Wallkill, NY, November 20

Sunset on Old Fort Road

Geese Pond

Three Geese

168 Street, November 17

New York Presbyterian: Passages

Amazing Things Are Happening Here




Meanwhile, down below



Waiting

American Museum of Natural History, November 5

Treaty of Portsmouth: 1905 (Panel 1)
Two American women (as Justice and Mercy) standing between
the Japanese Emperor and the Russian Tsar

Treaty of Portsmouth: 1905 (Panel 2)
Count de Witte extending olive branch to Theodore Roosevelt

The last time I visited the museum I was fascinated by the large mural in the Roosevelt Rotunda at the main entrance. The events it depicts are from the Roosevelt era, a century ago. The mural created by William Andrew Mackay is to me more impressive than the modern Rose Center for Earth and Space and the wonderful, but rather somber museum. The mural is huge; the above pictures, from parts of the south wall are just two samples. (Unfortunately the uneven lighting makes it very difficult to adequately photograph.) It conveys an era when a Republican president could prophetically say, and undoubtedly believed:

"A great democracy must be progressive or
it will soon cease to be great or a democracy."

Theodore Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his role in negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth , which ended the Russo-Japanese -- depicted in the photos of the Mackay mural above.

And here's one more sample, from the West wall.

Theodore Roosevelt and some of his friends.

African Stroll

Encounter 2

P.S. 1 in Long Island City, October 30

The inside of PS 1 is more revealing than the outside, not unlike the inside of the many warehouses that still populate the landscape of Long Island City. It too had warehousing functions. Now it is a branch of the Museum of Modern Art.

Taking pictures inside is not permitted. This I learned when I tried to photograph a row of ceiling lights in the old school's hallway, each light with a red "EXIT" painted on it. The guard said something like: "You can't take pictures of that... it's part of the art." We exchanged smiles. Who makes the rules? Who decides that that ugly structure outside through which I shot the top of the Citicorp building is ART? Students, raise your hands if you agree that most of the top officers of large investment banks belong in jail.

As you can see from the "picture" below it's not just a zoom lens that links these two institutions.

The High Line, September 13

Above the High Line


Underneath the High Line


Shaft

American Museum of Natural History, September 12

Encounter

Tomkins Square Park , May 15

NYC Dance Parade and Dancefest

The NYC Park Department sponsored the the third annual dance parade which wound up in Tompkins Square Park for an afternoon of dance performance. Exhibitionists and voyeurs had gathered to enjoy this beautiful spring day. In spite of the crowd I was able to isolate for the lens a few of the many colorful characters ... and those watching them. Many more got away.

Sony Building Lobby Revisited, May 13

Today I revisited the Sony building lobby and again I focused on the ceiling. It was around 5 PM and the light was much different than on my first visit. I took a few shots, a half hour apart, each time capturing the reflections on the black marble wall to the left of me.

Brooklyn Bridge, May 8






Crowd pleaser

I Walk to Brooklyn on the Brooklyn Bridge,
April 28

It was another hot day in New York, somewhere around 90F, that felt more like mid summer than spring, when I walked to Brooklyn. At 2 PM the light was so intense that the Manhattan Bridge looked like a mirage against the cloudless sky.

Manhattan Bridge on a Hot Spring Day

By the time I reached Fulton and Lawrence Street (and before I stopped at the local Irish pub for a pint of Guinness) I was a bit dehydrated and also perhaps a little delusional. I had transported myself into a different world. But even there "Steve" stood out. I asked him if I could take his picture. He kindly agreed and he gave me his card.

Lexington Avenue, April 23

It's been a while. I finally felt well enough today to go and scout out an area on Lexington Avenue. Manhattan is tough. So much going on. Many ugly objects blocking what I wanted to shoot. But it's good to be back.

34th. Street and 8th Avenue:
The Manhattan Post Office, March 29


Zip Code 10001

Underground, March 26


Attend your children


Wall

Grand Central, February 18



Vanderbilt Hall




Soul



Suspicion

New York Public Library, February 4


Inner space



Light streaming

Upper West Side Noire, January 27

Upper West Side Pastels, January 26

Ted had some time to kill between a doctor's appointment in the morning and a meeting on the Upper West Side in the evening. He invited me to walk with him in his old neighborhood. It was cold and I kept my hands in my pockets most of the time as we walked from 90th. Street and Broadway up to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and back. That night I saw a lot of pastels. The day after I saw "noire."

