MOMA Rain Room Survival Tips

We lost our Saturday to the MOMA Rain Room. 

This Instagram was taken barely halfway through our arduous wait. At the two hour point, we decided to just commit to waiting however long to enter the most talked about exhibit this Summer. Well it took 5 hours dude. FIVE RIDICULOUS HOURS.

The 10-15 minutes we spent inside was glorious though. The exhibit is unique and really fun but I admit the photo ops are the main drawcard than the actual special effects of the exhibit. 

We suffered so you don't have to. If you can't make it during the weekday (the best time to avoid the inevitable long lines), here's how to make your Rain Room visit as painless as possible:

1. Go early AND get membership

There are two lines at the entrance located on the 54th street side - the members' line is within the exhibit compound while the general admission (GA) line starts on the sidewalk outside the compound. Members not only get to visit early (from 9.30am), priority will continue to be given to members to join the inside line even after the general opening time of 10.30am. (We joined the GA line around 9.45am where there were barely 20 people ahead of us, alas we did get to join the inside line until way past 11.30am)

Even with membership, the inside line is long - snaking around a number of times, the wait at the tail end of that queue is approximately 3 hours. 

Museum membership is paramount to ensure that your wait does not exceed those three hours. With membership, you bypass all those waiting in the GA line regardless of what time you get there. Meaning your wait time at worst is only about three hours (Yes, I know how silly that sounds). The silver lining is that members can bring guests (so split that membership fee amongst friends and enemies alike). 

There are also plenty of MOMA staff available for information - ask as to how long either lines are before devoting your time to any one of them.

2. Wear weather appropriate clothing (and prepare for the worst)

It rained during the the final hour of our wait. Ahh the irony. It was also far windier and colder than expected and I was glad that I had on warmer than necessary clothing. Also, wear appropriate footwear that will provide cushion for the hours you may be on your feet. I presume a foldable chair might be handy too.

3. Bring reading material, snacks, playing cards etc

Have with you anything that will make the time pass. You could also converse with your companion if that is your sort of thing. Luckily, this is no "NYE in Times Square" situation so leaving the line for more food or to go to the loo within the actual museum is perfectly allowed. 

Mango top, Current/Elliot Stilettos in yellow polka dot (sim), Repetto red ballet flats

4. Leave the kids at home

This one is obvious - that long weekend queue is no place for anyone under 15, no matter how fun a room full of rain might be.

After your visit, grab some famous chicken and rice from any of the carts on 53rd and Sixth - though if you are anything like me, you would probably want to punch someone before joining yet another line. 

For other things to do in May, visit my NYC Social post here.

ABC Cocina In Spades

Yesterday's date night saw us at ABC Cocina. Early reports suggest this is the latest hot spot in Manhattan, resulting in the annoying problem of tables being booked out at least a month in advance, I did however manage to wrangle a prime time reservation for Friday by calling the day before enquiring about cancelled tables. A trick we've used many times before with great success. 

Just like its neighbour and sister restaurant, ABC Kitchen, Cocina is decked out in very pretty lighting and high-end hipster decor from ABC Carpet and Home (the place to go if you are ever in the market for $600 crockery and $1000 reclaimed metal chairs). 

I digress. Everything about this Spanish/Latin restaurant was fabulous. The gin coconut cocktail as well as guacamole with peas and sunflower seeds were a great start to our meal (I'm definitely using these additions next time I make guac at home).

We then had the fluke with green chili (which happily reminded me of the ceviche we had in Miami early this year), mushroom tacos, garlic chili shrimp (a bit too heavy on the chili oil made this the only slight all evening) and the halibut with saffron. How the heck we had space for the white chocolate caramel rice pudding AS WELL as gratis popsicle trio, I DON'T KNOW. 

Rice pudding with caramel slathered all over and popsicles made in house: (b-t) mango, coconut chocolate and basil

Frankly we didn't. My stomach was protruding so much on the way home I'm relieved no one gave up their seats in the subway for me. 

I was decked out in Kate Spade (new purchases thanks to a hefty gift card win):

Kate Spade Saturday Windowpane Dress, Kate Spade All Aboard Clutch,  Nine West Jeneil red suede pumps, Anthropologie Roundabout Fringe Necklace, BR cluster ring

Sigh, how much fun would it be to carry around this clutch during Fleet Week had it not been cancelled this year... 

Five Things

Happy Mothers' Day everyone! Celebrations with my amma are postponed until I see her next month but I hope everyone is having a grand time with their mums, whether they are near or far. 

I was recently tagged by Hitha to reveal five things you may not know about me. My About page has a bunch of silly facts already so trying to think of 5 more was nothing short of challenging. I may have alluded to some of these in previous posts so apologies if some of these do not come as a surprise:

1. My first time in the United States was in February 2008, to visit the then-boyfriend, S who was on secondment in New York. We stayed in a killer apartment in Times Square (I remember the area not being as insane and swarming with tourists as it is these days). The highlight among everything else was seeing snow for the first time. I saw, felt and experienced pure white flakes of happiness I had previously only seen on TV. Naturally I ran up to the apartment rooftop and lay on the ground to make snow angels. You know, just like on TV. Thankfully I now know better than to lie on any outdoor NYC surface. And I love snow more than I ever knew I could.

2. My eyesight is awful. Like -8.75/-9.25 awful. This means my glasses are heavy and clunky so I am a devout contact lens wearer. Though after a year-long fight against amoebas in my eye a decade ago, I am only allowed to use gas permeable hard lens. Not the comfiest but definitely the easiest to maintain. Rinsing lens in tap water easy. Regardless, you can not imagine how much I am looking forward to getting corrective surgery done. 2014 baby. I CANNOT WAIT. 

3. I am quadrilingual. My first six years of formal education was conducted entirely in Mandarin. Can't say I don't kick out of freaking people out when I multiply out loud in Chinese. Beng Malaysian, I am also fluent in Malay, the national language. Lastly, my dad was rightfully insistent we learnt our mother tongue. Like most things I wasn't grateful for until I was older, I am thankful I went to weekly Tamil classes as a kid. S and I speak seven languages between us - alas only English overlaps. Furniture shopping is decidedly tougher with no secret language to discuss in. 

4. I am a child of the Commonwealth - especially in the choice of beverages I consume. I have a cup of tea post-dinner most days (usually of the black variety and with milk and sugar). Instead of soda, I get my sugar fix from Ribena (I also went through a phase of having it with a dash of vodka). Nothing soothes my heart and calms my soul than the steaming cup of Milo I have multiple times a week. I am convinced Australian-made Milo tastes superior, so no guest is allowed to visit us from Down Under without bringing over a couple of those green-coloured tins. 

J Crew punk floral skirt, Kookai Paris polka dot silk blouse, strand of Borneo pearls (sim), Lanvin pink ballerina pumps (sim), Warby Parker Fitz glasses

5. I do not have my driver's licence. In any jurisdiction. This alone makes me appear like the quintessential New Yorker. If I ever left NYC, I will either need  a chauffeur (hello fiancé!) or move to a city with an insanely awesome public transportation grid. 


While I specifically tag Milsters, Dajana, Daina, Grace and Wendy, I hope you, my readers will also share in the comments something people may not already know about you.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!