Wednesday, November 23, 2011

It's all so overwhelming

Since it's thanksgiving break, I've been slacking off like nobody's business. I've been sleeping A LOT, which is really needed, but doesn't lend to productivity. Yesterday I went with a friend to chinatown because I REALLY REALLY wanted dim sum. Dim sum is essentially chinese brunch, but with food that's not at all breakfast-y. It's so delicious. Here's where we ended up:


Nom Wah Tea Parlor

We ordered way more food than we could ever eat, but it was great.


Today, I went to the MoMA. I figured since it was a weekday and I went right after they opened it wouldn't be too busy. I was so wrong. It was the busiest it's been of the three or four times I've gone. The place was packed with tourists and school groups. The MoMA is so overwhelming to me. There's so much to look at that I feel like I need to go there every day for like a month. At some point I just have to leave because I can't look at any more art.


I always enjoy seeing the hierarchy people create in museums.


A group looking at Van Gogh's Starry Night

No, no, I don't actually need to see that painting, feel free to just stand there listening to your audio guide and taking photos. I mean, it's not like you can find photos of it online or in books or anything. (Hypocritical, I know, since clearly I was taking photos)
Compared to:
The blatant lack of people in one of the Minimalist galleries. 

Anyway, I went today because they recently switched up their contemporary art exhibit and I wanted to see it. Actually, I really just wanted to see this:


Rirkrit Tiravanija's piece "Untitled (Free/Still)"

Apparently the artist turned an entire gallery into an exhibition space (including the offices and such) and used part of it as a kitchen and served free curry to everyone who came in. The MoMA recreated it in one of their galleries. In the picture above, the man with the stellar stache is telling us about it very awkwardly. He clearly was just reciting from a script that among other things, said something along the lines of "The food is free, the conversation is free, together with the sunlight streaming in the windows..." 



The curry was actually pretty good, and I chatted with some man, who, after I sat down mentioned that we were supposed to have "free conversation."  

I've also wanted to see this Felix Gonzalez-Torres piece for a while:



The MoMA is right off of 5th Ave, so after my escapades there I decided it was a perfect time to go on a shopping spree. I trekked down 5th Ave, and as usual when I go shopping, ended up buying things I don't really need, and not getting what I do need. All the stores on 5th Ave are huge. Every place I went was completely overwhelming, with multiple, large floors. 

This is the flagship Uniqlo store. I don't know why the US doesn't have more of these, they're AWESOME.

Sweaters in every color EVER. 


You probably can't tell from this picture, but this place just keeps going, and going, and going. 

And, as an added bonus, they have plastic covers for your bag when it's raining. How thoughtful. 

One last thing I love about New York. Everything is constantly changing. 

What? You haven't been to Bryant Park in a couple of weeks? There's now an ice rink, an indoor/outdoor restaurant and like 50 pop-up shops. Surprise!

3 comments:

  1. How cool. I have GOTZ to do some traveling soon because everyone important to me is doing something awesome. Miss you. Can't wait to see all you've done up there.

    Dim sum in the 'cities? Wanna go sometime? I think that would be fun, given that I love chinese food and you.

    Right now I'm commenting on a ton of blog posts because my step-grandma is hogging the bathroom. I know all she's doing is fastening pins and toilet paper to her hair before she sleeps and she's taking FOREVER.

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  2. "The food is free, the conversation is free, together with the sunlight streaming in the windows..." < love that!

    This sounds great, I wish I could see it! I'm glad you are showing the Minimalist gallery some love.

    And shopping! etc. I could just list off all the awesome things you did, but you have already done that, so I'll just say: I liked it.

    Also, Brian, I like your grandma comment.

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  3. I want so badly to have gone to the crowded moma with you and tasted my first dim sung. If I ever have it, it will probably be at Fusion, which I'm sure just will not compare.

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