We took the train VERY early from New Jersey to be at our first destination, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, bright and early. In particular, we were there to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit, which I'd heard rave reviews about (along with accompanying tremendous crowds). Luckily, we made it just before opening, and were about 20 or 30 people from the start of the line to enter.
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| Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty, runs through July 31st. |
We didn't take any pictures inside the exhibit, but a great overview beyond what I could describe in this blog is available here.
Even if you are not a fashionista, you could easily find something to intrigue you at this exhibit. It's a retrospective of his collections, from his early days on Savile Row to his last show before his death in 2010. Curated to about 100 of his designs, it captures some of the otherworldliness which his shows submerged the viewer. the theatricality and magic that his shows could provide. Rather than just a clothing designer, McQueen was an artist who expressed himself through clothes. Only when you see the pieces in person can you see the level of workmanship and tailoring in addition to the artistry. Somewhere between graceful and grotesque, McQueen pushed the notion of dichotomy to beautiful heights. (One of my favorites: http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/ensemble-girl-who-lived-in-tree/)
After touring the McQueen exhibit, we wandered around a bit more and stumbled upon a section dedicated to medieval Iberian pottery, housed in a beautiful period Spanish patio. It reminded me very much of our last trip to Sevilla.
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| Spanish Patio |
We also enjoyed a brief stay in the sculpture courtyard. It's a great place to rest your feet or sketch one of the many marble artworks.
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| Sculpture Courtyard |
Next, we headed to Chelsea, to make a requisite visit to the Alexander McQueen boutique. I am in love with his knuckle clutches and military inspired jackets. Like so:
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LEOPARD PONY KNUCKLE-BOX CLUTCH$2,095.00Buy at Alexander McQueen |
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MILITARY WOOL FROCK COAT$2,395.00 Buy at Net-A-Porter |
As is to be expected, exceptional craftsmanship = expensive. Sigh. Maybe when I hit my goal weight... hmmmmmm.
After a light lunch at the Chelsea Market, we tool a brief stroll up to High Line Park. Once an abandoned elevated train track destined for demolition, it was transformed to a beautiful park high above the city streets by community activists. It runs through Chelsea and the Meatpacking districts and makes for great people-watching on a sunny day.
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| City view from High Line Park. |
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| It's easier to catch a breeze from above! |
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| Planting beds and seating make the space linger-worthy. |
With the afternoon still ahead of us, we decided to hit Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, which was absolutely hopping with life.
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| The Washington Square Arch, on the park's northern edge, had a public piano located underneath. |
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| Notice the lovely little old lady clinging to the side of the piano on the left; she stood there mesmerized by the music. We were transfixed by her. May we always find pleasure in the simple things! |
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| Above, the sky just sparkled the perfect cerulean blue. |
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| Below, an artist worked on his sand art mandala. |
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| People frolicked in the fountain. (I didn't know you could do that!) |
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| And one lone man frolicked with his pigeons. (Um, I didn't know you could do that either! I am pretty sure he was feeding them or he was some kind of pigeon whisperer.) |
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| Gratuitous flower shot. |
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| It's a bit blurry but I tried to capture the big fat bumble bee which had landed here. It was bending the blossom with its heftiness. |
All that activity made us thirsty, so we headed over to our favorite Greenwich Village bar, Bar'rique, for some refreshing cocktails. Try to score a seat by the open windows, and you will have infinite conversation fodder.
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| Bar'rique - 264 Bleecker Street Between 6th and 7th Ave. |
By then, it was time to head over to Buddakan for an early dinner. So early in fact that we ended up having most of the restaurant to ourselves! Don't be intimidated by the chic decor and dramatic staircase entrance to the main dining room, this place serves some very good food at reasonable prices (for New York).
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| Buddakan - 75 9th Ave, NYC |
We shared several dishes, and it was more than enough for two. The dim sum - Mushroom and Sugar Snap Pea Siu Mei were light but flavorful and in handmade wrappers. The Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly appetizer was, well, my mouth is watering just thinking about it again so that should tell you. For our main course, we had the Wild Mushroom Chow Fun and Black Pepper Beef. I have never had more tender morsels of beef, ever. A delight. For desert, we also split the weeping Chocolate Cake with Jasmine Green Tea ice cream. You will NOT be disappointed. With drinks and tip, the meal came to about $130 for two. So very worth it, we will definitely be coming back.
Between the drama of the McQueen exhibit and the ambiance of Buddakan prepared us for the last and greatest adventure of the day: Sleep No More. Sleep No More is described as an "immersive production" loosely based on Shakespeare's play Macbeth. What's that, you say? Imagine Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, but set it in the 20s and spray a light coat of blood over the whole thing. Now place yourself in the center, and c'est ca -- Sleep No More.
This is how it unfolded. You turn up to a block of warehouses on West 27th Street. On the door is a small brass plate that denotes the McKittrick Hotel. This is the fantasy world created by the show's producers. You enter a darkened stairwell and are led up to a "concierge desk" where you "check in" for your stay. At this point you and your party are each handed playing cards of different suits and you are ushered along further dark corridors until you are expelled into a 1920s club scene. At the bar you can order a cocktail, on the stage a sultry Jessica-Rabbit type begins to give instructions. All the actors are in character and you are about to enter their world.
They recommend splitting up from your group (hence the different playing cards) and I do believe that experiencing the show alone does increase the sense of disorientation and restlessness - but we did not. I am a coward and I like to cleave my sweaty palm to someone familiar as we enter this very mysterious world.
You are called up in small groups and each given a plain, almost bird-like mask to wear. The rules are simple - once you enter, the mask stays on, and there is no talking. You are allowed to touch the objects and rifle through the rooms at your leisure. You will come across scenes being played out by actors, or see one lone actor roaming about. Feel free to watch or follow, or explore on your own. There are 6 floors and an unending variety of hidden rooms and passageways.
The rooms range from a hotel front lobby, to Macbeth's master bedroom, to a hospital ward to a candy shop. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, and each one has been painstaking filled with artifacts, letters and objets that add to the storyline. Photos and commentary via the New York Times are here. (According to the New York Times, 200 artists spent four months working on these little details, and they pay off).
We were there three hours, and it passed like a dream - or in some cases, more like a nightmare. The scenes we stumbled across seemed to skip across time but you could put together a compelling narrative with a little help from Shakespeare. Beware, there is blood, and violence, and nudity, and a lot of unexpected twists and turns. If you are patient, a scene will unfold before your very eyes and reach a surprising crescendo in moments, only to dissipate like smoke. Sometimes you and the actors are alone, other times you are surrounded by other audience members also observing. The effect of the masks is both chilling and emotional, and keeps you at a voyeuristic proximity to the actors while distancing yourself from the other "observers."
In case you have any interest in seeing the show, I won't describe things in too much detail but I will share some hints: Wear sensible shoes and avoid heavy coats or bags (they recommend you check everything but your pants basically) -- you will literally find yourself running to keep up with the action and the masks can get very hot. Be wary of being the first off the elevator, and if a bald person invites you into a tight closet, be prepared to part with a bit of... something. I won't say what.
Due to popularity, Sleep No More has an extended run through September 5, 2011. Tickets at Ovation Tix.
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