New York, New York: Whitney Museum, the High Line, and Empire State Building

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Patty

There is no place like it, no place with an atom of its glory, pride, and exultancy. It lays its hand upon a man’s bowels; he grows drunk with ecstasy; he grows young and full of glory, he feels that he can never die.
– Walt Whitman, American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist

We celebrated Father’s Day on our fifth day in New York. It was another great outing – except that David didn’t get the Father’s Day gift I was hoping to give him, but more on that later. In the morning, we headed to the Whitney Museum of American Art (99 Gansevoort Street, 212.570.3600), in the Lower Village and Meatpacking district sections of lower Manhattan. As we walked through Chelsea Market, we passed Budakkan (75 9^th Avenue, 212.989.6699), a cavernous Asian fusion restaurant where David and I had a memorable dinner back in September 2008. It was one of the best meals I ever had. We went to the Budakkan in Philadelphia a few summers back, but it was not as good as the one in New York.

View from the Whitney Museum terrace (photo by David).

View from the Whitney Museum terrace, with the World Trade Center Tower in the background (photo by David).

View from the left of the Whitney Museum terrace. You can see the southern entrance of the High Line Park (photo by David).

You can see the Empire State Building to the right (photo by David).

The Hudson River is behind the museum (photo by David).

The Whitney Museum: for modern art aficionados
The Whitney Museum, which was founded in 1931 by socialite, sculptor, and art collector Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, moved into its fourth home in May 2015, along the Hudson River. The new main building of glass and steel, designed by Renzo Piano, comprises nine stories and spans a total of 200,000 square feet for indoor galleries, outdoor exhibition spaces, theater, research areas, dining, and other spaces. It is an impressive piece of architecture, embracing industrial, sculptural, and contemporary aesthetics. The top floor boasts an outdoor terrace with amazing views of Lower Manhattan buildings before us and the South entrance of the High Line Park below us. The next two levels below feature outdoor galleries, and all three floors are connected by exterior stairways.

Outdoor sculpture.

David’s architectural shot, looking down at one of the terraces.

My interpretation of the terrace below.

The museum’s collection focuses on 20^th and 21^st century American art, with more than 3,000 artists – mostly living, which is an emphasis – represented. More than 22,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints, videos, films, and other artifacts compose the museum’s permanent collection. Back in 1907, recognizing that American artists with new and innovative concepts were finding it difficult to show and sell their artwork, Whitney became their advocate by purchasing their art and building a formidable collection. In 1914, she opened up the Whitney Studio in Greenwich Village to showcase these artists. When the Metropolitan Museum of Art declined Whitney’s offer to contribute more than 500 pieces of art from her personal collection and the newly opened Museum of Modern Art’s collection focused on European modernism, she decided to exhibit her art by founding a museum in 1930. The first museum, which was located in Greenwich Village, opened in 1931. The museum moved in 1954 to a building connected to the Museum of Modern Art on 53^rd Street, but moved again to Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side in 1966 when it needed more space for its growing collection. Growth was again the reason for its move to its current location, which is such a lovely, open-feeling space.

Self-portrait by Edward Hopper (photo by David).

Self-portrait (oil on canvas), 1925-1930, by Edward Hopper (photo by David).

Summer Days (oil on canvas), 1936, by Georgia O’Keefe.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Building (gelatin silver print), 1955, from the series The Americans, by Robert Frank.

Nine Jackies (acrylic, oil, and screenprint on linen), 1964, by Andy Warhol.

Cool wire art that is reflected against the wall (photo by David).

This enormous statue is made of wax that continuously burning (photo by David).

This enormous statue is made of wax that is continuously burning (photo by David).

While I’ll admit that some of the artwork didn’t resonate with me – I’m thinking of the videos of this one Chinese-American artist who put together vignettes of her mother’s life in an enclosure surrounded by objects from her childhood and home – I did appreciate the opportunity to be exposed to these types of avant-garde works. When the kids and I descended one flight of exterior stairs to the lower level and were confronted by a flat-screen television exhibiting (literally) one artist’s penis-filled video, they turned around and smirked at me. Isabella wanted to know how this was art. I just shrugged. It’s in the Whitney Museum, so it must be art!

Jacob, David, and Isabella with New York skyline.

Next stop: The High Line Park, below the Whitney Museum.

High Line Park: revitalization at its best
As I mentioned earlier, the southern entrance to the High Line Park is right next to the Whitney Museum, so once we were finished with the museum, we ascended the steps to the linear park, which was a great revitalization project that began in 1999. In its heyday, the early 1930s, the train line was part of the West Side Improvement Project, running from 34^th Street to Spring Street’s St. John’s Park Terminal. “Designed to go through the center of blocks, rather than over the avenue,” trains on this line carried goods to and from Manhattan’s largest industrial district, according to the park’s site. The interstate trucking industry all but displaced the trains by the 1980s. When a group of property owners banded together to get the train line demolished, Peter Obletz, a Chelsea resident, activist, and railroad enthusiast, went to court to preserve the line.

Along the walk you can see the old rails with vegetation happily filling in (photo by David).

Interesting buildings all around. Here are three different styles side by side, with a block in black seemingly inserted into the brown building (photo by David).

Interesting buildings all around. Here are three different styles side by side, with a block in black seemingly interlocked into the brown building (photo by David).

And artwork rising up from the grasses.

More cool buildings (photo by David).

In 1999, Joshua David and Robert Hammond, who lived in the High-Line neighborhood, founded Friends of the High Line, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the High Line and converting it into a public open space. Design competitions took place, the transportation agency that owned the line donated it to the City in 2005, and groundbreaking began in 2006. The entire process took 15 years, with section 1 from Gansevoort Street to West 20^th Street completed in 2009, section 2 from West 20^th Street to West 30^th Street completed in 2011, and the final section, which is the northernmost section of the park, to the Rail Yards, completed in September 2014.

All different styles of buildings along the High Line – some modern, some older (photo by David).

Art on buildings in between buildings (photo by David).

Echinacea flowers abloom along the way.

Two twin block-long buildings of an older vintage (photo by David).

Various activities are scheduled throughout the High Line, from dance parties to performances to star-gazing and arts events to horticulture tours. A covered section of the High Line features vendors peddling organic popsicle, gelato, and other tasty treats, as well as photographs, artisan goods, and High-Line swag. We walked almost to the end, getting off to make a direct beeline for our next destination of the Empire State Building. The temperatures were climbing and at some points we were walking in a line like bumper-to-bumper traffic, but we had our moments of just enjoying a walk through this elevated park and enjoying the fruits of preservationists’ labor.

While Jacob and I shopped, David played with his camera (photo by David).

More experimentation with the camera (photo by David).

Steel walkway with Jacob in the foreground and me in the background (photo by David).

Greenery everywhere.

I noticed when we were heading from our apartment to our friend Mason’s condo in the Queens along the Hudson River an abandoned elevated stretch of train tracks that ended abruptly. As this part of town, the Hudson, is being built up, I’m imagining another such park in the sky waiting in the wings.

Cool modern building (photo by David).

Pedestrians beware!

Resting under the shade of trees.

Railway and plants living harmoniously together.

Empire State Building: the center of Midtown Manhattan
When I think of the Empire State Building (350 5^th Avenue between West 33^rd and 34^th streets), I am reminded of a story my father told me and my sisters when we were young. Every morning on his way to work, he used to walk by the Empire State Building as it was being built. My father was in New York around 1929, and construction began in March 1930. My father loved New York. He called it the City. When he and his cousins moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s, after WWII, he called Los Angeles the country, and when he moved to Terra Bella – between Bakersfield and Fresno in the Central Valley of California – he called it the camp. At the time of his storytelling, my initial reaction was, “Wow, Dad, you’re old!” Since then, however, I marvel at what he was witnessing – the building of this great building. Once construction began, the building rose 4 ½ stories each week. In 1931, the building, with its beautiful art-deco interior, opened, with President Herbert Hoover hitting a button in Washington, DC, that turned on the lights of the Empire State Building.

Restored art-deco interior of the Empire State Building (photo by David).

As far as the eye can see (photo by David).

David singles out the Flatiron Building.

Close-up of the Chrysler Building (photo by David).

Thankfully, we encountered short lines and small crowds. Again, I think this is because it was mid-June and people hadn’t all gone on vacation yet. We ascended to the 86^th Floor observatory. I’ll admit to being acrophobic, so I took photos with caution. The sky was clear and you could truly see forever. According to the guides, you can see five states on a clear day – New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. The views were amazing, and the kids were in awe of all those buildings all around us. As we descended, David and I mentally crossed off going to the Empire State Building from our list of things to do in New York.

