, urethane paint
There's something wonderful about supersizing something originally so small. It makes you look at it differently. I don't pretend to know the deeper implications of this work because I'm not familiar with the artist, but I'm sure it didn't involve this unfortunate curatorial decision, which I assure you was deliberate:
Yes, making the Native American look like he is about to attack the sweet lady in that painting is a great idea. Great.
Even weirder? These works are crammed in a little corner with a great Dana Schutz painting.
When I moved to New York, Dana Schutz was the art world's new golden child. I imagine the wait list for buying one of her works is still a mile long, even in this economy. And the Brooklyn Museum, in a very smart move, acquired a great painting. And promptly stuck it in a corner. With a toy Indian. Attacking another painting.
Sigh. It's a thin line between playful and ridiculous.
When it comes down to it, I like the Brooklyn Museum. I always want to go when I'm here because like I said above, it's wacky. I may have some real problems with how they do things but it never fails to be interesting. And they put on some incredible exhibitions. Maybe the Brooklyn Museum is like that friend everyone has that is so awesome but has a few personality quirks that are almost unforgivable. Almost.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Coney Island Mermaid Parade and Circus
For about thirty years, Coney Island has hosted the Mermaid Parade in homage to the Mardi Gras celebrations that used to take place there. There are all kinds of crazy costumes and floats, many of which are, well, scandalous. Since I had never been to coney island, I was game for the adventure. Generally, Coney Island conjures up thoughts of sunshine, beaches, carnivals. But on this day, it meant rain. And more rain. And throw some cold wind in there as well. What the heck is going on Mother Nature? This picture sums it up for me:
When the lifeguards are bundled up in head-to-toe parkas, it's probably time to go home.Or, it's time to go in the ocean!
My feet regretted that decision when they were still wet six hours later. Still, totally worth it! We braved the weather under the restroom pavillion eating Nathan's hot dogs until the parade started.
Elaine, Jessica, Elizabeth, James and Allison
If you can believe it, the guy in the white suit, mask and rifle was not associated with Shoot the Freak.
Apparently, last year at the parade there were so many people you couldn't walk on the sidewalk and could barely see the sand on the beach. It eventually filled in but we were lone, brave souls for a while.
Miraculously, the rain stopped right when the parade got to us. Even stranger, it began again immediately after the final group passed us. We are troopers, for sure. Speaking of troopers, what do you get when you cross a Storm Trooper with Borat? Exactly what you'd imagine:
There were so many children on stilts. In the rain. They were awesome, but made me nervous.
The Amazing Zoltar was self-propelled! It was built on a Segway. WANT.
This adorable girl leapt out of her stroller and yelled "Byeeeeeeeeee!" before bolting down the parade route. I would've killed for that costume when I was her age.
I kind of cut it off in the picture but this headdress was so cool.
King Neptune, aka Harvey Keitel
Just when you thought this day couldn't get any zanier, we headed to the circus! That's right, a real Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus! One of my favorite, favorite memories is the time I went to circus when I was very young, just me and my mom. I still ate my weight in popcorn and squealed at the white tigers, elephants and trapeze artists. It was amazing!
I wasn't kidding about the popcorn.
Jessica and Elizabeth couldn't smile or their noses would fall off!
On the walk back to the train we passed this amazing place:
A little kid walking in pointed and screamed, it's candy heaven!! And he was right.
That caramel apple changed my life for the better.
When the lifeguards are bundled up in head-to-toe parkas, it's probably time to go home.Or, it's time to go in the ocean!
My feet regretted that decision when they were still wet six hours later. Still, totally worth it! We braved the weather under the restroom pavillion eating Nathan's hot dogs until the parade started.
Elaine, Jessica, Elizabeth, James and Allison
If you can believe it, the guy in the white suit, mask and rifle was not associated with Shoot the Freak.
Apparently, last year at the parade there were so many people you couldn't walk on the sidewalk and could barely see the sand on the beach. It eventually filled in but we were lone, brave souls for a while.
Miraculously, the rain stopped right when the parade got to us. Even stranger, it began again immediately after the final group passed us. We are troopers, for sure. Speaking of troopers, what do you get when you cross a Storm Trooper with Borat? Exactly what you'd imagine:
There were so many children on stilts. In the rain. They were awesome, but made me nervous.
The Amazing Zoltar was self-propelled! It was built on a Segway. WANT.
This adorable girl leapt out of her stroller and yelled "Byeeeeeeeeee!" before bolting down the parade route. I would've killed for that costume when I was her age.
