"East Side Exploration"

   As a Colombian-American, I'm ashamed to admit that today was the first time I'd ever been in SpaHa. I am glad to say that I was very pleased with the experience. Our tour guide, Meghan, was excellent.  She highlighted the quote written outside El Museo del Barrio that read "the museum is a school, the artist learns to communicate, and the public learns to connect."Although I had never thought of a museum as a school, it made perfect sense. Through art, an artist expresses himself, enabling the public to heighten their awareness, and grow in understanding. I loved this quote! Through Meghan we learned that El Museo was a product of 1960's cultural activism, and it's dedicated to Latino and Caribbean art. It is largely representative of the "barrio" and committed to celebrating culture. "Located at the edge of Spanish Harlem or 'El Barrio', El Museo was founded in 1969 by community activists, teachers, and artists, mainly Puerto Ricans"(BG, p.376). Walking through el barrio was interesting. There were an abundance of NYC housing complexes, and nice looking brown stones in close proximity. The people were very friendly, and invited us into their community gardens. While I didn't consider the graffiti hall of fame great, I was fascinated by the mural named "Spirit of East Harlem." Its authentic depiction of the community, stereotypes included, was awesome! El Museo's collection was pretty cool too. My favorite was a painting by Christian Curiel. It portrayed a young group hanging out on a stoop, an activity that's so typically "city." I loved it!

Next stop: food for our souls. Lunch at El Paso was fantastic and cheap! I ordered a burrito with guacamole, and it was delicious. The staff was great, the restaurant sat all of us, and everyone was satisfied with their meal. We stuffed our faces, and still had enough time for a siesta. I do intend to return soon, and try a few other dishes on their menu.

Founded in 1923, the Museum of the City of New York offers exhibitions that explore the city's complex history from its early days as a Dutch colony to its present eminence (BG, p.376). Its exterior was impressive, and the marble floors and stairs were spectacular. My favorite work on the 1st floor was the Stettheimer Dollhouse. Amazing and intricate detail was given to every piece in all the rooms. It was phenomenal! On the 2nd floor, Camilo Jose Vergara's photographs captured the place of the Twin Towers in NYC history. Viewing the skyline that I grew up with, and seeing it post 9-11 stirred my emotions.  This exhibition made me reflect on the gut-wrenching pain New York felt on the darkest day ever. Vergara's photos were most certainly worth a thousand words.
The short film, Timescapes, was nice. It took us through the history of New York, from a Dutch settlement to its modern day greatness. I enjoyed it very much.
The Conservatory Garden was very peaceful and pretty. I can just imagine how vibrant and beautiful it must be when the flowers start to blossom. I will definitely visit again in the Spring. Trekking through the park was exhaustingly fun! We started at E. 105th St and ended at W. 72nd St. Since it appeared that the majority of  Central Park joggers were older than me, I dared not complain. Although I loved the lake, fountain, and great photo ops, I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon!
Saving the best for last: Strawberry Fields. It is dedicated to the memory of the musician John Lennon, and is named after a Beatles song. "Strawberry Fields Forever, one of Lennon's most popular songs, took its title from the name of a Liverpool Orphanage, though the lyrics in fact have hallucinogenic overtones. The title of another famous song 'Imagine,' is inscribed in the center of a black and white pavement mosaic"(BG, p. 292). The lyrical content of this song is reflective of Lennon's beliefs, "Imagine all the people sharing all the world...nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too...no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man...you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one"
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY0COX0gcyw&feature=related

Sadly, Lennon's life was taken prematurely, but this anthem of peace has kept him alive in the hearts of millions. Happy Birthday John!