Wednesdays with Carol, April 5

Whitney Biennial Washes Ashore
& Table for Two with Jeanne
The 78th iteration of the eclectic flotsam and jetsam known as the Whitney Biennial was the setting for my third Wednesday with Carol. Joining me for a jaunt through the Whitney Museum was my sister, Jeanne Markel.

The Meatpacking district around the Whitney is becoming a neighborhood of luxury condominiums and shops. There is the noise and dust of construction everywhere. Where once the whiff of the animal carcasses, lamb chops and T bones wafted through the streets of Belgian block, there is now only an olfactory memory.

There are 63 artists in the show which covers the 5th and 6th floors. Themes are painting, installation, activism and video-game design.

Carol on Wednesday at

The Whitney.

Photo by Jeanne Markel

Coat by Alpana Bawa

Herman's Dress by Jessi Reaves.

This is an actual Herman Miller sofa which

the artist has covered in pink silk.

Materials are silk and thread (so glad they

included the thread in the label).

We met this guy, David Dranoff

while looking at the Reaves works.

David is a graduate of Tyler School of Art

where Richard taught for 37 years.

We liked his necklace which

spells Dranoff in plastic letters.

Photo of David from a Tyler Look Book.

 An intriguing "closet" with a tile interior.

 Our favorite painter in the Biennial is

Celeste Dupuy-Spenser, a

38-year old artist living in Los Angeles.

Her work is described as raw and

cartoonish, with a wry humor

and sympathy for her subject.

 A teaching moment in front of a

painting by Henry Taylor.

Fashion in the Whitney.

We loved the red and blue palette

and the poppy motif on the pants.

 We admired this lady in a
whimsical Marni blouse.

 A stunning stained glass installation

with beaded figures by Raul de Nienes.

A figure covered in beads and tassels.

We lunched at a cafe called Bagatelle.

Two blocks from the Whitney,

it is a calm oasis amid the

clamor of jack hammers.

And a lovely Francophile space indeed.

On a trip to Paris, Richard and I wandered

the Jardins de Bagatelle within the

Bois de Boulogne.

There we lost ourselves amid

the intoxicating Rose Garden of over10,000 bushes.

Bagatelle, from the Italian, means
"decorative little trifle".

Wouldn't you know it?

Jeanne brought me a present just "for Wednesday".

And French-themed to boot,

in a French restaurant!

It was wrapped like the French flag.

Bleu, Blanc, Rouge.

Here is the lovely Equipment Femme blouse from Jeanne.
 It's embroidered  with tiny French flags
and Eiffel Towers.

Lunch was delicious. Hearts of Bibb lettuce

and a chicken paillard with quinoa.

After lunch we walked through the

bustling Chelsea Market.

Our destination was Del Posto
on Tenth Avenue
for their famed Negroni.
Jeanne sipped a Campari and tonic.

À Bientôt!
Tous les mercredis.