I kind of cut it off in the picture but this headdress was so cool.
King Neptune, aka Harvey Keitel
Just when you thought this day couldn't get any zanier, we headed to the circus! That's right, a real Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus! One of my favorite, favorite memories is the time I went to circus when I was very young, just me and my mom. I still ate my weight in popcorn and squealed at the white tigers, elephants and trapeze artists. It was amazing!
I wasn't kidding about the popcorn.
Jessica and Elizabeth couldn't smile or their noses would fall off!
On the walk back to the train we passed this amazing place:
A little kid walking in pointed and screamed, it's candy heaven!! And he was right.
That caramel apple changed my life for the better.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Shopping and Eating, It's My Life
I went into Manhattan to meet the lovely Allison and Ursula for falafel and shopping. The East Village is full of boutiques and vintage stores that are endlessly entertaining. My favorite find of the day: a jewelry store with necklaces cast with the bust of each of the Golden Girls.
I would’ve had a Dorothy in a heartbeat except they were pretty darn expensive. Maybe when I’m a successful lawyer I’ll buy one. Or maybe when I’m a successful lawyer I’ll no longer want things like a Golden Girls necklace. Let's hope that never happens.
Another favorite: Fabulous Fanny's, a vintage eyeglasses store.
We spent forever trying on all kinds of glasses. There are entire drawers with labels like “Tortoise” or “Cateye” or “Rhinestone Tortoise Cateye.” I actually found a pair I absolutely fell in love with but much to Allison and Ursula’s chagrin I turned them down. They were inexpensive but I just got new glasses! For future reference: I rock an oversized tortoiseshell like no one’s business. Hold the rhinestones, please.
I steered the girls to one of my favorite boutiques of all time, appropriately called Meg. I’d been in a few times but had never bought anything because it is generally well out of my price range- the designer, Meg, hand makes each team with herself with a small team of seamstresses helping. She has boutiques in NYC, Dublin, and Toronto so she often isn’t in the NYC location.
To my luck, though, she was in today! I happened to find a lovely skirt on sale for a very low price and at Meg’s behest, tried it on. Low and behold, this gorgeous, navy, high-waisted, tulip-hemmed number looked amazing. Perfect for law school…and beyond! Added bonus: when I jokingly asked about getting a discount for also being named Meg, she took $10 off! I was delighted. She then offered me a thousand labels that said “Meg” in case I was going to camp this summer and needed to sew them in my underwear. I love this lady.
After a much needed coffee and rest in a park with the ladies, I went to the Corner Bistro in the West Village to meet a few other friends for a burger and a beer.
In case you were wondering, this is what heaven looks like:
Falafel and a hamburger all in one day is too much for me, y’all. I headed home with quite the stomach ache but I swear, it was worth it.
I would’ve had a Dorothy in a heartbeat except they were pretty darn expensive. Maybe when I’m a successful lawyer I’ll buy one. Or maybe when I’m a successful lawyer I’ll no longer want things like a Golden Girls necklace. Let's hope that never happens.
Another favorite: Fabulous Fanny's, a vintage eyeglasses store.
We spent forever trying on all kinds of glasses. There are entire drawers with labels like “Tortoise” or “Cateye” or “Rhinestone Tortoise Cateye.” I actually found a pair I absolutely fell in love with but much to Allison and Ursula’s chagrin I turned them down. They were inexpensive but I just got new glasses! For future reference: I rock an oversized tortoiseshell like no one’s business. Hold the rhinestones, please.
I steered the girls to one of my favorite boutiques of all time, appropriately called Meg. I’d been in a few times but had never bought anything because it is generally well out of my price range- the designer, Meg, hand makes each team with herself with a small team of seamstresses helping. She has boutiques in NYC, Dublin, and Toronto so she often isn’t in the NYC location.
To my luck, though, she was in today! I happened to find a lovely skirt on sale for a very low price and at Meg’s behest, tried it on. Low and behold, this gorgeous, navy, high-waisted, tulip-hemmed number looked amazing. Perfect for law school…and beyond! Added bonus: when I jokingly asked about getting a discount for also being named Meg, she took $10 off! I was delighted. She then offered me a thousand labels that said “Meg” in case I was going to camp this summer and needed to sew them in my underwear. I love this lady.
After a much needed coffee and rest in a park with the ladies, I went to the Corner Bistro in the West Village to meet a few other friends for a burger and a beer.
In case you were wondering, this is what heaven looks like:
Falafel and a hamburger all in one day is too much for me, y’all. I headed home with quite the stomach ache but I swear, it was worth it.
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