Met again.

The nice thing about the Met is that you can have a few minutes in another culture through the paintings. Take this Giovanni Bellini Madonna painting. If you check out the beautiful color in the background it transports you to Northern Italy soaked in blue. I've missed this painting on many of my early trips to the Met and it is one that you find in the books on highlights on the museum. Slow down, look closer.

It is amazing how lively the students become once you hit the street again. Even in the rain.

More Met.

I always try to save time for our travelers to look for themselves in the museum. I enjoy the time to find new things or discover something I have never really seen after 35 years of visits to the museum. A piece that I enjoyed this year, is this little painting by Sassetta painted in 1435. It is called "The Journey of the Magi". Sassetta is a Sienese artist that you have to spend a little time with to enjoy his charm. This work feels like a children's book illustration. I love the naive quality of the little procession. He really pulls you in with the details in the birds and the soft light.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

On the morning of our first full day in New Your City we walked to the Met. It is a hearty walk from 57th and 9th Avenue to 82nd and 5th Avenue. We always go through Central Park. It hadn't rained but looked like it could. We did a walk through at the museum as a group that lasted three hours and thirty minutes. This was one of the paintings we lingered to see. It is Rembrandt's self portrait and inspired introspection and painterly paint. The Met guarantees great paintings but it usually guarantees wearing you out.

Newest Recruits in the Art Army

The Art Army had new recruits in New York last weekend. It was the annual BLC Art trip. This is on the first night in Times Square. I like how they have blocked traffic somewhat in the center of Times Square. You have less of a chance to get hit by a cab. There is a strange fantasy to being in Times Square. It is touristy, loud, brash and purely visual. I still can't resist it. The New Yorkers that I have talked to over the years don't even go there for what ever reason, but I approach it like the travelers that I bring along. Like it is the center of the universe.

Hollywood as Babylon

On the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland is a strange new shopping mall complex. It is almost like one of the old movie sets. It uses the motif of the real Babylon. The figures of ancient near east gods and a gigantic scale mark an area for restaurants, shops and fountains.

Besides this landmark there are just a few theaters the Grauman's Chinese theater, the Egyptian theater and some souvenir shops.

I find it interesting that Hollywood uses Babylon as its symbol. One would think that would be a negative reference to a pagan empire that conquered the world and eventually fell. Maybe it's accurate.

The Boulevard of Broken Dreams

One of the pathetic things about Hollywood is the seedy, small town feeling in the neighborhood around Hollywood Boulevard. Even the characters that want to pose for money show how sad this dreamland has become.

One good thing we experienced on the boulevard was the band Vinyl Soul. Their music rose up above the ordinary and were one of the best street bands I have ever heard. I have since found them on youtube. Check out their album, "City of Angels".