E 59th St - MonoVisioN & Empire

The extraordinary Scott Frances, whose focus is architecture and lifestyle photography, has finally published his first monograph, MonoVisioN. Today is your last chance to stop by the D&D Building to see a selection of his transportive shots, which are on view in glorious large scale. Each one of the 68 selections on display has a magical ability to tell you a complete story full of detail and light about a unique place in the world. The gallery itself, with its three floors and mazelike hallways and nooks, is a fun escape from bustling 59^th Street, too! If you can’t make it there today, buy a copy of the first edition MonoVisioN and bask in utopia vicariously from the comfort of your own home.

In the mood for more decoration and design? Stay in the building and peruse the showrooms. (There are over one hundred!) You’ll find everything from wallpaper and throw pillows to antique furniture and art. If navigating 100+ shops showcasing some 3,000 vendors sounds like a rare form of torture to you, walk westward on 59^th, pick up a little to-go lunch from Delmonico Gourmet Food Market, and grab a bench in Grand Army Plaza under Eva Rothschild’s Empire. Empire is a multidirectional archway of sorts with twisting and turning legs that look like the roots of an animated walking tree. Sit back and enjoy the fantastic people watching as tourists interact with the sculpture while deflecting (and sometimes accept!) invitations for horse-drawn carriage rides through Central Park.

Ingredients:

Venues: D&D Building; Grand Army Plaza - Public Art Fund

Artists: Scott Frances; Eva Rothschild

Streets: East 59^th St, 3^rd Ave to 5^th Ave

Eats: Delmonico Gourmet Food Market

Map: