Yoga, in the Rain

Photo by myself in Bryant Park, in Midtown.

Scores of yoga enthusiasts were on their mats and stretching, in Bryant Park. In the rain, no less!

Apparently this public yoga has been going on for ten years now, on Thursday evenings. It's one of the many free events going on in this relatively small park.

The yoga instructor had a microphone, so everyone could hear his instructions broadcast on large speakers.

For a schedule of events, click here.

Related posts: Striking a Pose, in Central Park, Get Your Zumba on for Free, in Herald Square, and Skating in Line, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

Last Night, in Bryant Park

Photo by myself, in Bryant Park.

The lawn at Bryant Park is all set for the summer - all grown in and freshly mowed. The main branch of the New York Public Library sits at the east end of the lawn.

I took this photo last night. As you can see, this space is well lit. Several strong lights sit on top of a tall office building across the street on the west side, behind where I'm standing.

On Monday nights during the summer months, free movies are played outside. The lawn is packed with people. Usually people go very early to stake out their spots.

Edit: To my horror, I posted another very, very similar photo a month ago, before the grass had grown in. Egad. You can see it here.

Related posts: Dusk in Bryant Park, Under the Canopies in Bryant Park, and Free Flicks in Bryant Park.

Night View, of Bryant Park

Photo by myself in Bryant Park, at 41st Street and Sixth Avenue, in Midtown.

The view of Bryant Park at night is a peaceful one.

Wednesday night we finally had nice weather. No icy winds. No rain. Hurrah!

At the East end of the park lies the main branch of the New York Public Library. A large fountain spouting water was all lit up.
--I'll be gone for a week to the west coast, for a much-needed vacation. Posts will continue here, sort of.

Related posts: Under the Canopies, in Bryant Park, West 10th Street, at Night, and Night View, at the Dakota.

The Empire State in Green and Blue

Photo by myself in Bryant Park, in Midtown.

Monday night, the Empire State Building was all lit up in green and blue. This photo was taken in Bryant Park, about seven blocks north.

During the winter, there is a raised area for seating and an ice rink. People were out skating while 'Grease' was being shown on a giant movie screen.

The colors for the Empire State Building are scheduled well in advance, and the colors often have symbolic meaning. These are LED lights, so technically, the color selection is limitless.

According to the ESB website, Monday's green and blue symbolized 'the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy and International Corporate Philanthropy Day'.

Ha.

For the schedule of light colors, click here.

Related posts: The Empire State Building, Bathed in White, The View from Bryant Park, at Dusk, and Under the Canopies, in Bryant Park.

Dusk, in Bryant Park

Photo by myself in Bryant Park, at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

My favorite time of day is just before darkness, when all the street lights turn on.

There is something European about Bryant Park. Perhaps it's the formal squares of planting, or the little cafe chairs spread about? In any case, surrounded by tall buildings, the park is a welcome relief to the hard edges of Midtown.
--As an update, everything thing is business as usual, here.

My profession (architecture) is a tad slow right now. People are very, very cautious with their money. Clients are always asking us to figure out how they can save money, which is a little upsetting, since our fee is based on the construction cost (!).

My fiance Mark is in advertising, which is hopping, on the other hand. Always something to sell.

Related posts: Washington Square Park, at Dusk, The Empire State, at Dusk, and Buried Among Towers, in Midtown.

On Napping in Bryant Park and Parking in Brooklyn

Photo by myself, in Bryant Park.

A shoeless fellow napped while witting on a cafe chair, in Bryant Park. It must have been perfect napping weather.

This photo is from the stash. Bryant Park is the ideal place to nap, under the cover of tall trees. In the background is the carousel, which runs pretty much all year.
--Yes, I'm back in New York. I arrived very, very late last night.

One of my first tasks was to wake up early this morning to move the car. Oy. Mark traded our Mini Cooper, Clive, in for a car that I can actually drive. That means I must share in the parking duties.

New York conducts street cleaning, which means a zamboni-like thing crawls along the streets with big brushes to move debris, which means that every few days, you must move your car.

In Manhattan, each side of the street gets cleaned twice a week. In Brooklyn, only once a week. So your car cannot be parked along certain sides of the street on certain days, else you get a ticket. Often, people leave their cars on the street and get tickets because it's cheaper than putting the car in the garage.

Before going to LA, I parked the car on a Tuesday side. That meant finding another spot before 8:30 am today. I stumbled out with very little sleep to find a parking space. Dangerous. Excruciating. But I somehow found a spot, and managed to park without damaging anything.

Only on certain holidays or during heavy snowfall, is this practice suspended. I'm sure there were more than a few Seinfeld episodes about parking? I remember either George or Jerry sitting in a car, ranting. That's exactly what it's like.

Related posts: Crossing Broadway, on Wheels, On Wheels, in the Financial District, and On Skateboard Graphics and Subways in Mid-Air.

Puppy Dog Eyes, in Bryant Park

Photo by myself, in Bryant Park, in Midtown.

A fellow sat with his envious little Yorkshire Terrier in Bryant Park, Tuesday afternoon.

The fellow was eating something delicious, while listening to his i-device. Meanwhile, his little dog was licking her chops.

The lawn was out of frame to the left, where office workers were already lying about. We've been having cool-ish and damp weather lately, but that hasn't stopped anyone from enjoying the outdoors.

Related posts: In Thought, in Washington Square Park, Doggy Bag, on the Q Train, and Enjoying Pugs and Drinks, Outside.

On Taking Naps Outside and Images Around the Globe

Photo by myself, in Bryant Park.

Some photos from the stash show a couple things: the cliche about New Yorkers being overworked may be true after all, and that Bryant Park serves as a convenient rest stop.

Bryant Park is surrounded by tall-ish office towers. In the warmer months it's difficult to find a seat, let alone a spot of grass on the lawn.

During lunch, I have seen men take off their ties, shirts and undershirts to tan. Egad.
 

--Just before leaving for vacation, I was happily involved with a gesture that was romantic on different levels - a fellow from Poland named Tomasz wrote to me, requesting photos taken at New York landmarks. The only hitch - that I hold up a sign saying 'WNUCZU *heart* KUCIA'.

I wrote back saying I would do it, and then procrastinated for a few days. I was busy preparing for my trip, and wound up taking the photos the day before I left.

Tomasz told me he was compiling a set of photos taken around the world for his girlfriend's birthday. I was floored by the video he made, showing photos taken in Dubai, London, Paris and Tokyo, among other places.

In the world of Photoshop, this is a refreshing idea - to show photos that are taken at particular places, rather than slapping text on images from the comfort of one's couch. And it's refreshing that photographers around the world joined to help a perfect stranger.

Enjoy!

The first four New York photos of Times Square, the New York Public Library, the Empire State Building and the Plaza are from me.

 Related posts: Zzzzzzzzzz, As the World Walks By, on Fifth Avenue, and Stealing a Nap, Underground.