Photo albums: This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s an old stand-by for a reason. What I recommend is getting a really nice photo album with an interesting cover, something that will catch the eye of friends and family. (See rest of article)

I’ve signed a lease on a house. I’m moving in with Jenn, Loralee and Loralee’s boyfriend Brent. Thanks to Google Maps Street View, I was able to take a photo of my new home, seen here.

We move in on June 1.

The place has five bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths, three floors, a back yard, wireless Internet and is located in a really convenient spot downtown, and is only a few minutes from my school.

Needless to say, I’ve been thinking about interior design again. So, this blog will likely have a rebirth of some kind. And that’s always exciting.

I’ve recently gotten into painting again and have been looking at ways to display photography in my new home. I also plan to decoupage an old night table. I’m looking forward to it- and I’ll post photos and tips along the way.

(Oh. And you know that wooden bird thing I wanted way back in August? I got it for Christmas. And I love it.)

• Cheap, Amazing Dorm Room DIY
• Organizing Tips To Make Your Dorm Room Feel Larger
• College Dorm Décor on the Cheap
• Decorate Your Dorm Room on a Student Budget
• Easy Ways to Decorate Your Dorm Room

And seriously. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with free furniture!

So prettyful.

Also kind of cool.

A very cool pillow cushion.

I want this black bird thing for sure. It’s like… he knows he’s protecting the place. I want.

Photo by Andy Taylor.

Photo by chicalookate.

Photo by cycledtime.

Photo by retrograndma.

Photo by pixelthis.

Photo by EyePopArt.

Here is the first edition of 5 Museums.

THE MUSEUM AT F.I.T.

Website http://www.fitnyc.edu
Located 7th Ave at 27th St
Price free
Hours Tuesday-Friday: noon-8pm / Saturday: 10am-5pm

I would totally love to see this, The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Anyone who enjoys watching fashion shows on TV or flipping through glossy-page fashion magazines knows that fashion is just another art form, just like painting or sculpture. You can even take a sneak peak at their galleries online.

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

COOPER-HEWITT NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM

Website http://www.cooperhewitt.org
Located Corner of 91st St & Fifth Ave
Price $15.00 / Seniors, Students: $10 / Children under 12: free
Hours Monday–Friday: 10am-5pm / Saturday: 10am-6pm / Sunday: noon–6pm / Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.

Again, another artsy-fartsy museum. But that’s me. But what better place to envelop yourself in culture than New York? Anyway, Cooper-Hewitt is the only museum in the US whose collection is solely focused on contemporary and historic design (or so Wikipedia tells me). It includes exhibitions art, fashion, design, graphic design, prints, textiles and more. (Sounds look a pretty good place to get inspired!)

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

THE SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM
Website http://www.skyscraper.org
Located 39 Battery Place
Price $5 / Students & Seniors: $2.50
Hours 12-6pm

One of my very favorite things in NYC is the architecture. (Check out some of my NYC trip photos.) I definitely want to check this bad boy out when I go back to NYC… whenever that may be… This museum features exhibits on skyscrapers and architecture from New York and from around the world. The current exhibition is “China Prophency: Shanghai“. See some impressive models (some larger than others) and city architecture photos (some older than others).

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE

Website http://www.movingimage.us
Located 35th Ave & 37th St, Astoria
Price $7 per person / Children under 8: free
Hours Tuesday-Friday: 10am-3pm (See website for special times and dates.)

The Museum of the Moving Image is focused on the preservation of history related to film. One of their current exhibitions is “Behind The Screen” which discusses the many jobs and duties involved with filmmaking process (producing, marketing, etc). “The Museum maintains the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collection of artifacts relating to the art, history, and technology of the moving image— one of the most important collections of its kind in the world. Begun at the Museum’s inception in 1981, today the collection numbers approximately 125,000 artifacts.” Unfortunately, it isn’t located in Manhattan. Instead, it can be found in Astoria in Queens.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

MUSEUM OF SEX

Website http://www.museumofsex.com
Located 233 Fifth Ave
Price: Adults (18+): $14.50 / Students & Seniors (with ID): $13.50
Hours Sunday to Friday: 11am-6:30pm / Saturday: 11am-8pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day.

This is the only museum I made it to in New York- and yes, I did find it interesting and enjoyable. (The most enjoyable part? Seeing one particular friend squirm with embarrassment.) The Museum of Sex takes you through a timeline of the evolution of sex. See how pornographic films started, see snippits of celebrity sex tapes and mechanical contraptions that people have built for “their own amusement.” As a Bettie Page fan, I enjoyed the exhibit on the evolution of pin-up art and films. With their current exhibit, “The Sex Lives of Animals“, the museum takes all the sexual stuff you avoid watching on the Discovery Channel and blows it up big for all to see. It’s not a huge place though and definitely not family-friendly. The gift shop is pretty fun, too.

And, upon, finishing this article, I desperately want to go back to New York City. But not in the winter. Not around New Year’s or Christmas. I want to stay longer and I want to stay in a hotel in New York- not New Jersey!

(Museum photos courtesy of t_a_i_s and fixlr.)