Below Times Square and a Rupert Update

Photo by myself, below Times Square.

Big posters about the musical 'Kinky Boots' decorated the walls below Times Square.

Most of the time, this space is packed to the gills with people. Very often, the posters here have people in them, so you get the effect of there being...even MORE people here.
--We had a hot and humid weekend.

To cool off, our dog Rupert swam in the dog pond in Prospect Park. Boston Terriers aren't known to swim, because they don't have much fur or fat to keep them buoyant. But he loves the water.

Here he is, still damp, with ball in mouth.



Related posts: Mimes, Below Times Square, The End is Near, in Times Square, and On Times Square and Our Rupert.

Wine Tasting Outdoors, in Midtown

Photo by myself, around 35th Street and Broadway, in Midtown.

A fellow representing the Robibero Winery beckoned passersby to try free samples of their wine during lunch hour. He wore a funny shirt decorated with wine bottles at an outdoor market, in Midtown.

The Robibero family vineyards are located in New Paltz, New York, 85 miles north of Manhattan. They produce many different white and red wines.

As with any business, please do some research first. I had serious work to do in the afternoon, so I sadly could not enjoy a taste.

For the Robibero website, click here.

Related posts: Outside a Creperie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Outside Pinisi Bakery, on East 4th Street, and On the Price of a Slice, Downtown.

Protest, on the Steps of the New York Public Library

Photo by myself, at the main branch of the New York Public Library.

Protesters occupied the steps of the main branch of the public library, Monday night. People held signs and handed out flyers to passersby.

The story I got from the protesters was that budget cuts will mean that some library branches will be eliminated.

Budget cuts also mean job losses, fewer books available for researchers and fewer library branches. At the same time, the buildings that once housed libraries would be available for developers. Developers mean tax money and future hotels or high-end real estate.

Ah yes, it's all about money.

There are many are very happy that New York withstood the recession for the most part. But there are also those who look around at the huge stores and very expensive apartments and long for 'Old New York', a city that was shabbier around the edges but that was filled with unique nooks and crannies.

For more about the libraries from the protesters point of view, visit their Save NYC Libraries website, here.



Related posts: Women in Black, Against War, Portrait of a Picket Line, in Hell's Kitchen, and Occupying Wall Street, One Day at a Time.

Cat Specialists, on the Upper West Side

Photo by myself, around 76th Street and Broadway, on the Upper West Side.

Yes, there are cat specialists here.

Manhattan Cat Specialists focus on everything cat - they board cats, groom cats, and look to their special medical needs. They even make house calls and had a couple brand new (adorable) kittens in their window for adoption.

I'm not sure whether New Yorkers own more cats than dogs. Some apartments don't allow pets at all, but they are the exception rather than the norm.

As with any business, please check them out before using them. By the way, the free pick and delivery canopy was for a dry cleaners next door, not for the cats!

Related posts: Cat on a Leash, in Midtown, Beware of Cat, East Village, and Cats on Leashes.

Signs on Third Avenue

Photo by myself, around 17th Street and Third Avenue, near Union Square.

Signs and old storefronts make up a lot of each street. Not everything is brand-spanking new here, thank goodness. You can get free newspapers in the colored plastic bins on the sidewalk.

Third Avenue is crowded with dry cleaners, grocery stores, specialty stores and the like. Most of the time, there are apartments on the upper floors.

Stores are usually located on the north-south running avenues, and the majority of brownstones and apartments are located on the narrower streets.

Related posts: Death Before Decaf, in Brooklyn, Seeking Help, on the Upper East Side, and Lit Up on Fifth Avenue.

Atop Radio City Music Hall, in Neon

Photo by myself, around Sixth Avenue and 50th Street, in Midtown.

The old-fashioned neon lights at Radio City Music Hall are lit every night, showing coming attractions.

This stretch of midtown is empty at night, save people strolling around. Most of the buildings are very tall and business-oriented. At street level, there are few stores or restaurants, so not much is open at this hour.

