on the m104

sunday shadows - bergdorf goodman

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

I had to come back

to this

Bergdorf Goodman

a landmark

on West 57th Street and Fifth Avenue

with its understated holiday windows

and

that awesome shadow

sort of
following
the rule of three

okay

its a stretch

but

I love it

with the biker,

the car

those people

standing in the warmth of the sun

taken with the iPhone

out the window of a taxi

while waiting for the light to change

sharing with

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

waiting patiently - i see you

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

I see you

yup

I see you two

too

I was walking

past

a boutique

Columbus Avenue at 83rd Street

maybe

when I looked in the window

there they were

two

small

white

button nose pups

just hanging out

I knelt and zoomed in

getting a reflection as well as the two dogs

flea market finds - spices and tease

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Spices and Tease

once

only sold at GreenMarkets

around the city

setting up their tables

laden with all sorts

fragrant spices

and

teas

there was talk of a website

there was talk of a real store

there was talk

the owners are French

the lines were long

on Sundays

regulars

newbies

tourists

finally

there is a website

there is a store

and

now to the

GreenFlea

they

come

more!

three on thursday - cat bear

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

another

of the wonderful

statues/sculptures

Peter Woytuk

on exhibit through April

along the Broadway Malls

This is Cat Bird

He and his crow/raven pal are perched atop

a green apple

across

from the Gap

between

67-68th Streets

water tower wednesday - between monoliths

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

taken from a distance

that

water tower

peeks

from

between the monoliths

that

are

Trumpistan

toonsday - superdooper ...

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue - so much to share

2012-01-23T08:54:00.000-05:00

Okay

right off the top

I have to say:

How about those Giants?

Do you think the 49ers saw

Toonman's awesome visage on Facebook

and

knew they couldnt win?

Pretty scary

Okay

Moving right along since its far later than I intended to be starting today

a shout out to my friends in Birmingham, Alabama and its surrounds

after the tornado

I hope everyone is safe.

The weekend

over too soon

tho the snow that began on Friday evening

did indeed stop midday on Saturday as promised

I trekked across to the Eastside early on Saturday

while the snow was still gently falling

for my massage at exhale spa

I wont tell you who my masseuse is

but

I will tell you its a great spa,

reasonably priced

and

I always leave feeling relaxed

I took this on the way to the spa

Since it was such a yucky day

after

Sandy at Sam & Chris

got my tresses all smooth and sleek

I headed home to snuggle the cats and read

Surprised a few Facebook friends by popping in/out

it was a nice way to visit

I also found myself checking emails

another thing

I dont normally do on weekends

to my very pleasant surprise my friend and poetess

Shay

who you may know as Fireblossom

from

her blog

Word Garden

emailed to invite me to participate in a new blog

imaginary garden with real toads

she,

along with some other poets/poetesses,

and

Kerry O'Connor,

who blogs poetry at SKYLOVER,

who conceived the idea
will be using some of my photos as prompts for their poems
how cool is that?
I'll be linking back to them this coming weekend

Sunday
I did the usual delightful mani/pedi at
Polished Beauty Bar
afterwards
I schlepped to the GreenFlea
since it was so frickin' cold
not many outdoor vendors were there so
I schlepped home
after a quick stop at Zabar's
for their awesome
Chicken Corn Chowder
oh my
a few cookies from
Insomnia Cookies

I spotted a sign of spring outside
Posies
on
Amsterdam

then
I spotted this
fun Valentine's window
at
More & More

All in all a nice weekend I am so glad you joined me
before you go
here's a shot I took on Friday morning

it didnt turn out so well
so I hit it with a bit of
Topaz Lab's Water Color effect
THAT
result can be seen over at
Through My Eyes
after you click over to look
let me know which you like more

lastly no one has compensated me for any of my pimping!

sunday shadows - menu

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

an iPhone photo

of the holiday center piece

casting its shadow

on the menu

Robert

in the

Museum of Art and Design

overlooking

Columbus Circle

sharing with

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

waiting patiently - sidney

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Sidney

is a very sweet pup

he reminded me

a panda

he was ready for his close up!

flea market finds - peg racks

2012-01-20T06:06:00.000-05:00

Brownstone & Bungalow Inc.

makes and sells these

Peg Racks

I love them

they come in several sizes

widths

# of pegs

some have a shelf on top

lots of fun colors

some have that 'distressed' look

and

they are reasonably priced

They also make tables and benches/coffee tables
and
no, I did not receive any compensation for posting about them

three on thursday - hoops

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

It pays to look up

these hoops are on a tree branch

outside

The Beacon Hotel

Actually they are on a tree

in the middle of the

Broadway Mall

West 75th Street

I had to stand

in the street

while

the light for uptown traffic

was red

to get this close up

Are they hula hoops

that have been painted

hoses taped/painted?

thank you, Hilary!

water tower wednesday - ESB bonus

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

four water towers

a mashed potato sky

elevator housing blocks

plus a bonus:

a guest appearance by the

Empire State Building

(ESB)

toonsday - rerun

2012-01-17T06:09:00.001-05:00

but he didnt

no new toon this week

.. sorry ..

