The Florence Prime Meat Market, in the West Village

Photo by myself on Jones and West 4th Streets, in the West Village.

The Florence Meat Market on Jones Street in the West Village has been around since the 1930s.

Articles about being among the best butcheries in New York adorn the front window. When I dropped by, perfect little fillet mignons were being trimmed on the carving block inside.

The Owner was kind enough to allow me to take a photo. A tin ceiling loomed above the modestly-sized, spotless space inside. All the equipment looked like it had been there forever.
 

Though New Yorkers have given the Florence Meat Market very good reviews online, this was the first time I'd heard of it. For reviews on Yelp, click here. 

Related posts: Outside O. Ottomanelli's Meat Market, in the Village, Russ & Daughters, the Lower East Side, and Esposito & Sons, in Hell's Kitchen.

Walking the Dog, While Pedalling

Photo by myself, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

A man 'walked' his dog, last weekend, while riding a unicycle.

I have to admit I've noticed a larger assortment of vehicles in the last year or two. Unicycles have been around for a while, but they join the legion of pedicabs, bicycles, tandem bicycles, skateboards, scooters, rollerblades and mopeds on the streets.

Related posts: Look Ma, No Hands, in the East Village, Along for the Ride, in Columbus Circle, and Crossing Broadway, on Wheels.

The Commute Home, on the D Train

Photo by myself on the D train on the way to Brooklyn.

For a brief moment, the D train was bathed in light on the way home. Everyone seemed tired out after a long day.

The D, B, N, and Q trains all emerge from the tunnel to cross the Manhattan Bridge. The N and Q trains run on the south track with a better view of the Brooklyn Bridge. The B and D trains run on the north track with a better view up the East River.

Crossing the river is a good time to take candids on the train, since many commuters are distracted - we don't have cellphone service underground on the subway, and riders take the opportunity to check their email or text.

I usually take the moment to text Mark at home 'Bridge', meaning, "I'm crossing the Manhattan Bridge, I'll be home in about 20 minutes, either order the dinner we discussed or let me know if you need me to pick something up on the way home".

Happy weekend, everyone!

Related posts: 9:45 am on the B Train, Below Brooklyn, In the Darkness Below Ground, and Don't @#$^! with Me, Underground.

Shooting Hoops at West 4th Street, in the Village

Photo by myself at the basketball courts at West 4th and Sixth Avenue, in the Village.

During daylight hours when it's not raining, the public basketball court near the West 4th Street subway station is always busy.

Always, always. I have never seen it empty. Movies and commercials have been shot at this court, also known as 'The Cage'.

A couple half-court pick-up games were in progress, late Thursday afternoon. The court is fenced in and there is also always a bunch of people watching. It's in a rather public location, with a wide sidewalk running along Sixth Avenue for bystanders. Players should not be shy.
 

The West 4th Courts even have their own Wiki page. You can see it here.

Related posts: No Hair at the West 4th Courts, Playing Ball in the Public Courts, and More on Sport.

The New York Historical Society, at Dusk

Photo by myself, around 77th Street and Central Park West.

The steps outside the New York Historical Society on the Upper West Side were quiet, Tuesday evening. Just to the left out of frame is Central Park, which becomes a quiet presence at night.

The society is comprised of a museum and library. It is overshadowed in popularity by the Museum of Natural History, just a few blocks north at 81st Street. The Museum of Natural History is huge, and is known for its planetarium, fossils and dioramas. 

I have to admit that I've never gone inside the New York Historical Society, but the exterior piqued my interest. Current exhibits focus on Keith Haring, the borough of Harlem and paintings by John James Audubon.

For more about the Historical Society, check out their website, here.

Related posts: Night View, at the New York Public Library, The Met-Life Tower, in the Rain, and Twilight, on West 4th Street.

Larger than Life Mural, in the East Village

Photo by myself, somewhere in the East Village.

A huge mural of kids' portraits adorned a wall of a parking lot, in the East Village. There were slogans describing the personalities of each kid, and references to school.

This is photo is another example of my flakiness - I don't remember where it was taken, only that it was in the East Village.

When I was there, I was just focused on admiring the art, and wishing the parking lot weren't so full. It was nice to see art aimed at kids and trying to get them interested in going to school.

Related posts: Genesis Mural, NoHo, Mural in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and Cereal Killers Mural, in Williamsburg.

Before the Rangers Game, at Madison Square Garden

Photo by myself, in front of Madison Square Garden at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

Fans of the New York Rangers piled on two double decker buses in front of Madison Square Garden, Monday night.

The buses circled the block, with all on board yelling in screaming. Game #2 of the Eastern semifinals against the Washington Capitals was to start only an hour later, inside.

There was a band playing on the steps outside, and the usual tons of people streaming along the sidewalk. The Madison Square Garden/Penn Station building is also the location for the 34th Street subway stop for the 1/9 line. Thousands of people arrive here everyday.

The Rangers are one of New York City's hockey teams; the other team is the New York Islanders. New York has two hockey teams, two baseball teams (Yankees and Mets), and two football teams (Giants and Jets).



Below, Carol, a big Rangers fan, gave me a big smile. Her jersey was decorated with various pins, just a sampling of her huge collection.
 


Update: Sadly the Rangers lost in overtime to the Capitols, 3-2. The series is a best of seven games.

Related posts: The Daily Madness, Outside Madison Square Garden, Greetings from Above, in Midtown, and Tourist's Eye View, on Fifth Avenue.