I will remember this January as the one with all the snowstorms that didn’t really affect me much. (I had to drive in it once – but somehow didn’t mind; I grabbed my camera and got some good photos on the way.) I felt terrible for the rest of the country, but got annoyed at all the Facebook weather updates and the photos of the … Continue reading I Will Remember this January
My boyfriend and I are the type of couple, which up until our daughter was born 7 months ago, would be out at least 4 nights a week. (Not necessarily partying, but always out soaking up the greatest city in the world.) However, since her birth in June, we have been out alone on only 3 separate occasions. Once when we went to see the … Continue reading The 6-Hour Date Night and the Screenplay that Wasn’t
Driving is fun – when you live in the city and don’t get ample opportunity to hit the open road. Driving is not fun when you have to drive your 8-year-old son to school and back – through Manhattan traffic – three times a week. If it was just in one direction – it would be tolerable. But on Mondays and Tuesdays, I have to … Continue reading Finding Bliss in Driving
The last blizzard of 2010. New York Stock Exchange on Broad Street. NYC. Jake in the snow in front of our building. Stomping through the evenly plowed masses of snow near the stock exchange; Wall Street kept the streets clear for business. In front of the New York Stock Exchange with the Christmas Tree. Pretty crazy that this is our neighborhood. Jake is playing dead … Continue reading The Last Blizzard of 2010: The Wall Street Perspective
“It’s a Bailey’s with three ice cubes,” she tells me as she inserts a red plastic swivel stick into the short glass and whisks it away on a small silvery drink tray. “Three ice cubes,” I reiterate, a strain on the three. She gives me a look back as if to say, “You think this request is something? You have no idea!” My immediate instinct … Continue reading Watching My Sister at the Restaurant
Nobody puts baby in the corner – or as it was in this case – nobody puts baby in the back row, middle seat of an Off-Off-Broadway show. Our 7-week New York City babe has been schlepped all over the city, behaving like a quintessential sweet angel and receiving rave reviews (mostly by us). In her 7 short weeks, she has behaved perfectly through both … Continue reading Baby Goes to an Off-Off Broadway Play
Picture this scene. Mommy, daddy, and 7-week old baby are taking a lovely walk up Manhattan’s west side on a quintessential summer Saturday. Many of the locals retreat to their summer palaces and so the remaining stragglers are either poorer or tourists. My boyfriend and I set out to explore the newly opened expanded section of Hudson River Park, just north of Chelsea Piers. This … Continue reading My Inflatable Brest Friend
Two years ago I played the role of a good Samaritan and now I got a subpoena delivered to my home. (Two weeks after having a newborn.) Delivered to my doorman (not in my hands). Without an envelope and left for me to pick up at my leisure. It all began on an August afternoon two years ago when after taking my grandmother to the … Continue reading I was a Witness?
