Looks to be this will be the last post of our little experiment – almost nearly 6 months of this. I can’t say I maintained my enthusiasm for this the whole way through. 

Luckily today I went to a couple museums for just the sheer act of escapism, and that I can say is the best reason of all to be interested in art. 

Today I had the good fortune of being granted a few last unexpected bonus hours in New York while sidekick got his house in order. I was regretting not being able to go up to the Met just one last time, so that is how I spent my day. Well the afternoon anyway.

I also went up to see the Mexican Show at El Museo Del Barrio. 

I must say a few things, for some reason I was pissed because they jacked admission up for this special event. $7.00 seems a lot to pay for this teeny tiny museum. Yes, I appreciated being able to see these paintings in the flesh but I felt a little gypped. I guess this is their summer blockbuster. Two other things that hindered my visit, the museum was packed. Lots of school kids and others. 

Usually  I come all the way up to 104th to get away from the masses and get some peace and quiet. My last piece of bitchiness- there is literally a guard for every single piece of art in this show. I felt like I was attending a shop-lifting racket or something. Seriously, I could not see some of the art because these two guards were engaged in this heavy duty conversation that blockaded the pieces. What ever. So I am glad for this little museum that they will be popular this summer, but as far as my own visit, it was short and I was annoyed. Even leaving, I tried to open one door out and two guards (yes two!) yelled at me to exit only through their doors. I don’t know. When I saw the Contemporary Brazilian show their last winter, there was one guard and me. That was it, and it was glorious. 

I suppose today I was under the gun of time constraints so there was that, but still. I walked up 5th, passing many museums I never stepped a foot into, one I regretted not having more time (and money) to visit – for instance there looked like a really interesting show at Cooper-Hewit. I really did want to see the Kokoshka show at Neue Galleries, but they were closed, so I went straight to the Met.

So the Met worked it’s magic. For two hours I became Claudia Kincaid and was completely absorbed into that world and could forget all the other junk that has been plaguing me for the last few weeks. 

I hit all the old favorites for good measure, the 17th Century Dutch wing, especially Rembrandt and Vermeer, I ran into the American Contemporary wing, went up on the roof garden, went down to the Costume Institute, passed through the Egyptian Wing. I reluctantly went into the NYC Photo Exhibit, completely expecting more post 9/11 hype, but I immediately saw a Bernice Abbot and forgot about that. Of course Robert Frank, but who is Helen Levitt? Really wonderful photos of people, especially children playing in the street. I was thrilled to learn about her. 

I still think the Met is my favorite place to escape to in New York. It’s kind of like jumping into an encyclopedia. And yes it is old and grand and stuffy, but there is something about the sheer size of the place that is overwhelming. I have been there more times than I would care to count, and still I turn a corner every time and see something unexpected. I still get lost. Today that is exactly what was needed. Getting lost.