Goodbye Hall Of Gems

Last week The American Museum of Natural History in NYC closed the doors of the Hall of Gems for several years while they refurbish and redecorate it. We decided we needed to see this magical place one more time. 

One of the greatest things about this space is that it is dark, cramped, and narrow. It always seemed a bizarre choice and something they will change in the new hall. But it was part of what made the experience so otherworldly. 

One of the reasons they are renovating the hall is to accommodate this massive amethyst! 

We were totally happy to get to see all these beauties one more time, to touch meteorites and huge quartz. Before we went, I thought there was no way I would like the new design and would be unhappy. But after our trip, I can't wait to see what the new hall will look like!

Art and Nature at Princeton University for Fourth Anniversary

For our fourth wedding anniversary, we opted to skip a larger trip and stay closer to home. We took several day trips over the course of a long weekend. One stop on our list was Princeton, NJ and specifically the Princeton University Art Museum. 

We arrived in town and meandered around a bit, stopping for lunch and exploring some shops before making our way thru campus to the museum. The Princeton University Museum is free and open to the public. It sits in the heart of the campus. 

This little museum packs a lot of punch!! We were quite surprised at how much was going on with it. There were ancient pieces from all over the world, recent artworks, too, and some modern art. The whole way through the museum we were amazed at what we saw and how much there was.

One of our favorite parts (which I failed to get a photo of) was a small hallway where items from greek, roman, and many other ancient cultures were assembles in packed glass display cases. This was specifically designed so that art students (and others) could come and sketch and study the artifacts. 

After quite a long time exploring the museum we went out in search of a Serra piece we had read was on campus. Before coming to Princeton on this visit we did now know that there were so many large scale modern sculptures on campus. The architecture of the school is nothing to sneeze at, either!

I highly recommend the art museum and walk through the university if you're in the area. 

Two Special Pieces in Princeton

Last month, for our anniversary, we went to explore some art in Princeton, New Jersey. We went to see the Princeton University Art Museum (more on that soon), but we didn't realize that there were so many large scale works of modern art scattered around the campus. 

Quite unexpectedly, we found two special pieces while we were there. The first we spotted as we drove through campus and it really blew our minds! This Ai Weiwei sculpture, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, depicting huge lifelike busts of the Chinese zodiac, has special meaning for us; My husband and I saw this sculpture on our second date! It was in Manhattan then, and we had no clue it would be in our new home state on our 4th anniversary!

The second astonishing piece we saw was by Richard Serra, one of our favorite contemporary artists. The Fox and The Hedgehog consists of three massive curved sheets of steel, which can be walked through as well as around. We particularly love that aspect of some of his work. For some reason, you get a strange sensation to be inside of his sculpture. As if your molecules are drawn to and becoming part of the art, and you are involved more than observing. 

We are very excited to get another opportunity to return to Princeton and see more of there outdoor sculptures. I highly recommend a visit if you ever happen to be in the area. 

Who is your favorite large scale artist?

Two Hours in Atlantic City

A few weeks ago we took some day trips around NJ. We headed down to Atlantic City, but not for gambling as you might suspect. We headed to see some Jersey Shore sights and visit the Atlantic City Aquarium. 

We only spent a few hours in town but we were struck by the shocking contrast of the gaudy, loud, false facades of the casinos and boardwalk, and the serene beaches and skies. The clash of nature and man is very apparent. The divide between opulence and extravagance and utter poverty is everywhere. 

Like much of the once great coastal attractions AC is falling into ruin. With casinos closing, damage from Super Storm Sandy, and depletion of natural resources, the old family friendly beach resort is crumbling. I will definitely be keeping an eye on what happens to Atlantic City in the future. 

Zoo at Home, Zoo Abroad: Atlantic City Aquarium

Last week was our 4th wedding anniversary and we decided to take several day trips around NJ instead of one bigger trip. We are still new to living here and there are so many places to explore. New Jersey has many unique areas and environments for a small state. 

