Movin’ On Up.
04/06/2012 § 10 Comments
I don’t frequently talk about my day job, I realize (I work for a political risk consulting firm), but today is a very special day because we open our doors in a new location. As I packed up in preparation for the move, I came to realize that in the five years I have been in New York, I have only worked in one very small slice of Manhattan. Namely, the patch of midtown between 40th and 45th Streets and 7th and Madison Avenues. Every morning I said hello to Grand Central, Bryant Park, Times Square, and the New York Public Library. The not so distant pinnacles of the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center, grandly scraping the sky as I skipped off to grab coffee. And while I am excited to settle in to a new area — our shiny new office will be in the Flatiron District now — I couldn’t help but already be a bit nostalgic for my former digs. And so, in honor of the move, I wanted to share a few of the many pictures I’ve taken over the years.
Onward, upward (and 20 blocks downtown) I go!
(clockwise, from top left) The Morgan Library,
Bryant Park in spring, Lord and Taylor, our former office’s front entrance.
The New York Public Library, in fog, spring, and snow,
and the grand reading room with its paneled ceiling.
The Bank of America tower, northbound on Madison Avenue,
the constellations inside Grand Central Terminal,
the bar at the Campbell Apartment.
Bryant Park: the carousel, the Bryant Park Hotel,
summer movies on the lawn, ice skating in winter.
The Library Walk tiles, the steps to the library at night,
the counter at the Grand Central Oyster Bar,
and a very curious lion (?) I passed every day on E. 41st.
The Knox Hat Building, Times Square at night,
Grand Central in the morning, Fifth Avenue parades.
My morning coffee pit stop, the amazing fashion newsstand Around the World,
and two views from our office terrace.
One thing I will definitely miss: our amazing terrace overlooking Fifth Ave.
A few pictures from the last hurrah.
Field Notes || Brimfield Antique Show
13/05/2012 § 1 Comment
Had a lovely time visiting the Brimfield Antique Show on Friday with Lani! Luckily, we had lovely weather to match. Unluckily, the week’s rain had kept away a lot of the other antique hunters for the better part of the week, resulting in a very crowded and lengthy drive in, but we didn’t let that get us down!
As to be expected of the Northeast’s (and perhaps the country’s?) largest antique show, Brimfield doesn’t really offer many deals. The Brimfield dealer is savvy, picky even. They know that somewhere, someone is wandering around in the fields that would be willing to pay their inflated prices, either because they don’t know any better or because they just don’t care about the cost. And for good reason, as the creative services and design teams of some of the biggest mainstream Americana brands (Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Fitch) regularly sweep through Brimfield looking for inspiration (and pay top dollar for it).
That said, going to Brimfield is still a lot of fun — there’s great food and even better people watching. There’s also some truly weird stuff out there. It’s definitely my favorite Brimfield pastime to play “Didn’t you tell me you needed _______?” In which the blank is filled in with the weirdest thing within sight, e.g, a Liberace pillow, a 5 foot-tall tea kettle, and the like.
Canadian yacht club plaques from the 1930s.
My Brimfield kit included:
wellies, a waxed cotton parka, and a Boat and Tote bag
The fonts! So good!
Butter dishes and Somersize. Best product placement ever.
Lani is excited for…
…some amazing lobster rolls.
Love my new leopard and zebra!
They join a thrifted elephant in my burgeoning apartment menagerie.
Field Notes || Herb Ritts: L.A. Style at the Getty Center
30/04/2012 § 1 Comment
New York is a vertical city, and its skyscrapers are climbing ever higher (case in point, just today my next-door neighbor One World Trade claimed the title of tallest building in New York). All that height, especially in the canyons of the Financial District or parts of Midtown, can feel a bit oppressive at times to someone like me, who grew up in one of the most horizontal cities in the world. For comparison’s sake I could give you some facts and figures about square mileage and population — essentially: LA is larger, while NYC is more populous — but nowhere is this “horizontal-ness” illustrated better than from the observation pavilions of the Getty Center.
