: Sightseeing in New York :
Today I drove into New York by myself for the first time to do some sightseeing and wandering by myself. I had it in my mind to go to the Guggenheim Museum because it's one of my favorite museums ever since I first visited years ago.
I was lucky enough to find a free parking spot on the street right next to the museum, although it was a pretty tight fit for my minivan. Maybe the next car I'll get will be a Mini Cooper. Then I found that the Guggenheim was mostly closed for renovations and exhibit installations, and only the first two floors were open. On the plus side, the admission was only $5, so I went in and saw their galleries of impressionist paintings from Cezanne, Degas and Matisse and some of the modern artists as well.
I came out of the museum and strolled across the street to Central Park, wandering on some of the paths until I came to the reservoir, where I snapped this picture:
I made my way up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and signed up for a museum membership so I can visit whenever I want for free. I spent a few hours wandering and ate lunch in the cafeteria, which is surprisingly delicious and affordable. I had grilled salmon with asparagus and grilled Roma tomatoes.
I also went up to the roof garden for the first time in many years. I'd been there a long time ago with my cousin when I was visiting her. She was working as an intern for the Wall Street Journal in the World Trade Center towers back then. There is an exhibit up there by a Chinese artist that consists of three separate elements - a series of explosions producing black smoke that is launched at noon, a large glass monolith with fake dead birds lying at the base, and a pair of resin alligators stuck with all sorts of sharp objects that have been confiscated at airports. I wondered if you recognized a item that belonged to you, such as a unique pocket knife, would you be able to remove it and reclaim it? I wonder...
I left the Met and walked down Madison Avenue, stopping in a stationary store to look at jewelry boxes and writing paraphernalia. Eventually I made my way back to my car and drove back to Jersey.
I was lucky enough to find a free parking spot on the street right next to the museum, although it was a pretty tight fit for my minivan. Maybe the next car I'll get will be a Mini Cooper. Then I found that the Guggenheim was mostly closed for renovations and exhibit installations, and only the first two floors were open. On the plus side, the admission was only $5, so I went in and saw their galleries of impressionist paintings from Cezanne, Degas and Matisse and some of the modern artists as well.
I came out of the museum and strolled across the street to Central Park, wandering on some of the paths until I came to the reservoir, where I snapped this picture:
I made my way up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and signed up for a museum membership so I can visit whenever I want for free. I spent a few hours wandering and ate lunch in the cafeteria, which is surprisingly delicious and affordable. I had grilled salmon with asparagus and grilled Roma tomatoes.
I also went up to the roof garden for the first time in many years. I'd been there a long time ago with my cousin when I was visiting her. She was working as an intern for the Wall Street Journal in the World Trade Center towers back then. There is an exhibit up there by a Chinese artist that consists of three separate elements - a series of explosions producing black smoke that is launched at noon, a large glass monolith with fake dead birds lying at the base, and a pair of resin alligators stuck with all sorts of sharp objects that have been confiscated at airports. I wondered if you recognized a item that belonged to you, such as a unique pocket knife, would you be able to remove it and reclaim it? I wonder...
I left the Met and walked down Madison Avenue, stopping in a stationary store to look at jewelry boxes and writing paraphernalia. Eventually I made my way back to my car and drove back to Jersey.
