On the Water around Manhattan

Photo by myself, from the Hudson River.

Another view from my boat ride around Manhattan.

Just across the Hudson River is Jersey City, in New Jersey. The Goldman Sachs Tower is the tallest building in that state, recently built by the architect Cesar Pelli. It is 42 stories tall and was completed in 2004.

In the tower are offices, a cafeteria and full service gym, including a clinic for physical therapy. For more about the building, click here.

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Last week, my office chartered a yacht for a ride around Manhattan. We went up the Hudson to the George Washington Bridge, across to the East River and down to the Statue of Liberty. It was the first time I had seen Manhattan from a boat.

There is nothing more civilized than a bunch of architects on a yacht, haha. We were lucky to have good weather until the very end, when we were bombarded with rain. Fortunately, no one got seasick.

You don't have to charter your own boat for such a treat. There are several companies that offer sightseeing rides year round.


Passing below one of the many bridges on the East River. You can see the shadow of our boat in the foreground.

Related posts: Looking Out Yonder, to the Far West Side, A Sunset View, from Battery Park and A View from the West Side Highway.

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Get Your Zumba on for Free, in Herald Square

Photo by myself in Herald Square, at 34th Street and Broadway in Midtown.

Only in New York will you have free exercise classes right outside Macy's, on one of the busiest blocks in Manhattan.

Every Thursday night at 6pm, through September 30th, you can take a free Zumba class outside. The speakers were blaring 'La Vida Loca' and a crowd gathered around to watch.

Zumba is an aerobic workout that combines dance moves from salsa, merengue, mambo and hip-hop. The instructor, above in the blue top, looked very fit.

With the new pedestrian-only blocks, the city has a vibrant, festival atmosphere. We had nice temperatures Thursday too, which made such jumping around okay.





The free classes are sponsored by DanceSport. No pre-registration is required. You just show up.

For a little more about the Zumba classes on Thursdays, click here.



Related posts: Running Along the Edge of Manhattan, Leg Lunges, 9:25 am, Midtown and Running Atop the Brooklyn Bridge.

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The Willis Avenue Bridge, on the Harlem River

Photo by myself, on the Harlem River.

The Willis Avenue of the many bridges connected to Manhattan.

The Manhattan, Brooklyn and George Washington Bridges are by far the most known. The Willis Avenue bridge is small in comparison, connecting Manhattan to the Bronx.

Manhattan is to the left, out of frame, here. I was on a boat going downstream on the water. The sun was setting and the sky was gorgeous.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Related posts: Gone Fishin', Along the East River, Red Skiff, in the East River and On Rain and the Brooklyn Bridge.

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It All Ends, Above Chelsea

Photo by myself around 19th Street and 10th Avenue, in Chelsea.

Another view from the High Line.

The cataclysmic billboard for the last of the Harry Potter movies looks directed at the High Line structure.

Tenth Avenue is one of the wider avenues. Along its length are apartment buildings, some small stores and restaurants, and gas stations. Above 59th Street, 10th Avenue becomes Amsterdam Avenue.

The Empire State Building is in the background.

Related posts: On Mulberry Street and Small Packages, The Quality Mending Company, SoHo and Our Commander in Chief, Above Seventh Avenue.

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Fine Italian Pastries, on the Lower East Side

Photo by myself at Ludlow and Stanton Streets, on the Lower East Side.

There is no shortage of movies showing older Italian men in New York, hanging out with each other and cooking.

This mural is a part of an ad campaign by Umbro. Hand-painted murals are located in neighborhoods showing groups of real people wearing the Umbro insignia.

Umbro's New York campaign targets its urban audience, showing real New Yorkers wearing their clothing.

To see the photo the mural was drawn from, including the whole New York Umbro series, click here.

Related posts: Sand Painting, in Washington Square Park, Serial Killers Mural, in Williamsburg and The Writing on the Wall, on Avenue A.

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Pork is the Answer, on the Lower East Side

Photo by myself on Orchard and Houston Streets, on the Lower East Side.

The sandwich board style sign has a picture of a pig turning into bacon. The text reads: 'Sun Fried? Pork is the Answer!'

The sign was outside Georgia's East Side BBQ, a restaurant on the Lower East Side. I've never eaten there, but the reviews are generally very good.

Their lip-smacking menu includes goodies like baby back pork ribs, pulled pork, fried catfish and burgers that weigh half a pound. Yeesh.

For New York Magazine's review of Georgia's East Side BBQ, click here.
For their website, click here.

Related posts: Signs of Hope, Absolutely No World Cup, in Park Slope, Brooklyn and Last Call, Park Slope, and 10 Things to do in New York.

