A Northeaster: Part 1

In the spring, we decided to travel north in August -- an invitation to a family wedding in NYC quickly turned into a sightseeing tour of southern New England. At the time, we had no idea that we'd be moving overseas just weeks later; as the date for our trip neared, it seemed a foolish time to take a "vacation." But I'm so grateful we did, as it turned out to be a most enjoyable (if not particularly restful) getaway. A whirlwind of a trip: a Northeaster, if you will.

And so, we found ourselves at the Met on my 35th birthday! It was far too large to tackle in our one allotted day with many young children in tow, so I had selected our "must see" galleries ahead of time and mapped out our route with the Met's interactive map. Of course, I managed to forget said map... but the fact that I was able to accurately recreate the route on the spot says something about how much time I'd spent working it all out! *wink* We asked if they had a military discount, and the gentleman behind the ticket counter didn't charge us at all -- an unexpected boon, for which we were most grateful (lodging and food and activities for a party of seven adds up rather quickly).

  

Navigating buses and the subway was an adventure,
but happily we didn't have any issues! Laddie spotted
a rat, and all of the children were a bit put off by the 
lack of cleanliness...

We made it just before they closed the Van Gogh "Cypresses" exhibit -- "Starry Night"
was on loan from the MOMA just down the way, and I was so happy that we got to see
it in person. It feels surreal to view such famous pieces of art in person; even beautiful
reproductions just can't compare to the real thing.

Washington Crossing the Delaware -- absolutely massive, it dominates the entire gallery

Egyptian funerary boat from a tomb. There were a number of mummies, to
Rosa's dismay. *wink*

Tiffany stained glass, always exquisite

"Think of the scariest animal you know so we can frighten our enemies..."

Do I need an armor skirt? I think I might...

King Henry VIII's armor -- the man was massive!

Childe Hassam, one of my favorite Impressionists

John Singer Sargent is my favorite portrait artist,
and they had some really lovely pieces at the Met!

The Met itself is so lovely, full of courtyards and corridors

We all love Monet, so we were delighted to see one of the 12
water lily bridge paintings he made during the summer of 1899

I've seen prints of this portrait before, but the colors in the actual painting were
shockingly vibrant and beautiful.

The Wisteria Room -- I loved how many entire rooms there were at the Met (and if
they're Art Nouveau, so much the better *wink*)

Degas was a must-see!

Another of Van Gogh's "Cypress" paintings -- so mesmerizing. I've never considered
myself a fan of Van Gogh, but this exhibit may have converted me.

After the Met, we moved on to Central Park. It was drizzly, so not the ideal day for outdoor adventures. But we managed to visit Balto and ride the carousel before a trip to the LEGO store!

I snuggled a sleepy baby while the little rode the carousel -- not a bad way
to spend a birthday!

The next day, we joined up with family to visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Fortunately the weather was lovely! The historic train station was beautiful in decay, and Ellis Island was fascinating. I'd love to find out if any of my ancestors came through there when they immigrated to America. 

This photo of a young woman working in a textile factory captured
my interest -- it's so strange to be able to gaze into the eyes
of someone who lived in the past, and wonder about her story.

The stairwells at Ellis Island were paved with 
the most beautiful black stone

Kit enjoyed stretching his legs on Liberty Island!

We didn't realize at the time that the little insects we saw everywhere were invasive lantern flies!
They have beautiful red wings when they're flying, but apparently they're quite a problem. 

The beautiful New York City skyline from the Statue of Liberty

A view of Ellis Island

What a beautiful setting for a wedding!

Goodnight, NYC

For part 2 of our New England adventure, read here.

Rainy Day Excursions

Rainy days and art museums make splendid companions. An impulse this afternoon turned into a most satisfactory outing. My five companions were quite cooperative on the whole (insert sigh of relief), and we managed to tour some of my favorite galleries. Iridescent Art Nouveau glass is one of said favorites, and Laddie was excited to see a Cassatt painting in person after learning about her in school lately. Nearby was a favorite impressionist painting with a profusion of blooms -- I love the vagueness of the scene contrasted with the meticulous detail of the faces. But the piece de resistance is that French portrait of the woman in the magnificent dress. While I wouldn't consider the artist a favorite (in fact, I'm not really fond of his other work at all!), I think it might be my favorite portrait of all time. It's stunning. The pearls appear three dimensional, and you can make out the veins in her hands. Just look at the lace and brocade! And her eyes... It's been years since I've seen it, and it still captivates me. As we wandered the galleries, I couldn't help feeling grateful that we could enjoy such a feast for the eyes (and the soul, I would argue). What a gift! 

Once we'd reached the limits of patience and attention spans (and completed the museum's scavenger hunt), we decamped to a nearby coffee shop. We had to cross a footbridge, thereby fulfilling a lifelong dream for my 8-year-old, apparently. This was arguably the preferred destination for most of our "tour group!" Especially since we sampled several pastries (the peaches and cream cupcake pictured was my favorite of the lot -- superb!). And that may have been my first candied orange mocha, but it will not be my last... 

And then home again, and off with the rain boots (but keeping the cozy woolly socks). I bought a boot jack a while back, because trying to get my wellies off when I was pregnant with Kit proved to be quite the ordeal! Even now that my calves have returned to normal size, it makes boot removal so much simpler. And it's identical to the one my parents got in England, so I enjoy the nostalgia.

Life has been so full, what with one thing and another. Somehow sweet, chubby little Kit is well on his way to his first birthday, and today is supposedly the first day of summer (but I think that must be a mistake? Last week was January, wasn't it?). I'm hoping to return to this space more regularly, but after the year we've had I know better than to make any promises. But I'm glad you could come along on today's excursion.