The Met - New York, NY

Van Gogh’s Cypresses are why I’m here yet it’s the least enjoyable part of my day. The crowd is stifling and the view over people’s heads - (some with hats! Because you don’t need need to have manners when you’re traveling) - really cheapens the beauty of these trees. 

But right before that, I saw Cecily Brown. And never have I been so moved. The women set in a skull, the splashes of pink, there is something in her paintings that reached into my soul. A new discovery - I love unexpected delight. 

Overall, the museum is vast. But one wing has terrible displays such as this, of beautiful ancient art, crammed so close together you don’t know where to look. 

The really treat is the quiet display of Ottoman art, with its woven rugs that cover an entire banquet hall 

And gorgeous mosaics such as this. 

The European gallery is my favorite, no surprise,

With the deluge of Degas 

And the varying stages of Monet 

This later painting has a color palette that I never would have thought was his. 

The Wisteria dining room, though, was the ultimate find. 

I might have spend another day to fully appreciate the Met, but I enjoyed just wandering, focusing on some parts and looking at others without really seeing. I do miss this marvelous collection of art, but I could definitely do without the crowds. 

Dinner is far downtown, and it’s a cheap window shopping excursion on a bus that goes straight down Fifth. There are USB phone chargers on the bus, and it makes the hour-long ride feel luxurious.

Washington Square Park - New York, NY

I have an hour to kill, and this bench in Washington Square Park just might be my second favorite part of the day, my favorite being the walk with Jennie. I’m not one for people watching but just sitting still is nice. Lord knows I’ve walked enough. 

And you can’t help but enjoy the Arc de New York.