I could not stay in Strawberry Fields Forever

September 11th, 2011

2011-09-11T21:40:00.000-04:00

I went down to Ground Zero on September 11th, 2011 to observe the visitors and events going on during the 10-year anniversary. Every year that I can, I go down to the World Trade Center site on the anniversary to capture these moments and reflect on the events. Despite the threats and worries surrounding this particular anniversary, the area was crowded and the usual ceremonies and rituals were all still going on. Most notable was the bagpipe ceremony in front of O'Haras Irish Pub at the foot of Ground Zero.

Just a few days before I had gotten a new camera lens as a birthday gift from my photo friend Joe. It was the 55-250 telephoto lens, so it lead me to take more intimate pictures of the people and places down there.

St. Paul's Chapel across from Ground Zero

Hardhat

News crews doing interviews

1 WTC

Ladder 10

More pics on my photostream.

Bryant Park Summer Movie with Marilyn Monroe

2011-07-15T21:31:00.000-04:00

All summer long I have been meaning to get out and see one of the outdoor summer movies that have been taking place since June. Despite heat and exhaustion on Monday night, I made sure to attend the HBO Summer Film Festival in Bryant Park, showing the Marilyn Monroe movie 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.'

I'd never seen a Marilyn Monroe movie before, and I didn't understand the movie too well. I was there mainly for the experience though, and to have fun watching an outdoor movie with a thousand or so other people who were also attending!

Before it got too crowded...

"Diamonds are a girls best friend"

Manhattanhenge 2011 - July 13

2011-07-13T22:16:00.002-04:00

Manhattanhenge - July 13, 2011 in Times Square.

Best Manhattanhenge ever.

Photographers:

Goodbye Manhattanhenge. See you next year!

Manhattanhenge 2011 - July 12

2011-07-12T21:27:00.002-04:00

Since I missed the event in May, the Manhattanhenge that was set to take place on July 12th and 13th was all I've been able to think about.

I was lucky enough to see this rare sunset from 34th Street and 1st Avenue, and capture the "Peoplehenge" phenomenon that takes place too as photographers take over the intersection between green lights to get the best view.

Practice shot for Manhattanhenge, just minutes before it occurred!

Paparazzi waiting for Manhattanhenge, just minutes before it occured!

"Peoplehenge"

Close call with a cab

Scary bus traffic speeding by

Cell phone capture

More to come from tomorrow's Manhattanhenge viewing!

4th of July Fireworks - 2011

2011-07-05T22:37:00.003-04:00

On the 4th of July, I was at a friend's roof top cook-out in the West Village (West 14th & 7th to be exact), waiting for the Macy's fireworks show to begin over the Hudson.

This was going to be my 4th time seeing the Macy's fireworks. I had always braved the crowds along the FDR Drive, by the East River, or along Chelsea Piers and the West Side Highway, overlooking the Hudson River.

This year I planned to do something low key and luckily I had the chance to view the show from the comfort of a roof top with snacks, drinks and good friends!

So here's how the night went...

The sky turned a bright orange

Night was falling

I had a cupcake

They started!

My friends got out a blanket

There were reds!

And golds!

And then I stopped taking pics just in time to actually SEE the finale, out from behind the camera lens...

Rainbow City at The High Line

2011-07-04T16:51:00.001-04:00

"Rainbow City" is open in New York City! This large-scale installation of balloons or 'air-filled sculptures' as they're called, have taken over the grounds at the foot of the High Line. Set up near the 30th Street entrance to section 2 of the elevated park, and part of FriendsWithYou and AOL, these art objects were created to be an interactive playground. My friend and I stopped by on our way to explore the new extension of the High Line and enjoyed playing with these colorful sculptures and interacting with the kids and other visitors there.

More pictures from the site here.

The installation closes on July 5th, 2011.

Manhattanhenge 2011 Meet-up

2011-06-24T13:01:00.000-04:00

Since I missed the May 30/31 Manhattanhenge (I was out seeing Bridesmaids one of the nights, and at home watching Bachelorette the other... shame on me for being a girl), I am making up for it with two meet-ups on the July 11th and 12th dates!

From NewYorkology -
The 2011 Manhattanhenge dates:

Full-sun on the grid:
Monday, July 11 at 8:25 p.m.

Half-sun on the grid:
Tuesday, July 12 at 8:25 p.m.

Monday, let's meet at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue at 7:30 pm. I know that's not the best viewing spot but it is next to Bryant Park and I am seeing Gentlemen Prefer Blondes there that night as part of their HBO Summer Film Festival. If you would like to move further East, then we can simply meet-up to say Hi, share tips and stories of past Manhattanhenge events, then go our separate ways!

Tuesday, let's meet at 34th Street and 1st Avenue at 7:30. There is a plaza on the northeast corner in front of the East 34th Street Heliport. The Express Bus M15 and Crosstown M34 both stop near here. We will have a great view of the Empire State Building in our shots. I will be taking pics from the middle of the street during red lights. Join me in the crazyness!

From my 2010 viewing of Manhattanhenge on July 11th from the Tudor City Bridge on East 42nd Street:

If you're interested in a far out view, go to Gantry State Plaza Park in Long Island City, Queens:

Bubble Battle 2011

2011-06-22T11:50:00.000-04:00

Luckily, I have a friend with lots of bubble guns, wands and bottles. These items were called for at the 2011 Bubble Battle which took place out on Coney Island, the same day as the Mermaid Parade. So my friends and I watched the parade, got some franks, then prepared to duel.

But it wasn't so much a battle as a medium-sized crowd simply blowing bubbles and getting soapy water everywhere. Either way, we had a blast!

Scenes from the 2011 Mermaid Parade

2011-06-19T22:47:00.001-04:00

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade... I go every year and I just love it! It felt so amazing to return to Coney Island on Saturday, June 18th, since my last visit in June 2010 for last year's parade. I used to go lay out on the beach every weekend with my friends back in the Summer of '08, but these same friends moved away and I haven't been back as much since. Then Astroland closed down in September of '08 and we all thought that would be the end of Coney Island. But it is still thriving, thanks to the new Luna Park and various flea markets occupying the former fair grounds.

It was vey crowded, but I didn't mind. This is a magical, historical place and it's important to me to try and visit every year that I live in New York. The only other day when it's this crowded is on the 4th of July during the hot-dog eating contest. Believe me, I've been!!

This year, I vowed to walk in the parade for next year (maybe as a Hula Girl?) and to also return to the park again this summer to ride some of the new Luna Park amusement rides. But not on July 4th...

Golden Girl

Dancers

Ice Skater float

My friend calls the man below, "The Guy" because he always
sees this guy around the City at festivals, parades, shows, etc.

Got a kick out of these guys: "Life of Pi"

Sorry, no naked Mermaid pics. I'm a chick so...

Museum Mile Festival - 2011

2011-06-15T23:06:00.000-04:00

Every year I look forward to the Museum Mile Festival, taking place on 5th Avenue between 82nd and 105th Streets. Last year I followed the inspiration quotes of artist James De La Vega down the mile and captured pictures of Central Park and the City from the Met Roof top.

In 2009 I went inside the Guggenheim Museum despite the crowds, and admired the quotes and chalk drawings along the way.

This year my friends and I teamed up to walk the mile from top to bottom, hoping to catch a glimpse of De La Vega in action, and we did! See below for all of the fun that was had admiring his quotes and writing our own!

De La Vega in action - writing his famous "Become Your Dream"

Joe drawing Andrew Wyeth's 'Christina's World'

With De La Vega's "Become Your Dream" quote

Close-up of the fish... becoming their dream...

Friends jumping in front of the Guggenheim

My sidewalk quote:

Admiring...

Interactive video installation at Park Ave Armory

2011-06-10T17:00:00.000-04:00

Closing tomorrow, June 11th, some pictures of Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda's projected video installation called "The Transfinite" at Park Avenue Armory. I stopped by last night with the after-work crowd, so it was very busy, which made for some interesting people watching amid the strange visuals and accompanying sounds.

The Park Avenue Armory is a giant space just off 66th Street where performances and grand scale art installations take place. Taken directly from the Armory's website, it can be described as a "55,000 square foot drill hall, reminiscent of the original Grand Central Depot."

Recent exhibitions and activities at the Park Avenue Armory include a giant showing of red and white quilts (which I am bummed I missed) and a music festival as well as an indoor carnival last October.

Tom Otterness in Battery Park City

2011-05-25T16:44:00.000-04:00

Tom Otterness' characters made of bronze have been described as "comical, cunning, cartoonish and adorable". His bronze sculptures are located throughout the City in Times Square (on West 42nd between 7th & 8th in front of the AMC movie theater), along the 8th Avenue subway station of the L & ACE trains, and also in Battery Park City.

I went to a guided tour on Saturday, May 8th at 2 pm with the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, which described the public exhibition of 'The Real World', installed in 1992, of some of Tom's cartoony characters.

You really had to look around. They were everywhere!

"Humpty Dumpty is the Fiddler on the Roof"!

Kids are allowed to climb all over his works!

Spilt martini glass. Or is it a flashlight?

Almost took some of these for myself.. I mean, we're in recession

Why is the cat tied up!?

Napping, Lunching, Lounging in the Grass

2011-05-23T16:29:00.000-04:00

Some park-goers in Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, which is in Battery Park City between Warren and Chambers Street. I was there last weekend to check out a tour of some sculptures by Tom Otterness, also located in the park.

NAPPING

LOUNGING

LUNCHING

And here is a better idea of the setting—everyone's relaxing in the grass in front of some of the luxury, residential mid & high-rises along River Terrace....

Tribeca Towers & Buildings...

2011-05-21T14:34:00.001-04:00

If I could afford to live anywhere in Manhattan, it would be in Tribeca. Everything seems better down there—the buildings, restaurants, stores, waterfront views, transportation, etc.

Every time I am in that part of town, I am so impressed and inspired by the architecture and the atmosphere. It's the perfect mix of business district and residential/family friendly.

And as you can see, on a cloudy yet sunny day, I am constantly looking up and admiring the way these buildings and towers stand against the perfectly accented sky....

