sunday: lovely breakfast with ted at hydra coffee, lunch at sinbad’s with andrea who is working on a fascinating project about river cultures and collective memory, a visit to ruth and russell’s old home on crosman terrace (russell’s garden looks as splendid as ever), finally, ‘newtown’ the play about sandy hook at geva theatre (thank u laura) with my friend muna, followed by some late night gupshup at java’s.
Category: travels
back in rochester
it’s no secret that i love rochester! this morning i spent time with my brilliant friend ruhi – we had tea, talked about everything under the sun, and took a walk in her magical garden. back to zemeta’s ethiopian restaurant for lunch and then film testing at roc cinema – the film looks and sounds great! can’t wait for the premiere tomorrow at 12pm. went for a walk at highland park and felt transformed by its beauty. designed by the same guy who designed central park, it’s breathtaking in spring. spent the evening with my dear friend karen. her exhibition at anderson arts building, studio 402, is wonderful and i was lucky to receive one of her beautiful pieces <3 met my friend sarita outside the building:) now relaxing at my bnb before the big day tomorrow. hope to see u all roc friends!
last dinner in roc
last dinner with my roc fam at @rosierestaurantny in pittsford and then off to long island. will be back in may inshallah!
with aunty shafqat
a visit with dear shafqat aunty this morning, my khalajan’s best friend, with wonderful connections to both my family and my husband’s. thank u for making my visit possible dear ayesha. may aunty continue to be a strong and loving presence in our lives <3
iftar at the islamic center
a beautiful iftar with some beautiful friends at the islamic center of rochester <3
with friends in roc
non-linear time: evening at a friend’s house where i got to meet all my girlfriends, dynamic convos at spot coffee this morning, afternoon tea with a friend who taught me all about manga and anime, and lunch at peppa pot jamaican cuisine.
at the french quarter in roc
in rochester, and the first place i had to visit, of course, was the french quarter. ethan, who has grown up in front of our eyes, recognized me. even after three years of being away on long island. unbelievable. this is a new, pared-down location but the food is as good as ever.
Wangechi Mutu’s work
I have loved Kenyan American artist Wangechi Mutu‘s beautiful and unsettling work for decades now, and I had missed her solo exhibition ‘Intertwined’ at the New Museum, so it was a thrill to see it in New Orleans @neworleansmuseumofart. “Representing the full breadth of her practice, this exhibition encompasses painting, collage, drawing, sculpture, film, and performance. Mutu first gained acclaim for her collage-based practice exploring camouflage, transformation, and mutation. She extends these strategies to her work across various media, developing hybrid, fantastical forms that fuse mythical and folkloric narratives with layered sociohistorical references… Wangechi Mutu: Intertwined traces connections between recent developments in Mutu’s sculptures and her decades-long exploration of the legacies of colonialism, globalization, and African and diasporic cultural traditions.“ I loved the Subterranean series (a stunning fusion of woman and nature) and was moved by Mutu’s work on the Rwanda genocide which is displayed on a ‘wounded wall’ full of bullet holes rubbed with blood-red pigment. Reminded me of Gaza.
front beach, ocean springs
front beach this morning, 73 F
ocean springs, mississippi
beautiful views from biloxi bay bridge, ocean springs, mississippi. went for a brisk walk/ run this morning and met a lot of friendly people. unbelievable sky. lunch at knuckleheads where we finally got to eat some po boys.
noma sculpture garden
yesterday afternoon at the sculpture garden, new orleans museum of art: ‘the twelve-acre sculpture garden at NOMA is one of the most important sculpture installations in the united states, with over 90 sculptures situated on a beautifully landscaped site among meandering footpaths, reflecting lagoons, spanish moss-laden 200-year-old live oaks, mature pines, magnolias, camellias, and pedestrian bridges.’ the sculptures mesh beautifully with their environment and the moss-covered oaks seem ghostly, dream-like, unreal.
palestine solidarity in nola
yesterday brunch at satsuma cafe on dauphine street and a walk around the neighborhood where i found a beautiful palestinian flag. knocked at the door to thank the homeowner and met mark, a retired lawyer, who feels enraged by the genocide going on in gaza and wants to make his solidarity public. we talked for a while and he gave me his card: “u have a friend in new orleans now”
more nola
more nola – waited in line for 30-40 min for beignets from cafe du monde yesterday. walked all over the french quarter, easy access from franklin ave where we are based. bought some local art from an artists’ co-op and postcards at the french market. love the unapologetically vibrant colors here.
a trip to the kolaj institute
today i got to meet madera rogers-henry of the recycle project and ric kasini kadour of the kolaj institute – a side of new orleans, its art scene, and people i’d love to learn more about. yummy brunch at who dat coffee and fabulous dinner at N7. drove to riverbend (violet) and passed thru this pecan tree tunnel. this morning we saw wonderful views of the city from crescent park. nola has such a chill, artsy vibe. but u know what truly aligned things for me in a big way? the free palestine graffiti i found all over the city. i’d love to create art here!
new orleans <3
