Art and the park

My last post about NYC wouldn't be complete without a bit about the Museum of Arts and Design in Columbus Circle. I loved this museum it was really inspirational. It's not a big museum but it is full of really great design. There is a fantastic exhibit, Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics which was gorgeous. Again here's me with the three-year-old in tow looking at fine art, this time with porcelain laying all around. Not as relaxing as it could have been but mind blowing just the same. It's a collaboration between modern designers and some of the oldest porcelain manufactures in the world and the results are stunning. Old meets new here and something wonderful happens.

Then we made one last stop in Central Park which is just opposite MAD for a little walk, a run around the water park and a good long swing on the tire swing... 'cause Elmo lives in NYC don't you know and you never know where you might see him ;)

Sunday afternoon in SoHo

No surprise here but I loved SoHo. We took the subway out from Midtown where we were staying and walked around Greenwich Village, SoHo and a quick walk through Little Italy. Nice time, lovely little cafe lunch in SoHo and a much anticipated stop at Purl Patchwork which was really wonderful.

Hot MOMA

I spent half a day at MOMA with a three-year-old in tow. Not exactly the best way to take it in but to her credit she did really well (and the bribe in the gift shop didn't hurt either).

I loved this exhibit by Roman Ondák, Measuring the Universe where viewers are collectively creating the art by measuring their height and marking it on the wall with their name. It was really satisfying to add g. to the wall. I've always loved performance based art.

These little metal frames hold an unknown photographer's photos. The photos are interesting to look at and so is the composition of the little frames. It might be fun to take inspiration from this and do a series of photos of one person in little vintage frames.

Song Dong's, Waste Not, displayed the contents of her mother's home that she amassed over 50 years during a time the Chinese promoted a concept of "waste not." Incredible to see it all laid out in one space. Hard to imagine what I would have after 50 years. Something to consider for sure.

NYC getaway

Well, I'm not even sure where to start, except maybe to stand on top of the Empire State and exclaim, "I just went to NYC for the first time!" And there was a lot to shout about for sure. What an amazing and intense and energizing place. I think I have enough creative juice to last me a good long time.

And the heat, oh it was hot, two showers in a day hot. I kept thinking of the beginning of Spike Lee's, Do the Right Thing where he brilliantly portrays a sweltering hot day in Brooklyn. And the subway, that was a bit hotter. I feel like I've just run a marathon, had a massage and bungee jumped. I'm awake now that's for sure and I loved every single amazing moment.

Warm

...taking a break until next week.

Bioluminescence

Did you happen to read the article that came out last week about the discovery that people glow in visible light in really low levels? I found it so interesting. I've had a fascination since childhood with animals that can glow. They say we can't see humans glow with our own eyes but I beg to differ. When I'm with certain people I swear I can see them glow.

Here is a great video of glowing fish. c.

Saving time

If I could put time in a bottle I would have scooped a bit of it in there today. We went to a town fair with some dear friends and g. saw her first parade. It was an idyllic summer day and I could tell g. was enjoying every minute of every new experience along with all the candy that was thrown her way. c.

Leek Rx

I made my potato leek soup last night and the color of the chopped leeks looked so pretty. I bet you're wondering why in the world I would make that when it's 80 degrees going on 87 today. Well it's because we are trying to get over our summer colds. Yep that's right, smack dab in the middle of the highly anticipated visit from granny we got sick. I'm talking croup and bronchitis, the whole shebang. Ugh. c.

Garden love

We went to the Chicago Botanic Garden with g's granny yesterday.

It certainly does inspire one to get ones hands dirty. The Circle Garden is currently planted in shades of blue and purple and it is absolutely stunning. My eyes couldn't soak up enough of it's loveliness. The color pallet was so relaxing and gorgeous, I have to try and recreate this somehow next year.

We saw lots of chubby slow moving honey bees doing their part to keep the flowers blooming. I couldn't help but think about the threat of Colony Collapse and how scary it is that we don't know what is causing the bee population to decline. c.