NYC musings

Bill Clinton Tribute To Billie Jean King at BNP Paribas Showdown

2009-03-03T13:59:28-05:00

Last night's BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden featured none other than President Bill Clinton paying tribute to Billie Jean King for her career accomplishments in professional tennis and for her lifelong service on behalf of women in sports around the world. "She has probably done more than any other woman in the world to empower women and educate men," Clinton said, adding that while his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is making peace in the Middle East, she too would have high praise for the life work of Billie Jean King were she here in attendance. , The competition was played in a unique one night format, pitting first Venus Williams versus Jelena Jankovic, followed by Serena Williams against Ana Ivanovic, in a preliminary one set no-ad elimination round. Venus Williams narrowly defeated Jankovic 6-4 to advance to the finals. , Sister Serena was pushed to the limit by Serbian phenom Ana Ivanovic, who came within a hair's breath from evening the match, before succumbing to the overpowering game of the world's current number one ranked tennis player in the world. Following the victories of the Williams sisters, the ceremony with former President Bill Clinton took place, with female sports stars such as figure skaters Sarah Hughes and Nancy Kerrigan, race car driver Janet Guthrie, and long-time doubles partner Rosie Casales participating in the tribute to Billie Jean King, who founded the Women's Tennis Association in 1973. Serena Williams eventually prevailed against sister Venus to win the Billie Jean King Cup exhibition tournament on Monday, ending both the match and the highly marketed return of women's tennis to Madison Square Garden with a 6-4, 6-3 victory. The live HBO broadcast of the Billie Jean King Cup was part of "Tennis Night in America," an effort by the U.S. Tennis Association to get youth registered for the sport. More than 750 tennis and community centers were signing up kids for spring and summer leagues. Photography: Charles Harris ©2009 NYC.com / All Rights Reserved

Tags: ana ivanovic, billie jean king, billie jean king cup, bnp paribas showdown, hbo, jelena jankovic, madison square garden, president bill clinton, serena williams, tennis night in america, venus williams, wta

Lawrence Schiller And Other Star Artists Headline 2009 International Artexpo New York

2009-02-27T18:46:02-05:00

The 31st Annual 2009 International Artexpo New York, the premier trade show of the fine-art industry, opens on Saturday February 28th at 10 am. Attendees to this marquee event are in for literally dozens of eye-opening and inspiring exhibits on display at the Jacob Javits Center this weekend. The elegantly black-draped exhibition floor designed by Metropolitan Exposition Services of New Jersey provides the perfect backdrop for the colorful and dazzling array of works presented by over 500 established and emerging artists.

In addition to the gallery and artist exhibits there are also a number of noteworthy events and lectures taking place on the exhibition hall floor over the 3-day weekend exhibit. Renowned artist and environmentalist, Wyland, has arranged for a fun paint-a-mural event for children and families in attendance on Saturday morning. Celebrity artist, Jane Seymour is making a personal appearance to sign her new book, Open Hearts, on Saturday and Sunday and will also be exhibiting a collection of recent paintings at the Coral Canyon Publishing, booth 1542. Open Hearts, a collection of poems, essays and quotes, along with the paintings, represent Seymour's signature theme of unconditional and inspirational love. Lastly presenting his first book, The Beat of Urban Art, Hip Hop painter extraordinaire Justin Bua, will give two successive lectures on Saturday and Sunday (2pm) and talk about his life and work, and offer listeners his historical insights into the birth of Hip-Hop.

One of the more challenging tasks in attending such a magnificent event is realizing that one needs to make some choices in what one chooses to view. What follows below are choices recommended by Alison Nakamura, senior executive for Sharp Communications, the company expertly handling the media and press aspects of Artexpo 2009.

Leading off is the phenomenal and heartwrenching series of heretofore unseen photographs of Marilyn Monroe, taken by Lawrence Schiller in 1962, a few short weeks before Monroe's untimely death of apparent suicide. Schiller shot the photographs of Monroe during breaks on the set of Something's Got To Give, a film never completed, and one which was slated to be the first Hollywood feature with a major motion picture actress appearing in the nude. The French may have their Mona Lisa in the Louvre, but thanks to Mr. Schiller we have our own here in America in the stunningly beautiful black and white portrait of Marilyn Monroe seated nude at a glittering poolside, her wet bare back to the camera provocatively arched, her eyes reflectively gazing into the deep distance to the right. This work is certainly one of the highlights of the 2009 show, but there are a number of other stellar celebrity portraits by Schiller on display, including Barbara Streisand, Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and several other hauntingly beautiful and candid photographs of Marilyn in her final days.

