Portrait of a Dog Owner, in Tompkins Square Park

Photo by myself, in Tompkins Square Park.

Helen, above, has been a New York resident since the late 70's. I met her on a recent cold weekend in Tompkins Square Park. She was wearing white feathers, ear muffs, sunglasses and pink cowboy boots (!). Her dog Bartholomew** is a Boston Terrier, as is our dog, Rupert.

I spoke with Helen briefly about her time in New York. She's lived in the same apartment in Alphabet City for the last 20-some years. Helen is originally from LA. She said that on her first trip to New York, she was overwhelmed by the energy of the city (in a good way).

Helen and I commiserated about how common it is for New Yorkers to move into an apartment and stay, because it's too much trouble to move again. In my case, it was tromping up and down three flights of rickety stairs in the middle of an August heat wave, while the moving truck was creating a traffic jam.

Helen and Bartholomew seemed to know everyone in the dog park and they visit there two or three times a day. Helen was super cool to talk to. We hope to see them next time we swing by the park!



The Portrait Series is a once-in-a-while installment, featuring New Yorkers encountered on the street.

**ps: I might have gotten Bartholomew's name wrong! Please let me know if that's the case!

Related posts: Portrait of a Film Shoot, in Brooklyn Heights, Portrait of a Young Man Without a Home, and Portrait of a Musician, in Midtown.