Diaphanous and Delicate Jellyfish

Mesmerizing, floating, and incredibly varied jellies swim at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Balancing Beach Art

Last week, I took a mini-vacation to San Francisco then a friend graciously drove me to Monterey for a family wedding. We stayed in Cannery Row for the night, and stumbled across these sculptural balancing rock formations (known as rock cairns) on the beach just in front of our seaside lodging. Are they art? Or are they some form of meditations? The guy who made them was out there day and night hoping to catch some tips from enamored tourists like us.

Summer Weekend in the Chesapeake

Last weekend, I took a break with the family and went on a summer road trip to Virginia. We did some crabbing and fishing on their beautiful, green private inlet. We later enjoyed a big clambake with oysters grown on their property and the crabs we caught along with homegrown tomatoes and corn. This is a summer tradition a city girl could get used to!

Culture-Hunting in Vegas

I recently went to Las Vegas for the first time for a brief escape from reality. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I heard from many sources that it's a crazy, over-the-top sort of place. When I arrived, I saw many countries simultaneously in linear fashion. It wasn't fathomable to see Siam, Egypt, and New York all nestled on the famous Strip practically side by side. And yet, in Vegas, I suppose anything is possible. It's a place for bachelorettes, spring-breakers, gawkers, big-spenders, heavy drinkers, those who are down and out, those who are holding onto big hopes, and those who are holding onto wild dreams as well. Sure. But art and culture? 

Then I remembered there was a fairly large Dale Chihuly piece in the main lobby at one of them. Oh yes, that would be the Bellagio. It was a must-see for any art lover. And it was fantastic! Colored pools of glass swirl above your head like thousands of jellyfish. It was larger than life; practically the size of a 2 lane regulation-size swimming pool. Impressive. 

Later that evening, I enjoyed a glass of wine under the watchful eyes of about fifteen Picassos as I overlooked the choreographed fountain show on the main drag. What a combination. And what a spectacle! I was lured even further into the Wynn art collection by a video ad for a recent acquisition at his other property, the elegantly styled Wynn Hotel. It was a Jeff Koons piece entitled simply, "Tulips". I asked a couple of staff members who were strolling through the endless aisles of slot machines about where this piece was located. They chuckled a little, telling me that those tulips cost millions of dollars, I better go see them and make sure I enjoy them! In New York Magazine, I recently read that this work of art cost $33.7M to be exact. Vegas is a crazy place indeed.

Feeling Beachy - A Singular View With A Spectrum of Color

Road Trip - Larchmont

With temps in the high sixties and access to a car last week, I went for a stroll up the road apiece to broaden my horizons. This post is part "road trip" and part of my "walk around the neighborhood" series. How would you like this view to be within the confines of where you live? The lucky residents of Larchmont get to enjoy the fresh air and fabulous sunsets of Manor Park right in their backyard. The rocky coastline of this little New York village has a walkway with gazebos and benches for gazers to stop and rest. I happen to know the area from the other side- that is, the water side. After learning to sail last summer, our racing team spends a lot of time in these waters. Just a 20 minute ride from City Island, it's a nice place to get a little exercise or sit and read a good book. 

Quilt Patterns - Lancaster

Both simple and complicated styles and all of them gorgeous. During a recent road trip to Lancaster (previous post), I was able to admire the work in hundreds of individual quilts both antique and brand new. I tended to lean towards the older styles and if it weren't for the prices, I would have certainly brought one or two home with me.

Road Trip - Lancaster, PA

Having lived in New York for the last decade or so, one would certainly label me a city girl. I am the first to admit that I love the country life too. When a family member made the decision to look into some property in Lancaster over the course of several weekends, I jumped at the chance to make a road trip or two. Lancaster is pronounced with the heavy accent on the "Lan" followed by "kisster" as it would be in England. Similarly, the symbol for the region (and seen all over) is a red rose opposite the white rose symbol for the York family in the Wars of the Roses commencing in 1455.