Hudson River in the background (photo by David).

I believe that is the East River in the background (photo by David).

Coming around with the view (photo by David).

Moving to the left (photo by David).

I believe this is the Hudson River in the background (photo by David).

Inglorious ending to Father’s Day
The only blot on our day was planning our evening around what we thought would be a Golden State Warriors Finals victory and celebration. We bypassed the recommended Katz’s Deli (205 E. Houston, 212.254.2246) on our way home. We walked in, but nobody was in the mood for foot-tall sandwiches that just seemed too much of a good thing. Instead, we grabbed Subway sandwiches – slumming it – back to our apartment. Suffice it to say, the Warriors lost the championship that was theirs to win, and there went my Father’s Day present to David. Not that Isabella cared in the least. We tried to remember that we were still on vacation. By morning, at least for me, I woke up thinking about the day’s adventure before us.

Building close-ups down there, looking like building blocks.

More close-ups with the Chrysler Building peeking out.

The smaller skyscrapers!

Fox on a building on our way home (photo by David).

New York, New York: Guggenheim Museum, Grand Central Terminal, & walking Broadway

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Patty

And New York is the most beautiful city in the world? It is not far from it. No urban night is like the night there…. Squares after squares of flame, set up and cut into the aether. Here is our poetry, for we have pulled down the stars to our will.
– Ezra Pound, expatriate American poet and critic

On our fourth day in New York, we changed our itinerary when we found out that our friends Jack and Fay Beaudoin, who live in Maine, were in town for the premier of their daughter’s play. More on that later. So we opted to see the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (1071 Fifth Avenue), on the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. The Guggenheim Museum, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is home to a growing collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary as it rises to the top of its ceiling skylight – is meant to convey “the temple of the spirit.” When you walk into the atrium, you are immediately taken by the lightness, the sun through the skylight, and the spiraling whiteness that seems to lift you up as you begin your journey.

When you first walk in and look up…. (photo by David).

More curves (photo by David).

Like strands of a modern necklace.

The skylight ceiling (photo by David).

Close-up of the skylight ceiling (photo by David).

Looking straight up at the triangular-shaped stairs.

Ascending the triangular-shaped stairs (photo by David).

All the way up, looking down (photo by David).

Coming down, another view of the entrance with pool (photo by David).

The museum’s namesake belonged to a wealthy mining family and collected traditional works from the old masters going back to the 1890s. When he met artist Hilla von Rebay in 1926, she introduced him to European avant-garde art, he changed his aesthetic. When his collection outgrew his Plaza Hotel apartment, he established the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation in 1937 to “foster the appreciation for modern art.” We took the audio tour, and I have to admit that many of the interpretations struck me as pretentious. I’m not what you would consider a true art aficionado; I like what I see, which is the way our artist friend Gary Stutler told us many years ago we ought to view art. At any rate, I recognized many famous artists, including Constantin Brancusi, Marc Chagall, Vasily Kandinsky, and Piet Mondrian. At least I could appreciate them, thanks to my college art history class. At any rate, here are photos of interesting paintings and exhibits.

Red Cross Train Passing a Village (oil on canvas), 1915, by Gino Severini (photo by David).

Painting with White Border (oil on canvas), 1913, Vasily Kandinsky.

Painting with White Border (oil on canvas), 1913, by Vasily Kandinsky.

Woman Ironing (oil on canvas), 1904, by Pablo Picasso.

Composition 8 (oil on canvas), 1914, by Piet Mondrian.

Peasant with Hoe (oil on canvas), 1882, by Georges Seurat. A favorite for obvious reasons.

Dancers with Green and Yellow (pastel and charcoal on several pieces of tracing paper, mounted to paperboard), 1903, by Edgar Degas.

And now for the more recent art installation pieces. Two exhibits struck me deep. Untitled (Ghardaïa) by Kader Attia, who was born in France but works in Algiers, Berlin, and Paris, was installed in 2009. According to the information on the piece, “Attia sculpted a model of the Algerian city of the title in couscous, a regional culinary staple. The fragile and ephemeral structure is accompanied by two prints portraying foundational Western modern architects Le Corbusier and Fernand Pouillon, and by a copy of a UNESCO certificate that officially designates the city of Ghardaïa a World Heritage Site. Attia’s work calls attention to the fact that both designers borrowed from and reworked the Mozabite architecture native to the city of Ghardaïa, and to the ancient Mzab region, without acknowledging their inspiration, itself derived from France’s 19^th century colonization of Algeria and subsequent exploitation of its resources.” Wow, what a powerful statement that resonates in today’s dangerous and sad world.

Untitled (Ghardaia) (Couscous, two inkjet prints, and five photocopy prints), 2009, by Kader Attia.

Close-up of the buildings made of couscous.

The other exhibit that really caught my attention was Flying Carpets by Tunisian artist Nadia Kaabi-Linke. The following is background information on her inspiration for this stainless steel and rubber artwork: “Illegal street vendors – primarily of African, Arab, and South Asian origin – often congregate at Il Ponte del Sepolcro in Venice to sell counterfeit goods to tourists. To avoid unwanted encounters with authorities, they are often required to scoop up their wares in the rugs that they use for display and flee across the bridge. This journey to temporary safety is not only physical but also metaphorical insofar as it encapsulates both the whimsical orientalist fantasy of the flying carpet and the harsh realities experienced by undocumented immigrants who cross the Mediterranean in search of better lives. The proportions of Kaabi-Linke’s sculptural meditation on this scenario – a complex assembly of suspended grids – come directly from those of the vendors’ rugs.” After having read the backstory, I saw her installation – at a glance, just steel and rubber – transform before me and take on a deeper meaning that is, again, so relevant and heartbreaking in today’s world.

Flying Carpets (stainless steel and rubber), 2011, by Nadia Kaabi-Linke (photo by David).

Flying Carpets (stainless steel and rubber), 2011, by Nadia Kaabi-Linke. You can see the multiple shapes of rugs created by the hanging installation and reflected on the walls and polished wooden floor. The overlapping “rugs” gives it a claustrophobic feel (photo by David).

Another view of Flying Carpets (photo by David).

Different shapes and spaces occupied by Flying Carpets (photo by David).

Close-up of Flying Carpets (photo by David).

We decided against eating museum food and instead hopped on the subway to get to the Grand Central Terminal (the out-of-towners say Grand Central Station) (89 East 42^nd Street) and take pictures of the famous station. The terminal was built in 1903 in the Beaux Arts architectural style and is made primarily of granite. According to a 2013 article in World Nuclear Association, because the building is made with so much granite it actually emits relatively high levels of radiation. Good thing we are only passing through! In 2013, 21.9 million visitors passed through the terminal, making it one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions. Grand Central Terminal covers 48 acres and has 44 platforms – more than any other railway station in the world. The other interesting fact about the terminal is that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority does not own it – private firm Midtown TDR Ventures.

Next stop…. (photo by David).

Grand Central Terminal was built in 1903 (photo by David).

I believe the flag was raised in the terminal after 9/11 (photo by David).

The American flag was raised in the terminal a few days after 9/11 (photo by David).

The other side of the main concourse.

Letter box detail (photo by David).

Checking out the departures board (photo by David).

The grandness of Grand Central Terminal.

Heading out, one can get lost in the many tunnels of the terminal (photo by David).

We were also advised by a number of friends to eat at the famous Oyster Bar. Instead of sitting down at the bar, which resembled a 1950s luncheon counter, we opted to eat in the restaurant. The food was good, reminding us of Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto in Berkeley, which has a 1950s ambiance to its decor. Let’s just say that this was the most expensive meal we had in New York! But our seafood was fresh!

Just follow the signs.

The very retro interior of the Oyster Bar. I kept waiting for the Godfather to walk in….

Pony up!

My big scallops.

Jacob and Isabella each ordered their own plate of soft-shell crabs.

David orders some kind of fish.

Still getting along on our vacation on day four.

We could have eaten at the counter!

After our late lunch, we decided to take a leisurely walk to where we were going to meet Jack and Fay. First, we headed to the New York Public Library (5th Avenue at 42nd Street), which is a grand building. Founded in 1895, the NYPL is the largest public library system in the country, comprising 88 neighborhood branches and four scholarly research centers. With 51 million holdings, including books, e-books, DVDs, and important research collections, NYPL serves more than 17 million patrons yearly, and millions via online access. Behind the library is Bryant Park, home to Project Runway’s runway finale. From there, we hiked to Times Square for a brief sprint, just so the kids could see where everyone gathers on New Year’s Eve. Time Square, which is located in Midtown Manhattan, begins at Broadway and Seventh Avenue and spans out from 42^nd Street to 47^th Street. We couldn’t get away fast enough. It was a hot day and there were too many people and cars in the area.

