Tag: Art Galleries

Shop for Art off the Beaten Path

Art is one of many cultural draws in New York City. There are art galleries in abundance in this great city and almost certainly an artist to fit almost any taste. Art has always been to some degree in the eyes of the beholder and beauty in the city of New York is in abundant supply.

Whether you consider yourself an enthusiastic supporter of art and the arts, it’s hard to deny the fact that New York has a great deal of art to offer those who are willing to seek it. From the graffiti that is so artfully rendered along bridges, buildings, busses, and signs throughout the city to murals and store windows that are so wonderfully made art comes in this city in many forms. You will find artists, sketchers, painters, and those seeking muses wandering around various parts of the city that may be particularly lovely, inspiring, or even forlorn.

The art doesn’t end with sketches, drawings, or paintings. It goes well beyond that. In this great city you will see sculptors with magnificent works that might be inspiring to you and might be utterly and completely unintelligible and you might find art that touches your heart and simply won’t let go. For whatever reason, art for most of us is purely emotional. This isn’t only true for the painter but also for those who witness the beauty of the art that has been created.

There is also pottery, blown glass, metal works, wood works, and literally dozens of other works of art within this city. You can stroll through the many galleries of the city or walk along the streets and through the parks seeking art and the artists that create these wonderful works. You might find the grandest work of art in the hands of the slightest of creatures or in the most unlikely of places. New York is full of surprises that go far beyond the beaten paths.

If you are truly seeking art to bring home from your trip to New York, the best place to look is in second hand or consignment shops. You can generally find nice pieces of art at unbelievably low prices. This is one of the best ways to begin building your collection and there are some second hand shops that specialize in artwork or ‘junk art’. Of course there are galleries that deal with rare second hand art and it is highly unlikely that you’ll find a discount there. Stick to the consignment shops, flea markets and used furniture stores if you are truly seeking some nice pieces that are seriously undervalued.

Keep in mind that the art you choose only needs to speak to you (and hopefully match your dcor to some degree, unless of course you are searching for an excuse to redecorate) and doesn’t have to really mean anything at all. When you do find a piece of art that you feel you must own, price is often not a consideration. This makes the fact that you’re looking in a second hand store a much better way to shop. At least in this instance you won’t have to deal with sticker shock from the massively over inflated price tags you will find in most galleries. Of course that is because they are recovering their commissions off the top so you’re automatically knocking off that much of a discount by shopping second hand and off the beaten path.

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Where To Go Costa Rica

When you are planning your vacation it is good to know a little about the area so you can choose what suits your fancy. The locals refer to themselves as Ticos and they are warm and welcoming wherever you visit in Costa Rica. My friend and I plan to visit all areas of Costa Rica but you may have to consider what to put in your itinerary if you have only 7 days. The following is a list of the various regions and what they might offer in the way of entertainment. Pick and choose whatever combination you like.

San Jose
Most museums and art galleries in Costa Rica are found in San Jose. The central part of San Jose is noisy and crowed as the capital of any city will be. The airport is located outside of San Jose and you may come into Costa Rica via San Jose anyway, why not check it out while you are visiting. I have been told that you step of the curb carefully in Europe or get run over. Pedestrians do not have the right of way in San Jose either so watch yourself when you cross the street.

The Northwest
Arenal and Monteverde are located in the Northwest. Arenal is the Volcano located in this area and it is a game of wait-and-see to get the opportunity to view the cone of the volcano spew hot lava. Arenal is one of the only active volcanoes in the world that can be safely viewed by tourists without the threat of bodily harm. I live in the Pacific Northwest, also in the shadow of Mount Rainier so volcanoes don’t bother me.

The road to Monteverde runs from the small town of Santa Elena to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve with hotels, nightclubs and restaurants. This area is usually very dense with tourists. Originally settled by Quakers this area now has a thriving eclectic artist community. Quakers are also reported to be great cheese makers in this area. I just love cheese and Quakers are cool too so I gotta plan to visit the cheese farm. Although this is one of the busiest this region offers many day trips and interesting things to do.

Nicoya Peninsula
While the Costa Rican government would certainly welcome the revenue from more tourists, for the moment the beaches of Nicoya remain somewhat of a secret. Beaches are still relatively deserted. If golf is your thing the course at Playa Conchal is renowned. This would be the vacation for you if you have water sports in mind. There is snorkeling, swimming, diving, surfing, fishing, and even kayaking. The drive from Carrillo to Mal Pas by 4-wheel drive is simply amazing. This area is also surfer heaven. Horseback riding is also offered by most of the hotels.

Quepos & the Central Pacific
This area is known for beaches and water sports. There is an abundance of quiet beaches to choose from while you do see surfers frequently the beaches are not crowded and it is easy to relax. Along their Pacific Coast Highway there is a vast array of lodging anywhere from the seedy to the luxurious and in between. This area is a wonderland for any beach lover with diving, fishing, golf, and horseback riding, kayaking and even surfing. I want to try the Titi Canopy tours. A canopy tour is like a ski lift going from tree to tree like the monkeys. If you are afraid of heights this is not for you!

Osa Peninsula & Golfo Dulce
This area is much more remote, however there are several luxury hotels. Drake Bay has whale-watching tours and you can often spot dolphins playing around your boat. Corcovado National Park offers tours that are teaming with wildlife to see and take photos of. In Golfo Dulce the are 2 botanical gardens, Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden and Wilson Botanical Garden.

South Caribbean
Miles of banana plantations can be found here. Some believe these to be the most beautiful beaches in the country, although it is much more humid. The culture here is more Caribbean in it’s inhabitants. The usual water sports can be found here.

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