Argentinian born Fabien Perez's acrylic paintings on display at Artexpo 2009 display the bravado, eroticism, and depth of character one would expect from a native Argentinian artist, yet the surprising aspect of his work is that it displays a technical virtuosity one would expect of an impressionist master twice his age (he's 42). What a wonderfully sensual, intimate, emotional world you inhabit when admiring Perez's dark, brooding, mahogany cast portraits, many of which stem autobigraphically from Perez's life experience. Especially noteworthy are his portraits of various dancers, in which figures are softly captured in motion performing salsa or tango and other South American dance genres.

The masterful work of Harlem native Justin Bua proves the old adage that you can take the boy out of Harlem (he currently resides in LA), but you can't take Harlem out of the boy. Looking at the funky portraits of Hip Hop artists, street musicians, and urban street life in Bua's paintings, one realizes that his imagination is still soaking wet with street vibe imagery, impromptu urban performances, and a love for the African American "characters" who make life seem worth living, whatever the circumstances they may be dealing with. Beyond subject matter, one look at some of Bua's signature pieces, such as DJ or Trumpet Man, and you immediately recognize excellent draftsmenship, deft handling of skewed perspectives, and beautiful color composition.

Lastly visitors to Artexpo 2009 should not pass up the legendary and remarkably vibrant work of pop art 3D cityscapes and celebrityscapes of Charles Fazzino, the most popular and highly collected pop artist of our time. In case you don't know how many celebrities and famous figures are pop art collectors, Fazzino's 3d pop artwork can be found in the private collections of Rosie O'Donnell, Michael Eisner, Hillary Clinton, Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Roger Clemens, Michael Jordan, Julia Roberts and many other internationally renowned figures and corporations. The real treat at Fazzino's Artexpo booth is that visitors have the opportunity to marvel at his works at such close proximity that you truly feel like you are experiencing the breathtaking perspective and zany details of this accomplished meister of pop art three dimensionally. There's also a bonus for stopping by Charles Fazzino's booth this year, right next door to him is the work of the next Fazzino prodigy in the making. Daughter Heather Lee Fazzino, in her debut exhibition. is displaying her ornate, delicate, mindboggingly detailed works in a variety of delightful media, including paintings, furniture, and glamorously bejeweled T-shirts.

To discover more beauty created by the hundreds of wonderful artists displaying their work at the 31st Annual 2009 International Artexpo New York, you simply have to visit the Javits Center this weekend. It's a must. For factual information, directions, tickets, visit: www.artexpos.com

Tags: 31st annual 2009 international artexpo new york, artexpo 2009, charles fazzino, fabien perez, heather lee fazzino, jacob javits center, jane seymour, justin bua, lawrence schiller, marilyn monroe, open hearts, pop art, sharp communications, the beat of urban art, wyland

BNP Paribas Showdown—World's Top Tennis Divas at MSG

2009-02-24T18:12:59-05:00

For a number of reasons the upcoming BNP Paribas Showdown, otherwise known as The Billie Jean Cup, seems so quintessentially New York. First of all it features Serena Williams,Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, four of the hottest tennis divas on the planet smacking that fluorescent green ball silly on the floor of the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Although the event organizers did not select the top four female players according to the current WTA rankings, they did choose four of the top ten, three 2008 Grand Slam title winners, plus the currently number one ranked female player in the world Jelena Jankovic. These four have definite star appeal and should be able to sell this show to a New York audience. The ad campaign on billboards in midtown Manhattan presents these talented ladies like fashionista glamor girls (which of course they are). Secondly The Billie Jean Cup is about making money and making it fast, which is what New Yorkers are all about. It will definitely be exciting to witness one of these players winning a ton of money in the course of a single evening. Thirdly, by setting up the event in a win it-win-it-now showdown format, it's win big or go home, which is definitely a New York frame of mind. And lastly the BNP Paribas Showdown asks the essential question in a blunt New York fashion. What does it all come down to on this historic night? At the end of the night which one of them is going to have the guts (or should I say balls) to slay her opponents in three merciless sets? Do I hear a Paris Hiltonian "That's hot!" reverberating in the air over Manhattan? Billie Jean King Cup? Forget about it— that's just a silver cup. These chicks are going home on the night of March 2nd, 2009 with $1.2 million in prize money. (If I'm not mistaken, some of the players on the New York Knicks tough it out for an entire season and make about half that amount.) Tickets for the Big Showdown go for anywhere from $50 to $1000 plus for the big showdown. Given the entertainment value, however, this is about as recession proof an event as you can get in winter 2009. "And that's hot!" Photo Credit: BNP Paribas Showdown ©2009 All Rights Reserved

