valentine's date staycation

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Elliott and I weren't together on Valentine's Day (I was holed up in New Jersey). And to be honest, we've just had a pretty hectic past six weeks. Not complaining, but between the stomach flu, Luke staying with us, the week in New Jersey, and Elliott working long hours on an [extra] project, we needed a little break.

So Saturday, we headed into the city and had dinner at The Standard Grill and stayed the night at the Standard Hotel in the meatpacking district. The hotel (and the whole neighborhood) is pretty trendy, not really our scene, but it was fun to shake things up. The person who checked us in at the hotel said he had seen more locals checking in that night than out-of-towners, so I guess we were in good company. The food was honestly just okay. We've had some delicious meals in New York for birthdays and holidays (and every time we eat at Roebling, obvs) and this was just okay. But we still had a good time, and, honestly you could do a lot worse than eating mediocre eggs benedict in bed. On Sunday we walked up and down the High Line in the sunshine before heading back home.

love's such a delicate thing that we do

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We spent the long holiday weekend in Arkansas with our families, mostly to celebrate baby brother David's graduation. All five siblings graduated from Little Rock Christian (or Walnut Valley), and with David being the last (I'm not going to say empty nest, but), it just seemed best that we would all be there (NB: I went to every one of my sibling's graduations with the exception of John, who was VALEDICTORIAN. I'm sorry, John).

It was fun to be home with everyone and it be not Christmas. And I'm excited that we will all be home again soon.

[Unfortch, airplane travel just seems to be getting worse (almost lost luggage, stuck in Chicago overnight, 2-hour delays on plane, and of course, PAT-DOWNS!). We managed, it was just the two of us, but imagine if Desmond had been along? Or if we [in the hypothetical future] have a child? How do people do this? Please please please build me high-speed train.]

this is not the future, but I sense it's right up there

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It's so boring to talk about how busy you've been, isn't it? And really, isn't everyone busy? I'm not saying busy is necessarily good (or bad), but some of this has been very good (and some of it has been a Thursday night class from 6-9pm on Human Resources). And really if you are reading this, you probably already know, but sometimes this is just for me, for remembering, for being thankful. And if you don't already know, well here are some things.

After we got back from San Francisco, my parents came to town for a few days. We went to a baseball game, and to see Newsies (on Broadway!!!), and to the 9/11 Memorial, and to the High Line.

Then, my California ladies came to town for a long weekend (Amanda is not a California lady, obvs). We ate good food and shopped and drank sparkling wine during the day.
Day Job Magazine finally arrived hot off the presses (and delivered on a Jewish holiday so almost couldn't get them off the truck) and Elliott was busy shipping it out and delivering to shops in New York. In between that, he interviewed for a job and has started doing freelance work at Pentagram (amazing).

Well, and then my brothers came to town. We ate at Tea Room and went to the MoMa and to see Newsies (again).
And of course, I've been running. The marathon is three weeks away, I met my fundraising goal (thank you!!), and we are scheduled to run 20 miles tomorrow morning.

And lastly, we've sort of been trying to find a new place to live. So, stay tuned, because I'll probably have a lot more to say about that.

at Carnegie Hall

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I have to write about it, because I have to remember it, and after seventeen shows it might all start to run together. But this one was special, I knew it would be--Carnegie Hall! And the day before Thanksgiving (did you know I've seen him the day after Thanksgiving, too?)!

One of the best things about this show was that the crowd was actually polite. No singing along (that I could hear) and not a lot of yelling in between songs. Well, the appropriate amount of yelling I suppose.

But the set list was pretty perfect too (minus Ten Woman, snooze). And at Carnegie Hall it just sounded so clear and bold and real.

This would be a tough show to follow, but I just found out Desaparecidos is playing in New York in February (FINALLY) and I think that's just about the only thing that could come after a beautiful show like this one.
[I started to record this video with my phone, but then I just wanted to listen, so I stopped.]
PS: pics and setlist here.

