The third day of my trip left me flying solo, as Candace tended to work demands. She coached me through the subway plan, and I was off to explore the city, bagel in hand.

Different languages mingle in New York’s streets, colliding and flowing. French, Japanese, German, Spanish and others flew back and forth, amongst the honking horns (That’s why I posted this photo. Apparently this ‘law’ is difficult to enforce.) and screaming drivers. (Speaking of the open conflict, I was amazed at how easily an argument would erupt, last five minutes, then quickly dissolve. Maybe there’s something to tossing out the politeness, speaking the truth, then returning to life. Grudges and ulcers be gone!)

I arrived at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) to soak in some major creativity. I started with Picasso:Themes and Variations which featured 100 exhibits of Picasso’s artistic process. It was amazing to see how he could create an exact depiction of a bull, then later a totally abstract version of the same animals. Françoise with a Bow in Her Hair depicts Françoise Gilot in 1946. Jacqueline as a Bride was another nice expressive lithograph.

A highlight of the tour was seeing Marina Abramović and “The Artist is Present.” For lack of a better description, she’s a performance artist. I read a profile about her in the “New Yorker” a few months ago, so it was fortunate timing that I happened upon her exhibit. On the first floor, I walked into what seemed like a never-ending staring contest. Abramović invited an audience member to sit across from her at a wooden table and basically ‘share energy’ for the entire day.

I don’t know how the volunteer did it. I would have laughed and ruined the artistic ‘moment.’ I heard that on another day a volunteer wore Abramović’s exact outfit, and performed the staring duties that day. It got much more intriguing. In order to enter the full exhibit, we had to walk between a naked man and woman. It wasn’t really a big deal; it was much more entertaining to watch the patrons’ reactions.

On one of the walls hung a naked woman with a shaved head, sitting on a bicycle seat, draped on a cross. Throughout the exhibit were various examples of Abramović’s work. A video played where she and a man screamed into each other’s mouths. (Apparently she is all about sharing energy, through whatever means necessary.) It was definitely worth the experience. One typical art gallery snob said, “I’ve been to galleries all over the world, and when I attend a gallery, I expect art. This is definitely not art.” Funny how people still strive so hard to define the meaning of art. And the debate continues…

William Kentridge’s paintings and Henri Cartier Bresson’s photography were mesmerizing. Bresson is called a 20th century portraitist and said, “Photography changes what it describes.” He has a talent for capturing mundane human moments, and giving them significance. There’s something about black and white photos that leaves me quiet, realizing that that piece of paper is all that remains of that spirit. Haunting.

The third floor held architectural ad design exhibits, and the current exhibit asked: What Was Good Design? There was a plethora of 40s and 50s furniture styles, as well as funky chandeliers in bright colors.

Museum trip fulfilled, I met Candace for dinner. We first walked to a roof top bar to get a great view of the city. Unfortunately, almost everyone in New York wanted to share that same view, so it proved to be a crowded experience.

After a brief stay, we headed to the famed Katz’s Deli. The process was tricky, where we received a ticket to order a meat lover’s dream sandwich. Our meat cutter quickly deduced that we were Texans, unsure of the whole pastrami experience. He carefully placed the cured meat on a plate along with a heap of pickles. (This is the real deal, not connected to Austin’s Katz’s, either.) I’m not a huge meat eater, but I’ll admit this was a delicious sandwich.

The deli’s walls are covered with framed photos of celebrities shaking hands with the owner, and there’s a sign directing attention to the very seat where Meg Ryan performed that famed scene from “When Harry Met Sally.”

We rounded out the evening listening to live music at the Living Room sipping martinis and snapping photo booth memories. (Coming soon.)

Another successful day in the life of NYC. Up next? Tenement Museum, a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge and a night to remember watching the Young @ Heart Chorus.

And now, a funny little photo of a pretend dog on a New York street.

“A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.”
Eugène Lonesco

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

Autumn Carpenter
While navigating the carpool lane and translating toddler conversations might not rank high on some adventure life lists, I happily include those accomplishments alongside skydiving, dodging Pamplonian bulls and surviving three-hour Vinyasa yoga classes. I look for the story in everyday situations, and convey them easily in both print and online mediums. I’m also SEO-friendly ghostblogger, web content writer and copywriter. Let’s collaborate on a project today!

Related Posts

Real Estate Article for Realty Line Austin: The World is Your Office: gadgets for the workplace on-the-go
May 18, 2012

In a bygone era, REALTORS® were tethered to their fax machines, postage meters and landline phone systems. Today's laptops...

Real Estate Article for Austin REALTOR®: You’re Invited to the REALTOR® Party
May 1, 2012

During many political campaigns, the most important component of the election process—the voter—is often neglected. As the political...

Lifestyle Article for austinwoman magazine: Classic Violinist Pulls Strings for Survival
May 1, 2012

Graduate school, violins and the Japanese culture are not typically associated with homelessness. Yet in 2008, Sarah [real...