Frank Gehry's new residental condo downtown: New York

The Cosmopolitan Hotel on the corner of Chambers Street & W. Broadway

View toward the Woolworth Building, one of the oldest skyscrapers in NYC on Broadway & Park Place

Cool buildings on Chambers Street between Church & W. Broadway

New sculpture in Madison Square Park

2011-05-19T15:22:00.001-04:00

When walking past Madison Square Park after one day, I had to stop and do a double take in disbelief. A tall, glowing white face with a warped shape was sticking out of the main lawn, set against a backdrop that included the similarly stretched Flat Iron Building and the surrounding trees.

This is by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, who based the sculpture off of a previous piece he did in England, titled "Dream." NYC's version of it is "Echo"—a young girl with a braid in her hair, standing 44 feet tall and made of polyester resin.

The St. Helens Star came across some of my photos of it on Twitter and used them in an article that ties this piece back to the original "Dream" sculpture Plensa did in St. Helens, England. Check it out!

Cherry Blossom Festival at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens

2011-05-09T10:31:00.003-04:00

The annual Sakura Matsuri, or Cherry Blossom Festival, took place at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens recently and my friends and I went to enjoy the pink blossoms and picnic on the Cherry Esplanade! Also known as the 'Cherry Walk' we were sitting among hundreds of other park goers enjoying the musical entertainment up on stage and the very pricey bento boxes of sushi, vegetables and chicken teriyaki.

It was very crowded but it made for some interesting photos with all of the fluffy cherry blossoms and swarms of families and their kids.

The crowds at the Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom and Japanese Hill and Pond

After leaving the Festival grounds, I went into Shakespeare's Garden where I saw some Bleeding Hearts!

And tulips!

Walking up and down 5th Avenue

2011-04-30T21:19:00.005-04:00

When my Mom was in town, I showed her Central Park for the first time, took her to revisit Times Square (she'd been during Christmas of '09) and we got drinks at The Plaza Hotel. I planned to show her some of the unique little boutiques and shops down in the Lower East Side one of the days that she was here, but she asked to see Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral instead. Wow, I didn't even think to take her there. I guess I am really turning into a local, because I haven't been back to those places in a while. I used to go all the time, and I used to take my visitors there right away.

So we ventured up and down 5th Avenue to admire some of our favorite NYC stores: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendell's, Juicy Couture, etc.

At the start of 5th Avenue and Waverly Place in the West Village
The arch in Washington Square Park

Nearby row of brownstone townhouses used by NYU,
on Waverly Place at Washington Square Park & 5th Avenue

Further up 5th Avenue in the 40's: St. Patrick's Cathedral

Trump Tower on 5th Avenue

Golden food court inside the Trump Tower

Louis Vuitton Ostrich egg theme

Tiffany & Co

Cool Burberry window display on 57th Street & 5th Avenue

If you're visiting the City for the first time, the tenth time or even if you are a local, these are the best places to see! You really will feel like you're seeing the best sights of NYC!

Another temporary Installation on Park Avenue: 'Roses'

2011-04-27T21:39:00.000-04:00

Another temporary installation further up the way from Urs Fischer's Untitled (Bear/Lamp) is Will Ryman's Roses.

Made of fiberglass and steel and temporarily set up on Park Avenue between 57th & 67th Streets, Roses is made up of several installation pieces within the street medians and is up through May!

The 'Untitled' Bear by Urs Fischer

2011-04-24T15:23:00.002-04:00

Sitting (barely) upright on park Avenue and East 52nd Street is Urs Fischer's latest and weirdest temporary installation: Untitled (Bear/Lamp) on Seagram Plaza, in front of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's famous Seagram Building.

I hear this thing will be up for auction next month by Christie's.

Walking through Central Park in Spring time

2011-04-21T21:11:00.001-04:00

I thought Fall was the best time to be in the park, to see the trees in bright yellows and greens. But it can be nice in the Springtime as well. The trees are covered with pink and white flowers. Shakespeare's Garden is blooming. The Great Lawn is green. The turtles come to the surface in Turtle Pond. People take over the fields and couples ask for pictures by The Lake.

My favorite benches inside the Arthur Ross Pinetum

Lovers on the Great Lawn

Trees over the Great Lawn

Bow Bridge and The Lake
(with a view toward The Dakota and The San Remo on Central Park West)

Sundial in Shakespeare's Garden (and it tells accurate time!)

Random banana hanging on a tree by Turtle Pond

Belvedere Castle

The Mall before the elm trees turn all green!

Central Park: Mom in town Edition

2011-04-19T20:27:00.002-04:00

My Mom came to visit me in New York City the weekend of April 15th. We visited my favorite spot in Central Park - The Arthur Ross Pinetum located by the 86th Street and Central Park West entrance. While in Central Park we took fun pictures of each other inside the Pinetum and eventually made our way to the Reservoir, The Great Lawn, The Lake, Shakespeare's Garden and Bethesda Terrace.

Inside the Arthur Ross Pinetum, surrounded by pine trees!

My Mom on the Reservoir Bridge by 86th Street

Bow Bridge, The Lake with The Dakota, The San Remo in the background

Inside Shakespeare's Garden under a Magnolia Tree

Looking out over The Great Lawn and Turtle Pond from the top of Belvedere Castle

Bethesda Terrace

Spring tree on the Great Lawn

The 2011 Macy's Flower Show

2011-04-10T21:54:00.002-04:00

Scenes from the Spring 2011 flower show at Macy's. This year's theme was "Towers of Flowers" and it ended on Sunday, April 10th. I went the day before, on a busy Saturday, and braved the crowds of tourists and other brave locals on the 1st floor near all of the jewelry and make-up counters.

I was most looking forward to seeing the Japanese Garden located toward the front of the store near the 34th Street Herald Square entrance.

Around the Reservoir

2011-04-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

My new favorite place to visit in Central Park is the Jacquelin Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, near the entrances of 86th Street at Central Park West and 90th Street at 5th Avenue, right by the Guggenheim Museum. I can walk from my apartment in the Upper West Side over to this large body of water set against the many neighborhood skylines that surround it.

It is just 1.58 miles to walk the full length around the reservoir—my friends and I go all the time now that it is getting warmer!

View toward Midtown East

View of the Eldorado in the Upper West Side 90's

Times Square in the rain

2011-03-29T21:23:00.000-04:00

It was a rainy day in New York so I went to join the tourists taking pictures in Times Square. It was sometime in the end of February when I went. It wasn't very cold but the more it rained, the more everyone cleared out. It was down to just a few of us with umbrellas and digital cameras. And then I was on my way too.

Tourists posing with umbrellas

Steam and cabs

Olive Garden, cabs and Wicked billboard

Trying not to slip on the slippery steps!

A man walking down the TKTS steps

Galleries in SoHo and the Lower East Side

2011-03-22T16:34:00.000-04:00

On St. Patrick's Day I dressed in green but didn't get to pursue any green beer or the usual St. Patrick's Day shenanigans. Instead I went on a gallery crawl starting in SoHo and ending in the Lower East Side. But I left early... to go visit an Irish Pub!

Some galleries visited include: Gallery Nine 5, Jen Bekman, Dodge Gallery and Charles Bank Gallery.

The Armory arts show, 2011

2011-03-09T09:31:00.002-05:00

The Armory Show—my photo friends and I go every year!

3 years ago on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 my friend Edward, who runs Wired New York, organized a meet-up for local photographers at the Armory Show out on Pier 94 by 12th Avenue and the Hudson River—and we've gone to the show every year since!

I have some past blog posts showing the contemporary art that I've admired at the show over the years, and here's another one:

"New York is a lot of work" - $1,000 worth of dollar bills foil stamped by Reed Seifer

From the 'Untitled' Gallery in New York - $576.60 worth of pennies
laid out on the floor by Los Angeles artist Ry Rocklen

From oliva arauna galeria - 'Three Women', consisting of one photograph,
six light projectors and six tripods.

The Armory Fence - site-specific neon installation by Ivan Navarro,
Displayed by Paul Kasmin Gallery

'I Love U' 2009 piece by Kira Kim, made of LED bulbs and mixed media pieces.
Shown by Kukje Gallery in Seoul, Korea and the Tina Kim Gallery in New York.

My friend and I taking pictures of a cool piece by Michelangelo Pistoletto
set up by the Giorgio Persano gallery

New York City Panorama at Queens Museum

2011-03-07T09:30:00.001-05:00

The Queens Museum of Art in Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the setting for the New York City Panorama which was first displayed during the 1964/65 World's Fair. I've seen pictures of it on flickr and always meant to visit and see it for myself.

On President's Day the museum stayed open so during my visit to the park to see the snow, I stopped in to take some pictures of this special exhibit.

View of Manhattan on the Panorama

View of Central Park and the Upper East and Upper West side neighborhoods

View toward the Upper East Side and Queens

View of Midtown East and the Queensborough Bridge

JFK airport in Queens

Coney Island on the southern edge of Brooklyn

Close-up of Coney Island!

Flushing Meadows Corona Park—covered in snow

2011-03-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

Over the 3-day Presidents Day Weekend, I was hoping to go somewhere new or different since I had the extra time off work. When I woke up that Monday morning and looked out my window to see a fresh layer of snow on the ground, I decided that after completing some chores, like doing laundry and getting lunch, I'd venture out to Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Flushing, Queens, to see the Unisphere and its surrounding 'meadows' blanketed in a light sheet of snow. I'd seen this place before, but I knew I wanted to see it again in the snow. It was either that or Coney Island, and I didn't really feel like going to the beach...

While there, I planned to visit the Queens Museum of Art for the first time to finally see the New York City Panorama—and I did! See next post for pictures...

Times Square on the coldest night of the year

2011-02-27T21:31:00.002-05:00

I stopped by Times Square on what felt like the coldest night of the year. I had heard of the 'Lighthearted' structure that was set up by the tkts booth at 45th Street and Broadway. It had been set up for Valentine's Day and it was a few days later so I wasn't sure if it would still be there, since Valentine's Day was over, and it was!

While I was there, I decided to stop into the Visitor Center across the street to see what new set-ups they had inside (and mostly to warm up!)

The tkts sign - Mamma Mia is 40% off!

The 'Lighthearted' structure

There is a cool post by NYC <3 NYC here.