Thanksgiving

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We stayed in New York for Thanksgiving this year and had a really nice long holiday weekend. Of course, we missed being with our families, but we can look forward to Christmas in just a few weeks.
We had a special Thanksgiving dinner with friends and had a FEAST. Elliott and I brought cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. It was my first time to make pecan pie, and while I don't care for it, everyone said it was good, so I will probably use that recipe again. Although, honestly, I don't know why I ever volunteer to bring pie. Pie crust majorly stresses me out. We even bought pre-made dough from the farmer's market(!), but the rolling out and the pressing in the pan is still a nightmare to me. We also got our Christmas tree. Just a little one this year (the one we got last year was too big for the stand and nearly toppled over one night). We still need a tree topper (and a tree skirt for that matter). But our house smells fresh and I love the lights on the tree.Are you listening to Sufjan's new Christmas album(s)? I keep getting Christmas Unicorn in my head, and then I remember this video and I really can't stop laughing. And I keep telling Desmond he is the real Christmas Unicorn.Speaking of Desmond, is it normal to tell your dog you love him 10+ times per day? Just wondering.disclaimer: if you follow me on instagram you've already seen these pics, SORRY

Let 'Em Laugh: Brooklyn's Food Scene Is Bringing In the Bucks

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Smorgasburg in DUMBO. Photo: MK Metz

Haters love to scoff at Brooklyn's trendy food scene, but apparently Brooklyn is laughing, too -- all the way to the bank.

The Brooklyn Eagle reports that Brooklyn's burgeoning food sector is an engine of job growth for the borough, based on a study done for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

Brooklyn’s “food chain” -- supermarkets, restaurants, gourmet food shops and food makers— accounts for 16 percent of businesses in Brooklyn and 12.5 percent of Brooklyn’s private sector jobs.

Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and grocery stores added one out of every five new jobs in Brooklyn since 2000. In 2011 alone, wages in the Brooklyn food sector came to $1.46 billion.

While not all food-related jobs rack in big bucks, many do -- and start-ups and "one-person specialty food manufacturing businesses" are adding tremendous vitality to the mix.

So ha ha yourself, haters. And pass the kimchi tacos.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

T O P PICKS @ARTBASEL, MIAMI B E A C H

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The 11th edition of Art Basel Miami, affectionately referred to as the adolescent sister of the original Art Basel founded in Switzerland, once again took the contemporary art world by storm. Over 260 galleries participated in an ever expanding stretch that filled the Miami Convention Center located in South Beach. The first thing one might notice upon entering the fair is that unlike many other art fairs, the secondary market galleries and those representing contemporary artists are not separated. Rows and rows of cubed booths featured installations ranging from paintings by Pablo Picasso on view at Modern and Post-War gallery Helly Nahmad to Olafur Eliasson's "Berlin Colour Sphere", 2006 shown at neugerriemschneider and Los Carpinteros "Kosmaj Toy", 2012 installed at Sean Kelly Gallery. Outside of the main Art Gallery section however, was a range of exhibitors each with a particular focus. Art Nova presented 40 galleries, both emergent and established, offering newer works by young artists.  Art Positions, located directly opposite of Art Nova, was the smallest sector with just 16 galleries, and seeming to take a cue from VOLTA NY, each gallery highlighted one artist relevant to their own program and focus. These two areas of focus catered to my particular interest and aesthetic concentration, resulting in most of my time being spent there also resulting in many of my T O P PICKS, materializing from either Art Nova or Art Positions. 

Angel Otero, Installation view
Kavi Gupta Gallery, Berlin/Chicago
Art Basel, Miami
Photograph by Katy Hamer

Having attended many art fairs this year globally along with the internationally important, large-scale exhibition dOCUMENTA (13),  I've found that each fair has a majority of galleries from a certain country or region. Walking through Art Basel Miami was no different as 50% of the galleries were either from the United States or South America. Sãn Paolo offered, what in my opinion, were some of the most relevant micro-exhibitions at the fair. The Sãn Paolo based gallery Mendes Wood, located in the Art Nova section paired artists Adriano Costa and Tunga, working in object based installation and whose dialogue was symbiotic and meticulous occurrence placed in the booth, not overwhelming the visitor but rather quite harmonious. Black materials that appeared to be burned or aged were found in more than one booth and it was as if Art Nova and Art Positions categorically took a page directly out of what might be an imaginary guidebook to up and coming artists. More so than the centrally placed Art Gallery section, Art Positions and Art Nova allowed for moments of both recognition and discovery. Kavi Gupta, Berlin/Chicago featured the works of Theaster Gates who was part of dOCUMENTA (13) and the emergent and hip Angel Otero who also has a solo exhibition at Brand New Gallery, Milan on view until December 22nd. 