For a daytime view of this corner, click here.
--As with every trip, I start feeling nostalgic about New York just before leaving. Like clockwork.

People have been envious of our upcoming trip to Las Vegas and LA. Oh, the sun, the warmer weather. In fact it snowed here again, Thursday, just to prove that it's not quite Spring yet.

Thanks to all for putting up with my spotty posts. It's been that kind of busy. Posts will continue here in the meantime.

Related posts: Outside Radio City Music Hall, on Sixth Avenue, Bright Lights at BAM, and In Neon, on the Upper West Side.

Open 24/7 on 14th Street

Photo by myself around 14th Street and First Avenue, in the East Village.

A photo from the stash, at a slightly warmer time.

Older storefronts are more hodge podge than new ones, usually just a huge number of different signs. Obviously this store has an ATM!

Related posts: Holy Smokes, in the East Village, Signs of Old Times, on the Lower East Side, and A Glimpse of 42nd Street, Times Square.

Store Closing, on Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself, around Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street, in Midtown.

Large signs announced the closing of an antiques store, in Midtown.

This photo is from the stash. It's not uncommon, however, to see stores shutting down and new ones emerging.

New York City has generally been lucky during the whole crisis. Real estate prices are back on the rise, and I believe vacancies for storefronts have been low.

Related posts: Now on Sale, in Midtown, Women in Black, Against War, and Free Massages, in Union Square.

Unhate, on Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself at Fifth Avenue and 48th Street, in Midtown.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Just a snapshot from Fifth Avenue from a little while ago. The 'Unhate' ad campaign by Benneton caused a stir, showing various political leaders kissing one another.

Above, a two-story high Obama is shown with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

It's hard to believe it's 2013. Wowee. I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!

Related posts: Bikini-Clad, on Prince Street, Our Commander and Chief, Above 7th Avenue, and It All Ends, Above Chelsea.

Outside Mascot Studio, in the East Village

Photo by myself on Ninth Street and Second Avenue.

Mascot Studio in the East Village frames fine art and sells decorative objects. I was drawn to the subtle colors of their storefront.
--As the rest of the country, the city has been devastated by the news from Connecticut. Newtown is only 90 minutes north of Manhattan.

Related posts: Outside Zucco, on the Lower East Side, Outside Three Lives, in the Village, and Peeking In, on St. Mark's Place.

Open Everything that's Closed, on Bowery Street

Photo by myself on Bowery Street, in the East Village.

A cryptic illuminated sign to the left reads 'Open Everything That's Closed'. Barely visible above it is another sign in red that reads 'Close Everything That's Open'. Hm.

As on any typical Sunday, all the stores on Bowery were shuttered closed. The street is known for its numerous stores for restaurant equipment and supplies. It's one of the few obviously un-gentrified streets left in Manhattan.

In the olden days, you'd hear people refer to this area as 'The Bowery', mainly derived from the Bowery Mission. It was a sketchy street littered with bums. Now, not so much, thank goodness.

We had a dreary rainy day, Sunday. I took this photo from the passenger seat.

Related posts: Outside Memphis, on Broadway, Atop the Canopy at Radio City Music Hall, and Get Your Tattoos, Downtown.

In Neon, on Seventh Avenue

Photo by myself around 54th Street and Seventh Avenue.

The old-timey neon sign of an oyster restaurant beckoned from across the street. A place called The Famous Oyster Bar first opened in 1959, and looks as if it hasn't changed.

As always, please research restaurants before attending. This restaurant has mixed reviews.
--By the way, Wednesday night the Powerball jackpot reached $550 million dollars. Woohoo.

People were lining up on the sidewalks to purchase tickets from convenience stores (!). People in 44 states participated in the drawing, which took place at 10:59 EST.

I didn't buy a Powerball ticket, did you?

Related posts: Twinkly Lights, at the Breslin, Neon Storefronts, Midtown, and From the Corner Deli, in Soho.