Toonman

was too busy

watching football,

sanding desktops

and

generally being a man

monday monologue - the moon and other things

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

A long lovely weekend

freezing cold

did not stop me

from

beautifying™

socializing

even got to see a couple of good movies

First

there was that moon,

the ~~Hunter~~
(I've been corrected)
it was the
WOLF moon

big and bright

rising early

setting late

last Friday

I caught it on my way home from the office

(here)

the following night I tried again

but clouds hid her from sight

much to my surprise

the following morning

stepping out

of the house

I looked to my right

there she was

still there hanging over the Hudson

I went back in

got the BIG camera

snapping off several shots,

each time fussing with the focus

pinpoint

shotgun

target

finally

a decent shot

but

oh so dark

wait

do you hear those pounding hoofbeats?

its

TopazLabs

to the rescue

sort of

you'll need to click on it to see the foreground

but the detail of the moon itself?

neat, huh

Socializing

Annie and Jules came to play

we had lunch at Atlantic Grill

it was so frickin' freezing

we were lucky to find a parking space 2 blocks from the restaurant

parking?

I hear you say parking?

Jules and Annie drove in from Connecticut

walleye tuna burger and fries

eggs benedict on smoked salmon on a latke (potato pancake)

wild mushroom & asiago ravioli

pancetta, aged balsamic, roasted mission fig

Old Bay Dusted Fries

(sharing with Weekend Cooking over at Beth Fish Reads)

me, Jules and Annie

After lunch we stopped in at the American Folk Art Museum gift shop

Jules models a mask

I found a necklace of hearts

(in the photo there are 3, I only bought 1)

I was

amused

and

(except for the moon all the photos were taken with iPhone4)

Movies

got to see

The Descendants

I loved it

Hawaii is almost as nice on the eye as George Clooney

Toonman says its not the best of the year,

he believes The Artist is

also saw

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

a very slow but involving film

the cinematography made me wish I had captured some of the scenes with my camera

I enjoyed having you along

hope you had a good time

I sure did

sunday shadows - fire escapes

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

on the sunny side of the street

I love fire escapes

this one has a lovely

pattern

sharing with Shadow Shot Sunday2

waiting patiently - hell's kitchen holiday market

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

this baby

was in need of a good brushing

she is owned by the vendor

whose table she's near at the

Hell's Kitchen Holiday Market

where

I wandered last month with my pal/Blister

from Canada

the charming

Shelley

flea market finds - organizers

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Clever is the vendor

who shows how to use an item

I am not sure what these were meant to hold

but

showing them as potential organizers for

scissors,

markers,

plastic and silverware

is a clever move

Anyone

who has worked in marketing

advertising

will tell you

buyers

need to be shown

what an item does/cando

so they realize

they need it

The vendor here is the same as the one selling the buddhas

three on thursday - buddhas

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

another flea market find that I decided belonged in three on thursday

3 buddhas

3 tables

3 drawers

and

1 shadow

water tower wednesday - columbus avenue

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

West 71st Street and Columbus Avenue

If you know me, you know I have this tilt to all my photos

I correct it in Picnik.com or in iPhoto pre-post

when I fixed the tilt in this photo

the street sign reading 71st Street got cut off

as did a second water tower

atop the dark brown brick faced building behind the red one

I am now thinking

I purposely tilted to get the second water tower

maybe I am so used to having my tilt pointed out

that I now feel the need to explain

whatever

toonsday - let's hope so ...

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue - weekend fun

2012-01-09T08:47:00.000-05:00

First off .. Way to go Giants!

Toonman

records the games

so he can FF through commercials and other distractions

and

so his BP can recover between tense plays

Secondly ... Way to Go Mama!

my Blister,

my friend,

my Lauren

ran

(along with her handsome son Augie)

a half marathon

in support of

the

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

race over

congratulate her

The weekend started off with an early ~~release, escape,~~ umm .. departure from the office

It was sort of wonderful getting home before dark

The temps were strangely warm

(vs. the arctic freeze earlier in the week)

I got off the subway at 72nd and walked uptown

As I approached 79th Street,

something caught my eye

I looked to my right

but all I could see where buildings

.. what was it ..

a few more steps

I'm at the corner

I look to the right

what do I see?

