Artistic Expression

The Met was wonderful, with something for everyone to see.
The Museum of Modern Art had wonderful moments. I thought the gift shop was awesome, though I couldn't come to any decisions on what to buy, there was just too much.

I've always seen art as a reflection of history. It shows me something about the time period in which it was created. Whether it's designed to emulate a certain style, or meant to counter certain artistic principles, art tells a story.
The thing is, I'm just not as interested in the more recent stories. I know that expression is important, and a lot happened in the latter end of the 20th century, but I still just don't get certain forms of art. I can't see how leaving a canvas completely white holds any artistic value against some of the masterpieces out there.
You can justify its importance all you want, I just like to look at something that displays some kind of skill. If I can do it myself, I don't need to look at it in a museum.

The MoMa has certain installations that fall under the category of Art with a capital A. I honestly did see a blank canvas screwed to the wall. I also saw a video of people pulling hair out of their mouths and draping it all over a guy. I did not enjoy said video.

What MoMA did have that I enjoyed: Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Picasso, Rousseau, Monet, and Manet. I even like Pollock, and Roy Lichtenstein's "Drowning Girl" is really cool too. "Campbell's Soup Cans" and "Gold Marilyn Monroe" by Andy Warhol were crowded, but I pushed my way in front to get a good view.

They have a really amazing prints section displaying work by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec that appealed to my theatrical side and he did numerous play posters in a style reminiscent of art nouveau.

I liked the MoMA, and I think if there was an exhibit on an artist I love I would visit it again. Having said that though, I would certainly visit the Met again, no matter what their special exhibitions are.

Crowds Crowds Crowds

Alright, let's talk about the Empire State Building.

The expectation:



The reality:



Granted, there were some spectacular nighttime views:

...but even though we got up there at midnight, the crowds were still pretty intense. If you're accustomed to that sort of thing, not a big deal. If you're not, bring a lot of patience. You can pay a paltry $20 (per person) extra to skip the main line (which we did not pay) and another $20 (per person, again) to go to the upper observation deck. We had no idea if the upper deck was worth it, or if it was just as crowded up there, so we just enjoyed the view from where we were.

All in all, I'm glad we went because it was a part of the City Pass, but although the view was really great, I don't know if it lived up to all the hype from the movies. If you have to choose one, I'd recommend the harbour tour for a view of the city. It's more relaxing, you get anecdotes about New York from a friendly captain/tour guide, and everyone gets their own seat from which to enjoy the view (so long as everyone on the boat obeys the sit down so everyone can enjoy the view rule).

Hint: not everyone obeyed the rule.

Tomorrow, my review of the American Museum of Natural History promises to be lengthier and more positive.

--James

And My Eyes Were Happy

Yesterday we visited the Metropolitan Museum.

We began our day by getting lost in Central Park like Macaulay Culkin. If we were to point the blame at someone for this, it would be at James. I tried to tell him we were lost and going horizontally across the park instead of vertically up it, but he did not believe me. I won in the end when we ended up at the beginning where we started, however this was not a sweet victory as we were now late getting to the museum. I've forgiven him though, especially since I've now told the world about his directional shortcomings. 

Tip: buy a map of Central Park for 2 dollars. It has helpful pictures, and I believe proceeds go to charity.

One thing about NY in August, everything is under construction. I looked at my map and tried to play tour guide, "on our left, you shall see Cleopatra's Needle" but it was covered in scaffolding, just like St. Paul's Cathedral. But we were not discouraged!

We met with James high school friend who now lives in DC, she had already been to the Met so she left the decision making up to me. Upon looking at the map (I like maps, okay?) I realized we had quite the journey ahead of us. It became clear that we weren't going to see everything in the time that we had. 

Tip for first timers: if you're interested in seeing the paintings, as I am, go to the second floor and do that first. We didn't get to see everything in the 19th and 20th century gallery.

We started in the Egyptian section, which is incredible. They have a whole temple! Egypt gifted it to the United States, which was very generous of them. This is definitely a must see, especially for those people who loved learning about mummies and Pharaohs back in school. 