The first day, we opted to wing it, and headed down the coast until we got to Atlantic City. I have been wanting to check out the Atlantic City Aquarium for a few months now. 

Atlantic City is a sprawling peninsula/island in South New Jersey. Obviously known for it's casinos and gambling, it also has lovely wide beaches, protected wetlands, and is a stopping point for tons of shore birds. The aquarium is on the north west point of the land mass. 

This aquarium is pretty small with two floors plus a bonus tiny third floor that is really more of an observation deck. The views are quite spectacular. 

The Atlantic City Aquarium has been open since 1999 and houses many creatures, both local to the area and exotic. An interesting aspect of this aquarium is that there are lots of touch tanks scattered throughout the exhibits. We were able to see rays feeding and rushing around their tank and touch them as they sped by! There were horseshoe crabs and small sharks to touch as well. 

There were quite a few workers there, minding the touch tanks, and available for questions. We talked with one for quite a while about a giant loggerhead sea turtle in one of the larger tanks. We learned that he was rescued and brought to the zoo about 15 years ago. He is blind and had beached himself, a sure sign he was close to death. Now 22 and living comfortably in the AC Aquarium he is hand fed squid and fish jello everyday and can live out his remaining 75 years in peace. 

Outside the aquarium, there was a small village, amphitheater, and shops, which were not open while we were there and must be a Summer attraction. There was also a diving bell which had been an Atlantic City oddity. Visitor could pay to get submerged off one of the boardwalk piers. 

This seems like a perfect place for smaller children and a good stopping point as you make your way thru NJ. There are docks, and other things to do in the immediate area, a seemingly small oasis from the rest of the City. AC is a bizarre mix of opulence and utter despair. Gold gilded casinos line some block while the next block seems completely burnt out or abandoned. Besides the aquarium I would like to visit the Absecon Lighthouse, which had closed by the time we got to it on this trip. While most of AC made me feel uneasy, the Atlantic City Aquarium was a peaceful place. I would definitely recommend this aquarium and will be coming back to visit in other seasons.

The Bernina Sewing Center

In December, we visited The Bernina Sewing Center in Matawan, NJ. This store has all the Berninas and everything Bernina. Seriously, I've never seen so many Berninas. 

Obviously they specialize in Bernina sewing machines. They sell, repair, instruct and advise on the machines. They have sewing classes, lessons for the various machines, and vast knowledge of quilt making, machine embroidery and appliqué and more. They do not have much fabric, it's more of a service shop, but they have every accessory you can think of for the brand. This is a Bernina only retailer. 

Run by a husband and wife team, who recently took over this 20 year plus establishment, this is a fun and friendly quilting environment, especially if you love Bernina. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. 

Bernina Sewing Center
443 Hwy 34
Matawan, NJ 07747
Motto: "Enter as Strangers... Leave as Friends". 

Art and Nature at Grounds For Sculpture

Last month, while my BFF was visiting, we headed over to Grounds For Sculpture on a very cold January day. 

Grounds for Sculpture was founded in 1984 by artist J Steward Johnson. Johnson was a sculptor and painter who had the idea that modern art and sculpture should be widely accessible. His work is mainly life-sized bronze sculptures depicting people in everyday situations or in the style of famous paintings such as Claude Monet's "On Poppied Hill" (above).

Johnson was born in New Jersey and started building GfS there in 1989. It's sprawling grounds are filled with his own work as well as many other modern sculptors. 

Personally, I think Johnson's work is very creepy, but I really enjoyed walking around the grounds and stumbling upon his life-like work. All the sculpture ion the grounds were neat and it was punctuated by being startled by Johnson's weird people made it all the more exciting. Besides the outdoor sculpture, there were several warming stations with fireplaces and circular motifs, restaurants made to look like Parisian cafes, doors that lead no where, etc.. Peacocks roamed the grounds freely. 
We decided that the whole place reminded us of the the island of Myst from the old 90s game.  

