Passion is Contagious

Over the weekend I got to take part in an awesome online conference given by Emily Jeffords. Emily is a fabulous artist in Greenville, SC and someone I have followed on Instagram for some time. When my boss (with the gallery) offered to "send" me to the conference for work I was SO pumped and knew that it would benefit the gallery but also my own art business. So for 2 hours I soaked in all that Emily could share and now I want to share how it inspired me personally :)

Most of what Emily talked about was how when we begin to be authentic but follow a story line our followers will begin to share our vision and become more interactive. That may seem super simple and you may be going "duh Gracie". But as a creative person sometimes I don't think that my process is interesting, I don't always feel like sharing an unfinished painting, or the sketch for a furniture design. To me thats just a place for people to see my weaknesses. Emily totally blew that theory of mine out of the water. She said passion is contagious. For something to be contagious you have to put it out there for others to share with you! DUH!

So I decided, my heart is in sharing the beauty of art, all art. If I think that is beautiful what is it that makes it beautiful to me? Well mostly the story behind each piece. I LOVE the history and knowing what happened to the artist to influence that design, or the color pallet they chose. If that is what I love about art then I guess I should share it about my art too. So I am committing myself to share the stories and process behind my pieces.

I'm committing to sharing my entire passion, not just the finished product.

I want all of you to see what I see when I look at a new piece of art. I want you to understand the process behind it, the hours put in to it, and the exhausting debates that went on to make that piece what it is.

I hope to curate my Instagram to be a place that really shows the beauty in what I am lucky enough to do daily and I would LOVE it if you followed along with me :)

Grace Langdon Art ||  Sozo Gallery

GOD IS GOOD

Guys, what is going on?! I feel like I haven't chatted with y'all in a long while and so much has happened! 1. It's officially spring and I need to change out my wardrobe to fit the 80 degree weather we are having, yay! 2. I GOT A JOB! If you have been a part of my life, blog or any social media you know that for the past 2 years I've been struggling to find and accept my place. I knew the entire time that God was working and that He had a plan but it took me 2 years to really believe it.

GOD IS GOOD! He didn't lie to us when He said He has a plan for us, and He really does want us to have our hearts desires. This is my story on how I was shown Gods goodness and provision more than I could have imagined.

Like I said up there, if you know me at all you know I've struggled with the job search. I tried and tried. I prayed and prayed. But I never let go. I never allowed myself to "let go and let God". I have heard that for as long as I can remember, but I don't think I really understood what that mean. I thought because I prayed and "knew" He had a plan that I was trusting in Him and that I had given Him the control. However, 2 weeks ago I was proven wrong.

I had not totally trusted God, I hadn't accepted that He would provide what I needed when I needed it.  3 months ago I was still on the emotional roller coaster of job searching. I was so upset that I finally decided to just throw it totally in the air. I asked God for a week straight that He would show me if I was to continue the job search or focus on my ETSY shop. I put a number on sales that I would reach to know I would pursue ETSY and I said if I was to continue searching that I would hear from 1 job (good or bad). Well, I didn't reach either goal. I was close to reaching the number I set for sales on ETSY and business increased so I took that as meaning I would go in the direction of being my own boss and owning my own business.

That was the middle of February, and I didn't really think much about it after that.
I finally had a peace that I was were I was supposed to be and it was all going to be ok, even if I didn't know my future.

Then I received an email (2 weeks ago) that there was a position opening and they wanted me to come in for an interview. I was AMAZED that I would even be thought of since I hadn't applied for anything or even been in contact with the gallery since January. I went in for an interview and was blown away by how perfect this job would be. But I was constantly reminding myself that God was doing this. That no matter the outcome He had a reason for bringing this opportunity in my life. I was an anxious mess for the 4 days I waited to hear back. I couldn't eat, didn't really wanna hang out with anyone, all I could think about was what God was going to bless me with. Was I finally going to get a job or was I going to know (finally) that ETSY is where I was supposed to be?

Long story (a little) short. I got the job! I nearly cried when I was offered the possibility to grow with this new position. Once I got off the phone all I could say was GOD IS GOOD! 

