Guggenheim | Inspiration Galore

Continuing on my journey of discovering inspirational and creative spaces, I ventured to The Guggenheim, a staple of the New York City art scene since its opening in 1959. Not only is the architecture of this building stunning, the interior aestheticism will take you for a spin (literally).

Upon entering this beautiful behemoth of spiraling gallery space, museum goers are escorted into an elevator and taken up to the sixth floor in order to begin their descent down each floor of exhibitions. The unique architecture of the space is an experience in itself, the unconventional rotunda design provides visitors a fluid sense of interacting with the contemporary collections in a way that feels more personal. As I began working my way down each floor I couldn't help but notice the amount of young artists that stood along the sidelines, sketchbook and pencil in hand, consumed with the artwork in front of them in attempt to find inspiration in the work of the greats. Frank Lloyd Wright, the architect behind the art museum, sought to elevate and enhance the human experience through his designs and I must say he succeeded.

Vision by Alphonse Osbert

From Van Goh to Picasso and every great artists in-between the stark contrast of the slanting white walls and the modernism adorning them draws your undivided attention into each individual piece. As I was working my way past Calder and Pollock, I noticed something ahead, something that didn't match the rest...was that a burgundy hallway in the distance? Yes, it was in fact and it led to my favorite exhibition, Mystical Symbolism: The Salon de la Rose+Croix in Paris 1982-1987. The exhibition space features works that take a step away from the contemporary and more modern art of the main space of the Guggenheim and takes you to a more magical and extravagant artistic point of view. With blue velvet sofas accenting the space and beautiful frames surrounding the paintings, I was completely enamored with the change in atmosphere.

The Death of Orpheus by Jean Delville

Personage by Joan Miró

Stepping back into the main space, I continued in my journey through contemporary art and I had a startling realization. I realized how many people move through the museum as quickly as possible without noticing the very short, yet in depth descriptions written about specific works of art that hide within them insight into the minds of artists and their creative process. As an artist I believe it is imperative to understand how other creative minds work, because that open-mindedness allows for the flow and exchange of creative energy. The beauty behind visiting an art museum is just that, allowing yourself to be immersed into the inner-world of an artist through each and every work of art they produce because those canvases are an extension of their being.Although some may joke and ask, "How does this piece make you feel?" that is the point of art to my understanding; creating a piece of work that makes someone feel something, whatever that may be.

Take Miró for example in the above description of his creative process, without reading the description how could one understand the process behind the abstract Personage painting? Now I'm not saying that every artist has to go through a hunger-induced hallucination to create art, but there is beauty in such madness.

The Guggenheim as an entirety opened my mind to the experience of a space and the impact that has on perception, from the architecture to the pragmatic placement of each piece of work the space speaks to the creative process. After leaving the museum, my interest in the uniqueness of the experience left me with a thirst for wanting to know more in how it all came together. So of course, as any millennial would, I took to my right-hand man Google and it all started to make sense in why the nonsense felt so right. In an excerpt from an article about the museum's architect, Frank Lloyd Wright and his creative process;

Good architecture, Wright wrote in a 1908 essay, should promote the democratic ideal of "the highest possible expression of the individual as a unit not inconsistent with a harmonious whole." That vision animates the Guggenheim Museum. In the course of descending the building's spiral ramp, a visitor can focus on works of art without losing awareness of other museumgoers above and below. To that bifocal consciousness, the Guggenheim adds a novel element: a sense of passing time. "The strange thing about the ramp—I always feel I am in a space-time continuum, because I see where I've been and where I'm going," says Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Every moment of my time within this space made me feel as though I were taken into another realm, one that allowed a pure and personal experience of interacting with art, yet also a very conscious collective experience of existing within the space itself.

Keep it creative xx

P. S.

How Hospitality Helped my Creativity

As a New Yorker working in the service/hospitality industry is almost a right of passage, if you haven't been under-tipped by a tourist or yelled at by an over-worked restaurant manager have you really lived in New York City? Over the span of the almost 5 years that I have lived in this mass of beautiful chaos I have worked at 3 restaurants with locations ranging from Times Square to FiDi and then SoHo and currently I work full-time at a boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan. As many of you know these four districts are vastly different in terms of clientele and atmosphere, but I consider it a privilege to have worked in such polar environments because in turn I ended up meeting a colorful plethora of people that have both frustrated me, but also have taught me a thing or two. I want to share with you how hospitality helped my head and my heart creatively.