There are a few buildings on the grounds, some closed to the public for artists, and others housing indoor work and changing exhibits. 

In the main entrance building, there was a large gallery of Johnson's work. In one room he had assembled many tea trays that he had painted over the years. In another he recreated Van Gogh's bedroom. 

The day we visited was bitter cold, but it was nice to see the works in a freezing and barren landscape. Grounds For Sculpture will be a good place to keep my eye on for changing exhibits and I'm excited to see the grounds in the warmer weather.  

Grounds For Sculpture is known for being pretty close to NYC, and an easy day trip. It was a breeze to get there from Asbury Park. It's very close to Princeton NJ. I think the two combined would make a great day out.

Zoo at Home, Zoo Abroad: Cape May County Zoo

One zoo we enjoy is the Cape May County Zoo. We visited in May of 2015 and had visited about a year earlier. We're eager to visit again, but are waiting for warmer weather.

This is a strange zoo in my opinion. It's weirdly out of time and even a little slipshod looking. The cages are seemly little more than chain-link fences, and the inside enclosures are painted with trippy old murals or so spartan to seem as if they are abandoned. The zoo is nestled in a large wooded park, and the whole thing seems rather... unprofessional in some way. This could all be due to the amazing fact that this zoo is completely free and is run by donation. 

But once you start to look around, you see that the rangers are very caring, and the spaces are big, spacious, and well maintained despite looking outdated.

The Cape May County Zoo has some really incredible animals! Giraffes, buffalo, tiger, cheetahs, zebras are all kept in large outdoor pens, most of which have pedestrian walkways over head and slightly away from the habitats. A safe enough distance, so no one can throw anything at or harm the creatures, but so that one gets a good view of the animals roaming around. 

The Cape May zoo has some focus on local animals and habitats which is pretty neat. The last time we were there they were working on a few new areas, including some new ocelot pens. We're excited to go back to have a look soon. 

Another thing we like about this zoo is that they have a petting zoo! They also have chickens and peacocks who wonder around freely. We really enjoy the interactive nature of this zoo. 

In the end, I really care about this zoo. Having gone there a few times now, any misgivings I had have been alleviated. I also really appreciate that the zoo is free, open to the public, and fun for all ages! I highly recommend checking this one out if in the area. 

Zoo at Home, Zoo Abroad: Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, LA, USA, is located on the harbor front and very close to the French Quarter. Both times I've visited NOLA, I've stayed on Frenchman Street because it's centrally located and easy to walk to many attractions. Both times I visited the Aquarium. (You can read about my last visit here). There's a trolley that goes along the waterfront starting at Frenchman Street and easily drops you off right behind the aquarium. 

This aquarium isn't huge, but it has some really great exhibits. I particularly like the Carribbean tunnel where the tank is on all sides and above of the viewer and the Mississippi River section that has bayou birds, gators, and fishes. 

All the usual creatures are there, including penguins, eels, frogs and otters. There's a imax theater and cafeteria, although I've never visited those. 

My absolute favorite part is a little hard to find as it's not on the main path and one has to walk through the cafeteria to get to it. Parakeet Pointe is a little arboretum and bird cage that extends out of the main building into the open air and over the entrance of the aquarium. It's really fun to be around hundreds of flying, speaking, budgies of all bright colors. On our last trip we even saw a small hawk spying on them from outside the cage. He was trying hard to figure out how to make one of these parakeets, that were outside but still behind bars, his lunch. 

The Audubon Aquarium of Americas also has the hallmark of all good aquariums... Jellies!! 

I highly recommend this aquarium but also suggest you also visit the Audubon Insectarium which is just a few blocks away. If you like bugs, it will blow your mind!
Next time we visit I also hope to visit the Audubon Zoo!

2 Days in New Orleans

Back in September, we headed out to Alabama for my brother-in-law's wedding. We also took a few days to go to New Orleans, LA. 

