I could not stay in Strawberry Fields Forever: June 2010

6/22/10

Lavender NYC sky

The sky really caught my eye one evening above the Manhattan skyline. I went out to Dumbo, Brooklyn for an Etsy craft party and stopped by the Brooklyn Bridge Park to relax and take in the view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the buildings of downtown Manhattan. I got there kind of early and stayed a while, watching the sky go from blue, to lavender, to orange, but left before it went black.

6/18/10

Museum Mile Festival 2010

Last year I discovered one of New York's most unique and totally appropriate festivals—The Museum Mile Festival. I did not know what to expect, other than to visit several of the museums and galleries along Museum Mile (5th Avenue between 82nd and 105th Streets).

Last year there were chalk drawings, street performers, interactive art and even a human rolling around in a life-size hamster ball (sorry, cannot find the picture...) I walked the entire "mile", visiting several sites and enjoying the street scenes.

This year, I teamed up with Joseph to walk the mile, starting at the Metropolitan Museum and enjoying the views from the roof top deck where they had a fascinating installation up by Doug+Mike Starn called "Big Bambu". I don't know how these guys did it but they really built something big!

View toward Midtown from the Met roof top deck

"Big Bambu" installation on the roof top deck

The crowds on Museum Mile

Chalk drawing by Artist De La Vega

Another chalk drawing (not De La Vega)

6/16/10

The view from above NYC

After an hour of sitting at the gate and coasting on the runway, we finally left the La Guardia airport located in Queens, New York—but just in time for storm clouds and a dull sky to get in the way of my view.

The airline didn't tell us why were were so delayed, but I didn't mind, because all I wanted was the chance to see the city from above. I must have stared at the "Welcome to New York" sign on the edge of the runway for 45 minutes.

I don't normally choose a window seat when I travel and this time I did, but the choice was almost wasted on the bad weather that seemed to hit us just as we took off.

So we took off and from above I could just barely see the Empire State Building, the very pointy Chrysler Building and the rest of the New York City skyscrapers that pierce the polluted sky.

Then the view was over and we flew above the clouds....

The Unisphere in Flushing Meadows, Queens which was installed
during the 1964-65 World's Fair

Then as we passed through the storm clouds and flew over Queens and toward the Atlantic, I got a peek at Coney Island in Brooklyn—the Cyclone roller coaster, the Ringling Brothers tents, the beach and the nearby Verazzano-Narrows Bridge that leads to Staten Island.

View towards Coney Island and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn

Google map of Coney Island

6/8/10

Views from Bushwick, Brooklyn

Over the weekend there was an open studio event in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Bushwick is located southeast of Williamsburg and close to Queens. Artists opened their studios to the public as part of Bushwick Open Studios 2010. Visitors could talk with the Artist, check out their work space and view works in progress. A lot of the "studios" were the Artists' homes and they were very nice and spacious—with paint and canvas everywhere!

I went with a group and toured maybe 25 studios out of 300. It was very hot and we were in and out of numerous buildings. I don't know why the heat waits to break out on the weekends when people are out exploring the city, then goes away during the week when people are safe inside their offices...

Anyway, it was an inspiring arts festival showcasing many forms of fine art, studio art and mixed media.

From almost every street and outdoor patio in Bushwick, you can get a glimpse of The Empire State Building and the rest of the Manhattan skyline.

For some reason, it always looks so blue... maybe it's the Yankee's colors?

View from a roof deck at Troutman Studios