You guys, this is what the Mona Lisa has to deal with on a daily basis—can’t live a normal life anymore. I like to call this picture “16th Century Italian Portraits: They’re Just Like Us!”

I know I call myself a fan, but I don’t think I could ever get behind these. That said, if anyone knows where to find the Kraft Singles version of my favorite condiment, I’m willing to try anything once.

via

Some Sundays are so lazy that I can’t even muster up enough energy to make a 5-minute Rachel Ray dinner, let alone chew the damn thing. My quick fix? Break out the blender and plop in random fridge contents for a liquid meal you can consume without ever taking your fingers off the keyboard!

Tonight’s concoction was blog-worthy: I like to call it PBJ Smoothie 4 LIFE (Plus Bananas).

Ingredients:

• Blueberries (frozen generic brand if you’re cheap like me)
• Strawberries (not frozen because they were on sale this week)
• 1 cup 0% Fage greek yogurt
• Generous squirt of agave syrup for extra sweetness
• Even more generous dollop of peanut butter (approx size of an egg)
• 1 banana (optional)
• a few ice cubes
• Splash of milk

Presto! Puréed PB&J.

Mini Dubrovnik*

*click image to view large

I wish to find pleasure in things as much as I used to as a child

Photo: Centre Pompidou, Paris

rxart:

Whether you hang with the downtown artsy folk, associate with the uptown trendsetters, or consider your life one big social experiment as you float between cliques, Brazilian artist Rivane Neuenschwander’s new exhibition at the New Museum will appeal, in some way or another, to you.

A Day Like Any Other celebrates a decade of the artist’s conceptual works known for their ability to span a wide range of themes and identities. The piece that’s attracting the most buzz—probably in part because visitors walk away with a free trinket—is I Wish Your Wish: three sprawling walls lined with colorful ribbons for the taking. Viewers are asked to “take two or three” (although I witnessed the suspect act of a woman shoving at least 20 into her purse) and tie them onto their wrists with three knots. Once the accessory falls off naturally, the written wish comes true. Participants may also scribble their own wishes on provided paper scraps and roll them into ribbonless holes—not unlike the Wailing Wall in Israel.

Verdict:

• Interactive exhibitions are an effective way to lure newbie museum-goers or those who mask their curiosity with a defeatist I-just-don’t-get-art attitude.
• Exhibitions with freebies—especially ones that become summer’s hot must-have accessory—are an even better way to accomplish the aforementioned goal.
• If you venture to the New Museum for Neuenschwander’s show, try to find the wish ribbon that reads, “I WISH FOR MAGICAL POWERS.” Apparently it’s a rare gem.

-Nicki

Above: an account of my lunch break today. Follow RxArt for more gripping tales from the nonprofit art world!

The MTA is uprooting Second Avenue as we know it with a new subway line, and I’ve had the unfortunate opportunity to experience firsthand the 24/7 jack-hammering and balance beam-sized sidewalks. To assuage UES residents, our beloved transit authorities have lined the chain link barriers with local business logos—lest we forget that life goes on during construction—and mass mailed a pathetic look-at-our-progress postcard.

So what was it that made me forget, if only for a minute, the fact that I live in a giant bore hole? The announcement of an 86th Street Shake Shack! Thank you, Danny Meyer and farewell for good, Wedding Diet.

image via

G P O Y W - ‘Moon edition

jamesnord:

Yes, that wold by my picture on the front page of the New York Times online. 

Couldn’t be more proud of you, Mr. Nord!

Roni: Want me to write your name with a sparkler?

Evan: Yeah! Awesome! Okay, I’ll just sit next to you looking cool.

Roni: [writes French word for shower instead] Let’s see how the photo turned out…