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Looking Cool in the Heat, in Chinatown

Photo by myself, somewhere in Chinatown.

As it is in many places right now, it's been extremely hot here in New York. Temperatures have been hovering in the high 90s and low 100s.

You can tell the man on the right is squinting into the bright sunlight. Umbrellas help on these sunny days.

To the right, most people are limited to buy what they can carry home, which can be a good thing.

Related posts: From Under the Banner, in Chinatown, Shopping Til Dropping, on Canal Street and En Masse, On Canal Street.

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City Portraits - The High Line, Part Two

Photo by myself on the High Line, somewhere around 24th Street and 10th Avenue, in Chelsea.

The second section is open on the High Line, the elevated pedestrian park in Chelsea.

The park now runs from Gansevoort Street in the West Village, all the way up to West 30th Street. It makes use of an abandoned elevated railroad trestle.

The elevated views are pretty incredible. At times, you are winding around the back sides of old tenement buildings or along billboards.


The plantings have filled out quite a bit since this park opened. Above, the Standard Hotel.


A new water feature allows visitors to cool their tired feet. Water skims the surface of several rows of stone. The row where people have left their shoes are open grates for drainage.


At times, the walkway juts out as platforms overlooking the street.


The view north. There is a final undeveloped portion ahead between 30th and 34th Street that includes the rail yards.


The view west toward the Hudson River.


The view east toward Chelsea.

I definitely recommend visiting on a day that is not too sunny. The light colored concrete becomes a reflective surface in the summer, radiating all the heat up at you. It is really, really hot.

For the official High Line site, including its history and a calendar of events, click here.
For an interactive map, click here.
For a look at my first tour of the High Line, click here.

City Portraits is an ongoing, once-in-a-while installment featuring parts of New York.

Related posts: City Portraits - Shelter Island, City Portraits - Central Park and City Portraits - Coney Island, Brooklyn.

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All Clear, Below Ground

Photo by myself at the DeKalb subway station, in Brooklyn.

Stand clear of the closing doors is the recorded mantra you hear all the time on the subway, followed by an electronic ding - dong.

Every time the doors close, subway operators stick their heads out as reliably as groundhogs on Groundhog Dog Day. The operators check that no one and nothing is stuck in the doors, before the train moves on.

The red light to the side of the door shuts off when the door is completely closed. Sometimes people running onto the train and get a hand or bag stuck in the doors. Eek.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Related posts: Stand Clear of the Closing Doors, Underground, On Rain and Trains and Wednesday Morning, Below Brooklyn.

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Bikini Clad, on Prince Street

Photo by myself at Mulberry and Prince Streets, in SoHo.

A giant bikini-clad woman looked down from her perch in SoHo.

As you can see on the right, there are still some empty lots, even in this neighborhood. This area is known for one-off boutiques selling very expensive items.

Most of the stores are for clothing. There are knick knack stores and restaurants, too.

I always thought it would be tough to live as a student in New York, where you are bombarded with advertising at a time when you're not earning a dime. A friend of mine who went to NYU said it was not easy.

Related posts: Strung Along, in SoHo, Deck Yourself Out, in SoHo and Windswept, in SoHo.

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He Went Thataway, on the Lower East Side

Photo by myself, around East Houston and Norfolk Streets, on the Lower East Side.

A woman in a kimono was getting directions, on the Lower East Side.

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It has been very hot here, with temperatures in the mid-to-high 90's.

On the subway platforms, it's been stifling. I've been trying to get a photo of how hot it can be while waiting for a train, but New Yorkers hold their own pretty well. You can't even tell they are suffering.

Related posts: Sitting Outside, on Broadway, People Watching, in Union Square and Waiting, in Times Square.

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Big Wampum Poster, on Houston Street

Photo by myself on Houston Street and Bowery, in NoHo.

This gigantic mural caught my eye, Monday morning.

'Lakota, Dakota Nation' refers to two Native American reservations in North Dakota. The installation was done after the artist, 'JR', received a $100,000 grant awarded by TED, a non-profit agency dedicated to innovation.

'JR' is a street artist. He specializes in large scale portraits placed in urban settings. For his online portfolio, click here.

For more about the Houston Street mural, click here
For more about the TED award, click here.

Related posts: On Target, on Houston Street, In Full Color, on Houston Street and Images of Hope.

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Outside Strider Records, on Jones Street

Photo by myself on Jones and Bleeker Streets, in the Village.

Yes, the above photo was taken this year. It's a record store. Remember those?

Strider Records sells vinyl in their store and online. They've been around for 30 years and have a large selection of all sorts of music. They are very proud of an extensive collection of Elvis Presley records.

