The main reason why I can’t leave New York City is really due in major part to its fantastic cultural institutions. The only problem is, when you work as much as I do, exploring them often gets compromised for the routine and responsibilities of adulthood, and before I knew it, 10 years had gone by since my last visit to one of the most majestic of them all, the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). One of my closest friends, who knows that I am obsessed with all things Japanese these days brought to my attention the “Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden” show, and of course it became a top priority for me to check out!
I’ve been fascinated with ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, and the current fall flower display of kiku, or known in English as chrysanthemum, which works to train different species of the flower over months to grow in a certain direction, and hail from a centralized stem system. A closeup look at its roots will leave you awestruck, but then again, so does the New York Botanical Garden’s 250-acres of over a million living plants and collections, now in its 125th year. Long story short, I left the garden a newly minted member, which means I will be back in no time to take in the breathtaking and tranquil grounds and shows, and I am so glad to support this special place in the city.
It was an exceptionally comfortable fall day, temperature-wise, and I couldn’t help but wear some of my favorite new fall pieces to the NYBG. Always thinking practically, layers were a must, with an extra scarf and hat in the bag just in case the weather took a gusty turn. At the start of the season it’s always so exciting to wear and pair the new pieces with old favorites, but I think there’s more new than old in this particular look, which is just a-okay by me!
