Spring celebrations

butterflies

flower show at Macy's

Easter bunny

car show

drinks 

seaport 

Origami USA Artist Trading Cards 2014

Liner notes for origami convention artist trading cards swap

I fell in love with this sunflower model at a weekly origami meeting. In subsequent meetings, I kept folding them with different types of paper. The possibilities were endless. The colorful index cards were left over from studying for an exam. The background piece of paper is a random shape cut from a square or hexagon. The card can also be used as a mini-note book, mini-guest book, or a simple display stand! Fill it with a witty quote or a favorite convention memory! 

The model

Kazuo Kobayashi sunflower from Origami Flowers. Or read my friend Linda's book review on OUSA)

Brainstorming 

Some of the features below show up in my "draft notes and pics" but are not actually used.

• Funky color combo (used)
• Spirograph as background (not used)
• Magazine centers (some used)
• Poems/quotes inside card (not used)
• Potential pop up card (not used)
• Maps as backgrounds (not used, pictured below)

The prototype 

White part is cut from hexagon memo paper. 

The paper

Memo cube, duo foil, single side and duo sided patterned kami, magazine pattern cutout, etc

The card

Colored index card folded in half. Can be used to take notes and also used as a stand. 

These are a few of my favorite cards

(Picked and photographed the night after finishing cards)

(Picked and photographed the night after finishing labels) strangely enough I had only two repeats: the orange/red foil and the cheetah print with arc.

Fun facts

• Patterns include strawberry and cheetah print!
• Not all sunflowers had center piece (duo foil looked better without). This model is a two piece model. 
• White cut out pieces were unplanned. Random cut and shape and twists. All cutting, gluing, and positioning on cards were done in one night. 

Links to shuttlefly gallery: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0CYsmLRw1bMWca

Click here to view these pictures larger

Links to other ATCs: http://azuleteats.blogspot.com/search/label/ATC

Link to countdown pics (or separate blog) - placeholder

Long Weekend Boogie

Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer fun. J. and I spent most of it exploring the city and trying different food places. It's pretty amazing how much the city has to offer besides the normal BBQ and beach activities (not that there's anything wrong with those, gotta love both). A sampling below:

Lincoln Center / NYPL 

Besides the wonderful NY Philharmonic concert with Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 and Prokofiev Selections from Cinderella, we also walked around the area and checked out fountains and sculptures. For library and music lovers, the NY public library performing arts library is also just across the plaza. I'm always impressed by their sheet music section and of course the expected large collection of music recordings on various forms of media.

Passport to Taiwan Event 

A few weeks ago I attended a Japanese culture event in Central Park [see blog entry]. This past Sunday was the Passport to Taiwan event in Union Square. The event featured a number of yummy food stands, fun arts/crafts tables, and of course a stage area. Next year I hope to try out the "bamboo tamales" and "stir fried vermicelli" booths. There were also a number of public art that are good photo ops (see below) and poster boards with relevant stats of Taiwan. I didn't stay for all the performance but I think the band I saw near the beginning of the festival is Takao Run (打狗亂歌團). Facebook page here. I enjoyed their acoustic style songs. Check them out on this youtube playlist. 

Governor's Island

Opening day was Saturday and this year the ferry ride is free on Sat/Sun mornings and cost $2 on all rides week days and afternoon weekends. If you plan on going there often, $20 for a season pass (until end of Sept) helps you avoid lines etc. You can check more info on official site. 

J. and I rented a tandem bike which was hilarious as always. Food truck-wise, I enjoyed the pork belly and chicken buns at Momo and Buns. J. found a vendor (forgot name) that sold flaky pastry covered Shepard's pie. I'm also happy to see that Veronica's Kitchen is back this year, even though they changed location to a newly developed food area, close to the strange fire hydrant and telephone sculptures.

BBG various 

Brooklyn Botanical Garden had more blooms this time of year. While some people prefer High Line and Central Park, I like that BBG crowds is a bit more manageable (except during the annual Sakura Festival). Lunch offering is pretty good too.

Learn more about field of bluebells here on the garden site. 

field of bluebells

snowballs

lily flowers

Wisteria Sighting

When the Met Museum held a Louise Comfort Tiffany exhibit several years ago, I was impressed by all the works on display, especially the works not related to the often pictured lamps. The American wing with various Tiffany pieces also became one of my favorite places to hang out at the Met. There was this particular stained glass window featuring wisteria that made me wonder about this flower. I had not seen wisteria before so filed this image away for future reference.  http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2006/louis-comfort-tiffany

This past weekend I found myself gazing at some lovely wisteria in Central Park Conservatory Garden. The pergola (framing device) is just as significant as the flowers themselves.

Thank you Central Park Sketch and Art Meetup Group for introducing me to this part of central park! Check out event photos here.

