NYC Fire Museum: Spring St btwn Hudson and Varick Sts

As we approach another Fourth of July, I have been thinking about all the things made available and the costs incurred for freedom and independence.  We are not born into a caste (formal or informal) that we cannot rise above (or fall below).  We have the ability to make choices, have aspirations, and achieve goals (once we define or redefine them).  We have the right to voice our opinions and stand up for our beliefs (so long as they do not endanger others). 

There are clearly cons as well as pros, but overall I think most would agree we are incredibly fortunate (although there are often many obstacles) to have so many options.

Following my ruminations, I decided to visit the NYC Fire Museum in SoHo.  I wanted to see the old fire steam engines (see right), put on a fireman's uniform (which all visitors can do), admire the art and fire fighting memorabilia (did you know that fire bombs were initially used to fight fires? -- when they are thrown the explosion uses up all of the surrounding oxygen, thereby extinguishing fires), and most importantly pay my respects at the permanent 9/11 memorial exhibit (see left).

There are numerous fire trucks, beginning with hand pumped contraptions and horse drawn steam engines to more modern gas engined trucks and parade carriages (see right).  There are also stove top hats (originating in PA) and the earliest fire fighter hats with the wide back brim to shed water (originating in NY).  You can read about the history of volunteer fire fighting, the technological and equipment advances, as well as an early 1800s cholera scare that had people avoiding all water (getting wet was discouraged as was drinking cold water!).

As a dog fanatic, I was also particularly moved (and admittedly a little grossed out) by the stuffed dog in one display (see left).  This dog, named Chief, had rescued numerous people as well as a cat and kittens from various fires and on November 25th, 1936 was awarded Dog World's International Diploma of Honor.  There are also numerous pictures of various fire departments pictured with their dog mascots, who originally were fostered by fire houses to run alongside the horse-drawn fire trucks to keep stray dogs away from the horses.  At first, any dogs that found their way to a fire house welcome, but soon dalmatians began to become favored for their ability to run long distances without tiring alongside the horses.

This is a great little museum, and I would highly recommend a visit, especially if you are in the market for any FDNY paraphernalia or a little fireman's Halloween costume.  Check out their hours and admission prices at their website at Fire Museum.

Studio Museum in Harlem: 125th St by Seventh Ave

Yesterday was the last day of the latest exhibits at the Studio Museum in Harlem, and it was wonderful.  Not far from the Apollo Theater, this is an exhibition space that highlights contemporary African American artists and their work.

There were amazing collage pieces, modern art-cum-furnishings (see the grouping of "Man Made" chairs, lighting, totems, tables, mirrors, etc. by Stephen Burks at right made of Senegalese baskets, rope and plastics), as well as pieces an interesting exhibit of works by musician-artist Benjamin Patterson who even tried to record the movements of ants in song.

The museum also mixed in pieces from the its permanent collection by young artists like Adam Pendleton (who guided a tour I took at the Museo Del Barrio) who had a mural in the museum courtyard as well as a drawing hung just inside the museum lobby as part of a collections exhibit.

While you may have missed this show, don't be dismayed.  There will be a new exhibit up and running July 14th. The exhibit-to-come will again have temporary and permanent pieces mixed together, and looks like it will be another winner (Studio Museum Future Exhibits).

The two floor museum is well curated (well-presented and not too crowded) and it is a great way to spend about an hour on a Sunday (which are free thanks to support from Target).  Also be sure to pick up a free copy of the "Studio", which is the museum's seasonal magazine.  There is a great article about the latest winner of the Bravo show "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," Abdi Farah (see photo at left of one of his finale winning pieces).

This is a great little museum definitely worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood.  They had the current curator of the Museum of Art and Design, MAD as their President and the legacy of this connection and professionalism shows.  Also, if you are a fan of Sheila Bridges' African-American toile (also displayed at MAD), you can get some bedding here at the museum gift shop.

Rubin Museum of Art: 17th St and 7th Ave

If you are interested in Himalayan art, there is no place better than the Rubin Museum of Art.  The lobby floor has a great little restaurant and a high end gift shop.  The five floors above have permanent and temporary exhibits that provide a fulsome look at a variety of aspects of Himalayan art, which spans the areas of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan as well as adjacent areas of India, China, and Mongolia.

