Manhattan - Day 17

I took a meeting today - in the park. It was a lovely afternoon, a gentle breeze blowing, not to hot not to cool so rather than sit at the desk and discuss the affairs of the Lincoln Street Center for Arts and Education, I caught a train uptown and found myself a chair in Bryant Park. Hey, there must be something to this park karma because I learned during the call that for the first time in some time Rockland's Community Arts Organization is in the black.

Bryant Park is nine acres located between fifth and sixth avenues and 40th and 42nd streets. It was a potter's field from 1823 to 1840. The city subsequently constructed the Croton Distributing Reservoir on the eastern portion while the western side became a public park named Reservoir Square. The park was renamed for William Cullen Bryant in 1884. In 1899 the city demolished the reservoir and replaced it with the New York Public Library which was completed in 1911. Off and on over the years the park was a haven for the homeless, alcoholics, panhandlers and prostitutes. During the finically trying 70's the park became known as Needle Park because of its resident drug dealers. In 1979 the trustees of the New York Public Library and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation formed a private nonprofit organization (now the Bryant Park Corporation) to privately mange the park. The program remains controversial to this day but it's hard to argue with the results.

Manhattan - Day 16

Early this evening I caught the #1 train uptown to Lincoln Center to attend a recital at Juilliard. A wonderful evening of Collaborative Piano by the oh-so talented Juilliard students - this evening led off with a Schubert Piano for four-hands performed by two of the schools instructors. The music was terrific especially the Mozart Sonata in D for Two Pianos and best of all - completely FREE. The whole of Lincoln Center and Juilliard have undergone a wonderful remodel and now they are open and simply amazing.

As nice as the evening was there are just one or two things . . .

1. People, just because you say you like classical music doesn't actually mean you do. If all you're going to do is sit down and then fall asleep - turn on the radio or a CD and do it at home.

2. If you don't have the good sense not to swing open large double doors in the middle of a performance and stroll in, also stay home. You're coming in to see artists at work - not trained monkeys.

3. New York is and always will be -  New York. After the performance I stopped in the men's room and in the middle of this beautifully remodeled and state of the art facility - there in the urinal is a cockroach the size of a Brahma Bull. Ah, New York.

Manhattan - Day 15

Today my friend David left for London and while he's away he has kindly allowed me to move into his room. So, for the next six weeks, when you read this blog, here's where I'll be blogging from.

Hey David, this is jolly good! Safe travels my friend, all of us New Yorkers are going to miss ya!

Manhattan - Day 14

Today was a work intensive day, some design for Lincoln Street Center and a lot of editing on the Greater Jamaica Gala Short.

This evening I joined David on the High Line for an evening stroll. Tomorrow he is off on his journey across the pond for a stay in his beloved London. When he stopped to grab a shot of some of the grasses I snapped these shots of he and his subject and turned them into photo illustrations.

Manhattan - Day 13

Today on the way to the 9/11 memorial (which we discovered you can't see without a reservation - all of which seem to be taken for the foreseeable future) we came across the "Occupy Wall Street" protestors. The small park outside the stock exchange is filled with protestors and their messages -  wrapped around what appears to be protest central where several individuals with laptops and other devices seem to be getting out the message.

Even though our country is totally controlled by cooperate America and the wealthy individuals who run them, at least we still live in a society that allows us to speak out (even if it is while being watched over by countless cops).

Manhattan - Day 12

The Great Pancake Search 
Today began the quest for that breakfast favorite - the pancake. A Google search gave us several sources for the best in Manhattan and all lists had a few places in common, and one of those was today's stop - Good Enough to Eat on 83rd and Amsterdam. The pancakes were good (especially with the strawberry butter and syrup), and the bacon was some of the best I've ever had. The service and atmosphere were first grade - despite the 45 min. wait and while I'm not ready to declare these the best pancakes in Manhattan, overall Good Enough to Eat was worth the wait and the price. Is this becoming a food Blog?

waiting in line and inside Good Enough to Eat

Manhattan - Day 11

Last night David and I braved a monsoon to make our way to the movies and then sat saturated through the new Steven Soderbergh film, Contagion. A nice, tight little thriller really well constructed with an all star cast led by Jude Law's prosthetic tooth. Not to give away the film but it all starts with a bad combination of Bat and Pig in Hong Kong.

Today, as if to continue a theme, we made our way to China Town where we tried out a little establishment we noticed on our travels a few days ago. We waited for some time in line with the locals for what turned out to be a dandy of a lunch spot. We both ordered and thoroughly enjoyed a generous helping of rice topped with chinese cabbage and pork (Hopefully minus the bat's contribution) all for $3.00. So today's recommendation is Wah Fung No. 1 Fast Food, Inc. 

Note: perhaps those with highly active imaginations might not try the above mentioned film and Wah Fung in the same 24 hour period.

Manhattan - Day 10

One of the greatest things about being in New York is the access to so much truly great art. Chelsea in particular is the home to so many galleries that are offering museum quality shows just around the corner. Today I stopped by the Gogosian Gallery to see the Richard Serra show. I have seen his work before but never in an enclosed space like today. Something about these pieces interacting with walls of the gallery made them even more powerful.

