Dan's Papers - May 16, 2008 - When In Manhattan with Christian McLean

In Manhattan, as you surely know, the roof is much more than something to keep the rain off your head. It's a refuge from cramped apartments, it's a breath of fresh air, a place to catch some rays; tranquility in the most hectic of places. There's one roof that offers all that, plus a bar and art. I spent the night of my 25th birthday with my brothers sipping Heinekens on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Five years later, it is still one of the most memorable birthdays I have had. Maybe it was the expansive views of Central Park, maybe it was the $50 million worth of Lichtensteins, or maybe just simply the company, whatever the case, the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden is one of my most cherished spots in the city.

I took the elevator to the 5th floor just last week to get a feel for this year's exhibit - never before publicly displayed sculptures by Jeff Koons. Even with an overcast sky, the views were tremendous but equally grandiose was a 10 foot tall stainless steel balloon animal dog in shimmering metallic yellow. For those not familiar with Koons' work, the man is notorious for taking the everyday and the kitsch and making them larger than life. Balloon Dog (Yellow) is a perfect example. Remember the clowns and mimes of childhood birthday parties bending and twisting those long balloons into iconic shapes - a flower, a sword, a dog? Picture that little dog with its creases, knot snout, its little stubby tail and then imagine it perfectly replicated on a massive scale in stainless steel. The dog is flawless.

"Sacred Heart" looks like a chocolate heart wrapped in shiny gift paper. Again it's massive and the attention to detail is spectacular. The third piece, "Coloring Book," stands as the odd man out and, seems to be the least pleasing to the crowd. There is some merit in the work. The use of reflective surfaces and holes in the piece continued to catch my attention, though Balloon Dog is my favorite of the three.

While the art may be the thing that draws people initially, it clearly isn't the only reason to hit the roof. Drinks, a social scene and the view round out the top reasons. Come for the art, stay for the art-themed martinis. Everyday life may inspire Koons, but Koons' art inspires witty, fun and hardcore drinks named after the works. Don't let the titles deceive you, "Coloring Book," though sounding quite adolescent, consists of rum, vodka, gin, tequila, triple sec, and Sprite. In other words, like the sculpture, it's a little of this and a little of that all swirled together and if you deal with either for too long, you're going to end up dizzy and confused. Just a warning, life at the top isn't cheap. If you felt guilty for not paying the "suggested" $20 at the door, buy a drink at the bar and you'll see they get your money one way or the other. The themed cocktails are $12 a pop, beers are $7 and wine is $11.

As for the view ... it's just tops. Even if you live on the top floor of the Dakota you have to admit the sights (and lack of sounds) just bring the experience together. Let's face it, there's only so much time to examine three sculptures, but the views over Central Park seem to capture the eye for hours.

The roof is a great place to meet for pre-dinner drinks, an ideal spot to impress a date, or roll solo to escape everyone you know. It can get a bit crowded, so I'm not going to say it's the best place for peace and tranquility, but you might be able to find a quiet corner somewhere.

One of the other highlights of the rooftop garden is what lies below. Sometimes you forget that beneath you is the Metropolitan Museum of Art with more art than you know what to do with. There's no reason to make a beeline for the roof when Cezanne is hanging downstairs. Just be careful on your way out. If you've had one too many, swinging by the hall of armor might inspire some bad ideas - think Don Quixote.

The show runs until October 26 from 10 a.m. until closing (usually at 5:30 p.m.) Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m. and closed on Monday. The Met is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street.