New York and Jen's Visit

After ten years, two kids, four moves, two states, and two degrees Nate and I took a little trip by ourselves ...

to New York City. 

The trip was made possible by Nate's sister, Jen, who brought her two oldest and came to stay with Beckett and Felix. She's superwoman and they did lots of fun things (even toured the Capitol!) while we were away.

Nate and I rode the train to New York. A delay on the tracks caused us to rethink our plans, so we went to the Top of the Rock first off. I've never been up the Empire State building, but I loved the views from the Rockfeller Center. That tall building may look like the star of this photo, but I really took it for the Sony (formerly AT&T) Building. It's a famous work of postmodern architecture, and Nate and I walked through it on our way home.

On our first night we went to Lincoln Center to see the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Nate and I went to so many dance concerts in Kansas City (the ballet, Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham Dance Company), and it was so nice to be back in the theater together.

The next day was our museum day. We started out at MoMA. Going to MoMA is like walking through your Modern Art History textbook. We saw lots of old friends.

Lots of Brancusi 

Meret Oppenhiem, Luncheon in Fur

I wish the museum experience at MoMA was as wonderful as the art. The building itself is echoey and loud and it doesn't hold crowds well. 

(P.S. Another trip to MoMA)

Next, we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which just might be my favorite museum ever, even though it's a map museum. (Meaning, you must use your map or else you will get lost or miss something.) The Met is so huge that it can absorb tons of people, so you can always find a quiet spot. 

I was teaching Art History I at the time that we were in New York, and it was fun to see some of the art we had just looked at in class.

Over in the modern section we saw lots of Marsden Hartleys. (Nate's favorite and I think he's pretty amazing too.)

Georgia O'Keeffe's Ranchos Church reminded us of our fabulous trip to New Mexico (posts here).

Over in the American Wing we marveled at how big Emmanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware is.

We would have loved to stay longer at the Met, but it was closing and they were kicking everyone out.

(P.S. Another trip to the Met)

So we walked back through Central Park and the to dinner and a show. We saw If/Then with Idina Menzel, and it was incredible. I loved the story (not surprising as it is a parallel realities story) and the singing. Seeing Idina Menzel in person was a real treat.

The next morning we boarded the train home, and then got to have a few days with Jen, Savannah, and Will. On the first day Nate took Jen and her kids to see the monuments, and I stayed home with the little kids.

 At the Jefferson Memorial

Sitting on George Mason

On Saturday, Jen, the kids, and I did a whirlwind tour. First we went to Mount Vernon.

Savannah and Will prepare for the tour.

In front of Mount Vernon

View of the Potomac from the back porch

In front of the Orangerie

I love Mount Vernon, and it is always fun for me to take visitors there.

Next, we drove into Washington and hit up a couple of museums. We went to the National History Museum and saw the First Lady Dresses and the The Star Spangled Banner. (The National History Museum is another, like the MoMA that has wonderful stuff but is kind of stressful to visit.)

Then after a bit of convincing of the kids (not hard once Will saw the banner for the Hope Diamond) we hopped over to the Natural History Museum. That ended up being a favorite spot for the kids who loved seeing the rocks and minerals, the insects, and the dinosaurs.

Will and Savannah were such eager tourists and it gave me hope for the future.