Anime...NEXT!

You didn't think I was going home after New York, did you? Oh, no, there was one more leg! AnimeNext was at the end of my trip. Although I wasn't at the Artist Alley, and I wasn't cosplaying (the first con I've been to in a LONG while where I didn't), it was the only con I was going to make it to this summer, so I was eager to see people!

It was a bit of a mess getting out- I had to ship 26 pounds(!!!!) of books home! There was no way I would've made weight limit keeping them with me, much less zipping it closed! So off they went! I wrestled my baggage to Penn Station to take the train to New Brunswick Station- I got there in the nick of time, and had to stand most of the train ride, but all was well! I made it to the con in one piece and quickly got registered and on my way.

The first thing I did, literally within the hour of my arrival, was buy a pair of pink antlers from my friend Nyssa. She makes THE most adorable things, truly. Go see her Etsy! But without a cosplay, I felt rather naked, so clearly antlers were in order!

I had been cosplaying a respectable, mature college graduate, with my blacks, browns and muted colors for most of the trip. My, was it refreshing to be in bright pink again! I got to visit my darlings from SCAD, and also played Cosplay Maid helping my friend Ginny and her crew get ready for their masq skit that night. I cut bangs, sewed buttons and pinned and snapped and generally attempted to make myself useful!

I was again, the official picture-taker. If I can't be in costume, I try to at least be the one taking photos! My friends are so fun to photograph. I sent Ginny off to do her skit, and curled up in my room with miss Lina (who was also there!) to read comics, watch movies and eat pizza. (First time I ever ordered pizza by myself, woohoo! I am lame.)

Soon Ginny came bursting in, trophy in hand, and much screaming was had. She had won best in show after many years of trying! It was pretty awesome. We ate cookie cake, lots of pizza, and, well. They drank. Lots. At some point in the night, Ginny returned, very excited that she had won measuring tape as a prize. Much, much fun was had. And the best part? I actually got to sleep in the bed instead of the floor!

Early morning brought more photos, laughter, hugs, cuddles, and nerdiness. Exactly the way I wanted to end my trip. Goodies in hand, I was popped back on the train to New York, and then to JFK, to fly home. Naturally, I passed out for about three days after that! And am still in recovery, and likely will continue to be! But it was a brilliant, amazing two weeks, and I can't think of a better way to crown it than with a fun, mellow con.

Thanks everyone, for making my New York adventure one I'll never forget!
XOXOXO
~Lilly

On the avenue!

Thursday morning was spent with my comic kids. To be honest, I was still pretty beaten down from my critique the day before. It was hard to smile and keep going to class when you weren't entirely sure you were worth wasting the time on. Thankfully, our first visit, First Second, was a perfect remedy!

Located in the gorgeous Flatiron building, we were met by Gina Gagliano. We got an inside look of this highly artistic, content-rich company, and the thirst to produce soon surged. We were able to peek at new books before their release in September. My favorite was Koko Be Good, by Jen Wang. Oh, if I could have just snuck it in my tote bag! Alas, I'll have to wait till September. Still, there was hope. There are markets for what I do. We also had the rare and awesome opportunity to go to the point of the Flatiron building to see the square below, and the curved windows.
Now I broke away from my fellows in Sequential art to meet with Illustration, who was seeing Mark Smylie, director of Archaia Press, known best for Mouseguard. This was exactly what I wanted to do. However, there was some time left. So what do I do, naturally? Go and find kittens and books! PetSmart was on the way, so I took a few minutes to make kissy-faces at the kittens before locating a bookstore and parking myself in the children's book section. So, hand full of books, I go to the meeting.

It was wonderful that Archaia supports comics as an art form for adults, but also as a medium for children. So often people either swing one way or the other. It's important to know that comics are simply a medium- they aren't a genre. Unfortunately, we got hustled out of the restaurant (apparently the rest of the class had been there since the restaurant opened, and were taking up a lot of room. Mark ended up looking at my portfolio standing outside! However, he liked my work, so I'll send him my completed project!

