June Adventures (Part 2)

Sometimes you walk through Central Park and have one of those quintessential NY moments. The weather was perfect, Cleopatra's Needle was framed in blues and greens, and a busker was playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow under the adjacent bridge.

And then you turn the corner and some guy decides to put his things down on the bench next to you and to use the bushes as his personal urinal.

My Guggenheim membership expires at the end of June, so I decided to check out the current exhibition before it does. Called "Storylines", it's a collection of works by contemporary artists. I'm a complete philistine when it comes to contemporary art--I don't get it at all. Much of this collection was perplexing to me. Carol Bove's installation which is a bookshelf with books and other things on it (no one would ever know it was art if you had it in your home. A lot of it was creepy, like this:

 But some of it was beautiful, like Pawel Althamer's statues:

And then there are the colorful window blinds...

And this by Agathe Snow, which just made me think of Spinal Tap. 

(Three-foot tall Stonehenge and Easter Island replicas made of fur)

If you are a fan of contemporary art, though, get to the Guggenheim before this installation closes on September 9th. There are lots of big names in the show.

I finally made it to Coney Island on a sunny summer day, thanks to my friend, S. We headed out on the F train in the morning, and went straight to the beach. Despite the battling boom boxes (rap on one side, Maroon 5 on the other), it's a lovely beach. And on a Monday morning, the boardwalk and the beach aren't too crowded. By the afternoon, though, it was mobbed. The Cyclone wasn't running when we got there, and after a couple of beers, I decided it wasn't a good idea to try a roller coaster. So I'll definitely be making a return trip to ride it and see the Aquarium.

Be sure to stop by to see Nick at Paul's Daughter if you are in the neighborhood. He's been working there since the 80s. (He didn't know I was taking the picture or he would have been grinning.)

I've mentioned Bryant Park before in this blog...In the summer they have an author series, where you can listen to poets, novelists and other writers talk about their craft. This week, I got to see Jay McInerney (Bright Lights, Big City) interview Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City) about her latest book, Killing Monica.

This week, Thursday morning was a perfect NY summer day. After living in a swamp for the previous several days, it was glorious to be outside. So rather than head to the movies like I'd planned, I headed to Long Island City. The Socrates Sculpture Park had been on my to-do list, and I wanted to see Agnes Denes' piece The Living Pyramid, before it was de-installed (uninstalled? disinstalled? Google fail.). I was a disappointed to find very few flowers in bloom for my visit. And the rest of the park was significantly smaller than I'd imagined. The view of Manhattan, however, is amazing.

The trip to LIC is worth it, however, just for the chance to visit John Brown's Smokehouse, Thrillist's choice for best KC barbecue in the 5 boroughs. I have to concur. The burnt ends were as tender as I'd ever tasted, though the sauce was a bit on the spicy side for me. (I like mine sweeter.) The owner is a Lawrence, KS, boy and a Chiefs' fan, and the restaurant has a great back garden. I'll definitely be bringing Ed back to this one.

June Adventures (part 1)

First of all, happy birthday to my little sister!!

So, I've done a lot of running around so far. The month started out with a (very wet) trip to Coney Island to see Mumford and Sons with our friends, S and G. The concert was great, but the weather was miserable. Coney Island is on my to-do list, but this was NOT the day to do it.

If you happen to be in town on a sunny day between now and "winter", swing by Madison Square Park and check out Teresita Fernandez's Fata Morgana. I think it's gorgeous.

For Ed's birthday, we went out to Brooklyn to see Theatre for a New Audience/Fiasco Theatre's Two Gentlemen of Verona. It has been extended through tomorrow, so if you read this between now and then (June 20th), go. It's not produced very often--it was Ed's (and of course my) first time seeing it. The ensemble was terrific, and Zachary Fine makes both a wonderful male lead and hilariously funny dog.

Tuesday, it was off to the Museum of the Biblical Art (MoBiA) to see an exhibit of sculpture and architecture from the Duomo in Florence which featured Donatello, Ghiberti, and Brunelleschi, among others. No pictures were allowed, but if you'd like to see what I saw, click here.

A week later, S and I went to Flatbush for another soggy Tuesday concert. This time, though, the venue was indoors. The Kings Theatre is a gorgeous French Baroque building, though it takes forever to reach from Chelsea. We saw Spoon, who gave a great performance. I was going to upload a video, but it's apparently too big. (NB: learn more about technology...)

Wednesday afternoon, I trekked out to City Island. One fun thing about City Island - the way to get there is by way of Pelham Bay Park, childhood home of the Crusher! It was supposed to be 79 and sunny. Not so much. (What is with this spring?? It's cloudy all the time!) It's a quaint little fishing village, only about a mile and a half long. Not much is open mid-week, other than a few bars and restaurants, and the Church of St. Mary by the Sea, so I'll have to come back to check out the Nautical Museum. (I really need to invest in a better camera. The first picture is of the Stepping Stones lighthouse; the second shows the Manhattan skyline in the distance. Not that you can really tell...)

Last night, Hudson River Park had the Hudson River Dance Festival on Pier 63, which is a stone's throw from us. I stopped by on my way home from the High Line, and got to see some terrific dancing. The first numbers were performed to flamenco music (I think), but the next troupe was accompanied by recordings of the Andrews Sisters. The Pennsylvania Polka had me flashing back to being a kid.

That's all for now. I'm headed to the Guggenheim to see their latest exhibition, and maybe to stop by the Neue Gallerie to visit with Adele Bloch Bauer, whose portrait was the subject of a terrific movie I saw a month or so ago, Woman in Gold...

