Suspended forest

When I read about the Suspended Forest by artist Michael Neff, I was extremely intrigued. 

Open to the public only on Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6pm, for the month of January, in a venue almost an hour from my home, made it really difficult to get to but I couldn't miss it so I packed up my crew and trekked into Queens. 

 

Unfamiliar with The Knockdown Center, I was obsessed with the building as soon as I walked into it. I immediately fell in love with the industrial, rustic vibe and felt that it perfectly set the tone for what I thought would be one of the best art installations we would see this year. 

But when I turned the corner to enter the Forest, I was deeply disappointed.  

The concept is great. The execution...not so much. I loved that the artist collected trees that were tossed out after the holidays from the sidewalks of the city and used them in a creative way. The idea of cutting down and tossing out trees every year never sits well with me. His recycling message was relevant. But was this his message?

 

I am not going to say that his work didn't strike a cord because that couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm not sure was he was actually trying to make a statement about the ridiculousness of our wasteful holiday tradition? I'm not sure, but seeing the dead trees hanging from ropes from the ceiling gave me the chills. Dark, disturbing chills. Not because Im an environmentalist but it looked like I was witnessing a mass suicide. Seeing them suspended, their trunks hanging inches from the floor, looked like dead bodies. 

If this was his angle, genius. 

If it wasn't, then he needs to rethink how he wants to portray his message. January is a gloomy month for me. Holiday rush is over and I dread the final months of winter. This installation just exacerbated any post holiday blues I already had. 

Additionally,  I thought the installation was too small. With such a ginormous space to work with, there should have been hundreds of trees lined up. There's no shortage of trees post-Christmas so that shouldn't have been the issue. A larger room should have been utilized, making it more dramatic. 

Was it worth it? 

If I lived closer or if there was something else to do in the neighborhood after, I would say it would have been worth the trip. But the small art gallery, in the same building, had mediocre art and the entire neighborhood was shut down because it was a Sunday, so I wouldn't recommend traveling too far to see it. 

Another year

I spend the last week of every year doing the exact same thing. Purging and organizing. 

I go through each room in my home and look in every closet, cabinet, and drawer. In order for me to start my year appropriately, I need to eliminate clutter and start with a clean slate. I don't know why I feel that I must clean the physical slate in order to clean the mental one, but it has become a ritual and it feels good to create some sort of order in my chaotic life. I've never been one for making New Year's resolutions because I feel like I am constantly coming to realizations and doing my best to evolve and change throughout the year. But I like to reflect back, think of the highlights and challenges I faced and vow to make every effort to be a better version of myself in the year ahead. 

This past year was rough. I tried to not feel like a victim but at times I felt like I was being punished and I couldn't understand why. There were moments I felt as if I were drowning and just as I was coming up for air, I would be pushed back into the water. It is hard to stay positive when you are being slammed back-to-back with life's enormous waves. I felt helpless and alone. For the first time,  the words "things. could. be. worse." were the only ones that gave me some strange sense of delusional perspective. And in retrospect, they really could have been so much worse. 

I know that sometimes things are only as bad as my own perception of them and  a shift in attitude can make an enormous difference.  

2015 taught me that as rough as the waters get, I must forge ahead and remember that although those moments are unbearable while they are happening, they teach us that life is that much sweeter when you finally get back to shore and are able to just lay on the sand, feel the sun, and breathe. 

Maker Fair

Coolest band!

Giant fire shooting robot

Dark Vader 12' tapestry being painted

Human mouse trap

Some cool graffiti 

Love this building!

Outstanding in the Field at Paumanok Vineyard

Farm to Table doesn't get better than this!

Orchid Evenings

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising and the snow is finally melting! Spring is around the corner and nothing says it more than The Orchid Show at NYBG!

This year was amazing! The theme: Orchid Chandeliers. Yep. You heard me. Can I please have these installed in my clients' homes? 

Snow Day

I know most were annoyed when they heard we were getting hit with at least 4" of snow today but from the second we woke up, my husband and I made the decision to not let it get us down. I was excited for it! After plenty of days off of school due to snowstorms, I am ashamed to say that not once did we bring the girls out to play in it. Not once did we build a snowman. Not once did we take advantage of being stuck inside and indulge in baking cookies or doing fun indoor activities. 

Maybe it is because we knew we may not see anymore of the powdery stuff until next year (or hoped we wouldn't). But today, we played. 

Topping Rose

I was so excited when I found out that Topping Rose House offers a Friday Night Wine Pairing Pig Roast during the winter months.

After a three day soup cleanse from The Splendid Spoon, it took me all of three seconds to decide whether or not I was willing  to undo all of the good I did for my body with dairy, wheat, sugar and alcohol.

You only live once.

With 3 community tables of eight set up in their barn, we sat with 3 other couples and enjoyed an incredible four course meal, beautifully paired with wines from Bedell Vineyards, and great conversation with a small group of strangers who by the end of the night became friends.

Not wanting to trek all the way back home after multiple glasses of wine, we opted to stay at Topping Rose for the night. To our pleasant surprise, we found out that the were having a Farmer's Market in the same barn the next afternoon. We were delighted to meet the approximately 20 local vendors who set up their stands displaying their finest. From florists to bakers to tea makers, each stand was better than the next.  There was even a juggling, balloon twister for the kiddies!
Here is a list of my favorite vendors:

Backyard Brine
East Hampton Gourmet
Plain T
Wyse Organics
Sag Harbor Florist
Hampton Chocolate Factory
Amagansett Sea Salt