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Amy Chen

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Cemetery Season: Poetry Month + The Grief of April

April 13, 2025

I’ve always associated the start of spring with what I have called “cemetery season” for as long as I can remember. My family always gets together around this time of year and visits relatives buried in both NY and PA. The tradition is known as “Hong San” and is associated with the Chinese tomb-sweeping “QingMing” festival. My mom always vaguely refers to it as “the Chinese holiday” (and we have never once called it the QingMing festival). For me, it was always just an association with the season - always occurring sometime after the first day of spring but before Easter.

We plant flowers, set out food, and burn incense. After my uncle passed away from COVID (three years ago this month… just days before his 60th birthday), I also started painting rocks and bringing those to leave on top of the tombstones, too. It was something I had started doing for myself during the pandemic (as a way to process trauma and grief) - and now has become something I do annually for this occasion, too.

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In art Tags art, poetry, grief

Refinery29's #29Rooms NYFW Installation 2016

September 23, 2016

A couple weekend's back, I got to experience this year's version of Refinery29's ultimate fashion / technology funhouse: 29Rooms. This is the second year that they've done it, and I'm sure it will continue to be an annual thing. I remember being completely blown away last year, and this year was equally as fulfilling. The visual stimulation of texture and color and overall interactive experience is just a real treat, and I'm already wondering what they will do next year!

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In design, wanderlust Tags Refinery29, R29, 29Rooms, fashion week, FW16, NYFW, interactive art, art, New York

The Armory Show 2016

March 4, 2016

Last night, I got to attend this year's Armory Show for the #ArtsyArmoryMeet! If you're not familiar with the Armory Show, you can read up a bit on the history HERE.

This actually wasn't my first Armory Show - I went to one a couple years back while I was still in school. I took a 6 week course that focused entirely on the show and it's history - and ever since then, I anticipate it's return every year. Essentially, it's a giant smorgasbord of both contemporary and modern art. There's a LOT to see (drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, interactive installations, motion, etc) - every artist / art lover's dream, basically. If you decide to go, I recommend going early so that you allow yourself enough time to explore! I was there for an hour and a half yesterday, and definitely didn't get around to everything. I'm actually planning to go back again tomorrow to try to see some of what I missed, haha

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In design Tags art, interactive art, gallery, gallery hopping, Artsy, Armory Show

Dan Flavin at David Zwirner

October 16, 2015

This past weekend I went to see Dan Flavin's "Corners, Barriers, and Corridors" show at the David Zwirner gallery in NYC. The DZ gallery is one of my favorites in Chelsea, and they always seem to have the best exhibitions going on. I've been to two great Yayoi Kusama shows hosted by DZ in the last few years, and when I heard Dan Flavin was going to have an exclusive show there - I could not get my butt to the gallery faster! ;)

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In wanderlust Tags Dan Flavin, David Zwirner, NY, NYC, gallery hopping, gallery, art, interactive art, colorventures

Refinery29's #29Rooms NYFW Installation

September 22, 2015

A little over a week ago, I got to experience one of the best interactive art installations I've ever experienced: #29Rooms. It was the only NY Fashion Week event I attended this time around, but I'm okay with that because it fulfilled all of my wildest dreams, haha..

For their 10th anniversary, Refinery29 put together an epic 29-room funhouse inside a Greenpoint (Brooklyn) warehouse. Each room was created by a different artist and offered a different experience than the one next to it. It was an extremely overwhelming visual experience to say the least, lol... I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see it Thursday night before it went live to the public on Friday / Saturday. Despite this exclusive viewing opportunity though, I still felt like I could have easily spent more time in each of the rooms. There were even some rooms I didn't go into at all or failed to photograph because I was so overwhelmed trying to just take it all in. 29 is A LOT! I think I would have been overwhelmed had there been only 10 rooms... so imagine 3 times that. I unfortunately wasn't able to catch the name / artist of each room because I felt so scatterbrained through out the night, but will try to share that info with you for the ones I was able to catch or recognized on my own. 

