Governor's Island (1 of 2): Via Ferry from Downtown

I'm on my way to Governor's Island for their annual Civil War Weekend.  They are supposed to have re-enactments, tours, live music, and other activities for history buffs and families.  I just thought I would post this note so that folks who may read this and are free can go check it out today or tomorrow. 

Sure there are other activities and tours there normally (the island is open to visitors generally from the end of May through the end of September), but this is a very special weekend.  It is the 150th anniversary honoring the Civil War.  If you have some time, take advantage of the fabulous weather and head on over.  I'll report back my findings when I get back.  Enjoy all!

St. Paul's Church (Bronx): S. Columbus Ave

I didn't really know what to expect other than an old church and surrounding graveyard, but with the weather as pleasant as it was yesterday, I figured that it would be a good day to take the #5 subway to the end of the line and embark on the 15 minute walk to St. Paul's Church.  I was the only visitor there during my 2 hour visit, but the 2 lady docents were as accommodating and helpful as could be.  I believe they have school programs and special organ performances (the organ in the church is one of the oldest still functioning in the country -- see left) from time to time, but individual visitors like me seem unfortunately scarce.

The church has a quaint, very modest design, with high-walled pews (see right) owned by individual families (closeness to the altar meant higher costs; and it was noted that the Roosevelt family pew was in the far back corner with an intruding post--those Dutch were known even then for their frugality).  Most of the original windows were also in place, although there was one stained glass window by the famous John LaFarge from the Romanesque period of the church (see below left). 

The most interesting part of the church tour was the special walk behind the organ up the wooden steps of the tower to the belfry.  It was a narrow entrance (larger folks won't be getting by), followed by a steep climb in the dark, but it was well worth the spectacular breezy views from the top and the chance to ring the famous 250 year old bell (which I did!). 

In 1758, the Church of England minister at St. Paul’, Reverend Standard (who is buried behind the church) gifted it to his parish upon his retirement.  The bell (see right) was made at the same London Whitechapel Foundry as the "Liberty Bell," and thankfully it was saved from being melted down for ammunition during the American Revolution because a parishioner hid it in his barn as the battling approached Eastchester.

After the tour, I took 10-15 minutes to look through the museum, which was the old carriage house for the church.  Presently, they have an exhibit of various Revolutionary battles fought in the area.  The dioramas are very detailed and the uniforms and artillery take one back to how brutal and difficult the battles must have been (perhaps they were more vivid for me than most, as I had recently seen the documentary "Gettysburg"). 

They also show a short video of the history of the church, from the first 10 local farming families who built this church (and the prior one that was torn down for firewood during the Revolutionary War, when the Hessians used the church as a military hospital (see rudimentary "medical" tools at left)), and later when the church became a gathering place for residents from far and wide and services lasted all day (with a break for a picnic lunch in the family cemetary plots -- see cordoned off areas, below right).

There is also an exhibit about Ann Hutchinson (after whom the river is named), who moved down to this area after she was banished from Boston for her religious beliefs, only to be killed by Native Americans who believed she and her family were taking their lands.  Parts of the Ann Hutchinson story were familiar to me, but one that I had at least temporarily forgotten was how Ann's 10-year-old daughter, Susanna, was taken by the Native Americans and raised for 4 years before being forcibly returned to white society.

I ended the visit with a walk through the cemetery (see left).  They provided me with a hand drawn map of notable plots and headstones that made the walk interesting.  I was surprised to see a freed slave buried in the same cemetery as the white residents, as well as a marker for the Hessians who were buried in a mass grave here.  I am not easily spooked (besides it was a gorgeous day), but some might find that the old and sporadically overgrown parts of the cemetery are a little creepy.

In any event, I would highly recommend a visit to this historic place.  It is a hidden historical treasure that deserves support.

Tibet House: 15th St between 5th and 6th Aves

Tibetan Prayer Wheels, Called Manis, Into Which Papers With Mantras Are Placed And Spun

Unfortunately after weathering a torrential downpour I arrived at the Tibet House in Chelsea only to find that the gallery was closed.  I had checked their website at Tibet House Info and found that their limited hours of noon to 5 pm M-F and was free, but there was no mention that it would be closed today to prepare for a new exhibit.