I'd been to NOLA once before and stayed in the Frenchman Hotel. I enjoyed it so much, we stayed there again. It's centrally located on Frenchman Street and it's got a lot of New Orleans charm (including wonky doors, buggy bathrooms, music in the air, and the sweetest little court yard pool!).  
We mostly walked and took trolleys around the city and visited as many areas as we could in the short time we had. We went to Bourbon Street, of course, walked around the Merigny, the French Quarter, and East Carrolltown (where we had an amazing meal at Ba Chi Canteen). NOLA is a pretty great walking city, as long as you're accustomed to walking. The trolleys are easy to get the hang of. But remember, you buy your ticket on the trolley, there are no outside ticket machines. Being from NYC, this confused us at first. 

We spent a large portion of one day at City Park. The museum was closed that day, but we were able to explore the NOMA Sculpture Garden. More on that in this post.
The Park is a little far out from our hotel for walking, but the bumpy trolley ride is perfect for seeing the city. The locals also take the trolleys so you'll see kids and commuters, as well as tourists. 
The park is vast and we only scratched the surface. But we had a great time following ducks and taking in a bit of Southern nature.

I've never seen such a variety of moss! 

We found a great spot in City Park for a snack. Morning Call had great beignets, a staple of any New Orleans visit.
Of course we also made a few stops at Cafe Du Monde!! Three trips for beignets in two days seem totally normal to me. 
Finding vegetarian options in popular/traditional restaurants was a bit of a challenge at times. But there are so many great food options in NOLA, all sorts of varieties and ethnicities. There's something for everyone, you just need to search it out.   

My first visit to the city was completely magical, and I wondered how this trip would compare. Walking around NOLA was a lot like I remembered. So bright and colorful, quiet and still in the hazy heat, but vibrant and living. I could easily just walk around for hours. 

There seemed to be more people around this time, but that might be time of year. I have to say that I was surprised to see quite a few more people who seemed to be living on the streets, or in need. I think NOLA has a reputation as a hedonistic paradise, full of debauchery, but that the influx of down and out types might be a dark consequence. 

Even we visited a casino, but just for a walk though. We went to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Look for a post all about that soon. 

On our drive from Alabama, we drove over the Lake Pontchartain Causeway. We were excited to see it since it's the longest bridge over water in the world!! Unfortunately it was pitch black. Only one of the reasons we will definitely be going back to visit New Orleans again. 

Not being one for a debaucherous lifestyle, I do absolutely believe one should indulge in life. For me, New Orleans has so much possibility for wonderful indulging, without the need to go totally crazy. Its strangely satisfying to drink on the street, but I rarely do it. I love to eat the town's powdered sugar staple, but find a great healthy option for dinner or lunch. For me, the eerie calmness that prevails in the residential areas is more enticing than the party town atmosphere on Bourbon St. New Orleans holds a mysterious balance for me, and I'm always eager to return. 

Art and Nature at New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden

While we were in New Orleans we went to the New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden.  The museum itself was closed as it was a Monday. But the Garden is open 7 days a week. 

There were quite a few nice pieces, including a Magritte right was we walked in!

The Labors of Alexander

There were several other notable sculptures, as well, all nestled among winding pathways. Water features prominently in the sculpture garden, along with the large Spanish moss covered trees, this makes the garden cool and breezy to walk thru. 

We encountered many lizards darting on the paths but try as we might, we couldn't catch any. 

We also crossed paths with a surprisingly aggressive duck. We had a puzzle of trying to get him to let us get around him as we wound our way through the garden. We soon realized that his aggressive nature was merely a food seeking ploy and we followed him on his begging route until he landed us at a perfect spot for a cool break. 

2 Days in Alabama

Over the weekend, we attended my Brother-in-Law's wedding in Andalusia, Alabama. 

Having never been to Alabama, I wasn't sure what to expect. And honestly, spending only 2 days there did not give me the full picture, I don't think. 