Known for its impressive views from the Pacific to Downtown, the Getty Center is one of the best places to take in the urban sprawl that is Los Angeles (if it happens to be a clear day). Designed by Richard Meier, the Center also houses a large portion of the Getty art collection and has been the setting for a marriage proposal or two…thousand.
Familiar vistas aside, I also made the trip to the Center to catch the Herb Ritts retrospective, L.A. Style. Best known for his black and white portraits of celebrities and fashion editorials, equally impressive are Ritts’ nudes and his exploration of the concept of gender. A compact exhibition, complete with large-scale prints, vintage magazines and a screening of his music videos (e.g., Janet Jackson’s Love Will Never Do (Without You), Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game), L.A. Style is an excellent collection of some Ritts’ most iconic images, taken in the 1980s and 90s.
Herb Ritts: L.A. Style at the Getty Center
April 3 – August 26, 2012
The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Open Tuesday – Sunday
Field Notes || A Long Los Angeles Weekend
29/04/2012 § 3 Comments
As I mentioned last week, I scooted off to Los Angeles to surprise my family and enjoy a long weekend in my hometown. Armed with an exceptionally affordable rental car that I had to fill with exceptionally expensive gas, I bopped around from Manhattan Beach to Porter Ranch, and from Santa Monica to Downtown. And while I will admit that while I am on the East Coast I frequently have moments when I miss driving, a few minutes of sitting on the 405 definitely cured me of that for awhile…but it didn’t keep me from visiting some great places.
Breakfast at the counter at John O’Groats, a westside institution.
Don’t miss their biscuits.
Drinks at the Beverly Wilshire.
Manhattan Beach.
Where the car is king, you can’t help having so many good sightings…
A very foggy Sepulveda Pass.
An evening in Beachwood Canyon with Lizzie: dinner at Franklin & Company,
browsing at Counterpoint Records, peeking in the doors of the Villa Carlotta.
Cole’s, originators of the French Dip sandwich.
Bourbon drinks at Cole’s with Nick.
Breakfast at the Fountain Coffee Room at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
A very stylish makeover, courtesy of my nieces.
An excellent travel companion: Bag by The San Fernando Mercantile Company
Field Notes || Argentine Polo Open
27/03/2012 § 3 Comments
Taken at the 2011 Argentine Open Polo Tournament on my trip to Buenos Aires. The fifth-oldest polo competition in the world, the tournament was first played in 1893. For more information, visit Asociación Argentina de Polo.
Ghosts of Train Stations Past: New York Pennsylvania Station
07/02/2012 § 5 Comments
I promise a train and train station moratorium after this post.
Maaaaaaaaaybe.
Images of the old New York Penn Station (1910 – 1963), designed by the architectural powerhouse McKim, Mead & White. Every time I have to pass through the wretch that is the new Penn Station — dark, subterranean and horribly bland — I catch myself wishing earnestly that it had survived the 1960s. Wishing that what is now the busiest train station in North America was something beautiful to look at. Wishing that it rivaled the glory that is my beloved Grand Central. But alas, it is not…
Henry Crane had the right idea.
(Sidenote: Mad Men! March 24! Finally!)
For more pictures of Penn, be sure to check out my earlier post Farewell at Penn Station, poignant moments captured by LIFE photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt of WWII soldiers shipping out.
Images via the Library of Congress and the NYPL
Rabbit Hole: Vintage Travel Posters
28/01/2012 § 1 Comment
In love!
A beautiful collection of vintage travel posters is currently available at Vintage Seekers. To view and purchase these and more, head here.
Desired Destination: Siena
24/01/2012 § 3 Comments
Church of San Domenico, Siena.