While disappointing, I was able to check out their offices, their library and gift shop and snapped a few photos.  They had the expected intricate brass tantric sculptures, detailed colorful tapestries, primitive jewelry (see belt above left), religious artifacts (see stupa of crystal and gold at right), works made by monks like the thread mandala made at a monastery (see below left), and fun animal/god (?) masks and Tibetan dolls in traditional dress hanging along almost every beam or soffit.

Actually, I was really impressed with all of the things that were available for viewing even with the gallery closed.  The style of Tibetan art is not really my style (which leans more toward the clean and contemporary), but what they had was beautiful in its own right.  Much of their collection is what they term repatriation art (donated Tibetan art collected and held in trust for eventual return to a National Museum in a free autonomous Tibet), and is part of the Tibet House's mission of preserving the Tibetan culture while it is endangered by the Chinese occupation in its own soil.  Tibet House was founded at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who at the 1987 inauguration wished for a long-term cultural institution to ensure the survival of Tibetan civilization and culture.

One of the most prevalent things I noticed were the numerous pictures of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in just about every room.  As I mentioned in my blog about the Museum of Biblical Art, I am not religious.  However, I will say that something about his aspect made him look peaceful and kind.  I especially liked the bronze bust of him in the entry lobby (see right).

I plan to swing by the Tibet House again, perhaps the next time I am in Chelsea, and I hope to see the rest of their collection.  It is definitely worthy of a look (visiting is free, although of course they accept donations and this seems like a great cause to support).

Ukrainian Museum: 6th St between 2nd and 3rd Aves

The Ukrainian Museum is a beautiful contemporary building in the lower east side that was completed in 2005.  Currently there are exhibits about Ukrainian weddings and the clothes, wreaths, breads, head wraps, and ritual cloths related to Ukrainian weddings; the art and writings of Sviatoslav Hordynsky; and, of course, the famous Pysanka eggs from all the regions of the Ukraine. 

The textiles are colorful and beautifully decorated with embroidery and ribbons.  However, more than just pretty to look at, they embody the Ukrainian belief in warding off evil with good luck symbols in the decorations and positive thoughts of the maker while she is embroidering or embellishing.  The traditions and details vary from region to region (see right and left), but they all include emblems intended to protect the wearers. 

There are displays related to the decoration and giving of handkerchiefs from single women to single men to signify interest and courting.  There are blessed elaborate wedding breads decorated with ribbons and twisted knot birds made out of dough (see below). 

Really, all of this exhibit is a feast for the eyes and shouldn't be missed, but unfortunately it seems it usually is.  The receptionist seemed shocked to see me and when I told her I had discovered the museum's existence online, she was so pleased and surprised she couldn't do enough to make me feel welcome.  As the only visitor to the 3 story museum at the time of my visit, I was a little saddened by the lack of visitors much the way I was about the Hispanic Society of America.

Upstairs there is an exhibit that displays the breadth and depth of Sviatoslav Hordynsky, a talented Ukrainian artist and writer.  There are numerous works in a variety of styles--from German Expressionism, to Picasso-like cubism, delicate gestural and detailed watercolors (see left), and religious studies that were later used in the most famous piece by Hordynsky, the mosaic murals in St. Sophia Cathedral in Rome (see right).  I had never heard of this artist before, but I can assure you that I will be on the lookout going forward.

Finally, the piece de resistance, is their small but beautifully displayed collection of Pysanka eggs (see below).  If you are not careful, you could miss the whole thing.  They are in a small side room just inside the front doors on the left before you get to the admissions desk.  The eggs decorated using a wax-resist process, vary from region to region of the Ukraine, but are all decorated with the traditional symbols like eternity (never ending connected lines), the sun (circles, broken crosses, or stars with up to 8 points), triangles, animals, and nature (leaves, flowers, or trees) to protect and bring good fortune to the recipient of these eggs. Although now just decorative, originally they were thought of as talisman. 