We flew into New Orleans and drove the 4 hours to Andalusia with just enough time to check into the hotel, get dressed and head back out to the wedding. 
We stayed in the Best Western Andalusia where my in-laws also stayed. We chose this hotel bc it was the only one in the area with a pool. Very important, of course!!
The hotel is also very centrally located in the small city. It's in a busy, commercial area, but only minutes from the town center and square. 

The wedding was held at the Sweet Gum Bottom Bed and Breakfast, which was about a 20 minute drive from the hotel. It was a very quaint and lovely spot! In addition to the B&B, it also housed a small, simple chapel, and a small reception hall. One stop shopping for your wedding local in Andalusia. 
The wedding ceremony was lovely and brief with the bridal party wearing white and cream, and the groomsmen in light grey. A dear friend of the couple officiated and the groom's brother and father stood by his side. White flowers and babies breath decorated the hall. 

The reception was held next door and catered with traditional Southern cooking; black eyed peas, bitter greens, and rutabagas (all drowned deliciously in butter and bacon!) as well as fall off the fork, melt in your mouth, stuffed pork chops and beef brisket both with their own gravy. Mashed potatoes, a veggie mix and fresh rolls were used to sop up every bite. There was enough sweet tea to satisfy any trip to the South. 
The wedding cake was simple and super tasty and apparently procured from a cake baker who works out of a gas station. Alabama seems to love combining businesses where ever possible. We passed a shop proclaiming "New Fashions" on one side and "Used Autos" on the other. 

After the reception, the party moved to the couple's home on Gantt Lake, in Gantt, Alabama. Although some partied into the night, we headed home early. 

In the morning, after a quick dip at the hotel pool, we checked out and went to the town square. A tiny old town, Andalusia boasts one of the oldest existing Dairy Queens. The town must once have been a really lovely place to live, the remnants of business, commerce and industry can still be seen. But everything there now is only the leftover hollow shell. Very few small, unique businesses now exist in town centers but chains, discount shops, and big corporations abound by the highways. Alabama was very sad in this respect, depressing. We drove through many such towns, which once must have been thriving communities but we had long since missed them and were left only with their ghosts. Andalusia was at least still trying, painting murals and advertising attractions such as the gas station where Hank Williams got married (falsely married, however). 

After our brief tour, we headed back to the lake. More swimming!

Like most places I have visited in America, I was interested to see how Alabamian's live, and I would love to see more. Driving thru only gave me a small glimpse of what life there must be like. I was very happy to be in a place I've never been (albeit a downtrodden, depressing one), and see things Ive never seen before (an armadillo! Albeit a dead one).

What struck me most about AL, was the changes and diversity in landscape. From the piney stretches, to wide open fields filled with hay rolls or cotton (beautiful!!!), to the cheesy chain lined highways, and near abandoned brick towns, to the shimmering lake and waterways, I was never sure what I was going to see next. And Alabama is full of butterflies!

Bc we now have a brother and sister who live there, hopefully we will be back to do more exploring of life in Alabama. Even though it was a depressed and depressing place, one that time seems to have either forgotten or sped over, Alabama seemed to be brimming with potential. Andalusia seemed to me to be just waiting for the next thing to restart it's dying culture and community.
Potential is always intriguing.

Jersey Collective

This week I'm spending a lot of time on Instagram. 
I've taken over the feed @jerseycollective. This is a very cool project, where each week a different Jersey photographer posts photos to show their New Jersey.  It's been going on for a little over a year and growing momentum. They just had their first gallery show, and the feed is booked far into 2016. 

Being a Brooklynite more than a New Jersey-an, I was really thrilled that I could still participate. There's an interview with me up on the website. 

If you live in NJ, or visit often as I do, you should think about joining up for a week! I have found it's been a great way to reconnect with my Jersey roots and to show people what NJ is really like. And it's only Thursday! I've already booked another week in the Winter of 2016. 

If you start following them now, you can still catch the end of my week, and of course all the amazing photographers going forward (and back)! Follow my instagram for outtakes as well! 