Inside the Times Square Visitor Center

The Wishing Wall

BROADWAY!

The New Year’s Eve Centennial Ball which dropped in 2007

Stopping by the park on a snowy evening

2011-01-10T22:25:00.001-05:00

Not a cold nor icy wind could keep me from stopping by Central Park on a clear winter evening. Just before dusk, I ventured down a path at 86th Street and Central Park West toward the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir where I stopped to look out over the iced-over lake and admire the frosty white pieces of snow covering everything within view. The view out over the 106 acres of ice was quite chilling so I headed toward the Arthur Ross Pinetum, the northwestern playground of the Great Lawn of Central Park.

This is also my favorite spot in Central Park, where my two favorite benches sit inside an arboretum amid a collection of pine trees. I even spotted a lone cone on a lone pine!

From there I should have gone somewhere warm to nurse my cold back to health, not make it worse, but I decided to stay in the park a little longer and then found my way to Cleopatra's Needle, aka 'The Obelisk'. It looked amazing surrounded by snow-covered magnolias and crabapple trees. The Central Park conservancy was in the middle of giving a tour there so I listened in on a bit of the history of this sculpture, then eventually did leave the park for a trip downtown to get a warm drink and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Benches in the Arthur Ross Pinetum by 85th & CPW

The same two benches in summertime

Tree by The Great Lawn, surrounded by snow and the NYC skyline

The ballfields covered in a blanket of snow on The Great Lawn

A friend looking out over the reservoir

Footsteps on the ice?

The same spot in the summertime

The Obelisk in wintertime

Spiderman on Broadway

2011-01-06T12:46:00.001-05:00

After my 8 hours of standing around in Times Square the other night (New Year's Eve), I didn't expect to find myself back on 42nd Street anytime soon, but an opportunity presented itself this past Tuesday so I just had to go back. My friend Joe from I Still Heart New York had an extra ticket to see Spiderman, Turn off the Dark on Broadway!

I'd been wanting to see the play for a while, but I'd heard so many bad reviews that I wasn't even sure it was still going on. It turns out previews were still taking place despite recent problems with stunts and injuries.

The show goes on, risks and all, and on this particular night, everything went smoothly. I went into it with low expectations and stepped out feeling like I'd seen the best up and coming play on Broadway. I enjoyed it more than The Lion King and Wicked. Everything from the plot, stunts (Spiderman flies above the audience!) and music were perfect. Except it was a little too long - about 3 hours. And it turns out, Bono from U2, who wrote and composed the play's music with The Edge, was in the audience as well that night!

The backdrop of NYC included the Chrysler Building and the Queensborough and Brooklyn Bridges, as well as Peter Parker's Queens High School and picturesque Forest Hills neighborhood. I wish I could have gotten a picture of these props and illustrations, but I only had the nerve to take pictures during the show's end, which as you can see to the audience revealed about 10 Spiderman stunt doubles!

New Year's Eve in Times Square

2011-01-02T21:42:00.003-05:00

8 hours of standing still, unable to reach into my pockets because it was so crowded. 8 hours of watching a clock count down by seconds, minutes and long hours. 8 hours in a white michelin man coat when it was almost 50 degrees out. 8 hours surrounded by strangers who luckily, were pretty tame and well-behaved.... I did it!! I did Times Square for New Year's. It's been a goal of mine for several months now. Last year I went out of town and I couldn't stop thinking about how I should have stayed and gone for it, so this year I knew there was only one New Year's Eve option for me.

When I first got to Times Square around 3:45 pm, every inch of every block already seemed to be filled to capacity. I was standing at 47th and Broadway for a while but was kicked out by Police who decided to turn this perfect viewing spot into a safety zone. We were forced to leave Times Square and walk toward 8th Avenue. From there I realized I might not have a chance of getting back into Times Square, so I turned around and headed down to 46th along the barricades. Police weren't letting anyone else in, and I feared I wouldn't get to see the ball drop after all. But then one by one, a few of us were let into a clear area on Broadway, between the two performance stages where Ke$ha, The Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block and Taoi Cruz performed, and next to the American Eagle store and Bank of America. From there, my perfect view was born.

Some Nivea giveaways blocking my view

The host on stage

After 6 hours of standing around, it's now 2 hours to go!

Best looking 59 I've ever seen.

Taio Cruz performing "Dyanmite" and "Higher"

Glitter confetti. Released not just during Ke$ha's performance, but all through the night!

And the final moment after the ball dropped at 12:00, which I tweeted live after taking a few shaky photos amidst all the commotion!

Andy Warhol films at the MoMA

2010-12-16T17:20:00.000-05:00

I hadn't been to the MoMA in such a long time and I was starting to feel guilty! Then it happened that one of my friends had 2 tickets to the Andy Warhol: Motion Pictures preview for this past Tuesday night. The exhibit opens to the public on December 19th, and consists of 16mm black and white silent films of his subjects looking into the camera, not moving or speaking; in screen tests.

So we went to one of the member preview nights, where, after an hour and a half of sipping wine spritzers and snacking on parmesan crackers in the lobby, we ventured up the museum's 6th floor to take a look at some of the videos on display as part of this special exhibit.

Screen Test: Edie Sedgwick

Screen Test: Gino Piserchio

And a pic of the crowds there taken with my camera phone:

At the Bronx Zoo

2010-12-11T13:36:00.001-05:00

Before it got too cold, I visited the Bronx Zoo for the first time since I have lived in the City. This large scale park is located within the Bronx Park and is actually the largest metropolitan zoo in the U.S.

The Bronx Zoo is home to the Wildlife Conservation Society and while it is a place to view the various indoor, outdoor, underwater and jungle dwelling species, it is also a place to gain inspiration and insight into the future of the wildlife on view. The Conservation Society's aim is to encourage visitors to learn more about these animals not only here, but at the New York Aquarium, Central Park, Prospect Park and Queens Zoos as well.

While there I viewed the Himalayan Highlands, Tiger Mountain, Jungleworld, the African Plains, the Aquatic Bird House, Congo Gorilla Forest and more. And every corner I turned and every path I walked down seemed to have a peacock or two running wild. They were all over the place! (I later learned that they are there to scare away snakes...) This made for a fun time and a great first visit to the Bronx Zoo. See below for some sights and scenes from this visit!

A peacock spotted along Bronx Park South

Peacock running free by the Dancing Crane Cafe

A little girl chasing one of the peacocks by the Dancing Crane Cafe

Camels spotted by the Asia Plaza

A Malayan Tapir in the indoor Jungleworld exhibit

Underwater scene from inside the Jungleworld exhibit

Penguin feeding time at the Sea Bird Aviary

Goldfish inside the Butterfly Garden

A Monarch resting on a display plate inside the Butterfly Garden

Flamingos outside the Dancing Crane Cafe

Giraffes outside the Carter Giraffe Building

One of the Tiger brothers on Tiger Mountain

sources: Wikipedia and the map I got when I visited.

Literary Walk in The Mall

2010-12-09T11:43:00.001-05:00

Literary Walk in Central Park is considered the park's main thoroughfare or gateway. It is one section of "The Mall", which is comprised of the Bethesda Fountain, Terrace Bridge, the Naumberg Bandshell, The Lake and the the Olmstead Flower Bed. There is always a mix of tourists and locals here, enjoying the views, entertainment and scenery.

Literary Walk is most recognized for its pathway of American elm trees that form a canopy overhead. This is the type of area that's so unique and scenic all throughout the year—whether it's sunny and leafy or coated in snow.

Additionally, there are statues of prominent literary figures along the walkway, including everyone's favorite, William Shakespeare!

Literary Walk in the Fall

To the right of Literary Walk, a little more green
(picture taken same day as the above)

The Shakespeare Statue in Central Park's Literary Walk

The Olmstead Flower Bed, named after Frederick Law Olmstead, one of the creators of the park,

located at the south end of The Mall

5th Avenue gold

2010-12-02T17:30:00.002-05:00

On Thanksgiving night, after a day of rest from all of the early morning parade activity, I went out to dinner in the Theater District then walked up and down 5th Avenue admiring the holiday lights and window displays. The golden lights reflecting off the storefronts caught my eye the most throughout the night, as well as the gold shades and glowing hues in signs, flags, statues and so on.

Looking north on 5th Avenue from 49th Street

Rockefeller Center's ice skating rink (just off 5th Avenue & 49th Street)
The Rock Center Cafe and the Prometheus statue

30 Rock and the flags around the perimeter of the ice skating rink

The golden seal outside of Cartier

Bendel's

Looking south on 5th Avenue toward 49th Street

84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2010-11-29T20:48:00.003-05:00

I'd been planning on going to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade here in NYC for a few months now. It was my first Thanksgiving not spent with my family, but I was determined to experience this New York tradition first hand and of course—take pictures!

My wake-up call was 5:45 am. Left the apartment around 6:30 and got to my planned destination along the parade route, which was Columbus Circle, at 7 am. It was awesome. And I had about 6 other friends joining me so there was a lot of frantic texting back and forth so that we could find each other amid the crowds. Joe from I Still Heart New York found us a great spot along Central Park South/59th Street and 7th Avenue. We had a view of the parade as it passed the top corner of Columbus Circle then moved toward us along 59th Street with the trees of Central Park as a backdrop.

Here are some highlights from the parade:

Spiderman

Hello Kitty!

Jessica Simpson

Stars from Macy's Believe campaign

Parade marchers

Kanye West

Unfortunately, Kanye got a lot of boo's from our section along the parade route.
My friend recorded and posted this video and put it on YouTube. Perez Hilton
soon found it and posted it on his website!

And from the day before the parade, the Smurf float set-up on West 81st Street by the Museum of Natural History

Orbs in the Upper East Side

2010-11-24T12:08:00.002-05:00

Time to take a break from Central Park (but not in real life—I spent all day Sunday there and plan to be back the day after Thanksgiving for some more free tours with the conservancy!)

I just wanted to post these photos to let everyone know about an interesting exhibit that is up at the Vilcek Foundation Gallery at 167 East 73rd Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenue. It is up through Thursday, December 9th, so you still have time to see the exhibit if you are in town. They are only open until 6 pm though, but are open on Saturdays. I went 2 Saturdays ago with some photo friends and we had fun interacting with the current exhibit: Toshiko Nishikawa: Senbazuru, which is made up of 1,000 mirrored glass orbs hanging from the ceiling. You can view your changing reflection in the orbs and touch a number of pieces with a slinky-like wire connecting them to the ceiling.

