Van Gogh and pinafores...

Trip Start Sep 15, 2008
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Trip End Oct 06, 2008


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Flag of United States  , New York,
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Another long day of walking--I'm wearing my third pair of shoes  in two days and currently sport four patches of moleskin.  We took the subway down to MoMA this morning to see the brand-new, first-day preview for members of a tremendously satisfying but small van Gogh show, "The Colors of Night" (I joined MoMA months ago so I'd be able to see this show while we're here--the only day possible.)  My, but he was crazy.  Heavens,  his brushstrokes are amazing, riveting, even behind glass.  "The Potato Eaters," "Starry Night," plus early works of such subtle, tonal beauty (who knew?).   Walked back and forth through the show several times. 

After lunch in the mayhem of the MoMA cafeteria, we staggered over to Lexington and caught the subway to 91st St, so we could go to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, also known as the National Design Museu, housed in one of  Andrew Carnegie's mansions.  Carved wood, gigantically wide hallways, a mildly interesting show of painted interiors, mostly 18th century, but who cares when you can view the interior of a mansion on Fifth Avenue?  Across the street were--I swear to you--little girls emerging from Sacred Heart School, dressed in gray jumpers and RED GINGHAM PINAFORES.   I couldn't believe my eyes.  I tried to imagine getting a Berkeley kid into that get-up.  More nannies doing pick-up.  A few dressed-to-kill mothers.  Ballet flats still very big, and the more gold on them the better.  And of course, ultra-large handbags.

Then we hiked back across Central Park to The Lucerne--which has now bestowed on me three bedbug bites.  Entomologist husband took on the hotel manager this morning.  Room thoroughly cleaned, but who knows.  Shortly, at six pm,  I'm off to meet up with Carling and Scott, the med students who used to give me allergy shots in Berkeley.  We're meeting  at  the Time-Warner Center in Columbus Circle.  Then,  I'm back to the hotel  to throw (bedbug-infested?) clothes in my suitcase for very early rising tomorrow.  We have to leave the hotel at 5:45 am for our flight to London. 

New York in early fall:  bright, sunny, mild, and between van Gogh and  "South Pacific"--magical.
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