Tags: ana ivanovic, bnp paribas showdown, jelena jankovic, new york, serena williams, the billie jean cup, venus williams

Le Scandal Burlesque at Beechman Theater Startles and Delights

2009-02-23T16:08:07-05:00

Opening at its charming new venue this month at the West Bank Café's Laurie Beechman Theater, the burlesque troupe Le Scandal serves up a naughty and entertaining menu of risqué dance numbers, sideshow performances, and New Orleansian music that is simply delightful to watch, listen to, and experience. Emceed by Le Scandal producer and burlesque songstress, Bonnie Dunn, the live performances here cover a surprising range of talents, from sword swallowing feats (Natasha Veruschka) to naughty dance numbers (Perle Noir), as well as audacious balancing acts, mind-boggling juggling skills (Marcus Monroe), and much more. This is definitely live exotic-erotic entertainment worthy of a full house in midtown Manhattan. Ms. Dunn, who developed her burlesque and cabaret persona growing up and performing in New Orleans's famous French Quarter, doesn't need to implore anybody to leave the boring comfort of late night television to check out her show. The word of mouth alone from this past Saturday's show should be enough to fill the cozy seats at this charming late night venue (Le Scandal is booked here for multiple Saturday nights this 2009 winter season). Although the show's line-up will vary over the course of it's upcoming shows, one feels confident that a veteran burlesque dame such as Ms. Dunn has only the highest standards in mind in selecting acts that will cover a very colorful spectrum of performances. Expect hoola hoops, fire-eaters, shimmering Burlesque beauties, belly dancers, contortionists, and plenty of performer/audience interaction to keep you on the edge of your seat all night. And with great cabaret style music provided by the NYC Blues Devils, led by pianist, Scott "The Doctor" Treibitz (plus Kiku Collins on horns), what you really have here is a classy varieté program mixed and mingling, one might even say flirting, with a neo-burlesque naughtiness that is charmingly contemporary.

Tags: burlesque, cabaret, kiku collins, le scandal, manhattan, marcus monroe, natasha veruschka, new york city, nyc blues devils, perle noir, saturday nights, scott treibitz, west bank cafe

The Facade of the NYSE—Dow Falls To October 2002 Low

2009-02-19T18:34:22-05:00

Although the US flag hanging today across the facade of the New York Stock Exchange gives the building the added appearance of both strength and patriotism, if you look closely you can see there are dozens of wrinkles in Old Glory. No matter how tightly they try to wrap the flag across those noble columns, a shakiness, a quivering is still evident in its fabric on a day when the the Dow has dropped to its lowest point since October 2002. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 88 points, or 1.6%, according to early tallies, and finished at the low of the last bear market. Despite the steady flow of tourists taking pictures in New York historic Financial District, there is a funereal gloom looming in the air, perhaps best represented by an aged, homeless man sitting in front of the building playing an incredibly sad version of "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah" on his tarnished silver flute, as respectful tourists take their digital photos and discuss the landmarks in the immediate vicinity in various languages. If the U.S. government's stimulus package is to have a palpable effect on the global markets and the US economy, you certainly couldn't feel it at the NYSE today. President Obama did in fact say after the signing of the huge stimulus bill that immediate improvements should not be expected and that change will take place gradually over a period of months,if not years. We just don't know if the old man playing that very sad song knows any other tunes to play in this chosen Wall Street location-- the song he chose on this grey day sounded like a delicate dirge. Photography: Charles Harris Photo Credit: NYC.com © All Rights Reserved 2009

Tags: 2002, dow, dow jones, new york stock exchange, nyse, president obamafinancial district, stimulus package, us flag, wall street

Winning The 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show— Sussex Spaniel Stump