With all the dispatches a few weeks back from Florence for Pitti Immagine Uomo, my thoughts couldn’t help but turn to the time I spent studying abroad in the same city. I loved living in Firenze, just off of Piazza Savonarola, in a tiny and charming apartment that originally served as servant’s quarters for a massive home owned by an old and aristocratic family. As I looked at the countless photographs of the peacocking at the trade shows, I couldn’t help but look past the — well-dressed, of course — men, to the city that was peeking around the edges, and remember what living in Tuscany felt like.
My latest Desired Destination is one of my favorite places in Tuscany: the tiny, medieval town of Siena. Approximately one hour south of Florence by car, Siena is noted for its sport, its fierce neighborhood loyalties, and its ancient history. The town is divided into seventeen contrade, or wards, each with distinct boundaries and identifiable symbols and animal mascots. While originally instated to provide military support and initially organized by trade, the contrade have evolved into extremely patriotic neighborhood associations: a resident of Siena will be baptized, married and eulogized, all within his or her contrade, and as you walk through the town, you’ll find the symbols prominently featured everywhere — as almost all contrade have declared rivals and allies, boundaries are very important. These rivalries reach a fever pitch during the Palio, a biannual horse race that has been run in Siena since the 14th century.
The symbol of Siena: Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf
Actually, this is Senius and Aschius, sons of Remus. (Thanks to Simon for the correction!)
“Legend has it that the city was founded by Remus’ sons Senius and Aschius who stole the statue of the she-wolf from Apollo’s temple. Senius rode a black horse, Aschius a white steed. Those colours form the city’s heraldic colour scheme black and white while the city emblem is the same as Rome – the she-wolf and breast-feeding twins.” Via.
Palazzo Salimbeni, piazza Salimbeni.
Headquarters of the oldest bank in the world, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena,
which has been in operation since 1472.
Piazza del Campo.
The Palio is run in Siena’s historic center, the Piazza del Campo. Spectators fill the Piazza to the brim, with wealthier spectators enjoying the view from balconies above. With layers of dirt packed over the stone, the horses and riders must complete three loops around the Piazza as fast as possible. Complicating matters are the Piazza’s sharp turns and the fact that the jockeys must ride bareback — injuries are frequent and it is not uncommon for horses to compete and win the race after discarding their graceless riders. At each race, ten contrade are represented, alliances are tested and rampant bribery is rumored, in this ultimate competition for bragging rights and glory that is much unchanged since it was first run in the 14th century.
Spectators in the Piazza del Campo, 1947. Photos by Walter Sanders for LIFE.
Each contrade brings their horse into their church for a pre-race blessing.
Horse racing not your thing? Fear not. Siena’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site assures that there is something for almost everyone, especially if you like art and churches. There are the beautiful secular frescoes in the Palazzo Pubblico and the amazingly elaborate Duomo di Siena to see. However, if you prefer to simply wander about the old winding streets, I wouldn’t argue. And definitely bring home some of the beautiful and brightly painted ceramics Siena is known for — contrade specific, of course.
For accommodations, turn to Hotel Certosa di Maggiano. Originally a Carthusian monastery built in 1394, the property changed hands and fell into disrepair until it was purchased in 1969 and eventually converted by Anna Grossi Recordati into the luxury hotel it is today. Surrounded by six acres of countryside and boasting one of the best restaurants in the world, chef Paolo Lopriore’s Il Canto, the Hotel Certosa di Maggiano is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Siena, conveniently located only one kilometer from the town.
Images via Hotel Certosa di Maggiano.
Currently closed for the winter, this darling hotel is set to reopen on March 16.
Perhaps I should book a room for when Pitti rolls around again in June…
Strada di Certosa, 82
0577 288 180
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
04/01/2012 § 2 Comments
The University of Coimbra General Library
Coimbra, Portugal
The Trinity College Library
Dublin, Ireland
Duke Humfrey’s Library, Bodleian Library, Oxford University
Oxford, UK
George Peabody Library, Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Queen’s College Library, Oxford University
Oxford, UK
University of Salamanca Library
Salamanca, Spain
University of Salamanca Library
Salamanca, Spain
For more beautiful college libraries from around the world, head here.