We were set loose again. On my walk, I went back to Strand (seriously, it's a disease. I'm banned from books forever.) MoCCA was on the way back, so I swung by to visit. There were prints from the original Harlot's Progress by William Hogarth! It was also, again, very refreshing to see comics across such a wide spectrum of styles and uses. The museum was tiny, so it was quite an information overload! But a wonderful one indeed! Of course, my books had grown so heavy by then I had to take a cab home!

That night, there was a party, where all of the people we had met would attend, along with schmoozing and otherwise milling around. It was at a fancy lounge, so I took a bit of extra time to doll up. I was sweating like a sinner in church, since that meant I would have to face Kurt and Zelda again, and I had cried so much last time I saw them, I was probably a blubbery mess in their eyes. I found a cozy corner to curl up and draw, and people watch.

I don't do very well in schmoozing situations- I don't drink, so I felt very silly and very sober. However as the night wore on I was able to relax and I mustered all of the courage I could to show Zelda and Kurt my progress I had drawn since we last met. And… They were thrilled! It wasn't perfect, but they were proud I had taken what they said to heart, and I was so relieved and so glad that they were happy. I couldn't wait to draw again!

Today was our last day of the program. We started the morning with a trip to World Leaders Entertainment, who is in charge of The Venture Brothers on Adult Swim(!!!). We had a doggy climb on our laps as Rachel Simon told us of the inner workings of how the show was produced. It's very funny, since her job mainly involves corralling lawyers! We were intrigued to find out how the art is done- it's almost 50% in-house, and 50% Overseas; the key frames, character design, mixing, etc, are done in-house, and then the animation is sent to the other studio.

Since it was out last day, we had to pick up the pace! The home of Peter Kuper was next. He does the Spy V. Spy comics in MAD Magazine, among other things. Unfortunately, I got distracted flipping through an issue of MAD and got a cheerful reprimand- but serves me right for being so easily absorbed! He had masks lining his wall- some of his own design, and others of African heritage. Kuper also had a huge filing cabinet filled with gorgeous, rare comic art- many originals and first editions. Just sitting there! He also did a few pieces using unused windowpanes as comic panels. I really liked that- I'd love to do something similar, but I fear it'd be too close!We had some time before our next appointment, so we detoured to the Illustration House for a quick peek. There were Norman Rockwell sketches, vintage Vogue covers... It was lovely! Now, does anyone have $5000 so I can buy one? The man who minded the gallery was also the cutest man in existence. He looked like an illustration all by himself! Our next and last appointment was meeting with Mark Heflin of American Illustration. The scope of how long AI has been around, and all that they've published is incredible. It was inspiring all by itself simply to flip through the rows of AI volumes against the wall. I wish comics had some of the singular beauty that a lone illustration has.

Before we all dispersed, there was one last adventure. We had to get John Lowe a wig. Now. Being a man of no hair leaves John at a particular advantage. He tried on a fop wig, a Tom Cruise Wig, and finally settled somewhere around a Matt Damon wig. The women in the wig shop were practically rolling on the floor when he left!

Since I was all dolled up, I decided it was a good time to do the last of my shopping before I left. Now. While I might not be a fashionista, obsessed with brand names or trends, I am a huge fan of fashion design, particularly couture. So, naturally, I had to make the pilgrimage to 5th Avenue to visit Dior. John Galliano, who designs for Dior, is one of my favorite designers, so if anything, I wanted to have the privilege of being inside a Dior House. However, as I tried to put on my best 'high fashion' face, the doorman of Chanel opened for me! I tried to say I was actually a girl from Kentucky and could probably not even afford a button from Chanel- but I walked in as if in a trance. The Couturiers really do look far more like walking into someone's apartment than a shop. The ladies were very attentive, though I had to figure out a gracious way to slip away! That said, I did take a sample of COCO Mademoiselle perfume. Divine! I also slipped into Dior, if only to gaze longingly at their Oui collection. Sigh! So pretty! (They asked me, "Would you like to see the version with all of the diamonds, or just one?" Good grief!)