Boating on The Lake

2010-11-22T17:30:00.002-05:00

Last fall my friends and I went boating on The Lake on a cool October day. I think it was warmer this time around when we went in mid-November! It was the perfect weekend to be in the park, and the same weekend as the 3 tours I went on with the Central Park Conservancy.

It's been getting colder but I will continue to visit the park just as often because I plan on getting a new digital camera to take nature shots with. I'm thinking of purchasing a Canon Rebel T2i so that I can start learning more technical skills and have more features to work with.

The Boathouse

View toward Bow Bridge and the west side of the Park

After passing under Bow Bridge

A turtle sunning himself on a nearby rock

Paddling around The Lake

About to row through a nearby tunnel

One of 4 wedding photo shoots we saw taking place around The Lake

Touring Central Park's Sheeps Meadow

2010-11-19T17:30:00.005-05:00

After attending 'The Castle and its Kingdom' tour in the upper 70's of Central Park, I walked down Central Park West to 67th Street where the former Tavern on the Green restaurant still stands as what is now a gift shop for the Conservancy and an outdoor dining patio with food trucks. I got some dumplings and a coffee to fuel up for my next tour, called 'Tavern and its Green.' I take these tours very seriously so I need plenty of food before hand so I don't get too distracted!

The tour is described with, Discover the sheepfold that became a world famous restaurant, a parade ground that became the Sheep Meadow, the Children's District, The Mall including its statues and American Elm Trees, and much more.

I was so taken with the fall colors in the trees surrounding Sheeps Meadow and outside the old Tavern on the Green. I enjoyed the walk through The Mall and 'Literary Walk'—named so because of the four statues of famous writers along the way, including one of Shakespeare!

This is by far the most populated part of the park, with people posing for pictures on Bethesda Terrace, recording film projects in the Naumberg Bandshell, skating in the roller derby area and playing volleyball on the sand courts. There are also plenty of kids frolicking in the grassy fields, running back and forth between their parents and the playgrounds, the carousel and the cotton candy vendors... It is a chaotic but comforting area. So familiar and recognizable, yet always new and exciting—a part of the park I've been coming to for years to find the perfect photo opp.

And from there we ended the tour in the exact spot where the ING New York City Marathon finish line lies.

Yellow tree above a hot dog vendor near Sheeps Meadow

The Mall in Central Park, located mid-park in the lower 70's

Beneath a canopy of American Elm trees on Literary Walk

View toward Midtown Manhattan from standing above Sheeps Meadow

Touring Central Park's Belvedere Castle

2010-11-17T17:30:00.006-05:00

On Sunday I rushed off to Central Park just 10 minutes before noon for a unique tour given by the Central Park Conservancy called, 'The Castle and its Kingdom tour.'

The description of the tour, Take a walk around the lands dominated by Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock. Visit the tiny 55-acre realm on an eclectic tour of history and nature, had me looking forward to learning all about this structure and its surrounding area.

Tour-goers were to meet at the top of Belvedere Castle, located mid-Park at 79th Street. It was a warm Fall day, the perfect kind of day for sight-seeing in Central Park, an NYC attraction that has 35 million visitors a year.

View toward the Delacorte Theater

So for this tour we started at the top of the castle, taking in views of The Great Lawn, Turtle Pond and the Delacorte Theater below. We learned that the park's co-creator, Calvert Vaux, designed this castle as an observation tower or "belvedere", meaning panoramic viewpoint. Our two tour guides, who are volunteers with the Conservancy, then took us to the weather station next to the castle, which is used to measure the weather in New York City. We were standing right outside The Ramble when our main Tour Guide informed us that that is another tour in and of itself. So we walked along a trail past Turtle Pond (sans turtles, for some reason), toward the statue of King Jagiello on top of his horse, which was in the 1939 World's Fair in New York.

From here we were led to The Obelisk, an imposing 71 foot sculpture also known as "Cleopatra's Needle". It was transported to the US from Egypt in 1880, but not put up in the Park until the following year since it took so long to get it from the ship it came in on to the east side of the Park where it now sits on a restored and landscaped terrace. Behind the needle was the backside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, plus a pretty good view of the Met's roof top where the current Big Bambu installation by Doug and Mike Starn is still up.
Cleopatra's Needle

Following a few stops along the east side of the Park was a stop on the outer edge of the Great Lawn, which presented great views of the ballfields, Belvedere Castle and Midtown Manhattan's skyline.
The Great Lawn and Midtown Manhattan skyline

The Great Lawn and Belvedere Castle amid the trees

The tour ended at my favorite part of the Park, the Arthur Ross Pinetum, close to 85th Street and Central Park West entrance. From there I headed to my next tour...

Touring Central Park's Seneca Village

2010-11-15T17:30:00.030-05:00

Over the weekend I had the time of my life touring some well-known and lesser well-known parts of Central Park. I learned about some free tours given by the Central Park Conservancy through their website and ventured out on Saturday and Sunday to attend the following:

Seneca Village tour
The Castle and its Kingdom tour
Tavern and its Green tour

First up was the Seneca Village tour. We met inside the Park at 85th Street and Central Park West. The tour description is as follows: Seneca Village was Manhattan's first known community of African-American property owners, on land that would become Central Park. Learn about the history of the village, the property owners, and what New York City was like at the time.

On this tour we visited Summit Rock, the highest natural point in the park, viewed pathways and archways around the area and learned some of the history of Central Park. In the early 1850's it was realized that people living and working in Manhattan needed a place for leisure on their one day during the work week, other than a cemetery in Brooklyn that they frequented. So construction of the park began in the late 1850's and was completed in the early 1870's.

What's interesting is that construction of the park meant that Seneca Village, which lied on a plot of land between 81st and 89th streets and 7th & 8th Avenue (now Central Park West), would be taken down. The City did not mind though because it had become home to too many squatters and thanks to eminent domain (seizing of private property for public use), authorization to do so took place on July 21, 1853.

While on this tour, the colors of the trees captured my attention the most, and I struggled to pay attention to the rest of the information learned on the tour amid all of the reds, greens and bright yellows surrounding me. Here are two of my favorite pictures taken while on the tour.

Fall colors in Seneca Village

Beautiful green tree in Seneca Village

More on Seneca Village here.

More posts on these tours to come as well!

Painting the Flat Iron Building

2010-11-11T10:29:00.002-05:00

Last Friday night, Clear 4G Wireless and Mobispray hosted an event outside of the Flat Iron Building on 23rd Street in which participants could paint the exterior of the building. The Mobispray technology allows them to spray paint designs by way of a light projector, making them large-scale and similar to graffiti.

I heard about the event through Twitter, and even though it fell on the same night as a work event I had to attend, I still made sure to see this light spectacle for myself. Once I reached the Flat Iron District and saw the Flat Iron covered in paint from a far, I started running—I was so excited to see one of my favorite New York City buildings in a new... light.

The 2010 ING NYC Marathon

2010-11-09T10:26:00.002-05:00

Sunday, November 7th was a fun day. Like Christmas. I woke up early and turned on the TV to watch the INC NYC Marathon playing live on channel 4. Then I left my apartment, got on the subway and made my way out to Long Island City to see it in person.

Two years ago I watched the marathon from the sidelines of Central Park West, 59th Street and Columbus Circle. The 2008 marathon was my first taste of a national running event and my first time learning about such an event in which runners begin in Staten Island and make their way across the five boroughs of New York City, toward the finish line in Manhattan's Central Park. Along the 26.2 miles that they run, participants get a chance to see so much of the city, which is great for the out-of-towners. From the views while running over the Queens borough Bridge around Mile 18, to the adrenaline kick from the cheering crowds as they enter 1st Avenue in Manhattan, to the relief when they make it to the scenic home stretch in Central Park, I'm sure it is an inspiring event, and as I Still Heart New York puts it, a very competitive event to get into.

My participation in the event was all about handing out free bananas to the runners around Mile 17 as they passed the Citibank building in Long Island City, and just before they get to the Queens borough Bridge. Agent J and I set aside our cameras for most of the day while we passed out around 150 bananas, claiming all the while, "Let's buy more next year!"

And from my friend Joseph's flickr photostream:

Another banana shot! At first people weren't taking them,
so we moved to various spots along them mile until we
could get a crowd interested in taking some!

Teardrop Park

2010-11-03T10:55:00.003-04:00

In Battery Park City there are several parks within the main park. I had the chance to tour one of them a couple weekends ago, called Teardrop Park. It opened in 2004 and lies on a plot of land with the basic shape of a 'tear drop'. I believe the park also gets its name from a lake named "Teardrop" that is located in the Catskills and empties out into the Hudson River. The tour guide described how when you are in this somewhat small park, you are surrounded by nature and the buildings are like mountains.

Surrounded by some beautiful residential buildings, Teardrop Park is also near Rockefeller Park and is usually visited by kids and families who frequent that park and the residents who live nearby.

This large rock wall is built out of sedimentary rock

Tunnel connecting the two areas of the park separated by the wall

Play area for children with a sandpit, slide and theater steps

The Conservatory Garden

2010-11-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

The Conservatory Garden is located in the Northeast region of Central Park, with an entrance at 105th Street and 5th Avenue. After almost four years of living in the city, I can't believe I have only been here once—and that I only discovered it just in time for the cold winter season :-/

If I can, I will make it back to explore before it gets too cold, or wait until the first snowfall and brave the slush for a chance to see the garden covered in a white powdery blanket. Actually... I can't wait!

View from the entrance at 105th Street

View from the wisteria pergola

Fountain in the large Italian garden

wisteria pergola

Allée lined with crabapple trees

Scattered Light in Madison Square Park

2010-10-27T10:39:00.002-04:00

I saw images of this public art installation set up in Madison Square Park on flickr, and with the park being near my office I went over after work to try and catch it in both light and dark. The display is up through February and features LED lights put together by new media artist Jim Campbell.

Some interesting information and more pictures here on NYC <3 NYC's blog.

