morbid anatomy

homo ex humo morbid anatomy museum

the morbid anatomy museum is finally complete, happily residing in their new headquarters in gowanus, brooklyn. i have attended two lectures there so far, both by the knowledgeable and charming dr. john troyer of the university of bath. the first lecture focused on the environmental issue of corpses; basically if their organic biomass is hazardous or helpful. the second dealt with the necrophilia laws in the united states, a case in wisconsin in particular, and other death-related errs in our country’s jurisprudence. nearly every night there is a fascinating lecture in the museum’s basement, and of course, the museum is open during the day as well to satisfy your skeletal cravings. the above photo is called homo ex humo (man from the dust) and can be found on the museum’s website. by sv

bloody, bloody jeff koons

jeff koons vandalized

these days when gallivanting in new york city, the presence of jeff koons is preeminent. his retrospective at the whitney museum is the first for both the artist and the museum; his work fills the entirety of the marcel breuer building. hated and loved by critics alike, one in particular took it upon himself to enter the retrospective yesterday, splatter red paint (in all its fallen angel glory) all over the wall and scribble a somewhat unidentifiable signature below. it is rumored to be monty cantsin (alias of istvan candor, a neoist), or possibly johnny rotten’s evil twin? either way, if you don’t agree with the politicking behind jeff koons, is this the best way to display that? [image and information courtesy of hyperallergicby sv

 

hudson valley goodness

Breakneck-Ridge-hudson-valley-ny-hiking

sometime between now and mid autumn, make your way out of the city and spend sometime with nature. get some fresh air and a good natural workout.

head up from grand central on the metro-north to the cold spring stop in the hudson valley and hike breakneck trail. it is both rewarding with it’s views and it’s challenges. the ‘trail’ is not for the weary. not for those who are scared of heights, not for those who are not limber, not for those who will wimp out. this one is serious but fun.

bring plenty of water, a camera or at least your phone, some protein and fruits to snack on (plenty of places to do a beautiful picnic even.) wear good sneakers with traction or hiking footwear with good thick socks. wear sunscreen and bug repellent. sunglasses optional but on a sunny day a good, secure pair will prevent a nice eyeball sunburn ( thats a real thing.) bring a small first aid kit in-case of any scrapes from the rock faces you’re about to beast. bring someone who is going to love it as much as you.

some stats:

the scenery- unreal and picturesque on a clear day

difficulty- 10 out of 10

highlights- insane views, incredibly steep trail, rock scrambling

distance- 3.7 – 4.0 mile loop

approximate roundtrip time- 4 hours

total ascent- 1,442 feet

 

my personal experience: i came off that trail feeling entirely accomplished, healthy, and clear minded. then i had a beer to reward myself for kicking my ass that hard on a sunday.

good luck and if you get around to discovering this hike, please share your experience in our comments section of this post!

 

sources ( and thank you to ) hike the hudson valley, new york state parks by pl

take a ride on the wild side

lou-reed-honda-advertisement-480x624-2

lou reed was a man of oh-so-many talents. including, as we see here, a good pitch. this is the 1985 ad for honda scooters, where lou urges you not to settle for walking, but wherever you travel–make sure it’s somewhere wild. you can see the world trade center in the background of the ad, and the sordid world of manhattan’s lower east side in the commercial. my my, how things change–but lou’s undeniable cool will reign forever! by sv

the old woman

THE OLD WOMAN

the old woman bam 001

this past sunday i sat anxiously with my fellow new yorkers (including steve buscemi) in the howard gilman opera house at BAM. we were anticipating the old woman, a beckettian and at times vaudevillian play starring the hysterically strange duo, willem dafoe and mikhail baryshnikov. i say hysterically in the comical sense, their almost slapstick outbursts and alternating shrieks are toxically delightful. the duo could be brothers, with our without the deranged kabuki makeup–and as the show demonstrated, their synchronicity is magnificent. there is an old woman’s corpse, is it in the trapezoidal bed? have several other old women fallen out of the window? are our protagonists, A and B merely halves of the same convoluted mind? perhaps all of these things. the play is based on the novella by daniil kharms, an absurdist soviet poet and writer, and certainly shines with glimpses of mayakovsky and other members of the futurist movement. even days later, i am still captivated by the folkloric animals and the suspenseful, oftentimes menacing lighting by aj weissband. the play runs through the end of the week, if you get a chance to be mesmerized by this angular and engaging pantomime circus. by sv

nude york: nude yoga craze

the nudist camp idea worked in principle, but never in practice. we wonder how that will net-out with the nude yoga craze that’s sweeping new york? if you ask us we could think of a few little glitches that may come at the seams.

there is bold & naked, and then there’s nude york yoga amongst many others. there are also one on one classes that may seem less problematic. in a q&a session, the issue of erections was passed around… “it rarely happens, but when it does it’s okay and nothing to be embarrassed about. it will pass quickly. erections happen for a lot of reasons and are not limited to sexual attraction. yoga moves a lot of energy throughout the body and sometimes erections happen. but once we start moving, there is no way an erection could be sustained, because of the physical nature of vinyasa yoga.” be sure to take that specific class. by nk

hotel americano

Hotel-Americano-new-york-chelsea-Entrance

Hotel-Americano-new-york-chelsea-on-suite-bathroom-interior

Hotel-Americano-new-york-chelsea-modern-cube-Suite

hotel-americano-new-york-chelsea-rooftop-Bar-terrace

Hotel-Americano-new-york-chelsea-Rooftop-Pool

with a stunning design by renowned mexican architect enrique norten, the hotel americano stands majestically in the heart of west chelsea. boasting a gorgeous interior design by mch-arnaud montigny, visitors can enjoy their wood-enclosed beds, or dine and swim at the rooftop restaurant and luxurious pool (which changes temperature, depending on the season). by xy

sol lewitt

Screen Shot 2014-04-17 at 10.15.36 AM

the famously shy artist sol lewitt is depicted in this new documentary film by chris teerink. a dominant voice in conceptual art, lewitt’s legacy of stunning colors and illusory patterns is beauty that has, and will continue to span and inspire artists and admirers alike. the film will be playing at the illustrious film forum in new york city, may 7-13. by sv

blonde venus

marlene dietrich smoking shanghai express

starting this evening, our wonderful friends at BAM will feature a retrospective of the seven collaborations between director josef von sternberg and the german goddess marlene dietrich. the series begins with morocco and shanghai express (which i am fortunate enough to be attending) and will continue through the next week. if you’re in the new york area, do yourself a favor this week and pay a visit. by sv