If you find yourself in the Lower East Side, stop by the Ukrainian Museum and you won't be disappointed.

Alexander McQueen: 81st St and 5th Ave

You may have heard of the unprecedented success and popularity of the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in the NY Times, AM New York, or any number of other places people go for cultural news so I won't bore you with the details of the actual exhibit.  Rather, I'll share with you the nightmare that was waiting in the over 2 hour long line with no benches to rest on and no water to drink (inside the museum--never mind the wait outside as shown above).  I got there an hour before the museum opened so I could get a decent place in line and I would suggest that that is the best way to minimize the wait, but that is not foolproof either. 

Members can come about an hour before opening and skip the lines.  That is better, but then you'd have to shell out dues for a membership--pretty steep.  Or lastly you can come with someone who is physically incapable of waiting in long lines and hope that they provide you with a "VIP" pass to skip the line--but best be extra-kind and solicitous with the "powers that be," the security guards.

Yes, the exhibit shows some amazing pieces by McQueen.  There are works from his Scottish line (see left), his widow line, his rape line, his extravagant feathered pieces, as well as some of the most extra-ordinary accessories like shoes and head pieces (see right).  But overall, I give the exhibit a 7.5 out of 10.  The only real reason to go see this exhibit and battle these crowds is if you are one of those folks who feel like they have to experience the top shows, exhibits, restaurants, and so on, in NYC.  Do you hate it when friends lord over you with their fabulous experiences after you've told them you missed something?  Would your "friends" do those kinds of things to you to make themselves feel better by making you feel a little worse?  Well, unfortunately, that is a large portion of the population in NYC.  Or perhaps that is a big portion of the population everywhere, just more pronounced here in NYC because we are fortunate enough to have more opportunities than most living in this magnet of a city.

In any event, if you don't want to be one of those people that "missed the BIGGEST show" at the Metropolitan, you have until this Sunday at midnight (yes, they are extending viewing hours this weekend) to catch a glimpse of "Savage Beauty."  Enjoy it if you can.

The Met does have a sense of humor about the waiting.  In fact, they have created a pamphlet that describes the art on the walls and in the display cabinets in the rooms on the way to the McQueen exhibit.  The pamphlet entitled "McQueen Line Trek: The Taming of the Queue" is a kind of abbreviated scavenger hunt about the other artwork that is in the Met's permanent collection (that usually don't get very many visitors I would imagine).

Ok, this was a bit of a rant, but that is basically how I feel.  I'm glad the Met is making a mint on this exhibit (because I think it is a great institution that brings amazing art to the public), but really, couldn't they alleviate the stress of the exhausting lines and make the viewing more enjoyable (less crowded)?

Off Broadway Shows: Various

Most people think of "off-Broadway" shows as smaller, lesser known and perhaps less-expensive-to-see plays.  However, given the way NYC attracts great crowds and people interested in the arts, you can actually see fabulous, richly-produced, and pricey plays off-Broadway.

Just last week, I saw the critically acclaimed "War Horse" at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center (see right) and over the weekend I saw "As You Like It" by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Armory (see above).  These unique shows are amazing (if you want to catch Shakespeare by the Royal Shakespeare Company, as of today you have 6 more chances before they leave after August 14, 2011) and, while expensive, they are worth the splurge.

Of course there are great smaller theaters that put on fantastic off-Broadway shows.  Look for up and coming productions at places like Cherry Lane, Vineyard Theater, and The Public Theater.  Check them out if you get the chance.  Who knows, maybe you'll be one of the first to see a new classic (like Nunsense at Cherry Lane over 10 years ago).

P.S. If you want to get a big dose of British theater, you could do what I did quite by accident last week and see 3 British plays by adding the Broadway production of "Billy Elliott" to the above.

