Photo by myself on Macdougal Street, in the Village.
The insides and outsides of the little chili shop drew my attention. Lucky 777 was as red as red can be.
I took this photo last summer. After a quick search though, I found that Lucky 777 has closed (!). It had mixed reviews on Yelp. Some of the complaints were price driven - $9 bowls of chili. Alas.
On another front, there is a great little slideshow on the New Yorker website, featuring candids by Vivian Maier, who lived in Chicago in the 1960's. Born in New York, Maier worked as a nanny but took incredibly striking street photos and movies in her spare time.
Maier's work was discovered by a man doing research for a book he was writing. She had left some 100,000 negatives behind. Not even her close friends knew that she took photos, during her lifetime.
The story of uncovering the mystery of this supremely talented woman is documented in a recent movie called 'Finding Vivian Maier'. It looks fascinating, and includes interviews with her friends and children she had helped raise.
Screenings of this documentary are scheduled through August, throughout the States.
For a preview of this movie, click here.
For the Vivian Maier slideshow on the New Yorker website, click here.
For a recent article on Slate, click here.
Related posts: Outside Big Nick's, on the Upper West Side, Outside Pinisi Bakery, on East 4th Street, and West 10th Street, at Night.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
On Storefronts and Finding Vivian Maier
Monday, July 15, 2013
Outside House of Oldies, in the Village
Photo by myself on Carmine and Bleecker Streets, in the Village.
The House of Oldies is a record store in the Village. As you can see, not every storefront in Manhattan is brand-shiny new. It was shuttered closed on Sunday but it is open during the week.
Founded in 1968, the storefront must not have changed a bit. There are supposedly over a million vinyl (yes, vinyl) records inside.
As with any store or restaurant, please do a little research beforehand. For the store's website, click here.
In late May, the magazine published 'The Ultimate Apartment', a story about a gorgeous apartment on 20th Street in Chelsea. A successful fashion photographer lived there and advertised the apartment as a sublet on Craigslist.
It just goes to show, however, that if anything is too good to be true, it is. People were lining up outside the door to live there. And the story only gets more interesting.
The article is available online, but only for subscribers. Click here for the synopsis on the New Yorker website.
Related posts: Genesis Mural, Soho, Mural, in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and 'Zodiac Heads', Outside the Plaza Hotel. Read more...
Sunday, September 11, 2011
On T-Shirt Slogans and the New Yorker Festival
Photo by myself around Lexington and 28th Street.
I saw the above New Yorker on the street and hailed him down. He was so nice to allow me to take his photo.
Just after posting that New Yorkers don't wear New York items, I stand corrected. There are exceptions. Some of us have a sense of humor!
By the way, the schedule for this year's New Yorker Festival has been announced. Friday, September 30th to Sunday October 2nd, some 50 talks and lectures are scheduled to take place.
Each year, the New Yorker Magazine hosts the event, with various writers, thinkers and notables. Many celebrities are taking part this year, including Paul Giamatti, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Frank Gehry.
In the past, Mark and I have seen a few Festival talks. We've heard Steve Martin, Chuck Close, David Byrne and Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the creators of South Park), among others.
For the New Yorker Festival website, where you can buy tickets, click here.
Related posts: I Heart NY, in Midtown, T Shirts with New York Attitude, in Chelsea and Art for the Masses. Read more...
Friday, September 24, 2010
On Guys in Hats and the Issue of Style
Photo by myself in Bryant Park, at 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue.
Two guys in hats chatted on the lawn of Bryant Park.
Ah...these are the lovely days of Fall. Enjoy it now, people!
If any of you out there are New Yorker Magazine readers, do check out last week's Style Issue.
All the articles are top notch. Included are one on Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook founder), one on James Dyson (inventor of the Dyson vaccuum cleaner), one on Mickey Drexler (Chairman/genius of J. Crew) and one on Tavi Gevinson (14-year old fashion blogger genius extraordinaire).