2009-02-11T20:55:40-05:00

Although most people have learned by now that a Sussex spaniel named Stump has won yesterday's 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square, many might not know the arduous path each dog takes to make it to this prestigious event, often referred to as America's Number One Dog Show. In addition to long and arduous hours of training, many of the 2500 dogs entered in the event have competed in dozens of events prior to this year's show in order to accumulate enough points to become qualified to participate. What they usually means is that before competing in New York City each dog needs to win an official AKC Best of Breed competition elsewhere, which often means numerous attempts and numerous shows. The Top Five dogs (AKC Champions) in breed standings in a given year are invited to pre-enter in advance of the regular closing date, while the rest must go from show to show until they capture a WKC championship. The Best of Breed competition, such as the Tibetan Mastiff one pictured above, pits the pre-qualified dogs in a head to toe competition against each other in a series of tests in order to determine the champion. First the dogs enter the ring and are assembled in a line and are evaluated by a single (highly qualified) lone judge, who assesses their stature and proportionality. They circle the ring as a group and are then each are summoned to one end of the ring to be evaluated individually. Judges at AKC shows assess the overall health of the dog and then observe the dog in motion to see if the dog presents the classic posture and gait that is characteristic of that particular breed. In examining a traditional Bullmastiff, for example, a working dog which was originally bred and trained to deter poaching on large estates in England, one is looking for a certain "squareness" in its overall sturdy build. The Siberian Husky is known to be the fastest, most enduring, and versatile of purebred sled dogs, and is capable of running marathon distances that few if any other breeds of dog could manage. The movement of each dog is evaluated in the end in regard to the purpose for which it was bred. Thus the Siberian Husky's gait during the show should correlate directly to its long-distance running tradition. Each of the finalist at this years show— Smash JP Moon Walk, Spirit, Tiger Woods, Field of Dreams (Pulli), Sadie, Masquerade, and the champion Stump, made it to the finals in the competition because they exhibited the health, beauty, movement, and character of the prototypical breed they represent better than any other dog in their particular category.

Tags: 2009 west minster kennel club dog show, akc, field of dreams, madison square garden, sadie, smash jp moon walk, spirit, stump, tiger woods

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Renting Sassafras Estate on Long Island

2009-01-29T10:35:47-05:00

In the midst of collapsing fortune 500 companies, record job losses, foreclosures, and massive bailout packages, it's certainly reassuring to know that not everybody in the New York metropolitan area is suffering a through hard winter this year. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will be renting the Lloyd Neck estate known as Sassafras, (which if anyone is interested out there is on the market this year for a cool $60 million) while Jolie shoots the upcoming CIA spy movie—Salt. The 48-acre estate on Long Island was once on the Forbes list of the 10 most expensive homes in North America. There are three houses on the property—one boasting 22,000 square feet and a interior decor fit for nobility— as well as two helipads, tennis courts, a pool, and a private cove with a dock. Welcome to New York, Brad and Angelina. Manhattan would appreciate a few trips into the city by you two— we need all the positive buzz we can get this winter. Come to think of it— do a little bit of shopping, go to restaurants, buy a couple cars, how about some jewelry?

Tags: 48 acre, angelina, angelina jolie, brad, brad pitt, lloyd neck, long island, new york, sassafras

New York International Gift Fair 2009 Debuts

2009-01-26T10:33:35-05:00

The New York International Gift Fair, the premier gift and decorative accessories market in the United States, has opened its doors at the Jacob Javitz Center. This semi-annual event fills 638,000 net square feet, including the entire Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and the Passenger Ship Terminal. The 45,000 national and international attendees are drawn from major retail outlets, specialty retailers, distributors, catalog companies and others. There are more than 2,800 firms exhibiting in eleven major merchandise sections of the Fair, including international sponsored groups representing Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Canadian Province of Quebec, South Africa, Thailand and United Kingdom. This year's NYIGF features a number of interesting green-themed presentations this week for attendees in the gift-giving business. "It’s Easy Being, Building, Buying & Selling Green – An Interview with Clodagh" presents a interview with green movement pioneer, Clodagh, and editor-in-chief of Metropolis Magazine, Susan Szenasy, and explores how one woman’s passion for environmentally and spiritually friendly materials and art finishes informs her commitment to product and interior design. Mark McMenamin, senior editor of Interior Design magazine, will give a lecture on business practices that can be implemented that help businesses succeed in today's green marketplace. A third discussion session led by Patricia Norins, publisher of Green Retailer and GIFT SHOP magazines, with panelists Robin Brown, co-founder of Erbaviva, Alan Honick, partner of Lichen Studio and Mac McCoy, CEO of Tibet Collection will concern itself with learning how to distinguish between "green" and "greenwash", and how to properly make successful green choices and avoid green frauds. Attendees of this year's New York International Gift Fair have the good fortune of being in New York City during Restaurant Week 2009, with all kinds of participating restaurants offering bargain dining deals. NYC hotel accommodations in 2009 have also never been more affordable due to the current economic climate. Let's hope NYIGF participants walk away from this year's show with new insights into green business practices, lower accommodations costs, and maybe even a Broadway ticket stub or two in their pockets that they were not able to afford on previous visits to New York City.

