Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Americana




Memorial Day in Tappan.

The little children with their flags are sitting on the edge
 of the sidewalk waiting for the excitement to begin.


A family sits outside the deli,


then the Veterans and


the historic fire trucks


 cool convertibles


1930's Fords (correct me if I'm wrong!)


not to mention the pipers


the patriotic dog



and the boy scouts


the authentically clad Historical Society members ( I'll forgive the comfy shoes lower right!)


What a day to remember!







Sunday, May 29, 2011

Robert Schmid Paintings at Sears Peyton




As long time readers of the this blog probably know, I'm married to Robert Schmid, the painter.


His new show is opening this Thursday (June 2nd)  at Sears Peyton in Chelsea.


Most of the paintings have quite a lot to do with New York --in one way or another......the people


the cars, the buildings, reflections


and more people still....


The show runs all through June, so if you are in New York......


Press Release:
Robert Schmid was initially trained as a chemist, and his background in math, science and art combine to create paintings about ideas. He paints what he sees, experiences and thinks about, using his work as a sort of visual diary recording images that defy verbal explanation.
Many of his paintings have been influenced by quantum mechanics, the Fibonacci series, fractals and electronic distortion which all effect the patterns and visual organization of his work. He says, “I love the mind’s manipulation of time; there is no universal now. The ideas for the paintings come from thoughts and experiences often totally unrelated to art.”
He has been painting figures for many years, from life, the computer, TV and photographs. His current work uses photoshop as a method of ‘sketching’, organizing and positioning figures before they are painted. The crowd scenes are a result of taking individual figures and placing them close together. These works have a peculiar sense of uncertainty because the randomly placed people create a sense of perceived patterns and associations even as they are separate and unrelated.
Most of the images are from Manhattan, Florence and Marrakesh.
Works on paper and canvas.




Friday, May 27, 2011

Ladies who Lunch



 English ladies like to wear hats.


They even wear hats while eating --something I can't manage. 


The luncheon is in aid of an old people's home 


so there are menus to be studied and raffle tickets bought.


There is serious discussion


and a 'fascinator' shown off.


The hat that got my prize as the most fetching.


Though this  little one is charming too.



All photos shot at the National Arts Club.
Thursday May 26th.



Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Warm Day on the High Line


Well, the sun does sometimes shine


And the High Line (in its third year)


has become a stunningly popular place to relax at lunchtime.


It isn't exactly a beach


but the new water feature is perfect for cooling city feet.


Really it's a magic juxtaposition of urban and country.
May the sunshine continue.




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Friday, May 20, 2011

Wet Indeed


Like lots of other parts of the country


we have had a great deal of rain. So much rain that all the raincoats and jackets are soaked


and my welly boots have sprung a leak. These photos were taken from the M4 bus


going down 5th Avenue by Central Park on Wednesday afternoon. 
They were taken on my phone since I know from experience that
 getting a camera wet is not a terrifically good idea.


But you get the general idea


I think. More rain forecast today!




Monday, May 16, 2011

Dream Windows



Bergdorf's up near Central Park


What a lion!


and  metallic sorts of dresses too


 with details and ruffles 


In ABC Carpet, instead of a carpet, there is earth in the window
 with marigolds growing beneath the picnic table.




Saturday, May 14, 2011

A Rather Alarming Career Choice


This might be terrific fun


if you were terribly brave and didn't mind heights
and liked rappelling down tall buildings.


I do hope they pay them very good wages and provide



excellent health insurance.



Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The May Delights of a Long Island Garden



I used to live on Long Island, and go back there often to visit friends.....and their gardens.


I frequently write about The Jarvis house my friend Lori's place. I always wander about imagining what I could swipe if I still had a garden and lived near by.


Yesterday, I just took pictures.....of the hydrangea


 a dandilion, that bane of people who think lawns have to be perfect.
To my mind, a few dandilions  are infinitely preferable to tons of chemicals.


Ah! Apple blossom


and a slightly past it hyacinth amidst the wild geranium.


Apple petals in the hosta


and the azeleas in the almost woodland.
May is arguably the prettiest month of all on the Island.


ps: For the most amazing photos of the Easter bonnets in New York, go to my friend Susanna Gordon's blog here. To my mind she's the best photographer in Blogland.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Questions


All sorts of ugly plastic boxes give away brochures.


This one is for the Gotham Writers' Workshop. Oddly, I do think writing is sexy, well, not the writing itself, but the brains that go into it. If the writing is interesting of course......


I really, really want this bird (hiding Waldo-like) to be a mocking bird. Anyone know?




A late pizza lunch in Soho. I asked these cheerful girls if I could take their photo as they looked very 'New-Yorky'. They said: "Oh, we're from London too!"


The new Linda McCartney photo book on display at Taschen, Soho.
An amazing walk down memory lane for those who grew up in the sixties and early 70's.
Highly recommended.




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