I wish I hadn't devoured this issue, since tomorrow I will be stuck serving jury duty in Brooklyn. (Yes). Fortunately they have wifi in the waiting room, which will make waiting much less intolerable. (Yes!!!)
I'm also looking forward to walking around downtown Brooklyn, taking photos during lunchtime. Yeehaw!!!!
Related posts: Faces in Fashion, in Bryant Park, Work Hard, Play Hard and Serious Fun, in Bryant Park.
Read more...
Sunday, June 13, 2010
World Cup Frenzy, in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Photo by myself, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
It was standing room only at bars around New York City. The crowd above spilled out of a pub in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Finally, the US is joining the rest of the planet in World Cup frenzy. The US team played England on Saturday. The last time we played England was 60 years ago, when the US team astonishingly upset the favorites, 1-0.
The game had been such an upset that British newspapers thought there had been a typo in the telegraph, and printed the game results as England winning 10-1.
Our goalkeeper, Tim Howard, did a great job. In the end, US tied England 1-1, after the other goalie made a grave error. I'm sure the poor fellow will be dreaming about it for years. There was a great article in last week'sThe New Yorker about Howard. You can read the abstract online and the full article if you have a subscription.
Friends of ours tried to watch the game in Manhattan, where bars were packed, hours in advance. Mark and I watched the game at home. Outside, people whooped, hollered and chanted in the streets.
Related posts: Playing Ball in the Public Courts, Playing Ball, in Red Hook, Brooklyn and More on Sport.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Making a Splash, at Lincoln Center
Photo by myself at Lincoln Center, around 63rd Street and Broadway.
The new fountain at Lincoln Center is up and running. The fountain is elegantly designed - the sculptured granite top is elevated on legs and lit from below. The building in the background is the Metropolitan Opera House.
The polished surface of the fountain looks like it's wet but don't be fooled. You can sit on it and enjoy the view.
When I recently read about the design and construction of the new fountain at Lincoln Center, I knew I had to visit it soon.
There's a great article in the New Yorker describing the powerful new water pumps installed below the plaza. A fountain expert from LA was brought in, who designed fountains for fancy casinos in Las Vegas. The new technology out there in fountain design are fascinating.
I'm sorry to say that my link is to the summary of the article. Unfortunately the article can be viewed by subscribers only, but isn't that the greatest excuse to subscribe to one of the best publications out there?
Here's a link to another article in the Times, which at this writing, is still free of charge. Be sure to check out the supercool animated movie of the entire design on the left sidebar, showing the renovation plans for the entire complex.
Related posts: Up With the Arts, at Lincoln Center, City Portraits - The High Line, Chelsea and A Modern Icon, in New Canaan, Connecticut.
Read more...
Monday, October 19, 2009
On City Water and Recent Talks at City Winery
Photo by myself at City Winery, on Varick Street near Soho.
The bottle reads: 'NYC Tap Water is some of the best in the world. We have filtered the water and want to help reduce the use of plastic water bottles which results in two million tons of plastic waste a year, not recycled, but in landfills.'
'Eau de Bloomberg' is refers to the current Mayor of New York, Mike Bloomberg. Luckily, the tap water in New York is very good. Many New Yorkers, however, prefer bottled water.
The above was set out on the tables of City Winery, a large restaurant/bar. City Winery hosts a variety of events, including musical performances, wine making classes and special dinners.
Mark and I attended The New Yorker Festival, organized by The New Yorker Magazine, which took place this past weekend.
A seminar on advertising featured (left to right, below) Matthew Weiner, Steve Stout, Lee Clow and Ken Auletta. Conversation ranged from the state of television to the power-structures of advertising, to what's next in the digital age.
Matthew Weiner is the creator of the current television series Mad Men, which features the advertising field in the 1960s. Steve Stout is a former Sony executive, who since founded a prolifc branding company. Lee Clow is the creative force behind the ads for Apple Computer. Ken Auletta is a writer and frequent contributor to The New Yorker.