God did all of that. He got me a job that I didn't even know I could find. I didn't know that I would ever be lucky enough to find an art gallery that features contemporary art, is run by an amazing lady that isn't scared to speak about her faith, and that uses her business to better the community through outreach. WHAT?! GOD IS GOOD :)

God knew I needed to learn what it really meant to trust Him. I needed my heart to be totally able to let go and let God. Let God do what He does best, love His children. He knows the best steps to take, He knows when the position I need will open. HE KNOWS.

So, to give you some fun details... I am now the gallery coordinator for a beautiful, new gallery in Uptown Charlotte, NC. Please go check out Sozo Gallery, and if you are in the area come visit please!!

To end all this, just remember that God hears your prayers and He has a plan that you could never imagine. He has a reason for whatever your going through.

Layering with Watercolor

Remember like forever ago when I said I was gonna do "art lessons" on the blog? Then I did like 4 and forgot about the blog for a while...Well I'm sorry about that and I'm back with another "lesson" :)

If you follow my shop on Insta (@gracelangdonart) you've seen a good amount of new watercolors flooding the feed. I've been trying to branch my shop out to more "artistic" endeavors and watercolor is one of those love affairs I thought I would take to the next level. SO why not share some of my techniques I've been using with y'all!

I've been doing a good pit of animals, started with a portrait of a friends dog and then moved on to animals I just thought where cute. I wanted to take it in a direction that wasn't photorealistic but wasn't abstract either. So most of my pieces have a real fluid layering technique going on. 

Watercolor is great for layering because it can be very transparent while also very opaque. That may make no sense but I promise you, if you practice some you will see what I'm talking about. 

The best way to start any watercolor is with plenty of pale washes. Use a light (and I mean extremely light) sketch to help you with your bearings on the page but then add in your general washes. In my first picture you can see my first wash was a pale pink. I chose pink because I wanted the bunny to have a warm hue all over. Then I slowly added in other washes where I wanted the color to change on the bunny. These first 2 washes are great ways to fill space while making sure the subject remains loose and fluid.

Then I wanted to add in more details so I started adding small brush strokes as fur with similar tons to the first washes. Everything is still pretty light at this stage but it builds up over time so you can start seeing more definition in the bunny. You can change colors depending on the space you are working on. Look at the ears, the tops have a blue tint to them so I chose to use cooler colors up there and warmer colors in the face. This starts adding dimension. 

And for more dimension you need to start adding in your darks. With out some "dark darks" you will never feel like your piece is finished. For this piece the nose, tips of the ears, eyes, and mouth area had some real deep colors. With watercolor the best way to get a deep color is to NOT use much water. I usually mix a really saturated puddle (more color less water) or try and use paint straight from the tube. Just be sparing with this stage. It can get overwhelming really fast. Layer on your darks S L O W L Y!

Watercolor layering is a slow process. You will go through stages that look horrible. For a minute my bunny looked like he had some weird witch hairs growing but they eventually blended in to be variation in the fur coat. Just remember to go slow, and start off with very pale colors, remember, you get the pale colors by using very water downed color. The more water the less saturated your color will be. The less water the more saturated your colors will be and that comes in handy at the very end of your piece. 

ReBranding! Kitchen Table Art - Grace Langdon Art

Hey y'all I've been off and on blogging for a while now.
I love blogging so I'm not ready for a break and specially not ready to give it up all together!
So what I've decided to do is connect my art and my blog. I started this transition a few months ago when I started my art lesson series >>>>> link on side bar :)
But now I'm gonna take it to the next level and get rid of Kitchen Table Art all together! I loved the name and it meant a lot to me but as an artist I need something easily identifiable so my name it is!
Now you can find me under Grace Langdon Art on everything (ETSY, Instagram, Twitter, working on Facebook)! It may take a little bit to get used to and to transition every link BUT I'm confident it's the right choice and that our relationship is good enough for you to follow me through this transition :) Luckily y'all won't have to re-follow me because I was able to simple change my names/handles. But PLEASE remember when your trying to get in contact with me that Kitchen Table Art no longer exists!

So finally, here are all of my Social Media and Shop links with the updated name!

Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Etsy 

Now, heres a tiny explanation for all those STORE photos flooding my social media!
At the moment I'm on a crazy adventure to see what it's like to have a PHYSICAL REAL LIFE STORE FRONT!



