Grounds for Sculpture / September 12, 2015 by Cynthia Catera

On a weekend getaway, on the last of Summer Friday's of 2015, I got the opportunity to discover The Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey. With the highly manicured lawns and larger than life sculptures ranging from realistic to abstract, one could get lost for hours in this place. Thankfully if was a gorgeous day outside, and we did just that! :)

More Friends! This guy's never seen an i-phone! Can you believe it?!

These guys were having a grand 'ol time! I decided to crash their party! ;)

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens / August 16, 2015 by Cynthia Catera

Last weekend was a great little staycation in Brooklyn, visiting friends and interviewing for some upcoming podcasts. Sunday, we took a pit stop at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens to stop and smell the roses:)

All Is Full of Love at the MOMA... / April 16, 2015 by Cynthia Catera

...and it's all because of Bjork! =) I finally had the chance to see the exhibit, (I became a member to skip the lines...and in case I wanted to see the exhibit again), and I was blown away! I've heard mixed reviews, but I think going into the exhibit, you need to know who Bjork is, or at least know of her eccentricity. Although I'm not fanatic, I mostly love Bjork for her originality and keeping true to herself, which is one of the toughest aspect of being a commercial artist. But even when it's over the top, I can still appreciate what she's putting out there....because no one else would have the balls to, or to execute it in a eloquent fashion in which she does =)

The exhibit is totally interactive, so bring your ears and eyes. My favorite part being, Black Swan, where you're ushered into a soundproof, cavernous room with two large flat screens and surrounded by 49 speakers. As the video begins, the dual screens are in sync, but then each taking their own route. This is where you're encouraged to walk around the room, visiting the speakers on the walls, becoming introduced to each musical composition of the video. I couldn't decide which I liked better...the strings or the oddly, weird background percussion....and I still can't decide!

Next were escorted to a large viewing room with plush, red multi-leveled boxed sofas showcasing all of Bjork's music videos (some of which I never seen!)... I could have spent hours in there...in fact, the way some people were laying down, I wouldn't be surprised if that's how they spent Saturday:)

For the 3rd floor exhibit, I recommend getting tickets when you arrive. Running every 15, this is the journey of the life of a girl-a girl named Bjork. Headphones...check....and cue the music! Room by room-it's starts with her beginnings in Iceland with each room themed, reflecting her albums. The music and narration hold hand-in-hand as you observe her writing, evolving into lyrics, and costuming she wore for performances.

The journey is astounding, and while dancing to the few music breaks within the narration, I realize what it must feel to attend a silent rave as I'm dancing in my seat. I wonder which part my neighbor is listening to..I guess it's a secret...which I'm sure is what Bjork wanted...an intimate exhibit of her lifetime's work-with the personalization of the viewer.... Everyone has their own interpretation and take-aways from the exhibit, reflecting their own journey...which I'm sure reflects why Bjork has reached such an impactful fanbase in her career. <3

The Cultural Center...Chicago Pt.4 / November 23, 2014 by Cynthia Catera

Another place to venture in Chicago is the Cultural Center. With free exhibits built on a breath-taking structure, all your palettes will be sured to be satisfied. We wandered into a Graphic Design Exhibit with the below images as my fav...

BANNERMAN CASTLE / October 14, 2014 by Cynthia Catera

When approaching Pollepel Island, with a view of the Bannerman Castle, you're taken to worlds and life-times away...to a fairy-tale land of stories untold.

Little to my dismay, the truth unfolds that this was in fact a military surplus warehouse built by businessman and architecturally obsessed Francis Bannerman VI in 1901. Being an avid man of the import/export business, Bannerman was the first to offer mail-ordered catalogs for guns and ammunition for the military, and this structure was a means to store the excess which overflowed from his New York warehouse. Since the island has uneven footing and rocky cliffs, the warehouse had a whole floor dedicated for recreational activities. He even built a house for his family, several yards from the warehouse.

Working from a young age, Bannerman, living in Brooklyn, would collect scraps of metal from the Navy Harbor, and would continue to have a "cut-the-cost" or perhaps a "reduce-reuse-recycle" mentality that contributed to his great business skills. This eventually caught up with him, and literally backfired when a small fire broke loose in the warehouse. In normal circumstances, this would be easy to attain, however, Bannerman, decided to reuse the flooring when building the structure, without realizing this was previously wood was soaked in oil. This in turn, only heightened all destruction, in which the fire burned for 3 days.

What is left of the warehouse, which I will still refer to as a castle, still holds its magnificence and beauty. Bannerman, having a knack for details and architecture, built a landmark that takes us through time, and his story will be forever told.

Weekend in Beacon / October 10, 2014 by Cynthia Catera

A quick ride away from the city, you will find yourself in small and quaint town with accents of Victorian influence. This is Beacon, NY. An art-filled, pocket sized town, sitting just East of the Hudson. With countless of activities to immerse yourself in, I stuck to the basics with nature, antiquing, and of course...eating.