THE NEW YORK SUN BLOGS
Order out of Social Chaos
So much going on this week, when I sat down Wednesday night to make a list of all the parties I'd gone to so far, the list had 10 items on it. And it was only Wednesday.
Now it's Saturday, I technically have the day off, but I have a baby naming in Brooklyn soon (yay Abigail!). Before I go, though, I'm going to sort through the week and give you the highlights.
Pretty in Camelot
At the top of the list of fun nights at Avery Fisher Hall is the New York Philharmonic's performance of a popular work at springtime. This year it's Lerner & Loewe's Camelot. On opening night of athe limited run, ladies were pretty as princesses, men acted princely, and bronze castles surrounded by purple hydrangeas added courtly chic.
See more in the photo gallery:
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/nysun/outandabout/20080509nyphil
Wallinger's Horse in the Running for Angel of the South
Contenders for the Angel of the South sculpture commission this week
presented models of their ideas, with Mark Wallinger tipped to be the most
likely artist to win. Mr. Wallinger is famous for his recreation of the
anti-war protest outside the houses of Parliament, which was shown at Tate Britain, and for winning the Turner prize for loping around in a bear suit on video.
Voyeurism as Theater: 'Contains Violence'
"Contains Violence," at the Lyric Hammersmith, is a prime example of a
piece of theater that strives so hard to be fresh that it ends up being
not much at all. That said, it is worth going for the zany format alone.
The audience sits outside on a terrace (we were lucky; the weather was
warm and clear), and the show begins after sunset. Last night this was 9
p.m. On your way in, you are handed a pair of beefy headphones and a
New York as the Unfinished City
A friend, who is an artist and an economist from France, on a recent visit said she loves New York so much because no matter how many times she’s been here she always finds it new and interesting. Well, couldn’t you say that about any great city? Apparently not.
Thomas Bender’s “ The Unfinished City: New York and the Metropolitan Idea” observes:
Vomit-Free Zone: New Mayor To Ban Boozing on Tube
Weekend nights in London are about to change forever: The new mayor, Boris Johnson, is banning booze on Tubes and buses from June 1. Clusters of bellowing sports fans swigging cans of Stella, dressed-up girls en route to a club clutching open bottles of bad fizz, and, of course, the classier types necking vodka and Coke from Evian bottles will have to find new ways to get in the mood.
Banksy Gets Festive Underground
Banksy has just sent an even greater-than-usual shock of electricity through London. This time he's taken over a portion of unloved railway tunnel near Waterloo Station in a grim area of south-central London. Leake Street, a dank shortcut for taxis, has been filled with an awesome parade of images either by Banksy or orchestrated by him.
Ice Palace @ Costume Institute Gala
The Temple of Dendur tonight has been transformed into an ice palace for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute gala hosted by Giorgio Armani, with chairmen Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
Guests will go up the 26 steps of the museum's grand staircase, flanked by paparazzi, then follow a red carpet into the new exhibit showing fashions side by side superhero costumes, then continue for cocktails in the Petrie Court, before hitting the ice palace.
Veganism Hits London, to Puzzlement of Brits
It took a while, but veganism has finally made it onto the culinary radar here, at least enough so that the idea of a purely vegan restaurant isn't instantly dismissed as ridiculous. And so London's first up-market vegan outpost, called Saf (the chef, Chad Sarno, is American), has opened in the trendy Shoreditch area.
Gallery Adds: Ballet, Night in D.C., Young Lions, PEN
Scenes from this week's parties:
The White House Correspondents' Bash: http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/nysun/outandabout/20080428whca
New York City Ballet Opening Night:
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/nysun/outandabout/20080502nycb
Young Lions at the New York Public Library:
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/nysun/outandabout/20080429nypl
The PEN gala:
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/nysun/outandabout/20080429pen
