TREES IN ART
Van Gogh’s Cypresses (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
The last exhibit we visited in Manhattan this month was the small, but fascinating, collection of Van Gogh’s Cypresses. Probably Van Gogh’s most famous painting is The Starry Night. When we saw it here, we were made aware of the tall dark cypress trees on the left. Something I hadn’t paid attention to in the past nor really noticed.
Other paintings from Van Gogh’s time in Saint-Remy, Provence highlight not only the brooding cypresses, but also show off poppies in a field (cypresses in the background) and in a canvas luminescent in yellows, two straight poplar trees. The exhibit was crowded and occupied only a few galleries but was well worth the visit.
GERMAN DRAMA
Line of Separation (Amazon Prime)
Line of Separation is a German series set in the divided town of Tannbach after WWII. A brook splits the town between the Nazis and the Americans. Families are at odds with one another, and past actions and differing political views make for tension, anger, and violence. Young Anna, a young aristocrat, takes command of her family’s estate after the death of her mother when the Nazis threaten.
Tannbach is a fictional village modeled after a real one. There are two seasons of six episodes each. We have watched Season 1 and found it a gripping piece of postwar history.
Deutschland 83 (Amazon Prime)
In Deutschland 83, Martin Rauch is an ordinary border guard in East Germany. He is recruited as a spy by the Stasi and sent to West Germany to infiltrate the army and gather NATO intelligence. As Mauritz Stamm, he is the chief aide to a high level general. Inexperienced and naïve, his bungling at the job makes for a series of close calls. It also provides American viewers a different look at the Cold War years before the Berlin Wall came down.
This 2015 series starts out slowly but becomes more intense in the second and third episodes. There are 8 episodes in all. For those who get hooked, there are two more series which we have not yet watched: Deutschland 86 and Deutschland 89.
DINING BITES
Valerie (Midtown)
Valerie, a comfortable dark bar and restaurant on W. 45th Street was just right for lunch with a friend. We were seated in the back and, all was quiet initially until a boisterous crowd arrived, making conversation more challenging. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the entrée salads we each had, two with ahi tuna and mine a tasty Caesar with freshly grilled chicken strips. I’d go back, but probably book for 11:00 or 11:30.
The Bar Room (East 60th St.)
This visit the Chief Penguin and I dined at several bar cum restaurants. The Bar Room was one where we dined twice. The first time the back tables were quiet, and the happy hour drink prices most appealing. We sampled the bar fries and indulged in lobster rolls, almost as good as in Maine. On our second visit, we went for the guacamole, fries, and the fried chicken bites. All tasty snack treats. It was much more crowded and thumping music was an accompaniment. Go, but proceed with caution!
Imli (1st Avenue, Upper East Side)
We returned to Imli after not having dined there for several years. They offer delicious Indian fare in an airy, contemporary space. We liked it so much we ate here a second time. The tandoor chicken is nicely spiced, the veggie samosas large, the lamb logs a bit different, and the very spicy paneer as billed. We happily took some home for lunch the next day!
Barbaresco (Lexington Ave.)
Barbaresco is one of our regular go-to Italian restaurants. It isn’t overly expensive and we like the vibe. Recently we tried a couple of their daily specials and were delighted. Vitello tonnato (thinly sliced veal with tuna anchovy sauce) has long been a favorite of mine. The version I had here, topped with arugula and cherry tomatoes, was one of the very best ever!
Note: Unattributed photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is Van Gogh’s Field of Poppies.