We spent a good amount of time in the Arms and Armour section, which James certainly enjoyed. This is where one may expect to see full suits of armour and every kind of weapon ever used.

The next section is where I wish we hadn't spent a lot of time. We should have gone straight from Arms and Armour to the Medieval or Greek and Roman art, but instead we meandered through the first floor American wing. This would be cool for some people I'm sure, including the replica of a Frank Lloyd Wright room, but it wasn't the thing I was most interested in. I can't speak to the second floor American Wing (which apparently has Washington Crossing the the Delaware) because there was no time to see it. 

The Greek and Roman statues were really exciting, especially the head of Constantine, a historical figure I teach my grade 8 Socials class about. Hopefully this picture of me posing ridiculously beside it helps them remember facts I put on their tests.

The European Paintings gallery was my favourite. It was amazing seeing Giotto, Raphael, Rembrant and Vermeer, among so many others. I was transported back to my Art History University Class, except instead of it being on a projector it was real, and in front of me. Not even covered in glass or anything.

The 19th and Early 20th Century art was exciting too, displaying heavy hitters like Picasso, Matisse, Monet, Seurat and Van Gogh.

If I were to go back, which I've decided I will, I shall have a better understanding of what is where and what I would like to see.

All in all the Met has been a highlight for me. 

-Kim

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

...and yes, they did play that song between a couple of innings. The Yankees have a lot of history, and although we weren't at the original stadium (which closed in 2008), we still considered going to a Yankees game to be an essential part of the New York experience.

We both grew up loving baseball. I used to go to Calgary Cannons games all the time (until they were traded to Albuquerque). Kim has a more intimate relationship with the game, citing A League of their Own as her favourite movie of all time. Plus she actually used to play competitive ball. So it was a no-brainer that we would make this game a part of the trip.

It really is America's pastime, as evidenced by the wealth of conversations around us which had nothing at all to do with the game. That's not to say that there weren't hardcore fans who boo-ed every call the umpires made in the Astros' favour, but in contrast to faster-paced sports, the action is sporadic, providing for a greater social aspect to being at the ball game. There weren't any runs until the 4th inning anyway, so a lot of people got to chatting. We got down to business.

The business of hot dogs. Hebrew National hot dogs, that is...something that I've never seen in Canada. The dogs are kosher, catering to the very large Jewish community of New York, but more than that, they were delicious. The entire meal together (just two hot dogs plus beer; we didn't even get fries) came to $30, so bring deep pockets if you're going to a game...but that's good advice for any sporting event, really.

Kim's
-Hot dog: Hebrew National
-Ketchup: Yes
-Mustard: Regular type
-Toppings: No
-Rating: 8

James'
-Hot dog: Hebrew National
-Ketchup: No
-Mustard: Brown spicy
-Toppings: Frank's Red Hot Sauce
-Rating: 8

Kim had chosen to pair hers with a malty Guinness Black Lager, while I opted for a refreshing Yuengling Traditional Lager. We both agreed after a single bite that the dogs were damn good. I would recommend them to anyone who can find them in the States. There were even more expensive Italian sausages available, and I was really tempted to try one ($8.50 ea.) but I will wait until next time.

There were some entertaining moments during the game despite the Yankees' loss to the Astros (to be fair though, the Jays are my team so I wasn't that let down) and all in all it was a great evening. If you have the money and the time, I have to say that even up in the 4th level we had a clear, unobstructed view of the action. The packed subway was a little intense on the way back, but those trains are deceptively long and hold a lot of people, so it wasn't as bad as it first appeared.

Coming up tomorrow: The Museum of Modern Art and the Empire State Building, a.k.a. Crowds, Crowds and more Crowds.

--James

Quick Tips

-Don't worry about looking like a stupid tourist. Use a map, it is better than getting lost. 

-The subway isn't scary, it is convenient. Use it. When I thought about it I was nervous because I imagined the subway I had seen in some 80's movies (notably, Ghost) but everyone uses it.

-Be nice to the people serving you food, they are very friendly (maybe because they want your money, but whatever) and they can give you insiders tips. 

