NYC - Quick One-Day Trip Report

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 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 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, and here's a review on CNN.com with an image of what I had, the east-west tea.

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. The Disney Couture pajamas were really cute.

I finished up my evening with dinner at Le Pain Quotidien, 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.

Ghoulish Delight · 01-31-2006, 03:48 PM

Wow, that sounds awesome! I'm betting that zoetrope was slightly better than the one I made of a stick figure getting hit by a car in the DCA Animation Building.

Now I want a pesto chicken sandwich.

fyi, we've got a new Rank the Swank forum for just such a review.

Stan4dSteph · 01-31-2006, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

fyi, we've got a new Rank the Swank forum for just such a review.

Thanks. Perhaps later. If I use the RtS forum, I would have to create several separate threads instead of dumping this all here.

UvaGirl · 01-31-2006, 04:11 PM

Cool - sounds like you had fun!

Just checked out the website for Le Pain Quotidien - it looks like a really nice place. I'll have to check it out sometime when I'm next in the States

Not Afraid · 01-31-2006, 04:21 PM

After being in awe of the zoetrope at the Ghinli Museum in Tokyo, I really want to see this one. I guess I'm just going to have to go to London to see it.......opens April 1 at the Science Museum.

01-31-2006, 03:35 PM	#1
Stan4dSteph Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,156	NYC - Quick One-Day Trip Report I did a quick down and back to NYC yesterday to catch the Pixar: 20 Years of Animation 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 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, and here's a review on CNN.com with an image of what I had, the east-west tea. 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. The Disney Couture pajamas were really cute. I finished up my evening with dinner at Le Pain Quotidien, 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.
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01-31-2006, 03:48 PM	#2
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Wow, that sounds awesome! I'm betting that zoetrope was slightly better than the one I made of a stick figure getting hit by a car in the DCA Animation Building. Now I want a pesto chicken sandwich. fyi, we've got a new Rank the Swank forum for just such a review. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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01-31-2006, 04:11 PM	#4
UvaGirl Somewhere beyond the sea Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 396	Cool - sounds like you had fun! Just checked out the website for Le Pain Quotidien - it looks like a really nice place. I'll have to check it out sometime when I'm next in the States __________________ Cause I'm a train wreck Waiting to happen Waiting for someone to come pick me up off the tracks
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01-31-2006, 04:21 PM	#5
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	After being in awe of the zoetrope at the Ghinli Museum in Tokyo, I really want to see this one. I guess I'm just going to have to go to London to see it.......opens April 1 at the Science Museum.
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