Union Square Goings On…

 

The little gate in front of the Gandhi statue on the southwest corner of the park was open so I stepped in to take a look.  Funny how a twenty inch tall gate had kept me from getting new views of the park for the longest time. Maybe it’s been open before, I just didn’t notice.

There was a street fair, a market of sorts in Union Square today.  And, surprisingly, there were no organic turnips or naturally fermented pickles. It was for NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the stands were to promote clean energy ideas.  If you’re passing through today, check it out!

Best Beer Deal in New York?

PENN STATION! That’s right. Penn oh-my God-get-me-out-of-here Station. I just bought a 24-ounce bud light for $2.90 at Zaros, which, I must say, also sells one mean babka. Consider that I spent $10 on a 16-ounce beer at a Yankees game last week and I think you understand better where I’m coming from. So all you beer-chugging commuters, you ale-sipping straphangers, this is the place for you.

On another note, dear readers; this is the first blog post I’ve done entirely from my new android phone for verizon. if I wasn’t already addicted to making content for this blog now I think I’ve gone completely batty. Or maybe it’s just the beer talking.

Union Square Goings On

I walked home from work today to the most beautifully strange light in Union Square.  The dark clouds held it all in and the glass reflection off of a 14th street building only added to the effect.

There’s a very interesting art installation going on in the park too. The two guys in the background are sitting on stones labeled The Guilty, The Guiltier, The Guiltiest.  Makes you wonder what he was talking about on the phone.

Then I turned the corner and NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Are you kiddin me, man?  They’re putting in a TGI Fridays?  What crack in the culinary universe allowed this establishment to slip in?  Just one more reason to head down to the village to feel “local” again.  But next time I’m in the mood for some Prime Rib Stroganoff I know right where I’ll go.

Next Stop, Guggenheim!

Another East River Evening

Growing up I remember mentions of the East River on the news or sitcoms to be, let’s just say negative. Now that I live in New York, I have an entirely different view.  Yes, times have changed.  The city is a safer place, which is a huge factor.  But if you already read my “Faces of the East River” post a while back, you’ll know, it can simply be the way you view the river that makes the difference.  This is a beautiful and inspiring stretch of New York.  The night time joggers, the strollers, the gazers and the ones who just don’t want to go home just yet, we all find something in the river that changes us, that gives us a new idea or triggers a memory, if for only a brief moment.  I hope these photos do the same for you.

(This shot was just featured on Gothamist.com. Check them out. Top notch!)

* For the photographers out there, I don’t do HDR. These are all single shots adjusted only for normal color and tone. Everything else is in camera white balance and a trusty flashlight that I used for the first time to add light to the rocks/wood while taking long exposures.