A New York Minute (or, 24 hours in the Big Apple)

Well, I had a lovely weekend in NYC this past weekend! I don't get there as often as I'd like and this weekend I was treated to a spectacular performance of Madama Butterfly at the Met. Let me just say, I was a sobbing mess at the end. I posted about the opera here and I have previously posted about the recent restoration of the spectacular Metropolitan Opera House Swarovski crystal chandeliers here.

The photo up top is the ceiling of the concert hall at the Met. Our seats were near mid-orchestra, so all I had to do was point the camera up and snap away. Actually, they don't allow photos inside (why, I don't know!), so I was doing this surreptitiously before the performance began. The main auditorium consists of a broad parquet with rows of orchestra seats punctuated by two sides and one central aisle and surrounded by five levels of horseshoe-shaped tiers. The walls are covered in West African Kewazinga wood and gold-leaf accentuates a ceiling of curvilinear scalloped panels from which hang 24 starburst-form chandeliers. These were a gift from the Vienna State Opera as repayment for American help in its reconstruction after World War II. The proscenium arch is framed by a textured, gilded plaster surround and topped by an untitled sculpture by Mary Callery selected by Wallace Harrison for the auditorium. Other decorative features include the bright red mohair plush upholstery and light satin swags draped across the balcony fronts.

Here is the facade of the Opera House. You can see on the far left and right the Marc Chagall's that flank the lobby. For some reason, everywhere I travel, there is always construction, scaffolding and barricades. Whether it's Lourdes, Notre Dame in Paris or St. Paul's in London, or it's Lincoln Center and Washington Sq. Park in Manhattan, it seems to be my lot to always run into construction in my travels! Oh well. At least I've gotten to travel! And so, you will note on the right, there is a barricade. Most of Lincoln Center was barricaded, including the fountain.

And, here I am, with my opera hangover, enjoying a lovely brunch with live jazz and flowing mimosa's with my friend Rob at The Garage restaurant in Greenwich Village. Blogging buddy David is the events manager and I heard about it through his blog David Dust - great place David!

Our next stop was the Hell's Kitchen flea market made famous recently by Eddie Ross, whom I've gotten to know through my coverage of Top Design via Blogging Top Design. This is my friend Rob - who I owe a big THANKS for taking me to the opera and for doing all the driving from Massachusetts to NY.

The flea market actually doesn't look like much, but there were a lot of interesting items from jewelry to silver to rugs, not to mention all sorts of more junky stuff.

I picked up a lovely silver teapot for $10 (photos and blog post to come) and another set of items which I can't mention as they are gifts for friends who read this blog!

I didn't buy it, but I loved this folk art rocking horse. It would look so sweet under a Christmas tree filled with wrapped gifts or pointsettia plants.