With absolutely no experience or connections in the restaurant industry I decided to turn to Craigslist of course and quickly landed an interview at an eatery just west of Times Square as a hostess. Being a quick learner, I was promoted to being a server within a month, which brought with it the responsibility of memorizing all 4 menus and cocktails which I had never done before. As the weeks progressed I began to understand the ins-and-outs of the service industry and began to learn efficiency (especially during our extra-busy Bottomless Brunch special on the weekends, where I had to serve and play bartender) Not only did I become quick on my feet, I also began to build a clan of regulars solely because I was still so new to the city and through them I began to become exposed to different cultures and mindsets. One of the most important things to note working in the hospitality industry is how much time you are about to spend with your co-workers and how in-turn that builds strong bonds with those people to the point that they become your second family. After over a year of working with a number of extra-talented aspiring actors and singers, I had to say goodbye and moved jobs to a brand new eatery in the Financial District.

The transition between a light-hearted tourist and creative crowd to a super professional and serious business atmosphere was quite the change, yet surprisingly enough this is where I had my first creative opportunity as an artist. This restaurant was located right across the park from City Hall, in turn I came in contact with a large number of Wall Street and financial business professionals. Being in such an atmosphere even within the first few weeks I realized how different I was than these people because I found difficult to strike up a conversation and had to learn to understand corporate America and all the sarcasm and dry jokes that it comes with. Here, more than ever before, I learned how to read people and gauge their expectations and reactions. Although this restaurant hosted a number of office parties and after-work happy hour customers, focus was on service and food/liquor knowledge, but management actually commissioned me for a little bit of extra work—creative work. I had the responsibility to write out and decorate the chalkboard that was placed outside of the front entrance everyday announcing our specials for the day. This soon became one of my favorite parts of my day because I got to showcase my talent and obsession in terms of typography and sketching. More often than not, my manager would catch me putting finishing touches on the sign instead of being on the floor. Unfortunately, this restaurant ended up being bought under new management and with that came a few months of construction and a new staff. With barely a weeks notice of the closing (yes, that happens) I had to find a new job ASAP or else it would be Ramen for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

SoHo, Manhattan
Liquid Chalk on Chalkboard

Luckily, the following week after another round of Craigslist interviews I recalled a random message I had gotten on Facebook a few months prior from the owner of a new farm-to-table restaurant in SoHo. Waking up with the a light bulb moment one morning, I immediately reached out to him and asked if they were hiring and later that day I had both an interview and a new job. I ended up spending two years working as a head hostess at this restaurant and to this day it holds a very special place in my heart because of the amazing and inspirational people that I had met, which to this day I am extremely close with. Not only did I gain a second family, I also made a good number of connections with the amount of fashion and art oriented individuals that walked through the doors.

Chalkboard for Sanctuary T

Coming to work started feeling like a breath of fresh air because I never knew who I could possibly encounter on a given day. I started getting invited to gallery openings and different fashion events, which taught me a more than a class could about the industries I so anxiously want to step into. This job also allotted me a wide range of creative freedom, in terms of personalizing chalkboards and creating flyers and signs for reservations and parties on a daily basis, which always got my creative juices flowing. Furthermore, I actually ended up acquiring an internship through a coworker at a fashion showroom working under the PR director that lasted 8 months, which allowed me to begin building a creative industry resume.

Chalkboard for HGU New York
Liquid Chalk on Chalkboard

Ironically enough, through one of the regulars at this Soho restaurant I ended up being offered a job at an art gallery, which at the time I had to turn down due to the timing in juxtaposition with my school schedule. Once last Summer rolled around, the same restaurant regular started telling me about a new boutique hotel that was extra art-oriented that he was involved in on the Food & Beverage side, which was looking for new staff. Even with the restaurant being extremely busy, being a hostess I ended up still living paycheck-to-paycheck so with the opportunity of a pay-raise I took him up on his offer and went to an interview. That was over a year ago and I am still currently working as a Front Desk Agent/Concierge at a hotel in Midtown. This experiences has taught me a whole different side of the hospitality industry, luckily within another very close-knit work family.

