February 29, 2016

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 4 DAYS 

Once every 4 years...

Well well well peeps HELLO AGAIN and 
Happy Leap Year Day!

What an extra special day - I think we should all celebrate - I mean really, when you think about it this day only comes around every 1,460 days!!!
We should exchange gifts or something ;)

I've always wondered about people born on Leap Year Day - do they celebrate their birthdays on March 1st or February 28th?
Either way it's not really their birthday and I sure hope that they at least have a HUGE celebration when their day comes - like at least 4x as big as any other annual birthday party!!

Well, I'm now back home (at least for a few days).
​
I can't tell you just how much of a whirlwind the past month and a half has been.

I've travelled over 11,000 miles and have been going non-stop - even the few days that I was home between my Quebec trip and Lake Tahoe trip was just crazy busy!

Today is the last day of February, the shortest month of the year, and yet it seemed like one of the longest months I've had in a while! 
​
We literally got back from Colorado on February 1st, only to leave again on February 4th heading to Quebec, then returning late on February 17th, and running around with non-stop events thru February 21st, only to leave town again on February 22nd heading to Lake Tahoe and now return on February 28th (for 4 days). Whew...tired yet??

Yesterday was the last day of our ski trip to Lake Tahoe.

And although we got a slightly later start on the road to Northstar than I had wanted, luckily the slopes weren't very crowded and the lift lines were all short or with no line at all.

​I was a happy camper about that aspect, but boy oh boy what a difference a day makes.
Saturday the snow conditions were absolutely fantastic, and yesterday they were more or less slushy.

We found some steepies that had nice conditions up top, but once you got down towards the lower portion of the slope it got rather mushy. Blech!
​ 
Granted we were at a different resort and in the opposite side of the lake, but I just didn't realize that it would make such a difference. ​

But overall we got in plenty of vertical feet and still had a great day!

Dave decided to wear his Green Jacket this past weekend and managed to get Daily comments about his collection of pins!

After our day on the slopes, we headed in the little town of Truckee, to mail Dave's postcard and to get some hot drinks from Coffeebar. Eventually getting on the road and making the long drive back to Orange County. 

Luckily today won't be nearly as busy, and I'll be doing lots of catching up, and have plenty of travel plans to work on. Stay tuned for updates tomorrow, on Travelin' Tuesday.

Until then have a GREAT LEAP DAY!

Ciao,
-T

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 20 DAYS

Reflections of a Day at The Museum of the City of New York

Hey there! 
A new week today and the start of a new month in one day!!

Can you believe it's almost March already!!  

I have to say, this Winter has been a dreary one.  I'm enjoying the fact that the days are getting longer again and the temps are getting warmer.

​Well, I thoroughly enjoyed my day yesterday at the Museum of the City of New York!!

I couldn't have asked for a better day weather-wise.  It was sunny and mild and just what the doctor ordered for walking around the city.

I actually arrived early, not realizing that the Museum doesn't open daily until 10am, lol.  So I went across the street, peering into Central Park and relaxed on one of the benches along Fifth Avenue until the doors were open.

Upon entering, you could feel the energy and everything was just so bright and clean and welcoming.  The staff was extremely friendly and I had a chance to chat with the museum manager, Christopher, who gladly posed with me for a picture!

Enjoying the sunshine on Fifth Avenue across from The Museum of The City of New York

with Christopher, Manager of the Museum

The interior was lovely and very impressive with its traditional large columns and architectural features, complemented by the eclectic lighting surrounding the grand circular staircase leading from the lobby to the second floor.

I had purchased tickets to include the complementary "early bird" breakfast - a bagel and tea/coffee. The bagels were yummy - from H&H Bagels, and the cafe, located on the second floor, was open and airy, with large windows facing Fifth Avenue.  Very nice atmosphere.

My yummy sesame bagel and peppermint tea

Adjacent to the cafe was a small screening room, showing "Timescapes", a three-screen video presentation, narrated by actor, Stanley Tucci, about the history of New York City, from its first inhabitants, the Native Americans, up to the 21st Century.

The film presentation was wonderfully written and quite captivating, filled with historic facts and emotion. To me, it was one of the best historic overviews of New York City that I have ever seen, and I highly recommend it to native New Yorkers and visitors alike.

We made our way to the third floor to see two exhibits that were on my list - "Gilded" and "Picturing Prestige: New York Portraits."

The stairway was an exhibit in itself - I loved it!  Beautiful marbled steps lined the way from one floor to the next and the walls were meticulously designed with vintage photos of New York City, accented with quotes from famous individuals.  

Staircase with its beautifully displayed vintage photos and quotes from famous individuals

I lingered, taking it all in and snapping away at the bold, geometric, artistically, designed display. Featured in black and white, the stairwell is a work of art in itself.

Gilded New York is the first exhibit in the Museum’s Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery and explores the city’s visual culture at the end of the 19th century.

Filled with bling, it exhibits how the elite class flaunted their money as never before.

19th Century New York was a time when huge fortunes were made and those wealthy individuals relished in flaunting their extravagant fashions, architecture, and interior design.

Beautifully displayed, it's hard to imagine the lavish manner in which these folks lived.

Picturing Prestige: New York Portraits 1700 to 1860, is on display from February 5, 2016 to October 11, 2016. 

The exhibit features portraits of early New Yorkers painted by leading American painters of their day, capturing the aspirations of the rising, upstart merchant city from 1700–1860.

Portraits included a number of our founding fathers, including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.

Celebrating Black History Month, Carl Van Vechten's photographs of The Harlem Renaissance and Beyond exhibit was on display from November 4, 2015 through today, February 29, 2016.  It was wonderful!!!

The Harlem Renaissance is the artistic, literary, and musical movement of the 1920s, when Harlem became the largest Black American community in the United States.

The world's stage of Harlem provided many black artists a place to gather and express themselves.
 
Carl Van Vechten was a novelist, essayist, and photographer and captured such individuals as poet Langston Hughes, writer Countée Cullen, and performers Ella Fitzgerald and Bill Robinson, exhibited beautifully in black and white photos.

The walls were lined with photographer, Carl Van Vechten's work featuring many famous black performers from the Harlem Renaissance and beyond.

The incomparable Ella Fitzgerald

CHRIS “DAZE” ELLIS: THE CITY IS MY MUSE.
This exhibition is on display from November 18 to May 1, 2016 and featured the art of artist Chris "Daze Ellis. 
 
"Daze" began as a graffiti artist, writing and painting on New York City’s streets and subway system in the late 1970s.

In the early ‘80s, Daze turned his attention from the street to the studio, and began creating works on canvas.  His style merges elements of street style with figurative painting.

The City is My Muse presents recent works by this native New Yorker, in which he captures the energy of Times Square, the popular amusements of Coney Island, and the everyday people and places that inspire him.

Chris "Daze" Ellis - bright and vibrant graffiti-style artwork

Of course, no visit would be complete without a visit to the Museum Gift shop!  So many lovely and eclectic items capturing the spirit of New York!

I managed to get a few souvenirs of my visit for Gianna and Kelsey!!

The Museum of the City of New York Gift Shop

Check out this Museum next visit into Manhattan's Upper East Side: www.mcny.org.

See ya back here tomorrow!!

-E
xoxo