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In design, wanderlust, style Tags Refinery29, 29Rooms, art, interactive art, NYFW, New York

Lorraine Loots #ANTSinNYC Exhibition

July 12, 2015

Yesterday, I wandered into Brooklyn with Kristyn Brady to see the #ANTSinNYC exhibition by South African artist Lorraine Loots on display at Three Kings Studio. We walked over from the lower east side via the Williamsburg bridge. It was my first time walking that bridge, so I was pretty stoked to be doing something completely new. We stopped in at a bunch of cute boutiques on our walk towards the gallery, and it was a super fulfilling (and super hot) day. It was totally worth the sweaty trek, though!

Today I decided to write up this quick blog post - in hopes that it inspires you to also stop on by to see Lorraine's incredible show. It is only open for a few more days (closing on July 15) - so if you are in NYC, I highly recommend going to see it before it's gone!

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In design, wanderlust Tags lorraine loots, ANTSinNYC, gallery, gallery hopping, exhibition, NYC, art, painting
I have a habit of hoarding all print collateral / entry tickets / etc. whenever I go to events / exhibitions ... #designerhoardingproblems 

I have a habit of hoarding all print collateral / entry tickets / etc. whenever I go to events / exhibitions ... #designerhoardingproblems 

Storm King & Jeff Koons

October 16, 2014

This is my first art / design related post on my blog – and after a month of blogging, I think it’s long overdue haha. This past weekend, my family drove through upstate NY, and I got the chance to finally experience the wonderland that is Storm King Art Center. It’s been on my “places to see” list for a little while now, and I keep hearing / seeing good things about it from multiple sources (mostly Instagram because… let’s be real: that’s my main source of *news*). The Jeff Koons exhibit is something I saw about 3 weeks ago at The Whitney (in Manhattan, NY) but never wrote a post about. The exhibit is the last to be hosted at the Madison Ave Whitney location before it relocates in the spring to somewhere in the Meatpacking District. I made it my mission to be sure to see it, and that was one of the reasons why. Both of these trips could have easily been separate blog posts, but since the Jeff Koons exhibit is winding down, I figured I would include it with my most recent venture to Storm King. Both of these exhibits have to do with sculpture – and while that isn’t what I studied in school - it’s one of my favorite fine art fields to go out and see. This may or may not have to do with my love for dimensional design in my own (graphic design) work. I love the interactivity of sculpture; you can’t “walk around” a flat painting to observe different angles like you can with a 3D piece. Sculpture is also affected by light and shadows – which is recipe for epic photos ;) I took a bajillion (photos) during both trips, so brace yourselves. 

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In design, wanderlust Tags sculpture, Storm King, Jeff Koons, The Whitney, NY, art

AMYVENTURES

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POPULAR POSTS

Blog
Summer Recess in Cape May
Summer Recess in Cape May
about 3 weeks ago
Strawberry Picking, Peony Peeping, Park Frolicking
Strawberry Picking, Peony Peeping, Park Frolicking
about a month ago
Spring Things
Spring Things
about 2 months ago
Cemetery Season: Poetry Month + The Grief of April
Cemetery Season: Poetry Month + The Grief of April
about 3 months ago
Solo Day Trip to Seaside Heights
Solo Day Trip to Seaside Heights
about 3 months ago
Reframing a "Mundane Chore" as an Adventure: Visiting a New Grocery Store
Reframing a "Mundane Chore" as an Adventure: Visiting a New Grocery Store
about 3 months ago
Creating In Community
Creating In Community
about 4 months ago
A Sunny Sunday for the Soul in NYC
A Sunny Sunday for the Soul in NYC
about 4 months ago
Christmas Cookies 2024
Christmas Cookies 2024
about 6 months ago
5 Life Lessons From The Garden
5 Life Lessons From The Garden
about 10 months ago

INSTAGRAM

@AMYVENTURES
summer arrivals @shopamyventures 🌞🐚⛵️🍍✨

#shopsmall #vintagehome #etsyvintage #summer
my last stop in cape may was @gooddeedsmarket to pick up a couple new @inciardi mini prints for my growing collection 🥲 regretted not bringing more quarters (and had to break a $20 😅), but was so excited to see a different collection of prints avai
first beachcombing haul of the season 🧜‍♀️🐚🌞