Walking up the steps of the majestic New York Public Library (photo by David).

Walking up the steps of the majestic New York Public Library, which was designed in the Beaux-Arts style (photo by David).

Either Patience or Fortitude, one half of the pair of famous marble lions, which was a part of the Beaux-Arts-style building when it was dedicated on May 23, 1911 (photo by David).

Sunning itself on a hot Saturday afternoon is either Patience or Fortitude, one half of the pair of famous marble lions, which were a part of the Library when it was dedicated on May 23, 1911 (photo by David).

Detail of the NYPL building (photo by David).

Looking up once you reach the top of the stairs of the NYPL.

Stairs leading to the upper floors of NYPL (photo by David).

An enterprising writer sets up shop in front of the NYPL. What a great idea!

An enterprising writer sets up shop in front of the NYPL. Meet the author, indeed! What a great idea!

David and the kids hemmed in by Times Square, people, and a sea of taxis behind them.

We kept walking downtown on Broadway, taking note of how the neighborhood was changing from the glitz of Times Square to some gritty areas. At any rate, one of the points of destination was the Flatiron Building (174 5^th Avenue), which David and I had seen in 2008 but did not have a picture of since we didn’t bring a camera on that trip. At the time it opened in 1902, the 22-floor, steel-framed triangular-shaped building was considered to be a groundbreaking skyscraper. We took a little respite at Madison Square Park (at the intersection of 5^th Avenue, Broadway, and 23^rd Street), a.k.a. a nap, before continuing on our walk.

The majestic Flatiron Building (photo by David).

We met up with Jack and Fay, daughters Camille and Genny, and Genny’s friend, for drinks at Narcissa Restaurant (25 Cooper Square). We had a great time, marveling at the fact that we could end up in New York City at the same time and being able to get together.

The Beaudoin and the Enrado-Rossi clans.

Afterwards, since we were already downtown or in Lower Manhattan, we walked all the way back to Little Italy. I can assure you that we easily logged ten thousand or more steps that day. Our friend Sandy recommended The Egg Shop (151 Elizabeth Street, 646.666.0810) since it was in our neighborhood. Her mother, who had recently visited New York, had gone to and liked The Egg Shop. So we had a late dinner at this cute little café that serves – you guessed it – all kinds of dishes, especially creatively concocted sandwiches, made with organic and locally sourced eggs. It was a quiet way to end another packed day of walking and touring.

David’s El Guapo, slow-cooked pork shoulder, honeyed spaghetti squash, tomatillos and pumpkin seeds in achiote cola mole with egg white queso fresco, served with blue corn tortillas.

My tasty Bec Burger and fries comprised a beef burger, sunny-up egg, white cheddar, black forest bacon, tomato jam, fresh pickled jalapeno on a panini roll.

Jacob’s hearty BEC Burger and fries comprised a beef burger, sunny-up egg, white cheddar, black forest bacon, tomato jam, fresh pickled jalapeno on a panini roll.

My B.E.C., which is basically the same as Jacob's dish but instead of a beef burger, mine was just a broke yoke. And it was still very filling!

My Egg Shop B.E.C., which is basically the same as Jacob’s dish but instead of a beef burger, mine was just a broke yoke. And it was still very filling!

A nice homey feel to the Egg Shop.

New York, New York: the Met(s), Central Park, and Natural History Museum

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Patty

But if I had to choose a single destination where I’d be held captive for the rest of my time in New York, I’d choose the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
– Tim Gunn, American fashion consultant, television personality, and actor

Our second full day, we planned a trip to the American Museum of Natural History – the kids are big fans of the Night at the Museum movies – and catching a New York Mets game at Citi Field Park. I’ll admit that I was lukewarm about going to the Natural History Museum. At every natural history museum we’ve attended in past cities, I would check out the exhibits for a bit and then sit down and hang out until David and the kids were done looking around. While the Natural History Museum (Central Park West at 79th Street, 212.769.5100) was impressive in terms of its fossil and mammal halls, I still could only take so many dinosaurs and mammals in their natural habitat. I will say that the dioramas, which were beautifully rendered, were my favorite parts of the museum.

The entrance to the American Museum of Natural History (photo by David).

One of many, many dinosaurs (photo by David).

Up close of a squirrel in winter (photo by David).

Close-up of a squirrel in winter (photo by David).

White sheep on a narrow ledge above an Alaskan fjord (photo by David).

One of the current exhibits, The Dark Universe, was shown in the Hayden Planetarium. Featuring detailed scenes based authentic scientific data, the movie “celebrates the pivotal discoveries that have led us to greater knowledge of the structure and history of the universe and our place in it – and to new frontiers for exploration.” Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, well-known science communicator, and current Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium, narrated the show. David and the kids really enjoyed learning about the revelations and mysteries of the universe that science has given us through space exploration. I enjoyed the cushy seat and air-conditioned room – a welcomed respite after walking around the museum’s expansive floors.

The kids with Teddy (photo by David).

Citi Field Park: Mets versus Pirates
Our evening event was a night game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets in their fairly new ballpark, Citi Field Park, located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the New York City borough of Queens. Citi Field Park, which was completed in 2009, replaced Shea Stadium. Ebbets Field (Brooklyn, 1913-1957) served as inspiration for the main entry rotunda and exterior façade made of red brick, granite, and cast stone. With a 41,800-seat capacity, Citi Field Park also contains the 3,700-square-foot Hall of Fame & Museum, which displays memorabilia, interactive kiosks capturing great moments in Mets history, and highlight videos celebrating the Mets biggest feats, including the 1969 and 1986 World Series championships. This stadium reminds me of the Baltimore Orioles’ Camden Yards in that the stadium is tall and you look down into the playing field, as if you were at the top looking down into a bowl. It makes for a cozy atmosphere.

Coming out of the subway and approaching Citi Field Park in Queens (photo by David).

The Big Apple outside the stadium (photo by David).

When you walk in, you enter the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

Me and Mr. Met (photo by David).

We got to see Andrew McCutchen – sans his famous dreadlocks – and his Pittsburgh Pirates play against the Mets, who were led by former Oakland A’s players, starting pitcher Bartolo Colon and left-fielder Yoenis Céspedes. Yes, Jacob got a Mets Céspedes shirt. The Mets dominated the game, leading 5-0. Unfortunately, we left the game midway to return to our apartment to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers beat our beloved Golden State Warriors. Jacob didn’t want to leave the park; we should have heeded his request because the Pirates came back in the eighth and ninth innings to make it a game, although they came up short in the end, 5-6. Our cuisine for the day was as touristy as you can expect – bland museum food and ballpark hot dogs. But it’s New York, which meant that it was pricey museum and ballpark food!

Looking down on the field from where we sit (photo by David).

The most famous Pittsburgh Pirate – Andrew McCutchen.

Still pitching strong after leaving the Oakland A’s – Bartolo Colon, who even had a base hit.

Family portrait - with Isabella's book on iPad (photo by Apple).

Summer vacation family portrait – with Isabella’s book on iPad – a requirement in order for her to sit through a baseball game (photo by Apple).

The other Met: Metropolitan Museum of Art
On our third day, we returned to Central Park to take in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue, 212.535.7710), which was nearly an all-day experience, though it still wasn’t enough time to see everything. We spent a good deal of time looking at all the Impressionist paintings. The Met is home to so many famous paintings – Vincent Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat, Edgar Degas’ ballet dancers in paintings and statues, Édouard Manet’s Boating, Claude Monet’s Water Lilies and Rouen Cathedral – and all the major painters – Mary Cassatt, Alfred Sisley, Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Georges Seurat, Johannes Vermeer, Paul Gauguin, Diego Velázquez, John Singer Sargent, and El Greco. Not unlike my Modern Museum of Art experience in New York a few years back, I would walk into room after room after room and see all these famous paintings that I learned about in my art history class in college.

Entrance to the Met (photo by David).

Inside the entryway of the Met – beautiful domes (photo by David).

Portrait of a Young Woman with a Fan (oil on canvas), 1633, by Rembrandt (photo by David).

Amazing lace detail (photo by David)!

One small room was devoted to drawings, which David and I both loved. This is called Intimacy (Conte crayon), 1890, by Theo Van Rysselberghe (photo by David).

One small room was devoted to drawings, which David and I both loved for their detailed rendering with pen, pencil, or crayon. This is called Intimacy (Conte crayon), 1890, by Theo Van Rysselberghe (photo by David).

