Bloomberg Muse

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Anthony Townsend came to lunch at Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Nov. 13 to talk about his new book, "Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers and the Quest for a New Utopia," which explores the way cloud computing and cellular networks can help manage urban regions with tens of millions of people. He is research director at the independent Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley and a senior research fellow at NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, advising industry and government on issues of technology -- how to make it "human-centered, inclusive and resilient." Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Over lunch on Nov. 12 at Bloomberg world headquarters in New York, playwright Lisa Kron and composer Jeanine Tesori revealed the challenges of turning Alison Bechdel's best-selling comic-book-style memoir, "Fun Home," into the season's most celebrated new musical. What many people didn't remember, they said, was how much playfulness there was in the dark tale of a father's secret life in the closet. The chief innovations of the show, which is running at the Public Theater, were to have the heroine played by three actresses at different ages, and adding more kids to the story.

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Jeffrey Horowitz, founding artistic director of Theatre for a New Audience, came to Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Nov. 11 to discuss his troupe's new home in Brooklyn and its acclaimed inaugural production, Julie Taymor's staging of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Called the Polonsky Shakespeare Center, the theater was made possible through a partnership between the city and the company's private benefactors. They included a last-minute $10 million contribution from a London-based businessman who had never seen one of their shows, but was born in Brooklyn. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Doreen Bolger, director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, attended a Muse lunch on Nov. 8 at Bloomberg world headquarters in New York. She discussed the museum's remarkable holdings (including the world's largest collection of Matisse), the BMA's coming Centennial in 2014 and the success of the recent capital campaign that raised more than $70 million.

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Molly Smith came to Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Oct. 7 to discuss American theater and the art of presenting it in Washington, D.C. Smith, artistic director of Arena stage, spoke about her mission of nurturing diverse audiences and original playwrights. She reported that recently she's been hearing from many journalists who are interested in writing for the stage. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Josef Joffe came to lunch at Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Nov.7 to discuss "The Myth of America's Decline: Politics, Economics, and a Half Century of False Prophecies," published by Liveright/Norton. Joffe, editor-publisher of Germany's weekly Die Zeit, talked about the declining fortunes of China with its aging population, while expressing confidence in the future of the U.S., citing immigration reform (inevitable) and superior schooling. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Matthew Bourne came to lunch at Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Oct. 29 to talk about his “Sleeping Beauty,” which is playing at the City Center. His captivating adjustments to the story include a new time line, vampires and a gardener. And evil Carabosse has a handsomely glowering son who continues the curse. The British choreographer and storyteller looked back to his fantastically inventive “Swan Lake” -- featuring male swans -- and ahead to a new staging of “The Red Shoes.” He received a Tony award for “Mary Poppins.”

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Pulitzer-winning playwright Marsha Norman spoke with Muse on Oct. 28 about her Broadway-bound show with composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown, ”The Bridges of Madison County” about a traveling photographer and a love-starved housewife. Her big challenge, she said, was creating an appealing, humorous secondary couple as a counter to the romantic leads. Norman also talked about the serious challenges facing women in the theater. Photographer: James Tarmy/ Bloomberg

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Matthew Gurewitsch lunched at Bloomberg’s New York offices on Oct. 31. Now exotically ensconced on the island of Maui, Gurewitsch was once central to New York cultural life as a highly regarded commentator on art and music. He was surrounded by old friends including the conductor James Conlon, now music director of the Los Angeles Opera, author Daniel Mendelsohn, and his host, Manuela Hoelterhoff. Photographer: James Tarmy/ Bloomberg

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Peg Breen, president of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, visited Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Oct. 23. She spoke of the ongoing battle with real-estate developers to preserve important buildings in Manhattan, especially around East Midtown's Grand Central Terminal, where some 29 are unprotected. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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 Peter Twyman, the chief executive officer of the New York-based nonprofit Keep A Child Alive, visited Bloomberg News' headquarters on Oct. 22 to talk about how his organization provides care for children with HIV. Singer Alicia Keys co-founded Keep A Child Alive and serves as its Global Ambassador. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Howard G. Buffett, his father Warren Buffett and son Howard W. Buffett visited Bloomberg world headquarters in New York on Oct. 22 to talk about Howard G. Buffett's new book, ``Forty Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World,'' which chronicles his travels around the world and his thoughts on how to alleviate hunger and poverty for the most needy. Warren Buffett wrote the forward to the book and Howard W. Buffett assisted his father in writing it.

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Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, the authors of the popular cookbooks, "Ottolenghi" and "Jerusalem," came to Bloomberg News' headquarters on Oct. 18 to talk about how they write and test recipes. "Plenty," Ottolenghi's book of vegetable recipes, has sold more than 1 million copies. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Ursula von Rydingsvard visited Bloomberg on Oct. 4 to talk about her new sculpture at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. Called “Ona” -- Polish for “she” -- the piece stands almost 20 feet tall and weighs six tons. Her “Berwici Pici Pa” is permanently installed at the entrance of Bloomberg’s New York headquarters. More portable pieces will be shown next year at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield, England. Photographer: James Tarmy/Bloomberg

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Jonelle Procope, the chief executive officer of the Apollo Theater, visited Muse on Oct. 2. We spoke about her work preserving a legacy and creating a viable, vital institution going forward. A new tribute to James Brown which opens on Oct. 22 is an example of the commissions she'd like to pursue. Original programming is on the agenda now that critical parts of the theater, such as the facade and the seats, have been restored, as part of $50 million in capital improvements. Harlem's changing landscape means she and chairman Richard Parsons meet with donors at restaurants like the Red Rooster and Melba's, and soon enough, Parsons's own places, the Cecil and Minton's. It also means the theater can serve a new audience of families and young professionals who have moved in within walking distance. A member of our real estate team who recently moved there almost jumped up from his seat when he heard Janelle Monae would be playing at the Apollo on Oct. 18. Photographer: Philip Lewis/Bloomberg

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Douglas Blonsky, chief executive officer of the Central Park Conservancy, visited Muse on Sept. 30. We learned chipmunks have returned because the rats have fled thanks to better garbage management. (Look for new custom-designed receptacles being rolled out this month.) As for those huge turtles, Blonsky himself has picked some off the steps of Belvedere Castle and returned them to the pond he'd like them to call home (most are left in another pond, by the people who are tired of turtles as pets). Irene, Sandy and last year's October snow storm knocked down hundreds of trees which don't have deep roots -- most of the park sits on Manhattan schist. There's been a lot of new planting, but not every tree has been replaced: nature's pruning has in some cases restored the original vision of Olmsted and Vaux, especially in the woodlands, which had become overgrown. And about that glorious man-made landscape, Blonsky said that every water body in the park is controlled by valves. When severe rain is in the forecast, the water levels are lowered.

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Patrick Meade, chief operating officer of Bonhams U.S., Jon King, vice president/director of business development NY,  and Anne Wilson, public relations coordinator, visited Bloomberg on Sept. 26 to talk about their growing operations and upcoming auctions, including dueling dinosaurs and Impressionist and modern art. Photographer: Lili Rosboch/Bloomberg