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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Human Drive-Thru, in Midtown

Dunkin Donuts, nyc
Photo by myself, in Midtown.

Behold, a line outside Dunkin Donuts, a very popular chain. There are 30-some locations in Manhattan, most of them south of City Hall.

As you can see, New Yorkers are such a picky bunch that they will undergo public humiliation to get a 'good' cup of coffee. Along this stretch of Midtown, the only coffee purveyors are carts parked along the sidewalk and the occasional deli.

[Disclaimer: Use of the word 'good' in this case is debatable. I'm not a fan of Dunkin Donuts, but that doesn't mean anything!]

Related posts: Death Before Decaf, in Brooklyn, On Line, in Midtown, and Waiting, in Alphabet City.

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Monday, October 28, 2013

A Rupert Update, with Friend

BTs
Photo by myself in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

Rupert, our Boston Terrier (right) stands knee deep in leaves. Beside him is his smaller and sprite-lier sidekick, Penelope.

Sorry this photo is a little blurry around the animals! They kept moving around so much, it's a wonder any photos came out well at all.

(Fashion note: Penelope is wearing a Darth Vader one-piece outfit).

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It's noticeably cooler these days, as we're heading toward November. Life has been very, very busy at work and home.

All this time, too, I thought that something was going on with my big camera. I'd put my eyeball to the viewfinder but nothing seemed to be in focus.

It turns out though that it's my eyeball that's not in focus. Argh! So now I cannot tell what's good or bad until I get home, which keeps things interesting.

Related posts: Boston Terriers Gone Mad, at the Mad, Dog Run, On NYC Slogans, and a Rupert Update, and Back Home to the Brooklyn Bridge and a Boston Terrier.

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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Dancer, On the Ride Home

subway, nyc
Photo by myself on the Q Train.

A young man performed on the subway, to the usual crowd commuting home to Brooklyn.

He was part of a whole troupe of young kids, dancing to loud music. Much of his routine highlighted his incredible flexibility.

subway, nyc

Related posts: Cartwheel, on the Q Train Home, Mimes, Below Times Square, and Flipping Out, on the B Train.

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Thursday, October 17, 2013

A Moment, in Union Square

Union Square, NYC
Photo by myself in Union Square, at 14th Street and Fifth Avenue.

A man wearing a Chicago Bulls uniform and hat of feathers sat alongside the subway entrance at Union Square. In his hand he carried some sort of voodoo cane decorated with bones.

Meanwhile in the background, another man did push ups.

I was a little worried about taking this photo, since the man wearing the feathers seemed very upset. He was muttering angrily to himself about the Hare Krishna group dancing about, some 20 paces away.

Related posts: Crochet Lady, in Midtown, Green Man, in Washington Square Park, and Funky Chicken, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Swimming for Relief, in Herald Square

nyad swim sm
Photo by myself in Herald Square, at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, in Midtown.

Diana Nyad, the long distance swimmer, was midway through her swim for her charity 'Swim for Relief', Wednesday morning.

A makeshift lap pool was set up right outside the entrance to Macy's. There were two lanes set up, so Nyad could have companions join her during the 48-hour swim. I was there around 10 am, and the clock was at the 25-hour mark.

There were grandstand seats, and cameras, and a narrow walkway where people could stand and take photos. Once you stood on the raised walkway, the pool was about the level of your chest.

At this writing, Swim for Relief has raised $70k, with funds going to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Their website has a webcam showing the pool (!) so you can tune into see Nyad go back and forth, and back and forth. It's a little chilly now in the city, but nothing like what it must be at sea.

For the Swim for Relief website, click here.

nyad low sm

Related posts: A Quick Game, in Tompkins Square Park, On the Ice, in Midtown, and Badminton in Burqas, in Brooklyn.

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Thursday, October 3, 2013

Out for a Walk, in Santa Monica, California

Pet pig, CA
Photo by myself at the Third Avenue Promenade, in Santa Monica, California.

Just a moment from my recent visit to California, at 'the Promenade', the main attraction in Santa Monica.

A woman chatted with passersby, while carrying her pet pig in her arms. The pig, (I assume a girl pig) wore a little halter. So I guess the pig had been out for a stroll.

The promenade in Santa Monica is a very popular outdoor pedestrian mall, lined with stores on both sides. There are fountains and musicians and eateries, too.

Oh....and farm animals.

Related posts: A Four-Legged Co-Pilot, on Flatbush Avenue, Walking the Dog, While Pedalling, and The Sign of the Rat, in Midtown.

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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

On Window Bays and Shopfronts, Around the City

Detail, UWS
Photo by myself, on the Upper West Side.

At one of the many townhouses on the upper West Side, a pretty bay window is decorated with a Greek key pattern along the lower edge and a scalloped underside. Even the protective window grilles are ornamental.

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If you have a spare moment, check out this incredible slideshow currently on the New York Times website.

The Times showcases several small scale dioramas made by Randy Hage, a craftsman who works on movie and television props. Hage takes photos of historic, well-loved New York storefronts, then builds 1/12th scale models of them, then takes photos of the models.

The results are pretty astonishing - the uneven brickwork, painterly metal roll down doors and old timey signs are breathtakingly represented. You would never think you were looking at a replica made by hand.

Seeing these images, for me, was like looking through a time capsule. The best photo of the series shows Hage looming over the Nick's Lucheonette, and exposing the real scale of the model. (I promise the image above is a real photo of a real building!)

To see the Times slideshow, click here.

Related posts: Living Large, on the Upper East Side, A Dash of Charm, in the Village, and Outside Bedford Street Laundry, in the Village.

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