Views of downtown with the new One World Trade, and how the train station makes you feel as though you're in the belly of a whale :)
nyc
Window Shopping /
For a night, I played tourist with visiting all the store windows in Midtown and taking photos like it was going out of Fashion. My favorite, Saks, took home the gold for most creative display:
SAKS
BERGDORF GOODMAN
BARNEYS
MACYS
ST. PATRICKS CATHEDRAL
When you can't get to Venice..... /
Celebrating a beautiful day in Central Park at the Boat House, with an authentic gondola ride....The only gondola at the boat house, shipped from Venice, with Andreas' beautiful voice echoing across the pond.....and oh yeah, don't forget to kiss under the bridge to seal the deal! :) The amazing views and history from this location is enough in itself, and something a little rain couldn't even damper! Followed with an amazing dinner at the boat house, watching the sunset, drinking champagne....I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate:)
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens /
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... /
...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 Cloisters /
It seems like a fairy-tale, or perhaps just a little deja-vu, when you embark onto a place in which you've seen in your dreams. Taking the 'A' train uptown & surviving a bunch of club kids headed to the Electric Daisy festival, we began the journey through the trees, through winding paths and countless steps, to this unforeseen place (as in an episode of Game of Thrones where your sidekick Siri and Google Maps are of no help). The effort was well worth the journey, and the exhilaration of reaching the top followed by being greeted with this magnificent structure, the Cloister Museum. With its art and architecture devoted to medieval Europe, the museum incorporates 5 European abbeys which were dissembled and brought to NYC and reconstructed by Charles Collins as an extension to the Met Museum. The gardens surrounding the museum brings great solitude and balance to the architectural elements. This is what we saw...
A view from the walk up
The climb
Ivory Combs
The tombs
Unicorn Doorway
George Washington Bridge
THE MOTS NOUVEAUX /
The Mots Nouveaux are taking NYC by storm!!!
With their Friday night residency at SideWalk Cafe, to their appearances at Rockwood Music Hall, check out the vids below featuring last week's performance at SideWalk.
Their name, meaning "words new", combines a little rag-time & a little sultry cabaret...all mixed with catchy & melodic pop hooks...........you know the ones you wake up to singing in your head =)
With the dynamic voice of EMMA FITZPATRICK, the magnetic harmonies from AMANDA WALLACE, and the ebony & ivory mastermind of AARON BEAUMONT, this LA to NY band is a force of nature (and talent) taking the NYC music scene to new heights.