It all started innocently enough with a cake and coffee. Not just any sweets or caffeine but the delectable Viennese delights at Cafe Sabarsky. This art nouveau masterpiece masquerading as a cafe is housed in a mansion on Fifth Avenue, a stone's the from the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art. The cafe is on the ground floor of the Neue Galerie, the Museum of German and Austrian art noted for the worldest most expensive painting, the portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer by Gustave Klimt purchased for 135 million dollars.
Whenever I'm in the city, I go off my diet and indulge in the best cakes this side of heaven and dare I say it? the best coffee on the planet. The plan that day was to get suitably caffeinated before trekking to the Met. Before leaving, I thought I'd snap some pics of the gorgeous Art Nouveau staircase. I climbed the pristine marble staircase, camera at the ready when a none too friendly security guard said, "No photos!"
I stepped back, bewildered. I wasn't near any art work. I don't look like a terrorist. What was going on? I politely asked him for permission. He said no. I snapped away anyway. He placed his hand in front of the camera and ruined my shot or so I thought. It turned out his hand was my favorite shot of the day. I had fun playing with a multi-exposure shot taken in the ladie's room with 'the hand'. The shot of the iron staircase would have to wait for another day.


Comments: 57
It was the schwartzwalder, chocolate with cherry liqueur and loads of whipped cream...
I'm not at all surprised, Layla. You're the first person I always think of when I hear the term "looks like a terrorist"!
Layla, great article, as always. I've heard of a scary movie called The Host, from Japan. By Brainstorm Media Films, which is lesser known, but uses effects masters from Harry Potter and LOTR. I'm a bit low on money, but thankfully I'm with parents who will let the rent slide for another month maybe. Right at the same time I'm choosing to stock up on furniture for the next move somewhere, and hopefully close to a decent job. I'm looking at an apartment tomorrow, but just for future reference. Gather to me doesn't have the old feeling of talking to someone, but instead talking to myself, so I'm also standing back from this for a little while, and returning to editing (which is going smoothly btw). Best wishes,
Ian
Let me know one time when you're coming to see art - I'd like to join you.
Cool. I was just at the Whitney last night to see the Summer of Love exhibit. Very trippy. I'll be posting a photo essay about it next week.
Blessings