Long Distance Family, A Lot of History with Dessert
Summer lingered for longer than usual this year, the October air thick with heat and streets filled with people looking for something to do. It was the week before Halloween and while the Ghostbuster’s theme song became harder to escape in stores selling costumes and candy, my cousin Laura was visiting New York for the first time. We hadn’t seen each other since we were very young, so part of me was wondering if I could show her the city I loved in a way she would love it too. Without any plans for what she’d like to do during her weeklong stay, as an artist, she expressed interest in as much art as possible. A trip to The Metropolitan Museum seemed like the right way to begin. We agreed on getting an early start, so when my phone rang shortly after 8:00am I knew they were serious.
After purchasing tickets and walking through The Great Hall, we unfurled our maps and revealed the vast galleries and exhibitions that await us. My last visit to the Met, I entered the museum directly via the Egyptian wing, but hoping to save that experience for last, we made a sharp left and found ourselves among Greek and Roman sculpture, sunlight flooding through the windows revealing every beautiful detail crafted in stone, marble and bronze.
The Met has such a wide range of unbelievable art, both ancient and contemporary, but after every visit I’m increasingly appreciative of the museums’ architecture and it amplifies the viewing experience. It’s a similar feeling I experienced visiting the Cloisters in Washington Heights – but that’s a story for another time. We saw the arts of Africa, Oceana and the Americas, admired Medieval Art, and gazed at the Arms and Armors wings before taking a very necessary break at the museums Petrie Café. Enjoying a seasonal lunch with a floor to ceiling view of Central Park was exactly what we needed to recharge.
After lunch we took the elevator up to the fifth floor to see the Rooftop Garden Commission sculptures by Pakistani artist Huma Bhabha. Surrounded by the lush green of Central Park and huddled in by the Manhattan skyline, stood a tall and striking installation representing instability and displacement titled We Come in Peace. The almost post-apocolyptic structures were moving and I’m so grateful to have caught them on their final days of installation. We closed the trip at the Egyptian wing, filled with beautiful statues and gilded jewelry, and of course, The Temple of Dendur – an actual temple that Egypt gifted to America in the 1960’s. It stands beside yet another window with a spectacular view of the colorful leaves in the park.
Laura lives in Colombia where the climate doesn’t go through as drastic a change in seasons throughout the year, but I had to let her know she chose a perfect time to visit, there is no time more stunning than autumn to see New York City.
Once we were back in Queens, Laura and her friend were craving something sweet which meant I had to take them to my favorite local bakery and dessert shop. We capped the day with a decadent banana and strawberry crème brulee and cappuccinos. And just in case we forgot the season, our dessert came adorned with festive Halloween sprinkles as a subtle reminder.
I hope the next time Laura and I reunite there won’t be so many years in between. Growing up with family being so far away is not only isolating, but it makes the moments together seem even more fleeting. For now, I have these photos and memories but I look forward to maybe reminiscing on these moments together someday soon.
