Sunday, November 21, 2010

Queen in Bazaar's Brief Return

I always appreciate a good store name, and one of of my all-time favorites on Fifth was the long departed Queen in Bazaar, which sold electronics & other miscellaneous stuff.  Queen in Bazaar.  The combination of fractured English, punchy sales pitch & faint romance was a real pleasure.  A name worth a hundred smirking Eponymys. I don't think about it that often, but when I do I'm immensely cheered.  Last night, walking along the avenue, the name popped into my head, and I was trying to think what block it had been on.  14th?  13th perhaps?  I went by 11th, the Dreamy's Mattress store, & right above the orange awning, surrounded by scaffolding, like some message from the gods, there it was, uncovered.  How strange is that?













































Saturday, November 20, 2010

Wig Drop Action

I've walked past this Wig Drop box on Van Brunt many times, but today was the first time I ever saw an actual donation.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Dog Day Afternoon Retold

I think my favourite American film of all time is Dog Day Afternoon.  Today I was sent a link to this art video by the French artist Pierre Huyghe, featuring the late John Wojtowicz (played by Al Pacino in the movie) in a renactment of the bank robbery.  I don't know anything about the making of this, or about Huyghe, so I'll have to do a little research, but Wojtowicz is well worth listening to:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3izfb_the-third-memory-huyghe_shortfilms.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

More Sky

Shelter from the elements is rapidly disappearing on the 4th Avenue F & G platforms, as the asbestos removal kicks in. At least I think that's what's going on. 




Saturday, November 13, 2010

Quentin Crisp's Apartments

Yesterday's Vanishing New York had an interview with Adrian Goycoolea, the great-nephew of Quentin Crisp. Goycoolea's current installation (on view through tomorrow) is a re-creation of Crisp's East Third Street apartment.  This took me back to early days in New York, when it was a great thrill to be only two blocks from Mr. C.  Seeing him about the neighborhood always gave the day more of a brave dazzle.   The V. New York piece led me to the Quentin Crisp archives & a whole host of Youtube videos, including a 1970 World in Action portrait, showing Quentin in his pre-New York digs.  Here's the first part:

Day After the Fire at Associated

5th Avenue between Prospect & 17th was still blocked off this afternoon, and there were still plenty of Fire Department & Red Cross staff at the scene.  Also still there - a crowd of stunned onlookers.  Most of the block on the eastern side of Fifth looks pretty devastated, with damage also extending up 17th. 

















   













































Shoes on 18th Street

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Last Post, Here in Red Hook

Today saw the last post by Andy Vernon Jones, who has been photographing Red Hook residents & their neighbourhood for the last couple of years.   If you haven't checked out any of his excellent portraits before, take a look.

Monday, November 1, 2010

The tenderness of late afternoon light on Fifth Ave.

Perhaps the handful of people who follow this blog are tired of this kind of thing.  I can never get enough of these modest, painted brick buildings, & their quiet moments of glory. Double click on the image to see that streaked window up close.