Close-up of Intimacy. Look at the incredible attention to detail (photo by David)!

One of my favorite paintings from my college art history class: Joan of Arc (oil on canvas), 1879, by Jules Bastien-Lepage (photo by David).

Close-up of Joan of Arc (photo by David).

The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (bronze, partially tinted, with cotton skirt and satin hair ribbon), modeled ca. 1880, cast 1922, by Edgar Degas (photo by David).

Close-up of The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (photo by me).

Close-up of The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer by Degas (photo by David).

Another view of The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer by Degas.

Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (oil on canvas), 1887 (photo by David).

Ophelia (mezzotint etching and stipple on chine colle; proof), 1866, by James Stephenson after John Everett Millais. Millais painted the original masterpiece, which is one of my all-time favorite paintings. Stephenson’s print is a masterful print reproduction.

This caught my eye! Interior of the oude Kerke, Delft (oil on wood), ca. 1650, by Emanuel de Witte (photo by me).

This caught my eye! Interior of the Oude Kerk, Delft (oil on wood), ca. 1650, by Emanuel de Witte.

Young Woman with a Water Pitcher (oil on canvas), ca. 1662, by Johannes Vermeer.

Moonlight, Strandgage 30 (oil on canvas), 1900-1906, by Vilhelm Hammershoi, reminds me of our artist friend Gary Stutler. The Danish painter found inspiration in his apartment in Copenhagen.

Another haunting painting reminiscent of our friend and artist Gary Stutler. Here, is The Doors (oil on canvas) by Belgian Xavier Mellery.

So I chose this to show because we had a cheap reproduction above our piano in my childhood home. This is Two Young Girls at the Piano (oil on canvas), 1892, by Auguste Renoir (photo by me).

I chose this to show because we had a cheap reproduction above our piano in my childhood home. This is Two Young Girls at the Piano (oil on canvas), 1892, by Auguste Renoir.

The Organ Rehearsal (oil on canvas), 1885, by French painter Henry Lerolle.

Close-up of The Organ Rehearsal.

Another favorite of mine: Pygmalion and Galatea (oil on canvas), 1890, by French painter Jean-Leon Gerome.

The Boulevard Montmarte on a Winter Morning (oil of canvas), 1897, by Camille Pissarro.

Rouen Cathedral: The Portal (Sunlight) (oil on canvas), 1894, by Claude Monet.

Boating (oil on canvas), 1874, by Edouard Manet.

La Grenouillere (oil on canvas), 1869, by Claude Monet.

Awesome close-up of reflections in the water in La Grenouillere.

Madame Manet (Suzanne Leenhoff) (oil on canvas), 1880, by Edouard Manet.

Close-up of the brushstrokes of Madame Manet.

Closer still!

Knights on horseback in the Arms and Armor Hall (photo by David).

Jacob in the Arms and Armor Hall.

The Temple of Dendur
The kids’ favorite exhibit was The Temple of Dendur, an Ancient Egyptian temple built by Petronius, the Roman governor of Egypt, around 15 BC. It was dedicated to Isis, Osiris, and two deified sons of a local Nubian chieftain, Pediese and Pihor. Neither tomb nor tribute to a pharaoh, the cult temple honors the Egyptian religion’s gods and mythology. In response to the U.S. government helping to save many Nubian monuments from going under in the floods when the Aswan Dam was built, the Egyptian government gifted the temple to the United States in 1965. Many cities vied to house the temple in their museums, but in 1967 President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It took nearly 10 years for the sandstone temple, which was disassembled and shipped in 661 crates, for the complete temple to reach New York City, and the exhibit wasn’t fully open to the public until 1994.

Impressive (photo by David)!

Column detail (photo by David).

More details, which would have been vividly painted at the time (photo by David).

In 2015, through research, surveys and analysis of painted objects in the museum, the Met Museum Media Lab was able to determine the original colors of the temple, as temples in Egypt and the Ancient World were often vividly painted vividly. Since the temple was built during the reign of Augustus Caesar, two scenes on one of the walls depict Augustus wearing the traditional pharaoh garb. Interestingly, the temple bears three different graffiti marks made over the course of a few thousand years – some words written in colloquial Egyptian script in 10BCE, Greek Coptic Christian inscriptions in 400ACE when the temple was briefly converted into a Christian church, and “Leonardo 1820” by travelers of that year. The temple is displayed in The Sackler Wing in such a way that mimics the temple’s location in Egypt. The reflecting pool in front of the temple represents the Nile River, while the sloping wall behind the temple represents the cliffs of its original location. The wing’s designers positioned the glass on the ceiling and the wing’s north wall to be stippled in order to diffuse the light and make it resemble the lighting in Egypt. You can actually rent out the wing for weddings and other special events, which I’m sure costs a pretty penny, but what a way to impress your family and friends, eh? All in all, it is an impressive exhibit.

Inside the temple (photo by David).

Photo opp (photo by David).

David and I love sculpture, so we spent time admiring the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts wing. What’s an exhibit without a Rodin? Of course, there were many Rodins to appreciate here. The Met clearly deserves another go around, so we expect to come back and make sure we cover the wings and rooms that we breezed through.

Hall of statues. The museum wasn’t too crowded, which was nice.

The Burghers of Calais (bronze) by Auguste Rodin. Modeled in 1884-95 and cast in 1985. The 1895 original is installed in front of the old town hall in Calais, France (photo by David).

Close-up of The Burghers of Calais (photo by David).

Ugolino and His Sons (marble) by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, 1865-67 (photo by David).

Ugolino and His Sons (marble), 1865-67, by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (photo by David).

Close-up of Ugolino and His Sons (photo by David).

Another close-up (photo by David).

Winter (bronze) by Jean Antoine Houdon, 1787 (photo by David). Hey, that’s me in the background.

Close-up of the beautiful and haunting Winter (photo by David).

We ate lunch at the American Art Café at the Charles Engelhard Court on the first floor, which afforded us views of Central Park on one side and views of the Neoclassical facade of the Branch Bank of the United States, originally located on Wall Street, inside the museum. On the opposite side, we also enjoyed our courtyard view of the Louis C. Tiffany-designed entrance loggia at Laurelton Hall, his country estate on Long Island. In between, 19th-century marble and bronze sculptures are adorned throughout the court, with the centerpiece being the gilded Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

The expansiveness of this atrium and courtyard was breathtaking – the facade of the Branch Bank of the U.S. (photo by David).

Under the shifting light of the sun (photo by David).

Another view with the shifting light of the sun (photo by David).

The statues before the bank facade.

The loggia, with the cafe on the right.

Another meh lunch at a museum, but at least we had a great location and view!

Central Park by horse
Since the museum is across the street from Central Park, we wandered into the park and walked around at first and then in search of a horse-drawn carriage. This has become a staple of our urban vacations for Isabella’s sake – taking a tour by horse. We did so twice in Philadelphia – in Amish country and in the city. Once we found horses and carriages galore further down 5^th Avenue, we got a tour of one part of the park, which included the zoo, pond, and buildings in the background that were made famous in movies. Isabella even got to lead the horse for part of the tour.

Ready for a carriage ride (photo by our carriage driver).

David and Isabella, before she took our driver’s invite to lead our horse through Central Park.

Isabella and friend (photo by David).

Beautiful view of the lake (photo by David).

Sibling quiet time together (photo by David).

Sibling quiet time (photo by David).

We closed out the day with dinner at Uncle Boons (7 Spring Street, 646.370.6650), a Thai restaurant in the NoLita (North of Little Italy) district not too far from our apartment. The food was good, but the portions were tiny (advertised large plates were in fact small, for example). It seems that many of the restaurant spaces here are tiny and tables are packed as a result. We found the noise level too high in many of the restaurants we patronized. But you can’t beat New York for the variety and the number of restaurants to satiate your hunger after a busy day touring.

Thai dish with clams and shrimp.

Ambiance of Uncle Boons.

New York, New York: Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial Museum

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Patty

There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.
– Simone de Beauvoir, French author and philosopher

When I was a child, we took trips to Los Angeles, where many of our relatives still lived after we moved to Terra Bella. A bunch of our families went to Morro Bay and Cayucos in the summertime for a few years; we kids swim or played in the cold water and watched as our parents fished. I spent a summer in the Philippines when I was ten years old – right before Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. But outside of that, we didn’t have traditional family summer vacations.

We got spoiled on our cross-country flight – this Southwest Airlines plane was less than 24 days old! More leg room and they put those darn pamphlets on the upper part of the backs of chairs. Plus the overhead compartments are more streamlined.