And then of course there were other shows that I stopped by to see . . . and well, . . . the art of course always speaks best for itself . . .

Manhattan - Day 9

An early morning fog rolled into Manhattan today, walking home from a mid-morning coffee, the top of the Empire State Building was still shrouded in the stuff.

On a foggy morning, July 28th, 1945, a B-25 Bomber crazed into the 79th story of the Empire State Building, killing 14 people but causing only minor damage to the structure.


When it was built, the Empire State set a record for height and construction speed as well. The demolition of the old Waldorf-Astoria on the site began in October 1929 and the skyscraper's opening ceremonies were held on May 1st, 1931 (45 days ahead of schedule). Employing 3500 people at the peak of operation, in one 10 day period 14 stories were added to the frame.


Recently the building has undergone a $550 million dollar renovation - $20 million to make it more energy efficient. 




Late this afternoon, this door caught my eye - an homage to my friend Bob Indiana.

Manhattan - Day 8

A long day of shooting inside a tiny conference room and then lugging all the equipment back from Jamaica and I'm exhausted. Falling asleep much too early at 7:30 so out for a quick walk in a light drizzle. Ended up in a coffee at a Starbucks across from Chelsea Market - nice finish to a successful day.

Manhattan - Day 7

Well, looks like we have a contest. Spent the afternoon at Doma - great little coffee shop in the West Village and just when I thought I had it all figured out with 71 Irving Place. So, I guess I'm gonna have to take a step back and reconsider. And . . . well, this must be the beginning of the official search - what is the best coffee shop in Manhattan?

Manhattan - Day 6

Spent most of the day editing but this evening I went out for a coffee and there was a film company shooting on the corner of 8th & 19th, so I sat and watched while I had my coffee. Even though I've seen them shoot like this many times, it never fails to amaze me how many people they employ on a feature film. Tomorrow I'm off to Jamaica to shoot interior shots of the Queens Library Children's Discovery Center - something tells me my crew will be considerably smaller.

Manhattan - Day 5

Today I just couldn't resist the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy.

San Gennaro is the patron saint of Naples and the festival was first organized in the early twenties by a men's club and mutual benefit society of immigrants from southern Italy.  In 1997 after years of rumors about the Mafia involvement, several members of the Genovese crime family were convicted of extortion in connection with the festival.

It's a real mad house but how can you not love a cliche ridden Italian singer and a bag of deep fried zeppole (I ate 6 and reached my calorie limit for the coming week!)

Manhattan - Day 4

Out and about today, made the park rounds - started in Central then off to Bryant for a while. Next down to Union Square for the market and then back up to Madison Square where they had a great day of live bluegrass. Della Mae http://heyheydellamae.com - terrific all female bluegrass band. Ended the day at 71 Irving Place, maybe the best coffee shop in all of Manhattan - maybe, it's still only day 4.

Manhattan - Day 3

Coffee and a bagel at Chelsea Market this morning and then off to a meeting in Jamaica.

Jamaica is the largest most densely populated neighborhood in central Queens and is named after the Jameco Indians that inhabited the area and lived on the northern shore of what is known as Jamaica Bay before the English Colonists arrived from Massachusetts in 1656. 

Downtown Jamaica

Later, back in Manhattan, David and I kicked around the park, had a late lunch at Bread and Honey grocery on 8th, strolled through Hell's Kitchen and topped off the day with coffee and a brownie at Cafe' Forant. I'm beat - see ya tomorrow.

Riding the E train

Manhattan - Day 2

Well, a long but somewhat better day today. Kicked around Chelsea for the most part, worked via the free wifi down at the market this morning.

Started the revisions to the Barnet short for the Arkansas Arts Center exhibit.

Will Barnet - Self Portrait 1989

Unpacked the rest of my stuff after UPS delivered the final box - yes, I brought too much. Then this evening it was off to the opening of the Barnet retrospective at the National Academy. A really beautiful show that filled all four of the second floor galleries. Amazing, I lived with so many of those images for the year plus I was working on the film but had only seen a hand full of the paintings in person. Will and Elana weren't there but I saw Ira Goldberg, director of the Art Students League, and had a nice chat with him. Was able to locate and introduce myself to Bruce Webber, the curator of the Academy show, but I'm not entirely sure he placed my name as the guy who did the film they're showing at the symposium in November.

Nighty night faithful followers.

Manhattan - Day 1

Well, somewhat of an inauspicious beginning to my New York adventure. Started off the morning by spilling my entire Starbucks, grande halfcaf down the front of my jeans, followed in the early afternoon by some piano sized piece of street dirt blowing into my eye (I can still feel it there) and then capping off the evening with a pigeon crapping on my arm. Is someone trying to tell me something? The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, a nice visit to Bryant Park and brunch with my friend David, the actor. Tomorrow evening is the Barnet opening at the National Academy and one of the reasons I came to New York in the first place. So, onward and upward, don't let the bastards get you down, don't cry over spilt milk (or halfcafs), etc., etc., etc.

I'm going to bed.