one day, i will master the art of blogging brevity. but until then, i don’t care if i’m 85 and on my goddang death bed sportin’ a colostomy bag. i WILL finish this bloody travelogue. oh yes…i will…(a la wayne).
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wake up later than desired; i bitchily rush christina so we can make it out the door. we’ve got a big day ahead of us!
breakfast. here’s sister looking fierce in cafe sabarsky, a polished viennese cafe that exudes old-world charm (glossy wood paneling, waiters in black vests). it belongs to the neu gallerie (german and austrian art). when we leave there’s a line of folks waiting to get into the klimt exhibition
impeccable apple strudel. tastes authentic, not that i know what an “authentic” apple strudel should be like, but probably akin to this. we also order a bowl of goulash, which isn’t anything like its hungarian counterpart. we savor it until chris realizes that the guys across the way are straight up laughing at us for sloppily slurping from the same bowl like wolves. we remain calm, reminding ourselves that we are the true civilized ones. it takes a lot of self-control to prevent christina from basically bitch slapping the dudes.
after that bitter experience, we walk down museum mile to the guggenheim for the critically acclaimed cai guo-qiang show. making it to this installation was a top priority on this trip
there’s a no-photo policy, but i can’t help myself. you wouldn’t believe how crowded it is. the staggering amount of people may ruin lesser shows, but because this one is so good, the jostling isn’t too terrible
so out of this world
aaaaaand they’re OFF!
but they smash into an invisible barrier that’s symbolic of the berlin wall
all life-sized wolves made out of paper mache, fake fur, and other materials
cai guo-qiang — a contemporary chinese artist who is known for his “explosive” art employing dynamite, fireworks, and gunpowder — really just “blows” my mind. this show is the apotheosis of a successful art exhibition. it’s engaging and dynamic, larger than life; a true spectacle on all accounts. but it’s not just dazzling eye candy: there’s a lot of depth and philosophy at work. it’s an experience that wraps up all your senses into a mindbending blankie. bravo to him, and the guggenheim, for presenting one of the most exciting visual arts experiences i’ve had in a long, long time
this makes me feel like a pedo
no NYC trip is complete w/o an excursion to the union square green market. we breeze on through, perhaps as a result of being spoiled bay area farmers market patrons
after buying some kicks on sale at shoe mania, we stumble upon max brenner, a big ol’ chocolate restaurant. it’s like…if willy wonka made a restaurant in the late 90s. there’s a strange, ambiguous fusion of fantasy gaudy (spray painted butterflies on chocolate pipes that criss cross the ceiling) and worldly style (bowls of different cocoa powder lining a ledge)
gross, but i’d be lying if i said i wasn’t somewhat intrigued and willing
i don’t think so
of course we get something! here’s christina with their fancy version of an oreo shake
liquid milk chocolate. literally, that’s what it tastes and feels like. i still think about this deathly concoction. i’ve yet to find something quite like this in the yay area
oh man, what luck! first we come across max brenner, and now, forbidden planet! a mecca for all nerds. it’s almost like coming come. i’m pretty stoked
this sneaky shot fails in doing the mammoth store any justice
more or less one of the coolest, funniest things ever
18 miles of books. easy to get lost here. the art section alone would require a good two hours. atypical of landmarks, this one actually has smart, stylish souvenirs / branded merch, like cute totes
one cup to rule them all. unfortunately, we are too bloated on thick industrial strength chocolate to try it
we powerwalk through greenwich, catch a glimpse of NYU, make a few stops, then end up in the east village for some vintage shop scouring. everything’s too expensive. i dig this boutique, but the prices remind me that it’s not meant to be. we break for a snack at this quaint little charmer, bruschetteria. not a bad concept. tasty too!
we crash at cynthia’s pad, admire the playboy covers wall that her roommates put up, and collectively nap. then, we head to dinner at the immensely popular lil’ frankies. being amongst the vibrant night lifers on the bustling streets, and seeing every single restaurant in the neighborhood packed, leads me to conclude that there really is a different lifestyle in NYC. people eat out. a lot. and they don’t get started til much later
sure, at this point we’ve eaten enough to energize a third world country, but why stop? stephen recommended chikalicious, a dessert bar, but alas, we are too late. disappointment is quelled with a consolation prize: we can enjoy its smaller, humbler sister, puddin, across the street, for some namesake sweets.
try a little tenderness
on the way back to the metro via st. mark’s place, we discover that this gnarly vintage shop, search & destroy, is still open. yes! i love late-night shopping. it’s run by some handsome japanese punks. i spy some great goods, including a special coat that doesn’t fit my frame. stupid big frame. i try to distract myself from the pain by trying on some awesome (but creepy) full-face beanies (hot and scratchy). there are a bunch of designs, including scuber diver and ninja face ones
