Hermes reve

Hermes, meatpacking...

Public spaces

discovering Public Hotel, an urban oasis on Chrystie Street...

Ian Shrager's Public Hotel
Tania Shrager's Trade concept shop
215 Chrystie Street... 
http://www.publichotels.com

a bough and a building

west 20th street, Chelsea...

red rooster

finally, red rooster harlem is off my nyc bucket list -- a perfect morning to join visitors from all over the world - holland, turkey, iran, texas, new jersey - for the famed food, music, art, photography and genuinely warm community spirit...

p.s. just a quick ride on the 2 train to 125th street and lenox ave and you, too, might catch boncellia lewis's soulful rendition of the spiritual "wade in the water" and the impressive guitar and vocals of 19 year old musician solomon hicks!

http://redroosterharlem.com/artists/

thank you, marcus samuelson and team, for sharing the holiday spirit on this winter solstice...

Busy City

Happy Wednesday!

Does anyone remember the children's author Richard Scarry?
His book What Do People Do All Day? was one of my brother's favorites.

This scene downtown reminds me of the pages in the book - a fashionista, a girl with a pink boa, a man in a suit, tall man on crutches, a delivery guy, traffic lights, cars, trucks, architecture, windows, clouds, sky - I am sure Lowly Worm is there, too, somewhere....

near Canal Street...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Scarry

Turkey Season

On Thursday, I got re-routed while downtown and stumbled upon an exhibition of works by one of my most revered artists, Bill Traylor.

Born a slave in the mid 1850's in Alabama, Traylor did not start drawing until his 80's, sketching from his recollections as well as his observations.  Most of his work was done in pencil, or pencil and poster paint, on paper and oddly shaped pieces of cardboard.

He was "discovered" in 1939 by a then aspiring artist, Charles Shannon, who encouraged his elder by supplying him with materials to continue his work.  Traylor died in 1949. With the exception of two shows organized by Shannon in the early1940's, his work was not exhibited or truly celebrated until thirty years later.

The animals and figures on view at the Rivington Street gallery are immediately recognizable to Traylor lovers.  Less familiar to me are "the abstracts," drawings, Ms. Cuningham shared, based on Traylor's observations of a basket weaver who sat opposite him on the street in Alabama, for instance.

All are magical as ever and worth getting a little lost in, if only for a fleeting moment on a hectic fall afternoon.

photos courtesy of pinterest pins

15 Rivington Street, NewYork www.bettycuninghamgallery.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Traylor

residential



from MTA Arts for Transit Collection, Lee Brozgol,
The Greenwich Village Murals, 1994,
Christopher Street, Sheridan Square, "Providers"
www.culturenow.org