The Guggenheim during YouTube Play

2010-10-25T09:52:00.000-04:00

On Friday, October 22nd, The Guggenheim Museum held another one of their 'Art After Dark' events as part of an ongoing after-hours series, centered around a current exhibition. The main exhibit was YouTube Play, in which 25 videos selected from thousands of YouTube submissions were displayed in the 2nd level Annex of the museum. Visitors between the hours of 9 pm and Midnight enjoyed a private viewing of the YouTube Play presentation and projections of an assortment of videos on the museum's Frank Lloyd Wright-designed exterior.

An exhibit titled, 'Chaos and Classicism: Art in France, Italy, and Germany, 1918–1936' is also currently on display, through January 9th, 2011.

My favorite spot in Central Park

2010-10-23T15:54:00.004-04:00

My favorite spot in Central Park is near the entrance at 86th Street and Central Park West. It's called the Arthur Ross Pinetum, an arboretum filled with pine trees, benches and picnic tables. I took a picture here 4 years ago in the summer of 2006 when I was interning in the city and participating in a baseball game nearby on the Great Lawn.

I submitted the photo to Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art & Design, and it was published in their Summer 2007 issue (around the same time I moved to New York City), so the picture means a lot to me.

So while at the park during this particular visit, I lounged in the grass with friends and admired my surroundings. I ventured off to take pictures of the reservoir, the winding paths and the grassy area inside the Pinetum.

Now, four years later, I decided to visit again and recapture my favorite spot. From there, I can easily walk to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir to admire the swimming turtles and floating ducks in the dark blue water. I hope to make it back here a few more times this month and next before it gets to cold—but even then I will surely be back to take pictures of my favorite Central Park spot in the snow!

The Reservoir

The Amazing Maize Maze in Queens

2010-10-21T09:56:00.002-04:00

So after traveling East on the BQE and LIE, we ended up in Floral Park, Queens, to attend the Amazing Maize Maze at the Queens County Farm Museum. We had to sign up and get a wristband to enter the 3-acre corn maze, where we were greeted by a volunteer among the tall stalks. He described to us rules of the scavenger hunt—to look for clues and puzzle pieces in order to complete the maze. We were also instructed to carry tall flag poles for them to spot us with in case we got lost, and to use code words when asking for clues on how to find our way out.

It was a very scenic adventure!

Learning the rules of the maze

We begin the corn maze!

Volunteers up on a viewing deck that helped to give out clues

Mailboxes with puzzle pieces

Signs with clues

The last leg of the maze - another viewing deck where the DJ stood

The view from the deck, of the 3-acres of corn stalks

After the maze, we took a look at the farm animals

pigs mixed in with sheep

llamas

A pumpkin patch!

This event will be going on every Saturday and Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm through November 7th, 2010.

On the LIE and BQE

2010-10-19T09:36:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend some friends and I went out to the Queens County Farm Museum to attend the Amazing Maize Maze - a 3-acre corn maze located on the farm, where there was a scavenger hunt, a DJ and live music. The farm also had pigs, llamas, hens, turkeys, horses, goats, sheep, a butterfly garden, pumpkin picking and hot apple cider stands.

On the way out there, we drove on the BQE and the LIE and enjoyed views of the New York City skyline and the lone skyscraper in Long Island City, the Citibank building.

Pictures of the corn maze and llamas are to come in the next post...

The last weekend of Governor's Island

2010-10-15T23:01:00.005-04:00

It took me 5 months to make it out to Governor's Island. I'm ashamed that I went on the last weekend of it being open for this season, which was the weekend of October 9th & 10th, but it was so hot this past summer I just couldn't make it outside unless it was to go grocery shopping (Governor's Island opens sometime in early June).

I went with a friend for Oktoberfest but the event was at capacity by the time we got there so we settled for a beer and a walk along Water Taxi Beach. While there I enjoyed the views of Lower Manhattan and the Jersey City skyline across the Hudson River.

There were also great views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, along with glimpses of cruise ships, sailboats and water taxis passing by.

And it is a quick 7 minute ferry ride from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan (by the Staten Island ferry terminal). I hope to make it out there more often next summer and fall...

View of Lower Manhattan across the Hudson River

View of Lower Manhattan and the Jersey City skyline from Water Taxi Beach

There are bicycles for rent or you can bring your own to Governor's Island

Interesting street names along the promenade

An empty, historical house on the island

Old cannons at Fort Jay

Visiting the Cloisters Museum during the Medieval Festival

2010-10-07T15:41:00.001-04:00

On October 3rd I made my way up to Upper Manhattan and into Fort Tyron Park for the annual Medieval Festival. My friends and I snacked on turkey legs and dragon juice, watched a magic show (I even participated), and listened to some musical performances as we roamed up and down Margaret Corbin Drive, just north of 190th Street and West of Broadway, in Inwood.

Our aim was to spend some time at the festival and then head to the top of the park to visit the Cloisters Museum, which most of us had never been to before. We enjoyed the architecture, the views and the gardens, all the while surrounded by other festival goers in armor and Renaissance gowns!

The view East from Fort Tyron Park

A performance by Melissa The Loud, playing the hurdy gurdy musical instrument

A magic show by Michael Lee, Man of Magic

A Unicorn at the festival!

View of some vendor tents from the Cloister's West Terrace

The Cloisters Museum front entrance

Cloisters Garden view

Another view from the West Terrace of the Cloisters Museum

I wasn't sure what kind of animal this was, but I spotted it from the Bonnefont Cloister and Garden Area.

(I've been told it's a groundhog/woodchuck)

Kayaking on the Hudson River

2010-10-05T16:43:00.002-04:00

For the 4th time this Summer/Fall I went kayaking in hopes of some great photo opps. Back in July I first went at 72nd Street in the Upper West Side with Downtown Boathouse. It is free and you just walk up, sign up, grab a life jacket, take off your shoes, put your belongings in a locker and wait your turn in one of the kayaks on the dock. I'd never been kayaking before but last Fall I went canoeing in Central Park by the Boathouse and thanks to that previous experience I sort of had the hang of it.

About 2 months later when it cooled off some friends and I went again down to Pier 40 off of West Houston Street and the West Side Highway. Again, it was free with no reservations and you could just walk up and wait to get into a kayak. While kayaking in the cool weather, we wished we had our cameras on board with us to take pictures of the fantastic view of Jersey City across the river from us, and of Lower Manhattan/Battery Park City below us.

When we ventured out to Astoria to kayak at Hallet's Cove (located off the 30th Ave or Broadway stops on the NQ subway line, by Socrates Sculpture Park), we came better prepared to take pictures. We had plastic baggies to keep in our pockets and save until we were steady in the water and ready to snap a shot of the nearby Roosevelt Island and Carl Schurz Park just across the East River. This kayaking is also free (donations are welcome) and is put on by volunteers with the L.I.C. Community Boathouse.

Here's the view from kayaking in Hallet's Cove:

View towards the beach and shore at Hallet's Cove in Astoria

View toward Midtown Manhattan - Empire State Building and Chrysler Buildings

It was a cold and gray day though, so I wasn't crazy about the pictures but still determined to kayak with my camera again.

So last weekend we visited Pier 40 again and along with our cameras took pictures from the kayak. We saw sailboats, cruise ships, yellow water taxis and even little motor boats go by several times, which created a quite a wake. We also took fun pictures of each other (see agent j loves agent a's flickr photos from this time around).

The view of Jersey City from Pier 40

My friends kayaking near the esplanade

The view toward Lower Manhattan and Battery Park City

*Free kayaking at with Downtown Boathouse at Piers 40, 96 and 72nd Street ends Sunday, October 17th.

Dumbo Arts Festival 2010

2010-10-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

This was my third time at the Dumbo Arts Festival. Last year I went solo and this year I went with a group but ended up wandering off by myself to explore more of Pier 1 and Brooklyn Bridge Park. There were musical performances including a marching band, some wedding photos taking place, and an actual wedding ceremony on the park lawn with the Manhattan skyline as the backdrop. I also came across some cool dance routines being performed out on Pier 1 with the picturesque Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

More pictures here of the dancers.

Wedding ceremony taking place on Saturday during the festival

Brooklyn Bridge Park, on the rocks

View of the Manhattan Bridge from inside an artists' studio at 10 Jay Street

Another view from above

2010-09-27T16:08:00.006-04:00

I still always pick a window seat when I fly in and out of the City. I recently went on a trip home to Florida and when I came back I had my usual window seat on the middle, right side of the plane. Half an hour or so before we land, the pilot announces that we are "beginning our descent into the New York area" or "into La Guardia" and so I know it's time to get my camera out and get ready to capture the City from above.

First I notice the big red parachute jump in Coney Island in Brooklyn. It looks little from up above, and so does Dino's Wonder Wheel and the famous Cyclone roller coaster.

Coney Island

Then I see the flat land of Brooklyn, including a few parks and lots of highways.

Brooklyn

And for the first time this time around, I notice Governor's Island, which is between Brooklyn and Staten Island, and below the southern tip of Manhattan.

Governor's Island

And the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.

Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge

Once we fly past Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, we fly above Midtown and I spot my favorite building with the gold top—the New York Life Insurance Building on 27th Street and Madison Avenue by Madison Square Park and the Flat Iron Building.

New York Life Insurance Building and Midtown (Chelsea/Gramercy)

Just a few blocks north of the gold top, is the Empire State Building at the corner of 34th Street and 5th Avenue. It is a tall, slender sight.

The Empire State Building

And the easiest City place to spot out my window is Central Park. You can see the Reservoir and the ball-fields from above it.

Central Park

And when I see Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, I know we are close to making that right turn towards Queens and our "descent" into La Guardia airport, where I'm bound to catch the bus back home to the Upper West Side.

Yankee Stadium

A visit to Battery Park City

2010-09-15T23:37:00.000-04:00

After visiting Ground Zero on September 11th, I decided that instead of going home to watch a movie and relax, I would finally stop by Battery Park. I've been meaning to stop by there for a while—I've only been there 3 times in the last 4 years so I took the opportunity to revisit.