9/11 as a number, when spoken out loud, has become redefined. For most Americans, visually 9-1-1 has always symbolized emergency. After September 11th, 2001, 9/11 represented a day that surpassed emergency. It became a day I wouldn’t forget as it happened in real time. Soon it evolved into my generation’s JFK question: “Where were you on 9/11?” I remember the day in bits of pieces, … Continue reading Eight Years Ago, Our Lives Changed Forever
She was buxom, plump – altogether about 100 pounds too heavy. She wore faded black leggings and a black fitted t-shirt. Her softness spilled out despite the black spandex trying to hold in her body. She sat with her arms crossed on the uptown train to somewhere. Her blonde frizzy curls were piled sloppily into a lazy bun on the top of her hair. She … Continue reading Train Uptown: Diverted
It wasn’t until my third summer in my apartment that I really started enjoying the luxury of a New York City balcony. By balcony I mean fire escape. But it’s a special fire escape – it has a concrete base so no tightrope maneuver necessary to stand outside my window. Nonetheless, perched above 97th street on my very own outdoor space, I get high as … Continue reading Happiness is Finding Your Place…
Mississippi the Turtle has lived at my house for the last 3 years. My boyfriend was going away on a trip, dropped her off and decided this would be a better home for her. So now she goes on walk-abouts in my Manhattan flat. We forget about her for a week or so sometimes and out she’ll come, dragging a bunch of dust from under … Continue reading Ode to Mississippi, the Step Turtle
Advertising on pizza boxes is not very new … but this one made me smile. Pizza = Happy. It’s that easy…(unless you’re lactose intolerant). Continue reading Happiness in a Pizza Box
To the virgin 97th street walker, the old, hunched-back woman begging on the street, dodging cars with her small handmade cardboard placard, elicits a sense of pity. “Homeless, please help,” she mutters and shows a toothless grin. She seems lilliputian on Manhattan’s busy cross street; a small speck on an otherwise busy thoroughfare of the intersection of Dunkin Donuts and One Fish, Two Fish. I, … Continue reading From Behind the Umbrella
I could have snapped all day at Lee’s Art Shop on 57th Street. Continue reading Sparkly Pretty
Meeting Poetry originated in the havens of New York City’s court system as I was sitting in Jury Duty two years ago. Human entertainment and bureaucracy was amusing me and words started pouring out for no rhyme or reason. I dubbed these words strung together: Jury Duty Poetry. Since it would be years before I was dazzled by the likes of our judicial system again, … Continue reading Jury Duty Poetry
Yesterday I spent the day in Central Park with the family and I took a million pictures of the flowers blooming in the Conservatory Garden. My sister told me that you can take the best pictures in the rain. So today, while waiting for my son at the bus, I captured nature’s droplets on the city petals. PS: Normally this weather would have me gloomy … Continue reading Raindrops on Tulips …
It felt like summer and I ate up every morsel. Continue reading Scenes from Waterside Park
Last night was awesome – I celebrated my first night of unemployment. (Again.) The bf and I went to this awesome art opening of Michael Albert at the Gershwin Hotel. His art is like pop music – engaging, fun and approachable. It’s colorful and clever and he just published his first book. He’s also been doing a tremendous amount of education outreach, inspiring and teaching … Continue reading Unemployment: Day One
C train at 96th Street Just in case … C Train to 34th Street M96 Bus Continue reading Scenes from the Commute
Who said Spring wasn’t in the air? Continue reading New York City Flowers
“Where did you meet?” When you’re in a relationship for a long time, you hear this question a lot. When this relationship is also seemingly successful, inquiring minds are often pulling for the ‘once upon a time’ of your story. My boyfriend and I have been together over 4 years. We recite the story similarly when we’re apart, but when we’re together, he always tags … Continue reading Where Did You Meet?
Sunday afternoon was a quintessential spring day in New York City. 61 degrees and the sky was as blue as the Caribbean I’m dreaming about (and will feel on my feet in 3 days). But somehow my 7-year-old son and I couldn’t motivate out of our pajamas. By 3:00pm the guilt was killing me. I had to take this boy outside. Heck, I had to … Continue reading A Modern Urban Sunday Afternoon
Friday evening, on my walk I took these photos. On days when I just can’t see the color, I shoot in sepia – it seems to even out the images with the ones that I seen in my mind. See previous Lunchtime Sprawls photos here. Continue reading Photographic Lunchtime Sprawls: Walking Home
“Daddy, wait for me,” she half-pleaded, half-squealed. She was about three, going on six. Long brown springy curls bounced behind her as she struggled to keep up with her father, five feet in front of her. Her pink coat was wide open and she was tussling with the lid to a bottled beverage. In her small hands, the glass bottle seemed gargantuan. Her father, too … Continue reading A Girl, A Dad, A Dog and Some Squirrels
I feel like I’m regressing. This past weekend I spent playing Dance Dance Revolution for Wii. Last year’s kick was Guitar Hero. I spend unforgivable hours on social networking sites fake interacting, creating a micro-spec on a microcosm that is something much bigger than I will probably ever understand. But I’m there. Playing with the others. Sometimes I think I’d list the same hobbies du … Continue reading Game On!