The area is also known as "Amish Country" and you can regularly share the road and parking lots with horse buggies (like the one above) and dining rooms and grocery aisles with Amish and Mennonite farmers. It's a fascinating unique cultural mix for this New Yorker who lives admidst a whirl of every other possible language and ethnic heritage that makes the big city what it is.

Lancaster's Central Market

I loved driving through the spectacularly open spaces and seeing the sun set behind the laundry lines and silos. I also loaded up on hard-to-find penny candy treats, locally pickled beans and vegetables, and other bulk supplies at Yoder's grocery store. Lancaster offered me the unique mix of fresh air and shopping while sorting through the thrifty treasures of the area's many "Re-Uzit" shops. The hundreds of quilt designs were my favorite (separate post coming soon). 

I'm already looking forward to more exploration on my next visit!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation (Part 2) - The Shoe House

There was an old lady who lived in a shoe.....not so in Hallam, Pennsylvania. By mid-morning, we left Lancaster, PA and drove west on the Lincoln Highway. We were racing towards Braddock to make daylight, and came across the Haines Shoe House.

It was built in 1948 as a 5-story, larger-than-life advertisement, and was once rented to young newlywed couples.

Shoes, shoes, everywhere!

We went on a tour, and there are hundreds more on the inside too.

We love a good quirky roadside oddity. Here, we stopped for ice cream and a leg stretch as we headed further west. Stay tuned for the next leg of the tour!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation (Part 1) - Fallingwater

My cousin and I like to take unusual road trips. For the last weekend of summer, you won't find us lounging on a beach with an umbrella in our drinks, you'll find us in Pittsburgh. Yes, Pittsburgh. This excursion was prompted by an intriguing news story about the revitalization of an old rundown steel town in the "Rust Belt" called Braddock. While we were checking out Braddock, we worked in some other must-see sights.

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I'm going to start my summer vacation series of posts with the highlight. It was our very last stop before heading back on the road for the long drive back to New York - Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece, Fallingwater, located in the lush woods of rural Pennsylvania.

 

The house is chock full of artwork by Tiffany, Picasso, and Diego Rivera with neutral coloring throughout. I captured the feeling straight from the era of the popular tv show, Mad Men. Using rock from the area, this feat of architectural engineering is truly in harmony with nature. Cantilevered platforms delicately straddle a waterfall, and evokes the feeling of an exquisite treehouse suspended high in the branches.

Every room extends an invitation to occupants to relax and settle in with a good book on the terrace or curled up by the fire. I can just imagine that the fall season would be spectacular here. While exploring this home, I couldn't help but wonder what it would take to move into a place like this.

The punchline: when it was built in the 1930s, the home cost the Kaufmann family approximately $155K. Today, the collection of artwork alone in this one of a kind dwelling is priceless.

Escape from New York - City Island

Ok, we never really left the city. Believe it or not, this is the Bronx. When my mom comes to visit me, we often get together with my cousin and have a "girls' weekend" loaded with many activities. Amazingly, we've almost never repeated any of these activities. A few weeks ago, before the beaches were officially open, we welcomed an early summer with a short jaunt to City Island and Orchard Beach. This area consists of a small peninsula just beyond Co-Op City. The air was surprisingly fresh and cool. It had the brine-y fish scent of the ocean and city smells no longer invaded my nostrils. You feel like you're thousands of miles away, but somehow, you can still see the spires of the city off in the distance.

We drove around for a while taking in the beautiful scenery, the aroma of someone cooking garlic shrimp wafting through the marinas, and dreaming about having our own cottage so close to Manhattan; the best of both worlds. After some ice cream, we then saw the very enjoyable movie of the same name which was filmed around City Island (starring Andy Garcia and Juliana Margulies). I highly recommend it. Having been there earlier in that same day made the movie even more fun to watch.

The film opens with the concept of the "clam digger" vs. the "mussel sucker". Translation: someone who's family has lived in the quaint fishing village for generations vs. someone who is just visiting and decides to settle down here. Despite the pejorative connotations, I can very easily see myself being the latter.

Have an enjoyable Memorial Day, everyone- and an official start to a great summer!