Hispanic Society of America June 1, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Adriana Varejão, Archer M. Huntington, art, Art exhibit, Audubon Terrace, Duchess of Alba, El Grecoand Joaquin Sorolla, Goya, Hispanic Society of America, Museum of the American Indian, NYC, photography, Velazquez
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We hopped on the #1 train and made our first visit to an extraordinary NYC gem, the Hispanic Society in Upper Manhattan last Saturday. What a find! Founded in 1904 by philanthropist Archer M. Huntington, the institution continues to operate at its original location in a 1908 Beaux Arts building on Audubon Terrace in the Washington Heights. The Hispanic Society complex was designated as a Historic National Landmark in 2012. In 2021, the museum expanded into the former home of the Museum of the American Indian (which is now downtown in the old Customs House), adjacent to the museum’s original building.
Give My Regards to Broadway May 25, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Broadway Museum, Museum of Broadway, NYC, photography, theater
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We visited the Broadway Museum at the end of February and I suggest you pop in for a fun hour or two. We found ourselves singing and laughing thru much of the museum. If you like show tunes – this place is for you. You walk through Broadway’s history, starting in 1732 with the first documented performance in NYC, and go backstage with your favorite Broadway stars to learn how a show is made. As you walk the timeline, you’ll come upon exhibits dedicated to groundbreaking moments in Broadway’s history – those that pushed creative boundaries, challenged social norms, and paved the way for those who would follow. The Museum of Broadway was designed by internationally renowned artists, designers, and theater historians. Break a leg!
It’s Good to be Queen May 18, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Arting, culture, Jewish Museum, Museums, NYC, photography, Queen Esther, Rembrandt
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Today is International Museum Day. I have been ‘arting’ with my friend Donald Murphy at a minimum of once a week for over a year now and it has been a wonderful addition to our lives. We plan and plot our arting days and try to see all of the ‘big’ shows both in museums and galleries. We have also seen wonderful smaller shows and when possible I share it with you on Sundays. New York City is home to over 188 museums and cultural institutions. This includes a wide variety of museums, from art and history to science and culture. A significant portion, about 37%, focus on art. The city’s five boroughs each contribute to this rich cultural landscape. Here is a breakdown by borough: Manhattan: 115 museums Brooklyn: 23 museums Queens: 22 museums The Bronx: 15 museums Staten Island: 12 museums
Mom’s the Word May 11, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, baby animals, Happy Mother's Day, Mom, photography, travel, wildlife, zoo babies, Zoos
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A very Happy Mother’s Day to all to all of the mothers, caregivers, nurturers, pamperers, surrogates and loving coddlers out there. I toast you all!
Look at the Birdie May 4, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Birds, birdwatching, Black and white warbler, National Bird Day, nature, NYC, photography, wildlife
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Today is National Bird Day. Their lovely songs, cooing and chirping can calm the soul. So I wondered why the term ‘for the birds’ is a negative one. The expression means worthless, useless, ridiculous or foolish. I categorically disagree. With over 2,000 species of birds in North America, birdwatchers and nature lovers alike will appreciate the beauty and variety of these winged friends offer. From songbirds to waterfowl and domesticated birds, they come in every color of plumage and wingspan. During the spring, migrating birds move to their summer nesting grounds. It’s an excellent time for those new to birdwatching to learn to identify birds by species. Enthusiasts also know that birds will migrate through backyards and stop for a rest, a bite to eat, and a drink if the right habitat is provided. From my own little perch in the middle of Manhattan I have seen an American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, hummingbirds and of course the ever present NYC pigeon. These passerby’s delight me and my three cats. A bit of trivia – Charles Almanzo Babcock, Oil City, Pennsylvania Superintendent of Schools, established the first Bird Day in 1894. It was also the first holiday in the United States dedicated to the celebration of birds. Babcock founded the day, observed annually on May 4th, to advance bird conservation as a moral value. I photographed the black and white warbler (my title photo above) while at the Central Park Zoo when my expert birder friend Mary I pointed it out to me.
American Sublime April 27, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Amy Sherald, art, Art exhibit, Breonna Taylor, Christine Sum Kim, Michelle Obama, NYC, Whitney Museum
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Our visit to the Whitney’s Amy Sherald’s exhibition was uplifting. Most of us were introduced to her when she was chosen to paint the portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama but there is so much more to discover. “Amy Sherald is a storyteller. She creates precisely crafted narratives of American life, selecting, styling, and photographing her sitters as the foundation for her nuanced paintings. Thus, while Sherald (b. 1973; Columbus, Georgia) bases her works on specific people, they are more than traditional portraits. They center everyday Black Americans, compelling in their individuality and extraordinary in their ordinariness, inviting viewers to step into Sherald’s imagined worlds. In this exhibition, paintings of such ordinary Americans join her iconic portraits of First Lady Michelle Obama and, heartbreakingly, Breonna Taylor, to produce a resonant ode to the multiplicity and complexity of American identity.” There is also a wonderful video which I encourage you to watch about her life and technique. This wonderful exhibit is on thru August 10. While at the Whitney I highly recommend Christine Sum Kim’s ‘All Day All Night’ . She is a deaf artist with a brilliant wit. I found myself laughing out loud at her insightful work.