Now it's off to pack; I have to figure out how I'm getting home with all of these books somehow!
XOXOXO
~Lilly

Will I bend or break?

Tuesday began with a bit of a kerfuffle. I was already a nervous wreck because we were visiting DC Comics. Yes, THAT DC comics. As in, Batman, Superman, and pretty much my childhood heroes. No pressure! I came downstairs and could not find my group. After a panicked phonecall to John Lowe, my professor, I found out we were leaving later. Phew. More time to indulge in Madam Xanadu, then! We head to the legendary head of DC.

Now. I always knew DC would more or less be a cubicle. I mean, who was I to expect comic book artists had zippy offices? Well, I was wrong. Each floor is modeled after a different DC City. Floor two was Gotham, and Floor Seven was Metropolis. The reception desk there was the top of the Daily Planet Building. Naturally I was shrieking and dying inside. And taking photos. A lot of them.

We then sat down with a group of editors for Vertigo, my favorite DC Imprint. I got some great feedback, and it was mostly positive, if not a bit simple. "We like your stuff! …But there's nowhere we can put it…" That's alright, I knew that already. But they offered great feedback from another perspective. Often, Manga-style artists have as rigid a way to look at their layouts and style as Western style comics do. It's nice to switch it up from time to time. If anything, it was just a fangirly treat to be in DC's headquarters!
After being pulled from DC before I could swipe all of the figures they had in their display case, we stopped for lunch. The boys decided to have Ethiopian food. Now. I'm used to eating things in Japan that had still-wriggling tails, and all manner of odd meat and spicy Indian curries. But for whatever reason, the fact that the bread we were meant to use as utensils had the consistency of human skin sort of undid me. Amber and I scurried to a Chinese restaurant.

We were on our way to our next destination when I got stuck on the train and separated from my group! Never fear, we were able to get back. We met the great Cliff Chiang in Bergen Street Comics; which was a treat, as we got to explore this gorgeous shop while we were there. It was a lovely shop, far more like a book store than a comic shop, which people expect to be inhabited by greasy, smelly comic nerds. This was classy!

Cliff took us to his very, very nice apartment and showed us his method and his pace. He had a great work ethic and a great set-up. He even gave us one of his sketchbooks for free, full of his delicious convention sketches. He draws women very deliciously, and there's a fun spirit and life in his drawings that I admire. I'm very excited to get a hold of his Greendale book, which he showed us the pages from.

After we were through, I scrambled off to do what I do best. Go to Strand, get a whole armful of books (Again. This is becoming a pattern.) And spent the evening drawing and relaxing. The next morning would have an early start!

Just as threatening as DC was the New York Times. I joined the Illustration class that day. We waited a long time in the lobby of the Times, waiting for clearance to go inside. This gave me the time to grab a nice bite to eat and visit the MUJI shop next-door. Mmm, design-friendly items! We finally got in, and learned a bit about how the NYT employs their illustrators, and what they look for. The workspace was very interesting, a crowd of desks surrounding a single large table to collaborate over. It was a very inspiring space, lots of creativity running by, and there was certainly a strong buzz through the whole building. It was incredibly inspiring to think how much of the world's news pulses through this building.
We were set loose for a quick lunch. Surprisingly, one of my best meals here was a quick chicken sandwich and garlic knots from a tiny hole-in-the-wall grill. We scuttled on our way quickly. To one of the most lifechanging experiences I've ever had. It's not what you think- not a job, not a sighting or a show. It was a critique- the critique to end all critiques.

We met with Zelda Devon and Kurt Huggins- two fantasy illustrators and artists, a team. They were a young couple, and their tastes and style seemed very in-tune with mine. Zelda gave an insightful lecture about life post-SCAD. She had incredible, sharp wisdom, and I mustered up all of the courage I could to ask them to look at my portfolio. Shortly after I realized the way my portfolio was arranged was completely amateur and childish, which got pointed out, the rest of the class moved on, and I stayed. I told them both to let me have it. And they did.
And did.
And did.
And did...

