Flowers Make Us Happy October 6, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Artiste, Fleurs de Villes, flowers, Hudson Yards, nature, photography
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Flowers make us happy. We expect to see flowers in the spring but there is a special joy in seeing them pop up in fall. Hudson Yards once again presents the flower show Fleurs de Villes. This year the theme is ARTISTE – a floral series paying homage to remarkable artists spanning various disciplines. Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE features 15 fresh floral mannequins, each created by a different florist and inspired by accomplished artists from disciplines such as ballet, impressionist painting, literature, culinary arts, opera and more. From contemporary visionaries and trailblazers, to Masters throughout history, Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE celebrates art in all its forms. This beautiful display is on through October 13th on the first level at Hudson Yards. Go and smell the roses! 
Day Trip and Fall September 15, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Four Freedoms Park, Nellie Bly, NYC, photography, Roosevelt Island, Tram, travel, Views
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It was Friday the 13th and my pal Robyn and I were off on another NYC adventure (what could go wrong)? We took the Roosevelt Island Tram and headed to what was supposed to be some type of pop-up flower/exhibit/sale event. I realized I hadn’t been to Roosevelt Island in over 20 years where my NYC Marathon buddies and I would train with its magnificent views. A lot has change in 20 years but the old smallpox hospital was still standing. Lots of new housing and the exceptional Four Freedoms Park dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt had been built. We took our time absorbing the stellar views of Manhattan heading towards the original flower goal. As we got closer to the flower part we realized the line was way too long. Neither Robyn nor I are good at lines so we decided to just circle the island. It was hot, but we persevered. Walking to the northern most part of the island we saw the wonderful Nellie Bly Park, public art and the old lighthouse. Heading back to the tram I somehow got tangled up in a wayward dog’s leash and down I went (just like Frazier)! Collective screams and curses could be heard. After assessing if anything was broken we got me situated and headed back to the safety of Manhattan. It was not exactly the day we had planned but adventures can be surprising in many ways. And really, what was I expecting on Friday the 13th? Enjoy the views.
The Great Elephant Migration September 8, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Art exhibit, Meatpacking district, NYC, photography, The Great Elephant Migraton, wildlife
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If you watch the CBS Sunday Morning show you probably saw last week’s story about this exhibition and these wonderful animals. Well, they are now here in NYC (in the Meat Packing District) and they are a marvel. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you wander through this life size herd. You get close to — and even touch — 100 life-size sculptures of Indian elephants which are beginning a cross-country journey. The Great Elephant Migration traveling art exhibition aims to spread awareness about conservation efforts. The herd consists of replicas of real-life elephants personally known to The Coexistence Collective — the community of around 200 artisans in southern India who made them. Conceived a decade ago by The Coexistence Collective, a nonprofit that helps protect Indian wildlife, the sculptures were first shown in London and India before coming to the U.S. They were in Newport, R.I., before arriving in Manhattan last week. From here they will head to Miami, the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and finally Los Angeles.The organization is planning to sell the elephants off to raise funds for 22 conservation organizations around the country as the tour progresses. Organizers said 30 sculptures had already been sold off, with prices ranging from $8,000 for a baby elephant to $22,000 for the largest tusked specimen. Sales at each site also help support a local nonprofit organization; in New York, it is the Wild Bird Fund. The enormous, life-like sculptures are made out of lantana camara — a tough, invasive weed that’s been encroaching heavily upon the elephants’ natural forest habitat, pushing the animals onto tea and coffee plantations where they live in much closer proximity to humans. Ruth Ganesh, a trustee of Elephant Family USA hopes visitors will learn more about how important it is for animals and humans to negotiate shared space, as more places become uninhabitable for both owing to direct human destruction and the impacts of human-caused climate change. I am sure I will revisit exhibition many times before they move on October 20, 2024 to their next destination. I included a map to help you negotiate. While in that neighborhood you can easily check out the always terrific Whitney Museum and my favorite walk, the High Line. 
Sleeping Beauties August 11, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Art exhibit, Costume Institute, Fashion, Fashion as art, Metropolitan Museum, nature, NYC, photography, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
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If you have been to the Metropolitan Museum in the past few months you have seen the insane long lines to get into the Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. When I have visited the Met these past few months I refused to stand in those lines. However, when I visited a few weeks ago, I was one of the first people into the museum when it opened. I got their QR code for admittance to this exhibit and scrambled upstairs quickly. Luckily I was the fifth person in line and now I understand why these lines were so very long. They only allow a few people to enter at a time. This goofy protocol does, however, give the visitor a great experience. I was basically alone with one other man my whole visit. Continuous curved white walls give the show the feel of a lab, or a maze. The exhibition features 220 garments and accessories spanning four centuries, all connected through themes of nature, which also serves as a metaphor for the transience of fashion. Visitors are invited to smell the aromatic histories of hats bearing floral motifs; to touch the walls of galleries that will be embossed with the embroidery of select garments. The show is built on a base of 15 pieces from the institute’s collection that have become so fragile over time they can no longer be displayed on mannequins (the “sleeping beauties”), along with more than 200 hardier gowns and accessories reflecting organic themes such as roses, butterflies and beetles (nature also being fragile). Its curators seek to “reawaken” these items with a dash of technology and sensory overload: touch, smell and sound. The exhibition is on through September 2nd. Plan your visit accordingly and you will enjoy the creativity and quality of the curators. Factoid: The fashion industry funds the work of The Costume Institute, including its exhibitions, acquisitions, and capital improvements. Each May, the annual Gala Benefit, its primary fund-raising event, celebrates the opening of the spring exhibition. 