Hippity Hop April 20, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Audrey and Roberta, Benny the dog, Easter bunny, nature, One-eyed Jack the Dog, photography, Rabbits, wildlife
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The most prominent secular symbol of the Christian holiday, the Easter Bunny, was reportedly introduced to America by German immigrants who brought over their stories of an egg-laying hare. The decoration of eggs is believed to date back to at least the 13th century. In Christianity, rabbits represent rebirth and resurrection, particularly during Easter celebrations. The rabbit’s ability to reproduce quickly also signifies fertility and new life. Rabbits are the ‘go to’ animal during this holiday. See if you can spot some of these breeds in today’s photo montage: Himalayans, Belgian Hares, Flemish Giants, Holland Lops, Giant Chinchillas, Dwarf Hotots, Harelquins, Thriantas. We have never had a bunny at Casa Lobo so the photos above is the closest we could get. 
The Frick Returns April 13, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Breuer, Frick Museum, Gilded Age, Neue, NYC, photography, Rembrandt, Sothebys, Vermeer, Whistler
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After a $220 million dollar renovation I would look good too. The Frick Museum reopens to the public this week after a five year absence. I have kept my membership thru these years as their collection (or some of it) was exhibited at the old Whitney (now called the Breuer and soon to be home of Sothebys – whew! It is hard to keep track). We had the opportunity to visit a week ago for Member’s Preview. Long story short – it was money well spent. After 100 years visitors are allowed to ascend their glorious staircase and see where the Frick family lived and slept. The collection of art is glorious. They have three Vermeer’s, Rembrandt’s, Whistlers, Ingres and so much more. They also have art that I find meh. I have never been a fan of Fragonard (girls on swings) type of art. There are several wonderful articles that appeared this past week from writers more talented than me for you to read. I found the articles about the artisans who worked on the renovation fascinating. My pet peeve has always been when museums do not allow photos. I never understood those silly rules. Flash cameras have gone the way of the steam engine yet those silly rules still exist. The Neue Museum and The Frick are two of the museums in the city who have that rule. However – for the previews, they allowed as much photography as you wanted to shoot. I am not sure if this rule has been lifted or if it was only for the previews. The other rule that I do like is that the Frick still does not admit children under 10. So that means no strollers (and that’s a good thing). Their cafe will be open soon. I encourage you to visit this glorious home and see how they lived in the Gilded Age.
All That Glitters… April 6, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: anniversary, art, Art exhibit, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Museum, lunch, NYC, photography, Solid Gold, Toms
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The Brooklyn Museum’s 200th Anniversary is being celebrated with a dazzling, glitzy, all encompassing exhibit entitled Solid Gold. With over 500 works, taking up almost the entire fifth floor, we spent two hours enjoying this wonderful exhibition. The majesty of gold in a shimmering exhibition dedicated to the element that has inspired countless works of art, fashion, film, music, and design. As a material and a color, gold has symbolized beauty, honor, joy, ritual, spirituality, success, and wealth throughout history. It has also taken on myriad forms: from millennia-old depictions of an idealized world to opulent 13th- and 14th-century Italian altarpieces and intricate Japanese screens, to contemporary artwork and haute couture marvels. With a sweeping range of objects and a global perspective, this exhibition traces the many odysseys of the metal that has influenced cultures and legacies worldwide to this day. This exhibit is on through July 6th, 2025. An important part of our ‘arting’ days is lunch. The Brooklyn Museum recently closed their delicious dining experience on the first floor. Instead they have a cafeteria style unappetizing section near the front door. Since art makes us hungry we ventured out to Washington Place and found Tom’s Restaurant, established in 1936. I would imagine that not much has changed since 1936 (even the prices). Long story short…it is now our ‘go to’ lunch experience when at the Brooklyn Museum.
Orchids: A Dance of Color March 30, 2025
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, flowers, Mexico, nature, NYBG, NYC, Orchids, photography
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New York Botanical Garden presents its 22nd annual Orchid Show. Their yearly celebration of all things orchid spotlights the vibrant setting of Mexico for The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism. The show this year was conceived as a tribute to the great midcentury Mexican architect Luis Barragán (1902-88). If you enjoy color (and I do) this show will delight your eyes. NYBG’s orchid show is always a welcome diversion from the grays of winter. It is on thru April 27th. Visit and feast your eyes.
While at the Zoo 