The critique lasted hours, and I eventually cracked after two and cried. Nothing felt right about my art after that. I felt hopeless. I didn't think I would ever be worth anything. I felt like I had wasted the last three years, if not the whole of my life, pursuing a career that was far out of my reach. However, Zelda and Kurt didn't let me murk down there for very long, and genuinely and honestly cared for my improvement. It was the most I had ever been torn apart in my life. Had I been lied to my whole art career? Were all of those kind critiques simply an evasion from hurting my feelings?? Did people think I was too fragile to handle the truth?

It was all I could do not to stagger down the steps and huddle in a tiny ball. But something strange bubbled somewhere in the pit of my chest. Determination. I was not going to let myself crumple. I went right to Strand- and picked up a How To Make Books guide, armfuls of reference books and art guides. If my portfolio wasn't right, I would make it so. Zelda told me there was hope for me, and I keep that hope pinned on my sleeve.

That night, I went to A Little Night Music, and sat in the front row. I was so close I could rest my chin on the stage. It was glorious musically and staging, and I loved being so close to see all of the rows of ruffles and lace. I followed Zelda and Kurt's suggestions to always draw- and so I propped my knees up and drew figure drawings as the actors and actresses swirled across stage. Angela Landsbury was ill that night, so she wasn't present, but Catherine Zeta-Jones was a delight! I kept hearing her as Velma in Chicago. I was asked not to in Intermission, but I produced some nice drawings! I'll scan them when I get home.

For the sake of the reader I'll break this, on to the next days!
XOXO
~Lilly

A Spot of Tea, then?

Finally, a day to ourselves!I got up early in the morning to join my darling friend Lina at Alice's Teacup. Lina and I write together casually online, and she's one of the most brilliant people I've ever met. I must say she had me nailed when she chose the locale. I didn't bring any of my Lolita garments to wear, otherwise I would've dressed for the occasion! Instead I wore a purple embroidered frock, and she ended up wearing purple, too! We looked like a matching set!

While Alice's Teacup calls itself a cute location for children to have tea parties, it was quite sophisticated! We ordered a pot of Chocolate Thai Tea (I'm ashamed to say I'm still acquiring my taste for tea) and the most glorious slice of Buttercream Chocolate cake I've ever had. It was so rich I had to leave some of the icing behind, or I would have gotten sick!

Mmmmm. So. Good.

We then journeyed out to the Cloisters- I had meant to come here when I visited New York the first time, but I didn't really have the time then. It was a treat to see it this time! Lina and I got ourselves a bit lost in the park surrounding the Cloisters, but it was pleasant, save the rain that decided to pour on us! Thankfully I secured Lina in one of the garden cafes and went scrambling about the museum proper.I adore the symbolism and delicacy juxtaposed with the hard lines of Medieval Art. The reverence and ritual of something even as mundane as a spoon or a cup enchants me. It was a delight to see The Unicorn Tapestries in person! I had been introduced to the tapestries as a child in the opening sequence to The Last Unicorn. It was peaceful and quiet, a charming day indeed.

After a quick stop at my hotel to freshen a little, Lina treated me to French food! We were presented with an entire BASKET of fruit and a TREE of sausage. It was kind of amazing. I don't recall what I ordered, but I remember being tickled by the tower of sausage. Also, Lina is the most precious creature. This was the first time we had met, and she was just as precious and dear in person as she was online. I can only hope I was what she expected!

Today, Sequential Art week has begun! It was pleasant to be back with a herd of nerds who giggle about things like the spaces between panels. We visited Mickey Duzyj in the morning, after hiking through Brookyln under industrial refineries. I was deemed as the class photographer, so I took lots of shots. Mickey had lots of interesting things- he was primarily an illustrator, but his comics had a delicious vintage feel to them. He also introduced us to the Gocco printer, which I believe a good number of us put on our Christmas lists when we got home!
Rebekah Isaacs, a SCAD Grad, also graciously let us into her home. She works for WildStorm now, and let us manhandle her gorgeous pages, and lavish attention on her cat, Fantastic Donut. She had been discovered through NYCC, and I really hope I can attend NYCC at one point. Her pages were so delicately detailed, and I'm really, really eager to read her new piece she's working on. It's a secret!