As a parent, I look at family summer vacations as opening up the world for my two kids. Since I’m an urban lover, we focused on exposing them to major cities in the United States – San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Since I was going to be attending the FANHS 2016 Biennial Conference in New York in June, we decided to tack on a family vacation before my conference. I’m a little late in posting about this vacation. Usually, as many of you know, I’m up late the night of each vacation day, tapping away at the laptop to capture my memories and all the details, to keep everything fresh, mostly for my kids’ sake. But there wasn’t time during our trip, so August is a good time to reflect on this family vacation.

I’ve been to New York on business a number of times, and David joined me for one trip. We didn’t go to some of the obvious points of interest because we knew at some point we would take the kids. Let’s just say that we packed it all in this family summer vacation. One thing we did was purchase the City Passes, which was a great deal because we used every pass in the book, which is something we also did when we were in Chicago.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Airbnb in Little Italy
We stayed at our first Airbnb apartment on Mulberry Street right in the middle of Little Italy, which was a great location to catch many subway lines and to walk around in the evenings. When you walk out of our apartment building, you basically step out into Little Italy. The streets are blocked off to traffic on the weekends, big Little Italy signs flashed overhead, tourists walked up and down the street, and aggressive maître d’s tried to lure us to dine at their establishment. This scene reminded me of North Beach in San Francisco.

Our apartment with a view – the Empire State Building (photo by David).

Walking around the neighborhood in the evenings.

The view from our bedroom. Impressive art.

We were on the 7^th floor, and we had a nice view of the Empire State Building. There were eight floors with four units on each floor. Our little apartment comprised one small bedroom, a closet-sized bedroom, bathroom, and a kitchen/living space, which was just right for us. The only thing about being on the 7^th floor – without an elevator – is that at the end of the day, when you’re an exhausted tourist, you have seven flights of steps to your bed and sofa. If we had Fitbits, we surely would have logged thousands of steps each day. That first evening, we ate at Café Habana (17 Prince Street, 212.625.2001), a Cuban restaurant several blocks down; we were advised by our Airbnb owner that you don’t want to eat in any of the touristy Little Italy restaurants. We enjoyed the Cuban sandwiches – fresh citrus marinated roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles on hero bread with chipotle mayonnaise – while the kids had roast pork plate with yellow rice and black beans. On the way home, we found the local grocery store so we could stock up on breakfast food and bottled water. I’m surprised that they don’t have a plastic bag ban in the City, especially since people shop more often during the week because there isn’t a lot of storage in people’s homes and most take public transportation to and from the grocery stores. That’s a lot of plastic bags. At any rate, we truly experienced the Airbnb marketing slogan: “Experience a place like you live there.” And so we did.

Looking up at Lady Liberty (photo by David).

‘Liberty Enlightening the World’
The next day, we headed to the ferry at Battery Park in Manhattan to catch the boat to the Statue of Liberty. The beauty about going on vacation soon after school lets out is that it’s not too hot yet and many schools elsewhere haven’t been let out yet. As a result, neither the ferries nor the destination points were crowded. It was great to see in person such a famous statue and symbol that we’ve grown up knowing all our lives. We have tons of photos of Lady Liberty from all angles across the bay, Liberty Island, and the observation level (we didn’t have crown access). What was most interesting was walking through the museum and learning so many interesting things such as the face of Lady Liberty belonged to the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi’s mom and Gustave Eiffel designed the statue’s internal framework. At the time, 1886, the Statue of Liberty – atop its pedestal – was the tallest structure in New York City and the tallest statue in the world.

My teenagers with Manhattan in the background (photo by David).

Up close (photo by David).

In 1865, a group of French intellectuals led by Edouard de Laboulaye, who were protesting political representation in their country, decided to honor the ideals of freedom and liberty with a symbolic gift to the United States, who was looking toward its centennial. Given the hot topic of immigration in our country these days, it was important for the kids to see what the Statue of Liberty meant at the time. While the country was grappling with massive immigration in the late 1800s, it was responding with a growing number of restrictive immigration laws. In 1883 young writer Emma Lazarus wrote a poem for the statue’s pedestal fundraiser called “The New Colossus,” after the Colossus of Rhodes, which was an ancient statue that became Bartholdi’s inspiration. In 1903, the poem was inscribed on a bronze plaque on the pedestal, which really remains true today as it was back then:

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

No, it’s not a Trump political poster. It’s a post-1980 Peace Corps Volunteers campaign that ends with: There are those who think you can’t change the world in the Peace Corps. On the other hand, maybe it’s not just what you do in the Peace Corps that counts. But what you do when you get back.

Life-size model of the statue’s face (photo by David).

In all her majesty (photo by David).

Back on the ferry with Manhattan before us (photo by David).

I asked the kids what they remembered most about their trip to Liberty Island. Jacob remarked that he didn’t realize how it was built – that the hammered copper pieces were riveted into place on the internal cast iron and steel framework. He says he isn’t interesting in studying engineering, but he certainly has a mind for it. Isabella, on the other hand, touched on an ironic fact that I was excited that she noted. It stood out for me, too. At the 1886 dedication, women were not allowed to participate in the unveiling or the parade. Imagine that! However, an enterprising and determined group of women took several boats out to Hudson Bay to celebrate. Good on them!

I got chills when we disembarked and approached the entrance of Ellis Island’s Main Building.

Ellis Island: first step to America
We hopped on the ferry to our next destination – Ellis Island, a place I was really looking forward to seeing. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is big – I’m sure we didn’t see every little room. Stepping into the Registry Room, or the Great Hall, you get a sense of what it must have been like being an immigrant coming off of the ship and being herded into this enormous room, hoping that you’ll be able to walk out and onward to New York City. The island was named after its owner Samuel Ellis, who purchased the land in 1774. The federal government purchased the island for harbor defense in 1808 and built Fort Gibson in 1811. Between 1855 and 1890, individual states processed immigrants. Castle Garden, which is now Castle Clinton National Monument, served as the immigration station for New York State.

The Registry Room from the ground floor (photo by David).

The Registry Room from the second floor (photo by David).

In 1900 the current Main Building opened. From 1901 through 1910, some 8.8 million immigrants arrived in the United States, with 6 million being processed at Ellis Island alone. A record 11,747 immigrants arrived there on April 17, 1907. When WWI broke out, immigration was curbed and enemy aliens were detained at Ellis from 1914 to 1918. In the 1920s, federal laws set immigration quotas based on national origin. When WWII broke out, German, Italian, and Japanese aliens were interned at Ellis Island. In 1954, the Ellis Island immigration station closed permanently. In 1965, national quotas were abolished and Ellis Island became part of the Statue of Liberty Monument. The buildings sat deserted and in a state of decay, but restoration began in the 1980s and the Main Building opened as an immigration museum in 1990.

Lookey here! Filipinos are mentioned twice in the Ellis Island Museum timeline.

Second reference to Filipinos in America!

A total of some 12 million people came through Ellis Island. In the Registry Room, inspectors grilled immigrants with up to 31 questions. They had to give their name, hometown, occupation, destination, and amount of money they carried. One “trick” question asked was whether the immigrant had a job lined up already. You would think that the answer would be yes, but that isn’t what the inspectors wanted to hear because it meant that the immigrant was taking away a citizen’s job. While a third of those who “passed” stayed in New York City, the rest headed to other destinations. Those who were deemed mentally unfit were marked by chalk with an X on their lapel, which meant that they were going to have a difficult time getting through. While 20 percent were held back for further medical or legal examination, according to our guide, only about two percent were denied entry. One such denial was recorded by the granddaughter who retold the story in an audio file. Everyone in her family was let in, but her grandmother was sent back to Russia. The family never saw her again. That story haunts me still. And the granddaughter, now an elderly woman, wept with the retelling.

Goodbye, Ellis Island, as we chug back to Battery Park (photo by David).

Alexander Hamilton’s grave in Trinity Church’s cemetery, near the World Trade Center (photo by David).

9/11 Memorial Museum: ‘a place of solemn reflection’
Who knew that we still had plenty of time left when we docked at the ferry station at Battery Park? With the new World Trade Center building rising in the sky before us, we decided to take in the 9/11 Memorial Museum. My sister Heidi and I saw the 9/11 Memorial in September 2012, when the museum was in a tiny space and we had to wait in a long line to walk through the small building that housed the artifacts from the attacks. At the Memorial Plaza, David and the kids took in twin waterfall memorials somberly and in silence. It’s quite a scene to behold, and all you want to do is stare into the bottom of the memorial and still not quite imagine what happened here. The first time I came to New York in 2008, I couldn’t help staring at the enormous crater as my Super Shuttle van zoomed by. Yes, that’s Ground Zero, my driver told me. Still a gaping hole.