#capemay #capemaynj #jerseycollective #southjerseyadventures #jerseyshore #summer #beachcombing #beachcombingfinds
some more from @takearecess in cape may 🌞 (take me back) 

icymi: my code “amyventures” now gets you 25% off for a limited time thru June 27 🍹💦🍓 (15% off after that)

** I make a small commission off of every purchase made through thi
took a recess to cape may yesterday in celebration of the summer solstice 😎

started at higbee beach (took some fun photos for @takearecess 🌾, had a picnic lunch 🍓, and beach combed 🐚), stopped at the lighthouse (because I always have to say hi t
strawberry picking and everything I made with said strawberries now on substack ✨🍓✨ (link in bio)

#strawberries #strawberrypicking #pyostrawberries #upickstrawberries #jerseycollective #longvalley #longvalleynj #northjerseyadventures #strawberryrec
so glad I made it to @longvalleypeonies this year 🥹 the fields are a dream to walk through with over 65 varieties of peonies to see / smell ✨🌸✨

I believe today is the last day of the season to visit this year, so stop by if you can! 💕

#longvalle
the most joyful + sparkly little shop I ever did see 😍 ty for existing @susan_alexandra 🥹💖🌈🌼🦋✨ 

#susanalexandra #nyc #nycshopping #lowereastside #les #thingstodoinnyc #orchardstreet #orchardst #charmjewelry #joyspotting
the matcha stop of the day was @12.matcha 🍵 (expect a line no matter what time you go, but I thought it was worth the wait) - quite possibly the best and smoothest matcha I’ve ever had 🥹 (zero clumps, not bitter, not too sweet, sooooo green)
still dreaming about this rose pistachio croissant from @libraebakery 🤤🥐🌹 (pretty sure the birds are too 😂)

next time I’ll have to order a few more things to try so I can take them home in a cute butter yellow box 😏 (was trying to pace my
a little camera roll dump from last saturday morning’s walk up bowery in pursuit of sweet treat(s) & matcha 🙃

#nyc #igersnyc #bowery #eastvillage #noho #joyspotting
sunday reset by the sea with my best girl 🥹🐾🐚☀️🍦 had to visit one of our favorite places before the summer season fee kicks in mdw 🥲 - we walked nearly 10 miles (from lot c to the lighthouse and back + a bit of the bayside beach 😅)

a much need
cake club last weekend at @reccreate_collective 🍰🌸🍓 with @sarabryn for ✨dog moms day out✨

got to decorate mini cakes in this hidden gem of a creative community space just a short walk from @prattinstitute (where I graduated 11 years ago) 😅 so mu
got matcha lattes from @matchaful 🍵 and ogled over the stickers and fun things at @greenwichletterpress 👀 and @bignightshop 🍅 

(a few stops and sights along the way in the west village before heading to brooklyn to decorate cake 🍰)

#westvillage
saturday at @unsqgreenmarket 😍 (forever one of my favorite farmer’s markets to walk through; it doesn’t get old) ✨ stopped to smell the flowers (duh) 💐 and then grabbed a chocolate croissant for breakfast 🥐

#unionsquaregreenmarket #un
take me back 🥲

#capemay #capemaynj #capemaypoint #capemaybeach #jerseycollective #southjerseyadventures #summer
summer arrivals @shopamyventures 🌞🐚⛵️🍍✨

#shopsmall #vintagehome #etsyvintage #summer my last stop in cape may was @gooddeedsmarket to pick up a couple new @inciardi mini prints for my growing collection 🥲 regretted not bringing more quarters (and had to break a $20 😅), but was so excited to see a different collection of prints avai first beachcombing haul of the season 🧜‍♀️🐚🌞

