The New York City Traveler

Opening today, on the spectacular rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the debut of of three new sculptures by American artist, in an new exhibition Jeff Koons on the Roof.  Koons has earned renown for such projects as Puppy (1992), a 42 1/2-foot-tall topiary sulpture of a West Highland Terrier, and Rabbit, a helium-filled balloon that made its debut at the 2007 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The art world is eagerly awaiting the debut of works in progress like Train, a 160-foot-tall full-scale locomotive, suspended nose-down, which “performs” several times a day with wheels chugging while emitting …read more

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Spring is “film festival season” in New York and today marks the opening of the Havana Film Festival New York (HFFNY).  The film festival celebrates the best of Latin America cinema featuring films from Cuba, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America.  The festival runs until Thursday, April 17th. 
Tonight’s opening film, La Noche de los Inocentes (The Night of the Innocents) (Cuba/Spain/Italy), opens with a badly beaten man in the emergency room of La Habana hospital.  Everyone assumes that he’s been assaulted for being a transvestite, but as the night continues, mysterious characters “come out of the woodwork.”  The …read more

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The 15th Annual New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) started yesterday, April 9, in New York and will run through May 26th.  The festival features over 40 films from 22 African countries.
The films in this year’s festival emphasize history and storytelling, technology and the future.  This year’s theme, “Cinema and History: Africa and the Future,” will mark the 50th anniversary of the independence of Guinea from colonial rule and will feature footage of this independence as captured by Russian archival footage. 
Among this year’s films are:
Cuba: An African Odyssey (France), which examines events surrounding Che Guevara’s military campaign in …read more

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MOMA’s Color Chart: Reinventing Color, 1950 to Today uses the commercial color chart as its central metaphor in this temporary exhibition.  Work from over 40 artists ranging from Ellsworth Kelly and Gerhard Richter to Sherrie Levine and Damien Hirst, is on display and includes five site-specific works.  After the exhibit visit Color Lab, an interactive space for families created in conjunction with Color Chart. Color Lab offers materials for families to conduct their own exploration of color choice.  

Location: 11 West 53rd (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues) map (212) 708-9400
Subway: E or V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street
Hours: 10:30 am -5:30 …read more

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The largest St Patrick’s Day Parade in the world will once again march up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan this Monday. 
The first official New York City St Patrick’s Day parade was held in 1766 by Irishmen in a military unit recruited to serve in the American colonies.  The parade has grown into the largest St Patrick’s Day parade and includes more than 200,000 people.  The parade differs greatly from others because there are no floats or cars in the parade; just bagpipers and groups walking the parade route.  This year’s Grand Marshall is ESPN television personality (and total Irish-New Yorker) …read more

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This year, St Patrick’s day not only falls during Lent, but also during the sacred Holy Week.  The Archdiocese of New York is taking a hands-off approach, keeping religious celebrations separate from civic celebrations.  If your beliefs are as flexible as the Catholic Church and you’re not worried about being excommunicated, here are a few great establishments that will have you speaking Irish Gaelic in no time!
Uptown

The Kinsale Tavern (map), an Irish bar on the Upper East Side, is my personal favorite bar, if only for the fact that they serve Brahma, my fave Brazilian beer. Don’t worry, they have …read more

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The seventy-fourth Whitney Biennial begins today.  Long considered the leading show featuring new and emerging artists, the Biennial features thought provoking contemporary installations.  As always, a theme seems to emerge from the art on display.  This year the nature of art, time, memory are all being explored.   
In addition to the work being presented in the museum space, for a short time the 2008 Biennial will continue at Park Avenue Armory with an extensive program of events and performances.  There, visitors may participate in a 24-hour dance marathon or join artist Bert Rodriguez in a white box he has created …read more

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Fellow b5media blogger Kristen at Lively Woman is hosting a contest featuring a giveaway of two fantastic gifts:

Frownies Facelift in a Bag (retail value $139) 
A $50 gift certificate to Bruno Jamais in New York City

Bruno Jamais is a super-deluxe Upper East Side restaurant featuring contemporary French cuisine.  I have only heard rave reviews for their food and cocktails!   
To win both of these fabulous items, head over to Lively Woman and answer one very easy question.  Hurry, the contest ends Friday, March 14th at 11:59 EDT.   
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