On Sunday, July 17, I gave Meetup a shot. I've always been naturally inclined to photography as a kind of artistic outlet, but having grown up with a mother who was a skilled painter, I've always desired to become a painting or drawing prodigy. While realistically I will never become a master artistic to rival the skills of my favorite impressionists, notably Monet and Cezanne, I can still appreciate the act of pretending to make great art. At 10am I gathered my small sketch pad and drawing pencils, and hopped in a cab to meet everyone at 51st and 1st in order to walk to New York's "most secretive park aka Peter Detmold Park.
I don't know how secretive it is considering that the FDR East River Drive is on the other side of the shrubbery, the greenery, barking dogs, and strolling families were all a welcome break from the brick and concrete (guess at heart I will always be a Midwestern girl.) The way this particular Meetup group works is that all the artists sketch for 45-60 minutes then reconvene to show off their work. During the first increment of sketching, I tried my hand and drawing a contained scene of a water fountain, leaf-dusted bricks, and untamed garden. As relaxing and enjoyable the experience of drawing was, I found that my attention span could last for only two hours, and that my favorite part was the ten minutes in between when I got to observe the other works completed during that time.
More notably, I got to meet an elderly gentleman by the name of Bill. Bill has got to be in his upper 80s, of short stature (no more than 5'6''), and wrinkled and weather worn face (perhaps the evidence of his longtime membership at the Manhattan Yacht Club, and sailing trips to the Mediterranean), hiding the kindest blue eyes I've ever seen. Now, one thing you have to know about me is that children terrify me, and have in the past referred to babies as "parasites" (if you think about it, you'll have to admit that I have a valid point). In any event Bill deserves some recognition for the fact that during our twelve minutes of conversation, he seriously made me contemplate having a family...one day, and not anytime soon at that. While I know that getting married and raising a family is the "norm" in life, I never before appreciated the benefits and joys of having a child. Previously, I only considered babies and children as whiny, poopy, smelly, and unnecessarily expensive nuisances. Talking with Bill, however, I almost felt his excitement and rapture as he talked about his daughter, and his experiences watching her grow up into a "beautiful, confident, and successful young woman," and "how much fun [he] had watcher her develop her personality."
After talking with my hairdresser yesterday, I realized that if you are bored in New York, you've got no one to blame, but yourself. Lately, I've been keeping busy by attending events at the Princeton Club. Last Monday, October 3rd, I attended a panel about Jobs in the Legal Market. Although, I was by far the youngest member in the audience, it was still helpful to hear just how important (and how easy) it is to network. Then on Thursday, October 6th, I went to a lecture by Nicholas Luchsinger, the VP, Retail Operations of Van Cleef and Arpels. It was incredible. I had to laugh, after four years at Princeton, and the lecture that made the biggest impression on me was one about jewelry (I am truly my mother's daughter). In all honesty it was utterly a mind-blowing experience to hear how the stone cutter has to work side-by-side with the stone setter in order to attain the absolute perfection necessary for their mystery setting. The presentation was in itself fascinating. Mr. Luchsinger walked us through the progression and transformation of Van Cleef and Arpels as it responded to the fashion trends over the years. My favorite piece was the zipper necklace. Originally commissioned for the Duchess of Windsor, it wasn't until more recently that the company had the technology to produce such a versatile piece (when the back neck part is removed, and the zipper is zipped all the way up it becomes a bracelet). The best part...I actually got to see some pieces in person, like the Van Cleef and Arpels snowflake (an example can be seen here: http://antiques.about.com/od/historyandinformation/ss/VanCleefArpels032911_5.htm).
If jewelry isn't your thing, Ricardo, my hairdresser informed me that one of his favorite things to do is to visit movie scenes shot in New York (like Holly Golightly's or even Carrie Bradshaw's apartment). All you have to do is spend a little time on google, or visit Ricardo, and you're ready for your day adventure.
 |
| Example of the Van Cleef and Arpels zipper necklace |
 |
| Example of Van Cleef and Arpels mystery setting |
