Third Avenue - Underneath Culver Viaduct

Walkers in the City - The Penny Man

This great essay, The Penny Man, by Romy Ashby, of Walkers in the City, was posted last month.  The writing on Walkers is terrific - read all the entries.

Joan of Arc from Smith & 9th

At this time of year, my commute begins and ends in semi-darkness.  This picture is from a few days ago, taken at Smith & 9th, & it was only when I looked at it today that I noticed what this graffiti was all about.

Early Platform in the Rain

Dwight Street

Curious Looking Structure at the Station

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?

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.

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.

More of the Denuded Platform

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. 



Tree Work in Briarwood

An Andrew Anthony interview with Christopher Hitchens (The Guardian)

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