Stan4dSteph
01-31-2006, 03:35 PM
I did a quick down and back to NYC yesterday to catch the Pixar: 20 Years of Animation (http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2005/pixar.html) exhibit at MoMA before it closes next weekend. It's really a fantastic exhibit. I loved being able to get up close and see the detail in many of the pieces. Two pieces done for the exhibit, the Artscape and the Toy Story zoetrope, had me standing there with my mouth open in wonder.
The Artscape was a digital film projected onto an entire wall, made by compositing the pieces from the exhibit together and animating them with ambient sounds added in. I sat through it twice, and the audience assembled to watch clapped both times as it finished. Really a fantastic experience.
The Zoetrope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetrope) was made up of Toy Story characters, including Army Men parachuting from the top and Wheezy jumping on seesaw. The illusion of movement is suspended at one point during the presentation by turning off the strobe effect, so that the viewer can see what's "behind the curtain."
After the exhibit, I had tea over at The Tea Box at Takashimaya. Here are some images of the decor (http://www.crstudio.com/cat.php?projectid=42), and here's a review on CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/02/11/nyc.tea.ap/) with an image of what I had, the east-west tea.
http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/02/11/nyc.tea.ap/story.tea.box.ap.jpg
Some of the items were different, for example I had a vanilla panna cotta, not a mocha pudding, but I really enjoyed the whole thing and it was quite filling. The veggie crisps were really yummy.
After tea, I went shopping at the NYC World of Disney store. Here are some pictures of things I saw there (http://homepage.mac.com/stan4d_steph/PhotoAlbum17.html). The Disney Couture pajamas were really cute.
I finished up my evening with dinner at Le Pain Quotidien (http://www.lepainquotidien.com/), a Belgian bakery/cafe chain. It's very Euro. I was seated at the communal table, where I struck up some nice conversation with a neighbor who was reading a book on Edward Hopper. She had ordered a hot chocolate, which comes as warm frothy milk and a cup of chocolate on the side. She declared it excellent. I'll have to try that the next time. My food was wonderful. I ordered a grilled chicken and smoked mozzarella sandwich that came open-faced with a drizzle of pesto on top. I ended up taking half home with me; I was still full from tea! I would definitely eat at either place again.
The weather was freakishly warm, in the 50s, so walking was a breeze and everyone was out and about. I can't wait to do more short trips when winter is finally over. :)
The Artscape was a digital film projected onto an entire wall, made by compositing the pieces from the exhibit together and animating them with ambient sounds added in. I sat through it twice, and the audience assembled to watch clapped both times as it finished. Really a fantastic experience.
The Zoetrope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetrope) was made up of Toy Story characters, including Army Men parachuting from the top and Wheezy jumping on seesaw. The illusion of movement is suspended at one point during the presentation by turning off the strobe effect, so that the viewer can see what's "behind the curtain."
After the exhibit, I had tea over at The Tea Box at Takashimaya. Here are some images of the decor (http://www.crstudio.com/cat.php?projectid=42), and here's a review on CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/02/11/nyc.tea.ap/) with an image of what I had, the east-west tea.
http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/02/11/nyc.tea.ap/story.tea.box.ap.jpg
Some of the items were different, for example I had a vanilla panna cotta, not a mocha pudding, but I really enjoyed the whole thing and it was quite filling. The veggie crisps were really yummy.
After tea, I went shopping at the NYC World of Disney store. Here are some pictures of things I saw there (http://homepage.mac.com/stan4d_steph/PhotoAlbum17.html). The Disney Couture pajamas were really cute.
I finished up my evening with dinner at Le Pain Quotidien (http://www.lepainquotidien.com/), a Belgian bakery/cafe chain. It's very Euro. I was seated at the communal table, where I struck up some nice conversation with a neighbor who was reading a book on Edward Hopper. She had ordered a hot chocolate, which comes as warm frothy milk and a cup of chocolate on the side. She declared it excellent. I'll have to try that the next time. My food was wonderful. I ordered a grilled chicken and smoked mozzarella sandwich that came open-faced with a drizzle of pesto on top. I ended up taking half home with me; I was still full from tea! I would definitely eat at either place again.
The weather was freakishly warm, in the 50s, so walking was a breeze and everyone was out and about. I can't wait to do more short trips when winter is finally over. :)