Midtown, Manhattan

I noticed that I had more of a platform to showcase what my passions entail in front of management and ownership, which just like at my previous two jobs included a chalkboard, but also began to expand to the marketing side of the industry. The Sales Director took notice of all of the small creative things that I would immediately volunteer for at the Front Desk and presented me an opportunity to design marketing & sales material to be sent out to hotel clients on a regular basis. Being a very art-centered property, the owner's private art collection is showcased throughout the first floor lobby, bar and restaurant, which has also sparked inspiration to educate myself on the artwork both in and outside my workplace. Due to the experiences I have has within this industry I have also started to commission my typographical work to other bars and restaurants in the city. Overall, my New York City hospitality and service industry repertoire has brought about a function of not only paying my rent, but also feeding my creatively thirsty soul. You absolutely never know what kind of creative inspiration in lurking behind every corner, especially in the places that you least expect.

Stay inspired xx
P. S. 

How-To Unlock Creative Roadblock

If you're like me, creativity plays a pivotal role in your livelihood and well-being as both an artist and a person. Unfortunately, most things that have such beauty also on occasion reveal an ugly side and in terms of creativity the biggest downfall is the dreaded creative block. Luckily just like a bad haircut, this lapse in creativity doesn't have to last forever. Take a deep breath and let me walk you through how to unlock creative roadblock.

Step 1: Stop what you're doing.

Taking on a creative endeavor requires interest in the subject at hand, so how are you supposed to channel new ideas if you're bored. If you find yourself staring at a computer screen, blank canvas or half finished sentence the best thing that I have found to work in my favor is to simply stop. A lot of the time forcing inspiration results in lackluster and stagnant work. Come back to it in an hour with a clear head and tabula rasa of the mind may bring with it a fresh perspective.

Step 2: Change your environment.

Atmosphere is everything when it comes to creativity, as I have mentioned time and time again. Everything from the chair you're sitting on to the guy talking with his hands in the corner of the room influences how well a person functions in a particular situation. So if you find yourself getting frustrated after spending what feels like eternity on a single task, just get up and go! Take a walk, get some fresh air, try out that new coffee shop across the street.

Step 3: Have a conversation.

Surrounding yourself with conversation is beneficial for a few reasons. Bouncing around un-finished ideas or concepts with anyone, even if they aren't themselves all that creative, can spark a new train of thought for yourself. Creative criticism, more often than not, can be encouraging as well as enlightening. Everyone thinks differently so sharing your thoughts with another person can lead to something great.

Step 4: Write it down.

New ideas sometimes come in moments of random inspiration. Carry around a small notebook or even open up a new note in your smartphone and jot down something, those moments of little nothings can amount to a whole lot of something. I almost never leave the house without a small notebook and pen in my bag and for those rare times that I don't I write thoughts down in my phone and come back to them. When you're feeling tired and un-inspired, take a look and allow your mind to fall back into that heads-space because you could have been on to something.

Step 5: Set small goals.

Alright, so you're back in the zone. Now it's time to try again, but before you do make a short list of what you are seeking to accomplish and break it down into smaller goals for yourself. Using this checklist as a guideline of progress, the seemingly impossible task at hand becomes more realistic.

Step 6: Reward yourself.

Motivation at times needs a little bit of incentive, so after setting small goals for yourself in the previous step work in some small rewards. They can be as simple as a snack (because who doesn't like food, duh) or scrolling through Instagram for 15 minutes, this way your mind takes a short break and your focus can be re-calibrated. Another tactic that I have found works wonders is setting aside a specific amount of time for whatever creative endeavor it may be and making plans afterwards, that way accomplishing your goal becomes movie night with bae or happy hour with the girls (win-win situation)

Step 7: Never stop creating.

At times, the sheer frustration and discouragement of creative block makes it hard to keep going. The one thing that an artist should never do is give up on their passion. This too shall pass and what is at the other end is silver lining sanity. Keep pushing forward because the satisfaction of creating something is the beauty of being the creator.