After our visit, we went to the first of (many) comic shop visits! Now. I somehow hadn't gotten to Strand, or any of the other major bookstores in New York. So, I picked up masses of books. Among my spoils was 'Sky Doll,' and several of Naomi Nowak's books, Graylight and House of Clay. They're very beautiful, if a bit hard to understand. I think the delight of going to a comic shop here is, they're large, and they offer great small, independent books!

Tonight I joined Lina again for Okonomoyaki (which is NOT what I thought it was, embarrassment) in Astor Place. I covered her in cuddles and snuggles for good luck and sent her off to a night Skype session with an employer. St Mark's Square was not too far away, and I picked up another fistful of Hi-Chews and scurried to St. Mark's Comics looking for more Sky Doll. Unfortunately, there wasn't any. However, the young lady who worked there graciously took time out of her shift to help me find some titles she thought I would like. I picked up a whole armload! Madam Xanadu:Disenchanted and Exodus Noir, and Batgirl Year One, for extra Barbara Gordon Adorableness.And now, more M&Ms and delightful comics!
XOXO
~Lilly

Angry Fembot Army!

I've made no secret that I am not a giant fan of modern art. But thankfully my experiences on this trip have at least led me to appreciate abstract art. Friday was spent scurrying around Chelsea. After initially getting lost and having an adventure of a cab ride, we walked up and down Chelsea, checking out the independent galleries and museums there. While not everything there was something I could get behind, there were some incredible pieces there. In particular there was a series of sculptures of steel and wood that looked like floating space colonies. I'd love to set a story there! After accidentally ending up in a few extremely high-end shops I didn't know were there, and painfully having to walk by Alexander McQueen's boutique, we climbed aboard the High Line, an incredible new project set up by the City to reuse an elevated train line that was no longer in service. Instead it has been transformed into a beautiful garden. I didn't realize the High Line's story was where The Curious Garden came from! Naturally it was a perfect place to pop Sylvana for photos, and a few people stopped to chat with me about her!

For lunch we stopped at a tiny Chinese restaurant, where we were presented with a smorgasbord of food! I have never eaten so much deliciousness in one sitting in my life. Mmm! I swung by Times Square hoping to maybe snag tickets for A Little Night Music, and managed to score FRONT ROW tickets for Wednesday! Yesssss! All of that took quite a bit out of me, so I came home to relax, since the next day was the last of my Art History Course.

We returned to Soho for the last day, hitting a few of the last exhibits on our list. One of the more interesting pieces- and one that I looked forward to- was the legendary Earth Room. It was amazing that you could smell the piece as you climbed the stairs! It was a rich, moist earth smell. We learned from the curator there that the piece is watered once a week, and raked the next day to keep it pristine. We then had a pinch of time to shop, as Soho is wonderful for shopping. I bought a little pink corduroy skirt and jacket from a market stall, and then popped my head in Uniqlo. I hadn't been in a Uniqlo since Japan, so that was a treat!

Our professor pointed out where she had found her wedding gown on our walk to The Drawing Center. I hope when I get married, I can get my gown in NYC! My class presentation was at the Drawing Center, and focused on the costume designs for the New York Ballet by Dorothea Tanning. She's a nifty gal! Still living and one of the first female surrealists. Her drawings were so lovely and modern. Very fresh, too!

We then hauled all the way to PS1. Now. I had flinched my way though a great deal of modern art during the class. But I have to say, PS1 sort of overdid it for me. There were some incredible pieces of art there, to be sure. But a particular exhibit of a man shooting pornographic shots of his own mother simply overdid it for me. I expressed my need for art that made a grain of sense on my facebook, and was tickled to see the other girls mouthing "Me too!" at me! That said, another piece there absolutely tickled me- an almost prank-related piece that involved offering fine white art pedestals for free to art schools, in exchange for their used, damaged ones. No one had taken them up on that offer yet. I do hope someone does! There was also a film on someone composing a symphony only using ghetto-slang call-outs. It's this sassy, playful poke at the art world that I appreciate in modern art, and I've come to appreciate throughout the week.

