On Colorful Characters and Photos in the Wall Street Journal

Photo by myself in Union Square.

Several colorful characters were out in Union Square, Monday night. Victor Sheely, a street performer, posed for me above.

Victor, aka 'Coyote Butterfly', tells stories and illustrates comic books. Victor often performs in galleries as a street artist, but he was out in the beautiful Spring air, yesterday.

There is a large open space at the south end of Union Square. Often it is the site of political protests, artistic performance and markets, sometimes all going on at once.


A man dressed in colorful garb, in the name of tourism. Several banners advertising Jamaica were on display.

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You might not think of the Wall Street Journal in terms of photography or photographs of New York, but now, you should.

I have long associated the Wall Street Journal with those finely drawn portraits of people. These days, they have a special photo section online. They post one photo each day from around the world, and a bunch of photos each week from New York City.

One recent week in April was especially spectacular. The weeks' photos include an aerial view of Midtown right before a thunderstorm, a spectacular Easter bonnet, and some wonderful candids.

See the week for April 22 through April 29 on the Wall Street Journal blog, here.

Related posts: City Portraits - Coney Island, The Throngs in Union Square and Reflections Apres Happy Hour.

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City Portraits - Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Photo by myself in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

It was brightly sunny this weekend, in Sunset Park. The canopies were up in the background, to keep pedestrians cool.

This area is the equivalent of Chinatown. Amazingly, just a couple blocks away is a very Hispanic neighborhood. Just take the 'R' train to 53rd Street and Fourth Avenue. Sunset Park is tucked in between Windsor Terrace and Bay Ridge.

You can find Malaysian, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines here.


Open markets make for a lively experience during the day.


English is a second language in this neighborhood.


Fish markets were loaded with fresh seafood.


A shoemaker set up his temporary space on the sidewalk.

For more information from the Village, Voice, click here.
City Portraits is an ongoing, once-in-a-while installment featuring parts of New York.

Related posts: City Portraits - Coney Island, City Portraits - The High Line and City Portraits - The New York Public Library.

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Happy Mother's Day, from Brooklyn

Photo by myself in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Happy Mother's Day! It's Mother's Day in the States.

Flower stores are open with bouquets for last-minute gifts.

The florist above is in our neighborhood in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They were open very early on Sunday, with a young man standing guard.

Related posts: A Community Garden - An Urban Oasis, Happy Summer and Flower Power, Bryant Park.

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Homage to Warhol, Union Square

Photo by myself at 17th Street and Broadway, at Union Square.

A statue of Andy Warhol was installed near Union Square at the end of May. It drew attention from passersby, Friday evening.

Cast in chrome by the artist Rob Pruitt, the statue was sponsored by the Public Art Fund. Warhol's art studio, 'The Factory', was located near Union Square in the 70's and 80's.

Flowers and Campbells soup cans have been left at Warhol's feet. The artist used to stand on the same street corner, handing out copies of Interview, the magazine he founded in 1969.

The statue will be on view until early October.

For an article about the statue in the Times, click here.
For a free app by the Public Art Fund describing the statue's history, click here.

Related posts: Playing Pianos as Public Art, Charging Through Wall Street and Public Art and Other Freebies.

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Found Art, in Midtown

Photo by myself, somewhere in Midtown.

For every building with a public elevator, there at least one service elevator. This one had its doors wide open to the sidewalk.

This service entrance looked like an odd and informal gallery. There was a 'Mona Lisa', a view of the World Trade Towers and a portrait in graphite. At the metal doors of the service elevator, American flags were painted on the panels.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Related posts: Cereal Killers Mural, in Williamsburg, On Target, On Houston and Sand Artist, in Washington Square Park.

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Waiting at the Gramercy Park Hotel

Photo by myself at the Gramercy hotel, at 21st Street and Lexington Avenue.

Just to the east of the Flatiron District is a tiny park called Gramercy Park. It is a tiny, fenced in park that is open only to those who live directly in the neighborhood.

