Wednesday - Met Museum and Met Opera

Funny word Metropolitan.

I enjoyed walking a different route through Central Park to the Met Museum of Art. I got there, like I always do, a bit before it opens. I got though the bag check, got my clip on badge and audio tour and went straight to a far gallery in the European section where there were some paintings by Caravaggio. I knew of 2, but there were 4. The one I liked best was Peter’s Denial of Christ. There was a lady pointing out Peter to a soldier and Peter’s troubled face was so clearly saying ‘ No, not me’ . I spent a while, reading my notes, looking at the paintings, listening to the audio guide and the extra info on the guide. Noone else was there, other than the attendant who was watching over 2 other galleries as well.
Then I walked through the modern section looking for the 2 Chagall paintings that I was told was there but I could not find them. I will go back. There is a relatively new 3 American wing with 3 floors that I thought I would concentrate on. The top and bottom levels have mainly furniture and recreated rooms of particular periods. The first was a room from a Massachusetts farm house of 1860, then several rooms showing the Dutch influence. There was an interesting Shaker room of 1830 and what was called Renaissance revival room of 1870 – about as far apart as you could get in style. The commentary talked about the furniture and how the families lived. The last, on the ground floor was a large recreation of a room that Frank Lloyd Wright designed for a farmhouse in Minnesota in 1907. It was a large rectangular room and he had windows along both long sides. In the museum, 1 side looked out onto the garden. Apparently he designed all the furniture and furnishings.

Then I went to look at the paintings, concentrating on works that showed how people lived. There was a portrait of a family in a Renaissance revival room , a few farm paintings, a painting with native Americans – is that the pc term now? All were interesting.

I had a choice for lunch between 3 places – 1 sold only sandwiches, the 2nd was described as a cafeteria and was underground, and the 3rd was a nice place with a pleasant view of Central Park. I eliminated the first - I did not want a sandwich and then I was pleased with myself for instantly ruling out the cafeteria – too noisy and crowded. 2 years ago I would have had difficulty feeling I should save money and go to the cafeteria. I am learning to ski quite well. I had a nice meal including a glass of merlot from Long Island. When I went to dinner on Monday night, we had a cocktail, and there the cocktails were a similar price to a glass of wine. I have been looking since then and that has consistently been the case. Even fairly ordinary places have cocktail lists. The bill at the museum restaurant had another variation of ‘How to get a tip out of a foreigner’ . It had printed on the bottom : ‘ For your convenience, suggested gratuities are calculated below’ Then it listed 15%, 18% and 20% of my bill. They didnot get 20% from me because I didnot get my wine till after my pasta arrived.

I walked back a longer way through Central Park, past a peaceful lake with a boathouse and some people rowing boats, more statues, and a special area called Strawberry Fields, just inside the park from where John Lennon was shot. I met a volunteer who I got talking to. Amongst other things we talked about single women and she had done a research project on women in casinos. Apparently one of her subjects – not the right word, but I cannot think – said to her ‘ Where else can a single woman go for a drink at 3am?’

I had some biscuits and cheese (goats from Zabar’s) and then went to the opera. It was fabulous, I thought. A modern setting of La Traviata. Everything was black or white except Violetta’s red dress. Except when they were in the country - they had very flowery dressing gowns on and flowery material draped over the furniture. There were 3 women next to me who hardly clapped at all. I heard 1 saying that she did not like modern settings – she would not like John Bell. They did not even clap after some amazing singing. The whole experience was great – I even liked the glitter and glitz in the theatre. No photos allowed, though. Just before we sat down we got given a programme – A5 size and not quite a glitzy as they have become in Australia.

After the performance, many of the attendees went down to the subway. There was a saxophonist playing excerpts from the opera – but on a different platform to me. I might even have been tempted to give him something. Walking back from the subway stop nearest to me it started to drizzle and a lady near me offered to share her umbrella with me. We chatted for several blocks till our paths diverged. A pleasant end to a lovely evening.