It has been a year! Chaotic, stressful and challenging at times. In all honesty, I came into 2024 lacking inspiration and motivation and feeling a bit burnt out. Although design is one of my passions, sometimes it is important to step back and create some time and space before I am able to reconnect and appreciate fully why I love to do what I do. This year that meant intentionally slowing things down and limiting my workload more than usual, as well as getting away to some of my favorite places, including India, Portugal, Spain and England.
As wonderful as those trips have been, I have realized that inspiration can strike in many ways and it does not always require leaving home, but rather making the time to look up from what you are doing and experience and enjoy the world and opportunities around you. It’s great to feel busy, engaged and in demand, but when things get too chaotic, it can be easy to lose perspective and harder to appreciate the things that really matter. Of course, I am blessed to live in NYC, one of the greatest cities of the world-so there are so many choices. But, wherever you are, there are options and opportunities we don't always make the time to enjoy. These are just a few of the things I have been doing this year that have helped me re-center, re-motivate, and get ready for the New Year. I hope this will inspire you to think of and share some of the things that bring you inspiration.
I love small museums or shows that you can view in an hour or so.
The Mary Sully show in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of art is a little jewel box of pattern and color.
It will take you less than an hour to go through it, and right next to it is the museum’s permanent exhibit of the Art of Native America with many exquisite pieces that will absolutely astonish, as well as highlight some of the types of cultural and visual references Mary Sully was inspired by. The Mary Sully show closes on Jan 11th so if you’re in town, don't wait. It’s the kind of show you might want to see more than once.
The Neue Galerie is one of my favorite spots in NYC. Just stepping inside this beautiful Gilded Age stone and brick mansion is a treat, but the Gustav Klimt paintings, part of the permanent collection on the 2nd floor, never fail to take my breath away,
I have to admit to sometimes skipping the artwork altogether and heading straight to coffee (with whipped cream) and a strudel (also with whipped cream) at Cafe Sabarsky.
Located in a stunning wood paneled room of the mansion with views of Central Park across the street, it is particularly cozy in the colder months.
Lines can be long but absolutely, totally worth the wait! Until January 13th you can also see Egon Schiele: Living Landscapes on the 3rd floor.
My new favorite thing to do is to listen to the New York Times audio while I am traveling here and there. and I particularly enjoy hearing journalists tell their own story. A recent favorite is by the Times architecture critic, Michael Kimmelman, about the reopening of Notre Dame.
His rich and beautifully enunciative voice is marvelously suited to his soaring and joyful story about all the people involved in making this happen in a mere 5 years and the sense of camaraderie and pride they felt in being a part of this historical project. It made me wish I knew how to gild or carve stone so I could have taken part. With all the bad news in the world, I found this story incredibly inspiring and restorative.
While these are just a few of the ways I choose to recharge and find joy, there is something equally delightful in stumbling upon unexpected treasures, something which happens all the time in NYC. This brownstone in my neighborhood does something special for every holiday and I look forward to seeing what each season will bring. It's always tasteful, elegant and not overdone, which is how I imagine their home must be on the inside too.
For me, the inspiration to design and to dive into my work can come from anywhere. Sometimes it is something I actively seek out, like in a museum filled with beautiful art, trying a new activity, or spending time with and sharing stories with my group of designer friends. Sometimes it comes unexpectedly, simply while walking the streets of New York City, where I never know what I will see (except that it will always be different in some way than the last time). These are just some of the things that give me energy and remind me how lucky I am to be alive. My hope (at least one of them…) for 2025 is to find balance between family and friend time, fulfilling work and activities that bring me joy. I’ll keep you posted…
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