I still love to travel, although I am no longer in love with all its painstaking trials and tribulations- making reservations (plane and hotel), learning nuances of local commuter transportation and basic language, etc. Once, it was all part of the adventure and excitement, as we get older, it can all get downgraded to a necessary nuisance. And no airplane ride should last more than three hours (particularly in coach), after that it's the Heebie Jeebie Express. And these days with climate change, vacation time risks either early summer flooding or staggering midsummer heat!
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| 2) Planning Your Future* |
Didn't have to learn a new language in NYC last week but five straight days of ninety plus degrees was more than enough to feel my age, and then some. That said, it was great to be in a real city again with people all about doing what people in real cities go about doing- even if it's mostly being avid, compliant consumers. At least the joint wasn't deserted, as is downtown San Francisco, save for the wandering zombies.
*I imagined taking this exact photo when this building was first built (if memory serves in the mid nineties, before I left for San Francisco)- sometimes, guess ya just gotta wait!
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| 3) Smiley Face |
I was in NYC six and a half days, but half the time was spent attending to my mother who is now ninety six at a nursing home. I also visited an old 'friend,' The Vessel, and after some careful observation, noticed some kind of very thin netting covering part of one of its floors!? Hhmmm... Sure enough, it's supposedly scheduled to open anew (yet again) this 2024 with the new safety mesh encapsulating it (although no one seemed all that busy installing it midday, midweek when I was there).
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| 4) Shades, Fishnet & Camo |
How hot was it? I went to the annual
Mermaid Parade at Coney Island and got there at eleven to photograph the participants, thinking it started at twelve. By twelve, I began to realize that it probably started at one, and by twelve thirty none of it mattered; after an hour and a half of baking in the sun, my brain was fried. Couldn't concentrate, compose, it all became one frenzied blur- I was done! At one point, I noticed something out of focus in the foreground of my viewfinder and couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was or what was going on- so I just went with it and used it as a... 'compositional element.' I never photograph participants in any parade or protest during the actual parade or march, only before or after- and no way I would survive until after! Ended up hopping the train back to the city before the parade even began, and best decision I ever made- only to later discover that the blurred "compositional element" I couldn't figure were my sunglasses held in hand.
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| 5) Eyes Wide Open |
Meanwhile, the Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District remains quite the gastronomical delight with tantalizing cuisine from all corners of the world- not to mention a wicked coffee bar. Among the sampled: curried beef tacos w/saki, a jerk chicken burrito along with some splendidly delicious potato pizza (just one of many splendid varieties); one could be condemned there for life and never want for variety of food- did I mention the heaven sent gelato? That said, also managed to make it to Veselka's (one of my few remaining NY mainstays that hasn't closed) for some fried meat and potato pierogies (w/sautéed onions and sour cream) washed down with a yummy, cold chocolate egg cream! Mmmmm...
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| 6) Cig & Grand Central |
Discovered Fotografiska which was featuring two of my favorite photographers at the insane cost of twenty four dollars- I got the Early Bird, Senior special for ten dollars, otherwise... no way, Jose. Sadly, the Maier exhibit was printed on very soft paper and really ruined the viewing experience, B&W is already a minimalist experience- deny it the power of its rich blacks and contrast, and you deny it its very existence. That's my story and I'm sticking to it; don't know who's responsible for the printing, but... Fortunately, the Gilden exhibit did not disappoint, from the (properly printed) B&W to the wall sized color portraits; his most recent work on bikers however, I found somewhat overcooked to the point where they practically bordered on illustrations- great images, just over the top editing in my opinion.
It was amazing to once again see so many tourists (of which I now must include myself) in one place again, especially in such heat; welcome to the future- while it lasts...
Coney Island Mermaid Photos 6/22/24:
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| 1) Fellow photog. |
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| 2) Human Starfish |
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| 3) Love And Love |
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| 4) Lobster Gal |
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| 5) The Creature Family |
Right on, Stan. Sounds like a memorable trip. FYI, I worked in a lab on the upper floor of Chelsea Market, before I moved back to NM. Having those lunch options downstairs each day was so f-ing good. Sadly, my favorite Thai place there closed years ago. Their glass noodles were art. Hope you have a nice re-entry in San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteHey, Anonymous- thanks for chiming in! Yeah, it should be noted that while most of the food establishments there are not cheap (is there anything cheap anywhere these days when a pint of draft goes for $8 even in the lowliest of dives), most of the food there is several bumps (in quality) over your average strip mall fare! I usually go to Two Boots for all my pizza needs in NY, but I was quite happy to sample some of the vast assortment of yummy, more traditional pizza offerings available at the pizza venue at Chelsea Market this time around. I actually found myself considering possibilities for the following year...
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