The Memorial pool with the Museum in the background (photo by David).

The new World Trade Tower (photo by David).

The design of the lower part of the new World Trade Center tower pays tribute to the fallen towers (photo by David).

The flow of the memorial pool water into the basin pays tribute to the design of the original Towers (photo by David).

Close-up of the lower part of the new World Trade Center tower (photo by David).

The gleaming roof of the 9/11 Memorial Museum (photo by David).

Jacob in contemplation (photo by David).

Jacob deep in contemplation (photo by David).

The 9/11 Memorial Museum is an impressive, cavernous building, which is unique looking on the outside with all that shiny steel glinting in the June sun. It houses 110,000 square feet of exhibition space and is located within and surrounded by remnants of the original World Trade Center site. When you first walk into the entry of the Pavilion, you are in the atrium, which allows for a view of the South and the North memorial pools. The Foundation Hall, which is the largest space within the museum topping 60 feet at its highest point, contains remnants, including the slurry wall and the iconic Last Column.

The Tridents - two 80-foot tall steel columns that was part of the North Tower's exterior facade (photo by David).

The Tridents – two 80-foot tall steel columns that was part of the North Tower’s exterior facade – in the Pavilion’s atrium. Taken while going up the escalator (photo by David).

The 36-foot Last Column is covered with memorial inscriptions, mementos, and missing posters affixed by rescue workers, ironworkers, and others (photo by David).

September 11, 2001, is the main historical exhibition, which comprises “three parts that explore the day of 9/11, what led up to the attacks, and the immediate aftermath.” Tribute Walk is a long hallway or alleyway with multiple artistic expressions created in response to 9/11. Memorial Hall is situated between the Twin Tower footprints. The quote – No day shall erase you from the memory of time – from Book IX of The Aeneid by Virgil, the ancient Roman poet, is emblazoned across the wall. The letters of the quote were forged by New Mexico blacksmith Tom Joyce from steel recovered from the World Trade Center. Surrounding the quote is a beautiful art installation around it called “Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning” by reflecting artist Spencer Finch. Comprising 2,983 individual water-color drawings, the art installation captures a unique shade of blue representing all the victims of both the February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001, victims.

Virgil’s enduring quote and Spencer Finch’s beautiful art installation (photo by David).

Understanding that everything about this museum is moving, one of the most emotional exhibits is the Memorial Exhibition. Along several walls are portrait photographs of all the victims. Housed in the middle of these walls of faces is an inner darkened chamber where you can sit on the bench lining the wall of the room and listen quietly to shared stories – by turns heartbreaking, heartwarming, amusing, and somber. “In Memoriam,” is a “quiet, contemplative space that invites you to honor and to learn more about each person killed in the two attacks.” When a family member, friend, or former colleague spoke, a picture of their loved one was projected on the wall, with a short biography and story. I remembered one story in particular that struck me as tragic among the tragic – of a young man in his twenties who worked his way up from being a janitor at the World Trade Center to being a trader for one of the firms there. He left a wife and three young children. I couldn’t help thinking, if only he were still a janitor, he would have already done his job the night before and not been in the building that fateful morning.

A moment of silence and reflection.

The Museum opened on May 15, 2014. At the Museum’s one-year anniversary, the National 9/11 Flag, which is a tattered flag that was recovered from Ground Zero and, through the work of the nonprofit New York Says Thank You Foundation, subsequently restored via “stitching ceremonies” held across the U.S. was displayed. It is a heartfelt artistic endeavor that shows how united our various communities can be and how much love can be showered in a world darkened by fear and hate.

Remembering and not forgetting.

I was so glad we as a family got to experience the 9/11 Memorial Museum. It’s a loving tribute to all the victims, their family and friends, the responders and their families and friends, and the resilient city of New York. Isabella wasn’t even born and Jacob wasn’t quite fifteen months old at the time. David and I were glued to the television set, watching CNN 24/7, and worried that Jacob would never live to adulthood because all we heard about was the threat of bioterrorism being unleashed around the world. Nearly 15 years later, there’s more hope in the world, despite the ever-present roiling dark clouds. Still, Virgil’s words are alive in my head: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.” Amen.

With the Museum in the background….(photo by David).

A Pinoy State of Mind: Building with Our Roots, Part II

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Patty

Our Theme “A Pinoy State of Mind: Building with Our Roots” was chosen because we wanted to recognize that as Filipino Americans become more visible and successful across all sectors (e.g., academia, arts and entertainment, law and government, etc.) that we always remember where we came from, as well as the struggles of those who came before us.
– Kevin L. Nadal, PhD, FANHS National Trustee, FANHS 2016 Conference Coordinator, Associate Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

This is Part II of my reflections on attending the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) 2016 16th Biennel Conference held in New York, June 22-25. To access Part I, you can click here.

The Honorable Lorna Schofield.

Thursday was packed with what I felt like was a day-long star-studded program. Keynote speaker, the Honorable Lorna Schofield, holds the distinction of being the first Filipino American federal judge in U.S. history. Originally from Indiana, she is a U.S. District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She received her JD from New York University School of Law and served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, prosecuting domestic terrorism, smuggling, and tax fraud. Prior to her appointment in 2012, she was a partner in a law firm where she specialized in complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense. One interesting story Schofield shared with us was of her mother wanting her to assimilate: while her Filipina mother ate rice, she made variations on the potato for her daughter. Schofield certainly was driven and I appreciated her articulateness and her direct, no-nonsense sensibility. We are lucky to have her represent us in the federal judicial system. One hopes that there are others in the pipeline.

This designer pays homage to the traditional Filipina gown with butterfly sleeves.

Fashion show highlights Filipino American designers
Thursday evening’s fashion show kicked off with members of FANHS chapters, including San Francisco chapter’s own Jason Agpaoa, interpreting their version of Filipino and Filipino American fashion style. Veejay Floresca, “islandwear” fashion designer Twinkle Ferraren, and Rafé Totengco, award-winning fashion designer and owner of his namesake handbag collection Rafé New York and creative director for handbags with the Nine West Group Inc., served as guest judges. The main contest featured designs by Iris Gil Vilacrusis, John Soriano, Katrina Delantar, Maria Velez, and Stephanie Gancayco. I didn’t keep track of who designed what, but my favorites were the two accessories designers – one who designed purses and the other who designed necklaces and matching purses. Although all had pieces that I found beautiful and would certainly have proudly worn, the accessories designer whose intricate necklaces and matching purses – made with organic fibers – won. It was a treat to see these designers incorporate natural materials and interpret Filipino traditional style in their designs.

One of the winning accessory designer’s distinctive necklaces.

I attended the session “Language, Labor, and Longing: Three Fulbright Experiences in the Philippines,” in which, as the title reveals, three academics shared their experiences in the Philippines as Fulbright scholars. Jason Reblando, photographer and artist based in Chicago and teaches photography at Illinois State University, exhibited his photographs. He captured the images of Filipinas who work overseas and congregate in the financial district in Hong Kong on Sundays, as well as a town filled with homes mirroring Italian architecture, which reflected the world of the Filipino overseas workers who work in Italy and return home to take care of their families. Grace Talusan, essayist and fiction writer who teaches writing at Grub Street and Tufts University, spent her time connecting with her heritage. Joseph Legaspi, co-founder of Kundiman, a nonprofit organization serving Asian American literature and poetry, talked about the process of applying for a Fulbright, which appears to be a lengthy, complex, and arduous process. Still, the presenters certainly gained so much personally and professionally from their stay in the Philippines.

‘Filipino Americans making waves in mainstream’
One of the wonderful gifts of the conference’s location in New York is the ability to invite local high-profile Filipino-American leaders who represent so many different industries to be on panels. “Filipino Americans making waves in mainstream” featured those who have established themselves in their respective fields. Karla Garcia, New York City-based performer, choreographer, and teacher is currently in “Hamilton: A New American Musical,” which chronicles the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manual Miranda. The musical was nominated for a record-setting 16 Tony Awards – of which it won 11 – and won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Garcia explained how as a “swing” she has had to learn thus far four of the five parts she was given, including the 50 songs written for the musical. The hardest part, she revealed, was remembering where to pick up and where to leave props on stage.

With Karla Garcia of Hamilton.

The millennial Matt Ortile started out in the Editorial Fellowship Program, Buzzfeed’s boot camp, after moving to New York. Ortile, who was raised in Manila, worked his way up to Editor of Buzzfeed Philippines, whose properties boast some 300,000 followers and is quite influential not just among Filipinos in the homeland but Filipinos around the world.

