Seen Around NYC

Rooftop Playtime

2012-03-03T17:08:00.003-05:00

From my Mom, guest photographer, from her hotel room in Downtown Brooklyn. Even the rooftops are festive in this borough.

Hanging at the Guggenheim

2012-02-07T23:31:00.000-05:00

The artist Maurizio Cattelan had a retrospective at the Guggenheim this winter. In the spirit of his unconventional work, he decided to join all previous pieces as one massive instillation which hung from the ceiling of the museum.

My pictures truly don't do justice to this fascinating work. Here's a video from the Guggenheim's website which shows how the piece was hung.

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/past/exhibit/3961

La MaMa Block Party

2012-02-01T13:15:00.006-05:00

Super late, but I wanted to post this video from the La MaMa Block Party which took place in October. The event not only celebrated the 50th Anniversary of this venerable downtown theater, but it also honored founding Artistic Director Ellen Stewart who recently passed away. Performers were seen on the streets surrounding the theater's E 4th St home.

Love Squared

2012-01-21T23:06:00.000-05:00

The cube near St. Marks wrapped in love - for no apparent reason.

Duchamp meets Armstong Deux

2012-01-11T21:03:00.000-05:00

After Party

2012-01-03T23:05:00.002-05:00

All that's left in Times Square on 1/2/12

Part of a Natavity Scene in Lower Manhttan

2012-01-03T23:02:00.002-05:00

Lights at Rockefeller Plaza

2011-12-29T15:05:00.001-05:00

CANstruction '11

2011-11-27T18:18:00.002-05:00

The Thanksgiving holiday wouldn't be the same without CANstruction at the World Financial Center. Here are some of this year's top sculptures.

Angry Birds

Big Ben

Converse Tennis Shoe

No they didn't?!?

2011-11-05T21:52:00.000-04:00

I usually don't think of the venerable Smithsonian as an organization with a sense of humor, but I give them props for the sign outside the Cooper Hewitt on 91st St and 5th Ave. which is closed for renovation.

Washington Sqaure Park After Hours

2011-10-30T17:00:00.009-04:00

It hosts events as random as a busker with a baby grand piano

to an epic Light Saber Battle

Bad A%$ Dog on St. Marks

2011-09-30T19:19:00.001-04:00

Did you catch his bling?

In Case You're In Need

2011-09-20T16:44:00.000-04:00

Not Your Typical Bloomingdale Shoppers

2011-09-14T19:20:00.003-04:00

This group was seen milling about on 59th St and Lexington. Turns out they were filming an insurance commercial. The great thing was how many people walked by without batting an eye.

What's Worse Than Christmas at Halloween?

2011-09-05T19:15:00.000-04:00

Christmas at Labor Day -- Courtesy of Macy's Herald Square

Post Irene

2011-09-04T19:09:00.002-04:00

No flooding near me, but this tree didn't fair so well.

The Lady Cometh

2011-08-27T18:21:00.007-04:00

Usual signs Seen Around NYC

Signs that Hurricane Irene is making her way into NYC

Big thanks to the gentleman at ACE Hardware on 1st Ave between 3rd and 4th Street for advice about my air conditioner. For all your hardware needs, rain or shine, check them out.

Gigilo and Boat Security

2011-08-22T22:45:00.001-04:00

Apparently this guy worked security...in 1974. Does anyone even say Gigilo anymore?

Safe Sex

2011-08-19T00:06:00.000-04:00

In Park Slope

More City Art

2011-08-13T22:02:00.000-04:00

Art installation on light posts around 8th St and Lafayette

Art in Park

2011-08-08T22:37:00.000-04:00

Sculptures in City Hall Park

Not What You Think

2011-07-12T22:54:00.004-04:00

Is this light fixture located in a synagogue?

Nope, it's in a movie theater on 12th St and 2nd Ave that was a formerly a Yiddish vaudeville house.

Falling Man

2011-06-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

Neon sculpture between 1st and 2nd floor on 23rd Street

Spring Has Sprung

2011-04-22T22:45:00.000-04:00

Near the carousel in Central Park

A Snow Day Game

2011-01-29T12:09:00.005-05:00

Let's play the YET ANOTHER SNOWSTORM NAME GAME

Can you name the object buried under 18" of snow?

Fire hydrant

bicycle

motorcycle

car

EVERYTHING!!

Travel Encouragment

2011-01-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

The entire inside of one the Time Square shuttle trains has been covered with travel images from American Airlines.

MATERIALISTIC

2011-01-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

A fence on E 13th St.

