The Garden of Circus Delights

In a hallway underneath Penn Station/Madison Square Garden at 34th Street lies a most remarkable mural. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Transit Authority, "The Garden of Circus Delights" is the creation of Eric Fischl in homage of the circus that is in residence above at the Garden every year. Completed in 2001, I cannot recall being aware it, that is, until this past week when I took a particular exist leading onto 8th Avenue. There I stood, stopped in my tracks for a good 20 minutes, staring at the glistening tiles on the wall, subway trains above rumbling. It's a beautiful, vibrant work, not unlike the City that lies above, which pulses with energy and motion. Find it when you come to Gotham. It's a wonder waiting to be experienced. 

Photos taken with dinky iPhone, CameraBag App & Magazine Setting. 

Mysterious on West 68th

I took a shot of a mysterious house on West 68th a few days ago, remembering an article that I had read, which you can find here. It seems the original owner had the house moved ten blocks and two avenues uptown during the late 19th century, where it faced Central Park across a lawn. It cost him 50 grand, a fortune at the time. Eventually, however, the lawn that faced the Park was sold, and a Christian Science church built. Imagine having your own lawn bordering the Central Park. It must have been something. The house is now part of the Upper West Side Historic District. Find more about the building here. 

portrait of a chair

Perhaps the oldest of three arrow back chairs brought back from Bucks County this past week, this particular one was kept in my father's workshop in the basement, sitting a few feet away from his massive wooden work bench, which he made. One of its mates came from mother's family farm near Pittsburgh. Its seat split and broken when found, my father restored it with a cleat that contains his signature. The seats on all three are rather low, which is an indication of how tall people were more than a century ago. While not dining chairs, they will do in a pinch with cushions. I admire their beautiful patina which my father loved so much, the velvety finish along the back revealing its mysteries under the hand.

arrow back maple chair c. 1820 

Stopping in Lambertville

I rented a Zipcar yesterday for the second time in two weeks, driving from Gotham to Bucks Country, Pennsylvania to see my family. Last week it was an SUV-ish Audi with a lot of room, while this week it was a sporty Mercedes with a sunroof. The reason for the trips? My mother down-sizing, selling her house, and dispersing the contents of the same, so I needed wheels to bring some things back. Last week it was a beautiful antique carpet (see here), while this week it was three antique arrow back chairs, one from my mother's family farm near Pittsburgh (a subsequent post). 

On the way to Pennsylvania, I stopped in Lambertville, New Jersey, zipping down the hill into town and parking next to a gallery/shop that made me smile with its marriage equality signage. Meter parking had me going into a nearby shop, ordering a tasty cappuccino (so good), and plunking the change into said meter. Safe for a good 30 minutes, I took a jaunt around town, catching the canal in my dinky iPhone, various antique shops, the canal, bridge and river, and the former railway station which is now a tony restaurant. 

In one antique shop, I spied a young gentleman ($2400) looking at Jesus and Mary across the room.

Photos taken with dinky iPhone, CameraBag App & Magazine Setting. 

The Church on West 71st Street

I passed by it on the way home from the market and heard its red doors cry, "Shoot me, shoot me!" So I did, after setting my bag of lacinato kale, fresh tomatoes and pancetta on the sidewalk (all going into a sauce with a liberal amount of good olive oil and garlic when I got home). The late afternoon light made the building seem more weathered than it already is. Yes, I included a photo of it about a week ago (see here), and thought of that as I snapped, but then thought: "Who can resist a red door and a bit of gothic?" Not me, certainly. The really mysterious thing? The light between the church and the former parsonage, which reminded me of the Buddhist concept of the Bardo: dark at the bottom and full of light at the top, chiarscuro and full of presence.  

Photo taken with dinky iPhone, CameraBag App & Magazine setting. 

Songs my father taught me

I could have titled this post "Bolos, Bangles and Beads," but thought "Songs my father taught me" had a bit more dignity (it's also an allusion to a song by Charles Ives which you can hear here). However, if you knew my father (and I am sorry you did not), the title could also have read "Bolos, Banjos and Beads," since the man could play a mean banjo while also playing the guitar and drum. Yes, a one-man band as well as an amazing artisan. He crafted all the pieces you see below, which are only a fraction of his work (I wrote about some of his other pieces here). The ring? His hands were huge, so I am going to have to have it resized. It is made of coral, silver and turquoise. The second photo contains three bolos as well as a turquoise pendant, while the third is of a necklace made of agate, bone, silver and turquoise. Ah, so much to say! Music does it best. 

Photos taken with dinky iPhone, CameraBag App & Magazine setting.  

Sunday Met

You must be getting tired of seeing the lobby of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, right? Sorry about that! It just so happens that I pass by it on my way home from the East Side every Sunday afternoon, so can't resist at least walking in and snapping away, which is what I did earlier today. The flowers are different at least (they change them every week). The Pharaoh is still there, and will be,  I hear, for a least a decade. He sits smack in the middle of the room off to the right, holding court, with his back to two church-like benches. The short hallway? That presents itself right next to the grand staircase and the bookstore/shop, where I frequently go to scope out the latest books on interior design. 

Speaking of which: I didn't see it there, but did have Michael Smith's Building Beauty delivered in the post yesterday, having pre-ordered it some time ago. Rather nice to have a 'surprise' delivered, since I nearly forgot about it! 

I've always been rather taken with Mr. Smith's aesthetic, with its Englishness, simple off-white linen curtains, antique wood, fabulous carpets and modern paintings. Like Rose Tarlow, he has an eye for beauty.