#capemay #capemaynj #jerseycollective #southjerseyadventures #jerseyshore #summer #beachcombing #beachcombingfinds some more from @takearecess in cape may 🌞 (take me back) 

icymi: my code “amyventures” now gets you 25% off for a limited time thru June 27 🍹💦🍓 (15% off after that)

** I make a small commission off of every purchase made through thi
the only way to survive the heatwave for the next few days is with this strawberry rose coconut mint mocktail 😌🍓🍹🌿🥥🌹

blended up frozen strawberries with coconut water & a small sprig of mint, topped it off with @takearecess strawberry rose
took a recess to cape may yesterday in celebration of the summer solstice 😎

started at higbee beach (took some fun photos for @takearecess 🌾, had a picnic lunch 🍓, and beach combed 🐚), stopped at the lighthouse (because I always have to say hi t
nothing more satisfying than a good matcha pour 😌 

thickened strawberry juices, vanilla soy milk, coconut whip, matcha, + ice 👌🍓🍵🥥✨

#matcha #matchalatte #strawberryseason #strawberrymatcha #summer #sweettreat
strawberry picking and everything I made with said strawberries now on substack ✨🍓✨ (link in bio)

#strawberries #strawberrypicking #pyostrawberries #upickstrawberries #jerseycollective #longvalley #longvalleynj #northjerseyadventures #strawberryrec
pancakes on a random week day (for lunch at 2 pm) because why not? 😏 peanut butter between the layers, served with maple syrup & coconut whip, and topped with strawberries (cooked down with a little lemon juice and sugar just til they’re s
so glad I made it to @longvalleypeonies this year 🥹 the fields are a dream to walk through with over 65 varieties of peonies to see / smell ✨🌸✨

I believe today is the last day of the season to visit this year, so stop by if you can! 💕

#longvalle the most joyful + sparkly little shop I ever did see 😍 ty for existing @susan_alexandra 🥹💖🌈🌼🦋✨ 

#susanalexandra #nyc #nycshopping #lowereastside #les #thingstodoinnyc #orchardstreet #orchardst #charmjewelry #joyspotting the matcha stop of the day was @12.matcha 🍵 (expect a line no matter what time you go, but I thought it was worth the wait) - quite possibly the best and smoothest matcha I’ve ever had 🥹 (zero clumps, not bitter, not too sweet, sooooo green)
still dreaming about this rose pistachio croissant from @libraebakery 🤤🥐🌹 (pretty sure the birds are too 😂)

next time I’ll have to order a few more things to try so I can take them home in a cute butter yellow box 😏 (was trying to pace my a little camera roll dump from last saturday morning’s walk up bowery in pursuit of sweet treat(s) & matcha 🙃

#nyc #igersnyc #bowery #eastvillage #noho #joyspotting sunday reset by the sea with my best girl 🥹🐾🐚☀️🍦 had to visit one of our favorite places before the summer season fee kicks in mdw 🥲 - we walked nearly 10 miles (from lot c to the lighthouse and back + a bit of the bayside beach 😅)

a much need cake club last weekend at @reccreate_collective 🍰🌸🍓 with @sarabryn for ✨dog moms day out✨

got to decorate mini cakes in this hidden gem of a creative community space just a short walk from @prattinstitute (where I graduated 11 years ago) 😅 so mu got matcha lattes from @matchaful 🍵 and ogled over the stickers and fun things at @greenwichletterpress 👀 and @bignightshop 🍅 

(a few stops and sights along the way in the west village before heading to brooklyn to decorate cake 🍰)

#westvillage saturday at @unsqgreenmarket 😍 (forever one of my favorite farmer’s markets to walk through; it doesn’t get old) ✨ stopped to smell the flowers (duh) 💐 and then grabbed a chocolate croissant for breakfast 🥐

#unionsquaregreenmarket #un
spring in the garden state 🥹🌷🌸🌿✨

#spring #newjersey #jerseycollective #njisntboring #njisallgood #locallivingnj #flowers #april #northjerseyadventures #gardenstate

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Amy Chen (unless otherwise stated). If you decide to reference anything from my blog / website, please give proper credit. Thank you! :)


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