-Tip, a lot. Just do it. 

-Use a travel guide. James gave me a Lonely Planet travel guide when we first started dating. We have used it a lot, to the point where we feel naked without it. 

-You can eat cheap in NYC, even in Midtown. Use your travel guide or the internet. James and I have eaten at a bunch of really delicious places (Columian, Cuban, Chinese...Soon Italian) for little money.

-Learn to cross the street, even if the hand is telling you not to. Just be careful. Look both ways!

-See Times Square, but don't make it your hang out. There are better, less crazy busy, places. 

-I'm going to talk about the Met Museum later tonight, but quick tip: start on the second floor if you are more interested in paintings.

-Wear FANTASTIC walking shoes. I have blisters on my blisters and I'm a comfortable shoe wearing kind of girl. 

Okay, that is it for the quick tips section, now I'm going to talk about a restaurant James forgot to mention. 

El Margon is a tiny Cuban diner that was recommended by our Loney Planet Guide. We are kind of working our way through the one dollar sign eateries (as opposed to $$$) due to my monetary restrictions. This has turned out great though, as we get to find places like Nice Green Bo. El Margon is a diner, one side with a counter the other with tables. It is very long and thin and packed with people. We were a bit overwhelmed with the craziness of it all so we decided to go with the Lonely Planet's recommendation of a sandwich called the "Cubano". Pickles, meat, cheese. So yummy. We shared one, and thank goodness because it was enough (it came with rice and beans too) and we were very full by the end of it all. 

The staff was friendly in a genuine way. I'm pretty sure they were laughing at us genially, simply because we look so touristy. They were all bilingual. It seems like most people in this city speak two languages. 

I know this picture doesn't really appear to have appetizing food, but that sandwich was DELICIOUS. 

CAN YOU DIG IT? or Coney Island Part Two: In Which We Finally Talk About Hot Dogs

This cult classic was my first introduction to Coney Island. The Warriors was filmed at a time when Coney Island was at its lowest, the amusement parks torn down, the land caught up in endless court battles over development. Only the lonely 'Wonder Wheel' remains.

That was not, of course, the Coney Island that we witnessed. It was very much alive, and I'm sure that the crowds would have been maddening if we'd gone on the weekend. The long story short is that it was worth the lengthy train ride, hangover or no hangover.

If you want the even longer history of Coney Island, I won't bore you with it here if it's not your bag. Cliffnotes version.

We started our adventure with a slew of roller coasters, most notably the brand-new Thunderbolt:

Fastest I've ever experienced

We avoided the Cyclone because, although it is iconic and one of the last wooden roller-coasters out there, it can also be very painful (there have been some accidental deaths) and well, four other rides didn't do great things for my hangover.

We did, however, ride the Wonder Wheel, a piece of American history. Unlike most traditional Ferris wheels, the Wonder Wheel has cabins that slide back and forth on a track as you go up and down, making the wheel feel a bit more thrilling. Good view from up there.

We blew the last of our tickets on skee ball. Because skee ball.

Then finally, FINALLY, we got our first New York hot dogs from the original Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, the birthplace of the hot dog.

Kim's on the left.

Hot dog: Original

Ketchup: Yes

Mustard: Honey mustard. Medium grain.

Toppings: Fried onions.

Rating: 7/10

James' on the right.

Hot dog: Original

Ketchup: Yes

Mustard: Regular type.

Toppings: None

Rating: 6/10...shoulda had the onions.

Nathan's Famous are tasty. They have salty exteriors. These sloppy dogs were probably as close to the 'classic' Frank-in-a-bun experience as you could get...but the hot dog has come a long way since then, and we have been spoiled by a plethora of smokies, premium Italian sausage, etc. Having a Nathan's, the original, was an essential part of our New York experience, but it didn't exceed any expectations.

Coming up tomorrow: Kim blogs about the Met (not the Mets) and baseball (also not the Mets)

--James

Sodom by the Sea and Little Italy

...well, that's what it was called before the amusement park showed up, at any rate. Although the 'Steeplechase' mentioned in my favourite Dire Straits song no longer exists, an iteration of its famous horse-racing style roller-coaster does. More on that later; I'd better do this in chronological order.

