A Whole Lot of Nothing Goin' On

Last night's Guggenheim International Gala, the museum's fifth—but the first to take place within the halls of the famed Frank Lloyd Wright building—was a celebration both of the institution's fiftieth birthday and also of the opening of the Vasily Kandinsky exhibit. Containing nearly 100 paintings and more than 60 works on paper, the assemblage is filled with the sort of colorful large-scale canvases that Kandinsky is so known for and which are tailor-made for the pristine white walls and spiral galleries of the Guggenheim.

Guests at the evening's gala were also treated to Levels of Nothingness, a special light extravaganza by Mexican artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Inspired by the Kandinsky work Yellow Sound, Hemmer installed a ring of robotic lights around the circumference of the Guggenheim's theater, rigging the illuminating creatures to be responsive to the human voice. Accepting both spoken commands and moving in place in reaction to the timbre and emotion of the speaker, these bots performed a ballet of light in response to the locution of Italian model and actress Isabella Rossellini. "These are the same sort of lights that would be used at a Rolling Stones concert," explained Lozano-Hemmer, theorizing that the late Kandinsky would have loved the lights himself. The spectacular installation wowed the guests in attendance, who were also given an opportunity to step up to the stage to see how the automatons responded to their voices.

Following the performance, guests gathered in the main hall, where they dined beneath a canopy of Swarovski crystals. All in all, it was a shimmering evening.

The Kandinsky show will run through mid-January 2010.

Who Says There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch?

Apparently, this is the year for turning fifty in New York. (As ever, though, fifty is the new forty.) In any case, having sent birthday wishes to the Guggenheim museum and the Four Seasons restaurant, both of which hit the quarter century mark early this year, we must now offer salutations to Brasserie. The mid-century eatery on the north side of the Seagram Building is beloved for its buzzy feel and delectable and always-dependable menu. Says Nick Valenti, CEO of Patina Restaurant Group: “Brasserie established itself as a place in New York where people from all walks of life meet, cross paths and dine side by side, fostering a culture all its own."

To celebrate this particular milestone, on September 17, the restaurant will be offering a free lunch to patrons who reserve a table between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. “It’s our way of saying merci to our loyal guests and friends,” says Alsatian chef Luc Dimnet. (If you aren't lucky enough to score a reservation, ask them about nabbing a special "$19.59 after 9" dinner voucher.)

We don't know about you, but we're counting down the days till we can order the the Brasserie Burger, which will be prepared just as it was fifty years ago: on a baguette slathered in garlic butter, topped with a blend of Gruyère and Swiss cheeses. Who knew turning a half-century could be so much fun? For more on this promotion and other b-day related events, visit www.patinagroup.com/brasserie50th.

Help from Hugo

They rocked the house at the Guggenheim last night, where Hugo Boss awarded $100,000 to artist Emily Jacir. While Jacir celebrated her victory, the Guggenheim's Young Collectors sang, danced and sashayed well past the midnight hour, braving the drizzle outside for a taste of fun in the name of contemporary art. Perhaps the only ones not feeling the love were the museum's conservators, who had to supervise quite a clean-up to get the place looking ship-shape in time for its 10 a.m. opening this morning.

For more photos, click here.