New York’s Unique & Unexpected Places
I love the places and things you find when you venture off-the-beaten path in NYC, so I was excited to learn about a new book: New York’s Unique and Unexpected Places
I attended the book launch party at Idlewild Books – which happens to make the book! Idlewild is a great bookstore for any travel lover, and they organize their books by region so that you can find guides, biographies, literature, and even cook books side-by-side. They also have an incredible number of book readings and launch parties, so you should check out their event listings if you are ever in NYC.
I was also happy to see two more of my favorite neighborhood haunts on the list: The High Line (which I’ve previously written about) and the Rubin Museum of Art. I love the Rubin Museum because it has a great collection of Himalayan art, including special exhibits like “Mandala: The Perfect Circle” and “The Red Book of C.G. Jung: Creation of a New Cosmology”. I’m especially drawn to this museum and their collections because of my love for the Himalayan region and also because I create mandalas myself (read more about Wanderlust Mandalas).
Kandinsky at the Guggenheim
I was first inspired by the artist Vasily Kandinsky during a junior high school trip to the Guggenheim in New York City – and it was love at first site. Maybe it was the colorful geometric patterns of his later works on paper that spoke to me. After all, it was the 80’s and geometric patterns were everywhere – from the patterns on our sweater dresses to the shapes of our dangling earrings and even our hair (remember the crimper?). But that is belittling Kandinsky’s work.
There is just something about his colors and shapes that speak to me and I’ve found that I love to use similar geometric patterns (if not a bit more simple) in the works I create, from mandalas to logos. Even he was inspired by the color & composition of Monet’s work, not necessarily the subject matter. So it’s no surprise that Kandinsky’s work even inspired the creation of the Guggenheim building itself.
So it was great to return to the Guggenheim during its 50th Anniversary celebration, in which the museum is filled with the canvases that encouraged its inception.
Together with the Centre Pompidou and Städtische Galerie, the Guggenheim has assembled one of the greatest collections of Kandinsky work in one place. If you are not familiar with the artist, you can read more about the Kandinsky exhibit on the Guggenheim site, but I also highly recommend you visit the museum itself. The exhibit runs through January 13, 2010.
The High Line – NYC
I mostly work from home, which I know is everyone’s dream, but it can also be a very lonely existence – especially when most others I work with are in the digital realm. So when I need a break from the computer and looking for inspiration, I head over to the High Line in my neighborhood.
The High Line runs along the west side of NYC from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street (currently open to 20th Street). It was built in the 1930’s and originally served as an elevated rail line that delivered livestock to the meatpacking plants in the area. It was abandoned in 1980 and set for demolition until a group of resident advocates set out to preserve it and have it reutilized as public space.
Thankfully the advocates won out, because today it is a beautiful park space and oasis amongst the brownstones and brick buildings surrounding it. Along the walk way are still remnants of the train tracks, covered with beautiful wild flowers – similar to the flowers that grew there when it was abandoned. And the park benches and double-wide loungers make for great resting spots, where you can enjoy views of the Hudson River, read a book, or catch up with friends. You can also grab a bite to eat from one of the outside concessions, or grab a picnic lunch from one of the many vendors in Chelsea Market right below it.
Reflecting On Those Who Inspired Me on 9-11
How does one find inspiration in a tragedy such as 9/11?
I found it in the hearts of my fellow Salvation Army volunteers, many who traveled across the country, as we served food to rescue workers at a temporary morgue. I found it in the generosity of the police officers who drove me home after working those 12 hour shifts. I found it in the gentle spirit of Buddhist Monks during a work encounter. And I found it in the tears of the many rescue workers who just finished shifts at Ground Zero, as I bought beers for them at my favorite pub.
I’m reminded of those people as I look through my journal. And I’m thankful that I did keep a journal during that time, as I never want the memories and emotions of that period to fade as they usually do with time. Here are some excerpts from my journal:
Right now I should be in Hong Kong at the beginning of my three-month trip through SE Asia and Nepal. Instead, I am sitting in Union Square at the site of a shrine for the victims of one of the most unspeakable acts in history.
I was awakened on the morning of the 11th – my departure day – by the phone ringing off the hook. It was my mom to say that all area airports had been closed and two planes had just crashed into the Twin Towers. In disbelief and shock, we ran down to the water to see the tops blazing with smoke. It was only a matter of minutes before both towers collapsed.
The crowd just stood stunned in complete and utter disbelief. It was surreal – it was a movie of the week – it didn’t really happen. The rest of the day was spent glued to the TV set. A similar attack was made on the Pentagon and another plane went down in Pennsylvania – apparently heading to the White House. That plane, eerily, was hijacked out of Newark heading to San Francisco – the route I was to take later that day. For the most part of the day I was trying to reassure my friends and family that I was safe. No easy task considering phone service was poor.
I’ve now been at a loss the past few days, trying to figure out what I should do and where I should go. I’m currently homeless and jobless and my trip is up in the air. I was planning on carrying on with it, but even though the airports are closed, I know that I need to be here.
California Mandala
I’ve been to California many times over the years, but there is nothing like that first experience of driving up the Pacific Coast Highway. For me it was July of 1995. My friend Holly and I had just returned from six months of backpacking in Australia & New Zealand and were wrapping up our trip with five days in Fiji followed by two weeks in California.
It was a beautiful ride as we meandered our way up the coast from San Diego to San Francisco, with every turn offering an amazing view. And the further north we got, with the sharp cliffs and pounding seas, the more we were reminded of the Great Ocean Road in Australia – but even better. Ending with a camping trip in Yosemite, those two weeks were the highlight of our trip.