Another place to catch wisteria is Brooklyn Botanical Garden. http://www.bbg.org/discover/gardens/osborne_garden Maybe I have seen wisteria there before but they most likely looked different without the pergola.

More photos from Garden and Japan Day.

Click here to view these pictures larger

ATC things that fly

My friend VA is an avid artist trading card (ATC) designer/creator and had participated in various ATC trades. As a result, she has an impressive collection of cards and several extras from sets for trading. I liked this card below themed "things that fly". In return, I needed to make one that fit the same theme.

I came up with my card idea below while I was browsing my origami books for the convention countdown. It fits the flying theme and is also seasonal. The hummingbird is created by Robert Neale and folded from harmony paper. The color change hydrangea (creator Fujimoto?) is folded from small rose patterned paper.

more process descriptions after the jump...

NYBG Orchid Show 2014

If you are in the NYC area, you are probably getting cabin fever from staying indoors most of this winter season. For some of us, outdoor gardens like BBG is a fun way to watch early spring flowers bloom and trees under a blanket of snow. For others, I recommend the tropical garden show for some warmer weather and nice colors. Every year, New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx puts together a fantastic orchid show. 

The show opened a week ago and will continue until April 21. This year's theme is Key West, FL.

http://www.nybg.org/exhibitions/2014/orchid-show/index.php

Besides the obvious stars of the show, there are also other events like music and poetry. I caught a bit of the performance by Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band and it's inspired me to look into more tropical tunes. 

Beat the winter blues, check out the orchid show!

There were four statues representing four seasons between the conservatory and the dining pavilion. This particular one is summer, as represented by many different types of summer blooms.

Spring Time in NY

Even though people always sing about autumn or Christmas time in NYC, every season is NYC is quite special. After a snow/wintry mix passed through the city this past week, the sky cleared up and we got spring temperatures for the weekend. It’s not surprising many people sought cure for their cabin fever by embracing a sunny spring afternoon outdoors. Leave behind those heavy winter coats and snow boots, bring out colorful wind breakers, and welcome spring to our city!

Hudson Pier 45

http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/explore-the-park/locations/pier-45
Pier 45 West Side (cross at Christopher)

I usually visit the Hudson River Parks in the summer for their outdoor concerts or movies. I’m glad I dropped by pier 45 today because the open space and sun light were divine. Nothing quite as fun as walking for miles in the sun. We may not have a beach on the west side, but we are proud of our walkaways and piers.

You can explore the entire collection of parks on their site. While lounging on the pier, I tried out the panorama function on my phone.

Coffee break

Le Pain Quotidien Chocolate bread with cherry jam and ricotta. Masala chai latte. I would recommend the chocolate bread again (seasonal special until April). I’ll probably stick to coffee/lattes next time instead of the chai. Note that the location I went to is steps away from the south end of High Line park. Look for a communal table inside, or get take out at the store. I also saw a booth of theirs outside but not sure if it’s the full menu or just coffees/pastries.

Apple Store West 14th

http://www.apple.com/retail/west14thstreet/

Apple fan or not, most people appreciate the aesthetics of Apple stores in Manhattan. From the iconic cube near Central Park, the fantastic sky light in SoHo, main concourse area in Grand Central Terminal, to this one within blocks of High Line. When you’re there, check out the view of busy streets/cafes from the 2nd and 3rd floor.

High Line

http://www.thehighline.org/

14th Street to 30th Street (check site for entrances) near 10th Ave.

Most people probably already know about this rail yard-turned-nature park. Everyone (locals and visitors) all came out from hibernation and gathered here to walk along the High Line. I found some flowers and berries poking out of snow (pictured).

Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossoms

Every spring DC gets droves of tourists hoping to catch pink or white cherry blossoms. When I went to school there I was lucky enough to catch it without too much chaos. Having graduated a few years back, I haven’t gone back since the crowd factor always holds me back. My relatives in NJ offered a local alternative: Branch Brook Park. The park boasts 4100 cherry trees. More than even DC! If you go, maybe you should consider public transportation. Bring a picnic and enjoy the weather!

Park site: http://www.branchbrookpark.org/

Map of cherry tree locations: http://www.essex-countynj.org/branchmap.pdf

My dad and I drove around the park for a while and found that the northern part (in Belleville) had more trees but was difficult to park. The southern part (in Newark) had a better backdrop with the gorgeous cathedral, lake, and bridge but not as many flowering cherry trees. We were about to park on the street like everyone else but then saw a police car writing up tickets… In the end we parked near the Prudential Lions and took a bunch of photos before jetting off.

Some photos (wallpaper too) from my trip:

Other Links:

Beautiful Photographer’s Site
http://www.stylepeterson.com/category/branch-brook-park-newark-nj-cherry-blossom-festival-photos/