Posts Tagged ‘Metropolitan Museum of Art’

Romance on the Met’s Rooftop Garden

The rooftop garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art seems to be summer’s well kept secret to out-of-town visitors.  Formally known as the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, this special retreat overlooking Central Park was funded by them as a gift and is open during the summer months.  A garden, terrace and restaurant, this delightful place is many things to many people. But before I get into that, let me go back…

Fifty four years ago on a college trip to Europe with classmates and chaperones (Yes, chaperones, it was 1957 after all), I met a young man with whom I shared an intimate relationship and an absolutely amazing time during our tour of nine different countries over the period of three months. We were both engaged to other people and after the trip we married other people and never expected to ever see each other again. Then, 50 years later, through Classmates online, I got an e-mail from him.  His wife had died of bone cancer after a good marriage and three children.  Mine ended in divorce, no children, eight years after the European jaunt.

Although living miles apart at that time, we met again at the roof garden one June day, more than 50 years later to the day of our sailing for Europe in college.  Much grayer, much heavier, and very much older, we started conversing, laughing and acting young again as if no time had gone by at all.  I could still see the soft spoken young man with dark curly hair and a crooked smile.  I don’t know what he saw, but I hoped it was the blue-eyed, vivacious, witty young girl I used to be.  We walked through the piece of art that was on display called “Big Bambu: You Can’t, You Don’t, and You Won’t Stop” by the two brothers, Doug and Mike Starn.  It was put together with thousands of pieces of bamboo through which visitors could pass.  However, the breathtaking view and the art on exhibit barely caught my eye as we looked at each other and knew that another fifty years would not go by until we met again.  And after he asked those four magical words, it didn’t.

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The Met: My One Stop Shop

One of my favorite places to hang out in New York City is the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  This fascinating building is more than just a collection of beautiful artwork.  It is a place to connect with interesting people who are doing the same thing you are- spending the afternoon in a remarkable city.  You can purchase trinkets, have a nice meal, experience some of the best artwork in the world, or just hang out.
Located on 5th Avenue, the Met is in the perfect location for those touring the city.  I love to wander the corridors looking for something I haven’t seen before.  The Met is filled with tons of eye catching displays, and because there is so much to see, there are always surprises with each new visit.  There is something for everyone, from fashion displays to Egyptian temples to unique antique collections.
My favorite thing about the Met is the number of cafes it has.  You can dine at a different spot each time you visit, depending on your preferences for the day.  Each café offers something unique in the atmospheres and menus.  I love the variety because it matches the feel of the museum.  There is never a reason to be bored. The best time to go to the museum is on the weekends in the evening.  It’s a wonderful way to close out the night.  You can view some exhibits, stop somewhere in the museum for a drink or dinner, and finish up with a stroll through some classic displays.

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A New Way for Labor Day

Having grown up in New Jersey, my idea of Labor Day was to drive down the shore and spend as much time as possible on the beach.  Soaking up the sun on the official  last day of summer  was all that was required for a spectacular Labor Day.  However, after meeting my then-boyfriend and now husband, my plans for a fun Labor Day have changed.  My husband grew up in Bermuda, so the idea of spending another weekend at the beach was not too enticing for him.   I decided to go all out for his first Labor Day weekend here in the States and planned out a day for us to spend in New York City.  Growing up so close to the city made it easy for me to pick perfect spots for our Labor Day extravaganza.  We took the ferry over to Manhattan first thing in the morning and went directly to the Metropolitan Museum of Art- one of my favorite places and a place that he had mentioned some interest in seeing.  After spending about 4 hours there, we left and grabbed some  street meat  aka a New York City hot dog and headed off to watch the Labor Day parade.  However, we basically missed the parade because we spent so much time in the museum earlier that morning so I had to scrap those plans.  Instead, we decided to just walk around Central Park and grab dinner later in Times Square.  Our walk lasted a few hours and we even stopped at the Central Park zoo- a place neither of us had ever been before, which made it extra special.  Later, we had a fantastic dinner in Times Square at Bubba Gump’s Restaurant and then took the ferry home.  He mentioned to me later when we were on the ferry on our way back how awesome of a trip that was and every Labor Day since, we’ve tried to make it into the City at least for dinner.

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An NYC Regular

Whenever I go to New York City there are certain things I always have to do when I’m there. With such a great city only a couple of states away, I often find myself catching the ACELA or Mega Bus NYC-bound, and by now I can’t count the number of times I’ve been there on my two hands. With so many different people and a great variety of happening events, there’s always something new to experience. Being of a rather restless nature, I love that about a city. Now, that being said some places are simply too good to only be seen once or twice. My first stop in the spring through fall seasons is Central Park. There is nothing more serene than walking on the winding paths beneath the lush green foliage, or stopping to watch the little kids play with their rented sailboats in the pond. After making my way through the park, I usually find myself entering the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts. Not nearly as large as Le Louvre in Paris, but the exhibitions are magnificent and it’s thereby one of my favorite museums. All this walking around and observing gets my appetite worked up which leads to a quick subway trip down to SoHo or The Village where I like to pick out one of their numerous restaurants or cafes. At some point during the day it’s also necessary to do some shopping on 5th Ave and around Times Square. If I feel like indulging, my itinerary also includes visiting Babycakes for one of their exceptional, sweet vegan cupcakes (I’m not 100% sure, but they may have non-vegan treats as well).  Hmm…perhaps it’s time for another visit to NYC?

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of my favorite things to do in New York City is to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It has been a long time since I’ve been there, but I remember visiting there with my sister’s family and our parents.  The broad range of items in the permanent collections and on loan was awesome and inspiring. I don’t remember what all of the special exhibit(s) were when we went, but I am pretty sure that one was “The Treasures of Tutankhamun” (…it was a long long time ago, okay?), and I believe one or two museum sections were closed for renovations and improvements.

I was impressed by many of the items in thecollection, and even then I realized how rare or special many of the items were.  To literally see “history” there in front of you, and ponder what the artists’ inspiration was, or what it might have been like when a piece of artwork was made, used, or worn.  Considering that many of their pieces are the surviving ones, and how much of our past has been lost to the ages, makes experiencing the ones in front of you that much more special. The diversity of their collection is impressive, to show that not all “art” is just paintings and sculptures, but yes, the paintings and sculptures are there as well. At the time, my sister worked as an assistant curator for a group of museums in Massachusetts.  So my sister was able to reveal a lot of the “behind the scenes” information about many of the pieces.

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