54 / 96
Dining Out
PAGE 54
www.theconnectionsnj.com +--&./+2* + " +0/# 4 #-* -".1&((# 4 4 222 )+*/#-#3$+0-)#/.%+,. !+) 4 #""&*$. %+2#-. #%# -. ( &**#-. 4 #-1#-. -/#*"#-. #*/ (. #*/. 4 2 -" &**&*$ #*0. 0(( - #-1&!# 4 *3 #!#,/&+* +! /&+*. 1 &( (# 4 #""&*$ ,#!& ( !! .&+* '#. 4 -## #""&*$ +*.0(/ /&+* #/ . ),#- +0 * The Whitney’s New Downtown Digs By: Linda Seigelman New York City’s museums are a huge cultural resource for those of us who live nearby and a tremendous draw for tourists from every corner of the U.S. and around the world. Few other cities rival New York for the breadth and depth of the art and artifacts that are available to us on a daily basis. The Whitney Museum of American Art in a new downtown location: 99 Gansevoort Street at the foot of the High Line and in the heart of the Meatpacking District. Designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, the new building is spectacular. All light, glass and open spaces spread across eight floors of galleries, an education cen- ter, a large theater and a Danny Meyer run café and restaurant. The Whitney also fea- tures over 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space in balconies and terraces with site specific installations, amazing sculptures, and incredible views of Manhattan, the Hudson River and the High Line. The Whitney’s collection includes over 22,000 works created by more than 3,000 artists in the United States during the twen- tieth and twenty-first centuries. Founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1931, the 500 works from Mrs. Whitney’s private collection served as the basis for the found- ing collection, which she continued to add to throughout her lifetime. Mrs. Whitney was an ardent supporter of living American artists of the time, particularly younger or emerging ones, such as Peggy Bacon, George Bellows, Stuart Davis and Edward Hopper to name a few. The collection begins with Ashcan School painting and follows the major movements of the twentieth century in America, with a focus on Modernism and Social Realism, Precisionism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism, Postminimalism, art centered on identity and politics that came to the fore in the 1980s and 1990s, and contemporary work. Walking through the galleries is an artistic tour of the highlights of the last century of American history. The Whitney also has deep holdings of the work of certain key artists including Alexander Calder, Jasper Johns, Brice Marden, Georgia O’Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Ed Ruscha and Cindy Sherman. The new Whitney Museum of American Art is a most welcoming and engaging museum in all the ways that matter. The Museum is closed Tuesdays and is open late until 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday. It is definitely worth a visit. WHERE TO EAT The Meatpacking District is filled with food and drink options to satisfy any taste or budget. It just about overflows with restaurants, cafés and bars, and the High Line itself has numerous food carts with everything from barbecue to tacos to shaved ice. The biggest problem is not find- ing a place to eat but deciding which one(s) to choose. The Whitney also has two great dining options to consider, both run by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Studio Cafe, Whitney Museum of American Art (8th Floor) – seasonal menu of snacks, soups, salads, toasts with deli- cious toppings such as roasted eggplant or smoked arctic char, and tempting desserts; beer, wine and cocktails too, prix-fixe sup- per menu starting at 5:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays when the museum is open late; floor to ceiling glass windows capture attention, and in warmer months, outdoor seating offers sweeping views of the Meatpacking District, the Hudson River, and the High Line. Untitled, Whitney Museum of American Art (Ground Floor) – huge ceil- ings, tall glass windows on three sides, an inviting bar, and outdoor seating (weather permitting) with views of the river, make this an ideal location for lunch, brunch, din- ner or a drink; excellent seasonal menu includes five appetizers, five entrees and assorted snacks and salads, each beautiful- ly prepared and beautifully plated, desserts are irresistible (the triple chocolate chunk cookie has become legendary); with a sep- arate entrance outside the museum, the restaurant has its own hours of operation and is also open Tuesdays when the museum is closed.