Flag Project at Rockefeller Center

The Flag Project at Rockefeller Center features 193 flags flying from the Rock Center parade of poles, all “celebrating in some way the energy, diversity, culture, strength, and resilience of our city.” Artists including Jeff Koons, KAWS, Jenny Holzer, and Marina Abramovic contributed site-specific works for the show but most of the designs were created by the public after an open call for submissions. More than a thousand entries from all over the world were submitted. The flags will be displayed until August 16, so you may need to hurry. This is one time where you can actually walk through Rockefeller Center without having to fight your way through tourists and TV executives. Wait, we actually miss that. Sigh.

Tower of London at Night

Although it’s one of the most iconic structures in London, for those who see it often the Tower of London can be easy to take for granted. Sure, when William the Conqueror built this stone tower at the center of his London fortress in the 1070s, defeated Londoners must have been impressed, as the site Historic Royal Palaces notes. But compared to the Gherkin and the Walkie-Talkie, is the Tower really that special? We were reminded of the beauty and history of this structure as we walked along the Thames one night this week. We especially like the stories of the ghosts that haunt the Tower. Anne Boleyn reportedly stalks Tower Green where she was executed. Arbella Stuart, the cousin of Elizabeth I, who starved while imprisoned for marrying without royal permission, reportedly appears at the Queen’s House. Two smaller ghosts are named the “Princes in the Tower,” and reportedly a huge ghost bear occasionally appears to frighten visitors to death. We’ll just stay on this side of the river, thank you very much.

Year of the Rat

Every year over the Lunar New Year, we love seeing the incredible Zodiac Spectacular at the atrium at Crown Towers in Melbourne, Australia. This display features twelve large-scale luminous animals of the Chinese zodiac with over sixty lanterns. This year, the Year of the Rat, the exhibit also features a traditional wishing tree with red envelopes where Melburnians can express support and raise funds for wildlife relief and recovery through the work of Zoos Victoria. Visitors are encouraged to leave messages of hope as well as donations. In honor of the Lunar New Year on January 25, the Atrium also features performances by a lion dance team to “chase away evil spirits” along with a Hawker-style food market. We came across some dancers rehearsing for their performance tomorrow, and my hotel also provided some lovely Lunar New Year treats. The first animal in the twelve-year Chinese Zodiac, rats are known for “being clever, inquisitive and resourceful, which translates into a great year for new experiences and opportunities for success.” We like the way that sounds! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Serena at the US Open 2019

I made it out to Flushing Meadows this week to see the incredible Serena Williams as she fights for her 24th Grand Slam singles title, which would tie Margaret Court’s record. In this quarterfinals match, her 100th US Open match win, Serena defeated Qiang Wang 6-1, 6-0. “It feels good,” Williams told ESPN after the match. “It feels like, ‘OK, this is what I’ve been training for.” Asked if she is upping the intimidation factor this year for her opponents, she said in the press conference afterwards: "I’ve always been the person that goes out there and roars, and screams, and complains, and cries, and fights. I’m extremely passionate about what I do." She’s also extremely too fast for my camera. Go Serena!

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is, of course, one of the most famous and recognizable monuments in Paris. Commissioned by Napoleon I in 1806 after his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz to celebrate the military achievements of the French armies, the arch stands at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle, at the juncture formed by twelve radiating avenues. With the lovely sunny weather, this is the perfect time of the year to go on a stroll to view the arch. But I can’t take too long. I have tennis to watch!

Designer of Dreams

Located in the recently-opened Sainsbury Gallery in London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” features over 500 pieces that trace the house of Dior’s work and influences beginning with the inception of the fashion house in 1947. Focusing specifically on Dior’s fascination with British culture, the exhibition celebrates the designer’s successful revival of high fashion in the years following World War II, when countries throughout Europe were still being forced to ration their resources. “In 1947, Christian Dior changed the face of fashion with his New Look, which redefined the female silhouette and reinvigorated the post-war Parisian fashion industry,” explains V&A’s Curator of Modern Textiles & Fashion, Oriole Cullen. The display of 200 rare couture gowns “showcases the ways in which Dior’s succeeding creative directors have been inspired by his legacy,” from the daring designs of Yves Saint Laurent to the ebullience of John Galliano and the minimalism of  current Creative Director, Maria Grazia Chiuri. A collection of Christian Dior’s personal possessions is presented alongside the gowns, including accessories, photography, film, perfume, make-up, illustrations, and magazines, to give visitors a deeper understanding of the man behind the successful couture house.

Pegasus

In ancient legend, Pegasus is the “mythical creature who sprang from the blood of Medusa’s neck.” In famed contemporary artist Damien Hirst’s version, Pegasus is a flying horse encrusted completely with crystals residing in the Brasserie of Light, the Martin Brudnizki-designed restaurant in the British department store Selfridges. The sculpture, standing at twenty-four feet with a thirty-foot wingspan, is Hirst’s largest artwork in London, but isn’t the first time he has used this mythical creature in his work. Businessman Richard Caring says of his latest restaurant in Vogue UK: "The Brasserie of Light is a new look spectacle where the input of Damien Hirst, Martin Brudnizki and the absolute strength of Selfridges; this mix has resulted in what I believe to be something very beautiful. It is about light, make-believe and dreams." Hirst explains: “I love the myth of the Pegasus and this is such an exciting project and I love the scale of it. I hope it’s going to look like something beautiful from another world.”