Dharma Drink: the hangout for Buddhists (& like minded)

Dear Dharma Drink friends,

Some of you might nostalgically remember the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room that used to exist in the Rubin Museum of Art. And as many of you know, the Rubin Museum closed last October after 20 years of being opened to the public. While the museum space is closed, Rubin Museum management made sure that they would find a home for the rich Tibetan Buddhist Shrine room that existed in the Rubin. And they did. The Shrine room is now transferred and located in the Brooklyn Museum. So let us go visit that, maybe explore other parts of the Brooklyn Museum, and go for early dinner after the visit.

Meetup details:

Date: 6/22/2025 (Sunday)
Museum Time: 3 pm to 5 pm (Brooklyn Museum)
Dinner Time: 5:30 pm to 7 pm (Dao Palate)

Museum Location: Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn)
Dinner Location: Dao Palate (329 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn)

“A lamplit sanctuary amid the bustle of Brooklyn—and a refuge in uncertain times—the Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room is a place to learn, reflect, and seek inspiration. The installation presents more than 100 artworks and ritual objects as they would be displayed in an elaborate household shrine, where devotees make offerings, pray, and meditate. Scroll paintings (thangkas), sculptures, furniture, and musical instruments dating from the 12th to 20th century are carefully arranged according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Chanted prayers by monks and nuns reflect the ritual practices and remind visitors that Buddhist rituals engage all the senses.

More than one million people experienced the Shrine Room when it was exhibited in its original location, the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art in Manhattan, from 2013 to 2024. To ensure New York City residents and visitors can continue to enjoy this space, it has been given a new home at the Brooklyn Museum. The immersive installation will welcome guests within the Arts of Asia galleries for six years. A virtual exploration of the Shrine Room will allow visitors worldwide to enjoy this evocative sanctuary from home.”

See you all there!

Dear Dharma Drink friends,

Join us as we make a day trip to the lovely city of Beacon that has a small-town vibe. Beacon is a city located on the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York (approximately 60 miles north of NYC). As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 13,769. It is rich in history with an abundance of Victorian architecture, collectible shops, emerging art galleries, museums and more.

Meetup details:

Date: 6/29/2025 (Sunday)

Departure Time: 10:20 am at Grand Central station. We will take the 10:55 am Metro North train.

Location: Grand Central Station, NYC. We will meet and greet by the big clock in Grand Central.

Note: Please purchase the tickets online (see below for link) or arrive early and get the tickets at the counter. Meet us sharp at 10:20 am by the big clock, where we will meet and greet each other. We will take the 10:55 am Metro North train from Grand Central and arrive at Beacon station at 12:30 pm.

Once we get down at Beacon, we will walk to the Beacon Bread Company, which is a vegan-friendly establishment, to get some food. This restaurant is approximately 15-minutes walk from the train station.

After that, we will explore Dia Beacon, which boasts a world-class collection of contemporary, post-1960 art.

Later, we will explore more of the charming Main Street where there are many slow-moving, tree-lined thoroughfares packed with cute stores and charming restaurants.

Both the Dia Beacon and the Main Street are within walking distance from the train station.

Arrival Time: We will take the 6:13 pm train back to NYC at the Beacon train station. The train will arrive at Grand Central station in NYC close to 8 pm.

Additional Note: Please note that each one of us is individually responsible to purchase tickets, take the correct trains and ensure safety at all times. Also, the itinerary is subject to change if conditions change.