I want to wake in a city that... never stops shopping??

Saturday, 10/22/2016, we split up the team.  Kari, Ashley and Katie went one way.  Grace and I went the other.  

Kari, Ashley and Katie went shopping with Rox.  Rox is a young lady who takes women shopping around NYC.  They go look for bargins and go to some behind the scenes location in the garment district and Madison  Avenue.  The girls reported that they had a good time.  Tried on some jewelry, bought some pants, got a bag.  Generally they seemed to have fun, I met Rox at the end and she seems like a cool person to spend the day with in NYC.

Gracie and I caught a cab and head to the Metropolitan  Museum of Modern Art on the upper east side 82nd and 5th approximately.  The first awesome thing that happened was the cabbie didn't start the meter till we were almost to the Met so our cab ride was $10 including the tip.  It was unpleasant in NYC, rainy and about 25 mph winds.  That did not dampen our enthusiasm.

 

Grace on the steps of the Met

 

Selfie time outside the Met.

We found a side enterance and quickly payed.  With our stickers on we headed out around the Met.

 

Grace is unsure about the artistic significance of medieval armor.

I thought it was cool.

The temple of Dendur was transported to the Met from an archeological site in Egypt.  It represents the Roman period and was completed in around 10 B.C.  I was given to the Met in 1967 and housed in its own wing since 1978.  It is from the West Bank of the Nike River near Aswan.  I thought it was very cool and so did Gracie

 

Archway of Dendur in Black and White

 

The columns in B&W

 

Hieroglyphics in B&W.  What do you think they say?

"Walk like an Egyptian", see the Bangles 1985

 

Signature move with the Sphynix.  Now you know what he is pondering?

 

Selfie with the Sphinx

From there we wandered into the great hall.  It was filled with light and amazing sculptures.  The picture does not do it justice.

 The great hall.

From there we headed up to look at some paintings.  We visited the American wing and saw probably the most famous painting of  the Revolutionary War.

 

Washington crossing the Deleware 

 

This painting is massive.  Look how small Grace is!!!! Wait, Gracie is small.

 Portrait of Ben Franklin

 

Grace liked this one better.

My favorite portrait of Ben Franklin is on the $100 bill.  Unfortunately with this crew, I never get to look at one for very long before it is traded for goods and services, usually starting with Starbucks.

 Grace with some crazy art that looks like Hunter Thompson.  The color is off because I couldn't use a flash in the museum.

 

Gracie dabbing with this sculpture by Rodin

The sculpture is actually titled Eve.

Grace was super pumped to see these sculptures as she remembered many from our time at the Rodin Museum in Paris.

Ok. No skipping ahead.  It is quiz time.  I will show the masterworks of several famous painters. You will try to match the painters with the paintings see how you do.  These were the paintings that Grace and I liked best.  Bonus points if you can guess which one Grace likes the most and which one I liked the most. 

Ready. Set.  GO!!!

 #1

 

#2

 

#3

 

#4

 

#5

 

#6

 #7

 

#8

 

#9 

Ok take a minute.  We are looking for artist, if possible the name of the paintings and the Gracie's favorite and Scott's favorite.  NO GOOGLE.  Write down your answers and let us know how you did in the comments.

Side note we need more comments, nobody ever rights any comments in the blog.  We need more comments it adds to the fun!!!!!!!!

ANSWERS:  

 

#1. Roses ----  Vincent Van Gogh

 

#2. The Jetty at Cassis ---- Paul Signac

 

#3. Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. --- Paul Signac

 

#4. Bouquet of Sunflowers. ----  Claude Monet

 

#5.  Wheat field with Cypress---  Vincent Van Gogh

 #6.  Bridge over a Pond of Water Lillies ---Claude Monet ---- Gracie favorite!!!

 

#7.  Northeaster ---  Windslow Homer --- Scott' favorite 

 

#8. Autumn Rhythm #30. ---  Jackson Pollack

 

#9.  Self Portrait. ---  Vincent Van Gogh

Hopefully everyone got a few right.😎😉🤔😀

This was my favorite picture from the day.

 

After that Gracie and I started on a walk.  Kari happened to text me, she and the other 2 were coming up to 83rd street to shop.  Gracie and I ducked into  3 Guys Diner.  We enjoyed shakes, French toast, bacon and chocolate chip pancakes.  It was a great lunch in a classic New York diner.  

After that we met Kari and the girls as they finished shopping they also seemed vary satisfied with their day.

 

The girls with Rox

We all gathered up all our things new and old for a Subway to historic Grand Central Station.  I thought Grand Central Station was amazing.

 

The girls in low light at Grand Central Station.  Who took this terrible picture.

 

This picture is much better, what is up with your tongue 👅 Katie??

 

Finally we got it right.  Yeah me!!!

 

This is Whispering Corner it is just down from the Oyster Bar.  The acoustics are such that if you whisper in one corner a person standing in the opposite corner can hear you.   It was a beautiful spot and the physics of this is amazing.

 

Signature look in the Whispering Corner

 The main hall of Grand Central Station.  Constellations in the ceiling

 

The girls on the steps of the Main Hall.

 

We made the NYC subway work for us.   Thank. You Switzerland 🇨🇭 

We left Grand Central and head back to our hotel.  Along the way, we stopped at the NBA store and Katie set the 4:30 pop-a-shot record.  Not her best but enough to get a win.

 

We cleaned up after a full day and enjoyed a nice Italian dinner.  Grace got hit in the head by a lady with a package.  It actually just grazed her.  Her husband felt bad and bought me a dessert, so that happened.  After that is was back to the hotel to pack for our return home.