The second floor provides a great introduction, with descriptions of buddhas (see left), tantric deities (see right), bodhisattvas, and wrathful deities.  It provides a good foundation for identifying and being able to understand the fantastic collection displayed throughout the museum. 

On the third floor, there is a collection of masterworks.  One alcove has a complete shrine.  Another has a reproduction of murals of a temple wall with audio guides that detail the stories told in the murals.  And of course, there are dramatic art pieces, masks, and sculptures.

On the fourth floor there is an amazing collection amassed by the grandson of President Teddy Roosevelt, Quentin Roosevelt, of the Naxi (pronounced nashee) people of southwestern China.  There are samplings of prayer books written in the only living pictographic language (see left), Quentin's travel documents and wooden trunk, as well as an altar and beautiful funeral scrolls in the Dongba tradition (which is a mix of, among other things, Bon, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Mongolian shamanism).  Much of the Naxi culture was lost after China's Revolution in 1949, so this collection preserves the history and culture of this remote region and people.

The fifth (and last floor currently open to the public, as the top floor is closed in preparation for the next exhibit opening on July 1) floor had a beautiful collection of rugs--horse rugs, sitting rugs, sleeping rugs, and prayer rugs.  On display were hand dyed, hand-tied, rugs of all shapes, sizes and quality.  I thought the horse rugs were particularly decorative but I was particularly intrigued by the swastika rugs (see right) and learning that prior to their use in Nazi Germany was a symbol of well-being and good luck.


Every Friday evening the museum admission is waived (Rubin Museum Info), and visiting the museum is a lovely way to spend an hour or so before dinner.

Roerich Museum: 107th St and Riverside Dr

How could I be so completely oblivious to the works of Nicholas Roerich?  I had never even heard of him until a friend of mine, knowing that I write this blog, told me about the Nicholas Roerich Museum.  Once I started looking into his work, I was awed.  He was a philosopher, "prophet", writer, traveler, theatrical costume designer, treaty writer (unity by sharing cultural beauty is the basis of The Roerich Pact signed on by members of the Pan American Union in 1935), and most notably a prolific painter (there are over 7,000 paintings just from his India period).

The museum is located in a beautiful brownstone on 107th Street and Riverside Drive and is filled to the rafters with Roerich paintings, mostly Nicholas' but a few (like the portrait of Nicholas at right) by his son Svetoslav.  The home also has artifacts from Tibet and the Himalayas -- Buddhas, tables, architectural salvage, etc.

What most people find really compelling is the way Nicholas Roerich's paintings are of this world, but are so "other-worldly".  The stark mountains and clouds of the Himalayas could be on a scene from a moon of Mars (see left).  It almost appears like the Tibetan huts could be from a Star Wars movie and sand people could come out at any moment. 

Then there is my favorite piece, called "The Most Sacred" or "Treasure of the Mountain," which reminds me of Superman's Fortress of Solitude (see right).  There is an inner light that emanates from Roerich's paintings that really can't be captured in photos.  You have to see them in person.

To be frank, this is not my favorite type of art, but I can appreciate its beauty and drama.  If you are a fan of this kind of surreal art, you should definitely go (check Roerich Museum Info for times; it is always free).  However, even if you aren't into this, I still think it is worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood (it really is a pretty neighborhood--much safer than it used to feel in the late 90s).  I would recommend doing a little background reading on their website before going, as unfortunately there aren't really any guides or literature there.

Another Presidential Visit

Ugh, yet another visit by President Obama in NYC.  I think he has come here every month since spring.  It costs the country tens of thousands of dollars per day for all the transport and security, but to NYC residents it is just a royal pain.   The police (who pays for all of their over-time? -- NYC tax payers I assume) blockade the streets hours in advance, impeding and then blocking all pedestrian and automobile traffic. There is no regard for local businesses (each of whom lose hundreds to thousands of dollars every time the President visits) and really, does the President have to traverse the busiest city in the country during rush hour?

I do not take partisan issue with this--yes the Bushes spent a lot of tax payer money going to their respective country homes.  My complaint is really that both Obama and Clinton seem to love visiting NYC.  Most of us who live and/or work here hate it.