I started at Bowling Green (because that's where the subway is) and came across the Flags of Honor and Heroes and then walked down by the water to take in the view of the Statue of Liberty out on Liberty Island. I could also see Ellis Island, Liberty State Park in Jersey City and even the Colgate Clock (I out in Jersey City as well (I always wonder why that thing is there!).

As I walked up the esplanade, along the water heading north toward the North Cove Marina and The World Financial Center, the Statue of Liberty stayed within my view. There wasn't a moment when I wasn't amazed by everything surrounding me. The beautiful Jersey City skyline, the sparking light on the Hudson River, the butterflies in the bushes, the many secluded park spaces and the cool, random sightings along the way, like a guy riding what I believe was a cupcake bicycle.

Passageway by the esplanade

View of the Statue of Liberty

The Jersey City skyline

Remembering September 11th

2010-09-14T11:10:00.000-04:00

Last year on September 11th I was visiting family in Florida and I was disappointed I couldn't be in the city to take pictures down by Ground Zero again.

This year I went down in the afternoon after watching some of the ceremonies on TV and despite the many crowds of protesters, I made my way to the old site of the Twin Towers. It wasn't too crowded; it was pleasant and I had the chance to reflect on the events that made history nine years ago on this day.

And I've never been downtown when it wasn't beautiful. Whether it was in the summertime for a visit to South Street Seaport, or in the wintertime for a mini-photo shoot of the holiday tree in front of the Stock Exchange, or when it's almost Fall and Labor Day has passed and it's time to visit the place I once visited as a kid.

Inside the World Financial Center, looking out onto Ground Zero

The Flags of Heroes and Honor in Battery Park

The Sphere sculpture that used to stand between the two Towers

Interesting background about the Sphere on Wikipedia

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

2010-09-12T17:13:00.037-04:00

Ever since last summer I've been meaning to get out to Flushing Meadows to visit the park and see the famous Unisphere and Pavillion from where the 1964 World's Fair took place. But it rained almost every day last summer so it wasn't ideal for sight-seeing.

This summer the weather's been great but it's been so hot—too hot for outdoor adventures. So I waited until it cooled down over Labor Day weekend and fit in some kayaking, picnicking in Central Park and a visit to this unique place located in Queens.

Joseph from I Still Heart New York and I took the 7 train out to Mets-Willett Point where the old Shea Stadium used to be and where the US Open is taking place (nearby at the USTA Tennis Center) [sorry if I got any of that wrong. I don't know much about tennis or football].

I got a nice tour of the grounds, including a walk over Amphitheater Bridge out to Meadow Lake and past Queens Theater and the new skating park.

Best of all, I finally got to see the giant globe of the Earth that can be spotted in many movies and TV shows (think King of Queens), and even from the sky...

The Unisphere

The observation towers, which were used in the Men In Black movie!

The Pavillion

The Unisphere again

Jersey City views from West Street

2010-09-10T13:05:00.002-04:00

On my way to a free kayaking session at Pier 40, put on by downtownboathouse.org, I had to stop along the way to take in the perfect view of Jersey City and Hoboken from my spot on the esplanade. All along West Street, just west of the West Village, you can get amazing views of the sparkling Hudson River and New Jersey across the way and even some of Lower Manhattan and Battery Park City below you.

It was a cool end-of-summer day when I went over Labor Day weekend to do some kayaking out on the Hudson, but it was windy and the waves carried me around the water, giving my arms more of a work-out every time the kayak went out of bounds!

There is also free kayaking out in Astoria off of Socrates Sculpture Park: www.licboathouse.org.

Enjoy!

View toward Jersey City and Hoboken

The Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City plus surrounding businesses

View towards Lower Manhattan

Woody Allen's "Manhattan" in Central Park

2010-09-08T12:53:00.004-04:00

A couple weekends ago, I went to Central Park's Sheap's Meadow to watch the Woody Allen movie, "Manhattan." I'd never seen it before but figured I'd get appreciate it since it is about life in the city. This 1979 black and white romantic comedy shows images of the city during the opening credits, like the skyline, famous landmarks, people on the streets and more. This montage caught everyone's attention in the park, as camera flashes went off like crazy, capturing the familiar locations, especially during the iconic scene during the movie where the characters played by Woody Allen and Diane Keaton sit on a park bench overlooking the East River and with the Queensborough Bridge in view.

The Plaza Hotel

The Queensborough Bridge scene

The view from Rare View

2010-08-27T10:21:00.000-04:00

Fancy burgers and fancy views from the Rare View Rooftop Garden in Murray Hill:

Summer skies

2010-08-22T10:10:00.004-04:00

Summer is the best time to capture the sky in any scenic picture you take. My boyfriend always bugs me that I never take any pictures of people (or me with the people), but ever since summer of '06 when I first lived in the city, I've had a thing for the sky.

Summer skies are the best. They are almost always blue and clear. Cloudy is a good thing, because then you have some texture and contrast.

I was looking through some of my recent photos from June up to now, and I noticed one common element, thanks to my love for photographing buildings and anything else that touches the sky...

Here are some of the skies I've seen this summer:

Calm skies

Clear skies

High contrast skies

Orange skies

Museum skies

(the Met)

Reflective skies

Pink skies

Long skies

Cloudy skies

White fluffy skies

Skies through bus windows

Scary skies

Perfect skies

: )

Times Square V-J Day kiss

2010-08-17T17:00:00.006-04:00

As part of the 65th anniversary of the U.S. triumph over Japan, a statue created by Seward Johnson was put up in Times Square last week, based on the famous photograph V-J Day in Times Square by Alfred Eisenstaedt. We've all seen it, and know at least some of the story behind it, like how the nurse in the photograph was identified some 30 years later in the 1970's as Edith Shain. No one knows who the sailor was or is though.

Life-size sculptures of the kissing nurse and sailor have been put up in Times Square in past years, but this year a large-scale bronze sculpture was erected for a kiss-in reenactment on Saturday, August 14th.

I didn't hear about it until the last minute so I went by on Monday night while it was raining and with what felt like 10 lbs of groceries in each hand, snapping away before it was to be taken down.

Until next year!

Times Square live video!

2010-08-13T14:29:00.002-04:00

The new Forever 21 in Times Square (which took the old location one of my old favorites, The Virgin Record store), has a large video screen above them that displays live footage of pedestrians on 46th and Broadway. This central spot of Times Square usually attracts the biggest crowds. Just a block or so south of the tkts booth in Duffy Square and near the Lion King on Broadway and MTV's studios, there's already reason enough for Tourists galore to stand in this spot!

One night while taking a bus through Times Square, I decided to join the large group of people waving at the reflective video screen. I quickly hopped off the bus and joined them in waving at the screen as well, only to have a hard time finding myself because, well, EVERYONE was waving so we all looked pretty much the same!

This is just as much fun for a local as it is for an out-of-towner, so if you are around, I suggest stopping for a fun glimpse of yourself braving the crowds of one of the brightest attractions on Earth!

The Forever 21 video screen above the new store

Me on the screen!

Move over! We can't see ourselves!
(a model spraypaints over our waving hands and smiling faces)

Another view from above NYC

2010-08-11T14:02:00.004-04:00

Over the past year and a half I've been flying in and out of New York much more often, so I am able to get some views from above the city. I always pick a window seat and get my camera out for a few minutes as we fly over the many skyscrapers and famous landmarks of Manhattan. By now I know just the right seat to pick and the what side to pick it on.

Leave a comment and I will tell you which side, haha!

View of Central Park with the Boathouse, Conservatory Water and Banshell in sight

Thanks Curbed for featuring my photo on your site!

View toward Midtown, Madison Square Park, Gramercy

View toward Long Island City, Queens and Roosevelt Island

230 5th

2010-08-09T16:23:00.002-04:00

20 floors or so above 5th Avenue and 27th Street (and only a few blocks from where I work), the best roof top garden in town is set against a perfect blue NYC sky.

I'd heard of this place before but had never been lucky enough to be invited to a party or get together here until this weekend. A few friends and I went, willing to brave the expensive cocktails and appetizers for a chance to enjoy all of the views and comfort that this spot has to offer.

I recently saw a scene from The Bachelorette set on this roof top, but it all looked so different in person. There were beautiful plants, flowers and topiary structures everywhere. Benches, bars, palm trees, fans, umbrellas and candles were everywhere too.

And even though my camera lost both memory space and power, I was able to capture the views of nearby landmark buildings and the aforementioned flowers, palm trees and topiary structures.

View toward Gramercy/the East of the NY Life Insurance Building

Cat topiary behind one of the bars

View uptown of the Empire State Building

View toward Gramercy/the East of the NY Life Insurance Building later in the night

Out by The Fying Pan

2010-08-03T15:13:00.000-04:00

It's only a few blocks from where I work, but I seem to rarely find myself out on this NYC gem and photo opp spot: Pier 66 Maritime. The pier is off of 26th Street and juts out into the Hudson River, with impressive views (at least to me) of New Jersey. I'm always a fan of views.

After visiting some of the Chelsea art galleries, a group of us attempted to get dinner and/or drinks at The Frying Pan, the seasonal bar and grill located at Pier 66, but I paid no attention to the food or drinks. All I cared for were the views, as you can see.

Citibank in Long Island City

2010-08-01T13:55:00.002-04:00

I ended up in Long Island City again in an attempt to get some Panera. Beforehand, I stopped by the Warm Up party at PS1 MoMA. It was so hot outside I didn't really get around to the partying part (the party was held in the front courtyard), but I browsed through the hallways (formerly public school hallways) of this contemporary art center, viewing video installations, photographs, mixed media and what not.

Anyway, before all of this, I was at the subway station near the Citibank building, the only skyscraper in Queens.

I feel like this is one of the most iconic skyscrapers in New York City—at least for me—because it's so easy to recognize, even from afar. I always notice it when I am flying into La Guardia airport or running around Brooklyn or the east side of the City, and I used to have a pretty good view of it from my old apartment in Astoria, Queens.

The view from Pier 1

2010-07-27T16:43:00.004-04:00

I was out on the newly opened pier in Brooklyn Bridge Park last Thursday for the Movies With a View event. They were showing The Big Lebowski, which I'd never seen before even though it's only from 1998. Apparently it is one of those 90's cult movies. I guess for me that was the movie Clueless—I can recite all of the lines, I used to dress up as the characters, and can watch it over and over again, etc.

