Following Rabbits Blog

I went to the New Museum today to catch the last day of Rivane Neuenschwander's A Day Like Any Other. I was especially interested in seeing I Wish Your Wish, in which hundreds of ribbons with wishes printed on them are hanging from the gallery walls. From the New Museum website:

At the church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil the faithful tie silk ribbons to their wrists and to the gates of the church, and, according to tradition, their wishes are granted when the ribbons wear away and fall off. For Neuenschwander’s installation I Wish Your Wish at the New Museum, hundreds of similar ribbons will be printed with visitors’ wishes from past projects, and will hang from the gallery walls. Visitors will be invited to remove a ribbon, tie it to their wrist, and replace it with a new wish written on a slip of paper, continuing the project that keeps generating new ribbons and dreams.

I loved the idea of leaving a wish behind and taking on someone else's wish and helping it come true. There were several wishes that I could so directly relate to... I tried to imagine who had written it, and silently hoped that they would get their wish. One read "I wish to have the strength to divorce my husband". I winced when I read it... once upon a time I had to muster my courage and resolve to leave an unhappy marriage. Another read "I wish for a wonderful new apartment and amazing friends to share it with". I had that same wish last year. Here's the one I took to tie around my wrist:

The New Museum's Sky Room has a really great panoramic view. I took a ton of photos... it was a beautiful day today in NYC.

I couldn't pick which photos of the view to share with you, so I made an album:

I also took some photos for a series called escape that I'm working on:

The New Museum is open daily; the Sky Room is open weekends. For hours and visitor info, check out their website. Admission is $12.

It was my friend's birthday today, and we played Accomplice! Part scavenger hunt, part improv adventure, we spent 3 hours roaming downtown Manhattan in search of clues, maps, and our next drop-off. We got telephone instructions last night to meet at the Seaport, and our group of 8 was met by a fast-talking Italian with a briefcase who gave us our first clue. From there we were on our own. The storyline was great, the actors are fantastic, and the things we did and saw were pretty outrageous. I don't want to give anything away, since the element of surprise and figuring out the clues with each other obviously made the game. I can only strongly recommend that you do it yourself- you'll have so much fun! I've been in NYC more than 2 years and saw things I've never seen or noticed about the city before. There are 2 different games in New York- there's another one in the Village. I'll definitely be doing that one, too. They're also in Hollywood and London. Check out their website for tickets and more info- but don't google and dig around about it too much and ruin it- just trust me and play. You'll thank me later!

SEE IT: pics I took this week
I got my kitties fixed Sunday, and they've been a very needy and cuddly pair this week. (Shout out to the Toby Project that spays/neuters cats and dogs for free in the city.) Every time I sit down they're climbing onto my lap and snoozing (they never did this before, but I hope it lasts).    

Lily has stitches and has to wear one of those awful cones over her head, but Ben's been helping her wash up every night after dinner. Cutness!

HEAR IT: songs I downloaded this week
1. On Directing by Tegan and Sara 2. Northshore by Tegan and Sara 3. Someday by Tegan and Sara 4. For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic by Paramore 5. Fix You by Coldplay 6. Dashboard by Modest Mouse 7. Happier by A Fine Frenzy 8. Dead Things by Emiliana Torrini 9. Automatic Stop by The Strokes 10. Ghost by JES

 photo via Gothamist

WATCH IT: videos I peeped this week that you should too
I love this stop-motion video "Lost Things" starring Alison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy). It has a very Alice in Wonderland quality about it.

Google teamed up with Arcade Fire to create an interactive experience slash video for "We Used to Wait". It's pretty incredible.

In the twitter frenzy over the tornado here last night, I caught this video shot by 2 guys in Brooklyn. As Gothamist put it, "video of guys going all 'double-rainbow' on the Brooklyn tornado". It's pretty ridiculous. 

 photo via facebook

DO IT: things to add to your calendar this week
Bryant Park is wrapping up their Fall Festival this weekend, with music and dance from BAM, Parson's Dance, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's.

Saturday check out The Last Supper Festival at 3rd Ward in Brooklyn. Bring canned food donations for the Food Bank of NYC, and take in the sensory overload of food, music, art, film and design. 6p-2a, $15.

There are several street fairs and fall festivals this weekend worth checking out. Time Out NY has the schedule.

I love old photos of NYC! This week, the Seaport Museum opened their Alfred Stieglitz New York exhibit, featuring the photographer's photos of New York City from the early 1900's.

I love being the hostess. I've been dying to have a dinner party at my apartment, and finally have enough furniture to do so. Now that summer is winding down and everyone is falling back into their routines, it's a perfect time to gather friends for dinner. I want everything to be perfect, and I'm definitely a plan-ahead kinda girl. Here's what I've found so far. 

 photo via marthastewart.com 

Martha Stewart's website has 100 dinner party menus- 25 for each season. My current fave for my upcoming fete is roast chicken with brussel sprouts, potato puree and sorbet napoleons for dessert.

photo via acmepartybox.com 

Once you choose your menu, you can put together a theme. For help, I suggest consulting Acme Party Box Company- a one stop shop for invitations, decor, place settings, and favors. You can purchase what you want a la carte style or get a party box- which has everything you need to throw a fabulous party for 8.

I'm fortunate enough to have a great set of dishes and serving platters for 12. If you're still eating off of paper plates and rubbermaid from your dorm days, it's time for an upgrade. CB2 in Soho has really great dishes, silverware, and glassware at fab prices. The dinner set (pictured above) has a place setting for 4, including placemats (in your choice of 4 colors) for only $99.85. Get on it!

I was invited to a screening of Catfish tonight! When I first watched the trailer I was a little skeptical- like, was this really a documentary? I've been hearing a lot of underground rumbling about this flick, and was afraid it was a Blair Witch take on "documentary". But no, this is actually a play-by-play account of what happens when Nev starts an online relationship with Megan... and subsequently her family and friends. After growing skeptical of a few odd details, he arrives in her hometown to meet her face to face- and you won't believe what happens.

I think I experienced the most suspense I've ever felt while watching a film. Because it's real. You're learning things and the story is unfolding for you as the viewer at the same time that it is revealing itself to the 3 guys making the film. It's funny, shocking, a bit scary, and I think says a lot about the way we communicate with the world around us.

So many of us take people at face value and are intrinsically trusting over the internet. We communicate with people we've never met every single day- over IM, Facebook, dating websites, forums, blogs and Twitter. After speaking with them for a while, you feel like you know them. You trust them. I admit I'm definitely one of those people. I have two friends who I speak to nearly every day online who I've never met in my life. And I met my last boyfriend on Craigslist (and we dated for a year).

The film opens Friday in select theaters around the city, and I'm telling you- see it. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you take a second look at the way you live online.