London or BUST!

Hello! I Hope everyone's holidays were as festive and as exciting as mine! I was a lucky girl to get to go to England, and spend some time in London, between Daventry and Upton. What a wonderful place. All the places I saw were amazing. I could move to London TOMORROW and not think twice about it. Here are a few somewhat cliche American-girl-in-London snapshots I took on my travels. I also went to the TATE Modern (swoon!!!) and saw some of the most impressive shows I'd seen all year. That post is coming up soon, so check back!

I was THIS happy the ENTIRE time I was in London.

Rain, shine, fog, wind, poor table service, what have you...

London is my cup of tea.

No trip is complete without a visit to the London Eye,

though I gotta say, the Wonder Wheel is still my go-to for ferris wheels.

These under tunnels are all over the place.

Creepy and regal, rolled into one.

Beautiful birch trees at the TATE entrance, still bearing some yellow leaves because the weather in the UK has been as forgiving as the weather here. Yes, Jack Frost has wagged his finger at us as of late, but is HAS been upwards of 50, 60 degrees until mid-December. I loved it, but I feel bad for the polar bears.

Let's charge St. Paul's Cathedral!!!

Nice tree in the back.

Nice London occupiers in the front.

Sigh.... I just can't escape them!!!

Peace be with you, cold, angry citizens!

Fancy a pint at Ye Olde Cock Tavern? Me neither.

I love these classic red booths. All inclusive, four walls of privacy,

unlike the open ended New York ones.

Unfortunately, that means these smell WAYY more like pee upon opening...

iPhone please!

This is the Royal Court of Justice.

I would GLADLY attend jury duty here.

For a month. Easily.

Off with his head?

Covent Gardens is a beautiful indoor/outdoor market

that is like nothing I've seen. If I could attempt to describe it,

it's union square, chelsea market, 5th avenue and central park in one place.

A view of the Houses of Parliament from the Eye at night.

London, I miss you already. I can't wait to see you again. I hope you think about me the way I think about you. But all of the English countryside is gorgeous, which takes up like, 80% of England. I was staying in the town of Daventry, about an hour outside the city, and have loads of scenic memories to share. I don't mind being such a city girl sometimes, because when I DO get to be immersed in nature, it makes it that much more beautiful.

It's Christmastime in the City

Happy Christmastime everyone! I will not say Holidaytime. If you are lucky enough to live in Manhattan like I am, you'll know that midtown has been turned into a winter wonderland, despite most of the month being balmy and humid and 60 winter degrees.

Gingerbread houses on display on 56th street. All with different themes. This one was just gorgeous, with sugar glass windows, complete with a pond, skis, and a pretzel gate.

Type up your Christmas list this year with a bonafide all gingerbread typewriter!

Or just Occupy the North Pole.

I'd say was with you, Frosty, but a snowless December

has let the leaves stay on and get redder than ever!

So get out there and have some winter fun, weather permitting.

Then go home, settle down and cozy up with some french onion soup.

Sitting by the warmth of a mushroom covered Christmas tree.

I'm off to foggy London town now.

Have a Merry Christmas New York City!

Open Studios 2011

Thank you to all who came to open studios! It was a fabulous night and our hard work really paid off. Good job everyone, we did it! Here are just a few photos of my studio, taken on my phone, to keep up with the theme of my iPhone screen proportioned work. Each of my paintings are 2x3 because I figure so many people look at their phones all day, get all their information from this scale, why not just put my art in the same format? Also aware of the holiday season, I consciously chose red and green, and used colored bulbs to enhance and fill in the negative spaces. Let me know what you think!

SVA BFA OPEN STUDIOS: Senior Show!

I would like to invite everyone to the School of Visual Arts BFA Open Studios

happening MONDAY DECEMBER 12TH from 5-10PM.

The event is located at 335 West 16th Street, between 8th and 9th avenues.

The closest trains are the A,C,E and L at 14th st, 8TH AVENUE, but if you don't mind strolling several blocks, you could take the N,Q,R,4,5,6 to Union Square and head WEST to 8TH AVE. Also nearby are the 1 and 2 trains on 7th AVE at 18th street.

^Look for the building with the flags^

This is a very important day for all of us fine arts majors, but for myself and 15 others especially, as this is our final show as undergrads at SVA. This work is our thesis, and is free and open to be viewed by you, the public, so please come and see all of our hard effort and years at SVA come to a close THIS MONDAY NIGHT at OPEN STUDIOS.

Work featured is including but not limited to painting, drawing, video art, performance art, installation, and sculpture. Over 50 artists are being showcased, it should be quite the night! Open studios are on the 5th and 4th floors, as well as the basement.

So please do come, enjoy the show, and all of our hard work during this, our final term at SVA.

Here is a look back at last spring's show.

Of course, refreshments will be served.

Hey Look! Foo Fighters!

Last night I went to Madison Square Garden and reveled in a performance by the Foo Fighters. As you may already know, Dave Grohl was the drummer in Nirvana, who then became the frontman for his own band, Foo Fighters. He's quite possibly the coolest guy on the planet.

This is seriously what happened yesterday:

Had a really lazy first-afternoon-off-all-week

and did not leave the house until 3:30.

Serendipitously, watched the better part of a live Foo Fighters show on Palladia.

Walked through the SpaHa street fair celebrating the Day of the Dead.

Went to JCPenny, just for a place to walk around inside.

Bought nothing.

Wandered aimlessly past MSG

and sat at a rooftop bar having $6 cosmos.

Had full intention to see Harold & Kumar in 3D and calling it a night.

At approximately 6pm, having learned Foo Fighters were playing the garden,

we promptly acquired tickets via iPhone.

Walked to FedEx, picked up 2 tickets to the show

and an hour from then totally saw Foo Fighters perform with

a special appearance from Joan Jett.

Yes.

THE Joan Jett.

Here are a few glimpses...

...of the 300+ photos I ended up taking.

These guys don't mess around!

They were straight up with us from early on...

...saying they don't do these short two hour sets...

...so they played for three and a half hours...

... on a school night! Rock and roll, people.

Joan Jett don't give a damn about my education.

Oh, no.

Um, TOTES worth it, btw.

Come ON.

I knew a film class would come in handy on Monday mornings.

Three hours in a dark, nearly silent room

is the perfect compliment to my pounding head.

No, my iPhone cameras zoom is not increasing quality, we just got a little closer.

I'll say it.

For the last leg of the set, barriers were jumped.