Saturday, December 26, 2009

Saturday, November 21, 2009

The Dakota


Whenever I pass the Dakota, I look for someone who seems to live there, but there are only tourists or cars driving in--until this young woman greeted and was greeted by the guard and then walked right in. (The dog is real, by the way.)

New York in the 1950's and 60's


This is an example of what I remember it looking like....

Notice anything odd?

Cleaning the sidewalk: fall

Friday, November 13, 2009

Sunday, November 1, 2009

My neighborhood Cuban-Chinese tries to get into the Halloween spirit

I'D prefer to have an unobstructed view out the window


I believe these flags appeared on bus windows after 9/11. I wonder who decides these things. The flags remind me of signs I used to see on the public buses in Athens at Easter-time that said something like, "Christ is Risen."

It wasn't even Halloween yet....


Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Garment District

No better


This stationery store burned down a few years ago. When it reopened several months later, it looked just as messy and tired as it had before. (Not shown: the long line of people buying lottery tickets.)

Saturday, October 10, 2009

473 West End Avenue


When I lived here (with my family) in the 1950's and 1960's, this was a rental building. There was no doorman or concierge and no rack in the lobby for dry cleaning. There was an elevator operator (now the elevator is automatic).


Plantings





In 1950's and 60's Manhattan, I don't remember there being all of these unattractive plantings --too many varieties crammed together--even (especially) in front of fancy buildings. I wonder if they have sprouted up, as it were, because so many residents now have country houses; perhaps they have a desire--and the money-- to see ALL of their environments landscaped. But city landscapers haven't yet figured out how to do it; or they'll do anything to please their clients.