Jhett Tolentino, one-half of JoanJhett Productions and three-time Tony Award winning Broadway producer, is only the third Filipino to have won a Tony and the first Filipino Tony Awards voter. He won for co-producing “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” the 2013 Tony winner for Best Play. In 2014, he won for co-producing “A Raisin in the Sun,” which starred Denzel Washington, as well as “Gentleman’s Guide.” Tolentino, who was born and raised in the Philippines, shared with us that he was an accountant who loved going to the theater and talking about it with his friends after the show. Upon his friends’ advice, he ran with his passion and became a critic, seeing more than 1,700 plays. His acumen as accountant served him well when he transitioned to producer. He was one of the producers of “Here Lies Love,” a rock musical about Imelda Marcos’s life and adapted from a concept album collaboration between David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. It was inspiring to hear him talk about not just following his true passion, but leveraging all his skills to become a successful producer, who, as he explained, wears many hats. After the session, I was able to meet and chat with all three, which was a treat for starstruck me.

Karla Garcia, Matt Ortile, and Jhett Tolentino respond to moderator Alexandra Thomas’s questions.

Shining a light on little-known historical events in the Philippines
On Saturday, I attended the session “Forgotten Philippine and Filipino American History.” Sharon Delmendo, PhD, professor of English at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, gave a presentation based on her research, “In Time of Need, an Open Door: Holocaust Rescue in the Philippines,” which looks at how Manuel Quezon welcomed some 1,300-plus Jewish refugees to the Philippines before World War II. “When the Time of Need Came: Manuel Quezon and Holocaust Rescue in the Philippines,” is a scholarly analysis of Commonwealth President Manuel Quezon’s efforts on behalf of Jewish refugees that is geared for the general public. Delmendo pointed out that local newspapers in the Philippines were reporting on Kristallnacht, the wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms that swept through Nazi Germany in November 1938, and other atrocities, so Filipinos were well aware of the persecution of Jewish people. Quezon inserted a mandate on the promotion of social justice in the Philippines’ constitution, and that constituted the first of many instances of the Philippines stepping up and welcoming refugees who were being driven out of their homeland, according to Delmendo. I never knew about the Holocaust Rescue in the Philippines, so all this was fascinating to me, although one elder academic attendee pronounced that Filipinos are inherently and historically racist, which made for an interesting discussion on racist Philippines versus immigrant-friendly Philippines. Someone brought up the fact that the combined Spanish and American colonial rule lasting hundreds of years certainly played a big role in instilling racism on the islands.

Jeffrey Acosta, founding member of the FANHS Hampton Roads chapter and adjunct instructor of U.S. History at Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Va., told the story of the Buffalo Soldiers who fought in the Philippine-American War, 1898-1902. In July 1899, the U.S. 25^th Infantry Regiment was one of the first “colored” units to arrive in the Philippines to combat the First Philippine Republic, according to Acosta. He talked about the internal and external conflict that these soldiers endured, facing discrimination at home and relating to the Filipinos who were being similarly mistreated by racist American soldiers and political leaders. Trying to bring the story of the Buffalo Soldiers to a wider audience has been taken up by others, including FANHS East Bay emeritus president Evangeline Buell and Bay Area filmmakers. Actor Danny Glover, who also starred in the television movie, The Buffalo Soldiers, is lending support for a documentary that is in pre-production about the soldiers and their service in the Philippines.

Raymund Liongson, associate professor and coordinator of the Philippine/Asian Studies program at the University of Hawaii-Leeward, talked about the abuses he experienced for his opposition views against the Marcos regime, and Elissa Ortiz added her own anecdotes. I appreciated the speakers sharing information and their research about these different periods in the Philippines’ history.

Filmmaker Marissa Aroy produced a short film on Filipino voices, which was inspired by Kevin Nadal’s anecdote about the exclusion of Filipinos in a short film about the voice of Americans.

New York, New York
The final event of this fabulous conference was the FANHS Gala on the Hornblower ship, which featured dancing to the music of Joe Bataan and his band, dancing with actor and singer Paolo Montalbán, and hearing the inspiring words of hostess Geena Rocero, supermodel/TV host, activist and founder of Gender Proud. Previously, I didn’t know anything about Rocero, but I learned that her Ted Talk “Why I Must Come Out” was viewed more than 2 million times in just a few months. It was great talking with FANHS members whom my sister and I met at the conference. The biggest star, however, was the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty – all beautifully lit up – as the boat gave us a breathtaking tour of the Hudson River. It was the perfect ending to a really wonderful conference.

Heidi and I pose before boarding the Hornblower ship.

Twilight skyline.

Selfie with a view.

Beautiful traditional Filipino fashion.

If there was one complaint that I had about the conference, it is two-fold but under the same theme. This was the first conference to hold a Filipino American film festival, which was put together by a team that included Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and friend, Marissa Aroy, whose documentary, Delano Manongs: The Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers Movement, shines a light on Filipino American contributions to California’s farm labor movement. However, it ran concurrently all-day Thursday, which meant if you took in the sessions and keynote speaker sessions, you missed out on the films, which is what happened to me. There were some 60 education sessions in all spread across three days. I had to prioritize, and a few times I missed an interesting session in favor of another one. But I guess that’s a good problem to have.

Geena Rocero gives an inspiring talk about being true to yourself and your roots.

I was lucky enough to be the last “box” dancer with actor Paolo Montalban to raise money for FANHS.

Up close and rocking out to Joe Bataan and his band!

What happens when you are on a boat with 500 Filipinos on the Hudson Bay….

Kudos to Kevin Nadal, who spearheaded the fantastic FANHS 2016 Biennial Conference! Cheers!

My first FANHS biennial conference was magical, educational, and inspirational. I was in awe of the talent across so many areas in my Filipino American community. And I fell in love with New York all over again. As Alicia Keys aptly wrote and belted out: “New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of/There’s nothing you can’t do/Now you’re in New York/These streets will make you feel brand new/Big lights will inspire you/Hear it for New York, New York, New York.” Then again, FANHS announced that FANHS2018 will be held in another one of my favorite cities – Chicago. While I’ll be surely going, the work now and ongoing will be all about telling our stories, advocating for so many causes impacting Filipino Americans, and remembering and honoring our pinoy/pinay roots.

Exactly.

The real star of New York – its skyline lit up.

A Pinoy State of Mind: Building with Our Roots, Part I

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Patty

The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) celebrated its 16^th Biennial Conference, June 22-25, in New York at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (524 W 59th St, New York, NY 10019). While I have been a member of the Stockton chapter of FANHS since 2004 (I joined the East Bay chapter in 2015), this was my first FANHS conference. I heard one of the FANHS National trustees declare that this conference was the best ever – and she’s attended all 16 of them – so I think I picked the best one to attend as my first. It didn’t hurt that the venue was in my favorite city in the country.

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in midtown Manhattan.

My oldest sister, Heidi, met up with me in New York, after my family went back home following a week of being tourists. My sister isn’t a member of FANHS, but she was intrigued by the various sessions being offered with such topics as genealogy, Filipinos in the military, oral histories, the Filipino Food Movement, cultural and historical preservation, WWII and Vietnam veterans, storytelling, and advocacy and organizing. We didn’t join the bus tour Wednesday afternoon that took conference attendees to various landmarks around the city, but I do regret not learning more about Filipino Americans in New York and seeing where Jose Rizal stayed during his visit in 1888 and where authors Jose Garcia Villa and Carlos Bulosan stayed when they came here. That Wednesday evening, the conference began with an opening reception and singing, dancing, and dramatic interpretation performances, all showcasing the vast talent of Filipino Americans in New York.

My sister, Heidi, and me at the conference.

Telling our stories
Thursday morning, FANHS 2016 Conference Coordinator Kevin Nadal gave a warm welcome and was followed by Broadway actress (“Here Lies Love,” “School of Rock”) Jaygee Macapugay’s spirited rendition of Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind, an ode to the city that never sleeps. The opening panel featured Dorothy Laigo Cordova, founder and executive director of FANHS, and Ambassador Mario Lopez de Leon, Jr., Philippine Consul General to New York.

One of the themes that this panel stressed was the importance of telling our stories. They entreated us to tell our stories to other immigrants and other groups. We must “make our numbers count” and realize that we do matter and that we can influence what’s happening to us and around us. Ambassador Lopez de Leon, Jr. instructed us to “make our presence felt.” He concluded, “We have excelled. Our next step is to assume a position of influence and leadership.”

A dramatic performance by a troupe of Filipinas.

Being thoroughly entertained by this quartet of wonderful singers.