Brooklyn in the Pink

The end of April and beginning of May are often a good time to be in Brooklyn. Everything is blooming and the people are down to just t shirts and jeans after a long Winter. Street fairs and festivals are starting and dogs are happy as can be. Spring may be brief here, but it sure is magical!

Maybe it's just me, but this was a particularly good year for Brooklyn blooms, and it seemed the whole city was in the pink!

As I was getting this post, a favorite blogger of mine was posting something along the same lines. So I'm not the only Brooklynite who noticed!! Check out Reading My Tea Leaves post about the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's cherry blossoms, here!

The pink might be off the trees already, but we went to our first street fair on Sunday and I had my first watermelon of the season. I can't wait for Summer when I eat it every night for dinner! Pink never goes out of style in Brooklyn. 

Zoo at home, zoo abroad: Nashville Zoo

Some people think it's odd, but I'm a huge fan of zoos. Where ever I go, I try to see a zoo, aquarium, nature museum, bug exhibit, farm, petting zoo, etc...  A visit is always in any trip I plan. Or several if there's time. I know many have mixed feelings on seeing animals caged, and I do as well. I try to focus on the conservational and educational aspects of these establishments.  I can't help but be amazed and delighted by seeing strange, interesting, and exotic creatures. 

While we were in Tennessee in December 2013 we went to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. I never posted about it way back then, but I've been thinking about that trip recently and thought it was time to share. 

The Nashville Zoo is vastly different from our little zoo at home in Prospect Park. It sits on a huge piece of land with bamboo paths winding throughout. Most of the exhibits are outdoors. We went in the dead of Winter, so many of the animals were not on view. We even managed to go quite late in the day and miss some of the ones that were out. Even with our poor timing we got to see some great animals.

Tigers!! Wow!

The Nashville Zoo has both a white tiger and an orange one! These were incredible to see, but it was very clear that these great beasts are not supposed to be caged. 

This zoo had so many large and wild cats! Perfect for cat lovers like ourselves! 

Despite the cold, the animals were very active! We got to see many close up, only a few feet away. Like a cougar drinking from the "stream".

This leopard seemed to be observing us as much as we were him. 

As everything we visited in Nashville on that trip, the Zoo was deserted. It was great!! We had the whole place to ourselves. With no one else checking out each habitat, the animals really seemed to take notice of us. But I also suspect they knew it was closing/feeding time. 

These goats were all lined up, waiting to go inside for the night. 

Overall, it was a wonderful trip, and I can't wait to go back in the Spring or Summer!  It will be wonderful to see more animals, even if that means more people, too. 

We try to get to zoos pretty often so I hope to make my animal observations a semi regular post. I could write 10 posts about our local zoo alone! Do you have a favorite zoo or aquarium? Have you been to the Nashville Zoo? Care to comment?

3 Days in Cape May

Last week we headed Down the Shore for 3 days. It wasn't stress free, or entirely restful as vacation days go.  But it was an almost perfect Spring weekend spent in our favorite beach towns.  These pictures capture some of those perfect moments. I thought I would share them.
I hope everyone is having a lovely year, so far!

Sea, Sand, and Snow, for Second Anniversary

For our second wedding anniversary we headed down to one of our favorite beaches. A year earlier, the weather was warm, and mild and we spent our time in Washington DC. This year we ran into quite a bit of snow Down The Shore. 

Flat, calm, ocean before the storm. 

We stopped by Ocean Grove on our way down, partly for business, but mostly to see the beach on a freezing, still, day. We found a bit of glass and jet but had to head on when our toes went numb. 

Sun sets over the boardwalk. 

Sunrise at one of our favorite hotels. 

We woke up the next morning in Cape May to easier temperatures, and set out to the beach again. 

Met a shy friend. 

Deserted places.

Ice capped jetties. 

This tall fellow. 

Cold and colorful. 

Ship wrecks at sunset.