The Gramercy Park Hotel is in the area. The lobby is other-worldly, done up in red velvet and black and white tile. There is an enormous chandelier and fireplace to suit how high the ceiling is.

Massive paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst and Keith Haring adorn the walls. The hotel was renovated by the artist Julian Schnabel in 2006. Schnabel is an eclectic artist, painting large scale works and directing films.

Rooms and suites range between $450 to $2,400 per night. As part of their stay, guests are allowed access into Gramercy Park.

The original hotel had a glamorous past, having been a favorite of rock muscians. A movie called Hotel Gramercy Park was made about the renovation and was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008.

For the Gramercy Park Hotel's website, click here.
For an earlier post about the movie 'Hotel Gramercy Park', click here.

Related posts: The Royalton Renovated, All Lit Up, Outside the Gershwin Hotel and On A Winter Day, at the Plaza Hotel.

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The Whitney Museum, on the Upper East Side

Photo by myself on Madison Avenue and 75th Street, on the Upper East Side.

The modern facade of the Whitney Museum of American Art includes a huge canopy made of concrete, that is supported at the ends. The building was built in the mid-1960s. I was in the neighborhood on Monday for a doctor's appointment.

The museum's permanent collection includes work from Matthew Barney, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and my personal favorite, Berenice Abbott.

I'm not hip enough about modern art to know anything about the current exhibits, which are ultra-modern and include conceptual and video art.

To check out the Whitney website, click here.

Related posts: From the Rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, High Above the Metropolitan Museum and Another Look at the New Museum, on the Bowery.

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Remembrance, at the World Trade Center

Photo by myself at Vesey Street and Trinity Place, in the Financial District.

News crews broadcasted live across the street from the World Trade Center, Monday evening. In the background, the exposed trusses of the Freedom Tower can be seen.

I heard that the crowds at the World Trade Center were reported to be twice as large as usual. I stopped by the World Trade Center site on my way home.

Strangely, there weren't nearly as many people as I thought. People milled about quietly, taking photos and paying their respects.


Commuters and visitors walked by one of the towers in construction. It was business as usual.


A small show of American flags. Ongoing construction of the World Trade Center is reflected in the glass.

Related posts: Night View at the World Trade Center, Salvaged from the Wold Trade Center and On Street Corners, in the East Village.

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Parked in Park Slope

Photo by myself around 10th Street and 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Park Slope, Brooklyn, is known for its historic townhouses.

The townhouses above have rusticated bases in brownstone and roman brick on the parlor floor. Many of townhouses have small front gardens and gas lamps.

Whoever lives in these is doing pretty well to have a nice house and a super-nice car.

Parking on the streets is relatively safe these days. Your car will most likely be there the next day.

Related posts: On Tippy Toe, Union Square, Shall We Dance, 34th Street and Acrobatics Below 34th Street.

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Funky Chicken, in Park Slope

Photo by myself in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

A few kids were doing tricks during a street fair in Park Slope, Brooklyn. A human-sized chicken waited his turn.

A temporary floor was put down on the asphalt to make headstands, like the one above, less uncomfortable.

It's not uncommon to see kids dancing like this in the subway stations. They even on on the subways themselves. More than a few times, I've seen kids running down the aisle of a subway car, doing handstands and backflips for a little cash.


The chicken in action.

Related posts: On Tippy Toe, Union Square, Shall We Dance, 34th Street and Acrobatics Below 34th Street.

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Sign of Spring, in Soho

Photo by myself at Prince and Broadway, in Soho.

A view from a very popular crossing in Soho, this past week. This intersection is highly trafficked because of the Prince Street subway station.

Prince Street and Broadway are lined with clothing stores. The fancy pants gourmet food store, Dean and Deluca, is located on one corner, (hidden behind the bus).

