Photo by myself, around 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue in Midtown.
Above, the universal stance used when taking a picture of a tall building with one's phone.
There is a glut of tall, glass buildings along Sixth Avenue. Behind me, Bryant Park provides a welcomed relief from all the pavements and other hard surfaces. You can see some of the park trash cans, painted light green and resembling plant life.
There is no lack of food stuffs, food kiosks and food carts. You will never go hungry here, as long as you have a buck or twelve.
On the left, a kiosk for 'Wichcraft, a chain of restaurants owned by Tom Colicchio, one of the judges on Top Chef. The 'wich' part is from 'sandwich', as in 'high end sandwich with a mix of snazzy ingredients'.
It's Labor Day weekend, in the States. Everyone is enjoying an extra-long weekend. Hooray!
Related posts: Death Before Decaf, in Brooklyn, Casimir, on Avenue B, and Colorful Eats, at Kelley and Ping, in Soho.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Amid Tall Buildings, Near Bryant Park
Friday, August 29, 2014
Courtside, in Flushing Meadows, Queens
Photo by myself from Center Court at Flushing Meadows, Queens.
I had the good fortune of attending the US Open, Thursday night. Above, fans craned their necks to watch the match between Andy Murray (Great Britain) and Mattias Bachinger (Germany).
It was blustery and very cold up in the stands, but below on the courts, the players were sweating. The competitive play means you don't know who you will wind up watching until the day of the match. Murray, ranked eighth, wound up winning three straight sets. He will face Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia, next.
The men were followed by a game between Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) and Sorana Cirstea (Romania). Bouchard won the first set but lost in the second in a tie break. It was so cold by that time, we had to leave (along with about half of the crowd!). Very few people were physically or psychologically prepared to sit outside in what felt like 60 degree weather, with high winds.
I had an excellent time and will follow the remaining of the games on tv. Flushing Meadows is a relatively short train ride away from Manhattan. Ticket prices range from affordable to insane.
Check out the US Open website, here.
A snapshot from the Murray match. Murray is on the opposite side, in blue.
Dozens of tables are out for folks to enjoy all the different food vendors. In the background, the big screen cycles through matches being played on the various courts.
Related posts: Before the Rangers Game, at Madison Square Garden, The Knicks vs. the Suns, at Madison Square Garden, and Fierce Competition, in Bryant Park.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Outside the Peninsula Hotel
Photo by myself on Fifth Avenue, around 55th Street on the Upper East Side.
The Peninsula Hotel on 55th Street is adorned with flags and some gorgeous, ornate architecture.
I took this photo from the back of a cab.
In New York, owners of buildings taller than six floors need to have the exteriors of their buildings professionally inspected every five years. It used to be that the inspectors would look at a building through binoculars, but after several accidents, they now have to go up to inspect facades firsthand.
Related posts: Glitzy Glam, Outside the Pierre, Fancy Living, on the Upper East Side, and Life on Park Avenue. Read more...
Monday, August 25, 2014
Spotted on the Sidewalk, in Sunset Park
Photo by myself around 55th Street and 8th Avenue, in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
An older man wheeled his grandson in a little shopping cart. (I'm just assuming he didn't purchase the little boy somewhere!)
Mark and I stopped by Sunset Park, for a dim sum lunch. Not the most comfortable ride, a shopping cart is a sensible choice in the city - it folds up nicely for apartment dwellers, and is very lightweight.
The southern part of this neighborhood is known as Chinatown, in Brooklyn. Restaurants are not limited to Chinese or Cantonese food - there are Malaysian and Vietnamese eateries, too. Meanwhile, the northern part of Sunset Park is home to a large Hispanic population.
Happy Monday everyone!
Related posts: Look Ma No Hands, in the East Village, Along for the Ride, in Columbus Circle, and Crossing Broadway, on Wheels.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
A Charge, Free of Charge
Photo by myself in Bryant Park.
An absolute no-brainer idea of the times - a solar-powered charging station that is free to use. Its solar panel is smartly angled south. I'm sure these exist in other cities too, though possibly not outside?
Currently there are only 45 of these in the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island). I'm surprised there aren't more.
For a map of charging station locations in New York, click here.
ps: We've had the least humid August here, ever. Usually it is absolutely unbearable, but this year, August feels like how October 'should' feel.
Is it the same in your neck of the woods?
Related posts: Eco-Friendly, Cardboard Design, After Hurricane Sandy, Outside the Ace Hotel, and 9:25am, on the B Train.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Hanging Out, in Brooklyn
Photo by myself on Atlantic and Hicks Streets, in Brooklyn Heights.
Weekend days are quiet in Brooklyn Heights. This is a family neighborhood with some gorgeous older buildings.
Related posts: Sitting Outside, on Broadway, Enjoying the Sun, in Downtown Brooklyn, and Strangers, Below Columbus Circle.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
The Statue of Liberty, in Midtown
Photo by myself, in Midtown.
Nothing is immune to graffiti, round these parts. Not even Miss Liberty herself.
Related posts: Posing with Miss Liberty, on Central Park South, Lady Liberty, in the Distance, and Statues of Liberty, in Midtown.
Friday, August 15, 2014
Looking North, from the Promenade
Photo by myself, from the Brooklyn Promenade.
The Brooklyn Promenade is actually cantilevered over the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (what we call the BQE). Here, you can see the walkway and its concrete support underneath. The blue car below is headed east on the BQE, which will eventually get you to Queens.
The buildings are warehouses along the water. There is also a new park called Brooklyn Bridge Park that hugs the Brooklyn shoreline, and some shipping piers that have been renovated into new soccer fields (!). Across the East River lies the southern tip of Manhattan, which includes South Street Seaport and the Financial District.