Nadal moderated the next session, the opening Plenary appropriately titled “A Pinoyorker Renaissance,” which featured Joe Bataan, King of Latin Soul; Ernabel Demillo, four-time Emmy nominated journalist and television news reporter who used to work in Sacramento; Rachelle Ocampo, host of Makilala TV Health; actress Jaygee Macapugay; and DJ Neil Armstrong, Jay-Z’s tour DJ and President Obama’s Inauguration DJ. While I knew who Joe Bataan – Afro Filipino King of Latin Soul, originator of the New York Latin Soul style that fuses Latin-African beats with Soul and Doo wop – was, I had never heard his music. He related that he grew up in Spanish Harlem, got in trouble at an early age, and then had an epiphany that he had better do something with his life before it spiraled out of control. He got involved in music and he’s been entertaining audiences and serving as mentor to many musicians for decades. He is an inductee into the Musicians Hall of Fame, a recent inductee into the Smithsonian Institute, and his portrait was unveiled in The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., in October 2013. I was honored to hear and see him.

Kevin Nadal moderates a panel comprising, from left to right, Joe Bataan, DJ Neil Armstrong, Ernabel Demillo, Rachelle Ocampo, and Jaygee Macapugay.

On a personal note, I have to say that I was relieved to hear Ocampo and Demillo openly admit that they don’t know the language, although Rachelle is taking Tagalog lessons. It’s interesting to learn that while, through the years, the older generation berated my sisters and me for not knowing the language, the practice of our first-generation parents not teaching their native language – Ilocano, Tagalog, Visayan, etc. – to their children, was widespread. Therefore, our parents and many first-generation parents either were pressured by society or concluded on their own that assimilation would prevent their children from facing discrimination and was the path to surviving and thriving in their new country. Unfortunately, our parents and the first generation didn’t realize that assimilation meant for some or many the subtle or outright rejection of one’s heritage and ethnicity. It’s really up to the second and succeeding generations to embrace their heritage and continue to pass on that love and appreciation.

A group of FANHS conference attendees took advantage of getting tickets to see School of Rock, which stars Jaygee Macapugay.

Meeting the very talented group of kids after the show.

Actresses Mamie Parris and Jaygee Macapugay answer questions from the audience.

History lessons of the Philippine Revolution
I was most interested in the Thursday morning session on “Revisiting Aguinaldo, Rizal, Bonifacio and Antonio Luna: A Filipino American Perspective,” which was led by Oscar Peneranda, well-known San Francisco Bay Area writer, educator, and activist, and Tony Santa Ana, community organizer, artist, and educator at De Anza Community College in the San Francisco Bay Area. For those who don’t know these names in the title session, they are national heroes and figures who contributed to the fight for freedom from Spanish rule.

What I appreciated the most was the fact that those who attended were knowledgeable about these Filipino leaders and engaged in a spirited discussion about the Philippine-American War, which is the subject of my second novel-in-progress. Among the things I learned is that the U.S. Bureau of Printing published a book of surveys and maps that the Navy had completed in the 1840s, which is evidence, according to one academic in attendance, that the United States had its eyes on the Philippines decades before events in 1898 led to the Philippine-American War. The Philippines, as someone pointed out, was a victim of geography because it was seen as the gateway to the rich markets in China. As you can imagine, I took many notes and picked up a handful of business cards.

Jeepney, a Filipino gastropub (201 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003), was such a popular place and full of FANHS conference attendees that Heidi and I couldn’t get in one evening!

We ended up walking several blocks down to the Ugly Kitchen, an Asian fusion and Filipino cuisine gastropub at 103 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003, was noisy but we feasted on its signature spicy pork buns (marinated pork in a soft milk bun with lettuce, house sauce, and house brined pickles.

Defining what is American
Thursday afternoon, before Jose Antonio Vargas took the podium as Thursday’s keynote speaker, news broke out that the Supreme Court deadlocked – 4-4 – on reviving President Obama’s plan to prevent deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants and instead give them the right to work legally in the country. A tangential aside: Understand that this is a sad consequence of not allowing President Obama to appoint a justice for the seat vacant since Antonin Scalia passed away in mid-February. Vargas, who is a journalist, filmmaker, and immigration rights activist, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 and founded Define American, “a nonprofit media and culture organization that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration and citizenship in America.” He is also the founder, editor, and publisher of #EmergingUS, “a digital platform that lives at the intersection of race, immigration, and identity in a multicultural America.” Vargas “came out” in 2011 when wrote about his experiences as an undocumented immigrant in the United States, and penned a front-cover article in the June 25, 2012, issue of Time magazine. He produced the documentary “Documented” and was nominated for an Emmy for his MTV documentary “White People.”

Jose Antonio Vargas being interviewed after his keynote address.

This is the first time I’ve heard him speak, and I was truly honored. Vargas is a courageous, impassioned, inspirational human being. Because of the freshness of the Supreme Court ruling announcement and his raw emotions, Vargas asked that no one in the audience stream or record his keynote. That said, he was in control of his emotions, even throwing out liberal doses of humor and sarcasm. No doubt bolstered by having to deal with the wrath of many anti-immigration foes – from politicians and policymakers to people on the street – he showed tremendous restraint and reason in the face of ignorance and hatred. He talked about lessons learned and observations of other movements – specifically gay marriage – and noted that we have to “change culture before we can change politics.” Vargas explained, “You have to change the culture in which people talk about issues.”

“It’s important to control and frame our own narrative,” he went on. Vargas was brimming with surprising statistics, such as 1 out of 7 Koreans in this country is undocumented. So it’s not an issue of undocumented workers from Mexico, as most people would assume. Multiple nationalities are under that umbrella. Therefore, we must all work together and not look at this issue as another immigrant group’s problem. We need to remind those who seek to build walls or fences or shut the gate that our country was founded by immigrants.

One of my favorite lines that he quoted was from his MTV film “White People”: “White is not a country.” I tweeted that because so many people in this country need to be reminded of that phenomenon that seems to be treated as fact in the U.S. Vargas is thick-skinned, which I admire greatly. He has faced this question so many times – “Why are you here? Why are there so many of you here?” He formulated a brilliant comeback: “We are here because you were there.”

His conclusion may well have been the call to action to us in the audience. Many of us – especially those of us who are second generation and beyond – are privileged in myriad ways. “With privilege comes responsibility,” Vargas pointed out. “What are you doing with yours?” While the ruling was a big blow, he emphasized, disappointment must lead to positive action.

Both author panels pose for a group photograph.

Vickie Santos and me at the FANHS Bay Area Consortium chapter table with our books.

Author, author: Immigrant stories around the country
Later in the afternoon, I participated in the second of two author panels. Metro New York chapter member (who grew up in the Sacramento area, I found out via my cousin Leila Eleccion Pereira) Brenda Gambol moderated the panels. The second panel featured four authors whose works shared a common theme – immigrant stories representing various parts of the country – California, Hawaii, Alaska, and Illinois. Dr. Patricia Rosarnio-DeGuzman Brown, psychologist, educator, researcher, and author, read from Filipinas: Voices from the Daughters and Descendants of Hawaii’s Plantation Era. Dr. Brown is a FANHS trustee and founder and executive administrator of FANHS Hawai’i State chapter. Victoria Santos, president of FANHS East Bay, co-authored a book with her 94-year-old mother, who lives in Chicago. Memoirs of a Manang: The Story of a Filipina American Pioneer chronicles Vicky’s mother’s life as an immigrant and activist in America. Lastly, FANHS Seattle Chapter member Robert Francis Flor, PhD, read from his recently published book of poems, Alaskero Memories, an ode to the Filipino Americans who worked in Alaska’s canneries and fisheries.

Acclaimed author Mia Alvar.

Mia Alvar, me, and a signed copy of her book.

In the evening, we were treated to a panel discussing Mia Alvar and her New York Times best-selling book, In the Country, a collection of nine fictional short stories about the Filipino diaspora inspired by her own transnational experience. I had her sign my copy of her book and had our picture taken. Of course, excited, I tweeted that I was honored to meet her, and she was kind enough to tweet a similar sentiment. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of her stories. I am halfway through the collection. The first story, “The Contrabida,” is as unsettling a story as it is beautifully rendered. My favorite thus far is “Esmeralda,” in which Alvar beautifully captures the shock, surrealism and heartache of 9/11 told in the perfect-pitch second person point of view.

Part II will be published on Monday, July 25.

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Category Archives: Places to See

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A Pinoy State of Mind: Building with Our Roots, Part II

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A Pinoy State of Mind: Building with Our Roots, Part I

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