New York, New York

Start spreading the news
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York
These vagabond shoes
Are longing to stray
And make a brand new start of it
New York, New York
I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.

I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.

Get Smart in Soho

Wooooohhoooooooo!!!! I got to see Anne Hathaway live and in person!!! I even got to ask her a question!?!?! It was a fun event at the Apple Store in Soho for the movie Get Smart that opens tomorrow. I waited for a few hours in the rain to be sure I'd get a seat. It was worth it!

I was the fifth person in line. As the line grew longer, more and more people stopped to ask "What are you waiting for?" So we made a sign in an attempt to curb the questions. Unfortunately, Mr. Apple Employee made us take it down.

This is Steve Carell's #1 fan Elisa. She had been to Good Morning America at 4am. Regis and Kelly at 9am. She had tickets for The Daily Show but decided to wait at the Apple store instead. She had been waiting in line since 1pm for the 9pm event. Elisa you are awesome! I'm sure that Steve Carell would appreciate your enthusiasm.

This is a very unflattering photo of Anne Hathaway. She was inside doing interviews. Alas, I had no press pass.... I don't think she saw me with my face pressed to the glass drooling like an idiot.

Anne Hathaway and her "people".

This was the line for the event.

The line wrapped around the block....

The fantastic five up front..... only one (and #1) Anne Hathaway fan.

A link to a news article about the event:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-06-19-getsmart-apple_N.htm

The surprise guest was Stephen Colbert from The Colbert Report. He conducted the interviews. He was so funny! He and Steve Carell had been in Second City (comedy troupe in Chicago) together and can't be serious around each other. Anne Hathaway was lovely and gracious as usual. Keep an eye out for the podcast on iTunes.

I, unfortunately, was not the photographer of the photos below. Perhaps I should make a career out of shooting celeb events?

Sunset Stroll in Soho

My feet and mind were restless. I needed to get out so I decided to go to Soho and try to catch the beautiful light of the Golden Hour. This is the time from when the sun is about to set until just before it is actually dark. This is when many artists feel that light is at it's best. I was shooting with my Holga lens so all of the photos are soft/fuzzy.

I've also developed a strange obsession with the rooftop watertowers. They always remind me of Old New York, Lower East Side Tenements, and E.L. Doctorow's Billy Bathgate. Not sure if that's a good image or not? I've seen way too many movies! "Living in the Lower East Side really sucks."- Johnny Dangerously

Photos From The Summer of My Twelfth Year

Photos From the Summer of My Twelfth Year was inspired by a weekend trip to Coney Island. I was reminded of annual vacations to the beach boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. Every summer we would travel in the family Suburban for two hours to escape the Sacramento Valley heat. The highlight of the trip was the day we’d spend at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I would try my luck at the carnival games, ride the Giant Dipper roller coaster at least 10 times, and savor a greasy corn dog. This was the summer I was on the verge of “growing up”, that awkward time when you’re not a child and you’re not yet a teenager. It was when everything was exciting and frightening at the same time. You were well on your way to being an adult, but you still had a long way to go.

In these photos I have tried to create the look and feel of photos from that year. When I look at the family albums the color of the photos has faded and the grain of the film is obvious. The colors are a mix of old 60’s and 70’s and the futuristic 1980’s. The composition is basic. In this series I tried to re-create the typical tourist's snapshot.

These are my memories.

Coney Island

I had to go to Nathan's....I have no idea how anyone could eat 64 of those dogs in 12 minutes.

Yep, that's right. "Bump. Bump. Bump your ass off!" It's on a loop so you can hear it over, and over, and over again. They are bumper cars by the way- not an 80's dance/strip club.

Very straight forward and direct. Not afraid to tell you how they feel. Typical New York style.

The Wonder Wheel. Don't know how "thrilling" it really is.

Very colorful. Very American. Very thirsty.

A Panoramic View of NYC

This was taken from Long Island City in Queens.

Brooklyn Bridge Walk

I can now check another "to do" off of my list of things to do before I die! I have finally walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. Not a big to do I know but I've wanted to do that for a long time. I thought of my grandmother as I walked. There was a TV show we both liked- "Brooklyn Bridge". A nostalgic look at life in Brooklyn in the 1950's.

I felt like the photos had to be in black and white. Color seemed odd to me.

Bryant Park and Environs

The Odd Pigeon Out

The lions watch over the never-ending NYC construction.

The children's carousel in Bryant Park.

The Chrysler Building

The Empire State Building

I went with the class to the International Center of Photography (43rd and 6th Ave) to see....you guessed it, Photography! Then I went to take photos from/of Bryant Park. Luckily it isn't so humid out today. It's starting to cool down a few degrees. There was a nice lightning show in the sky last night that I watched from inside a Ben&Jerry's. A fun way to wait for the storm to pass!!

Halfway to Nowhere

These shoes were left on the curbside. They look very confused.
Where are we going? What path do I take? Do I go down 4th Ave or do I head down 12th Street? Should I get a college degree in photography? Does my dog miss me? I'm tired. Am I happy? What should I do?

More Midtown

In NYC everything is stacked on top of one another, smashed in to cubes, or really tall. That goes for the humans as well.

The main stairway at The Met (opera house not museum...). I wanted to get a photo from the front but they are under construction. So no photos for my opera loving friends! Sorry.

An evening out at Lincoln Center.

I spent a few quiet moments in St. Patrick's Cathedral thinking about the state of the world.

I didn't come up with any answers but I did discover another lovely church just up the block.

I shot this photo looking towards 58th down 5th Ave. I was walking to another subway line after yet another subway car malfunction that forced me to change my plans.

I was looking heavenward out front of Tiffany's.....if there is a God.....a diamond ring in my size will appear in my future.....

God, I'll be waiting.

Central Park At Night

A view of Midtown in the evening.

Central Park looking northwest.

The boathouse at dusk.

Bethesda Terrace

I went for a walk through Central Park and took these photos. It was still HOT at 9pm and very humid. Phew! I'd love to go back again and take more photos. Hopefully it will be cooler in a day or two so I can go out again without running the risk of heat stroke.