I'll show you

an almost full moon

hanging over the city

I whipped out the old not so trusty point&shoot

aimed

steadied

snapped

yeah twice

just to be sure

I am going to try to get the whole moon tonight

if the weather gods permit

a clear sky is needed

When I got home another surprise was waiting.

I'd read about little lenses for the iPhone

If you've got the newer model, the 4S, you've got a nice little camera

8 megapixels worth

I however have the iPhone 4

no S

no extra megapixels

since these little lenses were relatively inexpensive

and

I hope to own the 4S or the 5

whichever is available

when my contract with my current provider rolls over
I treated myself

that's them

One is a wide angle/macro and the other is a 1X zoom

both have little lens caps

back protector magnet caps

with little loops to hook on whatever

They attach to the iPhone

via a little round reinforcement like

(remember reinforcements?

those little round Lifesaver-ish looking stickers

you put on ripped looseleaf paper

so it stayed in your looseleaf binder?

I know I am old)

stickers.

I have a hardcase for my iPhone

and while the lens adheres to the sticker nicely

I dont see myself carrying my phone around with the lens on

I am thinking this is carryable/attachable while out and about

but

in truth

its likely better used at home

A 1X zoom isnt all that zoomy

The little macro

(is that an oxy-moron?)

takes a sweet close up,

here take a look

that critter

is maybe

2 inches long

the heart he's perched upon is about

4-5 inches wide

I got mine at Photojojo

and no,

no one at Photojojo or Apple or anyone else

is compensating me for this 'review'

Saturday morning

I discovered

Rose

peed on my desk

the symptoms of what we thought were urine crystals returned

I am wishing she had a better way to tell me she is not feeling well

since it wasnt a true emergency

(and there were no regular appointments)

Sunday morning

(thank you Jack for feeling the need to mark it too)

at 9 a.m.

we walked down to the vet

this time I managed to get a urine sample

(pure luck)

for them to analyze

within a few hours

we learned she hasnt got any urinary issues,

more likely its a gastric thing

so no more treats

After the vet visit

I needed beautification™ more than ever

along with some relaxing alone time which I got at Polished
followed by a quick visit to the GreenFlea with my friend Donna

I got home in time to sit with Toonman and watch the Giants win

Amazing

here we are right back where we started

thanks for coming along

its always more fun knowing you're here

sunday shadows

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

walking uptown

Seventh Avenue

looking toward

42nd Street/Times Square

the all glass facade of that high rise

looks almost as if its about to

blend into the sky ..

Its a

fascinating

contrast

to the

older brick facades

leading up to it.

sharing with Shadow Shot Sunday

waiting patiently - telephone kiosk

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

these

two

poodle mix pups

were

waiting

as their person

used the phone

on the corner of

79th and Broadway
taken with my iPhone

flea market finds

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

I think the

'vendor'

here

scours local city dumps

for his wares

tho

the mirrors look

promising

three on thursday - hudson river

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Standing

below

Trumpistan

on Pier One

Riverside Park South

looking to New Jersey's skyline

finds us gazing

at not only

3 pier remnants

but

3 building towers

the boat is a bonus!

water tower wednesday - sunset

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Standing

Columbus Avenue

looking

north from about 66 Street

there's beauty in the sky

the fading light

bathes the buildings

the camera captures

reflections of gold

sharing with Wordful Wednesday

toonsday - Slim & Cody in Augmented Reality

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue - holiday recappage

2012-01-02T08:30:00.002-05:00

I've been on vacation

since

the Thursday before Christmas

Its been a long time since I took a full week,

more than a few days off

all at one time

I think

I've finally got the sleeping in down

just in time

to go back to work

tomorrow

What a surprise!

You've heard about Christmas/Hanukkah

I shared, as did Kate and Janice, photos from their visit

Here's one more from the walk along the Hudson

there was a lot of eating

from

the cone of rice at

Spice

the enormous tuna burger at

Atlantic Grill

many glasses of wine were drunk

and then the girls were gone

to cheer up

I went to midtown for some retail therapy

but
all I got was some shots of
holiday windows

crowds

clogged

the streets

and

made taking photos of the

Cartier

windows

near impossible

the windows

H.Stern

were

old time-y

a combo of snowmen

and

1940ish looking people

they are

peeking through

reflections

of the shops

across the street

Bergdorf

decked all its windows with wreaths

so understated and classy

Back

in the hood

tethered outside

Pappardella

on Columbus

was a fun tree

New Year's Eve was quiet

New Year's morning

Toonman made us our traditional

breakfast

eggs, onions, potatoes

some left over Proseco

see Katy,

Toonman loves his new

Hip to Be Square Looper Loom

pot holder

I didnt lick my plate

but

I didnt leave

even

large ort

A diet will commence today

and

I promise never to post a foodie post again!

