Brooklyn Bridge Therapy

Man, it’s been a while. Two full months without a blog.  But Saturday night I had the camera, I had the tripod, and I made the time to get out and explore. In this city “exploring” doesn’t have to mean places you’ve never been before. Building after building, store after store, character after bizarre, intriguing or cover model character change. And there’s just so much of everything that whether it’s your second visit or seventieth, you’ll always see something new. Especially if you set out with a clear head.

Looking south from the on ramp

There’s something about the holiday season that is stressful.  For some it’s family.  For others it may be the year-end work crunch, the struggle to get everything done while office mates take their last remaining days of vacation and minds are generally elsewhere (where they should be). Others may just hate the cold.

The classic bridge shot. You have to take it.

I’m never one for touristy activities.  So why the Brooklyn Bridge?  I make an exception for this reason: it’s awesome.  As I walked along, admittedly in a bit of a fog, the flashes of cameras caught my attention. Groups of friends, families and sometimes just solo travelers snapped photos of each other and then poured over the viewfinder to see what they’d captured. Everyone was smiling, joking, and, in some cases, genuinely overwhelmed by the emotions stirred by standing on this historic bridge and behaving like children.  Though some were just shivering.  Their energy was infectious and soon I found myself dropping any anxiety over the side of the bridge. Not only was I lucky to be where I was, but to witness what for some was a once in a lifetime experience is special as well.  I’d walked only 25 minutes or so from my apartment and was standing on the spot people had traveled across state lines and even oceans to get to. (We pay exorbitant rents for location, convenience, right?)

Looking north from the on-ramp

I saw the awe in their faces, and it quickly restored the awe that I’ve felt for this city.  The awe that has taken a back seat to work and life and planning and self-enforced pressure to excel. Then I, as I recommend to anyone in New York, just stood back and took it all in — with camera in hand, of course.

At the 4,5,6 Brooklyn Bridge Subway Stop

Looking north from the on-ramp

Brooklyn Bridge

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.

New Yorkers Hit the Hudson to View “Smoking River”

(The shot above ended up being featured by the great people at Gothamist.com!)

 

Next Stop, LaGuardia

An airplane passes the moon on its way to LaGuardia airport in Queens, New York. By the way, there are over 1.6 million people living in Manhattan, but over 2.3 million in Queens, so in terms of pure numbers, it seems Eddie Murphy was actually on the right track in his quest for a suitable “queen.”

Yankees Fans Train for the Season

Why I Don’t Have a Car In New York City…

Taken on Washington Street in the West Village.

Christopher Street Pier Reigns as Warm Weather Hangout

How cool is it to work in New York City and be able to talk your shoes off and chill out on a dog-free lawn along the Hudson?  Yes, I said dog-free. Not that I don’t love the little guys, but I’d rather not lay in their stuff while I’m trying to catch some quick rays before retreating to my cubicle. The Christopher Street Pier and surrounding grassy areas along the West Side Highway is the perfect spot to relax and soak up the sun.  Even on Friday, it was bikinis and bathing suits galore. No, I did not take pictures of them.

The grass is so nice I wish I had my wedge and a few golf balls to play around with. But, if the parks people zip around in their mini Urkel-mobiles to tell people to get their dogs off the grass I’m sure they’d have a few words for the guy hacking chunks out and yelling “fore!” at passers by.

The Faces of the East River

So I’ve been on a little bit of an East River kick.  I walk over at sunrise.  I swing by on my bike after work, when the sun has set.  Did you know it was once known as the Sound River?  Gives it a pretty different feel, right?  Timing does the same thing.  Mid day, it’s an industrial highway, with ferries and barges crisscrossing all 16 miles. But in the morning and evening one can find magic in the water and light.  

Here’s the raw shot without any post processing. (Taken at 20th street, the same spot as yesterday’s blog photo. You’ll see what I mean about different feel. )

But then there is sunrise, my favorite time to be on the river.

As the sun rises, it casts a million different hues on the water. Each minute a different sensation.

I’m not the only one here.  Near Chinatown and the Manhattan Bridge, women do Tai Chi to wake up, find center in a chaotic place, and celebrate the day ahead. All is at peace.

Still, life stirs.  Commuters drive and take public transportation across bridges firmly rooted in the deepest depths of the river.

This is the destination.

Manhattan.  Brooklyn. Queens.  And although the boroughs are nothing but steel and cement, they wouldn’t be the same without…

The East River.

Happy Chinese New Year!

It’s a gift when you can walk 15 minutes and find yourself right in the middle of the Chinese New Year parade. One of the biggest! Happy Year of the Tiger! Here are a few of my favorite images from the day. More shots can be found on my Flickr page.

After an hour or so, the streets were so full you could barely move. People were shooting off tube poppers all over, showering the crowds with confetti and good luck parachutes.

The whole scene was magical. I could have been in Beijing for all I knew. But it was just 15 minutes from my apartment in Gramercy, where my television was set to DVR repeat episodes of Jersey Shore and other programs only an American could love.

The dragon costumes were out of control colorful and beautiful. But I wondered about the men in them. What was their story. This has to be an honor, I would assume, as they are the ones who go to each storefront and do a dance in the doorway to bring good luck to the owner.

And there’s nothing like a good high-five to kick off any celebration.

Winter Jam NYC

Did you know there are National and World Championships for trampolining?  A few of those champions took to the tramps in Central Park yesterday as Winter Jam attracted kids and adults alike to see the high flying show. There was also a snow boarding ramp, with performances throughout the afternoon. Visitors could watch the athletes or shop a variety of stands to buy their endorsed gear.

The Hudson is Frozen

The Hudson River really doesn’t need much to be major point of interest for New Yorkers and tourists alike. Since it’s frozen, though, the great shapes made by the ice make the views much more interesting. Check out this story of the Hudson freezing back in the day.

Jersey City, New Jersey: Home of the Most Colorful Sunsets

Ok, so the the dramatic hues are apparently caused by pollution, but whatever — New Jersey Sunsets are beautiful.Here are two shots — one taken just before sunset, and the other just after it’s gone down. You can see how the colors change dramatically.

The Beautiful View From the Q Train

A view back to downtown New York City from the Q Train going over the Manhattan Bridge.

Greenwich Village Wild Holidays

“The mood is right, the spirits up. We’re here tonight, and that’s enough.” Sir Paul should have been in the village last night. It was crisp. It was bright. And the mood of Christmas hit me. It also hit my camera while I was doing a long exposure and somehow managed to move it enough to capture the sign and all of the lights around it in one big explosion.

I Spy NYC Photos Now Available on ETSY!

I finally opened a store on ETSY.com, dedicated to the New York photos I take for this blog. Check out http://ispynyc.etsy.com for prints of the photos you find here. If you seen any others you’d like, just send me a message. Enjoy!