Metro Theater, Broadway and 99th Street (For Sale)

Winter Predators, Gardiner, NY. January 25

Deer tracks

Sarah's Post, January 16

My granddaughter Sarah, age 10, got a point and shoot camera for Christmas. Since then she has taken many photos in New York City, Gardiner and Washington DC. Below are several that we both like and would like to share.

Casey in Slippers

January 13, 2009 News?

Madison Avenue revisited, January 11, 2009

The New York Botanical Garden, December 30

I was surprised on revisiting this lovely oasis in the Bronx that it is more pleasant than London's Kew Gardens: less formal, more topographically interesting grounds, with many secluded places and not as polluted by jet plane noise. It's free on Wednesdays and you can easily avoid the $12 parking fee by finding a space within a short walking distance. It was depressing to see some parents encouraging their children to climb all over the Henry Moore sculptures.

Shooting ornaments

December 26, 2008

Sarah and I wandered on the East Side and we took some photos. The tree was uninteresting to her (and to me) but she was immediately attracted by the big Xmas ornaments statue near Rockefeller Center and some of the shop windows. Later that day we wound up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Temple of Dendur

The Custom House, December 18

You can read about the Custom House by clicking on the above link. Currently it contains an insignificant portion of the Museum of the American Indian. The real treasure is the building and its murals. Unfortunately it is not well lit and cannot be fully enjoyed or photographed. Shame on the Smithsonian for removing the American Indian treasures from New York and for not adequately presenting the building. This could have been another one of this city's great museum.

Around and around...

Same ceiling, different angle and different processing.

(Note: These pictures were taken under less than ideal lighting conditions and without a tripod. In the top two pictures I experiment with Photomatix (HDR blending of three different exposure) to bring out the images. In the future I hope to use HDR technology under better conditions and with better results. But, of course, in this case use of a tripod would have yielded much better photos. Traveling light has its drawbacks.)

Memories of Halloween

With winter upon us, it's time to experiment with some forgotten shots. A little tone mapping made these guys come alive.

Windows

Woman in the Window

Village Halloween Parade

It was a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon when Ted Roth and I got off the C train in SoHo. We proceeded to walk toward the starting point of the parade, taking some practice shot along the way, tempted by the wonderful light. When we arrived various groups were already in the staging area, preparing for the event. Night pictures during the parade would be difficult, so we began shooting early.

SoHo Sunlight



SoHo Rooftop

When we arrived the cops were already there, in the hundreds. I couldn't help but think that there was excessive manpower and lots of overtime in the making.

Discussing overtime.

The staging area was bustling with models, performers, participants and dozens of photographers, a large number of whom were drawn to the body painting area.

Later that evening, it was warm...

Woman and Man



Haunted Canyon

Later, the fun began. But it was mostly too dark to take good pictures.

Snakes



Skeletons Reclining


The Drummer


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Downtown, October 8

Chambers Street

Tweed Courthouse Chandelier (52 Chambers Street)



Reflections in a building Window -- Broadway and Grand Street


----

Chinatown

It was another beautiful October day as I strolled in Chinatown. What impressed me the most today was the intensity of concentration of the people as they worked and played in this wonderful public space. A guy with a big camera glued to his face caused hardly a stir as he clicked and clicked while walking among them

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wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover upwall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover up wall street cover upwall street cover up

Wall Street, October 6

The Dow was down another 700 points when I took the # 2 train down to Wall Street today. It was a slightly overcast, with the sun peeking out occasionally. But the mood outside the exchange was almost jovial, with hundreds of tourist snapping away, mostly at the big flag that drapes the Corinthian columns of the Stock Exchange. It stuck me once again how often we use the flag (and other totemic symbols) to cover up misdeeds.

Cover up



Too late

September 25, 2008.

"If money isn't loosened up, this sucker could go down."

