A Quick Trip to the Big City

We flew up to New York on Wednesday morning.  My husband's company had a reception and dinner for all employees whose 25th anniversary of service was this year.  It was very nice.

The next morning there was a lovely breakfast buffet.  Did I mention that all of these events took place in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel?

We opted to stay an additional day.  After breakfast we took a cab to lower Manhattan to visit the World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial.  On the way, we passed the apartment complex where I lived until I was three or four years old.  Stuyvesant Town was built for GI's returning from WWII to have an affordable place to live with their families.  It looks a little grim from the road, but has parks, fountains, and now some trees.  I had not seen Stuy Town in sixty years!

It was a beautiful day to see the new World Trade Center.  It is not yet occupied, but they were preparing  pavers and sidewalks outside.  It looks like it is just days away from being finished.  At a symbolic 1776 feet tall, it is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

At its base is the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.  There is a pool/fountain with the names of all the victims of the terrorist attacks engraved into the top of the wall.

From the memorial, we walked over to the September 11 museum and waited in line just like at Disney World.  Security to get in was just like going through airport security.  It was a very moving and emotional experience to see the exhibits, many of which were multimedia presentations.

Of interest to quilters were two of the quilts made in remembrance of that day which hang in the museum.

I also loved this colorful mural made with children's artwork and messages written on hearts.

Be prepared to re-experience the horror of that day when you visit the memorial.  There is also an effort to remember each of the victims with a photo and a statement about their lives.

After that we had some pizza at an Italian restaurant nearby, and then took a long cab ride up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I have been to the MOMA, but don't recall ever going in the MMA.  I was craving some loveliness after that experience in the 9/11 museum.

We went straight to the Impressionist wing and enjoyed room after room of Monets, Renoirs, and other great artists.  But my favorite of all was this Van Gogh, titled Wheat Field with Cypresses.  There is so much energy in the painting, and the colors glow next to all the muted paintings in the same room.

That night we went out to a French restaurant within a few blocks of the Waldorf.  

Le Relais de Venise has a fixed menu of salad, steak, and "Pommes Frites" or French fries.  But the best was the dessert.  Pictured here are my profiteroles.  Sinful ecstasy!

Look at the nice night light that helped us on our walk home to the hotel!  It is my favorite art deco example in New York, the Chrysler Building.

We had a wonderful time with mild temperatures and clear skies on our visit.  But I am always glad to get home to beautiful, green North Carolina after a trip to the concrete, glass and steel buildings of New York.

Seeking Color in a World of Gray

Still blogging about our trip to New York last weekend. Can there be anything more gray than our view out the window when we first arrived at the hotel?

Rain, concrete, steel, you get the picture. In fact, New York's midtown is so gray, so linear and angular, that I practically kiss the ground when we arrive back in beautiful, green, woodsy North Carolina. But I was constantly drawn to spots of color that caught my eye, whether for an advertisement or just a spot of beauty. I guess if I lived in Manhattan I would be in Central Park every waking daylight hour. I thrive not only on nature's beauty, but like all quilty people, on the vivid colors and combinations of hues surrounding us each day. With a little seeking, I was able to capture some spots of color lurking here and there in NYC. (And fortunately, the skies cleared to a beautiful blue by Friday morning, and remained so for the rest of the weekend.)

On Broadway:

At FAO Schwartz toy store (this one's for Bryson and Avery):

At a wonderful Italian restaurant on 9th Avenue where Pam and I ate lunch on Friday (and they had waiters that called us "Bella":

At shops in Soho:

It is such a delight to chance upon these florist or fruit stands with their wares tantalizing the eye. I always wish I could load up on the fresh produce or plants, but that is not too practical when staying in a hotel and traveling by plane.

And finally, from those folks that have brought us "The Wonderful World of Color" since my childhood:


Hope you enjoyed my colorful view of New York!

Finding Quilting Inspiration in the Big Apple

Since becoming a serious quilter, I think I view the world from a different perspective... We got back yesterday afternoon from an awesome trip to New York. I took hundreds of pictures, but here are a few that may be of special interest to quilt artists.

There was a "Culture Fest" in Battery Square Park on Saturday- and I spotted this beauty. Maybe I'll visit it someday...

How about a medallion quilt based on this mosaic on the floor at the Waldorf? The smaller motifs surrounding the medallion look like quilt blocks to me...

For something slightly less intricate- how about this ceiling at the Waldorf bar? Could be an art quilt... Cathedral windows are a good inspiration for medallion quilts... My favorite medallion...the Imagine Mosaic at Strawberry Fields in Central Park.
I was a senior in high school when Lennon wrote this song...still a flower child? (freezing my buns off)

Well, I was not the only one in New York not wearing the de rigueur black outfit...
More next time...must go to the grocery store and buy yogurt and carrots, my dietary punishment for all the fine wining and dining of the past few days...

Heading for the Big Apple

I have spent the last two days quilting on the queen bed quilt for Lily's room. I am doing freehand vines, leaves, flowers, and feathers over most of the quilt. I spent a whole day trying to figure out how to mark the border for scallops. Duh- how did I ever make it through graduate school? I finally marked them with chalk, and am having a feather go around the outer curve.

We had three great days in the mountains last weekend, and even got a nice thundershower every day to help water the baby Christmas trees, grass, and flowers we have planted. It is dry in that part of the state as well. When we got home, a nice thunderstorm followed us and brought some welcome rain.

I am so excited---Found out yesterday that my husband has been invited to New York for a business trip in October. We have had some lovely trips across the country over the years, but not many lately. This one should be excellent- it is being held in the Waldorf Astoria, of all places! Not too shabby. I am saving my $$$ for some shopping and fun. We have had two other trips to New York, during which we visited the MOMA, toured Radio City Music Hall, went to Broadway shows, and did lots of walking. Last time we also paid homage to Ground Zero, a very sobering visit. The only plan I know of on the agenda is dinner at the University Club, which should be a treat. Actually, it is a little-known fact that NYC is my hometown! I was born in Manhattan, and my dad worked there for twenty-two years before relocating to Raleigh. We lived in the suburbs of New York and New Jersey until I was fifteen. So I have been there many times, but only twice since becoming an adult. Charlie actually knows the city much better than I do, because he had to stay there for about a month when he was training to be a stockbroker.

Actually, the MOMA visit was one of the highlights of my first trip back, but last time it was temporarily housed in Queens due to building renovations. I had been dying to see the Monet triptych of water lilies that takes up a wall the size of a ballroom. I surprised myself by preferring some of the other works I saw, such as colorful works by Matisse and Gauguin. But the piece de resistance for me was The Starry Night by Van Gogh. It had its own bench in front of the painting, where I sat and contemplated this gorgeous work with tears in my eyes at its perfection.