We beach combed, thrift shopped, walked, and ate as many fish sandwiches as we could find.
We are always surprised and amazed at how different the beach can be. Last time we were in Cape May, the beach was rich with finds. This trip, we barely found any treasures. Whether we find things or not, the beach is a rejuvenating place for us, and we rejoiced in relaxation. 

Blue Pig breakfast. 

The next day, after a leisurely breakfast, we headed out into a dreary rainy NJ drive. Soon, the rain turned to snow, and the snow turned to blizzard conditions. Partly to avoid the road, but mostly out of excitement and curiosity we headed back to OG.  

Brave souls. 

No glass here.  

Asbury Park in deep white. 

We didn't find any glass or even very many shells, but the blizzard beach was worth the trip!

Another look at the boardwalk. 

Over all, our 2nd anniversary was relaxing, calm and a little cold, but wonderful. We got to enjoy some of our most favorite pastimes. A happy way to spend a happy date. 

Art and Nature at Storm King, NY

For Memorial Day Sunday, we trekked out to Storm King Arts Center to see some modern sculpture. 

We took some winding backroads and ended up at the overlook on Bear Mountain. 

The weather was pretty perfect, but we were in a lazy mood and only saw a fraction of what is there. We mostly stuck to our favorites. 

Several Serra slabs were imbedded in the hillsides. 

We are always lucky to find our favorite artists. 

The last time I had been to Storm King was when Andy Goldsworthy was just starting his winding stone wall. I was fairly shocked to see it had be completed in 1998. 

Goldswothry's wall starts our straight and conventional, but ends up winding around trees, dipping down into a lake and snaking up and down hillsides. 

Walking barefoot in the sun was an added bonus. But we visited some indoor exhibits, too. The main being a look at Zhang Huan, who has a large outside piece as well. 

Huan creates sculpture using ash from Buddhist temples. But I was more drawn to these jars containing ash and remnants of the incense fires.  Reminds me of our house; full of jars. 

I greatly enjoyed this marble piece that sat on the floor of the gallery, but didn't catch the artist's name:

Cape May Getaway

Cape May is a resort beach town that sits at the southern most tip of New Jersey. It's known for it's brightly colored Victorian houses, dripping with gingerbreading, and classy but casual beach atmosphere.  Like almost all Jersey beach towns, it's a mad house in the summer, attracting tourists from all over, particularly Philadelphia. Despite getting very crowded, it's less of a wild party town than neighboring Wildwood. Cape May has gorgeous beaches, fancy B&Bs, and a more conservative nature.

I grew up visiting Cape May with my mom in the off season, and know it as a quiet, pretty town, with some hidden gems. I recall there being cats everywhere, in every shop and on every stoop. My mom and I often dreamed of writing a children's book staring the feline population. We used to go there quite often, but I haven't been back in more than ten years. So I was pretty delighted when our friends gave my husband and I a gift certificate to one of the most prominent hotels in town. Congress Hall is steeped in history and is quite luxurious by NJ standards (and by our standards, too!). 

Built in 1816, burned in 1878 and rebuilt the same year. 

I had always seen the hotel on previous visits, but never entered and certainly never stayed there. Congress Hall's expansive creamy yellow building with white columns, and tidily manicured grounds are iconic in Cape May.   

The rooms are equally manicured with pastel blue and yellow details, the hotels signature colors. 

The bathroom in our room was almost as big as the living room in our Brooklyn apartment. There is a nice bar, The Brown Room, and a decent restaurant, but sitting on the balcony or taking a long soak in the tub was more our speed this trip. 

I had to sneak in some time for sewing, of course. 

Although we explored the town some, we were more interested in the beach as the weather was practically perfect. We saw dolphins, horseshoe crabs, many birds, and many stones and shells. 

Dead sand shark. 

Beach and sky.

We particularly like the southern most point of town where you can walk a rocky beach, picking up Cape May Diamonds and exploring the lighthouse grounds. 

The lighthouse has a great little nature museum and Purple Martin hotels. 