Last night when I was trying to get home after a late night class, Obama's movements blocked off Park Avenue!  All traffic comes to a complete standstill.  While tourists might find it interesting to see a Presidential motorcade (see above), I'll tell you New Yorkers just find this annoying.  I overheard one man delayed at a corner on his cell phone telling whoever was on the other side of the call, "if you ever vote for Obama, I'm going to kill you."

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden: 61st St & 1st Ave/York

 

The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden presents the period of the Mount Vernon Hotel which operated from 1826 until 1833. Constructed in 1799 as a carriage house (animals like pigs and cows downstairs who warm the horses upstairs with their body heat), and converted into the Mount Vernon Hotel in 1826, this stone building sits on land originally owned by Colonel William Stephens Smith, and his wife Abigail Adams Smith (daughter of John Adams). The Smiths had wanted to build a stately home there, but ran into financial trouble and had to give up their 23 acre estate.

After the main structure (where the Bed Bath & Beyond is now) burned, a man by the name of Joseph Hart converted the carriage house (the current location of the museum) into a "country resort."  The "day hotel" was popular among New Yorkers who wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, which at that time extended only as far north as 14th Street.  In those days, one could take a stagecoach or steamboat up and spend the day at the hotel sipping lemonade in the ladies parlor or drinking and playing cards in the gentlemen’s tavern (see photo of reproduction card tables and bar at right--note the area enclosed by "bars" to secure the liquor and cash). 
 

In 1833, the house finally becomes the stately home of the Towle family, who made their money in the China trade. In 1905, as the area became more industrialized, Towle's daughters sold the building to the Standard Gas Light Company (today’s Con Edison).  Later it becomes an antiques shop and then The Colonial Dames of America (the same patriotic woman’s society that operates the Van Courtlandt House in the Bronx), purchased the building in 1924. After extensive restoration, the Colonial Dames opened the site to the public in 1939.  

The hotel is set up with card tables mid-game, a dining table set for lunch, and upper halls with Greek revival furniture lining the walls as they would have been during a party.  The garden is small but lovely as well, and if you go up the stairs on the west side, you can see part of the original shale Olde Post Road that connected NYC with Boston.  

If you go, expect a very personalized guided tour by a young, very affable, and well-informed docent.  It is well worth the $8 admission fee.  Also check their website for concerts, free events, and site rental opportunities (Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden).  This really is a nice little historic gem in NYC.

Museum of Chinese in America: Centre St & Howard St

The Museum of Chinese in America does a great job of telling the stories of Chinese immigrants and their descendants.  They tell of the anti-Chinese/racist propaganda (see right), Chinese American soldiers not getting equal opportunities after the war (that would be WWII during which many enlisted to support the fight against Japanese aggression, simultaneously aiding their ancestral home), and the stereotypes developing into the "model minority"--the same characteristics (hard working, uncomplaining, and smart) that for decades had made them a threat to local labor and justified immigration restrictions.

Many of the displays are interactive and include audio and film.  They have a recreation of an herbalist shop (see left) with an accompanying audio recording that tells of Chinese American tradespeople who as entrepreneurs were able to overcome prejudices and uplift themselves and their communities.  There are also many plaques describing the many achievements of Chinese Americans like Vera Wang (fashion designer), Gary Locke (former Governor of Washington state and current Secretary of Commerce), Elaine Chao (Secretary of Labor under George W. Bush), Jerry Yang (co-founder of Yahoo!), Michelle Kwan (the most winning American female ice skater) and Maya Lin (artist and designer of the MOCA and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  Really, after the majority had come over to this country with little but their wits and muscle and started at the lowest rung of the society ladder, it is amazing that in just a few generations such incredible success was achieved.

Finally, currently there is an exhibition room of antique, classic games, some of which are over 1,000 years old!  What do the Chinese have to do with games?  Well, I was surprised to find out that they are the creators of puzzle pots, tangrams (see right), Qing dynasty puzzle rings and bracelets, sliding block puzzles, burr puzzles, and ingenious linked ring puzzles (see below right). 

If you have a free hour just north of Canal Street, this small museum can provide a great hour of exploration and understanding.  Plus every Thursday admission is free!  If you happen to go on a weekday, you may also face groups of students so if you want to avoid such crowds, I would suggest going right when the museum opens or on a weekend.  Check out their website at MOCA for details of hours and current exhibits.