Above all, the Met roof
Every summer the Metropolitan Museum’s roof garden is the setting for a café and seasonal exhibit. This year, the museum has selected painted and unpainted steel works encompassing the career of influential British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro; they are arrayed outdoors with dramatic park and skyline views. “Who could hope for a more wonderful background?” the artist exclaimed on opening day.” It’s an ideal place!”
Weather permitting, snacks, desserts, and soft drinks are served in the roof garden café from 10 a.m. until closing. A plus: There’s a martini bar set up on Friday and Saturday nights until 8 p.m.
www.metmuseum.org
Stage door chapeaux
Besides the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade, a “must” event of the season is the annual Easter Bonnet Competition. Performers in various Broadway shows contribute their considerable talents to the annual fund-raising contest sponsored by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Each show concocts an elaborate headpiece, which is introduced in an original on-stage skit. Robin Williams, Harvey Fierstein, Daniel Radcliffe and Christie Brinkley were among stars who showed up to promote the shows they are appearing in. Fierstein’s “La Cage aux Folles” took the prize for bonnet presentation and William’s “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” was the top hat. Above all, nearly $4 million dollars was raised for the cause.
http://www.broadwaycares.org/easterbonnet2011
Overwhelming antiques
Shoppers who think bigger is better had wonderful choices at this year’s spring show of the Art and Antique Dealers League of America. Le Grand Bureau, a “Magnificent Sculptural Writing Desk and Accompanying Chair” which took the Gold Medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, was the centerpiece of Charles Cheriff Galleries’ display. Carlton Hobbs had mounted on the wall an unusual 6-by-8-foot 1770’s picture of food servants pieced from Valencia tiles; and Mary Helen McCoy brought up from South Carolina a 9-foot high French Provincial armoire.
Most unusual was an Erong from Silawesi. The 10-foot-long reliquary receptacle for bones and treasures depicts an intricately carved water buffalo fashioned from teak. Dating from at least as far back as the 17th century, the piece was described by dealer Douglas Dawson as a piece of sculpture, “just to look at and marvel.”
www.charlescheriffgalleries.com
www.carltonhobbs.com
www.maryhelenmccoy.com
www.douglaslawson.com
