Everybody knows that Manhattan is the center of the design universe. And Brooklyn is where all the up-and-comers with their hot new ideas hang out. But what about Queens? I decided to have some adventures close to home in the largest borough of New York, where I’ve lived with my husband for four years. Queens is the most ethnically diverse county in the entire United States, with people of all races, creeds and colors calling it home. And this rich melting pot makes for some beautiful art and design.

Photographer Alex Segreti‘s exhibition of photography, “Somewhere In Queens,” can be seen this weekend in… Brooklyn. I love the reverent way he captures the diversity, strangeness and charm of my home.

Photos courtesy Emily Shu

Up until 1986, Socrates Sculpture Park was a blight on the East River, an abandoned landfill where people would illegally throw bags of trash in the middle of the night. A coalition of artists and community members led by Mark di Suvero worked tirelessly to reclaim the land and transform it into a rotating exhibition space of large-scale sculptural works, as well as one of New York’s best parks. Free yoga on weekends, movies in the summer, and a number of other events make it one of my favorite easy getaways.

Just a few blocks away, the Noguchi Museum collects the work of Japanese sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Housed in a former photo-engraving plant, it’s a gorgeous, serene place to gather your thoughts and take in some fantastic work. And you can even buy a raw stone and a carving kit in the gift shop if you’re inspired to pick up the chisel yourself.

Charity:

Kianh Foundation

In honor of my dear aunt “Irish” who died this week please visit check out this charity. The Kianh Foundation was founded in September 2001 by two English friends Jackie Wrafter and Jacci Garside; it became a registered charity in the UK in December 2002. It was officially registered as an INGO (International Non-Governmental Organisation) in Vietnam in January 2006.

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