Month: September, 2006

Christie’s auction preview and Shawn Colvin

Sunday, September 10th, 2006 | All Things, Arts, Music

I attended the Christie’s preview reception for their upcoming auction: “First Open: Post-War and Contemporary Art” — not “40 years of Star Trek: The Collection” (which takes place early next month) as the wise guys among you had surmised.

But for all you fanboys:

40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection
September 25 – October 3
Rockefeller Center Concourse

Christie’s presents 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection at auction October 5th-7th. The sale will offer an extraordinary array of property from one of the most groundbreaking and iconic film and television series in history. Items include costumes, props, weapons, artwork, rare furniture, accessories and more, encompassing Star Trek’s prolific 40 year history. Before going to auction, selected items will be on display in the Rockefeller Center Concourse from September 25th-October 3rd.

Edited to add: Admission to the viewing will be via purchase of a $90(!) or $500(!!) auction catalogue or by $25 “Star Pass” only.

M(LF), KP and I headed inside to the galleries together, and wandered among the artwork for auction, plastic wineglasses of chardonnay in hand. Pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, Willem de Kooning… and a lot of others I didn’t recognize. As usual, some of the stuff was downright bizarre: like Tony Feher’s installation of plastic bottles, water, food dye, wire and rope (estimated at $20,000-30,000.)

Christie's Galleries

Christie's Galleries

Christie's Galleries

Here, Rikrit Tiravanija’s silkscreened tent, titled Atlas (a seeming bargain at $5,000-7,000 – and you can sleep in it.) On the left wall, in peach, Imi Knoebel’s Siebeneck (Seven Corners) — enamel on shaped panel, valued at $20,000-$30,000.

Christie's Galleries

Afterwards, there was a private tour and a concert in the “Artist Den” upstairs. Before the main act, we screened taped performances from similar past events: Regina Spektor at The Angel Orensanz Foundation (one of the prettiest event spaces in New York) and Martha Wainwright on the stage we were watching. Finally: Shawn Colvin emerged, looking pretty darned good for her 50 years.

Right before the show, KP reminded me that Colvin’s biggest commercial success was for her single “Sunny Came Home.” All week I had somehow gotten it into my head that she was the artist behind “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” Turns out that’s Paula Cole – so uh, whoops. Both songs were nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 1998 Grammys — incidentally, Colvin won in both categories –- so the confusion is at least a little bit understandable. Paula Cole took Best New Artist that year.

Colvin had a charming, self-deprecating stage presence –- at one point, attempting and quickly abandoning a cover of The Carpenters “I Won’t Last A Day Without You.” She closed out her show with “I Don’t Know Why,” which KP was brave enough to shout out when Colvin asked for requests. Good thing I didn’t ask for “the Cowboy song.”

Christie's Sculpture

There's 1 comment so far

Broadway on Broadway

Sunday, September 10th, 2006 | All Things, Eats, Events, Music

We arrived at 43rd and Broadway just as the Broadway on Broadway concert was getting underway. No dice: nobody — except for the pair of uniformed Navy sailors — were getting through. We were sent over to Eighth Avenue, and began the slow march uptown: West 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th.. at every intersection, we met with police officers redirecting people farther and farther away from the crowds that were rapidly filling Broadway. Finally at 47th, we were able to make our way over.

44th Street

Broadway

Broadway

From our spots behind the wooden police barricades, we could hear the concert sounds being piped out through the massive speakers, but could not see the stage, or determine where it was, really. We heard a song each from The Producers and from Les Miz, (which apparently is being revived for a limited six-month engagement at the Broadhurst Theatre. Already?) and “Seasons of Love” from Rent, featuring infamous American Idol contestant Frenchie Davis (who got lots of love from the crowd.) Also, “It Sucks to Be Me,” from the incomparable Avenue Q, which SYB and I attended together back in 2004.

KATE MONSTER
… I’m kinda pretty
And pretty damn smart.

BRIAN
You are.

KATE MONSTER
Thanks!
I like romantic things
Like music and art.
And as you know
I have a gigantic heart
So why don’t I have…
A boyfriend?
F@&%!
It sucks to be me!

Naturally, that last interjection was edited out for the Times Square audience.

It seemed a bit pointless to stay for the entire concert — though I would have liked to hear Martin Short do his bit — so we left just as the selection from upcoming Grey Gardens was starting. Now where brunch?

The Ninth Avenue restaurant scene has exploded these past few years, and brunch is generally far less of an ordeal than farther uptown in my neighborhood. After dismissing some other options (Pam Real Thai, Island Burgers & Shakes) as not “brunchy” enough, we eventually found our way to Eatery. Unfortunately, it also happened to be the one place on that stretch of Avenue with a line out the door. Uh, no thanks.

We did the next best thing by heading over to Eatery’s lesser known sibling (and fellow WC-designed space) Whym. Good solid brunch of corned beef and sweet-potato hash with eggs – and I think we were the youngest people in the restaurant, excepting the bartender, which I find rarely happens in the city these days… outside the Philharmonic, that is.

Hash and Eggs

Errands at Whole Foods (ulitmately deciding against loitering among the prepared foods), and then we stumbled upon a fair in progress at Lincoln Center. When I asked SYB what was being sold at the stands there, I thought he replied “Crap” when he’d actually said: “Crafts.”

Crafts Fair

Don’t be sad if you missed it: they’ll be around next weekend, too. (And it’s not all crap.)

There are 4 comments

Seventh Avenue Street Fair

Saturday, September 9th, 2006 | All Things, Eats, Events

On the way into the office to learn of my fate, I passed the Seventh Avenue Street Fair in progress. Ah, the telltale wafts of smoke and all-too-familiar smells…

Last month, I came upon a news story that New York City street fairs all seem similar because they are similar, based on a report (.pdf) by the Center for an Urban Future. Their study found that complex politics result in the same vendors appearing at most of the fairs. Just three companies organize over two-thirds of the fairs, and 46 percent of all the food permits are distributed among the 20 largest vendors. Based on personal observation, I wonder: 20 — that many, really?  Sausage and peppers, gyros, funnel cakes, $1 Thai, corndogs, chicken pita, turkey legs, crepes, roasted corn on the cob, Mozzarepas  (those cornmeal-pancake/mozzerella sandwiches I’ve never seen outside  a street fair), fresh cut fruit/smoothies, kettle corn and fresh squeezed lemonade – what else is there?  Though truth be told, I do find it difficult to pass up those last two sometimes.

On rare occasions – usually only when the fair is linked to some specific theme – you may get offerings like eclairs and vichyssoise.

Seventh Ave Fair

Though I am entranced by the idea that you can pick up a viking-sized drumstick (along with your overstock brassieres, silver jewelry and tube socks), just minutes before catching a show at adjacent Carnegie Hall.

There's 1 comment so far