Peeking into Paron's Fabrics, the Garment District

Photo by myself at 39th Street and Eighth Avenue, in the Garment District.

A photo pre-Sandy.

The fabric and notion stores in the Garment District are vanishing one by one. Paron's is one of my favorites. It just recently moved from 40th Street to 37th Street, and sell a range of fabrics and patterns to the public.

Paron's discounts some of its fabrics by as much as 50%. They carry some fabrics used by high end designers like Tessuti, Calvin Klein and DKNY. You can see the rolls and rolls of stuff inside, arranged by fabric weave and fiber content.
--Yesterday, my fiance Mark ventured into the city for work. He found a car service that drove him in. On the way home, he took a convoluted journey on the subway. (The 6 in Soho to Brooklyn Bridge, to the 4 to Atlantic/Pacific in Brooklyn, to the R train to Park Slope).

Mark's project was delayed by the storm, so he has to work weekends to meet their deadline. He works in advertising and they are rushing to fill a Thanksgiving air date. People are still waiting in line for gas for hours.

Meanwhile, I was all set to go in for photos. I had my bag, my water, my big camera, and comfy shoes.

I took the R train to Jay Street and was prepared to walk over the Manhattan Bridge, when I realized I'd forgotten to put the *@#%! battery in my camera.

Oy!! Major fail. I will try again today.

ps: Our building donated a ton of warm clothing to folks in Red Hook, and many of us are helping with a bake sale to raise funds.

While Park Slope escaped without too much damage, the temperatures are dropping here to the 30's at night. Red Hook is only a couple miles away and it was seriously flooded.

Related posts: Death & Co., Behind Closed Doors, Daredevil Tattoo, on Ludlow Street, and Hippy Sign, on Prince Street.

A Sense of Humor, in Park Slope, Brooklyn

Photo by myself around Seventh Avenue and Twelfth Street, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

A sandwich board style sign outside a liquor store proclaimed the obvious: 'Sandy is so not getting a Christmas card this year.' Ha.

Life is just getting a tad closer to normal, though lines outside gas stations are still very, very long. Mark ventured out to look for gas today but was out of luck. We have enough gas to drive about 20 miles, and dare not getting stuck on the side of the road.

You would think that not going to work for a week would be wonderful, but it hasn't. I think it's the constant news on television, watching people suffer so, that has been tough.

Related posts: Pork is the Answer, on the Lower East Side, Tongue in Cheek, on the Sidewalk and in the Subway, and Last Call, Park Slope and 10 Things to do in New York.

Outside a Creperie, in Park Slope, Brooklyn

Photo by myself around 6th Street and 7th Avenue, in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

A patient pug waited outside a creperie in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Crespella serves up sweet and savory crepes all day. I stopped by for a crepe stuffed with scrambled egg and pancetta the other night. It was de-lish.

I was sorely tempted to have one with strawberry jam and fresh ricotta. Oh, and another with lemon curd and raspberries! Argh!! Decisions, decisions...

For the Crespella website, which includes a current menu, click here.

Related posts: Pork is the Answer, on the Lower East Side, Brunch at Barbuto, in the West Village, and Colorful Eats, at Kelley and Ping, Soho.

On NYC Slogans and a Rupert Update

Photo by myself in Midtown.

My eye was drawn to a fellow's T-shirt, Monday evening.

A spin off the well known 'I *heart* NY', this T-shirt read 'NYC *hearts* me'. He told me he got the shirt from a store on Canal Street, and gave me a big smile. He was asking passersby for change.
--Below, a photo from this weekend in Prospect Park, after the tornado. Large puddles were left all over the ball fields.

Our dog Rupert lounged lazily in one, doing his best hippo impersonation. He also looks like he's missing his legs.

Boston terriers don't usually like water too much, since they don't have fur to help them float. For whatever reason, Rupert loves the water.

Note the token trash elements in the water. New York is not without its trash.



Related posts: On T-Shirt Slogans and the New Yorker Festival, I Heart NY, in Midtown, and Art for the Masses.