I guess gentrification of the neighborhood is rankling an artist or fashanistia.

A closer look.

Post-Blizzard Ramifications

2010-12-30T16:40:00.003-05:00

Warm weather and slow snow removal have left the city slushy.

Intersections are swimming pools.

Cars can't move out of their Saturday, pre-blizzard parking spots.

Because Saturday was Christmas, there was no garbage pick-up. Many bags are simply trapped under the mounds of snow. Now residents are piling new bags on top of the snow heaps hoping that garbagemen can make their way down the street for pick-up.

Apparently Santa forgot to give Mayor Bloomberg a better clean-up strategy for the holidays. At least we're not trapped at the airport!

BLIZZARD!

2010-12-28T09:06:00.003-05:00

Shots from INSIDE the Canal Street station the night of the blizzard.

CANstruction '10

2010-11-27T10:21:00.008-05:00

The holiday season is always heralded by this event held at the World Financial Center. This year there were some clever entries (remember that all the sculptures are made out of cans).

Legos

Russian Nesting Dolls

Can you make out Super Mario?

All the cans were donated to a food bank the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Check out a CANstruction in your area.

http://canstruction.org/cities

Sukkah City

2010-11-20T22:27:00.002-05:00

I'm a wee behind on posting, but wanted to give a shout out to the Sukkah City -- a design contest that occurred in October. Architects were asked to design modern sukkahs and the winners were displayed in Union Square.

Here are more images of the sukkahs (these pages don't seem to load if you hit the link so you'll need to cut and paste them into another browser window).

http://designnotes.info/?p=2836

and a story about the contest

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/42991/

Underground

2010-11-18T21:39:00.003-05:00

Back in September PS 122 and the Alliance Francaise co-produced a reading of Daniel Pettow's The Sea Museum in an abandoned subway tunnel in Brooklyn. The environment made the reading quite unique.

To enter the space, everyone climbed through a manhole in the middle of the street.

and then walked through this "entry way"

The performance took place down the length of the tunnel. My Nokia's flash isn't too strong, but you can make out the rock wall at the end of the tunnel which marked the end of the playing space.

Sugar Plum Fairy...

2010-11-16T10:42:00.000-05:00

...prancing at 42nd and 8th Ave

x-rated

2010-11-14T10:39:00.002-05:00

Random yet strategically placed art at the entrance to the Time Square station.

High and Low Culture

2010-11-08T07:02:00.003-05:00

These books were next to each other on a shelf titled "Popular Selections" at a book store in Columbus Circle.

Clearly New Yorkers like all types of literature.

Bag Lady

2010-11-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

At Macy's in Herald Square

Secret Identity

2010-11-04T22:56:00.003-04:00

Seen on the L train, a man in a full business suit with a pair of spaceman pajamas just peeking out from the bottom of the pant leg.

Fantasy Clocks

2010-10-04T22:12:00.000-04:00

These fantastic clocks were shown at the Washington Square Arts Festival.

You can contact the artist Richard Birkett at 607-988-7409

Chicken?

2010-09-30T23:48:00.000-04:00

In case you fear the dentist but need some work done, here's the practice for you -- check out the tagline on the bottom right of the sign.

NYC vs Stockholm

2010-09-26T15:22:00.007-04:00

In Central Park you will find an Organic Fast Food cart. Here is the list of hot dog offerings:

Compare that to the Hot Dog stand I passed in Stockholm:

That's right, your options include two scoops of mashed potatoes (second picture on the right), shrimp salad (third picture on the left), or roasted pork (third from the right).

6th St and 1st Ave: A Love Story

2010-09-26T15:10:00.003-04:00

Oy, Signor Velo, you are so colorful and full of life. I am drawn to you.

Si mio piccolo sidecar, I too feel the electricity between us. You are so sturdy, so understated. Will you attach yourself to me?

Are you not afraid, dear sir, that I will weigh you down?

Mio amore, you will bring balance to my life. I adore you.

And I love you. Let us drive into the sunset together.

Glow in the Dark

2010-09-05T10:46:00.003-04:00

The small square at 6th Ave and Bleeker was recently refurbished. The new fountain lights up at night. A wee bit European but with a day-glow twist.

Fairy Princessland

2010-08-28T07:58:00.000-04:00

This Fairy Princess Closet of Magical Gowns brought to you by Cookies in Brooklyn.

Supersized Sound

2010-08-28T07:56:00.000-04:00

Dial P for Playground

2010-08-04T23:56:00.004-04:00

It's late at night. A Phone Rings:

Park Worker: Mr Playground, can you come by to fix the broken swing in Washington Square Park?

