Manhattan - Day 55

Today I made my way up to MOMA to take in the deKooning retrospective. An incredibly interesting show that spans the entirety of the artist's career. Despite his brilliance, there is, in my opinion, a noticeable drop off in the mid-seventies. Although I think the sculpture that he created during the seventies was really interesting - in fact much more so than the paintings. Still, the fact remains - all the work pales in comparison to the five women painting he created in the 50s.

After the de Kooning exhibited, I took in the rest of the museum and was pleasantly surprised to come upon two of the museum's pieces by Bob Indiana. American Dream #1 and the sculpture Moon. I had walked through the room contain the Pop art and was disappointed not to see Bob represented. Two rooms later I found him grouped with the other artists that lived and worked on Coenties Slip. Bob, who never liked the term Pop art, and doesn't consider himself such, would be happy instead to be grouped with his old friends Agnes Martin, Jack Youngerman and of course Ellsworth Kelly.

Manhattan - Day 54

Today was another beautiful fall day and as usual I started my day off with a walk through the village. Readers of this blog know that I had previously declared Perry as my choice of streets on which to live. Well today, yet again, I found myself walking the length of Bleecker Street, I realized that it is my favorite strolling street in the city. Starting up at Abington Square, the most beautiful crossroad in Manhattan for my money, and continuing across 7th south and then crossing 6th you can watch as Bleecker changes from the home of high fashion to the Bleecker of old.

Manhattan - Day 53

Hiked over to 7th & 18th this morning with a large box of clothes on my shoulder. After dropping it off at UPS - destination Dana Point California, I headed down to the village where I had a large coffee and a equally large doughnut that I had no business eating. Walking home up Washington, I spotted this mostly worn away ad on the side of a building.

And the colors just keep coming.  Later I turned up 20th toward the gate at GTS and was greated by this view. Just had to snap a pic.

Manhattan - Day 52

Autumn, Glorious Autumn

This morning I pulled on a jacket and scarf and strolled out into the wonderfully crisp autumn air, bathed in the clean early morning light of fall. Off through the West Village, I walked all the way down Bleecker Street, ending up on Bowery. I decided to continue on, all the way over to Tompkins Square Park. After spending some time in Tompkins Square, I made my way back to Washington Square Park where I sat and soaked up the morning sun. There is nothing better than a warm fall day.

Manhattan - Day 51

Will Barnet at 100

This morning I traveled uptown to The National Academy Museum, to take part in the day-long symposium on the Art and life of Will Barnet. I was there to introduce my film on Will and to enjoy the rest of the program that include various lectures and a panel discussion. Will joined us for the afternoon and, as always, it was wonderful to see him. The film was well received and the kind comments from those in the audience were of course, as always, much appreciated.

Will Barnet, Self-Portrait, 1981

Manhattan • Owls Head • Manhattan - Day 42 - 50

Just to catch everyone up, on October 27th we boarded Mega Bus and were off to Maine. We planned a little R&R, a little business for myself, and readying the house for the upcoming winter. It was a busy nonstop flurry of house work, meetings and visits with friends. On our final morning in town our friend Mike Dworkin picked us up and shuttled us off to catch the bus back to New York, with a stop for breakfast at the Home Place Cafe in Rockland.

Breakfast at the Home Place Cafe

Back on the bus

Manhattan - Day 41

All day just kicking around town with Mary Ann. Started it off with breakfast at the Cook Shop, followed by a walk through Soho, a movie in the afternoon at Angelika. While I liked, Martha Marcy May Marlene I'm not sure I get all the hype. As usual, with a movie that gets this much attention, I with I had seen it earlier.

after the movie we headed off back through the village with a stop for coffee at Jack's on 10th.

This evening we had a quiet dinner back in Chelsea. Tomorrow off to Maine for a week.

Manhattan - Day 40

Back to Manhattan yesterday afternoon after a night New Jersey visiting Mary Ann's family. We dropped off the bags here at GTS and set off on a walking tour of my NewYork. First stop Doma for a coffee and then a walk down Bleeker Street ending up at BareBurger for a bite to eat.

A beautiful night for a walk, and the need to do such after the dinner we ate, we strolled back through the village before calling it a day.