Anyway, from there you could see the Statue of Liberty, downtown Manhattan's skyline and the South Street Seaport.

Is this considered 'dusk' or 'twilight'?

The crowd on the lawn, waiting for the movie to start around 8:30 pm.

Tiny city

2010-07-23T17:22:00.000-04:00

Staten Island isn't far, but it's far enough away to make the city look like it's far away and less intimidating than it actually is.

It's been about a year since I've been on the Staten Island ferry and gotten a front row view of downtown Manhattan's skyline, as well as the Jersey City skyline, Ellis Island, Liberty Island and The Statue of Liberty. I'm thinking of going again soon to check out the 9-11 Memorial and enjoy the views some more.

tiny city

tiny famous statue

Hotel

2010-07-20T17:05:00.001-04:00

While exploring Greenwich Village (an old hobby of mine from when I first lived in the city) over the weekend, I was inspired by Scouting NY's blog to take and post pictures of an old abandoned hotel by the West Side Highway.

Located at the corner of Barrow and West Streets in the West Village, I am not quite sure what the name of this 'Hotel' used to be, but it is in a great spot near a couple of piers and public parks.

It's fun to wonder about the history of this place and what it was like maybe 40 or 50 years ago...

The only sign this place has

The front, gated and locked up

The front door, without a doorknob or address
(but next door is the address 386 West Street)

I'm not sure what this means or even what it says
but it is small lettering on the corner of the building

Bryant Park

2010-07-15T16:05:00.004-04:00

Bryant Park is the perfect place to go in the summertime. It is near plenty of subways, restaurants, cafes and even a library (The New York Public Library). There is a nice cool law, lots of chairs and sometimes entertainment. I was shopping nearby and needed a rest from the heat so I wandered over to the lawn where I noticed how amazing the surrounding buildings like the Grace Building, The Empire State Building and The Bryant Park Hotel looked against the blue, cloudy sky.

The W. R. Grace Building

The Bryant Park Hotel

The Bryant Park Hotel and The Empire State Building

Close-up of The Bryant Park Hotel

Manhattanhenge 2010

2010-07-12T12:33:00.009-04:00

I'd been looking forward to Manhattanhenge for a ~~year~~ couple of months now—since last year's viewing out in Long Island City at Gantry Plaza State Park. A yellow post-it reading, "Manhattanhenge, July 11, 8:26 - 8:28 pm" had been hanging (and falling) from my work computer as an important reminder since I missed the May 31st one.

It was cloudy on Memorial Day anyway, but on Sunday, July 11th, the weather was perfect and Joseph from I Still Heart New York and I went out to the Tudor City Bridge above 42nd Street and 1st Avenue to catch this very special, very orangish/red event.

There were crowds already forming along this pedestrian bridge but we got a pretty good spot in the second row (behind all the tripods) and waited patiently for the few minutes worth of perfect sun alignment with Manhattan's East-West grid.

Here it comes!

Almost Manhattanhenge...

Almost centered.

He sees it too!

Perfectly centered with the Chrysler Building also in view

On its way out...

Painting the city orange and red

Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, Queens

2010-07-03T14:53:00.002-04:00

At the time there was just one week left of the Play Me, I'm Yours piano installation throughout the city, so I went to Long Island City's Gantry State Park to listen to the music, observe the public and get a good view of the city from across the East River—all in one!

So while I was out there I spent a good couple of hours taking pictures and baking in the sun, enjoying the view of the blue-hued Manhattan skyline that stretched in front of me.

View of the Manhattan skyline with the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and United Nations.

The Pepsi Cola sign, which residents of Queen and Long Island City view as "aloC espeP" since it faces away from them and toward Manhattan.

Pianos throughout the 5 boroughs

2010-07-01T17:00:00.002-04:00

I think most people have heard by now about the 60 pianos placed in pubic parks and spaces throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City as part of the Play Me, I'm Yours outdoor art installation. These are real pianos with real keys and peddles for anyone to sit down at and play their choice of music on.

I visited the musical spot of Lincoln Center where Julliard, Alice Tully Hall and the Metropolitan Opera attract music lovers of all kinds. There were two pianos located there, with the sounds of Beatles classics filling the crowded space. Impromptu performers here, like the one below, seemed to love all of the attention!

Next I ventured out to Long Island City in Queens to not only see the two pianos in action out there, but to get a good view of the City skyline from across the East River. It was a treat to also see the Pepsi Cola sign up close. It is located by the north end of the Gantry State Plaza Park, just off of 50th Avenue and 2nd Street and close to the Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave. 7 subway stop.

Lavender NYC sky

2010-06-22T17:15:00.002-04:00

The sky really caught my eye one evening above the Manhattan skyline. I went out to Dumbo, Brooklyn for an Etsy craft party and stopped by the Brooklyn Bridge Park to relax and take in the view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the buildings of downtown Manhattan. I got there kind of early and stayed a while, watching the sky go from blue, to lavender, to orange, but left before it went black.

Museum Mile Festival 2010

2010-06-18T17:42:00.002-04:00

Last year I discovered one of New York's most unique and totally appropriate festivals—The Museum Mile Festival. I did not know what to expect, other than to visit several of the museums and galleries along Museum Mile (5th Avenue between 82nd and 105th Streets).

Last year there were chalk drawings, street performers, interactive art and even a human rolling around in a life-size hamster ball (sorry, cannot find the picture...) I walked the entire "mile", visiting several sites and enjoying the street scenes.

This year, I teamed up with Joseph to walk the mile, starting at the Metropolitan Museum and enjoying the views from the roof top deck where they had a fascinating installation up by Doug+Mike Starn called "Big Bambu". I don't know how these guys did it but they really built something big!

View toward Midtown from the Met roof top deck

"Big Bambu" installation on the roof top deck

The crowds on Museum Mile

Chalk drawing by Artist De La Vega

Another chalk drawing (not De La Vega)

The view from above NYC

2010-06-16T16:48:00.005-04:00

After an hour of sitting at the gate and coasting on the runway, we finally left the La Guardia airport located in Queens, New York—but just in time for storm clouds and a dull sky to get in the way of my view.

The airline didn't tell us why were were so delayed, but I didn't mind, because all I wanted was the chance to see the city from above. I must have stared at the "Welcome to New York" sign on the edge of the runway for 45 minutes.

I don't normally choose a window seat when I travel and this time I did, but the choice was almost wasted on the bad weather that seemed to hit us just as we took off.

So we took off and from above I could just barely see the Empire State Building, the very pointy Chrysler Building and the rest of the New York City skyscrapers that pierce the polluted sky.

Then the view was over and we flew above the clouds....

The Unisphere in Flushing Meadows, Queens which was installed
during the 1964-65 World's Fair

Then as we passed through the storm clouds and flew over Queens and toward the Atlantic, I got a peek at Coney Island in Brooklyn—the Cyclone roller coaster, the Ringling Brothers tents, the beach and the nearby Verazzano-Narrows Bridge that leads to Staten Island.

View towards Coney Island and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn

Google map of Coney Island

Views from Bushwick, Brooklyn

2010-06-08T17:52:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend there was an open studio event in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Bushwick is located southeast of Williamsburg and close to Queens. Artists opened their studios to the public as part of Bushwick Open Studios 2010. Visitors could talk with the Artist, check out their work space and view works in progress. A lot of the "studios" were the Artists' homes and they were very nice and spacious—with paint and canvas everywhere!

I went with a group and toured maybe 25 studios out of 300. It was very hot and we were in and out of numerous buildings. I don't know why the heat waits to break out on the weekends when people are out exploring the city, then goes away during the week when people are safe inside their offices...

Anyway, it was an inspiring arts festival showcasing many forms of fine art, studio art and mixed media.

From almost every street and outdoor patio in Bushwick, you can get a glimpse of The Empire State Building and the rest of the Manhattan skyline.

For some reason, it always looks so blue... maybe it's the Yankee's colors?

View from a roof deck at Troutman Studios

Manhattan skyline faaaaaar in the background

Inside an Artist's studio at Troutman Studios

Many canvases inside an Artist's studio

Art supplies

Signs outside Artist Studio #116

Inside Limelight Marketplace

2010-05-28T17:28:00.003-04:00

The new Limelight Marketplace opened up sometime recently, and I came across it one day while walking down Sixth Avenue on my way to Bed, Bath and Beyond. I stepped inside and couldn't believe what they'd done with the place—not that I'd ever been inside before... back when it was the Avalon Nightclub. I do remember seeing lines of people waiting outside though, and wondering what they were waiting for all dressed up outside of a church on a Friday night.

The marketplace has many upscale shops like Hunter Boots and LeSportscac; fancy dessert spots like Butterfly Bakeshop and Cupcake Stop; and soon to come, the famous Grimaldi's pizza! Complementing all of the gourmet foods sold on site is a peak season fruit and vegetable market outside in the courtyard.

This is the perfect place to go for unique food and gift ideas, and an historic architectural view since this venue dates back to 1847!

The outside

Busy on a Saturday!

View across 6th Avenue from the entrance

View from inside the entrance

Views from Midtown

2010-05-22T11:26:00.000-04:00

My work sent me out to another one of our furnished apartments to assist in a photo shoot, this one being at The Centria, located in Midtown by Rockefeller Plaza. While the professional photographer took his interior shots with a Nikon D200, I take my hobby/for fun shots with a little Sony.

With this particular photo shoot, both of our pictures came out with different backgrounds. We started at noon with the sky looking dark and gray, and ended at 1:30 with a clear blue sky and cottony white clouds.

The view from one of the bedrooms looking south

Close up of the Empire State Building

At one point the view looked like this:

But an hour before it looked like this!

View towards Avenue of the Americas

Hudson River, Pier 66 Maritime

2010-05-17T17:51:00.000-04:00

I traveled from Mid-Chelsea to the edge of Manhattan and out to Pier 66 to take some pictures of Jersey City and the Hudson River. I last went out there in March for the Fountain Art Fair and it was very cold out on the water.

It was windy and sunny so it was hard to see anything or to even stand still (the winds were powerful enough to blow you a few feet away!) but I managed to spot the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as some buildings in lower Manhattan and Weekhawken, NJ.

