After returning from a very expensive round of drinks at The View atop The Marriott Marquis smack bang in the middle of Times Square, we got to bed fairly late last night, so ended up sleeping in this morning, which was meant to be our museum day. Besides, Bojan was not feeling the best.
And what an appropriate museum day it was - about 0C and raining.
To continue our bad form, we got on the wrong subway, so ended up nowhere near
MoMA! In the end we caught a taxi, which is never recommended in NY's stand still traffic, especially in the wet. MoMa is located just off 5th Avenue on 53rd Street. This is the view from inside!
And what is the Museum Of Modern Art? What defines modern art? According to the "Highlights" booked I picked up in the gift shop, it's not as easy or as simple to define as one would hope. MoMA was founded in 1929 and now occupies the whole block, 7 curatorial departments and over 100,000 objects! The founders believe (and still believe as most of them are still actively involved with the running of the museum) in the premise that the art of our time is as relevant and as important as the art of the past. And when I think about it, I guess it is true, even though sometimes I fail to understand the abstract and the non-conservative interpretations of art that modern artists tend to have.
There are paintings, sculptures, film, media, photos, design, print and drawing galore.
There is no doubt that MoMA has done tremendous things for modern art and it is interesting to see where it will head - how it will continue to select the pieces and build upon its legacy.
I adored the Picassos and the Van Goghs. I loved learning and seeing how the different types of printing paper make a photograph print entirely differently. I never really realised that before until I saw the prints side by side.
Another notable piece was this drawing - which are DOTS! Totally cool!
I had hoped to have lunch with Bojan at the Terrace Cafe on the 5th floor, but it was far too small and the line was too long. The food here has really been terrible and the places that serve anything half decent are really difficult to get a table at. Bojan tends to get really grumpy when he's hungry, so waiting was not an option.
I really hope to be able to go to the Met, Frick and or Guggenheim on Saturday.
At this point we parted ways as Bojan needed to study and I wanted to see some things that Bojan had no interest in seeing.
I made my way to 5th Avenue, which is so depressing due to its affluency. There is nothing to buy there that's within my Gold Credit Card limit, haha! The only things within my reach are from the Americana chain stores - and Zara! Banana Republic was on sale and the skirt that I tried on on day 1 which was not available in my size, suddenly had two available! So I snapped it up. It's a gorgeous, silk, pale gold tiered, ruffled skirt. Plan to wear it to a wedding we have coming up.
I love people watching on 5th - the old ladies with their fur coats, the businessmen in Ralph Lauren talking about hedging, the Gossip Girl tweens texting and wearing perfectly put together "I don't care" outfits, the tourists in stone wash jeans and sneakers talking photos...
Of all the department stores I've visited, Saks has been my favourite because it has the full range - the couture, the runway and the contemporary. And what I loved is the fact that I was "ignored" by the sales assistants. Not so much ignored, but not hounded, they'd smile and say hi and let me browse. I ADOOOOOORED their 8th level shoe salon. It has it's own post code. The Louboutin section is wonderful. It has a bigger selection than any online retailer I've come across. Anyway, my point is to retell seeing a girl about 16 shopping with her dad, pointing at the Loubies she wanted and she got them all.
Next I made my way further along 5th to the New York Public Library. The famous location where Carrie and Big were MEANT to get married for all you SATC fans.
The building is grand, you feel like you're in Venice or something. It's so peaceful and elegant, with carved desks, high ceilings and intricate paintings and carvings on the walls and ceilings.
I then made my way down to Grand Central Station where I got a cookie, the new US Vogue with Beyonce on the cover (yawn @ them using celebrities all the time) and I was on my way home. I knew that Bojan would be worried about me at that stage because I didn't take my mobile with me.
For dinner he's dragging me back to
Kafana in Alphabet City, but that's ok, because I like a good pljeskavica too!