Augustina Woodgate, Installation detail
Spinello Projects, Art Basel Miami
Photograph by Katy Hamer

Popular New York based gallery Ramiken Crucible located in the deep left corner of Art Positions, transformed their small booth with the tall, angular metal sculptures of Andra Ursuta. Directly across from Ramiken Cruicible was the booth of Miami based Spinello Projects. Director Anthony Spinello is ambitious and we spoke briefly about our first meeting at Scope Hamptons many years ago. For Art Basel he presented a conceptual project titled New Landscapes by Miami based artist Augustina Woodgate. Upon first glance the work appeared to be drawings and indeed they are but the process of drawing for the artist, revolves around the removal of information and then recompiling that same material to make something else. Her focus has been on the definition of space such as a flat two dimensional map or the cylindrical representation of a globe. In a cycle of actions that includes erasing countries, landscape and in a way cultural identity that then results in three dimensional fragments, shavings of dust, she redefines the concept of boarders, volume and geometric equilibrium.  It was one of the most intellectually stimulating projects at the fair. 
Lastly, I will mention the work of Lyle Ashton Harris who exhibits with CRG Gallery in New York which was included in the main section of the fair. What was special about his large, multi-dimensional piece is that it was the first time since 1996 that the series of nine photographs that equal "The Watering Hole IX 5/6" were reunited and shown as a group. Quite captivating individually, together the works loosely tell a tale of Jeffrey Dahmer, his own masking of queerness and sexuality which emerged violently in serial murder. The focus grapples with identity, gender, and race resulting in the interpretive documentation of particular period of time that is expansive, also mirrored in the length of the work and rather than feeling like time passed, is a relevant documentation of life, fear and fetishistic longing. 
For many New York based galleries exhibiting at the fair, including CRG, this was the first occasion after Hurricane Sandy which allowed them to reconvene within the realm and context of an exhibition space. While several New York galleries had to turn down the opportunity to take part in Art Basel Miami due to loss, there was a strong invisible presence of survival and hope that permeated the air. This seemed to ring true not only regarding the participation of galleries post-hurricane, but also within the circumstances regarding the art market. Rumors have it that sales were a success and in an aide-mémoire, once again the market comes out on top. That being said, you've waited long enough and here it is, in no particular order, my T O P PICKS from Art Basel, Miami 2012! 

>>>>>>>> Lyle Ashton Harris <<<<<<<<

Lyle Ashton Harris (left) and Greg Miller (right) in front of Harris' "The Watering Hole IX 5/6", 1996
Installation view at CRG Gallery, New York, Art Basel, Miami
Photograph by Katy Hamer, 2012

>>>>>>>> Adriano Costa <<<<<<<<

Adriano Costa, Mendes Wood,  São Paulo, Brazil
Installation view at Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer 

>>>>>>>> Augustina Woodgate <<<<<<<<

Augustina Woodgate (left, bright blue dress) describes her project to Gian Maria Tosatti (next to Woodgate)
Installation view at Spinello Projects, Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>>>> Raimond Chaves & Gilda Mantilla <<<<<<<<

Raimond Chaves & Gilda Mantilla, Para el que llega de lejos...., 2011
ProjecteSD, Barcelona, Spain, Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>>>> Tom Burr & Yael Bartana <<<<<<<<

Tom Burr (front) "endlessly repeated gesture", Mirrored installation, 2009
Yael Bartana (wall), "We shall be strong in our weakness", Neon, 2012
Installation view Sommer Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel, Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>>>> Simon Dybbroe Møller <<<<<<<<

Simon Dybbroe Møller, Produce, 2011, Printers, c-prints
Installation view with Francesca Minini, Milan, Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>>>> Pae White & Judith Hopf <<<<<<<<

Pae White (paintings on left) and Judith Hopf (right and floor install)
Installation view with Kaufmann Repetto Gallery, Milan at Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>>>> Nathan Peter <<<<<<<<

Nathan Peter, PSM Gallery, Berlin
Gallery director Sabine Schmidt explains the work to a fair visitor
Installation view Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>>>> Jules de Balincourt <<<<<<<<

Jules de Balincourt, "Peace Violent Healing", 2006
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris/Salzburg
Installation view at Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

>>>>>Michael Delucia <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Michael Delucia, Installation view
Eleven Rivington, New York
Art Basel, Miami, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

Along with Art Basel Miami, a total of 26 art fairs graced various locations around South Beach and Downtown Miami. A particular buzz circulated around NADA and also the new kid on the block, UNTITLED which was curated by Omar Lopez-Chahoud, Artistic Director.  
The next Art Basel, Switzerland will take place June 13th-16th and will be in Miami once again from December 5th-8th, 2013.
All of the fairs were on view to the public commencing the 4th of December and closing the 10th. Stay tuned for more of my coverage soon and also be sure to check out my article Are you "IN" or are you "OUT", Nightly parties during Miami Basel in my Flash Art column, NY Tales. 
More soon. xo