From there I had lunch at The Frying Pan, an historic lightship docked on Pier 66 Maritime that serves as a sort of dive bar/seasonal bar and grill with a tiki bar. In March when I attended the Fountain Art Fair that took place on the ship, I could feel the boat rocking from the wind and water, and it did the same when I was out there on this windy May day!!

View of Jersey City, the Goldman Sachs Tower and the Statue of Liberty
(to the left of the tower)

View towards Midtown and the Empire State Building

Park on Pier 66, view towards New Jersey

View toward Chelsea Piers from the dock of The Frying Pan

The John J. Harvey fireboat, situated next to The Frying Pan, formerly of the FDNY.

Through the glass

2010-05-13T18:06:00.002-04:00

While at the Affordable Art Fair last Thursday (at 7 West 34th Street), I spent some time relaxing in the lounge and enjoying the view uptown towards Times Square and Bryant Park. Even at 7:30 in the evening the sun provided what looked like an early afternoon view.

View towards Times Square and Bryant Park

View towards Midtown East, The Chrysler Building

The Affordable Art Fair

2010-05-11T17:49:00.001-04:00

The Affordable Art Fair is my new favorite art fair in New York. It was similar to The Armory Show, which was rows and rows of 20th and 21st Century fine art set up in gallery booths from all over the world.

This show was comprised of rows and rows of fine art from both young talent and established artists and galleries, but it wasn't as overwhelming and the artwork seemed closer to home (lots of city scenes). I didn't buy anything because my walls are already covered with Jack Vettriano, Le Chat Noir and vintage James Dean posters, but the theme is affordable art ranging in price from $100 - $10,000.

While there I enjoyed viewing works from local NYC galleries, London and Toronto galleries, and even the familiar studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Below are some of my favorites.

Julio Brujis, 'New York', digital photographic print
at the Mark Jason Gallery booth from London

Floyd Douglas, Dutch artist, photography on canvas
on display at The Art Shop booth from Amsterdam

Stephen Brooks, acrylic on canvas pieces from Behr-Thyssen LTD in New York

Goodnight Moon

2010-05-05T21:14:00.004-04:00

While walking home alone up Broadway to 5th Avenue, I spotted the moon. That's a rarity in the city as it's usually blocked from view. I noticed a couple of people taking pictures of it, so I joined in. We were on the corner of 20th Street I believe, and even though it was after 8:00, there was still a bit of daylight with a hint of night-light.

I walked a few blocks north toward Madison Square Park and on my right was the Metropolitan Life Tower with the clock and then on my left was the Empire State Building. Even though I see it every night, you'll still find me taking a picture of it for some reason. And as we go into the end of Spring and the beginning of the Summer season, I hope to see more of the moon every night.

Looking East on 20th Street

The Met Life Tower at One Madison Avenue

The Empire State Building

The CRRNJ in Liberty State Park

2010-05-03T17:48:00.000-04:00

For travel between Manhattan and New Jersey, as well as to Ellis Island, the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ) was built in 1889. Today it is mostly used for recreational purposes—a station for ferries full of tourists and maybe a local commuting here and there.

The Earth Day 2010 celebration took place inside the terminal and out on the lawn surrounding it. There were lots of families there partaking in activities, eating funnel cake and watching a concert that was going on. I was there mainly for the views though!

The CRRNJ

Inside the terminal

Spring flowers and an old train parked in the background

Events taking place in the park

"... the largest human migration in modem history and is a memorial to the immigrant experience.

Ellis and Liberty Islands share this important era in American history with the CRRNJ Terminal. Millions of immigrants, having been greeted by the Statue and processed at Ellis Island, traveled to their new homes via trains from the CRRNJ Terminal. - www.libertystatepark.org

Views from Liberty State Park

2010-04-29T17:15:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I went out to Liberty State Park in Jersey City for the Earth Day 2010 event. I took the PATH, then the Hudson-Bergen light rail, then a shuttle bus–and it all took quite a while! But along the way there were amazing views of the city skyline, the Statue of Liberty and its close neighbor, Ellis Island. It amazes me every time I see these famous places and sites. I've been out to Jersey City nearly every other weekend lately, just to take it all in.

Manhattan Skyline—mostly downtown and Battery Park City

View towards Ellis Island (and the Statue of Liberty is hidden behind it)

You can see the top of the Empire State Building over the hill

View toward Midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building

Out in Jersey City

2010-04-17T01:54:00.001-04:00

Twice recently I have visited Jersey City—once for work and once to visit the Jersey City Museum and some galleries. It was my first time back in the Garden State since flying out of Newark back in '07.

During work I viewed some furnished apartments located near Jersey City's waterfront and got to see a little bit of the neighborhood. These apartments have THE BEST views of Manhattan. Even the sun decks present an unrivaled sight of the Empire State Building and downtown/Battery Park City.

During a gallery tour I got to see all of the beautiful brownstones along Montgomery Street, and people watch in Van Vorst Park while on my way to the Jersey City Museum.

Jersey City is a unique place, with great views, lots of mom-and-pop establishments and definitely more fresh air than there is in the city!

Next stop, Hoboken!

View of Downtown Manhattan from inside Riverside at
Towers of America, an apartment building at 1 River Court.

View of the Goldman Sachs Tower from the J. Owen Gundy Park.

View from the sun deck at Marbella, an apartment building
at 425 Washington Blvd.

View of Manhattan and the Empire State Building from
Jersey City's waterfront walkway

Grove Street in Jersey City, near the Grove Street PATH Station

Katz's Delicatessen

2010-04-14T17:33:00.001-04:00

I never saw the movie When Harry Met Sally so I haven't ever craved a visit to this NYC landmark, but I had a friend in town who did, so we ventured down to the Lower East Side to see what all of the sandwich fuss was about.

We sat at the table NEXT to the table where Harry and Meg Ryan sat for their big scene.

We split the chicken. And that was all!

Inside the new Upper West Side Apple Store

2010-04-09T12:34:00.001-04:00

This place is so colossal it makes me feel small and powerless. Actually, my exact words to my friend who visited this fairly new iLocation with me were, "I feel lonely!"

You have to visit in person. It is just another unique experience in iShopping ;-)

Wherever work takes me...

2010-04-05T17:47:00.002-04:00

Sometimes my work takes me to high-up places! As a Graphic Designer in the marketing department of a corporate housing company that provides furnished apartments all over Manhattan, I sometimes get to view the apartments in person to take pictures or plan video shoots.

A while ago I took part in a video tour at Tower 31, a luxury high-rise in The Flat Iron District and got to photograph the views from inside one of the rental units. And there are more to come following this one!

This apartment, located a block away from Times Square, was amazing because it provided views of all of New Jersey, Downtown Manhattan and The Statue of Liberty. My personal favorite is the view of New Jersey. To me it is amazing to be able to stand in one state (New York) and SEE another (NJ).

It was a bright and sunny afternoon up on the 60th floor of this luxury high-rise. I can't wait visit again!

Looking South towards Downtown Manhattan

Battery Park City, Jersey City and The Statue of Liberty

Looking West towards New Jersey

View towards Chelsea and Gramercy; the New York Life Insurance Building and Met Life Tower (gold top)

A few odd things around NYC

2010-04-03T17:51:00.003-04:00

I was inspired by Nick and LevysUniqueNY on Twitter to write a post about some odd signs and sights I've spotted around the city. Some I see every day, some I saw a long time ago but never forgot, and some I see on occasion.

Lost sock sign in the Upper East Side on 2nd Avenue & 65th Street
(spotted almost a year ago)

Spotted in front of the Whitney Museum on Madison Avenue
and 75th Street

In the Upper West Side on 74th Street between Central Park West
and Columbus—a street sign that reads "Baxter" in an apartment window

An upside down Pedestrian sign on Spring Street in SoHo

"Pray", written on door handle of an NW subway

Times Square during the day

2010-04-02T11:00:00.001-04:00

Times Square is a place I find myself in at least once a week. Having lived in the city for almost three years, it's not normal protocol for a local to be found here, but I can't help it that the subways all stop here and I have events to get to that are nearby! (and really, I'm happy to spend time here; rather than avoid it I embrace it!)

Times Square during the day is quite a sight. Nothing like it is at night...

Looking south towards 42nd Street (from 49th)

The tkts booth at 47th and Broadway

Museum of Modern Art - it's been a while

2010-03-21T18:01:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've visited the Museum of Modern Art.

I went back in January in an attempt to view the Tim Burton exhibit (up through April), but didn't get there in time for one of the limited-available tickets.

While there I enjoyed viewing works by Gabriel Orozco, the Bauhaus artists and of course, Monet.

Gabriel Orozco's Samurai Tree Invariants (ended Mar. 1)

The entrance to the Bauhaus 1919-33: Workshops for Modernity exhibit
(ended Jan. 25)

Monet's Waterlillies

Out on Pier 66

2010-03-18T00:22:00.001-04:00

You wouldn't expect to find yourself on a ship on any regular night while attending a weekend art fair. You wouldn't expect to climb that ship in a tights and a dress, and explore the bowls in the freezing cold weather out on Pier 66 off of 12th Avenue and 26th Street.

But hey, it can happen!

The Fountain Art Fair took place a couple weeks ago on Pier 66 Maritime. It included 20 exhibitors and independent projects all under one roof—or tent I should say. There were installations, paintings and mixed media pieces throughout the tent and the neighboring ship called "The Frying Pan."

I stayed on the ship as long as I could before I was close to freezing then headed back into Midtown and towards home!

View of Chelsea Piers from Pier 66

Inside The Frying Pan ship, which dates back to the 60's

View of the mast and the lights of Jersey City!

At the Armory arts Show

2010-03-09T18:44:00.004-05:00

The Armory Show, which was first put on in 1913 as the "International Exhibition of Modern Art", now occurs every year in March. It is the place to see contemporary art from artists, galleries and collectors from all over the world all in one spot—two big spots that is, being Piers 92 and 94 out on the Hudson.

I went last year and was so pleasantly surprised and so exhausted after walking among miles and miles of gallery art that I couldn't wait to return this year and fill my camera card to the max with more color, people, shapes and outrageous things again.

These are a few of my favorite things...