Quote by Jorge Luis Borges.
Resolved: 2012
02/01/2012 § 10 Comments
Photo via George Eastman House
“Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account”
Oscar Wilde
In referring to my often-neglected journal to find my resolutions for 2011 and 2010, I saw a few repeats, a few things I achieved, a few things I failed miserably at, and a few things I completely forgot that I had resolved to do. With this in mind — along with Oscar’s words above — I’ve decided to pare down my list for this year, from its usual ten or eleven item list to six. Thus, here are the six things I can achieve, and will achieve, this year:
- Travel to at least one new country. I’ve managed to keep my streak alive for the last three years, and I’m definitely committed to continuing this year. Currently thinking my new country for 2012 will be somewhere in North Africa, Southeast Asia or Eastern Europe, but this is definitely not nailed down yet. Have any suggestions for me?
- Run two half marathons. I ran the New York Marathon in 2010, and have run plenty of road races of shorter lengths over the past 4 years (view my running posts here). Admittedly, after the marathon, I suffered from a bit of burnout and my training has been uneven ever since. This year I resolve to run two half marathons. I will give myself extra points for sub-2 hour finishes, but I will be more than happy with two uninjured, smiling finishes. I’ve got a former international competitor as a training partner (eesh!), but she assures me she needs just as much training as I do. We’ll see about that. Have any races you’d suggest I look into? Even better, would you like to run with me?
- Cook some things. My friends frequently point out that I blog about plenty of interesting things, cocktails and whatnot, but I almost never mention food. Were you to look into my refrigerator, you might understand why. It currently holds water, condiments, booze and two oranges. And the oranges are for making Old Fashioneds. I also cannot honestly remember the last time I used my oven or stove. So in 2012, I’m resolving to actually buy myself groceries and cook at least once a week. (Sidenote: Please do understand that “cooking” shall be construed quite liberally.) Have any ridiculously easy, yet nutritious and delicious recipes for me?
- I’m on a horse. This was actually a 2011 resolution that I did not achieve, and so it’s getting carried over. For as horse crazy as I am, I really have no excuse for not riding anymore. I grew up taking all different kinds of lessons — even mounted drill team…yes, I am that awesome — and I still feel the need to get on a horse almost daily. Admittedly, it can be a bit difficult doing so, living in New York City, but this just can’t keep being the reason I don’t ride. This year, be it lessons, a trail ride, or perhaps even a dude ranch, I will get myself on a horse. How do you make time for your interests? Do you ride?
- To read twelve books. I’ve always been a rather voracious consumer of all sorts of information, but I have found that in the last year my reading of books has been a record low. Not acceptable. To that end, I resolve to read twelve books — hopefully, one a month — in 2012. Read any great books lately? How is this best accomplished? Do you think I need an e-reader?
- To live with purpose. Rather abstract, I admit, but 2012 will definitely be my year of living with purpose. Making decisions, choosing actions to make sure I achieve my goals, focusing on the immediate as a way to get to the eventual. My life is best lived when I grab it by the horns, summon up the courage and blaze my own trail. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have ever lived in Italy by myself, travelled alone in Europe, moved to New York, or gone to law school — and who knows what else. No sitting on the sidelines this year. No letting life meander on without making affirmative decisions of my own. Live like that, and life will pass you by. How do you put your words into action? How do you live with purpose?
Lastly, I’m excited to see what 2012 will bring for ye olde blog. A big thank you to everyone who takes the time to read, email me, comment, Tumbl, Tweet, Pin and otherwise share the rather random stuff I post about. I’m deeply grateful for your indulgence and I look forward to learning more from you in 2012.
Here’s to having our best year ever. Cheers!
Quite Continental 