Cappuccino Thoughts 111: On 14 Things I'm Looking Forward to this Spring in NYC
The newest art exhibits, Broadway shows, and cherry blossom watch at the botanical gardens
Cappuccino Thoughts is a weekly newsletter about culture and creativity in New York.
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Spring feels like it has finally arrived, and with the change of season, I’ve been thinking about everything I’m looking forward to in the coming months! If you’re a NYC local or you’re planning a trip soon, here’s what’s on my radar:
The Frick is reopening! After a five-year renovation, this jewel of a museum will reopen on April 16th. I can’t wait! Their room of Fragonards is one of my favorite spots in the city. I last went when I was in college and went on one of my first dates with my now husband.
The opening of the ballet season. New York City Ballet has a packed schedule, including a one-day performance on May 25th of Stars and Stripes during Memorial Day Weekend. American Ballet Theater is doing Giselle in June, and for one night on June 21st the prima ballerina of the Dutch National Ballet (one of the premier ballet companies in the world), a Bolshoi graduate, is cast in the title role.
A visit to a botanical garden. I’ve never been to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, but I’m hoping to make it uptown for its exhibit titled “The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism.” It’s on until April 27th and it looks gorgeous! I would also love to go to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden once the cherry blossoms have bloomed. You can check this website to see if they’re ready yet. At the time of this writing, “the cherry trees haven’t started blooming yet.”
I’ve already been to the Caspar David Friedrich exhibit at the Met, on through May 11, but I’d happily go again. I absolutely love his capital ‘R’ Romantic paintings. I studied “Wanderer Above the Sea” and “The Monk by the Sea” in a high school art history class, and it was breathtaking to see them in person.
Speaking of The Met, I would like to go to the Costume Collection’s next exhibit titled Superfine: Tailoring Black Style opening May 10th. Unfortunately, these fashion exhibits are now out of control. For the last few years, the joy of seeing such beautiful garments has been overtaken by the sheer numbers of the crowds. So if you’re a member and you’d like to take me during member hours, let me know! :)
If you want to see a fashion exhibit but don’t want to brave the lines at the Met, then a better choice is to head to the Museum at FIT and Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities. My friend A. and I visited during a lunch break and FIT has some unbelievably gorgeous garments, from a shawl made from a full taxidermied bird (yikes) to an Elsa Peretti satchel that had me pondering a heist. (Just kidding! Though I did go down an eBay rabbit hole looking for archival Elsa Peretti pieces.) Also, it’s free!
The Elsa Peretti piece in question, still safe behind the glass at FIT.The Great Saunter, the 34-mile walk around the perimeter of Manhattan, is happening May 3rd. Sadly, I did not sign up this year because my walking buddy for the last two years may have, er, broken his foot when we did it last time. Oops. Maybe it’s a sign not to test fate by doing it again, but I’ve been thinking about doing my own walk starting at the tip of Manhattan and going through Central Park, all the way down to the bottom of the island. Seeing the water and all the parks is nice when walking the perimeter, but I live here because I like being in the city!
I just saw The Picture of Dorian Gray on Broadway with Sarah Snook, and wowza. She massively deserves to win a Tony. It is a one-woman show in which she plays 26 different characters and basically has a two-hour monologue. She was astounding. There are some surprising elements that I don’t want to spoil, so I’ll just say, you have to see it for yourself. It is currently running through May.
I have a list from a friend of her ranking of the best Chinese restaurants in Flushing, and I am just dying to do a food crawl over there (I’ve never been, eep!). Now I just need to find some people who want to eat copious amounts of dumplings with me….
Closely Crafted, a fashion charity I support, is having its annual gala May 15th. Last year, I walked in wearing a bright purple dress and, even though I had helped plan the event, I promptly asked someone if there was a dress code because everyone was in only black or white. I will adjust accordingly this year.
I am especially looking forward to a lovely friend’s birthday party featuring live jazz. I am also hoping to catch a jazz show at the storied Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village.
I have never been to Long Island, so I am hoping my favored friend and favorite chauffeur will take me out to the Parrish Museum, which has lots of my favorite mid-century artists.
I am in talks with a store to do a pop-up in upstate New York, so I’m hoping that another lovely weekend in the Hudson Valley is in store. I would likely stay in Kingston—open to any recs on what to see!
For my fellow F1 fans: I am so excited for the 2025 season. It is off to a riveting start! I am so thrilled to be going to the Montréal race this year.
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I am SO EXCITED to be taking the bag show on the road to Los Angeles, baby!!
I am hosting a trunk show in beautiful Santa Monica next Saturday 3/22 from 1 to 4pm. If you are a Los Angeles reader, please stop by! We’ll have drinks, snacks, and the new spring collection. RSVP and full info here.
Lime green and red, a color combo I thought only the Grinch could pull off. I appreciate when people pay attention to the details. Not only do her tights match her scarf and headband, but the tips of her hair are also bleached to a blondish/green. I love how the green plays off the lighting in the background of the photo, while the cherry red bag coordinates with the red brick of Soho buildings. Match your outfits to your neighborhood!
I’ve just started Chimamandah Ngozie Adichie’s new book Dream Count, but, as it’s a rather long book, I’ll hold off until next week to give my full review.
In the meantime, I wanted to share my favorite magazine and the only physical magazine I still have a subscription to:Frankie. It’s based in Australia and focuses on creatives—everything from small business owners to artists to people with small businesses. The writing style is cheeky, honest, and very charming—aided by the Australian/New Zealand slang employed. (It took me a couple of issues to understand that “arvo” is afternoon and “muso” means musician). Even the ad copy is well-written. You’re not going to see any ads for big brands like Louis Vuitton, just independent brands. It often focuses on niche businesses run by cool people—like a twenty-something female funeral director and a person who restores watches and turns them into bracelets.
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This week, I am headed to LA for my bag pop-up. The three things I want to do in LA are go to the beach, have an Erewhon smoothie (hate how good they are), and try Goop Kitchen.
All my best,