Tickets to the talk had sold out within ten minutes. Matthew Weiner was a writer and producer on the HBO show The Sopranos. Mad Men has all the intensity of The Sopranos, and is gorgeously art directed. Mark and I love Mad Men. I think many in the audience were thought the talk would be more about the show.
Numerous other talks with thinkers, writers and critics occurred this weekend during The New Yorker Festival this weekend. Click here to review this year's schedule of events.
Related posts: Shopping on St. Mark's Place, The Apple Store Continued and Nearly Perfect.
Read more...
Thursday, August 20, 2009
On Crowds and the New Yorker Festival
Photo by myself on a Midtown sidewalk.
One of my indulgences has to be taking candid photographs of crowds.
You can capture a multitude of expressions, gestures and clothing style, within a split second on any street corner. Additionally, the layers of people give an image depth.
I'd love to know the story of the gentleman, above.
The New Yorker Festival is on again this year, October 16-18th. If you haven't been, you can sign up to receive an early calendar of events, online.
Over the years, I've seen talks with Steve Martin, David Byrne, Malcom Gladwell, Chuck Close and late Richard Avedon, among others. Steve Martin of course picked up his banjo and David Byrne performed the acoustic guitar.
All the talks were reasonably priced. I cannot say enough great things about the series, which includes readings from current authors, round tables with noted thinkers and even movies.
For more about the Festival click here.
To sign up for the Festival Wire, the calendar of events, click here.
Related posts: Queuing Up at Grand Central Terminal, Union Square in Black and White and Slowing Down to See the Details.
Read more...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
On The Brooklyn Library and iPod Art
The huge ornamental doors of this building are decorated with gilded bas-reliefs and quotes about books.
There's a new little section on The New Yorker Magazine website, appropriate to these technological times.
Every week, Jorge Colombo, a New York illustrator, posts short videos made on his iphone. You can watch Colombo create images using an application that simulates fingerpainting. The drawings are usually scenes from New York.
In fact, the June 1st cover of the New Yorker was the first to be created on an iphone for that magazine. The cover shows a street view of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in Times Square.
Other Colombo iPod creations show wedding photographs taken at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge, the interior of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and views from New York City streets.
To read more about the New Yorker cover and see the video showing its creation, click here.
To see the Colombo's weekly videos for The New Yorker, click here.
Related posts: St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, The Whole World in His Hands and On the Market. Read more...
Saturday, June 20, 2009
'Killer' Games at School
Photo by myself near Madison Square Park, at 25th Street and Madison Avenue.
Yet another photo of the crowd at the BBQ Festival from last weekend. Due to technical difficulties and the recent rash of rain, I'm digging into my photo stash tonight.
There's a great short article in the latest New Yorker Magazine about a game that takes place yearly at a Brooklyn private school. For 2 1/2 weeks near the end of the school year, students take part in 'Killer', a serious water pistol game.
The game sounds like a thriller movie. Teams stalk one another, planting decoys and waiting in ambush. When a player is shot (with water), he or she is eliminated. Each team contributes $20 into the communal pot. Winner takes all.
I have to say I'm surprised. Having watched years of Law and Order episodes all I can think of are water pistols mistaken for real guns, or kids becoming overly competitive and obsessed about winning.
Mark says that the same game is played in other cities, too, and is sometimes called 'Assassin'.
You'll have to register to read the New Yorker article Click here to read it.
Related posts: Crowded Sidewalk, Midtown, Candid, Midtown and A View from the Streets.
Read more...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Union Square in Black and White
Photo by myself in Union Square.
Two travelers crossed through Union Square after a recent rainfall. The statue in the background depicts George Washington on horseback.
For those of you who have seen Slumdog Millionaire, there's an incredible article in The New Yorker magazine about the children who live in the slums of Mumbai.