Sunday morning we started with Chinatown.

There are parts to any big city that are designed around tourism; most specifically, making money off of tourists. This is a part of the lifeblood of many big cities, but...

...not to say that Chinatown was a trap. But the rows upon rows of souvenir stores all hawking the same t-shirts and key-chains, plus street vendors trying to sell you cheap designer knock-off watches and handbags...are a trap. I've seen it elsewhere though, so it's not shocking, but they do prey upon the unwary. So if you're going to a touristy part of New York such as Times Square...

Which segues perfectly into this paragraph, because we decided to go see The Lion King as our second show.

Short paragraph.

Chinatown was great. Highlights were the Buddhist temple:

And the $20 (for two, including tip) lunch at Nice Green Bo, which Kim has shared pics of. But heck, here they are again because damn, those dumplings and spicy beef noodles were delicious:

Why yes, that is the warm filter

We also visited Little Italy which, as locals told us, has been reduced to essentially a single street (Mulberry) downtown. Here I unlocked the 'haggler' achievement by successfully (accidentally) lying about the price of a t-shirt that I saw in another store across the street. This is a great area to go see if you like cute old brick apartments and authentic Italian waiters shouting out the $9 lunch specials for their authentic Italian restaurants, complete with authentic Italian accents.

Our evening was reserved for the harbour tour, which offered an incredible view of Manhattan, New Jersey and Brooklyn from the water. Definitely worth the $ if you get the tour with the 'City Pass'. The boat goes right around the Statue of Liberty. Although I wasn't crazy keen on doing the actual statue tour, I'm glad I got to see it up close...it is quite possibly the most iconic thing to see in New York, which is a city full of iconic buildings.

Highlights of the boat tour included: meeting the retired G.I. who told me about the U.S.S. Intrepid Air and Space Museum (which we may or may not have time to see but ohmygodihopesobecausejetplanes), the Statue of Liberty, and having 95% of the tourists disregard the 'don't stand up it spoils everyone's view' instructions from the staff.

Stock photo

Well this is getting a bit tl;dr so I'm going to finish it off here and tell you all about the wonders of the Wonder Wheel (and our first actual hot dogs of the trip!) tomorrow.

--James

Always Look Up

New York is a city that teaches you to look up. And I'm not just saying that because it is famous for its skyscrapers. 

Whether it is the library, a cathedral, or Grand Central Station, New York knows how to make a good looking ceiling. 

I will be sharing most of my pictures (of ceilings and other things) after I get home and am able to upload and edit the hundreds of photographs. I'm not exaggerating this; I will probably have over 1000 pictures when I'm through. 

James is going to blog later, likely recapping our adventure today. My highlights were:

-Feeling nostalgic towards my time in SE Asia as we explored China Town

-Chatting with a nice Italian man who sold us gelato

-Eating very cheap, delicious Chinese food for lunch (see below)

-People watching on the subway

-Seeing the Statue of Liberty at sunset

There were many special moments today. James will regale you with his version once he returns from his quest for dinner. 

OH YES! You may wonder why we haven't eaten a hot dog yet. Don't worry, faithful readers. Tomorrow we head to Coney Island, the birthplace of the hot dog.

-Kim

On Broadway

Well, I can cross seeing a Broadway musical off my bucket list, and I'm glad that Kim was agreeable to seeing Hedwig and the Angry Inch with me. I've been in love with this musical ever since seeing its movie iteration a few years ago.

(This might turn into a slight/short review of Hedwig)

Somewhat different from the style of the movie, the musical is structured as part rock concert, part "one-woman-show" (plus band). Neil Patrick Harris is not only one of the funniest people I've ever seen on a stage, he's ridiculously energetic (and ripped - I was mucho jealous of his abs!). I've always been a big fan of rock music, and at times the show feels like a lesson in rock music history (without the actual history, but the style of songs spans the genre, from ballads to punk to grunge).

