On our recent trip to New York, we spent some time at the Met Breuer. As it happened, two featured exhibits were by female artists, one a retrospective of a living artist’s career and the other a focus on the fiber art and sculpture of an Indian artist.
I was captivated by Phenomenal Nature by Mrinalini Mukerjee. The larger than lifesize intricately woven flax, hemp and cotton pieces range from gods of the forest to nymphs to a flower. They are usually one muted or dark color, but a few incorporate other color strands. Later in her life (she died in 2015), Mukerjee did a series of bronze sculptures that are rounded or based on a dome shape.
Van Raja (King of the Forest), 1981
Aid Pushp II (Primal Flower), 1998-99
Untitled, 2002
To Fix the Image in Memory is a review of Viji Celmins’ more than 50 year career and encompasses the top two floors of the museum. Her early works are a mix of paintings of common appliances like a space heater, a hot plate, or a lamp, as well as sculptures of familiar objects such as a pink eraser. These are very accessible to the viewer.
Heater, 1964
I found the later works, endless studies of the ocean’s surface, starry skies, and webs, which are shades of gray and black, much more challenging and less visually appealing. They are stripped down and there are only subtle differences between some of the works in a series. But this exhibit has garnered a lot of publicity and praise including the lead article in a recent New York Times’ Art section.
Untitled (Web #1), 1999
Note: Header photo is one of several horse sculptures in Freedman Plaza at the entrance to Central Park. Text and photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved).
FASCINATING FRICK We made two visits to the Frick Collection and highly recommend two current exhibits. Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed. On our first visit, we discovered that Wednesday afternoons beginning at 2:00 pm, it’s pay what you wish, and the museum was packed. We took a brief tour around some of the Moroni exhibit and decided to return the next day in the morning. Giovanni Battista Moroni is a lesser known Renaissance painter noted for his portraits of mostly wealthy and high-placed individuals. This is the first major exhibit of his work in the U.S. These people of means have great facial expressions, and he made wonderful use of shades of red and pink in their clothing with very finely detailed jewelry and ornamentation. There is one portrait of a tailor.
Elective Affinities: Edmund de Waal at the Frick Collection. Mr de Waal is a ceramist whose favorite medium is porcelain, but he is also attracted to working with steel and gold for his art. A longtime lover of the Frick, he has created a series of small sculptures in vitrines that are placed in front of specific paintings. Some of the works are white porcelain while others incorporate several shapes and thicknesses of black or gray steel. There is a short film showing the artist in his London studio and talking about what he’s trying to achieve in terms of light and form. I found it instructive to see the film before touring his work in the galleries. This exhibit runs into November, the first one closes soon.
What made our visit even more interesting was that a breakfast for press had just ended and I chatted very briefly with two of these individuals about the exhibit. It turns out we were present on opening day for de Waal. For those who don’t know it, you might want to check out his fascinating memoir cum history entitled, The Hare with Amber Eyes. I found it fascinating.
CLASSY DINER We had lunch at Three Guys on Madison, and we quickly decided it was the most pleasant, brightest and cleanest diner we’d eaten at. It’s a welcoming space with a mix of booths and tables and can easily accommodate groups. Several families with small children were in evidence and it’s obviously family friendly. Their menu is extensive with lots of breakfast fare, but also plenty of sandwiches, salads, and burgers.
We opted for a Reuben with fries and the tuna salad platter which came with a mound of cole slaw and some sliced tomatoes and cucumber and a hard boiled egg. The platter was a large portion (I didn’t finish it), but very good. The diner is located across the street from Met Breuer so would be a good destination after visiting their exhibits.
FABULOUS THEATER
We were able to squeeze in seeing Kiss Me Kate and are so glad we did. What a fun, lively, energetic, performance it was! Even with the understudy playing the lead role of Fred Graham/Petruchio, it was superb. Growing up, I was exposed to the LP record version of a much earlier performance which my folks had seen on Broadway in the 1940’s. They played this record often, and consequently, I was familiar with the songs and knew most of the words. The level of fitness and acrobatic skill required for the dancing, especially by Lois Lane and Bill Calhoun, was awe-inspiring. There was some additional stage business and asides which made this a more contemporary “Kate.” The song, “Tom, Dick or Harry” will never again be the same. (~JWFarrington)
PRE-THEATER DINING
Nocello on W. 55, a block from the Roundabout Theatre, was an ideal place for an early dinner. It appeared to have a regular clientele, even one family group, and not just tourists. We had the nicest corner table on the lower level and were especially pleased with the fried artichokes and the chicken cutlet encrusted with Parmesan in a bit of lemon white wine broth.
Artichokes
The Caesar salad was an acceptable rendition and the veal saltimbocca provided a slightly different variation on that classic. The Chief Penguin sampled the nocello liqueur (made from walnuts and hazelnuts) and it was lovely, deeply smooth with a hint of sweetness. The small plate of mini biscotti was just right. We will remember this restaurant for another pre-theater meal.
Italian cuisine dominates the dining scene today, but here and there you can locate a good French bistro. I’ve also discovered that many folks on the Upper East Side eat early. By 6:30, tables at small restaurants will all be taken. Here’s a selection of Manhattan restaurants we’ve enjoyed this past month, most that I haven’t previously covered.
This is a small French restaurant that was always full when we would walk by. Over the Memorial Day weekend, it was practically empty enabling us to easily book a table. We weren’t in the mood for a big meal and found the appetizer section of the menu much to our liking. My goat cheese and tomato tart on puff pastry was scrumptious while the Chief Penguin ordered and liked their famous tuna tart.
