Uniquely New York

Design Week at Cooper Hewitt

Cooper Hewitt is THE National Design Museum, a.k.a., the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. It also happens to be run by one of my favorite organizations, the Smithsonian Institute. Tony and I decided to once again celebrate our (hopefully temporary) freedom from the world of 9-5, by taking advantage of free admission to Cooper Hewitt in honor of Design Week. Located at 5th Avenue and 91st Street, the Cooper Hewitt is another close neighbor, just 7 blocks from my Upper East Side abode.

The two major exhibits currently on display are Design USA: Contemporary Innovation and Design for a Living World. Both exhibits are very interesting and inspiring.

Even the building itself is a masterpiece. Housed in the former home of industrial magnate Andrew Carnegie, the sixty-four-room mansion was built from 1899 to 1902 and is directly facing Central Park. Simply GORGEOUS!

I am so happy to have knocked this one off my list, and to have done it for FREE.

Wicked!!

So, Wicked has been on my "list" since the moment I moved to New York. Well, it was on my list long before I moved to New York, actually. Although it is celebrating it's 5th birthday, it is still one of the hottest and hardest-to-get-tickets-to shows on Broadway. The cheap seats? Forget it! They are sold out months in advance. Hence I was beginning to think I was the last person I knew who had not gotten to see it yet. Luckily for me (and my friend Tami!) I was wrong. When Tami's weekend company fell through last minute, she was stuck with 2 extra tickets. However, I was super quick to tell her I would gladly take one off her hands. And they were terrific seats. (Actually, perhaps only the 2nd time I have EVER sat in the orchestra level at a Broadway show.) We were in row N! Up close and personal for all the action.

Now, generally when I have built something up in my head for so long, it inevitably does not live up. This was most definitely an exception! It was even better and more amazing than I could have imagined. So delightful. Creative. Brilliant. I absolutely LOVED it, was so sad to see it end. The minute the lights came up I had already decided I wanted to see it again. It was by far, the best musical I have seen on Broadway since I moved to New York, and most likely the best I've seen overall since LesMiz.

Sadly, you have to go to Jersey to get the best views of the City!

Morgan and I had to travel to Hoboken, New Jersey for night #2 of our beloved Mason Jennings concert extravagaanza (over Columbus Day weekend). Hoboken lies just across the Hudson River and only one stop on the PATH train, so it is crazy that I hadn't been to visit this quaint little town a single time in all of 2009! The best part about Hoboken are the amazing skyline views of Manhattan from the beautiful waterfront park. After the concert we stopped by the park to take it all in before returning to Manhattan. It's so very quiet, peaceful, and tranquil there...and so surreal, because Manhattan from across the river and all lit up at night also appears to be peaceful and tranquil.

Chelsea Market

Housed in a beautifully renovated historic warehouse, which was originally the National Biscuit Company complex—originating in the 1890's—is Chelsea Market. This delightful and unique marketplace has been on my list of places to visit since I moved to the city. There's no Starbucks or fast food chains inside (ok, there is a Hale & Hearty, but I love that place so I'll let it pass.) But most of the shops and eateries are New York originals. From a beautiful, sprawling wine store to large traditional butcher shop, a milk dairy, bakeries galore, an independent bookstore, delicious coffee, a farm to table organic restaurant, and even a Moroccan decor boutique—all of the shops are just adorable and not too terribly overpriced (this is New York, after all).

This was our favorite store. Chelsea Baskets. It's kind of like Harry & David's, but even better! You pick your basket and then fill it full of goodies & they gift wrap it up for you. If I were rich, everyone I know would get one of these gifts!

Also, an art exhibit of handmade letterpress artwork by YeeHaw Industries just happened to be sprinkled throughout the market while we were there . Turns out, YeeHaw Industries is located on Gay Street in Knoxville Tennessee, and showcased some wonderfully Southern pieces including Farmer's Market posters from Knoxville's Market Square Farmer's Market.

The Highline

The Highline is an old elevated rail road track, originally constructed in the 1930s, to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets. When all sections are complete, the High Line will be a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell's Kitchen.

When it opened this summer it was such a buzz that you oftentimes had to wait in line on weekends in order to access the park. The Highline is another thing that has been on my to-do list since it's opening in July, and I finally made it on Columbus Day. (sometimes all it takes to get something finally marked off my to-do list is for Morgan to come to town! I love it when she visits because I get to play tourist and try new things.)

I can't imagine a more beautifully designed park. The architecture firm who was hired to transform it really did an outstanding job, and I can't wait for the rest of it to open. Currently only in Phase 1, there are 2 more sections to go.

The Highline back in the day

The Highline today

Governor's Island...finally!

For the past 2 summers, a visit to Governor's Island has been on my to-do list. Finally, on the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, Morgan and I managed to make it over to the island for a visit (on the very last day it was open for the season). The island, which was formerly the longest active military property in the US, was sold to the city of New York for $1 in order to be turned into parkland for the citizens to enjoy. It is now run by the National Park Service and offers free ferry service from South Street. A portion of the island is still fenced off to the public, but there is a 2.2 mile promenade around the circumfrence that can be used by pedestrians and bikers alike.

Picnic point is by far the highlight of the island. It directly faces the Statue of Liberty and provides the best statue views you can get from land. They have adorable red adirondack chairs, picnic tables, and even hammocks! After an AMAZING $6.00 lunch from a Caribbean food cart (mac & cheese, curried chicken, & candied yams) we walked the permiter of the island and soaked up the sun and the view from picnic point. We also took our turn on the swing set on the playground, which was a lot of fun too! It was really a terrific (and CHEAP!) fun-filled day.

FUNemployment Begins...at the Guggenheim!

Tony and I (my former fellow Art Director from Advanstar) decided to celebrate Week 1 of unemployment by going to the Guggenheim to see the Kandinsky exhibit. Never have I so fully enjoyed getting to view the progression of an artist's work from early career forward (only, Tony and I started from the top and worked backwards, which also provided a very interesting perspective.) Kandinsky had many distinct phases and styles, not just the style of his most famous works which I assumed was it.

Shamefully, I have been neighbors with the Guggenheim (and most of the museums on Museum mile) since January and have failed to visit any of them in this period. So I am so happy to finally have visited the museum who's very shell is a work of art itself (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.) Excellent exhibit & lovely museum.

Summertime in Central Park...

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

I love Central Park all year round, and I love living only a few blocks away, but most of all I absolutely adore Central Park in the summertime!!!!