STONE RELIEF AT BETHESDA TERRACE STAIRCASE

The Bethesda Terrace in Central Park features ornate stone relief and carving that depict nature designed by Jacob Wrey Mould. He brought a whimsical personality to the stone carvings that line the grand staircases that descend to the Bethesda fountain. Birds and foliage are common subjects in Mould's relief and carvings. This photograph which I took when I visited the newly restored terrace last weekend, demonstrates how the artwork blends perfectly with the environment.

A VISIT TO THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA)

Last Saturday, I visited the MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA) in midtown Manhattan. The museum was designed by architect Yoshio Taniguchi who created a final effect that is rectilinear, immaculate and spacious. There are acres of white wall, white-oak floor and a lot of halogen lights on discreetly recessed tracks. One of the stairwells caught my attention so I made a photograph of it framed on a vast wall creating a simple image with clean lines.

Architect’s statement: “The primary objective in the design of a museum is to create an ideal environment for the interaction of people and art. Galleries and public spaces are the core elements in a museum. A variety of gallery spaces appropriate to MoMA's collection of 20th-century masterworks as well as new galleries for the yet unknown works of contemporary art is the first requirement for an expanded Museum. Renovation and reuse of the intimately scaled existing galleries, along with the addition of multiuse new galleries with high ceilings and long continuous walls, would provide a diversity of exhibition spaces while creating an interlocking dialogue of space, art, and architecture....”

CENTRAL PARK'S SHEEP MEADOW

This image was made yesterday at Central Park’s SHEEP MEADOW. In the summer, the Sheep Meadow is a 15-acre lush, green lawn which is a haven for sunbathers, picnickers and kite flyers. It is a wonderful place to relax and admire one of Manhattan’s greatest skyline views. From 1864 until 1934, a flock of pedigree Southdown (and later Dorset) sheep inhabited the meadow. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Sheep Meadow was a popular venue for large-scale concerts and televised events such as the first landing on the moon in 1969.

SHE'S BACK...LEA SALONGA IN LES MISÉRABLES

Although the ad in today's Arts & Leisure section of the New York Times says LEA SALONGA joins the cast of LES MISÉRABLES on March 6th, the Tony Award winning actress actually began performance last Friday, March 2nd. She plays the role of Fantine in this Broadway revival of the popular musical at the Broadhurst Theatre. The revival runs through at least the summer of 2007, and Salonga is expected to stay with the production through the entire period. Salonga played Eponine in 1993 in the original Broadway run.

Philippine native Lea Salonga became an international stage star when she was chosen to play the lead role in the 1989 London world premiere of Boublil and Schonberg's Miss Saigon. At 17, she received critical acclaim and went on to win the Olivier Award as Best Actress in a Musical in London. In 1991 she reprised her performance on Broadway for which she won the Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical, along with Best Actress honors from the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics' Circle. In 2002, Salonga returned to Broadway via Rodgers & Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song. She also recently made her triumphant solo debut at a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall.

Salonga's voice has been described as "hopeful as daybreak," and her interpretation of music "pure." I personally admire Les Miz' new Fantine not only for her clarion voice and enormous talent, but also for her love of country and pride of her ethnicity. In a recent interview, the new mother considers it a great achievement "that through whatever I've done, the image of the Filipino was made a little more positive, and that somehow, the Filipino was given the chance to smile and be proud. Hopefully, the world's awareness of the Filipino artist remains." A few weeks ago, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo conferred on Salonga the prestigious Order Of Lakandula, the highest honor given to a civilian, for her outstanding contribution to musical theater and world entertainment.

I'm looking forward to seeing next Sunday's matinee performance.

BETHESDA TERRACE ARCADE RESTORED

Yesterday, the Parks & Recreation Department and the Central Park Conservancy officially reopened the newly restored Central Park's BETHESDA TERRACE ARCADE. One of the few formal architectural features of Central Park, this Arcade sits across from the Bethesda Fountain and under 72nd Street as it crosses Central Park. The tiles were removed from the Arcade's ceiling more than 20 years ago due to severe corrosion, and were stored until the not-for-profit Central Park Conservancy stepped in to initiate the restoration. After many years of labor-intensive repair and a price tag of $7 million, the rare Minton-tile ceiling was finally reinstalled. Although most of the tiles were restored, some 10% of the tiles were corroded beyond repair so new tiles were manufactured by hand by the Maw and Company in England. The ceiling of the Arcade has 49 panels, each with 324 tiles. The arcade was designed in the mid 1860s by Calvert Vaux and his assistant Jacob Wrey Mould with tiles made by the Minton Company of Stoke-on-Trent, England. Today being a mild day, I joined the other park visitors and joggers in taking the underground passageway of the marvelous Arcade.

EARLY SPRING

In anticipation of spring which is officially three weeks away, I took photos of tulips on a vase placed on my window sill, with the sun-drenched wall of the neighboring apartment building as background. Tulips for me are a cheerful reminder that winter days are numbered. These blooms are widely available in Manhattan at modest prices, from corner Korean delis to fancy flower shops.

The tulip is actually a native of Central Asia, in the Tien-Shan and the Pamir-Alai mountain ranges near Islamabad, Pakistan. A secondary genetic center developed in Azerbaijan and Armenia. The tulip is still closely associated with the Netherlands even though it is not a native Dutch flower. The Dutch, however made tulip cultivation the cornerstone of an industry that lasted hundreds of years. Tulips were not introduced to the Netherlands until 1593. These flowers were first seen by Europeans in Turkey and it is believed that the Turks had been cultivating tulips as early as AD 1000. The tulip got its name from the Turkish word for turban, owing to the flower's resemblance to the Middle Eastern headgear. Tulips are perennial bulbous plants with waxy-textured green leaves and large flowers with six velvety petals. In three weeks, the botanical gardens and parks throughout Manhattan will flourish into full bloom with displays of brilliant flower blossoms including tulips.