It's Different in Chicago than in New York

I spent a weekend in Chicago recently. Just from my very limited perspective, Chicago seems like a big city that's trying to "play" being New York. Where as New York feels like a place where people work, play and live. Chicago feels like a place where people just work and play only. It seems like a summer home that is always kept tidy. Here are some pictures of the new Marilyn Monroe in Chicago's downtown.

Be Back Soon.

This Midwesterner is in Cincinnati through October 8. My son is getting married there. I will be posting after that to talk more about living in New York City. Thanks for reading my blog.

 

You can't tell much from this picture, but across from the yellow taxi is a movie scene. See the broken-up concrete and the dusty car? It's all fake. I think there were more people working for the film company to keep people away than there were doing anything else. Do you think all those people waving New Yorkers away from the scene and telling them to hurry along, get out of the way, etc. get credited at the end of the film?

When You See a Celebrity. . .

What is proper behavior when you spot a famous person who, for example, is waiting for a seat at the same restaurant as you? My instinct is to walk up to them, say, "I know you." Of course, then, I would expect him or her to say, "Hey, good to see you, again!"

I saw Sam Waterston (Law and Order) tonight. He was eating at the same restaurant -- walked in right behind us. I looked at him, immediately recognized him, and smiled at him like, "Hey, good to see you again." He glanced at me then stared straight ahead as if he'd never seen me watching him on TV all these years. Go figure.

Can you believe I have seen only two celebrities since moving here, and both of them have been of Law and Order fame? Weird.

Hauty Museum Guards Ruin Visit

 The top photo looks like an abandoned beauty salon, right? But the second picture is the reality, it's a tiny diorama of the scene. Such are the exhibits you'll see at the Museum of Art and Design near Columbus Circle. My advice is to see this exhibit, if you care, on their website.

Here's why: the museum "cops" will ruin your day. Thursday I went by myself and enjoyed the exhibits enough to bring my husband back a couple of days later. That first day, I was careful to ask both men guarding the art if photography was allowed. They said yes but not with flash. (For a summary of the archaic notion that flash lighting will eventually destroy the art world, see Flash Bulbs and Artifact Preservation: Myth Debunked! ). But that was not the issue. I took a lot of pictures that day, as did others around me. I mean the whole point is that these tiny sets were made to be photographed. The only glitch in that first visit was being asked to point out my admission button to prove I had paid to get in. I was wearing it on my purse shoulder strap.

The second visit with my husband along, one of the Men In Black stopped me to point out that this particular artist did not want photos taken at all. 

Now to my thinking, the only reason an artist wouldn't want photos taken of their work is that it's too easily duplicated. The second point I would like to make here is that if photography is allowed in the room except for one piece, then the Guard Dogs should make a point to explain to the patron that there is one artist who is too insecure to have pictures taken of his work.

Moments later, a second Black Dog Guard made a point to peer at us as we were walking around and look for our admission buttons.

I totally felt like the museum guards were there to intimidate and embarrass the patrons. They were just that bored. Stay away from this museum if you want to have a good day in New York.

Is this a dark hallway in a dungy hotel?

No, it's this.

Is this the scene outside a Harlem high rise?

No, its this.

Is this a Jackson Pollock creating a famous painting? No. Jackson Poll0ck is dead..

Columbus Circle

This is what you see when you exit the subway at Columbus Circle. It's truly amazing.

World Trade Center Temporary Museum

It almost sickens me that there is a museum dedicated to a terrorist-sponsored event like the 911 tragedy, but the temporary WTC museum does seem to be making good out of bad with its emphasis on the people who responded and the reconstruction efforts.

Shortly into the subway ride there, I realized the stop I needed was called something other than the WTC, so I asked a person next to me which stop to take. When I got off, another person who had overheard me walked along side me a couple of blocks and pointed which way to go. Then I had to ask one more person to find the museum itself. That last person was selling WTC memorial books, so that cost me $5. He wanted $8.

Other costs besides subway fare: $1 for a scruffy-looking New Orleans-type band of old men playing hillbilly blues at Grand Central, $1 to a man playing his accordion on the subway (his wife held out a hat while also holding her baby), and $2.33 to a young girl with no teeth on the sidewalk begging. Call me Lady Generous.

Scared of New York?

I am having a touch of anxiety about heading out to the city today from my cozy apartment. Yesterday was a bit like that, too. I wonder what that's all about. Maybe I am more aware of the enormity of this place. Everything is farther away than it seems. It takes energy and mental focus to get to a destination you've not been to before. For example, you wouldn't want to catch a taxi headed south if you want to go north. Or you have to remember which train number to switch to and where you got off so you can return to it. And you will constantly be bumping into people on the sidewalk, the subway, the parks, etc.

I apologize to all those reading this entry and experiencing anxiety over more serious problems than mine today. I'm going to get over myself and get out there.