DPG: That's Dr. Playground to you son. I didn't spend 8 years in playground college and get my degree in see-saw-ology not to be shown the respect I deserve.

Mohonk

2010-08-04T23:50:00.004-04:00

About an hour and a half outside NYC is a mountain lodge named Mohonk. It's a beautiful place of repose...especially for mountain elves.

That'll Hurt Later

2010-07-25T17:07:00.003-04:00

New York fast food restaurants are required to list the calorie count next to each item for sale. A jaw dropping example from the Original Nathans in Coney Island. Calorie Count located at the bottom of the display.

Just as a comparison:

All Smiles

2010-07-25T16:59:00.004-04:00

In the bathroom at Scandinavia House on 38th and Park-

Innovative Design or Happenstance?

Sidewalk Catwalk

2010-07-17T09:13:00.007-04:00

From Herald Square to Times Square along Broadway you'll find mannequins with outfits by top designers making the sidewalks more eye-popping. Here are a few of the creations:

www.sidewalk-catwalk.com

The mannequins will be on display until Labor Day

Hand Made

2010-07-17T09:10:00.001-04:00

This is the scarf my mom just made for me! It will be Seen Around NYC more prominently this fall.

Comparison

2010-07-11T23:57:00.007-04:00

What you see just next to the entrance to the Trader Joe's near my apartment in New York

What you see just next to the entrance to the Trader Joe's near my parent's apartment in Minneapolis.

Well, there are all those lakes.

Nobody Knows Who You Are...Yet

2010-06-26T23:31:00.005-04:00

The Spiderman musical, which has been plagued by both script and money problems, had to delay its announced February opening and rumors are the production costs close to $50 million dollars.

Apparently there is some movement towards raising the curtain on this Julie Taymor helmed project (with a book by Glen Berger and music by Bono and the Edge) as I walked by the Hilton Theater the other day and the crew was loading in. Here's an image of the set being hung on the back wall of the theater. You can see similar grey images on Gotham just behind the flat to its right.

And apparently Local 1 doesn't have Spidey sense so their materials all needed to be well labeled.

New Sand Painting in Union Square

2010-06-26T23:30:00.000-04:00

Walk, Stop, F*%k You

2010-06-26T23:26:00.002-04:00

GREED stays on track

2010-06-13T00:02:00.005-04:00

The MTA is about to cut service and take away students' free Metrocards prompting the following change of service sign recently posted in one of the stations.

Sorry I couldn't get closer so you could read the fine print. I'm sure it ain't appropriate for younguns'

Big City Heathens Repent

2010-06-05T19:31:00.002-04:00

The Big Apple

2010-06-02T23:51:00.004-04:00

Literally

Trash with Class

2010-05-23T11:17:00.007-04:00

Even garbage in New York is treated as High Art

In the top left corner, you can also make out the new Shepard Fairey (Obama poster artist) mural on the side of the evil Cooper Square Hotel.

http://www.freshnessmag.com/2010/04/30/shepard-fairey-new-mural-on-cooper-square-hotel-event-recap

Duchamp meets Armstrong

2010-05-15T17:09:00.002-04:00

Easter Bonnet Parade 2010

2010-05-11T22:12:00.008-04:00

This hat is made of crayons.

Never be a wall flower!

So this last image, the one that looks like a big bouquet that you'd find when you walk into a fancy restaurant or the entrance hall of the MET, that's one woman's hat. Where you see the green leaves, that's covering her dress.

Sand Painting in Union Square

2010-05-10T19:34:00.000-04:00

For Nashville

2010-05-10T01:09:00.001-04:00

This plaque was near the emergency defibrillator at the Nashville Airport. As my roommate can attest, Nashville needs a bit of love and attention right now.

You Know You're Right

2010-05-10T01:00:00.001-04:00

Sometime NYC provides you with needed wisdom...via spray painted stencils on your corner.

Furthur

2010-05-09T21:55:00.004-04:00

This fabulously painted bus is parked on my block. Yet another reason to love my block.

Blast from the Past

2010-05-09T21:13:00.005-04:00

Found on the street in the East Village near a ConEd mini-dig. Clearly booze and music are the archeological remains of the neighborhood.

NYPD out in force

2010-05-06T20:17:00.000-04:00

Thank god the Red Lobster in Times Square has been secured!