Things I love to do in NYC

When friends come to visit New York City, they always ask me what they should do while they're here. Everyone knows all of the typical tourist destinations (Times Square, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Met), so here are some thoughts on some places you might not have thought to visit.

I love to walk around the city and explore. The way I started was with Frommer’s 24 Great Walks in New York. It covers every neighborhood in the city (and one in Brooklyn), highlighting touristy things like Grand Central Terminal and hidden things like the smallest house in NYC (9.5 ft. wide).

Number one on my visit list is the High Line Park. As it's now the number one tourist destination in NYC (6.2 million visitors last year), it's likely on your list already. A 1.45 mile long walk up the west side of the city, the High Line is an elevated former freight railroad track that has been transformed into a giant greenroof. No matter what time of day or year you visit, be sure to stop by. During the summer, you can join a free public tour on Tuesday nights or Saturday mornings. (I may even be your docent!) The new home of the Whitney Museum of American Art is at the south end of the park.

Two notes about the photos: In the top photo, notice the cement block tower on the lower right- that's a Sol Lewitt sculpture on the roof of the Pace Gallery that can only be seen from one spot on the Park. See if you can find it! Also, my favorite little shop, Story, is at street level in the building with the blue windows above. It's on the corner of 19th Street and Tenth Avenue. It has "the point of view of a magazine, changes like a gallery, sells things like a store." The designs are theme-based (past themes have included Color, Home, Her, Love, Design...you can see them all on the website), and the theme changes about every four to eight weeks. It's a really fun little place!

The Intrepid, at Pier 84, is another gem. I spent four hours exploring here. Be sure to get the audio guide--your narrators are former crew members, including Sen. John McCain. The Kamikaze Experience is incredible--be sure not to miss it. And the submarine Growler is the only American guided missile submarine open to the public. If you're here in the summer, they show movies on the top deck. Check the online calendar of events for specifics. Ed and I visited for free during one of the Astronomy Nights, and learned about making our own spacecraft from an engineering professor at Cornell University.

If you get hungry or thirsty while you're in the neighborhood of the Intrepid, stop by the North River Lobster Co. for some good food, and a great view. The boat leaves periodically for a (free!) trip up the Hudson. Sunset is an ideal time to visit.

If you love art, but have a short attention span, visit the Frick Collection. Henry Clay Frick built a gorgeous home across from Central Park specifically to house his art collection. The art never travels, so if you want to see Hans Holbein Jr.'s portrait of Sir Thomas More or Bellini's St. Francis of Assisi, you have to stop by. He also has 3 Vermeers, my friend, Larry's, favorite artist. It's pay-what-you-wish on Sundays from 11am to 1pm.

Did you know that the original Winnie the Pooh toys that belonged to Christopher Robin Milne live in the Schwartzman Building of the NY Public Library? Be sure to stop by and see them! (Piglet is adorable!!) And while you’re in the area, check out Bryant Park. They have TONS of events in the summer—the calendar is online. If you’re around, don’t miss Broadway in Bryant Park on Thursdays in July and August.

If you're over 21, be sure to put Sleep No More on your list of things to do/see. It's an immersive theatre experience based on MacBeth, and is one of the coolest things I've done in NYC. (We've gone twice.) You'll be wearing this while you're in the show:

Two rules you must follow if you go:
1. Do NOT under any circumstances hang out with the people you go with. You aren’t allowed to speak while you’re there, so there’s no point. And there are something like 1600 hours of rehearsed scenes, so if you split up, you’re likely to see things the others don’t. You can compare notes at Gallow Green (the adjacent rooftop bar) after the show.
2. If you see an actor, follow him or her. Wandering around empty rooms is a waste of time, despite how interesting some of them are. The action is where the actors are, and the way to find it is to follow them (not necessarily the same actor all the time, unless you happen upon MacBeth or Lady MacBeth.)

Unless it’s on your bucket list for some reason, don’t go to Liberty Island. Take the Staten Island Ferry (for free) over and back. You get a great view of Lady Liberty without having to pay a fortune for the privilege. (I’ve gone up in the crown, and it was less-than-impressive.) Or do one of the boat cruises of the Hudson—you get a charming tour guide, lots of NY history, a close-up view of the Statue, and drinks!

Food I love:
Danji – a tiny Korean tapas place that is absolutely fabulous. 55th between 9th and 8th (but closer to 9th)
Dhaba – my favorite Indian place in town. Be sure to get the Manchurian Gobi as an appetizer.
Pizza – John’s is my favorite, but I also love Patsy’s. Ed’s a Don Giovanni guy. But you can get great by-the-slice stuff all over town.
If you want a fancy dinner, go to Scarpetta’s and get the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Or visit Danny Meyer's Gramercy Tavern. It's Ed’s and my favorite place in town. If you're made of money and don't mind spending it on food and wine, Eleven Madison Park and PerSe are popular (and hard to get into) foodie destinations.
Eataly – this is a tourist destination. 50,000 sq. ft. of space that includes restaurants, a grocery store, bakery, fresh pasta, a travel agency…the roof restaurant Birreria is great. (Get the fried mushrooms!!!)
If you love sushi and want to pay a fortune for omakase, Ed recommends Sasabune and Yasuda.

Three of my favorite rooftop bars:
a. Pod 39 Hotel
b. 230 Fifth Avenue
c. Gallow Green (see above)
d. For 98 other options, check out my friend Leslie Adatto’s book: Roof Explorer’s Guide

Finally, a (funny) video to watch before you arrive: Johnny T's Tourist Tips