Sample of goat cheese and tomato tart
He followed his tart with the salmon croque monsieur which was rich and mouth-filling. I opted for the spinach, pine nut and parmesan salad which was enhanced by a generous number of avocado slices. With these two smaller dishes, delicate gougeres, and some wonderful holey olive bread, we were very content!
This cozy French bistro is popular and we were pleased that we arrived a bit ahead of our 7 pm reservation. The Chief Penguin ordered the beet and endive salad graced with a few walnut halves which was both very pretty and very tasty. He then had the skate which was on the dry side, while I sampled the roasted cod over vegetable risotto and a yellow pepper puree, a yummy combination. Bread pudding is his one weakness (to quote a TV character who had many “one weaknesses”) and this rendition was appropriately satisfying.
This is one of the many Italian restaurants around. Brick side walls and a sea of white linens on small tables make for a charming ambience. Service is old style male waiters who recite the specials with dramatic briskness. Listen carefully or you’ll need a repeat. We shared a Caesar salad which was just right. I then ordered the special swordfish entrée, Livorno style or bathed in a tomato-based sauce with capers and black olives. It came with a vegetable medley and some roast potatoes. The Chief Penguin tried their veal saltimbocca which was good, but not the equal of the version we get in Maine. In addition to meat and fish entrees, there’s a good selection of pasta dishes. This is another very popular eatery and one will visit again.
This red gravy+ Italian restaurant is a locus for family groups. We dined here the night before Mother’s Day and thought that was the reason for all the tables with families with small children. Apparently, not; this is a regular occurrence. It’s a boisterous dining experience so avoid it if you were looking for a quiet meal. That said, the service was pleasant and efficient and our food very good.
Most dishes are offered in half and full portions with full designed to serve 2-3. Believe the menu, they are large and will! We ordered the full Caesar salad and would have been equally happy with a half portion. It’s prepared table side and the dressing was a lovely balance between piquant and mellow and not over garlicky. We then ordered half portions of veal saltimbocca (Chief Penguin), which here was topped with some sautéed spinach, and the veal piccata. The latter was lovely with just the right tang of lemon in the sauce.
The crusty bread was perfect with the veal dishes, but if you wanted potatoes or a veggie, then you had to order a side. They have a full bar (one Old Fashioned coming up!) and wines by the glass. In the interest of full disclosure, it was good enough that we returned the next night (it was raining and the restaurant close by) for another dinner, and this time asked to sit upstairs which was a less frenetic scene.
We had no dinner plans and decided to just stroll and see what might tickle our fancy. Almost a misnomer with its dark wood interior, dark bar and tables, Beach Café on Second Avenue feels cozy and perfect for a cold winter’s day. But they have outside tables and a whale on the wall that evokes Nantucket or some other east coast beach. We opted for inside and were most pleased with the service from waiter Nick, a poised young man with a welcome beyond his years. My pan roasted salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes was perfectly prepared. Even the broccoli was just the right amount of doneness. The Chief Penguin’s chicken compagna platter could have easily fed a lobsterman and came with a side of spaghetti with a slightly spicy and smoky sauce.
This West Village French bistro is a longtime favorite of ours and never fails to please. We like it so much, we often order the same entrees time and again. This time I tried the roast chicken rather than the chicken paillard and substituted mixed vegetables for the french fries. The chicken was perfectly done with nicely crisped skin, and the vegetable medley of carrot cubes, spinach leaves, asparagus tips and green beans was healthy and flavorful. The Chief Penguin again opted for the merguez sausages with fries and enjoyed them as much as on previous visits. We don’t care for mussels, but if you do, they are one of their specialities.
I have enthused and enthused about this favorite of ours so suffice it to say, we returned for a third meal and were once again delighted! Alas for us, it has been discovered and wait times are long—-unless you deign to dine at unfashionable times, which we do.
An every two year occurrence, the Whitney Biennial is designed to showcase trends in art and both emerging and established artists working in a variety of genres. Many of the artists in this year’s biennial are under 40 and their work gets at social, political and racial issues in both understated and more direct ways. I went expecting to find most of it too strange or ugly or outrageous for my taste, and some of it was not aesthetically pleasing—at least not to me. But when I looked over the photos I took, I found that there were more pieces I liked than I thought. What follows is a sampling of some of what we saw.
“Bananas” 2018 by Lucas Blalock “Incoming,” 2016-17 by Keegan Monaghan“Stick,” 2019 by Simone Leigh Detail, “A Lesson in Longing,” 2019 by Jennifer Packer
The Chief Penguin and I like to explore small museums and historic homes. The Museum of Illustration, home to the Society of Illustrators, is just such a place, a gem of colorful artwork that transitioned from being a private club to a tiny museum with a most attractive bar and café on its upper floor. Located on E. 65Street, it sponsors changing exhibits, invited talks and workshops, and an annual student competition along with displaying works from its permanent collection.
“Virgin Planet” by Ed Emshwiller, 1957
The special exhibit was “Masters of the Fantastic,” an array of sci fi and fantasy illustrations, along with a short film about the making of the 1950’s horror film, “Creature from the Black Lagoon.” The range of artistic styles was impressive and I enjoyed it more than I expected. Definitely a museum to re-visit with the perfect spot for a simple lunch!
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt lived in a house on E. 65 Street. Today that house, which FDR’s mother bought for them (she lived in the other half), belongs to Hunter College and is home to a public policy institute. But the house is also open to the public for free. Here, you can read about Eleanor’s connections to the college and her involvement with its students. Also on display is a set of personal letters Franklin wrote to his cousin Daisy Suckley. They enjoyed a warm friendship, and she frequently visited him in Warm Springs, Georgia. There are also public lectures such as an upcoming one by Brenda Wineapple about the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.
Note: Photos by JWFarrington. Header photo is of a work by Japanese fantasy artist, Kuniko Craft.
