I went to New York for a couple of days last week. It was great to catch up with a few friends, see some exhibits, eat great food, and do a little shopping. We're really sorry we didn't get to see everyone; we're trying to see different people on each trip, as it's just impossible to see everyone we want to in a few days.
The Fashioning Felt show at the Cooper-Hewitt had some lovely pieces, including this cocoon-like installation. It's a great place to sit and decompress.
Walking around the lower East side, I was surprised to see lots of small galleries. And the southern part of the neighborhood is a lot more gentrified than I remember. Tea and pastry at Teany was tasty.
Isabel, Catherine and I watched Isa's a friend Brassy sing at Duane Park. She was quite good.
We were lucky enough to have a couple of delicious homemade meals at friends homes.
And we indulged in a few new culinary adventures, the most exciting of which was deep fat fried Oreos at Cafeteria. Recommended. Artisanal bacon gravy at Char Number 4 in Carroll Gardens wasn't too shabby either. And it was nice to check out the old neighborhood.
Dan and I went to the Model as Muse exhibit at the Met. He thought I should see all the fabulous mod fashions on display. He was right. I especially loved the planar mini-dresses constructed from sheet metal.
And the Roxy Paine installation on the roof was stunning. It's made out of regular old hardware store pipe, yet is so graceful. A combination of natural and artificial that reminded me of Terminator trees, it creates a great interplay of sky, people, park and New York skyline.
And we arrived just in time to see the newly opened High Line park. The High Line started out as a very short elevated railway that transported food and manufactured goods from factory to warehouse, within Manhattan. It was abandoned in the 80s. When my friends and I would gallery-hop in Chelsea, the High Line cut an eerie silhouette against the night sky -- an overpass carpeted in tall wild grasses swaying in the breeze. I was always slightly tempted to climb up.
After much finagling by Friends of the High Line and others, the abandoned High Line was saved from destruction, and converted into a one-of-a-kind park, featuring wild flowers and plants growing amongst railroad tracks. The design team included Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The High Line stretches for blocks, giving you unique, gritty views of the city and the Hudson River. We really enjoyed walking along the park, and it made the Hudson feel ever so slightly like a Riviera. What an amazing achievement.
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