--President George W. Bush

Wall Street, September 24

"Lord of the universe"

After Hours

Facing East




Above the Fray



Garage, near Wall Street



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September 15, 2008

"The fundamentals of our economy are strong."

-- Senator John McCain

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Chelsea Piers, September 2.

While other parts of the country suffers through a housing crisis reminiscent of the Great Depression, Manhattan is still undergoing a building boom. While elsewhere the headlines read "Default," here it's: "Another Crane Topples, Killing Two." And in Chelsea: buildings going up, sidewalks already jammed with yuppies and tourists provide outdoor seating for the restaurant and cafe crowd, lots of new art galleries and "energy" everywhere.

On a summer night by the Hudson, with Jersey City sparkling, there's an exuberant mix of walkers, joggers, rollerbladers and cyclists. As I walk along the Chelsea piers, I wonder where the money is coming from. Is it high tech employers like IAC? Is it the tourists from Europe and elsewhere who come here to shop at this new bargain basement? Is it still money spilling over from Wall Street? How much longer will the party last?

Ship in the Night



Night Jogger


Double vision


IAC building by Frank Gehry

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Times Square, August 19.

It was a warm evening, thousands were milling around, a friendly crowd giving off a lot of positive energy: two couples, tourist from Germany and Scandinavia asked me to take their pictures with their digital point and shoot. A Latino mother thrust a disposable camera in my hand and, with gestures and a smile, asked me to photograph her and her little boy. I struck up a conversation with two young cops who seemed to be having a good time while making their presence felt. And a guy handing out circulars for two comedy clubs spent a few minutes talking with me. I wonder how many people besides me took notice of the day's headline news?

Russia shrugs off NATO scolding



42nd. Street



700 Rooms With Private Bath





Madison Avenue

Q: What are those green columns?
A: Insulation material not yet covered.

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Manhattan at Night, August 4

Late Shoppers: Corner 5th. Avenue and 57th. Street

(The background for this picture was a couple hundred vertical fluorescent light tubes in the Louis Vuitton window display at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th. Street. That window display was dismantled a few days after I took this picture.)

Bus Stop at Columbus Circle



Bus Stop, 5th Avenue. 6PM.



Before going downtown to see the Manhattan lights, I lingered a while at the Dyckman Street station.






1776-1905

July 28, Gardiner, NY

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July 8, Staten Island

While others continue to deliberate on the shape, form and character of the World Trade Center memorial, Staten Island residents created their "Angels' Circle" memorial on a vacant lot on Hyland Blvd.

The text at the bottom of the angel statue in the background reads:

On Sept 11 2001 the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists. This attack was the worst murder in the history of the United States. From that hatred a little piece of heaven evolved here called "Angels' Circle"

The best part of going to Staten Island is coming back on the ferry. Where else can you get a free thirty minute boat ride with great views of an ever changing New York City harbor? Unfortunately it was a hazy day and the pictures were not that crisp. Here's one of a New York City summer folly, the most ridiculous "art" I've seen in a long time -- one of four "waterfalls" put up this summer for the tourists.

The interesting sights are endless, like the Queen Mary 2 docked just behind the dreary brick buildings on Governor's Island.

And now the Queen Mary 2 in full view. What a way to travel!

But this trip was free

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June 24, Staten Island

Today I explored Staten Island for the first time in years: it was a disappointing excursion. The borough seen from the # 78 bus on Hyland Blvd. is super-vulgar, the light was bad because I got a late start -- as usual -- and coming back on the ferry at sunset, I just couldn't get the shots I wanted. But I will go back soon.

This is the only picture (shot outside of Blue Heron Park) that I was satisfied with.

June 24

On the way back from Staten Island, walking north from South Ferry, I did take this photo...one that pleased me.

Somewhere south of Canal Street.







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June 16. Today I revisited Inwood Hill Park

I spent a couple of hours working hard taking pictures of various birds, including a Great Egret and the most numerous residents, of course: Canada Geese. But none of the photos pleased me at the time. Then, as I was about to leave, I saw some bird tracks in the mud just as the tide was coming back in and I snapped two quick shots. I like one of those two the best. There is a lesson there.