I didn't get to go inside. From the photos on their website, the store looks to be packed full with records, from floor to ceiling. Obviously you need a record player to enjoy these things. Ha.

Strider ships worldwide. You can search for oldies but goodies on their website here.

Related posts: Open 24/7, in Brooklyn, Shining Bright, at Live Bait and Outside Zucco, on the Lower East Side.

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In the Sun and in Shades, near Union Square

Photo by myself near Union Square, at 15th Street and Union Square West.

It's been sunny here, with low humidity for now.

Crowds of people were walking around shopping, Saturday afternoon. The sidewalks were crowded with folks enjoying the nice weather and outdoor street fairs.

Related posts: Uggs in Times Square, Beautiful People, East Village and Fall Fashion Week, Bryant Park.

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Taking a Dip, in Prospect Park Pond

Photo by myself at the dog pond in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

We had a beautiful morning on Saturday. In celebration, the dog pond was chock full of dogs enjoying the water.

One corner of a pond is cordoned off with a low fence, so dogs can swim about. The bank of the pond is covered in concrete. There, the owners stand to watch.

Rupert loves to play ball in the shallows, getting his head wet, before playing an intense game of fetch in the fields.


There are equal shares of sniffing and play. Just visible in the background is the low fence in the pond.


Our dog Rupert loves to play fetch.

Related posts: Cooling Off hot Dogs in Prospect Park, Roaming Free in Prospect Park, Brooklyn and Off Leash, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

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Say Cheese, in Times Square

Photo by myself in Times Square, at 42nd Street and Broadway.

It's hard to believe sometimes that the above photo was taken in New York City rather than Disneyworld. Huge billboards and pedestrian-only blocks in this area cater to visitors.

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In general, it looks and feels relatively safe in New York these days. It's easy to walk around as if there's no reason to be careful.

Crime goes on, though. In the last couple days, the city has been shattered by a shocking tragedy in Brooklyn. An 8-year old boy was recently found dead after he became lost, while trying to walk the few blocks home from camp.

The incident took place in what's considered a very safe neighborhood in Brooklyn. The alleged killer dismembered the body before being caught. Horrible. Many young kids navigate the city on their own.

For an article in the Times, click here.

Related posts: Public Art at the Lever House, At a Crossroads in Times Square and Only in New York.

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The Morning Serenade

Photo by myself, on the subway.

A trio of musicians on the subway is not an unusual sight. Wednesday morning, an accordion player accompanied two fellows playing guitar.

The subway was swaying a bit while I took this photo. I raised the ISO setting on my camera and held onto my fiance Mark at the same time, lol.

Related posts: Serenading the Crowds on the Subway Platform, The King of Song, Below Ground and On Bach Partitas and Danger Underground.

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Delays on the B Train, Underground

Photo by myself at the subway platform in Columbus Circle.

It's been sweltering here above and below ground.

Swelteringly hot and humid. The temperature was around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Tuesday. With tropical humidity, it felt like 110.

The last thing you want to do is stand very close to someone you don't know. Above, there were delays on the subway. I'm sure most of the people were thinking, 'What the (#&@#! is the problem???!!'

A minority of guys wear suits or blazers to work, like the fellow on the right. For most, just a nice shirt and slacks will do.

Guys in more creative or informal professions can wear cargo shorts and tee shirts. He looks very cool but I can't imagine how hot the guy in the suit feels.

Related posts: Wednesday Morning, Below Brooklyn, Don't *@#&! with Me, Underground and On the Platform, at 34th Street.

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Along for the Ride, in Columbus Circle

Photo by myself in Columbus Circle, at Central Park South and Columbus Avenue.

Just as the light turned color, this duo crossed my path in Columbus Circle. You can see the globe sculpture near the Trump International Tower and subway station in the background.

I had barely enough time to grab my camera, so this photo is a bit overexposed.

Fortunately for everyone, this little dog had his leash attached to the inside of the carrier. He was very, very excited and jumped up and down, yipping and yapping.

Related posts: Doggy Bag, on the Q Train, Dogs in Fur Coats, on Madison Avenue and On Dogs and Dogs.

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Riding Piggyback, in Midtown

Photo by myself, in Midtown.

A little girl rode piggyback in Midtown.

It's not easy for parents to get around the city with young children. When in a crowd, the best view is from higher up. There is also a lot of walking involved in the city.

Young children riding around in strollers can also be a tough situation. Parents have to cart the stroller up and down stairs to the subway. Typically there are no elevators, though New Yorkers will often lend a hand.

Related posts: It's a Kid's Life, in Brooklyn, A Family Moment, in SoHo and Running Amok in the Streets.

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