The piece in the New Yorker describes the poverty and life of one 13-year old boy. He barely survives by selling scrap metal from a nearby airport for a meagre profit. School is an unheard of luxury for such children.
You can read the abstract of the article here. If you're a New Yorker subscriber, you can get access to the article from the same page. The digital issue of the magazine is even available for purchase.
For a brief video diary on the New Yorker site of the lives of these children, click here.
Related posts: Night View, Canal Street, One Dollar, One Dollar and All Lit up on Canal Street. Read more...
Friday, January 2, 2009
On Dogs in the City
Photo by myself in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
On a recent walk in Prospect Park, the trees were looking wintry.
For those interested in keeping a dog in New York, beware. A recent article in The New Yorker reports on the fear of dognapping on the Upper West Side. Little dogs are said to be snatched from their owners for a ransom, after their leashes are cut.
According to the article, it's not known whether the dognappings are real, but since the rumors began, there has been an increase in sturdy leash sales.
Typically, New Yorkers leave their dogs tied up outside stores or restaurants with a view of the street. Some restaurants and stores allow you to bring Rover in. On the subway, seeing eye dogs are allowed, as well as small dogs in carriers.
Related posts: Keeping Your Dogs in a Row, Shooting (Film) in the Park and Sundays in the Park.
Read more...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Queuing Up At Grand Central Terminal
Photo by myself on Park Avenue around 40th Street.
Park Avenue becomes elevated and wraps around Grand Central Terminal, which makes for a cool ride. Cabs making the journey uptown, were piled up in traffic.
Once again, tickets have gone on sale for The New Yorker Festival, showcasing the writers, thinkers, movers and shakers of today from Oct. 3rd to Oct 5th.
Among the many participants this year are Clint Eastwood, Malcolm Gladwell, Ethan Hawke, Stephen Colbert and Salman Rushdie. Mark and I have gone in past years, and we've seen Steve Martin, Malcolm Gladwell, (the late) Richard Avedon and David Byrne, in mesmerizing talks and interviews.
Steve Martin broke out his banjo of course, alongside other bluegrass players. David Byrne played his acoustic guitar in the intimacy of the Knitting Factory and spoke honestly about his career.
Get your tickets while you can. The more popular venues may already be sold out.
For the schedule of New Yorker Festival events, click here.
Related posts: What Goes Around Comes Around, Come And Get It and Transit For The Masses.
Read more...
Friday, August 29, 2008
What Goes Around Comes Around
Photo by myself on Lexington Avenue, around 26th Street.
A small stretch along Lexington is known for Indian restaurants and spice stores.
This photo reminds me of the 60s, from the woman's silhouette. I actually took it a couple months ago.
Speaking of fashion, there's a wonderful article about the legendary Marc Jacobs the September 1st 'Style' issue of The New Yorker.
Around the same time each year, the New Yorker publishes an issue chock full of articles on fashion and shopping. The timing coincides with New York Fashion Week, when fashion designers show their work in big tents in Bryant Park.
The article on Jacobs is wonderful and honest. Until recently, Jacobs dressed in a shlumpy way. Now after a lifestyle overhaul that includes daily 2 1/2-hour stints at the gym, he is buff and handsome.
I can attest to this. Only a few years ago, I saw him walking around Soho with big thick glasses, white sneakers, long hair and baggy jeans. He was the epitomy of 'geek chic'.
It's nice to know you can emerge from your cocoon in your 40's. Here's to not-so-mini makeovers!
Related posts: Schmata, or the Annual Warehouse Sale, The Latest Thing , Fashion Accessories, Coming Soon, Fashionista Not and Wednesday Portraits - The Sartorialist.
Read more...
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Transit for the Masses
Photo by myself from the platform of the 1 and 9 trains, at 59th Street.
Sometimes I'm on the subway platform, gazing out at the puddles of glop, the garbage, the rats and the rails, and I'm astonished that we're in the 21st Century.
