Every Friday I eagerly read the newspapers to see what new films have opened. More frequently than not I have difficulty finding a movie that beckons me. Most seem to be made for the kiddies or teenagers. Don’t the Hollywood marketing gurus know that most teenagers are too busy online? Haven’t they discovered that it’s the people over 50 who are going to the movies? Don’t they recognize that Medicare carriers are filling the seats? We go early and we go often when there are movies worth seeing.I find myself starved for intelligent, literate movie fare. I’d like to see more films that feature excellent older actors and actresses – which brings me to Charlotte Rampling, a 60-year-old French actress. In “Heading South” she plays Ellen, a brittle, sardonic 55-year-old spinster. She is one of three white, middle-aged women cavorting with desperately poor, native teenage boys. It’s a complex little film about the dynamics of relationships set in the volatile world of dictator-ruled Haiti.
“Heading South” is nicely crafted with an intriguing paradise lost story. The older women take advantage of Haiti’s economic system to be waited on hand and food – and other more erogeneous body parts. The acting is first-rate. I give “Heading South” a B+. Once a teacher, always a teacher.
Recently, the museum has focused on an individual artist’s achievement. This year, 49-year-old Chinese-born artist Cai Guo-Qiang was invited to create a site-specific exhibition. The four works on the roof feature the artist’s reactions to issues of present-day concerns.
I go to the Roof Garden to breathe in the open sky, enjoy the natural scenery of Central Park and gaze at the heroic Manhattan skyline. It is spectacular. I did look at Cai Guo-Qiang’s satiric “Transparent Monument,” a sheet of glass with the bodies of several small stuffed birds at its side, as if they had mistakenly flown into it to their deaths. It didn’t make me feel good and I needed an explanation. I was told that it illustrates the relationship between the city (civilization) and the park (nature). Sigh!
I also viewed two 12-foot-long crocodile sculptures with bodies studded with knives, forks, nail clippers and other sharp objects projecting from their bodies confiscated at airport security checkpoints. Again I needed an explanation. I was told that the work satirically evokes our neurotic instincts and the awkwardness of contemporary existence. Its title is “Move Along, Nothing to See Here.” Duh?!?
If this all sounds too esoteric to you – as it did to me, visit the roof simply for a quick snack and its spectacular vistas. Remember that the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s admission price is recommended. It is not mandatory. Seasoned museum-goers know they can get an admissions button without paying the recommended price. Don’t tell them that I told you that. Thanks!
Carol said to pack more delicate items on the very top – and to line them with tissue paper. In packing a duffle bag, roll T-shirts and place them at the trouser folds. To make a little more room, gently drop the duffle bag onto the floor once or twice so items can settle. Remember – gently!
Now here’s the big question – how much to take!? Write down everything and lay items on the bed. After visualizing outfits, pack only color-coordinated clothes – then take only half.
Of course, the savvy traveler knows to pack vital items such as medicines in a carry-on bag. In fact, if possible, try to take only a carry-on bag. That works for me. Otherwise I get nervous waiting for my luggage to arrive when I do. Packing extra sealable plastic bags is a good idea for dirty laundry on the trip home.
There’s half a summer left so I hope you get going and arrive at your destination wrinkle-free. Bon voyage!
The exhibition’s title is “Feeding Desire: Design and the Tools of the Table, 1500-2005.” More than 300 objects, including historic and modern flatware, cutlery and other accessories for the table are on view. The director of the Cooper-Hewitt said that “the culture of dining is an integral part of social history, ‘Feeding Desire’ demonstrates how sharing food can be an expression of love and power, duty and honor, knowledge and taste.”
Cooper-Hewitt, located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 91st Street in New York City, is housed in the landmark 1901 Andrew Carnegie Mansion. “Feeding Desire” begins in what was once the Carnegie’s dining room. A table is lavishly adorned with period flatware and serving accoutrements, including a silver-gilt dessert service commissioned from Tiffany’s. I learned that prior to the late 17th century, eating utensils were not provided to guests by hosts or inns, so, of course, members of the upper class never traveled without their own set of flatware. They used pre-18th century dining kits and collapsible devices. The display juxtaposed them with contemporary portable dining gear, including a 1977 plastic disposable picnic set.
The Cooper-Hewitt Museum never disappoints. It presents compelling perspectives on the impact of design on daily life. And, here’s a scoop – the beautiful mansion has beautiful gardens. Every Friday night there are free summer sessions held in those gardens. From 6 to 9 p.m., the public is invited to enjoy evenings that combine three d’s: design, DJs and dancing. I wish I lived closer.