My New York Adventure - Part 3

Way uptown, on Fifth Avenue just across from Central Park, is the Museum of the City of New York, an extraordinary place I am always excited to visit but this time I'd seen the current exhibitions (and you should if you can)

               PALACES FOR THE PEOPLE

               Guastavino and the Art of Structural Tile

               CITY AS CANVAS

               Graffiti Art from the Martin Wong Collection

               GILDED NEW YORK

               Costumes, jewelry, and decorative objects from the Gilded Age  and

               ACTIVIST NEW YORK

               Exploring the city’s history of social activism

 — so I went to a museum I'd never been to — El Museo del Barrio, "New York’s leading Latino cultural institution, welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures"  — and discover new landscapes I certainly did.  What an explosion of creativity, imagination, and color!

Above, the art and below a close-up so you can see what the artist used to create his work.

The next room held some surprises

 

And then, amidst a series of black & white framed photographs, even more surprising,  I noticed the photo of a journal entry that was exactly 46 years earlier — to the day!  Wishing I could share this "find" with someone, I called over one of the museum guards who politely came over as beckoned.  

"See this?" I said, as I pointed to the date, "This was written EXACTLY forty-six years ago!  Isn't that amazing?"

"WOW," he said as he looked at me with astonishment, "I wasn't even born yet!"

El Museo had so much more to see (and a great gift shop!) 

but soon I felt the need to travel downtown — to my old neighborhood — the 20s on the eastside. 

In keeping with the budget, I packed my dinner, a large towel and headed for  Madison Square Park where a conservancy has reclaimed and restored the park (from drug dealers and the like, decades ago) and made it beautiful and vibrant for everyone.  On Wednesday evenings in the summer, there are concerts and this evening featured Nicole Atkins "Known for her 'smoky vocals and dishy delivery,' this New Jersey native was recognized shortly after her debut by Rolling Stone as one of the top ten artists to watch in 2006."  I found my spot on the lawn, leaned against a lamppost, took off my sandals and enjoyed the food: watermelon, feta and cilantro salad & tuna, tomato, elbow macaroni, celery, mayo and dill;

the wonderful music, and this darling little guy (I asked to take his picture) who was having a fine time of running, playing, & eating his dinner while his dad kept a watchful eye...

It was a beautiful night and I'd had another great day absorbing more great art in the Big Apple...