STAY PASSIONATE xx

P. S. 

"Silver lining sanity, carry me home." - Paulina Stanisz (ink on paper)

Food Friendly Focus

When it comes to finding a restaurant where homework and a Macbook don’t come with a side of feeling awkward and alone, it’s hard to pick a spot. So instead of nervously peering in the windows of NYC eateries, let me give you a heads up on where to not be ashamed for having brains. 

• Vapiano | 113 University Place
• Euro-chic eatery with plenty of seating
• Cafeteria-style ordering
• Selection of pizza, pasta and salad
• No fuss service (no servers) 
• Pay at the door
• Loads of natural light
• Open till midnight

• Marlton Hotel Lobby | 5 W. 8th St.
• Adjoining cocktail bar and restaurant 
• Servers work throughout lobby
• Comfortable couches and tables
• Extensive food menu
• Quaint coffee bar
• Open till 1/2am
• Fireplace

• VBar&Café | 225 Sullivan St.
• Coffee shop during the day 
• Cocktail bar at night
• Near Washington Square Park
• Small and cozy

• The Bean | 54 2nd Ave
• Coffee shop with great selection of snacks and pastries
• Good amount of seating
• Mostly tables for two
• Great music selection
• Open till midnight 

The quest for productive places is never at a stand still, as well as the search for good food. This list is only the beginning. Let's keep exploring darlings x

P. S.

Chalk Point Concentration

The SoHo District of Manhattan boasts high-end boutiques as well as an abundance of chic eateries and in recent years has become home to a number of art galleries and studios. Hidden away on the corner of Broome and Thompson Street is a market-to-table gem, a restaurant whose heart is at the cross-section of fashion, art and food.

Chalk Point Kitchen, located at 527 Broome St. is not your typical trendy restaurant, it's mindfully trendy—if you will. Spearheaded by restauranteur Matt Levine and Michelin Star executive chef Joe Isidori, CPK opened its doors in April 2014 as one of the few market-to-table restaurants in New York City having not some, but ALL of its ingredients locally sourced in New York state. Since opening the local SoHo eatery has been featured in multiple publications including; Vogue, Interview and Vanity Fair putting this low-key spot on the art and fashion map almost instantly. Not only is Chalk Point a restaurant, but the basement of the space is a hidden away speakeasy piano bar with mixologists that will knock your socks off and the decor is reminiscent of stepping right into the Prohibition Era, except with modern fashion photography gracing the staircase and walls.

Knowing all too well that this spot is a favorite among New Yorkers, dinner and brunch are always hustling and bustling with an energy that is palpable. So I opted to pay them a visit during a weekday lunch, already knowing that I adore the atmosphere of the space. The entrance of this downtown staple speaks for itself being adorned with hundred of polaroid photos of its patrons, in just a short three years Chalk Point Kitchen has cultivated a culture and history all its own. The space itself is quaint, being barely 70 seats it provides a more personal environment complimented by an open air kitchen right behind the bar. With light pouring through the room, I was seated at an adorable white-washed corner table in a booth accessorized with Keith Haring art plates and red gingham napkins. With a menu that changes almost every month, its commendable to see a restaurant so keen on innovation and change—which also expands into their involvement by being part of and hosting events that work towards great causes including hosting a food pantry and raising money to build homeless shelters.  So much yes, just all around, cheers to CPK.

Coming in pen and paper in hand on a Monday around noon was a marvelous idea, the restaurant had just ended their lunch rush and things were winding down into a comfortable buzz of 80's light rock and quiet conversation. The wait staff was absolutely wonderful, my server Cesar was a superstar in more ways that one. Not only was he superbly  knowledgable about the menu, he is also an aspiring Broadway dancer with such a wonderfully inspirational energy. The summer lunch menu boasted a number of both vegan and vegetarian options, don't worry you can add chicken, shrimp, salmon or steak to just about everything outside the Acai Bowl—unless that's what you're into. I ended up going for the Heart Healthy Avocado Toast (because avocado, obviously) and the Vitamin Powerhouse Chicken Bowl, both of which were well balanced, very fresh and simply delicious. It is obvious how much heart is put into every aspect of the restaurants atmosphere, its homey and comfortable with a heaping handful of happy.

Grab a book and go hangout at Chalk Point Kitchen and then you'll understand what you've been missing!

P. S.