Broadway is certainly an experience that I would recommend. While you can get the same level of theatricality from a travelling Broadway show (as I have many times in the past), many of the theatre spaces here are surprisingly intimate:

Ours had a gorgeous ceiling, to boot

Just be prepared to shell out major $$$ if you want to have a beer at the show. Plus side, the sippy cups double as souvenirs:

I don't know why, but staring at Kim intensely seemed preferable to staring at the camera

Further observations on NYC thus far:

-I have decided that it is impossible to get a good night's rest during a turbulent flight
-I would never want to own a car here. Driving is scary, and requires a lot of patience (including reaching a destination in a reasonable amount of time. It's a huge, densely packed city)
-The cemeteries here are the size of small towns
-"Checking in early" is a concept and not a reality
-That thing where in every movie set in New York cars are honking at each other constantly? Totally true to life.
-Nintendo World should be called Nintendo Two Storeys

Kim has some great first-day pics of some other places we saw, including free exhibits at the Public Library by Bryant Park and St. Patrick's Cathedral (currently under restoration but still quite majestic) but I am signing off for today to go hunt for a late dinner.

Coming up tomorrow: Little Italy, Chinatown and the Circle Line cruise.

--James

On the metaphorical road

So! Here we go. On our way. First leg of the race. 

James has already written about his feelings towards airports. I agree with him on some aspects, and have found if you develop a positive somewhat laissez-faire attitude, it can be a relatively painless. I tend to smile as much as possible, even when I don't feel like it. Another method of keeping positive is to imagine how much more difficult everything would be if I was trying to do it all with a small child. I don't envy mothers in airports. 

What I don't like about travel is packing. I can never shrug the feeling that I've forgotten something. No matter how many lists I make or how many times I repack, I still feel like I'm going to get to my destination, walk through the door and realize I forgot my deodorant. 

But as long as I have my passport and my credit card I should be fine. 

This is the first time both James and I are leaving Chewie for a week with other people. Granted, our dog will be perfectly well taken care of by my brother and his girlfriend, but it is still difficult for me. I love the furry butthead, even though he sometimes tries to hump my leg or eat my cereal off the counter. 

Alright, I suppose that is a sufficient enough check in for now, unless something insanely exciting happens on our journey. 

The biggest dilemma in my life currently is whether or not to buy a neck pillow for 20.00. 

Come Fly With Me

I love airports.

Now, don't get me wrong...

Any seasoned tourist can attest to the tribulations of airline travel. The lines, crappy food (usually), heavy post-9/11 security, scrambling to catch a connecting flight after a delayed one (contrasted with hours of sitting and waiting), turbulence, rude passengers, etc. The list goes on.

I'm a big fan, however, of finding diamonds in the rough, and I don't just love airports because I used to dream about becoming a pilot. No, I'm talking about three of my other favourite pastimes: writing, chatting and people watching.



There is a thrum and pulse to an airport, and at any given time you can find a cross-section of cultures. Airports have also become (at least for North Americans) the predominant means of international travel (this is both good and bad; while they have helped make the world very small, they could also assist in our doom).



Ok, I'll stop digressing. My first point is that I've always seen long bouts of waiting as an opportunity to get writing done. A good deal of the war letters from Crystal Promise were written at SeaTac on my way to visit my friend AJ.

It's also a great way to meet people. Sure, there are plenty of grumpy don't-even-look-at-me-I-just-got-strip-searched individuals out there, but I've met some interesting people at airport bars and on flights, enriching what would otherwise have been an hour or two of silence.

Ok, not everyone's an extrovert. For those of you of the opposite persuasion, there's people watching.



I'm sure there are a plethora of reasons why we people-watch. I like to make up stories about people's lives (this may not come as a surprise to most of you). I don't mean made-up names and outlandish stories of their adventures kind of thing...I mean trying to guess what their life is actually like. Invasive, or inventive? YOU, THE READERS DECIDE.

So take it from a silver-lining kind of guy. Airports can be frustrating...but there are ways to make the best of them.

--James