Monkey
Business
The amazing story behind
children’s favorite primate
Curious George, one of the most beloved
characters in children’s literature, is always
getting himself in and out of scrapes. His escapades are whimsical, but his creators endured
something quite dire. The current exhibit at
the Jewish Museum, “Curious George Saves
the Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey,”
tells their remarkable tale.
The Reys were German Jews living in Paris
in 1940. Just hours before
the Nazis took control
of their adopted city, the
couple fled on bicycles. At
a border crossing, officials
found their manuscripts,
including an early ver-
sion of Curious George,
and decided to let the
Reys through. The couple
soon made their way to
New York, where the first
Curious George book was
published in 1941.
ave
Date
the
SOHO
Klezmer
Brunch
Sundays
City Winery has
wisely discovered that
the lively rhythms of
klezmer music are tailor-made for bagels and
lox and other mouth-watering morsels you
might like to nosh. Get a
taste of the old country
in New York with this
inspired pairing. 212-
608-0555; citywinery.com
CHELSEA
Remember That
You Will Die:
Death Across
Cultures
Through Aug. 9
The Rubin Museum of
Art explores images
of death in European
Christian and Tibetan
Buddhist cultures,
including ritual items
made from human
remains. 212-620-5000;
rmanyc.org
CITY GUIDE
New York
The exhibit at the Jewish Museum features
nearly 80 drawings and watercolors of George
and other characters—including George in
an early incarnation as “Fifi”—excerpts from
H. A.’s journals and an audio interview with
the authors. Through Aug. 1. 212-423-3200;
thejewishmuseum.org.
H. A. Rey, final illustration for “This is George. He lived in Africa,”
published in The Original Curious George (1998), France, 1939–40,
watercolor, charcoal and color pencil on paper. H.A. & Margret Rey
Papers, de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, McCain
Library and Archives, The University of Southern Mississippi.
Curious George, and related characters, created by Margret and
H. A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Publishing Company. © 2010 by HMH.
Clothes Circuit
Last year, the
Brooklyn Muse-
um’s impressive
costume holdings
were transferred
to the Metropolitan
Museum of Art’s
Costume Insti-
tute. Now the Met
unveils its first
exhibition taken
from the Brooklyn
Museum’s costume
collection, “Ameri-
can Woman: Fash-
ioning a National
Identity.” The
exhibit focuses on
changing dress
styles from 1890
to 1940, but also
examines how
those earlier fash-
ions have shaped
perceptions of
today’s woman.
Viewers move
through various
galleries, beginning with Heiress,
a sumptuous array
of Charles Frederick Worth ball
gowns; then on
to others such as
Bohemian, Flappers and Screen
Siren, which celebrates the body-hugging gowns of
1930s films. The
galleries appear
against backdrops
from their respective periods, further enhancing
the display. For
instance, Heiress
is shown in a ballroom setting, and
Screen Siren is set
in a reproduction
of a 1930s-style
cinema. Through
Aug. 15.
metmuseum.org.
FLATIRON DISTRICT
Event Horizon
Through Aug. 15
Check out the 31 life-size sculptures of artist Antony Gormley’s
body now gracing various parts of Madison
Square Park and topping
landmarks in the area,
including the Empire
State Building.
eventhorizonnewyork.org
QUEENS
Amazon Voyage:
Vicious Fishes
Through Aug. 22
The New York Hall of
Science takes visitors on
a journey through the
waters of the Amazon
for a look at some of its
most fascinating creatures. Pink dolphins,
caimans and piranhas,
oh my! 718-699-0005;
nysci.org
QUEENS
Hong Kong
Dragon Boat
Festival
Aug. 7–8
This event kicks off with
a colorful parade, and
then it’s off to the races
as crews manning boats
adorned with dragon
heads and tails engage in
lively competition. Arts
and crafts, food, music
and dance complete the
festivities. hkdbf-ny.org
