So I might as well make the best of this sleepless time and share with you the story of my wanderings through Chelsea the other day. Named for an old English-style manor house that dominated this area in the 1750s, my neighbourhood is now home to some of the best art galleries, restaurants, and bars in the city.
Not far from my apartment is a fantastic restaurant called Trestle on Tenth. In fine weather they open up their small courtyard garden, and it was there that I sat and enjoyed a strong coffee and fluffy summer omelet with goat cheese, mushrooms, asparagus, and fresh herbs. A decadent breakfast choice to be sure, but much better for me than the oozy, gooey and AMAZING pork sandwich from the affiliated Rocket Pig next door. Rocket Pig opens at 11am and they close when the sandwiches sell out (which they do every day). After all, the sandwiches were voted among the best in the city by Time Out New York so you must indulge at least once.
Belly full, I strolled a block over to West 23rd Street and climbed the stairs up to the High Line. Now I've written about this elevated park before, and I've visited it many times too, but on this occasion I geeked out more than ever. I actually had the presence of mind to download not one, but two podcasts about the history of the High Line, and I loaded them to my iPod at home. As I wandered up and down the walkway, I listened to the official High Line podcast, and also the 45-minute historical and cultural podcast issued by the brilliant Bowery Boys. Both are great fact-filled walking tours, and they kept me company as I wandered past the diverse blooms and public art, while I watched the Friends of the Highline maintenance teams at work, and observed the City construction crews all around.
It is really peaceful just walking back and forth above street level in this neighbourhood. Sure it's a bit grimy and industrial over this side of the island, but there is something lovely about taking time out on the High Line to enjoy the plant life and colourful public artwork - even if plants and art aren't really your thing.
After my hearty breakfast, I wasn't at all hungry but my sunny cultural promenade had certainly made me pretty thirsty. I headed down the stairs at West 14th Street and made for the beer garden at the Standard Hotel. What I hadn't counted on was the hundreds of people who had camped out at the bar for the US versus Germany World Cup match! GAH! The bouncer looked weary and I wasn't about to add to his woes, so I cleverly ducked around the corner to the Brass Monkey. More soccer fans! Foiled again. Doesn't anyone in this city have a job?! I was never going to get anywhere near a cold drink at this rate.
Iced coffee in hand, I was still keen to escape the summer heat, but not really ready to head home. So I walked the few blocks east to The Rubin Museum of Art, a 6-storey treasure trove of art and sculpture from the Himalayas and the surrounding region. The second floor gallery is closed until 2 July, but otherwise I was free to roam the exhibits and enjoy the bright colours and vibrant characters in artwork from Nepal, Tibet, and even a collection of sculpture from India (on loan from the Brooklyn Museum).
At the start of the exhibit, you are invited to do a quiz to determine your nyepa (or bodily force). You learn that there are three nyepas in Tibetan culture: wind, bile, and phlegm and you need to maintain balance in all three to ensure good physical and mental health. Once you complete the quiz and you determine your dominant nyepa (mine was phlegm - gross), you walk through the exhibit and learn more about your dominant force and how Tibetan medicine and the practice of balanced living would be relevant to achieving harmony.
Through a series of drawings, and little vials of roots, berries, and compounds, you quickly realise that a balanced life is really tough to achieve (even by Tibetan medical standards) and even if you're as healthy as a horse you'll still likely have a dominant nyepa. But the whole point is to start to make choices about your body to help you move towards the ideal state. The exhibition talks about good diet, conduct, medicines, and other therapies that a Tibetan doctor might recommend to help you. Someone dominated by a phlegm nyepa is motivated by earth and water, and to keep that nyepa in check they should stay warm and engage in energetic activities. Needless to say I took that as my cue to walk home under the hot summer sun.
With the exception of downloading the High Line podcasts, I hadn't done much pre-planning for my neighbourhood stroll through Chelsea on Thursday. But I came home really relaxed after being a tourist in my own hood - it was a day that proved very beneficial for mind, body, and soul.
The images you see here are just a sample of the ones I took - you can view the full album below.
Post by The ABCs of NYC.
