STUNNING ART EXHIBIT—People Come First
I feel as if I should have heard about the American artist Alice Neel long before this. She lived from 1900 to 1984 and was active on the political scene in Manhattan. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a retrospective of her work on display until August 1, and it’s stunning. Her paintings are largely people, one or two women or men and some of her children and grandchildren.
She was one of the first women to paint male as well as female nudes, and they are not prettified at all, but real and frank in their sexuality. The exhibit indicates that perhaps she didn’t become as well known in her prime since the art world had turned more toward abstraction and away from representational works. In addition to the paintings of humans, she did some still lifes, which I also liked.
NEW NOVEL—Missing Girls
When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain
Paula McLain is known for her historical novels, particularly the one about Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley. This novel is a departure as it’s something of a suspense novel about a homicide detective who specializes in locating missing children. Anna Hart has suffered recent tragedy in her personal life and is hiding away from her family in Mendocino where she grew up. There she becomes obsessed with a missing teenage girl. This disappearance is reminiscent of an unsolved case from her childhood and consumes her. Anna offers her assistance to the local police detective. They do not know if they will find a body or a girl still alive. McLain details the acute tension of the search along with Anna’s internal struggles and her identification with certain aspects of the missing girl’s life.
The arc of the narrative is shallow which means there is much debate and discussion, but not lots of action. It feels like a very personal story, and to a great extent it is. McLain herself spent much of her childhood in foster care and is a sexual abuse survivor. I found the novel engaging, but not gripping, but appreciated why, especially after the author’s endnotes she was compelled to write it.
DINING DELIGHTS
For lunch in the West Village, Petite Boucherie perfectly fit the bill. Mourning the demise of A.O.C., we tried this little bistro and were delighted. Excellent merguez sausages, delicious salmon over white beans, a pot of mussels, and delicate greens with warm chevre toast satisfied four discriminating diners.
Eat Here Now remains the Chief Penguin’s favorite diner on the Upper East Side, and they didn’t disappoint. He always orders a grilled bacon and cheese sandwich with a side of cole slaw. I had tuna salad in a pita which was also good. For a more upscale lunch, but still casual, Three Guys on Madison near Frick Madison is another good bet. The food is even better, but the vibe is shinier and less atmospheric.
Via Quadronno is well located for a simple lunch before or after visiting Frick Madison. They don’t take reservations, so we went early and were able to snag a corner table for four inside in the window. While their specialty is panini and other types of Italian sandwiches, they also serve pasta and salads. We enjoyed the lasagna Bolognese, the lasagna of the day (spinach), a lovely mixed greens salad with tuna, and asparagus with vinaigrette. Service was relaxed and unhurried. We were surprised when we left at the length of the line waiting to be seated. More outside seating than inside and they don’t take reservations.
For tasty Lebanese fare, we had dinner at Naya on Second Avenue. The wait staff were all very welcoming, took our temperatures, and asked for contact info. We had grilled halloumi followed by the kafta kebab (nicely spiced ground lamb) served alongside grilled onions and sweet pepper and a mound of rice with vermicelli strands. We also shared the chicken shish taouk, cubes of grilled chicken with the same veggies and rice. And we tried their baklava. Worth a return visit!
With a hankering for some good Indian food, we ventured to Chola on E. 58 St for dinner. Years ago, we enjoyed their sumptuous lunch buffet. No buffet this year. The tables were very widely spaced, and our temperatures checked upon entry. The menu was so tempting we over ordered to try more dishes and had some to take home. The chili shrimp in red sauce were very hot and the Chief Penguin was delighted. Pickled tandoor chicken was appropriately piquant and sharp, while the samosas were a tad disappointing. I found the ratio of dough to filling to be out of balance. For an entrée, we sampled the lamb rogan josh with some buttered naan. A very satisfying meal!
Note: All photos by JWFarrington.