> This is Flambeaux performing at the Slipper Room. 3.12.09 My version of Film Noir starring me. Continue reading Heart on Fire … and on Me
Until recently, my sister was a server at a high-end restaurant on the Upper East Side. On an evening when a new haircut made me feel fancy, I decided to capitalize on my food connection and dine like [family] royalty at The Restaurant. **********When I enter, the tag team of overdressed Host and under-aged Manager greets me. Both click on their smiles and direct me … Continue reading Tales From an Upper East Side Restaurant
Nothing melts snow like love … or … coffee? Continue reading Heart in the Snow
Tonight we went to see John Leguizamo’s Work in Progress at the Barrow Street Theatre. I love John Leguizamo — particularly thought he was brilliant in his two autobiographical Broadway stints, Freak and Sexaholix. Tonight I saw him testing out his new work in a tiny all black theatre filled with 80 die-hard fans. He wore sweat pants and he was perfect. He entered in … Continue reading I Heart John Leguizamo
The sun is shining so brightly that by the time I survey my chosen place on the sand, I find myself amidst a posse of 70-something Russian men enjoying their summer dacha here in Little Russia: Brighton Beach. Volodya and Misha are directly in front of me. They are both sporting George Hamiltonian tans. Only one of the two has a folding chair; the other … Continue reading Remembering a Summer Day in Little Russia
Birthday party season is upon us here at New York City private schools. Birthday parties in this circuit take on a special flavor. Where the rest of middle class America is feeling the economy and throwing more modest parties, the private school scene still plans some elaborate bashes for the tykes. Today my son went to a Robot Galaxy birthday party for a 7-year old … Continue reading Robot Birthdays + Toys R Us + Times Square
I used to think I was special because I made waffles rather than defrost them. Then my boyfriend got me a waffle maker that even made my waffles feel special (see proof below). This morning, I made waffle batter from scratch. Presto deliciousness. The waffles were so pretty, they served as perfect models for an impromptu photo shoot. Then the Lego crew decided that they … Continue reading Monday Like a Sunday … A Day in Photos
Happy Valentine’s Day! Here are some recent NYC hearts celebrating the seasons. Times Square gets a Heart. Me … Hiding in the Times Square Heart. This heart, made entirely out of red condoms hangs in the window of Armani Exchange. Apparently when the display hit the malls of Texas, it made a bit of a stir. This heart, and the one below it is from … Continue reading Hearts of New York City
I’ve had scaffolding on my apartment building for the better part of 6 months. Most of that time I was working from home, while the Dudes (Tony, Jimmy and Vinny) power washed the brick of my 97th Street building. Day in and day out, they would start up the battery that sounded like an airplane motor at 9am; take their lunch at Yabba-Dabba-Do noon and … Continue reading The Dudes See Me Naked
It was a freezing week, but I still made it out most days during lunch for my photos. On the snow day, I couldn’t pass up the fire truck. (You know I’m a sucker for the FDNY.) Yes that White Castle is my next door neighbor at work. FDNY’s Engine 26 meets Batman on 37th Street. The Result = The Batcave. Further down 37th Street … Continue reading Photojournalistic Lunchtime Sprawls
I love a good story and I love a good character. This man delivered all that. He was unforgettable – a businessman, a charmer, an enigma yet an urban legend. His life told a fairytale and at its core was a potato peeler. “Never underestimate a small amount of money gathered by hand for 60 years,” Potato Peeler Salesman Joe Ades used to say. Mr. … Continue reading The Potato Peeler from Union Square: A True Salesman
On occassion I write without objective; just observations that spill out and occupy themselves in my mind’s scrapbook. Sometimes I stumble across these words and they are like a warm sweater on a cold day. The grass is at its prime in Central Park – just having drunk three days worth of spring showers. Like a fresh haircut, the blades dance in the wind, glints … Continue reading A Spring Day in Central Park