Related posts: The View from the Promenade, The East River, at Dusk, and Not a Bad View from Here.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
On the N Train, on the Manhattan Bridge
Photo by myself on the subway.
A little girl looks outside, while the subway crosses the Manhattan Bridge, heading toward Brooklyn.
Related posts: Riding Piggyback, in Midtown, Standing on a Stoop, on the Lower East Side, and Young Man, on the Subway Platform.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
A Glimpse of the Garment District, in Midtown
Photo by myself, around 39th Street and Eighth Avenue.
The Garment District is tiny now, compared to how it used to be. It is now reduced to a few blocks on the west side, between 40th and 36th Streets, in Midtown.
There are stores selling fabrics, buttons and sewing supplies. There are also some designers there and work rooms that produce clothing. It is not uncommon to see guys pushing racks of dresses or coats down the sidewalk.
Related posts: Business as Usual, in the Garment District, Sweatshop, in the Garment District, and Tailor Made, in the Garment District.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
A Kiss, on the Brooklyn Promenade
Photo by myself, in Brooklyn Heights.
Just at the edge of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Promenade overlooks the East River. This view looks north west. Beyond, you can see the Brooklyn Bridge and Empire State Building.
It's a romantic park. The Promenade is what it sounds like - a straight stretch along the water. To the right out of frame are beautiful, historic homes. To the left, the water. I'm sure that when the Promenade first opened, couples dressed up in their fanciest clothing and sauntered up and down this walkway.
Since the sun sets in the west, this is an ideal place to watch the sunset, as it descends beyond the Manhattan skyline.
Related posts: A Kiss, in Brooklyn Bridge Park, A Kiss, on Broadway, and Unhate, on Fifth Avenue.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Portrait of a Barber, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Photo by myself around 50th Street and Fifth Avenue, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Mark and I drove through Bay Ridge the other day, and a storefront with distinctive lettering caught my eye. I had to take a photo.
Along a strip of eateries and bodegas stood a barber shop from another era. There were the remnants of a tattered awning, rusted roll down doors and a motley assortment in the window - an overgrown plant, an American flag, a couple model ships.
Inside, I was greeted by Tony, the proprietor. Tony told me that he opened his shop fifty years ago. At first I had trouble understanding him and thought he'd said fifteen. No, fifty of course. And the place has remained unchanged.
Haircuts and a shave are ten bucks apiece. Tony soon had a customer. I took my leave, not wanting to distract him. I left, walking on air.
I was so excited by original furnishings and wooden cash register, that I forgot to get out of the photo. Behind me, Tony takes a phone call.
Tony greets his customer with a little kidding around.
Everything gets serious as the master begins work.
The Portrait Series is a once-in-a-while installment, featuring New Yorkers encountered on the street.
Related posts: Portrait of an Entrepreneur, on the Upper East Side, Portrait of a Bike Messenger, in Midtown, and Portrait of a Film Shoot, in Brooklyn Heights.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Husband's Resting Area, on Sixth Avenue
Photo by myself, on Sixth Avenue in Midtown.
A sign outside a jewelry store in Midtown called out the 'Husband's Resting Area'. Below it, some open seats. Ha.
I suppose this could be considered sexist? Or simply honest, since all the jewelry inside is for women.
There are several little jewelry and beading stores on Sixth Avenue, close to the Garment District. This one is fortunate to have some shaded space.
Related posts: Cat Specialists, on the Upper West Side, Outside a Creperie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and Vent Your Annoyance, for a Buck.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Concept Car, in Midtown
Photo by myself, in Midtown.
A custom white car parked in Midtown turned heads from people passing by.
Parts of this car were were very open, and looked more like a motorcycle than a traditional car. I'm not sure what the occasion was; there were no signs or anything. Its owner must have stepped away for a moment.
The view from the front.
The view of the insides. I have to admit, I was tempted to get in, since there were no doors!
There is some limited parking on the streets in Manhattan, usually limited to an hour or so with a meter. Usually you cannot find parking anywhere and must resort to an overpriced parking garage.
Related posts: Nice Set of Wheels, Yellow Cab, Under Snow, and Camera Van, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Waiting for a Carousel Ride, in Bryant Park
Photo by myself in Bryant Park, around 40th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Nestled among trees on the south side of Bryant Park, sits a carousel. It's the carousel of your dreams, with carved animals to sit on and lights and music. A couple kids were excitedly anticipating their ride, Thursday evening.
Tickets are $3 each. Just steps away, there were 3-minute chess games going on, a book reading, some people practicing hula hoops, and the usual many, many clusters of people chatting or just enjoying the evening.
This park is surrounded by buildings and is widely used, year round. During lunch time, the lawn is filled with office workers taking lunch hour. After work hours, there are free movies playing on a giant screen, and various free activities, ranging from yoga to bocce.
We've been having glorious weather recently, which is unheard of for August in the city, with sunny days and very low humidity. TGIF everyone!
Related posts: On Napping in Bryant Park, and Parking in Brooklyn, Lions, Tigers and Panda Bears, Oh My!, and Odd and Colorful Birds, in Bryant Park.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Free Papers, in Midtown
Photo by myself, somewhere in Midtown.
We don't have an enormous mainland China population here but on select corners, there are free 'China Daily' papers. Next to this location there was also free paper printed in Hebrew.
Maybe this is a public relations move, but it is rather a subtle one (!). There is always a ton of stuff/crap on the sidewalk, ranging from trash cans to trash bags to bikes to people.
Related posts: Get Your Paper Here, at Union Square, Read All About It, and Signs on Third Avenue.
