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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Behind the Curtain

Prince Street, Soho
Photo by myself on Prince Street in Soho.

It was drizzly outside on Sunday morning, a typical rainy New York day.

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I walked through Soho the other day to get to the Film Forum.

It was drizzly outside and early for a Sunday. All the shops were closed. Virtually no one was out, save for residents walking their dogs and a couple tourists.

It was wonderful.

I walked quickly down Prince Street, crossing a few cobblestone streets on the way that were wet with rain. Someone was sweeping the sidewalk, clearing away evidence from the night before. I felt like I was backstage just after a performance.

When I reached the Film Forum, I found my friend James inside with a mimosa in hand.

'I walked through Soho just now,' I said, still a little breathless. 'It's so quiet. No one's there.'

'I love that.'

James knew exactly what I meant. It's a familiar feeling, walking through the city when it's just waking up. It's a sliver of time when the city is yours alone.

For my experience at the Film Forum, click here.

21 comments:

Ha Ha Sound said...

I love Film Forum. What did you see there?

Anonymous said...

Don't it make you wonder what all the people who are not on the streets are doing hidden away in their rooms?

Mab said...

Its a similar feeling in the countryside early in the morning,as though everything's there for you alone.I dont experience it as much as I'd like to as I'm not a morning person,I much prefer the dusk.Hope Dida is feeling better now Kitty.

Anonymous said...

A lovely photo and in b&w it makes me wonder if it looked that way long ago !

Carolyn said...

That must be a rarity for sure.....alone in New York City.

Carolyn

Anonymous said...

Ha! Out here in suburbia, I was just thinking the same thing as I went out on my morning walk... few people were out on this cloudy morning other than people walking their dogs and a couple of middle schoolers I passed on their way to the bus. It was peaceful and a great time to think.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Tourist and dogwalkers will brave any weather.It does have a amll town feel. It's a great capture, again of a small moment in time.

Kitty said...

Hi Ha Ha
I saw the new Werner Herzog movie, Encounters from the End of the World. It's excellent.

It's not fully out yet. You will have to catch it.

Hi Mr. Lincoln
The people are sleeping off the night before, of course! I know the typical NYer too well.

Hi Mab
Thank you dear. I'll have to report on Dida soon. She's good for now.
I bet mornings in the country are wonderfully meditative and peaceful.

Welcome Greg
That's what I love about New York. There is a timelessness about the old parts.

Hi Carolyn
Yeah. Rarely are you alone, and when you are sometimes, it's a spooky feeling. This time it was nice.

Hi Spandrel
So nice that you walk in the mornings. If I lived in Soho, I'd do the same, since it's so pretty there. But I don't, and I am too lazy.

Thanks Babooshka!

Ming the Merciless said...

I love SoHo because I love the energy of the area. Without the pedestrians on the street, SoHo can be quiet boring.

Am catching up on your blog after not visiting for awhile.

BrianC said...

Every Sunday morning I'm out by 7:30, walking from Bleecker St. down to Pier 40 (at the west end of Houston St.) for my younger son's baseball game. Yes, it's amazing how quiet it can be at that hour. Washington and Greenwich Streets have a post-apocalyptic feel they're so deserted, as if the people had been whisked away in the night, leaving an empty city. By the time we leave the Pier at 10:00, however, it's all abuzz again - and oddly disappointing.

Kizz said...

That feeling is why I love to stay in the city over holiday weekends. It's like being locked in the museum over night of something, it feels like the whole thing belongs just to you.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Love that photo black & white! Well done Kitty!

Anonymous said...

oh yes, I love those sort of times. Not that I see them very often. But I love to walk alone through places that are usually busy. It feels a bit sci-fi.

Olivier said...

on reconnait bien un restaurant français, les bouteilles de champagne sont déjà de sortie ;o)

agreed on a restaurant french well, bottles of champagne are already out ;o)

Mom Knows Everything said...

Love it in black and white! It makes it look even more peaceful.

Eva said...

I love rain. It makes the air so clean! :-)

Loïc BROHARD said...

I am glad I found your blog via Paris Daily Photo, very inspiring to get good insight of the city. Long time I have not been in the Big Apple, I will need to think about it, Thanks for sharing your photos and text, Loic http://brohardphotography.blogspot.com
http://www.photo.net/photos/Loic Brohard

fishwithoutbicycle said...

I love that feeling of being alone in the typically crowded city. I'm quite an early riser and I love that feeling of having NYC all to myself.

Kitty said...

Hi Ming
I love the energy there too, but the crowds of late have been too much for me. When empty, especially at night, Soho can also be quite scary.

Hi Brian
How great that you can walk to the games? On nice days it's great. Even when it snows or rains and you're alone, great too.

Hi Kizz
I'm the same as you. I especially love Memorial Day and always find myself here, without having made plans.

Thanks Sonia!

Hi RB
lol on the sci-fi. You'll have to see the 'I am Legend'. So good just for the visuals alone.

Hi Olivier
lol, knowing the typical NY restaurant, those are fake magnums. They wouldn't want to tempt anyone to break in.

Thanks Tammy!

Hi Eva
I love the rain, too. You can almost hear the trees and plants sighing in relief.

Welcome Loic
I look forward to visiting your blog. We NYers look toward Paris and Europe, of course, for everything. There is nothing like Paris.

Hi Fish
I wish I were an earlier riser, like you. You can get so much done at that time and it's easier to get around.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE this shot. It is so wonderful.

Kitty said...

Thanks Tam!