Balloon Story August 4, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Art exhibit, Balloon Story, NYC, Park Avneue Armory, photography
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My pal Robyn convinced me to accompany her to this exhibit at the Park Avenue Armory. Truth be told, I thought it would be a 15 minute hokey experience but boy, was I ever wrong. We were both wide-eyed and amazed by the color, creativity and fun around every corner. We ended up spending about 90 minutes in this wonderful world of balloon fun. There are 600,000-plus balloons that have been shaped and squeezed into sculpture. The installation is called “Balloon Story.” Erica Domesek, its creative producer, said the idea was to “balloonify” the armory. ’ She said ‘the concept was to take something everybody knows, a balloon. It puts a smile on people’s faces. One balloon can do that, but imagine if you took 600,000 or 700,000 balloons.”All of the balloons in “Balloon Story” were made of latex and were tied by hand. The balloons are filled with air, not helium. They are staying in shape for the eight-week run of “Balloon Story” with help from a biodegradable liquid that was sprayed in before they were inflated. The liquid forms a coating inside the balloon that holds the shape. On the last day — Saturday, Aug. 24 — attendees can pop as many as they want. Domesek said they will be given protective eyewear and “an item that’s safe but will pop balloons.” And the pieces? “They’ll get a second life,” Domesek said. “They will get recycled and made into dog toys.” What fun we had.
Dogs as Muses July 28, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Art exhibit, Benny the dog, Jack the dog, Mr. Pepe, Muse, NYC, photography, Timothy Taylor Gallery
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All I can say about this wonderful exhibit ‘Dog Days of Summer‘ at the Timothy Taylor Gallery is it was a-DOG-able! Artists usually create alone and often use a Muse for artistic inspiration. One’s dog (or cat, bird, etc) can easily fill that need. Here is an article that features some of the greats with their companion Muses. This exhibit features 60 artists’ dogs. I have taken the liberty of adding four of my own works that have been inspired by my dogs. The very top picture is of Jack (before he became One-eyed Jack) and the bottom three pieces are of Mr. Pepe (my present Muse), sweet Benny and Donald (my very first dog). This exhibit is on through August 24th but the gallery has some weird hours in August so please check with them if you want to go. Woof!
Indigenous Art July 7, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Art exhibit, Cass Gilbert, Indigenous people, Musuem of the American Indian, Native American, NYC, photography, Smithsonian
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I took a three mile walk south via Broadway to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. I haven’t been to that beautiful building (formerly the Custom House designed by Cass Gilbert in 1907) in a very long time. A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian. The Museum cares for one of the world’s most expansive collection of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs and archives covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. The bottom four photos are contemporary pieces seen in a wonderful display on the ground floor. I highly recommend a visit. It is free and open daily from 10 to 5.
Red, White and Zoo – 2024 July 4, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, cranes, Giant Panda, Gus the polar bear, Macaws, nature, NYC, photography, poison dart frog, red eyed tree frog, Red Panda, Sea Ducks, white headed duck, wildlife, Zoos
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Summer is a time for reruns. Accordingly I share last year’s July 4th post. This was a fun montage to create. I didn’t realize how many animals could be included in this red, white and blue themed photo montage. Wishing you a safe, happy holiday and keep those pets inside as most are afraid of the noisy fireworks.
Doggie Couture June 23, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Art exhibit, Benny the dog, Doggie Couture, Fashionable Dogs, Mr. Pepe, Museum of the Dog, NYC, photography
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Truth be told, the title photo is not of one of the designer doggies in the current exhibit at the Museum of the Dog. It is my handsome little guy, Mr. Pepe. I thought he was classy enough to be in this fun exhibit – so I added him to today’s photo montage.The pop-up display, Canine Couture: An Exhibition of Anthony Rubio Designs, showcases the dog fashion that debuted at this year’s Pet Gala on May 20, 2024. Inspired by the hottest designs at fashion’s biggest events, Rubio recreates the looks taking them from outfits for humans to fashions for our four-legged friends. This exhibit is only thru July 7, 2024. Woof!
Curiouser and Curiouser June 9, 2024
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Alice in Wonderland, animals, art, Art exhibit, flowers, horticulture, nature, NYBG, NYC, photography
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`Curiouser and curiouser!’ cried Alice as she entered the magical world in that rich story so long ago. The New York Botanical Garden creates a fun, beautiful and whimsical trip down Alice’s rabbit hole throughout the garden, Mertz Library and the Haupt Conservatory. Inside the Haupt Conservatory, discover thousands of vibrant flowers in imaginative horticultural displays that highlight the lush, blooming gardens of the Victorian era. Then dive deeper into Alice’s world in the Library—you’ll learn about the novel’s historical context and modern interpretations, including the stories of mind-altering plants, which were much-studied during the Victorian era and continue to be the subjects of cutting-edge scientific research today. The Victorian period in which Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) was first published was a time of exploration and wonder that some might call mad. Age of Wonder shows you the era’s impact on this timeless story, with original manuscripts, illustrations, and rare first-edition printings of Alice. This exhibition is on through the end of October.
While at the Zoo 