However, our week was over, and we celebrated with a round of dim-sum and delicious duck. My bangs made a final appearance, and made their way around the table and appeared on many foreheads. After denying an acid-trip in song, I collapsed in bed with some oreos and M&Ms. And, here I am!

Tomorrow is our one, completely free day. So I'm meeting with my darling friend Lina, and we shall hit the town!
XOXOX

~Lilly

I'm crazier than you!

Still in ever-moving NYC, and to keep with the city, I'm ever-moving, too! My days are packed, as usual with most trips. But so far (most) things have gone off without a hitch! (Knock on wood...)

Tuesday began with a trip to the International Center of Photography. The main focus was meant to be on the Civil Rights exhibition downstairs, but I found myself drawn to the "Lost Souls" display. The artist, Lena Herzog, photographed stillborn infants that had been kept in jars as curiosities in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Dark and morbid as that may sound, the way they were photographed was poignant, tender, kind. After this (among other things) I decided to make the subject of my paper for the class "The Modern Memento Mori." (I'll think of a catchier title later!) I also picked up a camera strap for my mother and I- mine being in shades of brown with little Parisian prints, and my mother's in black and white with Eiffel Towers and filigree. Since Mom and I have matching cameras, we don't want them getting mixed up!
We then went (by way of Grand Central Station) to the Guggenheim! I will be the first to tell you that modern art is not my aesthetic, but I was impressed, none the less! Once I was allowed out and about on my own, I got myself serendipitously lost around Park Avenue; and stumbled upon Betsey Johnson, one of my favorite designers, that just so happened to be having a sale. Hooray!
But then, it was time to high-tail it to Times Square. I had a show to catch!
The performance was Mary Poppins, one of my very favorite films as a child. I knew all the songs by heart, and was quite dazzled indeed by night's end! While the musical followed the series of books more than the film, it was still a fun night and beautiful to watch. "Jolly Holiday" has been in my head ever since.The next morning we were allowed to visit a museum of our choosing- but after various mix-ups and confusions, I wound up just barely getting to our meeting in time with a very impatient, and directionally-impaired cabbie. Still, the trip was worth it alone for the Brooklyn Museum. I was in for a treat- not only was Kiki Smith's "Soujurn" exhibition on display, with its charming depiction of a woman's life, but High Style, a chunk of the Met/Brookyn Museum's garment collection was on display. I could hardly contain my squeals and screams of delight as I scrambled through the exhibit and wanted to climb over the barricades to roll in the silk and velvet. Absolutely delicious. Dumbstruck, I tucked the exhibit book in my bag to pore over later, as I was meeting a very special person for lunch.

Kenneth Brown knew my mother when she was fresh out of High School and working in theater. He moved to NYC with the intent to work in Broadway, and that is exactly what he is doing! His repertoire includes the Producers, Billy Elliot, and now Addams Family, where he is Nathan Lane's dresser. He was an absolute Prince Charming and a delight. What a life he has! After our squealing over the exhibit book in a sushi restaurant, he casually said, "Oh, let's go look at a few."
And he proceeded to take me backstage, at the Addams Family. I touched real stage costumes with my bare hands. I was so flabbergasted by the whole thing I bet I blabbered like an idiot! Oh, Kenneth, so patient. Morticia's gown was divine, and I was amazed at how much was reworked every night. For obvious reasons, there aren't photos, but I can describe it.

There were boxes of tights- apparently, anything that touches an actor's skin has to be replaced every performance. Tights, shirts, etc. So there were boxes and boxes of these things set aside. Morticia's gown was painstakingly steamed between each performance. (Two daily, by the way, except Monday.) The Costumes are built like TANKS. It never occurred to me how much abuse they would need to stand up against- so they needed to be built to hold up far longer and stronger than most street clothing. They are also meticulously made, with details NO ONE would see unless you were standing right on top of them. The "Cavemean" ghost had small sewn-on claws on his cape- they couldn't have been larger than my palm!