Bird tracks and reflections

Great Egret (Ardea alba) diving for fish

Great Egret gets the fish

Since last October our old friend the Muscovy duck
seems to have gotten himself a new family.



Next generation: born, bred and grass fed in Manhattan.

Canada Geese caught in the wake of the Circle Line boat.


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Shopping at Fairway. June 5

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Glass blowing exhibition, Cooper-Hewitt Museum.
June 2

One shot on the way to the subway....






...and a stop at Columbus Circle..







(Both shots from inside the Time Warner Center)


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Central Park South. May 13.

Whenever I got the dentist I take my camera. It's a part of town that I otherwise don't normally visit. Today I introduced my new Nikon D-300 to this unreal world.

Reflections in FAO Schwarz window

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Tenth Avenue, below 13th Street. May 7.

On my way to a screening of Christopher Robert's latest film production, the very engaging "House of Satisfaction," I wandered west of the West Village. It's urban renewal ... as usual. I couldn't help but wonder: who would want to live 150 feet from and facing the West Side Highway?

Gulf going down

Apartments going up

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The Upper West Side, from 72 Street to 125 Street, bounded by the Hudson River on the West, Central Park on the East, and Harlem to the North, is a diverse and vibrant residential neighborhood. Walking its streets and avenues shows us, by contrast, what is wrong with most American cities and suburbs: the absence of meaningful street life. In spite of the multimillion dollar coops and brownstones, and the high priced food stores, the Upper West Side is still one of the many places in New York City that has retained some character; where one can enjoy the sidewalk culture, delight in some fascinating interiors like Zabar's or Apple Bank (pictured below) and pick up a bargain from one of the hundreds of street vendors who populate the area on a sunny day. Unfortunately this neighborhood has also experienced significant degradation in the past twenty years, primarily from the obscene invasion by Duane Reade and other chains ... and many dismal construction projects, such as the "upgrading" of the Hayden Planetarium.

Scenes from the Upper West Side. April 17.

Where is everybody?

Bagels and...

Not a bag lady

Bag man




Vietnam veteran


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Tampa (April 8-13)

I spent a few days in Tampa, while Jen met with her colleagues at the annual meeting of ancient historians. These are just a few impressions of one small section of the city, Ibor. Unfortunately I was not there at night when Ibor comes alive.

Entering the National Landmark Ibor Historic District

Ibor Secrets

A party at a beer garden on historic 7th Avenue



Don Quixote and Sancho Panza obstructed by a bolted bench
in front of the landmark Columbia restaurant.






Side trip to St. Petersburg

In St. Petersburg there was of interest: the Dali Museum, lots of birds and a few remaining old buildings. All else it seems was condos, blue sky, The Gulf and the ever present danger of burning up in the sun. It is "Sunshine City."

The Fine Art Museum was a disapointment except for the one work just below.

Dancing on the Street Pave In Gold

And the beach

Caladesi Island State Park

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The Bronx, between the Major Deegan Expressway
and the Harlem River. March 26

I've driven past this industrial strip thousands of time, usually at over fifty miles an hour. Today I parked the car and walked down to to see the place up close. It's a part of New York City the tourists never see.

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Lower Manhattan, Sunday March 11

WTC

The Office

Outside Trinity Church Cemetery


Trinity Church


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Tuckahoe Road, Yonkers. March 6

Yonkers is one of the gateways to New York City, a place I pass through every week on my way to more pleasant destinations. That part of Tuckahoe Road which bisects Southern Yonkers and joins Interstate 87 to Central Avenue, presents urban sprawl at its nastiest.

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Gardiner, February 23

Our Backyard

Farm on the way home (Route 208)

Another sunset

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Tackling the Bronx

Yesterday I decided I had neglected the Bronx long enough. I have traveled all over that borough and I can vouch that it has some of the ugliest sights in New York City. It is the poorest and most culturally deprived. The Grand Concourse was long ago stripped of its stained glass. Its art deco building have been defaced. And most of its once luxurious apartments have been converted into cubicles by greedy -- or desperate -- landlords, as fear-driven middle class families abandoned them for the Coop City wasteland. Another landmark, the Kingsbridge Armory has been plundered and raped. I could go on.