Tags: broadway, business practices, clodagh, convention center, green, green marketplace, green retailer, greenwash, hotels, interior design, jakob javitz, mark mcmenamin, metropolis magazine, new york international gift show, passenger ship terminal, patrica norins, susan szenasy

Knicks Impress With 114-109 Win Over Suns

2009-01-22T14:42:37-05:00

The New York Knicks defeated Shaquile O'Neal and the Phoenix Suns 114-109 last night at Madison Square Garden, earning Coach Mike D'Antoni his first win against the team he formerly coached to greatness. The Knicks wisely chose to play up tempo basketball against the Suns, who with their recent roster moves have now become the kind of half-court, inside-outside kind of team that new GM Steve Kerr envisioned would be more successful come time for the playoffs. Although the Suns played an aggressive first half, particularly O'Neal, who scored seemingly at will when he was fed the fall in the paint or in the post early on, the Knicks remained relatively poised and energetic throughout the entire 48 minutes, with solid contributions from six players scoring in double figures. David Lee could not contain O'Neal in the paint, but he played a clever and energetic brand of basketball, draining mid-range jumpers and contributing a number of slam dunk highlight moments en route to another stellar game in which he tallied 24 points and 16 boards. When the closing quarter quarter came with the Suns still hanging within road-win striking distance, the welcome surprise of the night came in the form of Nate Robinson, who literally carried the offensive load on his 5'9" frame and finishing with 20 points of his own. This game had to please D'Antoni on numerous levels, but most of all it was a morale boosting win against one of NBA's basketball bigs, and a team he once commandeered. Photo Credit: Associated Press ©2009 All Rights Reserved

Tags: 109, 114, david lee, madison square garden, mike dantoni, nate robinson, nba, new york knicks, phoenix suns, shaquile oneale

David Lee Shines As Knicks Beat Wizards

2009-01-15T12:17:41-05:00

Last night at Madison Square Garden the New York Knicks faced one of the worst teams in NBA basketball playing one of the best games of their beleaguered season and came out with a victory. The lowly Washington Wizards(7-31) playing without four key players (most notably Gilbert Arenas and Brendon Hayward), shot a sizzling 59.7% from the field, 71% from three-point range, and 87% from the foul line and lost. How that came about comes down to a simple fact. If a game is played offense versus offense, nine times out of ten opposing teams will lose to Mike D'Antoni's run and gun system. In such a game with all scoring being basically equal, the key moment comes in the final three minutes when one or two defensive stops, turnovers, or missed shots end up deciding the game and that's what happened last night in the Garden. What also happened last night was the coming of age of forward David Lee, whose 30 point, 10 rebound, 6 assist performance was nothing short of Duncanesque. A fan favorite for his hustling, high energy brand of workmanlike basketball, Knick fans are now starting to see Lee for what he really is— the best all-around player on the squad, and one of the best emerging big men in the NBA. Although a great deal of the Knicks success night in and night out has to do with how well they move the ball, on nights like last night David Lee was the man in the middle of it all, showing post skills, pick and roll savvy, and a step-back mid-range jumper that were just what the Knicks needed: a triple threat. His six assists also show his unselfishness as a player and his keen understanding of a motion offense. He seems to know all the options available to the team at the outset of every set play and has the ability to execute them with a great deal of focus and energy. Unfortunately the current Knicks roster does not include a legitimate center, but if they did, Lee would quickly become one of the best power forwards in the league. The addition of a shot-blocking, intimidating man in the 5 spot (who can run) would not only put Lee in his natural position, it would serve the entire team as well. Photo Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara ©2009 All Rights Reserved

Tags: david lee, loss, madison square garden, mike dantoni, new york knicks, victory, washington wizards