Starry-eyed, Ken led me to the ticket-booth, where I somehow ended up in the fourth row center for that night's show. And, let me tell you, it was incredible! Hilarious, dark, puppets, music! Anything anyone could want. Charming, heartwarming and deliciously morbid all at once! My kind of show. And, knowing about all of the behind-the-scenes work made it all the more special.

It still feels like a dream!

Today we finally went to the Metropolitan Museum, which was like a breath of fresh air after so much modern art. I frolicked in the gorgeous paintings wing, and informed everyone they would not likely see me for a few decades. After a gorgeous day at the Met, there was relaxing in the park before I walked down the way to the Frick Collection, to savor the gorgeous Rococo Art. Rooms of Boucher! Rooms of Gainsborough! Yes! Yes! It was an overload of eyecandy. After all of that, I needed to rest, so here I am!

A mellow evening indeed.

What else is in store?
XOXOXO
~Lilly

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of...

Hello, hello!An NYC update!

It's the end of my third day in NYC, and it's been quite a trek already! After a fiasco in which the DOOR got yanked off of my airplane (really. I wish I were kidding) and my flight getting canceled, I ended up having to take a train to the city from Philly! After some initial flailing, I got on the train just fine, and it turned out to be a lovely experience! The station was absolutely gorgeous (Vintage 1933, Dad said) and so to make lemonade out of lemons, I took lots of pretty pictures.

After arriving in Manhattan, I was immediately whisked off to the Socrates Sculpture Garden. It was darling to watch the little children about try to make sense of the modern sculptures! To be honest, I think they had more of a clue than I did! After we finished there, (and after a zillion mile walk) my very first Greek dinner (besides a Gyro here and there in Japan. Doesn't count.) I then promptly came home and crashed. Phew!

Yesterday morning was filled with... well, interesting art to say the least. I had to take off my sensible Comic-Book reader hat, and put on my Introspective Art-Student hat. We visited The New Museum, to see Skin Fruit; an apparently extremely controversial show. It did seem like a fairly disjointed collection, save for the link that most of the pieces had to do with the human body, particularly the carnal desire of the flesh. (Ahem.) Then we went out to Bushwick to a small arts festival- supposedly. It turned out to be very hard to locate, and most of the places we ducked in were not air-conditioned, and after a whole day of walking, all of us were feeling pretty faint!

To be honest, 20th Century art, for the most part, doesn't interest me very much, but the concepts behind them are always fascinating! After a quick recharge, and a Frappucino, I headed back out. That night, I took Sylvana out to Madison Square Park for some photos, and the weather was lovely! I found my way to Astor Place, where I had a delicious, delicious Japanese meal and acquired a hefty handful of Grape Hi-Chews, which are unobtainable anywhere else. I ducked into a comic book shop and grabbed Red Robin #13, Red Hood: Lost Years #1, and Asylum of the Joker II: The Riddler. Yessss. So I wanted to see Times Square, so I read my comic books on the way. When I got there, I high-fived Batman with a soft pretzel stuffed in my teeth, and then read Red Hood on the way home. Life is sweet.

Today I went to the Museum of Modern Art- MoMA- again, more interesting art... But I forgot what all was there! Starry Night, for one, and a whole bunch of Picasso and Matisse's work. Haha, I am uninformed, clearly. After some wandering and taking in drawings and pieces (and attempting to stuff an Art Nouveau chair discreetly into my purse) we all split up and I went scampering off on an adventure! I returned to Bryant Park from where I last visited NYC, and then scurried to Kinokuniya to feed my weeaboo fix. Mmm. Delicious magazines. Then I scampered over to Times Square to pick up tickets for Mary Poppins tomorrow night! Yessss! So excited.

Sooo, with that in mind, I better pass out.
More later!
XOXOXO
~Lilly

P.S. Here is my public Facebook album link! I'll be updating as I go!