I've been to Washington DC, and Boston, and Paris, and London, and Hong Kong, other large cities with underground transit. Of all the cities, New York is easily the worst, in terms of conditions, aesthetics and timeliness.
I could go on about the subway, and I have on occasion. But I won't.
I wanted to clue people into an excellent article in The New Yorker about another major mass vehicle that makes New York the city it is, that is, the elevator.
In 'Up, Then Down', Nick Paumgarten reminds us that without the elevator, we wouldn't have buildings higher than five stories. We'd have a sprawling mess.
Remember the guy who was trapped in a New York City elevator for over 40 hours, the footage of which was on You Tube? Paumgarten starts with that guy, then goes into the history of elevators, touching upon the tallest buildings of the world and the latest elevator technology. The result is a pretty fascinating look into these little boxes on cables that take us up and down.
People living in other lands may never encounter a elevator. In New York though, they are an experience to be tolerated. Many people have one at the office and one in their apartment buildings.
Recent models have inset lcd screens showing the news, the weather, words of the day and celebrity gossip. It's a small distraction to pass the few seconds it takes to get up or down.
Unless you were that unfortunate guy stuck in one over a weekend.
Related posts: If You're Happy Clap Your Hands, Au Secours and Notes From The Underground.
Read more...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Come And Get It
Photo by myself in midtown.
There are fruit carts like this one on many corners of the city, especially in the morning. The carts compete for space with carts that serve the staple New York breakfast - bagels and coffee.
Speaking of food, there was a yet another excellent article in this week's New Yorker magazine.
Unfortunately, the article isn't available online, but the magazine posted an mp3 recording of Ian Frazier, the author of the story.
Frazier writes about a soup kitchen at the Holy Apostles church at 9th Avenue and 28th Street, which serves 900+ people lunch every day. The article cites a chilling statistic: 1.3 million New Yorkers cannot afford food for their families. In other words, 1 out of every 6 New Yorkers is hungry.
This article is particularly good for those interested in writing, New York history and architecture.
Frazier leads a writers workshop in the same church every Wednesday afternoon. He has met all sorts of characters and recounts the history of the building, which is colorful. The church spends nearly $10,000 every day to provide meals, and the money comes primarily from individual donations.
Times are becoming tougher. Food prices are steadily rising. And with the recent cool temperatures, I see more and more homeless people in the subway stations every morning.
If this city is to survive, the statistics had better start changing for the better.
The Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen employs 40+ volunteers each day. Click here for their website.
Related posts: Castaways, Signs of Hope and The Underclass.
Read more...
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
On Photography - Before and After
Photo by myself in front of a vintage furniture store on Wythe and South First Streets in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I really loved the colors at work here.
There are several stores that sell vintage furnishings in Williamsburg. Some are more of the 60's office variety, others include funky Scandinavian-inspired pieces.
Either way, you will come away with something that no one else has.
For those interested in current photography, I suggest a wonderful article in a recent New Yorker magazine about gifted photo retoucher Pascal Dangin.
I wish I could find the two photos that were printed in the article. An original black and white photo of a nude model by Patrick Demarchelier was published alongside the photo after Dangin's handiwork.
In the retouched photograph, the model's torso has been rotated, the back of her pelvis better lit. The lighting of her hair, background and body is even and flattering. Her bony hip is eased, to look less severe. The images are strikingly different.
From the reporter's description, you get the sense that Dangin performs minor tweaks based on a full knowledge of anatomy. He sits with photographers over raw photos to discuss his vision for an image, and is even present during photo shoots to offer his expertise.
Dangin has admitted to retouching Annie Liebovitz's photos for Dove the soap Campaign for Real Beauty, which were supposed to have been untouched images of 'real' women. So much for reality!
Here's the Dove evolution ad showing a model from sitting to billboard:
Related posts: The Arts - Live and one Videotape, Inspiration and Random Shots Read more...