I loved being with Michael the first time he was going to experience driving down the PCH. It was 2006 and we were heading from San Francisco to Los Angeles. With stops in Monterey and Big Sur along the way, the views seemed better than I remembered. And it was from a photo on this trip that inspired this California Mandala.
What please me the most about this mandala was that is was the first one I’ve known of that really spoke to someone. I was showing it at a local art fair in New Jersey and noticed a woman observing it for a period of time. When I introduced myself she expressed how much it drew her in and she had no idea why. Talking further, we figured out that the photo it originated from was taken from the same area in Big Sur that she grew up.
The magic of the mandala – nothing pleased me more.
Not Your Typical NYC Tourist Activities
It’s easy to be inspired by all of the cultural influences in New York City. And while many visitors tend to make the rounds to the usual suspects (The Met, MOMA, Broadway shows), some of my favorite cultural activities are on a much smaller, intimate, not to mention cheaper, scale. So if you find yourself in New York City, be sure to check out some of my favorites.
MOONWORK’S Evening of Original Work
I was first introduced to Moonwork in 2001 and have been a big fan ever since. Their “Evening of Original Work” series runs monthly from September – June and presents original work of emerging and established artists, comedians, and musicians. Hosted by Tom Shilllue, it’s a great way to be introduced to new talent just getting started. You may also recognize many faces from the Daily Show and Comedy Central on occasion.
In 2002 a friend and I fell in love with a new comedian for his very dry humor and unique talents of incorporating drawings and musical instruments into his act. We soon began following his act throughout New York City and saw his venues and fans begin to grow at a huge rate. Soon he was appearing on the Daily Show and even had his own series on Comedy Central. And this week his movie, “Taking Woodstock” opens – his first lead-starring role (and cast by none other than Ang Lee). By “finding” Demetri Martin in the beginning of his career at Moonwork, I am so inspired by how far he has come.
Now the best part about Moonwork? It’s set in a high school gym set up to resemble a cabaret. Even better? It costs just $20 and includes all the beer you can drink until it runs out. And one final plus? They have a kids program that works to develop new and innovative ways to bring theater to kids.
Unique Destination Wedding Save-the-Dates
I was never the girl who dreamed of her fairy tale wedding. In fact, I never thought I would get married – and I was okay with that. So when I did meet my prince charming I was pleasantly surprised.
When we decided to get married we didn’t want to go the typical route – church, big wedding party, 4-hour reception. It wasn’t enough time to celebrate! We essentially wanted a big party that lasted for days as our friends and family rarely have a chance to get together.
The question was how to pull that off. Neither of our hometowns meant much to the other, and our current hometown, NYC, was too expensive for just such a party. So it was easy to settle on Long Beach Island, NJ – a place we both spent a lot of time during our “early” years and a place in which we’ve vacationed together since we’ve met.
Playing Tourist In My Hometown – NYC
When NYC is your home, one rarely sees it as a tourist.
As an avid traveler, I’m embarrassed to say that my passport is extremely dusty. It hasn’t seen the light of day since February of 2008. But in my defense, I’ve been spending the past year and a half helping to inspire others to travel through my website, Briefcase to Backpack.
The ironic thing in all of this is that I live in a place where most people from around the world would love to visit – New York City. Yet I spend most of my time in my home office, in front of a computer screen, preaching the wonders of exploring the world. Why not explore my own world?
I saw an opportunity to escape from my 8’x8’ space when a friend from Australia, Lauren, came to visit. This was a great time to embrace the tourist in me and see parts of the city in a new way – beyond the typical tourist attractions.
One of my favorite activities actually took me to a place that I commuted in and out of for a year – Grand Central Terminal (often referred to as Station, which is in fact the name of the post office). As I raced to and from work, I rarely took the opportunity to really take in the beauty of the terminal. And to think, it was nearly demolished in the 1970’s to make room for some non-descript towers until Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis stepped in to intervene. With her help and a Supreme Court ruling (the first on a matter of historic preservation), the Terminal was saved. A plaque in her honor is in Vanderbilt Hall, a place I had often visited for its holiday craft fair, but this I never noticed before.
Cambodia Mandala
I was first introduced to Cambodia when it was still known as Kampuchea. As part of my International Relations class in high school, I had to devise an international crisis-type of scenario and the rest of the students had to debate how the United States government should get involved. I chose to focus on Cambodia, in particular Pol Pot, his reign of terror, and the aftermath. I don’t remember the specifics of my scenario, but whatever it was, I had the class stumped. More importantly, my eyes were awakened to the horrors of the Khmer Rouge and the millions of people that suffered under them.
When I decided to travel to SE Asia in 2001, I knew that Cambodia had to be on the itinerary. Most people who travel to Cambodia do so to visit the vast complex and amazing temples of Angkor, and that too was on my to-do-list. But people who pass over visiting Phnom Penh, the Killing Fields, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, are doing a disservice to themselves and the lives that were lost.
Alaska Mandala
After many years of spending my travel time abroad, I decided that I wanted to see more of my own country. The summer of 2003 was the second year in a row that I did a travel holiday in the United States with Trek America, a tour operator that offers active small group adventures throughout the Americas. They offered a great opportunity to explore and camp through Alaska, a trip that would have been difficult to pull off on my own.
Our guide served as both our tour leader and driver, and our small group of 11 served as cooks, camp set-up/clean-up crew, and overall entertaining company. In our two-weeks on the road we had many incredible adventures, including: Read more
