The Edge of Milos Island

Liz is in Greece for a well-deserved vacation. Here she is on Milos Island, a small, volcanic island located off the coast of the Greek mainland in the Aegean Sea. It is known as the “Island of Colors” for its colorful rock formations. It is also known as the “Island of Lovers” because it is where the world-renowned Venus de Milo statue depicting Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, was discovered. Visitors, like Liz, can explore its many diverse beaches, snorkel, sail, kayak, or windsurf before catching a breathtaking sunset near the Greco-Roman marble theater, one of the only ancient Greek theaters with an elevated view.  Or, like Liz, you can just hang out on big rocks overlooking the sea! Ever since Liz was young, she has had a joke with her father about standing on the edge of a cliff and appearing rather precarious, but in reality being completely safe. This is her Greek version. Be careful, Liz!

Chihuly at Botanical Gardens

Dale Chihuly, Sapphire Star, 2010.

After more than ten years, renowned glass sculpting artist Dale Chihuly has returned to New York City with his exhibition of larger-than-life glass sculptures in New York’s Botanical Garden (NYBG). Chihuly has created more than twenty amazing hand-blown pieces that bring organic shapes and vibrant colors to the gardens, reflecting the contrast between both color and light and art and nature.  Some pieces have been designed for existing garden spaces, while others were created with the intention of adding new nature-inspired elements. “These glass works of art belong in the New York Botanical Garden in many ways," NYBC’s CEO Gregory Long tells Metro. "The beauty of nature here inspires artists of many kinds.” The exhibit also contains early drawings and sketches in the NYBC’s library, which give insight into Chihuly’s creative process and evolution. Visitors can even view this exhibition during NYBC’s night visit experiences. The exhibition will be at NYBC until the end of October, and I can't recommend it enough. I was truly dazzled by his artistry.

Once Upon a Place

Afghan-American artist Aman Mojadidi has taken the current immigration-policy debate and used it as inspiration for his most recent art installation, Once Upon A Place. The interactive exhibit allows visitors of Times Square to step back in time and enter one of three “repurposed” telephone booths to hear the immigration stories from New Yorkers. Visitors to the booths can pick up the receivers and listen to the immigration-related stories, which range anywhere from two to fifteen minutes, and “broadly touch on themes of belonging and displacement." The storytellers come from different countries throughout the world, including Bangladesh, Mexico, Yemen, Ghana, Russia, and Tibet. The phone booths have been strategically placed in what Mojadidi considers “a highly visible, international space,” and he hopes the stories inspire listeners to confront stereotypes about immigration. He tells the New York Times: "This issue of immigration has become so politicized. Globally, any sort of major city is built on immigration rather than destroyed by it.”