DEAR ALIZARIN: The Met: The People's Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: one of the greatest havens on earth. I love this place with new corners of masterpieces always waiting to be discovered, no matter how many times I visit, as well as the familiar rooms as close to my heart as my childhood room. Now, I sit in the American Wing café looking at the pictures I took for my mother, who will probably not get to visit this museum again. I want her to feel the spaciousness and majesty of this place.

Here is a new statue I bonded with this visit (La Frileuse by Jean-Atione Hudon, 1787):



As I took this picture, a young girl ran up to the statue exclaiming, “Look, she looks just like me when I get out of the shower and wrap the towel around my head like this,” she pantomimes her post shower ritual. I look up into the sadness of the statue and hope she never imitates that in her life.

My writing is interrupted by this:
“I think women are just better at multi-tasking. For instance, I sometimes eat my cereal in the shower.” EW!!!! I really want to turn around and see this woman at the next table who just admitted such a disgusting habit.
“I don’t really consider that multitasking,” responds her male companion.
“Sometimes I’ll even eat an apple while washing my hair,” she presses her point.
“Perhaps you need to reconsider what needs to be done in the morning.”
Uh, yeah!

I finish my coffee and retreat to the Rodin and Impressionist wing.

(On my second visit, I discover the Astor Room, a reconstruction of a Chinese garden and study – a new must see if you visit the museum, along with the Temple of Dandur, the Impressionists, Rodin sculptures, and both sculpture gardens).