This new adventure is a huge blessing from the Lord and just proof that when you listen to Him he will lead you places you never expected you would be. I never thought that moving to the boondocks would give me a once in a life time chance to open up an artistic boutique that features all kinds of talented artists. I'm excited to see how the community reacts and where we go from here. So be sure to check out my social media where I update almost daily :)

Oh, and if you are anywhere close to York, SC come visit me! I would love to have y'all stop in and say hey :) 

Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique

Goodness gracious, I've left y'all hanging on art lessons! 

I've been doing a lot of watercolors on my own this summer. Lots of babies gifts, shower invitations, and even some sweet pieces for friends. Basically, I've been really enjoying myself and not sharing with you (unless you've been on Instagram, then I'm over sharing)! So here we go with another lesson in watercolor, the wet on wet technique! 

The wet on wet technique gives you the fluidity that is so desired in watercolors. It is a much looser technique than other painting styles. What that means is that you have less control over the outcome, which is really a beautiful thing :)

So first off you need to wet your surface. I use a damp sponge and lightly wipe down my paper. (You don't want it wet enough that the paper has a sheen but damp enough that you can feel it.)

Then you simply take your colors mixed on your pallet and drop them in. Depending on how wet your paper is you will have different amounts of control with how the pigment reacts once laid down. You can see in the first photo that I was still able to create shapes but there are no real "edges". 

Once you get your base color down, don't wait for it to dry. Just start dropping in more pigment (image 3)! By not waiting for it to dry you are allowing the two colors to mix naturally together which creates a very soft variation. 

Now I recommend only doing this with colors in the same family, or you may start getting a bit muddy. So you can wait and let the paper dry a bit before adding in some more, if you do this you can start to make more definitive marks (last image compared to second to last image).

Like all techniques it is good to experiment so you can figure out how to use your brush correctly in these situations. You can go back to the post about Brush Strokes and do the same exercises but with wet paper, that will help you see how the pigment moves on the page for the wet on dry technique, and the wet on wet technique! 

 How are y'all getting along with these watercolor lessons? Is it something you are interested in learning more about, or are there other mediums you have questions about? Whatever it is let me know, I would love to help you figure out how to make art on your own!

Watercolor Washes

Woot woot 3rd art lesson is here!! And yep it is more on watercolor, geapers I never thought about how much went in to a watercolor before you could just make a painting. But writing these posts for you are sure helping me hone my techniques and create better end products! So thanks for the reminders ;)

Watercolor washes are used when you want to cover a large area with a single color. You typically use a large, flat brush that can hold lots of pigment. There are a couple different types of washes, including a flat wash, and a graded wash, which are the two I'm sharing with you now! 

I started off sketching a square for me to fill in with my pigment. It gave me an even starting and ending point, obviously, I didn't care to cut in the final edge but I still got the gist of covering a large surface. But you can always just wing it if you want :)

Once you are ready to start fill your large flat brush with a dark pigment. (Using a darker pigment allows you to see the variations in the wash easier). 

Line your brush edge up with the edge of your painting surface and pull across with your brush at an angle that allows most of your bristles to touch the paper. 

After your first line is laid, quickly refill your brush and start your second row by overlapping the first just a bit. By overlapping you are opening up the pigment from the first line to allowing it to blend smoothly with the new line. continue this until you fill your box!

Then allow your nicely painted box to dry. Once the pigment is dry you will be able to see how "flat" your wash is. If you had puddles of pigment or high spots you will see a variation, keep trying until you get a smooth service, sometimes it takes lots of practice! 

For the graded wash I started off the same, by drawing a box for myself to fill in with pigment. However, instead of loading up my brush and hitting the paper I first puddle 4 different variations of my color. You can create variations in your color by adding white or by simply changing the ration of pigment and water. The less water you have the darker/brighter your pigment will be, the more water you add the lighter and softer your color will be. 

Once you have your 4 colors puddled you can start just the same as when doing your flat wash. 

By pulling your pigment across your square and overlapping each line. Just remember to refill your brush from a different puddle each time. 

This will create an ombre affect down your square. You can use water to go in and help smooth out your edges if you can still see the transition from line to line.

Once your pigment is dry you will have a smooth gradient from light to dark to start your painting! 

So there you have it! 2 simple ways to cover large amounts of paper! Be sure to play around and see how your washes will butt up to other colors and how you can combined some of your strokes from the previous Brush Strokes post on top of these washes. Just remember if your pigment isn't fully dry before going over the top it will muddy up with other pigments! 