I love New York. My son loves Legos. This totally rocks! Full article from New York Times is here. About the ArtistChristoph Niemann’s illustrations have appeared on the covers of The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine and American Illustration. His work has won numerous awards from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the Art Directors Club and American Illustration. His Web … Continue reading I Heart Lego (&) NYC
Sitting in an office all day often leaves my feet tapping and my mind antsy to wander. Recently I made the decision to take a daily lunchtime walk and take photos. This morning I decided to take a 15-minute walk through Central Park to my west side train. It was cold but bearable with melting ice on the concrete, but frozen ice over the grass. … Continue reading Office Alarm
Dear HeartsEverywhere Blog Readers, So I am attempting to post every day for a month as part of my participation in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month … which actually happens every month). What this means is that there may be posts this month that sound a bit different from my ordinary posts. Perhaps less thought out, less thought-inspiring, and overall maybe a little bit more … Continue reading I Heart Radio City Music Hall
My new work neighborhood has lots of lights and ‘eye candy.’ Here are some images from my lunchtime walk about… Continue reading Photojournalistic Lunchtime Sprawls: Execution
What a day to start my Photojournalistic Lunchtime Sprawls! Here are some images from history in the making – once again – in New York’s Times Square. A flag, the world, Taxis, OBAMA. YES WE CAN! Heading Downtown. We have a new President! Signs of the Times Square. ABC News and Obama. A Cardboard Obama on Broadway. Obama Inspires Love. Obama and Sirens. Pride in … Continue reading Inauguration from Times Square
Creative minds often struggle in a corporate 9-5 set up. Unless these folks [READ: ME] have a creative outlet, insanity, resentment, frustration and all that other good stuff may set in. In my new job I am trying to proactively avoid any sort of such breakdown. So I had an idea: I always take my lunchtime walks – get air, stretch the legs, purge myself … Continue reading Photojournalistic Lunchtime Sprawls: The Idea
This morning walking to the subway I felt like I was walking through a shaken snow globe. Powdery flakes were blanketing and softening Manhattan’s Upper East Side. It looked like a black and white photograph speckled with yellow taxis. I took a mental snapshot and decided to take my time getting to work, not letting myself get worked up in the rush hour madness. The … Continue reading Dear Mr. Very Fat Man on the E Train
My six-year-old and I get in our daily morning debates before school. This rainy Monday in late Fall was no exception. I tell him to wear the raincoat. “Zipper it,” I say. “I don’t want your t-shirt to get wet.” “I can’t,” he whines and I get on my knees to attempt the zipper. The silver zipper puller thingy falls off. “Ooh – can I … Continue reading Mommy Versus Nanny
9/11 as a number, when spoken out loud, has become redefined. For most Americans, visually 9-1-1 has always symbolized emergency. After September 11th, 2001, 9/11 represented a day that surpassed emergency. It became a day I wouldn’t forget as it happened in real time. Soon it evolved into my generation’s JFK question: “Where were you on 9/11?” I remember the day in bits of pieces, … Continue reading 2,659 Days Ago Our Lives Changed Forever
I was walking near Lincoln Center about a week after I got fired. The weather was glorious and I felt like every breath I took brought me higher and higher. I wanted to hug everyone harder and harder. I had a glow. I was in love with every morsel of life and I finally had time to taste every bite. My six-year-old son and I … Continue reading Reflections on Being Fired
I put off writing the ABOUT ME section of my blog for a long time. Partly because the Me changes so often. Partly because I don’t know how to stop once I start writing (especially about Moi). I tried to write a bio-type blurb and 5 pages of narcissistic crap came out. So I started a memoir. In the meantime I feel like I owe … Continue reading ABOUT ME
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