Recently was in NYC for art related business. A few years have passed since my last visit. I was curious to see what had changed and stayed the same. As for every excursion, the daily itinerary is packed from early dawn to late night. My philosophy is to make the most of every experience, because no trip should be taken for granted.
Flying in late Tuesday evening, my husband and I took a cab from the airport to a hotel near Carnegie Hall. After unpacking it was time for NYC style pizza at Angelo’s and to finalize the schedule. I knew it was going to be a good trip when we ran into San Francisco Giants fans at the restaurant. Pizza, wine, and baseball equal the perfect combination!
Wednesday was filled with amazing art in the Chelsea neighborhood. There are over 500 galleries in NYC and impossible to see all in a short time. As a result, decided to pick quality over quantity. An East Coast aesthetic sensibility is different from the West Coast. As a result, love the exploration and investigation.
Highlights:
Next stop was a visit to the High Line which is the newly renovated railroad trestle looking over Chelsea. It’s like a park above the busy streets with benches, walkways, and beautiful vistas of the city. From the Friends of the High Line website: “The High Line’s planting design is inspired by the self-seeded landscape that grew on the out-of-use elevated rail tracks during the 25 years after trains stopped running. The species of perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees were chosen for their hardiness, sustainability, and textural and color variation, with a focus on native species. Many of the species that originally grew on the High Line’s rail bed are incorporated into the park’s landscape.” It’s a lovely oasis to a busy urban environment.
We spent the evening at The Apollo Theater in Harlem! It was the Amateur Night Show Off in which recent talent show winners compete for a chance to move to the semi-finals then a possibility to win the title of Super Top Dog. There are rules at The Apollo: if you like a performer cheer loudly, if you don’t boo loudly. The audience was engaged and the talent amazing. This beats any reality television competition hands down. I met people from the neighborhood, Japan, and India. Harlem really does rock!
Because my trip to NYC was the best ever, additional blog posts are needed to cover all the goodness of the city. There’s just too much to share in a short writing. My creative tank has been recharged and ready to go. The bar has been raised and the possibilities are endless. Yes, this is a good place to be!
The links:
http://www.nyc.com/best-of-new-york/art_galleries_amp_museums_in_new_york.s4405/
http://artforum.com/guide/country=US&place=New%20York&show=active&district=Chelsea
Balisle Blog 
Yes, you had an perfect trip due to excellent planning. Thank you for this blog!