Not Wednesday, but Saturday, with Carol

Birthday Girl
I have heard from my readers who are wondering where my Wednesday posts have been for the past week. I have been remiss in not detailing a few of my Wednesday adventures.  For instance, last Wednesday, I met my girlfriends from Elmira College for lunch at the Yale Club.

Having taken the 6 train, I arrived at Grand Central Terminal early for the luncheon. I had to buy a birthday present for one of my ladies, and I found a little shop called Cursive, New York. There I purchased a colorful, small canvas bag in lavenders and reds made by Les Toiles du Soleil, a shop specializing in canvas fabrics from France. My nails were a frightful sight, so I walked over to Lexington Avenue and 45th Street to a wonderful salon, full of career women on their lunch breaks where I got a manicure and had my nails painted red.

Now let's forward to this Saturday, not a Wednesday, but still a perfectly good day of the week to write about. Richard and I have been enjoying a visit from his daughter, Dianna, and her husband, Michael, who live in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago. It's Dianna's birthday weekend so we planned a festive lunch in her honor at The River Café, down under the Brooklyn Bridge on the East River.

Dianna and Richard at The River Café.

They have an in-house florist.

The flowers are breathtakingly beautiful

 throughout the restaurant.

Michael, Richard and Dianna.

The River Café first opened in 1977 in a

desolate waterfront area by the Brooklyn Docks.

The restaurant seems to float on the East River

like a houseboat. It has unmatched views of Manhattan and
the river, plied by tour boats and water taxis.

The historic Brooklyn Bridge is seen through

the window.

 The Café's dinnerware.

The menu has always relied on the highest

quality cuisine and the freshest ingredients.

 In 2012, the Café was inundated with four feet

of water as it was battered by Hurricane Sandy.

They closed and rebuilt opening again

after 15 months with most of the staff returning.

Michael choosing our wine.

 The sommelier discusses our wine choice

with Richard.

 A toast to Dianna.

 My favorite item in our lunch.

Warm roasted Anjou pear, crisp goat cheese croustillant,

little gem lettuce, cider vinaigrette and

double smoked bacon.

 No repast is complete for Richard

without oysters.

 The Brooklyn Bridge dessert.

 Magnificent white floral display at the

Cafe's entrance.

RC's girlfriends.

Back home after our day in

Brooklyn....a petite birthday cake

for Dianna.

À Bientôt!

Wednesday with Carol, May 10, 2017

Kawabonga Kawakubo
This week I spent a few hours at The Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the new show at the Costume Institute: Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons, Art of the In-Between.

Let's put the emphasis on ART here because as clothes, the garments in the exhibit are virtually unwearable. That is the modus operandi of Ms. Kawakubo, the famously reclusive and mysterious madame of the far out.

Comme des Garçons (like boys) is Ms, Kawakubo's retail conduit to reality. At her stores around the world, clothes that people can purchase and wear, including tee-shirts with the Comme des Garçons logo, are for sale. In New York City, we have Dover Street Market, her emporium in an old bank on Lexington Avenue.

Meanwhile, she is holed up in an atelier in Paris or Tokyo conceptualizing themes like Then/Now, High/Low and Absence/Presence, like a high priestess of Clothes As Art, on the order of the artist Louise Bourgeois who was a high priestess of Art as Art.

Rei Kawakubo = Art + Commerce = Avant-Garde.

 I favor the red dresses because I like color.

This one has a plastic bodice

and bubble wrap hair.

 Intense bondage
and strange protuberances.

A flat skirt in felt.

 Gaga for Gingham.

The exhibit installation is stunning.

All white with curved shapes.

The installation reminds me of the Guggenheim Museum.

The dance of the Sugar-Plum Tailors.

Stark black lines on white tulle.

I like the large red circle on the skirt.

The ballet's costume designer

used up all the red tulle on the skirt.

The bodice is a composition

from the rag bag.

Dress meets coat flattened
by steamroller.

 The black against the white walls
is so effective. The sculptures on the heads
are a show stopper.

The silhouette is reminiscent of
a 19th century lady leaving
the Bon Marche with her shop-lifted
booty hidden in her booty.

After the Met, I walked for blocks and blocks
down Madison Avenue, finally hailing
a cab to take me to 58th Street near Second Avenue.

 My destination was Bon Vivant,
a cafe and shop selling
petit fours, coffee, tea and pastries.

 I met the lovely owner, Maya Hormis, who explained that
the exquisite cakes are made with  buttercream and
marzipan fillings and covered with a fondant icing.

This was my perfect treat on a Wednesday
afternoon, as I sat by the window gazing out
on a sun- dappled New York Street.
The petit four was scrumptious,
the Macchiato coffee was served in a perfectly sized cup.

The petit cakes may be ordered here.

À Bientôt!

Wednesdays with Carol, May 3, 2017

Linda at BG!
On a bright, breezy Wednesday in May, I travelled by the F train to 57th Street, on my way to Bergdorf Goodman, the elegant bastion of luxurious chic on New York's 5th Avenue. The occasion was the opening of Linda's, a shop created and curated by Linda Fargo, head buyer and senior vice president, fashion and store presentation of Bergdorf's.

The shop, on Bergdorf's 4th Floor, is a bon-bon box of edgy, colorful clothes and accessories, reflecting Linda's taste in downtown, uptown and every thing in between with a little bit of outrageous thrown in for good measure.

A mannequin styled as Linda.

I was fortunate that Linda was in the shop while I

was there. She can't be missed in her signature silver bob

and red lip stick.

Linda's has the exuberance of an African bazaar.

The Matisse-like colors and patterns on the fur coat

are stunning.

 An expansive beach hat by Lola.

 A frock both prim and unique

with it's flouncy cape.

A tableau of jazzy colors

 The shop is a jumble of color in 

the midst of its refined neighbors on the 4th floor.

 Aprons for kids.

 Fun sandals with Linda faces.

 Stars and hearts and red lipstick.

 The dressing rooms are wallpapered with

invitations that Linda has received for runway shows.

 This fancy dress is shown with a woven

bag from Africa that you could find

at a street fair.

But don't expect bargains here.

The prices are strictly Bergdorfs.

Here is the back of a rain coat hand-painted by

artist and filmmaker, Suzan Pitt.

It is held aloft for me to photograph by Linda. 

I believe it was sold shortly thereafter.

À Bientôt!