Eye-Popping Signage at Pop Pub, on University Place

Photo by myself at University Place and 13th Street, near Union Square.

The giant cut-out sign at the pick-up window at Pop Pub is visible from the sidewalk. The descriptions advertise the scrumptious menu to the street.

Pop Burger is a chain, with three locations in the city. The other locations are at 58th Street in Midtown and Ninth Avenue and 15th Street, in Chelsea.

Besides burgers, sandwiches and salads, other pub food is available, such as pork chops, fried calamari and fish and chips (!). There is a full list of beers and wine available.

I haven't eaten at Pop Burger, and reviews are mixed. As with any restaurant, do read reviews before going.

You can see their menus and even order online from the Pop Burger website, here.

Related posts: Outside Memphis, on Broadway, Lit Up, on Fifth Avenue, and The Ghostly Glow of Times Square.

Thursday Morning on Lex, on the Upper East Side

Photo by myself on Lexington Avenue around 64th Street, on the Upper East Side.

A man stood in the doorway of Donohue's Steak House on Lexington Avenue, Thursday morning. He enjoyed a quiet moment.

Usually, Lexington Avenue is hustling and busy. The street is lined with stores and restaurants. Offices and apartments occupy the floors above street level.

New Yorkers refer to this street as 'Lex', as in 'take me to 53rd and Lex', when speaking to a cab driver. We don't have time for the additional syllables! We have people to see, things to do!

The 'A' rating in the window refers to cleanliness, only. All the restaurants in New York are inspected by the city and graded an 'A', 'B' or 'C'.

If you have plans to dine out, you can look up the grade of the restaurant online, but this has nothing to do with what the food tastes like or the decor. Click here for the city website.

I'm still recovering from the jetlag. I wish everyone a wonderful Friday.

Related posts: Behind the Curtain, Death Before Decaf, in Brooklyn, and Signs of Attitude, on the West Side.

Street Meats, on Seventh Avenue

Photo by myself on 42nd Street and Broadway.

The street carts are always great photo opportunities, with the lights, scrolling LED signs and steam. This cart was selling grilled meats on skewers, pretzels and drinks.

We've been having steamy, uncomfy weather here in New York. It's this time of year when you realize how unnatural it is to go underground (to ride the subway) when it's so darned hot.

Of course, all eyes are turned toward London, at the Olympics. The latest updates are broadcast in the elevator cabs of our office building.

TGIF everyone!

Related posts: Pork is the Answer, on the Lower East Side, Outside Zucco, on the Lower East Side, and A Glimpse into the Orchard Corset Center, on the Lower East Side.

On Gotham City and a Rupert Update

Photo by myself in Times Square, at 42nd Street and Broadway.

The lights and movie billboards in Times Square make for easy photos. Huge signage for the Batman movie loomed above the typical crowds of people.

Billboards were layered against different types of glass on one of the modern towers. The trusses holding the building up can be seen through the glass.

I walked through this area on Wednesday night. We'd had heavy rain in the morning and it was still very humid after work.

I'm not sure whether it registers to New Yorkers that the Gotham City in the Batman movies is our fair city? The term 'Gotham' is used only occasionally and only in the press. People don't mention 'Gotham' in typical conversation.
--My fiance Mark is still in LA until this weekend, where he's finishing up a project for work. While we were away last weekend, our dog Rupert was being cared for by his dog sitters.

Daily Photoblogger Rose from Oz asked what New Yorkers do with their pets when they travel. Most board their dogs, have walkers come by or even leave their pets with friends.

Rupert and I had a nice reunion Tuesday night. He was very hungry and romped for an extended time, playing fetch, his favorite game.

Here's a recent photo of him with his buddy Duchess, a border collie, in Prospect Park. They had just romped around and look happy as a couple clams.
 

Related posts: Say Cheese in Times Square, It All Ends, Above Chelsea, and On What's Playing Around Town and at Home.