4 Basic Watercolor Brush Strokes

Hey friends! I'm back with another art lesson, it has been awhile and I'm sorry. I've been a bit busy and just waiting for a day to sit down and really think about some of the basics of watercolor to share with y'all. Last month I shared Basic Watercolor Supplies and now I'm gonna share some easy exercises to help in techniques that can be used to create stunning paintings. I've also finished up a few other posts to share next week with some other finishing technique exercises, so be sure to check back!

For these exercises you will see how many different brush strokes you can create with a single round #9 brush. These four exercises are things that help you understand your brushes and how your paint interacts with brush, paper, and each other.  

This first exercise, Color Bands, is to teach how to make even, consistent strokes. 

First, mix up a couple different puddles of color and fill your brush. (The larger the brush the larger amount of watercolor it can hold). 

Pull your brush across your page in any way that suits your fancy. Try and keep the color smooth, if you begin to run out of color simply refill your brush and pick up where you left off. 

This is where the challenge begins. Once your first line is down pick up a second color and follow that line as closely as possible. Learning to control your brush is extremely important, a trick for a design like this one is to focus on the white line you are creating between the two waves of color. 

Continue to do this across your entire page, try and test yourself to see how small you can make the white stripe between colors with out muddying them up. 

When working with a wet medium like watercolor if you slightly touch a recently wet service your colors will bleed in to each other. Some times this is desired and can create beautifully happy accidents. However, you need to learn to control this because this can often create a "muddy" look in your colorations. 

Above you can see where my red stripe began to puddle from excess water/color. Once beautiful thing about watercolor is that you can easily control the pigment. If you have too much of a color in a certain spot grab a clean, dry, brush and place it over the puddle. The dry hairs will wick up the excess moister and prevent dark spots, but be careful this can also create light spots in a wash. Just be sure to watch how much pigment you pick up and put down when looking to create a smooth wash. 

This second exercise is to familiarize you with brush pressure.
Simple put, the more pressure/weight you put on your brush the wider your stroke will be.
Play around with a similar technique as the first by creating waves but instead of moving your brush up and down or side to side simply change the amount of pressure you are applying to your brush.

Your different brushes will create different shapes so try it out with multiple brushes until you get the hang of it.

This final exercise is called the flick. This stroke is perfect for creating whimsical outdoor scenes and believable hair/fur/feathers. Be sure to practice this technique in varying weights and thickness to capture the depth when rendering grass/branches.

This stroke is easiest with a round brush that will allow you to move from a thick base to barely there tip.

For this flick you will want to start with your brush tip pointing back down towards your body, allowing for your wrist to flick upwards. To have better control over your flick you can rest your painting hand over your support hand, giving you height and stability to create unique strokes by simply moving your wrist.

Finally, to achieve a painterly stroke grab a large round brush and fill with paint. 

This technique works well with the brush pressure exercise because the different dabs you make will take unique shapes depending on the amount of pressure on your bristles.

Part of the beauty of painterly work is that it is all about seeing the strokes, and movement of color. So fill you brush up and start loosely moving your brush across your paper. Once you are family with the different, natural shapes your brushes can make you can start to form landscapes and other paintings. 

These 4 brush strokes are simple, yet can be used to create beautifully crafted paintings. Each of these exercises is important for control of your pigment, next week (hopefully) I will be sharing how to create washes that can be used as back grounds for these new strokes you've learned!! And don't forget to check out my basic watercolor supplies post that points you to some of the materials needed to start your own watercolor adventures :)

If you have any questions let me know! This is just a quick example of some of the things that help remind me how you watercolor works, and I would love to hear how your experience with liquid pigment goes! 

Basic Watercolor Supplies

Last week I shared some of what I've been going through as far as finding what I want to be doing, here. It has been a long process but basically it all boils down to me missing my artistic roots. I've been creative through out this year, but it's been fun little DIY projects around the house and nothing that I've really used my knowledge of art and design for.

So, to solve this issue I decided I wanted to pursue fine art and its techniques and history with YOU! I'm not sure how long this will last, or how good I will be at it but I do know that I will be doing what I enjoy and hope you enjoy it too!

For my first lesson (hahah yeah right) I figured I could chat with y'all about all these watercolors I've been sharing on my Instagram feed and adding to my shop. Watercolor is something that I've always LOOOVVVVEEEDDD but didn't get a chance to do much of in the past 4 years. Watercolor is so naturally pretty that sometimes the best pieces are when all you do is drop in color. It's amazing!