We see tour buses year-round, but seeing this one the other day seemed significant. It was a very nice day out. It finally felt like Spring. And with the good weather comes the crowds and crowds and crowds.

Related posts: Tourists' Eye View, on Fifth Avenue, Mass Mentality and Strung Along, in Soho.

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Sand, Surf and Rain, on Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself at 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

It rained heavily on Thursday, so the front of the Hollister store on Fifth Avenue made a surreal sight.

The large storefront is covered with video screens, making one enormous screen. Footage of a sparkly ocean plays often, since the Hollister label hails from Southern California.

The above photo was taken from a cab. You can just see the reflection in the glass.

Related posts: On Line at Abercrombie and Fitch, in Midtown, On Display at Bergdorf's and Only in New York.

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Hippy Sign, on Prince Street

Photo by myself on Prince and Thompson Streets, in Soho.

I have to wonder how many lost hippies have referred to this sign for direction?

Related posts: The Quality Mending Company, Soho, Signs of Hope and On Mulberry Street and Small Packages.

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Filming on Location, in Soho

Photo by myself on Sullivan and Spring Streets, in Soho.

A film shoot took place in a playground in Soho.

I asked a production assistant what the shoot was for. He told me it's for 'The Girls', an upcoming series on HBO.

Apparently 'The Girls' will be modeled on Sex and The City, that is, a younger batch of women, and their trials and tribulations in New York City.

For an article about the upcoming show, click here.

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Some people might be surprised to know there are playgrounds in Soho.

There are schools, churches and graveyards too, in this charming neighborhood. There is even an outdoor pool.

I never lived in Soho (which stands for 'South Of HOuston street', but a friend of mind did, and I was insanely jealous of her. I'm sure her kitchen was about the size of a postage stamp, but who needs a kitchen when you live in such a cool neighborhood?

Soho is known for it's gigantic loft buildings and eclectic boutiques. During the 1970's, the neighborhood was nearly torn down to make way for a new undergound expressway.

Related posts: Movie in the Making, in Alphabet City, Lights, Camera, Action! and Portrait of a Film Shoot, in Brooklyn Heights.

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Doing Business in the Diamond District

Photo by myself on West 47th Street in the Diamond District.

The Diamond District looks like it's from a different era completely.

The Diamond District is not so much a neighborhood these days than one city block. 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, is lined with small stores selling precious gemstones and jewelry settings.

The kiosk above is tiny, just deep enough for a normally-sized human. Despite its size, the kiosk has roll down doors to protect against theft.

Related posts: Making Deals on 47th Street, in the Diamond District, Pawn Shops, The Diamond District and Signs of Old Times, on the Lower East Side.

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Playing the Blues, in Union Square

Photo by myself in Union Square.

A saxophone player in Union Square drew some attention, the other day.

I have to stifle a giggle at how this must have looked to other people, my taking a photo of a guy taking a photo of a musician. Ha.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Related posts: Singer and Sax, Along the Tracks, Don't Stop the Music on the Upper West Side and Strike Up the Band, in Washington Square Park.

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Happy Easter from the Wild Parrots of Brooklyn

Photo by myself in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Happy Easter, everyone!

This was the most Spring-like photo I have, though believe it or not, these birds live in Brooklyn year-round. These birds were snacking outside a house in Park Slope, where we live.

Wild parrots thrive Brooklyn and...yes, they flock together. They are a nice relief to the pigeons and little birds.

I posted about the wild parrots a couple years ago. The website I mentioned at the time, Brooklyn Parrots, is still going strong. Steve Baldwin, the blog owner, posts news and wonderful photos of these birds in flight.

According to Steve, this species of bird was released in the US in the late 1960s, when there was a surplus in Argentina.

Steve conducts monthly parrot tours through Brooklyn. The next safari is on May 7th, and is free to the public. Just email Steve at his website to attend.

For the Brooklyn Parrots blog, click here.

