I'll see you in the ICU!

My first trip into New York

Ok, so...they've had us so busy that today was my first venture out into New York. I set my sights easily low--the Guggenheim Museum.

I went down into the subway, getting a bit of a late start (2:30 PM) and shoved my MTA card (that allows me half fare for being disabled, so I couldn't just abandon it there, it took MONTHS for them to send it to me, and it's got my picture and name on it) into the machine, and the damned thing got stuck. I wanted to cry.

A few people walked by and one lady offered me her pin on her broach to try to fish it out--darn it, it was way the hell in there! I called the station attendant and she sent someone over, who came back with electrical pliers, and I said "dude, those won't work" and then he went off to get needle nose pliers, and those did work!

I hopped up and down and shreiked "yay! You're my hero!" and threw my arms around him and said thank you, and he laughed. He let me in to the station without paying, but I went back out to the attendant and put money on the card there with her. 10 bucks gets me twelve rides anywhere :)

I got to 68th street, as directed I went up to the street and caught the bus heading toward fifth ave. It looked so much like San Fran that I got all choked up and missed home. It was bitter cold today, in the 40s (bitter cold to me!) and when the bus got to 5th, I walked up the few blocks to the Guggenheim. Of course, it's being rennovated...lovely.



Serendipity! Columbia students get free admission! (It's normally $25 to get in, but I didn't even have to pay the discounted student fee of $15) So, I wandered around and was again, serendipitously surprised to see Lucio Fontana being exhibited.


I studied him with Marco Cianchi in Florence--an amazing artist (whose work would have made my father have an aneurism!) He came up with this canvas as the artwork and space as the medium thing that was brilliant, and so simple. I don't think many people "get" him, as no one was looking at his work! Everyone was so busy being upper east side and talking about the Dalis and Picassos... Yeah, yeah, they were great, but come on! Lucio Fontana! Not every day you can see his work in person--and I never had, only seen slides in my "Arte Moderno Italiano" class (taught in Italian! you should see my notes--what a fun class that was!)

Anyway, I got a postcard to send to il bravo professore Cianchi to say hello.



Then I went and had a nice light lunch, that lightened my wallet, but I didn't care: I was treating myself. A nice French Bar like I ate at in Paris, and the Proprietor and clients greeted each other with "Ca va?" and "Geniale!"

I had a delicious potato leek soup, excellent bread, arugula salad, and a spinach and goat cheese quiche, and washed it all down with a nice chilled glass of white wine.

Tres magnifique!

Then I discovered a Dean & Delucca and thought to myself "I could die happy right now, looking at all this salmon, and breads...REAL bread, not that white sponge I have been eating! delicious crusty european style bread like from Acme bakery back home...

I'm SOOO going back there.
I had a great day for the first time since getting here.
Finally, some humanistic sanity.
Ahh.
I feel like a real little boy, Gepetto.
:)
Miss you guys.

posted by sketchmonkey @ 4:38 PM