This post is going to be kinda boring. But if you are interested in pursuing watercolor these are a few basic things you need to know before you dive in. These tips should help you have a smoother transition between regular (acrylic) paint to the world of water color.

Lets talk about brushes. There are all kinds of brushes with all different purposes. The best brushes are pricey, so as a student I obviously went for middle of the line. The high end watercolor brushes are made of Red Sable (type of mink) hair, yep just like a fur coat. So these have become super expensive because of the nature of the material. There are other types of hair (like squirrel) that also make great brushes, but they still remain on the upper end of brushes. I have synthetic brushes. I am NO PRO but do enjoy my brushes. 

Something that is really important is that you keep your watercolor brushes separate from all your other brushes. Watercolor reacts to oil so once you mix brushes with other types of paint (or even just handle them too much with your hands) they can deteriorate quicker and give you not so pretty lines. 

Next up is obviously the paint. Well with watercolor you have lots of options. If you aren't confident in your painting ability (you don't need to be, and I will touch on this later!) then go for a watercolor crayon or pencil! This allows you to get the pigment down on the paper and then blend with water. It is a great way to introduce yourself to how watercolor will move on the paper and even better if you are really interested in details. 

But if you are interested in the most common form of watercolor then you probably have a pallet of paint with either tubes or cakes. I prefer tubes because I can lay out my pallet exactly the way I like. But that doesn't mean tubes are any better for beginners!
Obviously there are different brands of paints and as a beginner it is hard to tell what you need. So I would say stay with student grade paints until you decide if you really wanna pursue watercolor. These paints will give you everything you need to learn from watercolor while not breaking the bank.
I have 2 sets of tube paints one is Reeves and the other is Windsor Newton, I prefer my Windsor Newton pallet but that is because of the colors that came in the pallet pack.
When you purchase watercolors remember that it is better to buy the basic most natural colors possible so you can mix with out making muddy colors. My pallet consists of Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red, Cadmium yellow, Viridian green, ultramarine, ivory black, and Chinese white.

Finally, lets talk about paper! Paper is soooooo important with watercolor, it literally can make or break a painting. If you know you are going to be doing lots of washes then you need to find a thicker/ heavier weight paper. Similar to this Strathmore 140lb pad. The weight is important because the heavier the paper the less likely it is to warp when you add your washes.

But I also have a smaller pad that is only 90lb. This pad does warp when you use washes, but if you are interested in adding inks or other dry media lighter weight paper can be the way to go.  You can also have your personal opinion on paper, I really love paper that can rip nicely. I feel like watercolor is such a natural process that sometimes the edges need to be a bit natural too.

I know this was a lot of technical information packed in to one post. And if I'm honest this isn't even close to all the detail I could have shared with you. This is just the basic of the basic information. I hope this will give you a little help when you walk in the craft store and are overwhelmed with the selection of beginner paints, papers, and brushes. If y'all have any other questions about how to find your starter set let me know! 

The Boondocks Go City

Well, if you have been around my social media lately you have probably seen me mention something about Reed and I's trip to New York City, and an art show that is featuring one of my pieces. Basically I am super stoked and want to shout it from roof tops but instead have tried to keep myself some what contained via social media. Tomorrow at this time I will be cruising the streets of the Big Apple with my main man showing him everything that love about art, culture, and so much more!

I am blown away by this opportunity. I've been spoiled by my heavenly father, earthly father, family and friends. This trip is never something I would have planned, at least not on the income we have at the moment. Reed and I love traveling so I alway hoped I would have the chance to take him to NYC and show him what is going on in the art world, but he has never been super interested so I figured we would only do it if we became famous or rich and had extra money laying around. Well, we aren't famous or rich by any means but we are spoiled.

Back in November I was contacted by the Rye Arts Center, in Rye NY (about 30 minutes outside the city). They found my artist site (check it out HERE) and were interested in a few of my pieces for a show all about chairs. After emailing back and forth we landed on the piece "Translucent Memory" which is an antique bankers chair made completely out of packaging tape. My mind is blown that someone could be interested in my work based off of what they have seen online and that they would request it be shipped up for their show "Edge of the Seat".

