One of the most favorite days of my life was spent in NYC’s Central Park with my sister and a group of great friends.  “The Gates” by Christo and Jeanne-Claude were on display over vast portions of the park’s paths during February 2005.  I asked this group if they’d join me in walking this exhibit on my birthday.  Not knowing what the weather would be, I brought umbrellas for everyone.  I spent a good deal of time considering the choice of umbrella… sensing the color or pattern had to go with the art.  Afterall, Christo and Jeanne-Claude had an exhibition 14 years earlier called “The Umbrellas.”

For their fabric, Christo and Jeanne-Claude chose the color saffron.  I went with my gut and chose violet.  My gut provided a good answer.  It generated unexpected attention and discussion with strangers.  Some people saw violet and thought we were celebrating NYU by displaying the university’s color.  By good fortune, it snowed the previous day, so the saffron rectangles and violet circles against white snow set a picturesque backdrop.  I was interviewed by a cable TV crew at the start of our walk and blabbed on about “being the art” as I distributed the umbrellas.  A hilarious moment of paparazzi entertained us at the south end of the park.

The culmination of it all was when my friend Margo, a photographer, returned to Central Park the next day to shoot more pics.  Margo happens to love the color purple, and she wears it with reckless abandon.  She was approached by an elderly couple while taking a shot of her umbrella.  She told them about our previous day and she was invited to join them for lunch right then and there– they were coincidentally on their way to eat with Christo and Jeanne-Claude!  In one of her life’s greatest regrets Margo declined the invite.  She could only think of the layers of long underwear, shirts, sweaters, and stockings she’d need to shed at an indoor luncheon!  But I’m happy to think about those imaginative artists hearing about our tribute to their colorful display.