Light house impression. 

The brief trip yielded many great treasures. Cape May Diamonds, smashed pennies and a fossil are just a few things we took home with us. 

Fern fossil, coral found at Sunset Beach, Cape May Diamonds, pink rocks and sea glass in a jar, and an enamel pig pin from The Blue Pig. 

We did manage a trip to the Cape May County Zoo and the ferry, but were not able to see some of the interesting nearby sights. We can save those for another trip.

There's something about shore towns that speaks to us. Something about the ocean, and the people who have chosen to make their lives near it, that's soothing and inspiring. Shore towns are relaxed, but hard working, calm but diligent, very much like the waves hitting the beach. I will always visit them. 

Art and Nature in Washington DC

During our recent trip to the District of Columbia we made time to see some great art. Nature was a little harder to come by. But our first stop was the National Museum of Natural History which is pretty much a combination of nature and art. 

A statue/idol from Easter Island who greets you as you enter the museum...

But this guy in the lobby is more iconic. 

I hadn't been to the Smithsonian Museums in many many years, and my husband had never been to visit them, so it was a great adventure. He was very keen to see the Hope Diamond, which I had forgotten is blue. I didn't get a good picture, unfortunately, so you will have to visit it for your selves!

We loved visiting the big gems and meteorites! I hope, one day, to own one! Can you imagine owning a piece of outer space?

There was a great live bug exhibit that culminated with a butterfly garden. We skipped the butterflies bc it cost extra and we were short of time. I love a good bug zoo, so we fully explored the other bugs. They were fascinating, interesting, and not a little creepy. We left feeling a bit itchy. 

Gorgeous colors. 

Armor plated. 

We popped into the National Gallery of Art and saw a few favorites. 

I think Seurat and I would've gotten along. He seems to love the Shore. 

This is a detail from The Wind by Felix Vallotton. I had never heard of him before but really enjoyed this painting. It seems like he is someone I will have to research. 

I always love Wyeth's muted tones, bleak but beautiful. 

There's an underground passage way connecting the two wings of the art museum. The highlight of which is an amazing light walkway. I'm not sure who the artist is, but it was clearly a fan favorite judging by all the people snapping pics.

One of the things that I find really thrilling about all these museums is that they are free. The ease  of entering is a shocking contrast to doing just about anything in NYC. Bc one doesn't pay to get in, there is only a small security table, only for checking larger bags, etc... It makes it quick to enter but it also makes it feel so much more accessable. I could certainly picture people popping in on their lunch break, or walk home. And it must be spectacular for people with kids. All of the education, fun and excitement of the museum in an easy and affordable way. I sometimes marvel that families can pay what it takes to go somewhere like the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, where one trip for a family of four might cost upwards of $100. 

One of my IG friends recognized this spot in a photo from all the way in Cleveland, OH. It leaves an impression. 

Something that I was not thrilled with was that a lot of museums, exhibits and exhibitions seemed to be closed, some permanently. Upon entering the Modern wing of the Gallery of Art, we realized that there were only a very few pieces on view and these only in the lobby. All the galleries were closed.  

The few things that were on view were pretty great, though. On display was work by some of our favorites, including Serra (not pictured), Ernst, Calder, and Goldsworthy.   

The largest Calder mobile was sadly tied and not allowed to turn. 

We are fans of Max Ernst's paintings and print work and were happy to discover this sculpture. 

It's pretty rare to find Goldsworthy's work in galleries or museums. I always feel lucky if I stumble onto it. Unfortunately you could get no closer to it than this as the doors out to the patio were locked and the windows to look down on it were very dirty. 

Walking out on the National Mall is very similar to being in a sculpture garden or museum bc of all the monuments and memorials. I covered some of what we saw in a previous post about this trip, so I won't go into it again. But it was also nice to see some "wildlife" on our walk as well. 

One of the things that I really really wanted to do was go to the National Zoo. We ran out of time for it on this trip... So I guess we will have to go back!