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Lost In the Crowd
Photo by myself outside Madison Square Garden.
Yet another photo from my walk around Midtown the other day. The crowd is made up of tourists and commuters, which makes for an uncomfortable mix of fast walkers and saunterers.
In the Talk of the Town section of a recent New Yorker Magazine, there was a short article about the building crane that collapsed on March 15. A townhouse near the United Nations was seriously damaged and there were seven fatalities.
One of the tenants at 305 East 50th Street, Jhon Gallego, fell through the floor of his apartment was pinned in the rubble for a few hours. The friend that was staying with him was killed. After several hours, Gallego was pulled from the rubble with few injuries.
Now here's the rub. Not only was Gallego rescued, but he won the Mega Millions lottery exactly two months before the accident. Crazy, eh?
Hey, you never know. Read more...
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Slowing Down to See the Details
Photo by myself of one of the bronze statues near Herald Square.
Owls supposedly scare away pigeons, so you see a lot of them around the city in the attempt to curb pigeon droppings. In the olden days, stone masons carved them into building facades.
There are several bronze owl statues in a little park near Macy's. They're hard to see if you're in a rush.
There was a cute little blurb in The New Yorker magazine last week about some cross-pollination between Italy and New York.
A small group of Italians who call themselves L’Arte del Vivere con Lentezza, or The Art of Living Slowly, visited New York recently. They attempted to persuade New Yorkers to slow down and not compete so much.
I'm not sure how far they got, but their intentions were wonderful. Why kill yourself for first place, when you can settle for third place, or even last?
I have to say there's something to the Italian lifestyle that is eternally appealing. The idea of walking around the city after a late dinner, chatting with a loved one is brilliant.
Who needs the rat race? Read more...
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
On Six-Word Memoirs, In Print
Photo by myself from the Pulaski Bridge, which spans between Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Long Island City. You can see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in the distance.
From this vantage point, Manhattan looks really, really close. Notice the new towers along the Long Island City coast (several orange towers and the one in mid-construction). This area is rumored to become the next Battery Park City, situated near the water. It's only one stop along the 7 train to the Grand Central station on 42nd Street.
There was an interesting blurb in last week's New Yorker Talk of the Town section on really, really short memoirs. I mean short, as in six words.
Apparently, an online magazine called Smith held a contest for submissions - describe your life in a pithy six-word phrase. The contest was a success, harvesting more than 500 submissions daily.
There was 'Fix a Toilet, Get Paid Crap,' by a plumber. And there was 'Divorced! Thank God for Internet personals.' There was a book culled from the best submissions, entitled 'Not Quite What I Was Planning', and a book party to promote the book.
Cute idea. I guess I'd be 'New York Lover, Snap-Happy Architect'. Or 'Often in Lotus Position, Riding Shotgun', in reference to my journeys with Mark and his car Clive, a Mini Cooper. Or perhaps my life would be 'Single Female with Cats No Longer', or how about 'Addicted Blogger. Takes Photos. Posts Daily'.
I notice these days that we've become horribly impatient people. For instance, has anyone watched Wheel of Fortune lately? I hadn't seen it in forever, until the other day. The format of Wheel is changed to add more variety to the game, in case you can't tolerate the old 'spin-and-choose-letters-one-at-a-time-to-solve-the-phrase' formula. Now you first guess the phrase as the letters are randomly revealed, for a few warm up rounds before the regular games start.
I don't know why I take the Wheel of Fortune game format to mean the end of patience in our culture, but I do. We want everything quickly. We want everything now. Pronto.
And so it was a refreshing change of pace to walk across the Pulaski Bridge yesterday, hand in hand. Getting from here to there wasn't just about jumping in the car and roaring over. Instead we took one step at a time. We enjoyed the journey and took some photos along the way.
'Brooklynites Unite. Take Time. Smell Roses.'
Post your pithy memoir! Read more...