I never really thought I would pursue Fine Art. I joked about how much I loved it but that I wouldn't "try to become a NY artist", I just don't want that life style. I said this all the time, "I'm not gonna try and put my work in NY but if it makes it there one day, GREAT!" And look what happened?! God took a time in my life that I felt totally alone and like no one wanted what I had to offer. Moving to a small town with no friends was so hard. As I'm sure you can imagine there aren't many artistic jobs close by and so I was feeling pretty worthless. But He used that time I had to myself to teach me that He listens. He knew that I wasn't fulfilled where I was and He took a dream that I never ever thought was attainable and gave it to me. Literally I did nothing, He gave this to me!

Now He has spoiled me even more by providing us with the help we needed to afford our flights, the help we needed to afford a nice hotel to get the real NYC experience. And He has even provided me with new clothes that make me feel beautiful and like I belong some place.

He is a generous God.
I hope that this time in NYC will be rejuvenating and inspiring. I hope that all that I say when I meet people and talk about my work is encouraging and giving all the glory to the Lord!


Be on the look out for an overload of pictures! Sorry I'm not gonna be sorry :)

Wishful Wednesday: Dreaming of NYC!

The last week or so I've been trying to come up with what I want to wear for my art show in New York. I don't usually plan out what I'm gonna wear months in advance or buy new things for a trip/event. But I feel like this one is a big enough deal that I can if I want to (have it in my budget... yesterday I wrote about our new budget system check it out here)

So anyway, I figured I would lay out some of what I was thinking here and see what y'all think! Remember, I'm going to Rye, NY (about 30 minutes outside of NYC) for an art reception that is held from 3pm to 5pm April 5th so nothing too fancy. (and anyone from NY area help me prepare for weather too, what is it usually like up there in April??)

Hoookay! The vision that started this all is actually not on ETSY, I've found a couple look a likes but the one I love and feel the most comfortable with trying out is actually a sewing pattern. Yep, that means I would have to MAKE IT. Which is a bit scary, thats the reason why I haven't purchased yet. But I can't find anything else like it and I just keep coming back so I'm thinking I need some advice from my dear friends!! 1. do you think I could do it?? 2. Do you think a tea length version in either black or a fun pattern is fitting for what I'm doing?? Basically what I'm picturing is this awesome skirt with a simple fitted tee and probably flats. Nothing too fancy! Annnnd basically exactly how she is wearing it, dang. This Infamous Regal Maxi Skirt is just so beautiful and Mimi G has the coolest stuff!
After reading all the reviews, asking a friend who has made this, I'm pretty sure it is exactly what I'm looking for. Beautifully feminine that can be dressed up or down!! Woot woot!

I said I found some look a likes of the skirt above. This isn't one of them but it is something I found while looking for look a likes :) Annnnnd just to be honest this is a BIG contendor! I mean look at this shop (Melange Mode)!! Those prints are stunning, and each piece looks so beautifully crafted and fits each person so well! I called Reed in to show him and of course he just kinda nodded and said "mmm hmm" he never knows how to respond to anything I like. At least he has learned to keep his mouth shut :)  Basically I would love one of everything from this shop. But the one that caught my eye and that I think would be best for the look I'm going for is this African Print Midi Skirt.

I have no clue how I would pick the print but I love them all so I'm pretty sure any of them would be just fine! I mean, those wide leg pants I think I need them too!

And if I ever have a super formal event to go to I found my dress already :)

Annnnnd everyone needs a little black dress right? I mean even if I don't wear this in NY I want it :) Look at the beautiful shoulders! That neck line, uhhhh. Why do I like clothes so much and hate spending money! This lace detail knee length dress is pretty enough to go to any event. I'm ready to have one now :)

To end with another thing that I just want :) I would wear it in NY if I could convince myself to make it by then. Yep another sewing pattern! I mean, why can't I just find these pre made by someone who knows what they are doing?! This maxi cardigan is AWESOME! I love it with the hood and with out. I've shown Reed and he has given me permission to purchase the pattern if I ask for help when making it :) No wasting fabric for me!

So, basically I have no clue what I want. I kinda do but I really need some guidance. I just wanna look good!!! HELP!

PS>> we will be in NYC for the weekend so any one with suggestions on where  to stay, places to eat, things to see would be greatly appreciated! (I've been twice Reed has never been so I need to make sure I don't just show him the art museums :) ).