we decided to visit the met museum this morning . . which meant also visiting old haunts on the upper east side . .
i also decided to drive and luckily we were uptown before all the alternate side parking spots were gone.
the neighborhood of the old haunts had two major (in our estimation) new stores: whole foods . .
and maison kayser. we found an epiphany gift for korrina in whole foods . .
and found good hot soup and pastries in maison kayser (it was cold today).
i like how they decorate with white lights and fake evergreens for christmas.
i always tend to get a yuzu tart . .
chanda had a moccacino pastry and morgana had an adagio with a passion fruit filling and chocolate mousse outside.
it looks like it should be snowing outside . .
we then walked over to the met . .
the neapolitan christmas creche was still up.
the figures were all made in naples during the latter half of the eighteenth century. they were donated by loretta howard zinn in 1964 when she decided to combine them with the northern european practice of decorating a christmas tree. her daughter continues the tradition each year.
the bodies were made of wrapped twine and wire and were pliable and able to be placed in various modes of expression to match the emotion on their faces.
they are incredibly realistic looking! the heads and shoulders are of terracotta and polychrome. the garments were all hand sewn are were adorned with elaborate accessories such as jewels and special threads. everything looks very stiff . . i'm not sure if all has been polychromed . . it is very pretty and the expressions very strong and realistic.
we then took the elevator up to the visual storage.
row after row of silver dishes . .
teapots . .
coffee pots . . chocolate pots . .
brass candlesticks!
beautiful dishes . .
paintings . .
porcupines by robert winthrop chanler . .
mothers and daughters by mary cassatt . .
grandfather clocks!
i guess we needed a reality break . .
and back to more important things when at a museum . .
our destination: the japanese garden.
a (fluffy!) black and white musk cat by uto gyoshi from the muromachi period, 1392 to 1573.
morgana didn't want to sketch in the japanese arts section . .
so we went to the petrie court . .
so she could sketch a cherub's hand . .
the museum staff began their announcements for closing time . .
hurry up morgana!
i don't think she finished.
back outside . . 5:15 pm. it's so dark!
driving home along park avenue . .
we added broccoli rabe from one of our favorite upper east side delis (milano market) to a dinner of leftovers.
and then hot chocolate . . it was a fun fourth day of christmas . . if my counting is right.
