Signs of Spring in New York City

Just a quick pic I took a couple weeks ago of a tree budding here in New York City.  The leaves are almost fully on the trees now.  Spring came so quickly this year...

the museum of arts and design

Last week, as part of the New York City Challenge, Fiona and I visited the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) here in NYC.  The Museum is located in a newly renovated building on Columbus Circle that used to be a real eyesore but now looks absolutely fantastic.  I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about taking my 11 month old daughter to an art museum.  How long would her attention last?  Would she cry out or yell?  How much of the museum would I be able to enjoy?  Well, with these questions running through my head I bravely wrapped Fiona to me and set off on the subway to find out.

The museum has a great feel to it and uses the location of Columbus Circle as one of it's installations, showcasing the location through the windows inside that act as a frame.  And the feel of the space is airy and open without feeling overwhelming.  It's just a great space to show art.   The permanent collections were nice, but it was the special exhibitions that really caught my attention.   We first visited Swept Away: Dust, Ashes, and Dirt in Contemporary Art and Design, part of a series of exhibitions the museum has had that explore unusual mediums.  The art made with these ephemeral materials introduces many interesting questions about permanence of objects and materials.  Much of the work is grey and has a somber tone which seems to emanate from the nature of the mediums.

This work is called Unfurling Splendor (Adaption IV) by Catherine Bertola.   At first glance it appears to be a lovely damask stencil or wall paper, but the patterns are made with dust over PVC glue.  You can see the dust bunnies as you get closer!  How unexpected to use dust this way to show something so intricate from something so ordinary.

I loved this piece called Murder by Maskull Lasserre consisting of ravens made out of burned wood.
The artist wrote of the piece that "I only make work that I don't understand.  Relationships that are easily harmonized, ideas that have completeness in my mind, don't need my intervention in the material world."  This sentiment really resonates with me - the idea of the artist exploring things they don't understand.  However, I also find I understand things in a new way as I explore them even if I think I have an understanding of the work.

Isn't the view north on Broadway stunning from this window?

Javier Perez's Carrona, 2011. 

The Glasstress New York exhibit had some fantastic glass pieces from the Venice Biennales.

Mike + Doug Starn's Untitled, 2011. 

Jaime Hayon's Testa Mecanica, 2011. 

Beautiful stained glass - but I missed the artist's name!  Let me now if you know who this is by!

Fiona was an absolute angel during our whole trip.  And I think we were there almost 2 hours.  She was quiet and seemed to be engaged.  Once we were done we took a trip up to Robert, the restaurant at the top of MAD to check it out.  Of course, the views were fantastic.  I hope to be coming back for a date night at Robert!!!

Whimsical Wallpaper for Kiddos

 

Earlier this week, Daily Candy had a fabulous round up of kid oriented wallpaper.  I would love to decorate a wall in Fiona's room with some of these designs.  That is, when she actually gets a room of her own one day!   I can imagine her spending hours starting at the patterns daydreaming.  The magnetic wall paper by artist Sian Zeng is lovely and comes with movable pieces!  But I think my favorite is the paper with the scenes of Paris, Un Dimanche a Paris, from Famille Summerbelle.  The paper comes in both Silver-Yellow and Blue-Red.  It might be perfect for a child's (or adult!) bathroom too.  I love whimsical wallpaper in bathrooms, don't you?

UPDATE The New York City Challenge

So, as Patrick, my husband, pointed out to me yesterday, so far I have pretty much failed my New York City Challenge.  It's certainly not for lack of motivation, but we have been struck by one bad cold after another here in the Regan household.  Fiona has been sick almost every week for the last month, and when she hasn't been sick, I have...so...the challenge was a bit too challenging for us to complete last month.  Although we did make it to the Children's Museum of the Arts.  But I am newly committed and Fiona and I went to the Museum of Arts and Design in Columbus Circle today to restart the challenge (post to follow soon) and plan on going to the New York 20th Century Art and Design Fair tomorrow at Lincoln Center.

We have been lucky as the last month has really been the first time since Fiona was born that we have been sick.  But we were hit hard and I now completely understand why parents dread illness!  Not only is your baby sick, which is miserable, but if you and your spouse are also sick, you can't take a sick day from taking care of your baby!  But even if you aren't sick yourself, a sick baby means staying home from activities with a miserable kiddo so your baby can rest and not infect other kids...which, as a stay-at-home-mom, makes me absolutely stir crazy and starved for company!

Nice to meet you Holden...The New Jayson Home Catalog

I just received the Jayson Home Catalog in the mail this afternoon and I'm head over heels crazy about the Holden Wingchair.  How absolutely amazing is this?  It looks so comfortable and cozy and I love the mix of materials.   The chair feels both sleek and modern, yet handmade and vintage.  I've always been drawn right to the Jayson Home style in general.  I would love to visit their store in Chicago one day... Maybe I can fit it in when we go to Chicago for my brother's wedding in 2 weeks... Hmmmm.

21st Street, Chelsea

We went down to Chelsea yesterday with some friends and I was inspired to take some pics on 21st street.  

This one of the sky between the buildings...

 This one of the same view with the street...

Oh, New York, you really are so photogenic. 

Zig Zag Table Runner

How fantastic is this yellow table runner from the Etsy Store Fantasy Vintage Bridal?  I love the bright colors and the table is dressed with flair.

How cute is this face?!

I couldn't resist.

Early Spring in the City...

The week before last was gorgeous and warm here in NYC. The trees were flowering and flowers blooming all over the city. Fiona and I headed out for a long afternoon to saunter around the Upper West Side from Riverside Park to Central Park. I was determined to capture the trees in bloom before the leaves began to poke out. And to capture the city views through the trees that would soon be obscured by green.





I put Fiona in the wrap so she could take a nap on me...


As Fiona slept in the wrap I found a place to stop and lay down on a blanket underneath this lovely tree...

When she woke up we had snack time and Fiona explored, although she wouldn't crawl off the blanket onto the grass. This was her first time being on grass since last Fall.