But the Bronx's past greatness is still evident in its majestic parks such as the Botanical garden and one of the world's grandest zoos. And, adjacent to Van Cortland Park, there is the gem, Woodlawn Cemetery, 400 acre, a final resting place to over 300,000 people, home to thousands of geese and ducks, site of hundreds of the City's oldest and most beautiful trees and the most amazing repository of human grandiosity and foolishness since 1863.

I spent a couple of hours exploring a small part of this sprawling museum of the bizarre and planning out the best way to photograph some of its remarkable monuments. I took just a few photos as a place mark for future adventures.

January 30

Gardiner

January, 2008. This is our first winter in Gardiner. I have just begun to explore the neighborhood.

On Old Ford Road

On the rail trail

Rural plastic

A hornet's nest, Old Ford Road



One of our neighbors, a Red-tailed hawk

(Dunsinberre Road and Steves Lane), January 18

Winter Sunset, Gardiner, NY. December 29



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Riverdale
'Twas the day after Christmas

There will be a slight detour from walking the boroughs necessitated by Jen presenting a paper at Oxford ... our few days there, our day trip to the surrounding countryside and three days in London. Since England is more photogenic than NYC, I'm afraid that this may involve a lot of photos.

London (Nov. 21-24)

Can't say that London is a beautiful city -- nothing like Paris or Prague. But it is interesting and sophisticated. And it is full of wonders.

London at Night

London Gem




Imperial War Museum

This is an impressive museums. The exhibit that most caught our attention was created by artist Steve McQueen.

For each British soldiers killed in Iraq whose family granted permission, a stamp has been created. There are some 150 blocks of stamps currently in the exhibit. Each block is stored in a vertical pull out display case. It is hoped (in vain, I think) that the British government will eventually print these stamps.

Jagdpanther
Most successful German tank destroyer of WWII


Big guns in front of museum



Another memorial to killed soldiers...
(created by British children)


... and to the animals

They had no choice (Hyde Park)



Just kidding ;-)





Kew Gardens

We spent an afternoon visiting Kew Gardens, which currently features 28 of Henry Moore's large outdoor sculptures. It's a wonderful place except for one fatal flaw: it's near Heathrow airport -- one of the world's busiest -- and right on the flight path. They roar loudly and regularly-- every minute, without respite. So, a fabulous exhibit, very nice gardens, but no serenity there. We felt bad for the residents of this lovely suburban neighborhood. Another photographer, Ray Edgar, has captured this travesty quite well.

Conservatory

Henry Moore and me








The British Museum

I could visit The British Museum for a whole week and not begin to exhaust its treasures. Here are just a few of its delights, in no particular order.

The Atomic Apocalypse: Will Death Die? (Mexican papier mache)




Jen and the Rosetta Stone

Bolivian carnival costume


Yamantaka Vajrabhairava (Tibetan)

The London Eye

Click here for panoramic view from the London Eye
eh, no need to reinvent the wheel ;-)

Oxford (Nov. 17-20, 2007)

Tyrannosaurus Rex at the Pitt Rivers Museum







Magdalen College of Oxford University

St. Swithin's buildings

Stairs to dining hall

College chapel




Oxford, 5 PM






The Countryside, Nov. 19


First Snow (Swinton, near Oxford) which is very near...


The Manor...



The Churchyard...


Fox Inn (Lower Oddington)











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Manhattan Blues

Bright blues (Hearst Tower)...



... and trumpingly depressing

Hudson River blues

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On November 8, Ted Roth and I went shooting first in Riverside Park in the morning and then on Roosevelt Island in the evening. Ted was carrying a heavy pack with camera, lenses and a tripod attached. I had my point and shoot... and a light tripod that I never used. Now when I see a lot of blurry night photos, I'm sorry that I didn't. But it was a good day anyway, with great light and some night shots I like.

Two weeks ago I thought "Gantry" referred to Elmer. But there we were, on the West side of the West Side Highway, with a gantry in plain view.

Gantry through grass and trees

May I join in?

