This is a long blog that I decided not to break into two separate postings. What can I say; in four days nine museums, including two visits to MoMA. And then an unexpected yellow cab ride from midtown Manhattan to JFK that took us through some of the neighborhoods where I had lived & worked in the 1970’s.
I didn’t want an alcoholic drink at 9:30 PM for my minimum so had soft serve ice cream instead. The gal at the adjacent table envied my choice.
Joe’s Pub.
“Mingus Big Band performs exclusively the music of composer/bassist Charles Mingus who celebrated his Centennial year in 2022. Building off the strengths of Mingus Dynasty septet Sue Mingus… in 1991…she created this 14-piece band to feature new arrangements of Mingus compositions in a larger band format that Mingus wanted, but was not always able to organize in his lifetime.”
Joe’s Pub.
The Mingus Big Band was joined by his son Eric for one number.
Joe’s Pub.
Open Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) rail yards along Atlantic Ave. in B'klyn.
There are many residential towers soon to be or recently built along the Atlantic Avenue corridor.
Built in 1914, "this awe-inspiring, Gothic style building with gargoyles started as a seminary, the Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception. The most notable former student was Vince Lombardi (the famous football coach). In 1988 the building was converted to a 53 unit condominium. It features a central courtyard and though this structure is located on the busy corner of Atlantic and Washington avenues, its 2 feet thick walls, help isolate a lot of the vehicular noise outside."
On the way to the restaurant OTWAY @ 930 Fulton St., B'klyn.
I am particularly fond of the mini cannolis at Zibeto Cafe.
"Louis Vuitton covered its under-renovation flagship store at East 57th Street and 5th Avenue in a facade modelled after the brand's distinctive trunks."
PIROUETTE: TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN
The Museum of Modern Art N.Y.C.(MoMA)
For a listing of all the items on exhibit go to https://press.moma.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MoMA_Pirouette-ObjectLabels_Final.pdf
It’s quite nifty to look up items like Post-it Note c. 1977; M & M’s c. 1930’s; “Walkman” c. 1979 or Crocs Sandals c. 2002…
PIROUETTE: TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN
MoMA
PIROUETTE: TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN
MoMA
PIROUETTE: TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN
MoMA
PIROUETTE: TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN
MoMA
PIROUETTE: TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN
MoMA
This was assembled in the field & rolled to detect & blow up landmines.
PIROUETTE:TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN MoMA
PIROUETTE:TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN MoMA
PIROUETTE:TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN MoMA
View-Master (Model G) c. 1962
PIROUETTE:TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN MoMA
PIROUETTE:TURNING POINTS IN DESIGN MoMA
“Miss Blanche Chair, 1988 -Synthetic roses, acrylic resin, and aluminum... Named after Blanche DuBois, the self-deluded protagonist of Tennessee Williams's 1947 play.”
Having made resin cubes for our sons’ baby teeth, I know how difficult is is to make an object float in resin.
This helicopter hanging in MoMA for a long time has always intrigued me.
“Bell-47D1 Helicopter. 1945 "its designer, Arthur Young, who was also a poet and a painter, consciously juxtaposed its transparent plastic bubble with the open structure of its tail boom to create an object whose delicate beauty is inseparable from its efficiency."
At MoMA on President’s Day. It was particularly crowded as on the 2nd floor there was a special exhibit on sound designed just for children.
The stroller parking was overwhelmed.
After an absence of many years it was nice to return to la bonne soupe on West 55th Street.
"ROCKEFELLER APARTMENTS - BUILT IN 1935-37. A MAJOR EXAMPLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE...THE TWO BUILDINGS WERE COMMISSTiONED BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR. & NELSON ROCKEFELLER TO ENHANCE THE FAMILY INTERESTS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER. WALLACE K. HARRISON'S SPARE DETAILING, THE RHYTHMIC PATTERN OF THE SEMI CIRCULAR WINDOW BAYS & CONCERN FOR LIGHT & AIR CHANGED THE STANDARDS FOR NYC APARTMENT HOUSE PLANNING.
NEW YORK LANDMARK PRESERVATION F'ND'N 1994." At 24 W. 55th St. across the street from the garden of the MoMA.
On the left, down the platform, three policemen were citing a fellow for evading a fare by jumping a turnstyle.
To paint that graffiti the perpetrators had to deal with the highly electrically charged third rail right below their work.
The best pastrami.
The grilled onions were a new treat for us.
In an early January issue of the N.Y. Times we noticed this Oldesburg/Coosje van Bruggen exhibit at the Lever House that was down the street from the Hotel Elysée where were we would be once again staying.
The Park Ave. at 54th St. Lever House is a designated architectural landmarked building down the street from the red Hotel Elysèe. Lever House just reopened after a long restoration project. In the past they've had many fine art exhibits outside of & in the lobby.