Today we kicked around the village, starting with breakfast at the Bus Stop Cafe (loyal readers do we see a pattern here?) then toff to check out the Occupy Wall Street encampment. On the way down I snapped this pic of Mary Ann on the train.

Tonight it's off to Greater Jamaica Development Corp's annual Gala.

Manhattan - Day 39

Fall in the air. This morning up for my walk which took down through the village as usual. The air had that crisp feel that was a sure sign that the cool nights of fall are her to stay. As I turned the corner from Bleeker and onto Hudson, there was the Saturday morning farmers market at Abington Square. I snapped this shot of these cauliflower which seemed an apt symbol of a fall day.

Manhattan - Day 38

Life Underground

It was my friend David who first pointed out the sculptures in the 14th Street & 8th Avenue subway station to me. I was certain that these whimsical little characters had been there for years but in reality "Life Underground" was created in the nineties by American sculptor, Tom Otterness  and installed in 2000.


Otterness credits 19th century political cartoonist Thomas Nast's depiction of Boss Tweed and the corruption of Tammany Hall that was ongoing at the time of the subway's initial construction as his inspiration for the sculptures, hence my thought that they were from a bygone era. Regardless, they never fail to bring a smile to my face and when you think about today's political climate and the Occupy Wall Street movement, many of them seem particularly relevant.

                 

Manhattan - Day 37

Up to the upper east side to drop off another disc at the event planners on Lex. First time I've been to Grand Central since I've been here. Yet another iconic New York landmark. The area covered in black above the stairways in the last photo is the site of the new Apple Store, set to open next month.

Manhattan - Day 36

Lot's of running around today, dropping off DVDs up on Lex at Lorelei Events, back to Chelsea for desk work, coffee with Ira Goldberg from the Art Students League on 57th and eighth - all in the middle of constant cold wind and rain.

rain rain go away - we're all out of umbrellas!

Manhattan - Day 35

Well the results are in. I've spent over a month now walking and training up and down the island of Manhattan and I've identified my street of choice. Well first, I have to say that it came down to a few all in the West Village and while Waverly is lovely as are parts of Christopher, Bank and Greenwhich, in the end it came down to two - Horatio and Perry.

And the winner is . . .

Ultimately it was that perfect blend of residential and a touch of businesses that swayed me. Of course, that fact that it is anchored on one end by my favorite coffee shop, was a determining factor. 

Note: I was not swayed, however, by the fact that Carrie Bradshaw from Sex In the City lived on Perry. It took me a whie to figure out that all those people having their pictures taken in front of 66 Perry were not visiting the site of the former home of some literary giant such as Henry James.

Manhattan - Day 34

Well, this morning was a beautiful fall morning and after a couple hours at my desk I started off in search of a hearty breakfast. Little did I know that I was about to discover my new favorite breakfast place. I strolled down through the West Village making my way down Hudson, stopping at the Bus Stop Cafe. As you approach this smallish corner establishment you have the feeling you might be onto something.

Once inside and seated your instincts tell you that you could be right. The place is loaded with charm, huge windows that let the light stream in and reveal a perfect Greenwich Village view.

Of course we all know you can't eat ambiance so you remind yourself not to get carried away because the food has yet to arrive. The next in the continuing signs of good breakfast fortune arrives in the form of a cup - yes, a cup, not a mug but a cup of coffee, oh the joy! It's made of that wonderful classic diner ware with a handle big enough for your finger!

Cautiously you order your favorite - pancakes with a side of sausage and you sit sipping coffee from your CUP enjoying the view and oh yes - the classical music playing - not bad pop or screaming hip hop, but actual classical music. You tell your self to take it easy and enjoy it while you can because surely the food will arrive and burst the bubble. As the waiter sets down your plate you try and contain yourself because there they are - three golden and perfectly sized pancakes and on small plate next to them, three plump, New York sausages just waiting to release their abundant juices when you slice into them. Then comes the moment of truth - you smear the pancakes with butter and drown then in that oh so wonderful thick, brown, (2% actual maple syrup), liquid.

Slice into them and take a bite - delicious! The equally delicious sausage is next and as your waiter fills your coffee cup for the third time you realize that yes indeed you have found BREAKFAST NIRVANA!