This park is clean and safe

Editorial: This new Southern stretch of Riverside Park, when first encountered seems lovely, with modern sculptures, decorative grasses and a bicycle path. But these cannot distract from the realities: its location in the shadow of of the Trump eyesores and the noisy West Side Highway -- nor from the smells that waft from the nearby sewage plant.

Night falls on Roosevelt Island










Corny, but I couldn't resist

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Today -- November 2, 2007 -- I returned to Long Island City, got off at the first stop in Queens on the #7 (Vernon Blvd.) and walking North along the East River, starting out at Gantry Plaza State Park, here's some of what I saw:

Welcome to condo land

Glass boxes waiting to be filled

View on the other side

This is a noisy place...

... with lots of action
(like this overheated car which drew two fire trucks to the scene) ...

... And where kids from the Ravenswod projects can play in the shadow of Con Edison ...








....which provides the power that makes it all work







... for the Pepsi generation

You'll notice it's hard to get away from Citibank, on either side of the East River.

On my walks I observed a couple of post-9/11 phenomena so palpable in this city: American flags at every turn and artifactual evidence of fear (perhaps they are the same). The sight of a camera puts every security guard on red alert; just walk into any lobby and ask to take a picture. And, in Long Island City, note the chain link fences and concertina wire everywhere. To keep prying eyes out, a black mesh is frequently added.

The Queensborough bridge

Flag on garage door

If you ever wondered where all the cabs come from, and haven't yet seen the new logo....




... and where the blood gets processed

Roosevelt Avenue, under the shadow of the #7 train, roughly from 40 Street, to Main Street, Flushing, is an eclectic center of commerce, colors, noises and the smells of a dozen different ethnic foods. These shots were taken on two occasion in September 2007 as I walked from 74 Street to 95 Street, underneath the elevated train. The boundaries are fluid, but the transitions are perceptible, and the only unity is the bright and saturated colors to which these photos can only hint.

Exotic scents from India...



... and baubles





Hot dogs...Sabor Ecuatoriano




Amor Dinero

Store

Dora, Mary and the Tiger




Hairdresser's window

Inwood

At the northern tip of Manhattan is Inwood, a residential neighborhood with a busy and colorful shopping district west of Broadway. Its park, Inwood Hill, is probably New York city's most scenic, with a wetland area which comes alive with feeding flocks of birds as the tides of the Hudson estuary recede.

Inwood Hill park, seen from Spuyten Duyvil station

Muscovy duck at dusk

Henry Hudson Bridge at low tide

Local residents awakened by an intruder

Geese are well organized

People wander into the park

Others leave interesting traces

... Some have a strange sense of entitlement

In contrast to the park and western residential area, the eastern part of Inwood is a commercial district with many small retail stores, fast food restaurants and chain stores. One center of activity is the corners of Dyckman Street and Sherman Avenue

On the South-East corner: garments for all occasions

Around the corner: Nelton Reyes, M.D.

On the North-East corner: Inwood street mural

The East Side of Midtown Manhattan

In late summer 2007 I spent quite a bit of time on the East side of midtown Manhattan, due to some dental work. I took my new toy with me. Although I didn't see much to photograph I did find a couple of colorful places... and the cityscape which heads this blog.

53rd.& Park, Seagram building, Calder sculpture

This is one the first three pictures I took with my new Canon PowerShot S5 IS while killing time before my first oral surgery appointment. Not a happy occasion. This picture was the best part of the day.

You can see the top of the Sony building, which used to be the RCA building on the right hand side of the header photo at the top of this blog.

Lobby ceiling of Sony building

Queens

I'll return to Manhattan in a few months, but now I want to spend some time in Queens -- specifically that part traversed by the number 7 elevated line. This is where I lived and played during my high school and college years: Long Island City, Elmhurst, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Flushing.

Now it's another continent. The # 7 line is basic transportation for each new wave of immigrants, mostly from Asia and Latin America, who populate this borough, and for yuppies, artists and others who can no longer afford Manhattan. (September 2007)

5-Points, Long Island City

In time for Halloween

One wonders how they do it

Beast vs. Beast