More NYC Museums

Yesterday I learnt that Americans call all places that sell artwork Art Galleries, and all places that show art but don't sell it Museums. Just one of the many little misunderstandings I am having with people - it is really making me wonder how much of my blog is readable by non-scots, and how much of other people's blogs I am really understanding. Huh, as New Yorkers seem keen an saying. Anyway, I've been wandering around a few of these museums - MoMA, where this marvelous goat statue by Picasso lives in a lovely little outdoor space. Unfortunately I was generally underwhelmed by the place - I was expected tons of abstract expressionist works, lots of people I'd never heard of, and a better understanding of abstract art as practised in America. But no. What you have is like a mini Tate Modern, with the impressionist/post impressionist bit of the National Gallery added on. Oh well.

So I went to the Guggenheim. Half of which, it turns out, was closed. But again, the strength seemed to be with the post-impressionists. Still, I had fun drawing the inside of the building, and lots of legs of folks appreciating these big torn metal sculptures. Then I thought I'd have something substantial and warm to eat, so ordered the fixed price menu of a sandwich, chips and a glass of wine. OK, I thought, chips and a sandwich seems a strange combination, but I'm in a foreign country so I should try and eat what the locals do. Except I had forgotten that what they call chips here are crisps. Duh. Still, the sandwich was nice, as were the wine and the crisps, and I had another go at drawing the building, this time with a little bit of Central Park thrown in.