Related posts: On Rupert and the Wild Parrots of Brooklyn, Odd and Colorful Birds, in Bryant Park and The Hua Mei Bird Garden, in Chinatown.

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Cozy Interior on Perry Street, in the West Village

Photo by myself at Perry and Greenwich Streets, in the West Village.

It's a cold and rainy weekend here, in New York.

As an antidote, I'm posting a photo from a walk about the West Village, earlier this month. At Aria Wine Bar, small plates such as salad, prosciutto and meatballs are served alongside tumblers of wine.

Exposed brick, wood rafters and subway tile make the interior rustic and charming. This looks like the perfect place for a romantic date.

This bar does not have a website. As with any restaurant, please check out reviews before visiting.

For reviews on Yelp, click here.
For a review on UrbanDaddy, click here.

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Note to photographers: since I took this photo a few weeks ago, I could not remember the name of this restaurant. All I knew was that it was on the north side of the street, near Magnolia Bakery.

The word 'cucina' is printed behind the bar, which means 'Kitchen'. So, yeah, I did about 20 searches for 'cucinas' in the West Village. Going through restaurants one-by-one on Google maps solved the mystery...and sent me to the loony bin.

Moral of the story?

Take notes on where you take photos, or at least a shot of a sign as a reminder for later on. Avoid the crazy.

Related posts: Riding in Style, in the Village, Before a Tour, Pedicab Style and Pedaling in Style, on Central Park South.

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On Riding Around Sixth Avenue and the Travel Channel

Photo by myself in Midtown, around 32nd Street and Sixth Avenue.

Ah, pedicabs.

This is one way to get around the city without affecting the environment. Many cyclists will give rides to several people at a time.

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Speaking of cyclists, there is yet another new series on TV. Mark and I tuned into Triple Rush, a new show on the Travel Channel, set in Manhattan.

The show follows three different bicycle courier companies during a typical day. Apparently there are 1,500 bike messengers working at 70 messenger companies in New York. A messenger might make 20 deliveries in a day and make a bit over 100 dollars.

This job is not for scaredy cats. Cameras mounted on the messengers' helmets show just how dangerous it is, weaving through traffic at high speed in all types of weather. Dispatchers in the office are equally stressed out, delegating jobs and being assailed with orders.

All offices in New York use messenger services. It's the fastest way to deliver documents during the day. Be warned though, it can be dangerous just walking in the city because of these guys on the street.

You can see how stressful and dangerous this job through this show. I will be nicer to the messengers we use from now on!

Here's the trailer for the show:

Triple Rush - Extended Trailer from Triple Rush on Vimeo.

Related posts: Riding in Style, in the Village, Before a Tour, Pedicab Style and Pedaling in Style, on Central Park South.

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On Flowering Trees and The Olmstead Legacy

Photo by myself at 59th Street and Central Park South.

It was slightly misty, Wednesday morning. The tops of tall buildings in seemed to disappear into nothingness.

Flowering trees are planted at this rotary, near the Plaza Hotel. Behind me and to the right, is Central Park.

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Wednesday night, I came home late from work. Mark was watching a new documentary about Fredrick Law Olmstead.

The Olmstead Legacy tells the story of America's greatest landscape designer and his impact on America's cities.

I only got to catch the last 15 minutes of the 1-hour documentary, but the message was clear: survival was tough 150 years ago, Olmstead was a workaholic and he was a passionate landscape architect. In all, Olmstead's office completed over 500 projects.

It was nice to hear that Olmstead considered Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, his finest park (!). The Long Meadow in Prospect Park is also the longest unbroken green stretch in any American park. It is almost a mile long.

I learned a bunch during what little I saw of the documentary, which was done in the style of Ken Burns. I'm not sure how long this will be available, but you can actually watch the entire film on the Channel 13 site here.

For more about the The Olmstead Legacy, click here.
For the Times review, click here.

Related posts: All Abloom, in Battery Park, Off in the Distance, 59th Street and On Blooming Trees and New York Apps.

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