For Grandma Miriam

2010-05-01T22:09:00.001-04:00

Pastrami on Rye

2010-04-10T16:27:00.002-04:00

At the Carnegie Deli--Please note this is only HALF the sandwich.

Punk Rock Dog

2010-04-02T22:28:00.000-04:00

I wasn't sure if I should call a fashion photographer or PETA.

Where I started...

2010-04-02T18:42:00.000-04:00

Something you typically don't see in NYC. This is an ad from the Minneapolis Airport.

Cold Day for a Walk

2010-02-24T22:29:00.001-05:00

You gotta love pet owners in this city. The weather is brisk and you simply can't have your dog walk around in just his fur. Please notice the dog's black booties in addition to his jacket.

Art Lesson

2010-01-15T01:02:00.000-05:00

Don't let the twin cats of fear and denial keep you from happiness. Thank you for the tip Brooklyn Museum.

RIP Milo

2010-01-04T21:50:00.000-05:00

A sad day for NY cats and humans alike.

SantaCon

2009-12-19T23:06:00.005-05:00

An annual pub crawl that's so much more. Santa's Rules from the SatnaConNYC website:

Santa looks like Santa. HOLIDAY APPAREL IS MANDATORY. A Santa hat is not enough. Get a Santa suit. Buy a Santa suit. Make a Santa suit. Steal a Santa suit. Just don't wear your fucking jeans.
Santa acts like Santa. Be jolly. Belly-laugh.
Santa doesn't seek media attention. "Ho-ho-ho" is good. "Publicity ho" is lame.
Don't be "that" Santa.
Your friends want to have fun, not scrape the puke outta your beard or prevent your wasted ass from wandering into traffic.
Santa does not make children cry (unless they whine, snivel, or otherwise deserve it).
Really - If you see kids, give them nice toys, candy, or something pleasant. Feel free to urinate on the parents. Tourists fall somewhere in between the two -- adjust depending on their attitude.
Santa doesn't get arrested. Please remember the FOUR FUCKS:

Don't fuck with kids.
Don't fuck with cops.
Don't fuck with security.
Don't fuck with Santa.

http://nycsantacon.com/

Take the A train

2009-12-18T20:42:00.002-05:00

It's hard to make out the image, but this vintage subway car pulled into the 42nd Street station. Apparently there are vintage buses and subway cars out this week as a holiday treat for New Yorkers.

You can see cars from as far back as 1900 at the Transit Museum in Brooklyn.
http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/

Naughty or Nice?

2009-12-14T21:28:00.003-05:00

Walking down W 42nd. Someone's getting ready for their Holiday Party. Don't know if you can quite make out the wording on the balloons -- one says naughty and one says nice. Wonder which balloon most people will want to take home?

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2009-11-29T23:17:00.001-05:00

CANSTRUCTION

2009-11-16T22:01:00.001-05:00

Sculptures made entirely from labels on boxes and cans of food. A few days before Thanksgiving, the sculptures are taken apart and the food is given to area food banks.

Donut with sprinkles being dunked into a cup of coffee.

Wall-E and Eva.

There are CANSTRUCTIONS all over the country. Find one near you--entry is a can of food.

http://www.canstruction.org/

Life Imitating Art

2009-11-12T23:02:00.001-05:00

You may have seen something similar at the Whitney Biennial a few years ago, but this phone booth was just outside my office.

Halloween

2009-11-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

From the Annual Pumpkin Carving Party.

VOTE!!

2009-10-26T21:54:00.002-04:00

This is posted all over NYC. Love it!

Vince -- Don't look

2009-10-22T22:08:00.001-04:00

From the costume shop on the ground floor of my building. It really looks like he could jump at and kill me in the dead of night. CREEPY!

On Mulberry Street

2009-09-22T23:47:00.001-04:00

Feast of San Gennaro
It smelled even better than it looked.

Hangin' at the Guggenheim

2009-09-10T22:34:00.003-04:00

This is old but too cool not to post. It's from the top of the Guggenheim spiral looking at an installation from the Cai Guo-Qiang exhibit.

Trip to Coney Island

2009-04-27T22:30:00.003-04:00

Wherever Gene Cohen Leff is, I'm sure there's one of these near by.

Easter Bonnet Parade 2009

2009-04-25T21:40:00.000-04:00

This was my first year at the Easter Bonnet Parade. It was very impressive. Here are some of my favorites.

While lovely, this hat is considered pretty ho-hum by parade standards.

This woman's dress is made entirely from Peeps.

These guys were walking around together and people were swarming them to take photos. It's like they'd never seen a man walking around in a topiary bunny costume before.