Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum reopened yesterday after a major renovation and transformation. We were so happy to attend the (VERY CROWDED and VERY FESTIVE) opening reception on Thursday night — it was just great to be back in the mansion. And the space, by the way, looks amazing. I especially love that part of all of this renewal is a new typeface, Cooper Hewitt. Commissioned expressly for this occasion and designed by Chester Jenkins, it is the perfect way to honor this most significant and relevant institution. Take a look at this fascinating Design Talk about the creation of the new typeface.
www.cooperhewitt.org
Among the many highlights of the wedding we did Saturday night was the divine croquembouche made by Dominique Ansel (known to many as the inventor of the Cronut) that served as the wedding cake. It was sublime in look and taste, the best we have ever had and a true work of art. French-born (obviously) Ansel is widely considered one of the finest pastry chefs in the country, and we can attest he is one of the nicest too. We can’t wait for his first cookbook, Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes, due out on October 28!
Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes (Simon & Schuster, 2014)
Dominique Ansel Bakery, 189 Spring Street, NYC www.dominiqueansel.com
One of the most resonating markers of the end of summer in Saratoga Springs is the conclusion of the racing season, this weekend, at the Saratoga Race Course. Now in its 151st year, this fantastic, historic track is the second oldest in the country. In the art and literary world, the Saratoga Race Course has been the setting in more than one work of fiction, and the artist Matthew Barney actually filmed part of Cremaster 3 at the track in 2002. We especially love to visit in the early morning, before the track opens, to watch the horses train. Really lovely. Until next summer…
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| The final stretch of the 1975 Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées, Paris. Photograph www.letour.com |
We are huge fans of the Tour de France, now in its 111th year, and are so excited for opening day on Saturday, July 5. At the start of the Tour, I always think about Louis Malle’s 1962 documentary short Vive le Tour and more recently, Jason Berry’s fantastic 2010 documentary Chasing Legends, both very much worth your time. The 2014 Tour de France culminates on July 27.
www.letour.com
The Bicycle Film Festival is once again in full swing in New York City. Now in its 14th year, this super cool festival not only celebrates the bicycle on film, but also in art and music, and is a powerful voice in promoting the urban cycling movement. One of the most anticipated annual events in the festival is an exhibition called Joyride. Held at the Marlborough Broome Street gallery, it opened last night and features works by emerging artists as well as major contemporary artists such as Kiki Smith, Urs Fischer, Francesco Clemente, Alex Katz and Richard Prince, each with the bicycle in mind. Check it out.
The Bicycle Film Festival runs through June 29 — www.bicyclefilmfestival.com
Joyride runs through August 3 — www.marlboroughchelsea.com/broome-st/exhibitions
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| Akram Khan’s Dust. Photography by ASH. |
This summer marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. Commemorative events are being planned in numerous countries over a four year period, representing the length of the war itself. I was so interested to learn that the English National Ballet commissioned works from three choreographers around the theme of the first world war for their program Lest We Forget that premiered in April at the Barbican Theatre in London. Included were Akram Khan’s Dust, Russell Maliphant’s Second Breath and Liam Scarlett’s No Man’s Land. A friend who saw it thought it was absolutely stunning, so did a host of critics. Described as “very strong and very smart”, I can only hope it finds its way here in the next few seasons.
Take a look at the trailer for Lest We Forget here.
We are so happy to once again be participating in the New York Weddings Event. It is happening tonight from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street. We would love to see you, so please stop by and say hello!
http://weddings.nymag.com/index.html
The standout collection for me from Milan fashion week was, most definitely, Prada. Perfect dresses and coats in the most sublime colors. Definitely what I’ll be craving this fall.
London Collections: Men is wrapping up today after three days of great looking shows. I love men’s fashion and my two favorite places to follow this London fashion week are, not surprisingly, London Collections’ own website, and also the T Magazine Blog, one of my several times daily reads. In fact, just this morning I watched the live stream of the Burberry Prorsum Autumn/Winter 2014 show. Held in Kensington Gardens, Christopher Bailey presented a stunning collection, amazing coats and jackets. It looks indeed like an exciting year for men’s fashion.
www.londoncollections.co.uk www.tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com
With temperatures below zero, I am happy to have the chance to escape to warmer waters. My good friend and owner of the extraordinary store of the same name, Jung Lee has discovered a new treasure of a book, FRENCH RIVIERA: Living Well Was The Best Revenge. The description on the store website describes the book best by saying: there has never been any place on earth quite like the French Riviera in the 1920s and early 30s. Artists and writers from all over the world—including Picasso, Man Ray, Stravinsky, Coco Chanel, Cocteau, Edith Wharton, Diaghilev, and Hemingway—came to invent a new way of life. It’s no surprise that such a delightful book would be chosen to be among the exquisitely curated objects of Jung’s store.
available at jungleeny.com
