Quirky and Cool - Chelsea & the Meatpacking District

Map 1, Map 2 

Chelsea and the Meatpacking district are full of cool night life, galleries and individual quirky shops.

In particular I can’t wait to see:

Alexander McQueen- luxury designer

Balenciaga-luxury designer

Comme De Garcons- luxury designer

I'm looking forward to seeing their individual retail environments and how they display the merchandise. I’m hoping for strange, off the wall originality.

Oh and how could I forget the High Line Parks! Ever since it was mentioned in one of our lectures I have been intrigued by it. I would love to go and have a quick look at this converted railroad park that winds its way through New Yorks west side neighbourhoods. 

High Line

 Ashley

Shops and Squares- MidTown & 5th Avenue

It would take the entire New York trip to get round all of Midtown and 5^th Avenue in detail…. But I will try my best because I don’t want to miss any of it!

I feel I already have got so much I want to do…. Luckily New York is the city that never sleeps.

Locations in this area that have been recommended are:

Bergdorf Goodman- Luxury department store

Bloomingdales- department store

Jimmy Choo

Manolo Blahnik

Christian Dior

Fame- Edgy casual sports wear

ABC Carpet and Home- Homeware interestingly merchandised

I have particular interest in seeing the well renowned Bergdorf and Goodman windows, they are truly amazing.  

Midtown  map

Times Square

Oh and lets not forget Times Square!!

Ashley

Swanky Stores - Upper East Side

Madison Avenue 

Other locations not marked on the above map that I would really like to visit are:

Barneys New York – high fashion department store

Chanel- luxury designer

Chloe- luxury designer

Fred Leighton-luxury designer jewels

Givenchy- luxury designer

Gucci- luxury designer

Hermes- luxury designer

Intermix- designer

Pookie and Sebastian – quirky store selling ladies wear

Scoop- a combination of many designers

Cant wait to see the Christmas windows and themes for the high end and designer department stores they really will be one of a kind.

Ashley

Rockefeller Center New York

The Rockefeller Center has shopping, food, art, seasonal highlights, outdoor gardens and historic buildings that give it its diverse, dynamic flavour.

I’m so excited to see this New York landmark.

Another element that makes the Rockefeller that much more exciting to see is the opportunity to go to the Top of the Rock observation deck.  It has some of the best views of Manhattan…. I’m praying when I go up to have a look it’s a clear day!

Ashley

Exhibitions- Would Like To See If Time Allows

Now, only having three full days in NYC means I might not be able to get round to everything I would ideally like to experience. Here are a few exhibitions that I think sound incredibly interesting:

The Birth of Promotion: Inventing publicity in the silent film era- New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (right)

Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties- Brooklyn Museum (left)

Action Design over time- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Behind the Screen- Museum of Moving Image (left)

New Photography 2011- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (right)

Ashley

Exhibitions- Must See

These exhibitions are the one I have to make a priority. These are the most relevant to my course and fulfill my New York objectives.  I’m particularly excited to see Daphne Guinness at FIT and Harper’s Bazaar at ICP.

Daphne Guinness - Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) 

Harper’s Bazaar: A Decade of Style - International Center of Photography (left)

The Great Designers Part 1- Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) (right)

Cecil Beaton: The New York Years - Museum of the City Of New York (left)

Picasso to Koons: Artists as Jewelers- Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) (right)

Pop Objects and Icons- Guggenheim

 Ashley

New York Museums

1.    Brooklyn museum New York

2.    Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

3.    Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)

4.    Metropolitan Museum Of Art (The MET)

5.  Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

6.    Guggenheim

7.    International Center of Photography

8.    Whitney Museum of American Art

9.    Museum of Moving Image

10. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

11. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

This is a list of the all the Museums in New York that I would like to visit. There are also a few others like The Natural History Museum that I’m eager to see if time allows.

Ashley 

New York New York

Two weeks today the FCP group of Nottingham Trent University 2011 will be at Heathrow airport ready for a whirlwind few days in New York.

This will be my first time to “the Big Apple” and I’m so excited. During our trip to NYC we will be experiencing culture, retail environments, museum exhibitions, architectural spaces, events and performances etc.

I have made a mood board/collage containing all the things I think of when I picture New York City but I’m sure during my time there this view will be altered.

You can find out more about our trip and what our aims are in the “About” and “Brief” sections along the right hand side of my blog.

Let the planning begin….

Ashley