“Architect's Handkerchief" or “Pocket Handkerchief” (1999) by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen, his second wife.
Claes Oldenburg studio pieces circa mid 1960’s.
I've never had an issue photographing in the lobby with a "professional" camera.
I saw two guards in the back but I didn't approach them to ask about photography. They had noted me but were not a bother. I was using my FujiFilm X30 camera & had only one more photo that I wanted to capture. A different, big, gruff guard approached me & said that I couldn't use a professional camera in the lobby. I said that I was not a professional but he kept on referencing my camera & then said that cell phone cameras were okay!!! Little does he know how many professionals are now using iPhones.
"Sun Dial" A study for the piece in the next photo.
“Sun Dial” & ? by Claes Oldenburg.
I hadn't engaged the guard about my "professional" camera; waited 'til he turned around, walked away & without much ado, snapped this final inside photo with the FujiFilm X30 camera.
"Plantoir, Red (Mid-Scale)" (2001-21) by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen.
Walk thru in MET Life bldg. into Grand Central Terminal.
"Hubert" by French sculptor Bruno Catalano “Original bronze Floating, Lifelike ‘Travelers’ Are Taking Over Park Avenue” south of 42nd Street.
By Bruno Catalano who lives & works in Saoû, France. If you’ve looked at previous blogs you’ll know that is the village our son Nate & family live in.
The Morgan Library. "...This exhibition will present, for the first time in the United States, the Bodleian Library’s extraordinary holdings of literary manuscripts, correspondence, diaries, and photographs related to Kafka, including.. unique items such as his drawings, the notebooks he used when studying Hebrew, and family photographs."
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower c. 1905-09 at Madison Avenue & 24th Street was the tallest building in the world until 1913.
This was a wonderful, Pulitzer Prize winning show. If it comes to your neighborhood, go see it!
Andrea & Erika in the Hotel Elysée lounge.
NY Historical Society Coffee shop.
We went to the NY Historical Society because we had read about the “owl exhibit.” It was wonderful & worth the long walk through Central Park. The reward was that there were three other fabulous exhibits on display.
NY Historical Society.
“This groundbreaking exhibition examines the everyday clothing of ordinary women, from hard-worn house dresses to psychedelic micro minis and modern suits to fast-food workers’ uniforms.” From the Smith College Collection. NY Historical Society.
NY Historical Society.
““My mother used to say ‘Arlene—just don’t wander!’ Then I started wandering, but I got a camera because it gave it a little more meaning...a life of wandering is really what it all is,” Gottfried once said. With her camera in hand, she roamed every corner of the city, capturing a range of subjects…”
https://www.nyhistory.org/press/exhibition-of-arlene-gottfrieds-iconic-new-york-city
“Pets and the City explores the visual history of New Yorkers and their animal companions over the last two and a half centuries, tracing the ever-evolving relationship between Gotham’s people and its animals as the city grew increasingly urbanized and industrialized.” NY Historical Society.
At The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center.
Zoom in to read the caption.
Gotta love those 16” tom-toms!
I mean, where else would you find a grand piano in the check out area of a public library?!
Folk Arts Museum-"Featuring 42 textile works & oil paintings, 'Madalena Santos Reinbolt: A Head Full of Planets' is the first comprehensive survey of her art ever presented and marks the first-ever solo museum exhibition for the artist organized outside her native Brazil...
Rosetta Bakery on Lincoln Sq. across from Lincoln Center.
This is a go to dessert spot for us in this neighborhood.
Bobkas to celebrate Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary. We bought one.
Saying goodbye at the Hotel Elysée. They’ve been bought now & will be closed for over a year for a total renovation. We hope the union employees get some good positions in Manhattan. The reception staff are non-union & are looking for jobs.
From a yellow cab drive entering Queens from the 59th St. Bridge.
“Silvercup Studios, Queens c. 1983, is one of the largest film and television production facilities in New York City.” The SILVERCUP Bread Bldg c. 1929 & neon sign c. 1962-62.
Our cab reflected in a window.
The balcony furniture to the right made me wonder who would want to sit out there?
Now that looks like a dangerous spot to be in.
Nomi spotted this & I had the FujiFilm X30 ready.
With our permission our driver took Queens Blvd. to avoid 20 minutes of traffic back-up in the Van Wyck Expressway.
The reward was that I got to see where I worked as a pediatric dentist in 1973; where that blue sign is.
For those who know the story of the dentist carrying a gun & crossing Queens Blvd. chasing someone; that fence wasn’t there in 1973.
Very kosher sushi available at King David.
Check out what an apartment costs on a commercial strip of Queens Blvd.
Major construction work on the Van Wyck Expressway & simultaneous remodeling of JFK terminals.
What can go wrong?…