Harry Potter Exhibit: 44th St between 7th and 8th Aves

The exhibit is viewable from April 5-September 5, 2011 at the Discovery Times Square Exhibition Center (they had a mummy exhibit last year and are also currently showing an exhibit about Pompeii). They have hundreds of costumes and props from the movies so if you are a fan of the books or the movies, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Expect to spend about 30-45 minutes in line and in the first couple of rooms (the first is a re-creation of the sorting hat scene from the first movie ("The Sorcerer's Stone") with volunteers from the audience and the second shows scenes from the various movies and then opens up to a re-creation of the Hogwarts Express train station that is very realistic with fog and everything).

Harry Potter™'s wand, eyeglasses, photo album, Hogwarts acceptance letter, and
the Marauder™'s Map (from Fred and George Weasley in the "Prisoner of Azkaban")

After going through some archways, you are in the halls of Gryffindor, with some paintings that "move" (its actually just video playing on framed screens), including the fat lady who guards the Gryffindor entry and repeats the glass shattering scene she did in the movie "Chamber of Secrets". 

Harry Potter™ and Ron Weasley™'s dormitory room with uniforms,
casual clothes, and the golden egg from "The Goblet of Fire"

My niece, who is 16 and is starting to look at colleges, said that she thought a college could attract more candidates if they modeled their dormitories like Hogwarts.  I don't think I would have gone that far, but I have to say that there were a lot of visitors who didn't come to escort children.  No, this is not just for kids.  This is for any Harry Potter fan--young and old.

There were scenes and creatures from the Forbidden Forest, like Buckbeak, the Acromantula, centaur and a baby Thestral. Also there is a re-creation of Hagrid’s Hut with his clothing, a dragon egg that shakes like it is going to hatch (it doesn't) and a Hagrid-sized chair you can sit in (but no photography is allowed at all in the exhibit).  They had a Quidditch set and the rules posted, and you can try your hand at throwing a Quaffle into the hoop (we skipped this, as it was more like a cheap game at a fair). It was neat to see Harry’s Nimbus 2000 (before it was broken) and Draco Malfoy's Nimbus 2001 (which looked plastic).

Kids pulling up screaming Mandrakes in the Herbology area. 
Professor Sprout's costume is in the background

Younger visitors seemed to enjoy pulling up the screaming mandrakes (see left), but to be honest, all I could think of were the sticky hands that probably touched these things before me and I did not think I had enough Purell in my purse to get me through it so I passed.

Kreacher™, the evil Black family house-elf who
appears first in the Order of the Phoenix.

Toward the end, there is a room that displays the costumes and props related to the evil characters (see Kreacher at right).  There is Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix LeStrange, and of course, Voldemort's costumes and wands.  There are also examples of the horcruxes, including the Tom Riddle diary (with the Basilisk fang and venom that destroyed it), the Salazar Slytherin's locket, and the Helga Hufflepuff's cup.

The last room included costumes and place settings from the Yule Ball (including the beautiful dresses of Cho and Hermoine), the Triwizard cup and the main costumes for each of the three other champions (Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour (later wife of Bill Weasley), and Viktor Krum), examples of the candy highlighted in various movies, costumes (including wands) of all of the major adult characters like Albus Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Nymphadora Tonks, Sirius Black, Dolores Umbridge, Professor Snape, and the list goes on and on.

Finally, as with most amusement parks and museums, the exit requires a visit through a gift shop.  Of course, items are pricey so you'll have to prepare young visitors in advance if you want to avoid dropping a bundle here--it is well stocked and very tempting.

There are $7 audio guides, but had heard that they were not worth the money and were hard to hear with all the noise so we skipped them (frankly, I thought that the entrance fee of $27 for adults, $19.50 for kids, and $23.50 for seniors should include them).  In any event, we did  not miss them for the couple of hours we spent here, as the signage was great and easy to read.  For discount tickets, use code STIXHHPE to get $4.50 off adult tickets ($2 off senior tix)  for Monday –Friday entrance at the box office or on  broadwaybox.com, try CONHPE with flyers available at certain hotels or YMCAs at the box office or online at Tickets for $4 off adult tickets, or try CTMHPE with flyers you can pick up for free at tourist kiosks like at the Port Authority bus terminal for 10% off at the box office or on the phone.  Remember, there are online and phone convenience fees of $3.50 so discounts basically only help cover those costs if you go that route.