none of these are signed and most of them were taken with my iPhone

happy new year!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love

the stars

Time Warner Center

Happy 2012

gentle reader

thank you for coming along

as I go

Out & About in New York City!!

waiting patiently - chloe

2011-12-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is Chloe

Her person frequents Polished Beauty Bar

while he is getting his manicure

yes, real men get manicures!

she waits right next to his chair

isnt she pretty?

flea market finds

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

this vendor

was

located outside the actual flea market

maybe

he didnt want to pay the vendor fee

maybe he wanted to corner the market on party hats for New Year's Eve

how do you plan on celebrating?

are you going out?

staying in?

will you be wearing a hat?

will you be tooting a noisemaker?

will you party hearty?

will you toast the new year and then head to bed?

tell me all about it in the comment section.

Us?

Well this year

we'll be celebrating together

at home

in front of the BIG television that dominates our living room

likely a bottle of bubbly will be opened

toasts to the new year will be made

here's a toast to you, gentle reader:

health, happiness, prosperity to one and all

I look forward

to sharing another year

photographs and blather

with you

thanks again for coming along as I go out and about in New York City!

three on thursday - friends

2011-12-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

I spent Tuesday night

and

Wednesday

shepherding

3 friends

around the Upper Westside

Gale force winds and monsoon like rain on Tuesday night

did not stop us from treking to

Spice

on Amsterdam for dinner

Thai food was a specific request from

ChesapeakeBayWoman aka my friend Janice

and

Thai

she got

Wednesday

was dry but freezing winds made our wandering an adventure

getting photo ops

in between

warming up in stores

and

restaurants.

among the places we wandered for photo ops

Riverside Park South

then up the stairs at 67 Street through

Trumpistan

Lincoln Center

Janice, Kate (CountryGirlKate) and Maria are showing their enthusiasm for our next stop lunch!

after a wonderful lunch

Atlantic Grill

we walked up

Amsterdam

stopping along the way

to pose for a group shot in front of a mirror

outside a shop

it was a really fun day

I think you can see that

water tower wednesday - sextet

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Standing

on West 39th Street

at the Hell's Kitchen Holiday Craft Flea Market

between Ninth and Tenth

looking South

I looked up

and

discovered what may be

the

largest collection of water towers

in one shot

a sextet of water towers

a six pack

two sets of three

four and two

five and one

you get it

SIX!!!!!!

toonsday - no mas, no mas ...

2011-12-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue - christmas weekend recappage

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

I am thinking

I have been

cookie overload

you know

when you skimp on meals

so you can indulge in cookies

thats how its been

here

since Ruby sent

his

homemade

oatmeal cookies

and

the pan of fudge

I had the fudge with some Vermont Peanut Butter both chunky and almond butter

I had biscotti with my coffee

I've been home since Thursday evening literally eating myself into a sugar coma

Firday was spent doing almost nothing

Saturday
I beautified
Sandy
at Sam and Chris
made my recent hair cut look fabulous
Susan
at Polished Beauty Bar
painted my nails a happy holiday red

My sister came by on
Sunday
for our annual combination Hanukkah Christmas gift exchange
she got Toonman a warm and wonderful Giants jacket
I got a diamond key, some yummy cashmere Portolano knits and a leather tote with many pockets
and an expandable bottom

Toonman and I did the no gift thing
again this year
tho I think I got everything I wanted
he's in great health vs the scary mess he was last year at this time
and
my baby Rose is improving daily
what more could I ask for?

(that's Rose soaking up love from her godmother Judy)

Well
I asked for and got our special breakfast of eggs, onions and potatoes
usually its our New Year day breakfast tradition
however last year he was in hospital New Year's Day
so I asked him to make it for me
as a special Christmas day breakfast
and
he did

(by the time I took this photo there was almost nothing left)

It was so good

and for dinner?
we were going to order in pizza!
hey,
just
because we're Jewish
doesnt mean
we have to have
Chinese
BUT
after my sister left
our friend
(and Rose's godmother)
Judy called,
she and her cousin Gary were in the neighborhood
could they pop in?
Of course

We were having a fun visit
wine was shared
along with lots of conversation
then
there's a knock on the door

its our Joseph and his lady Barbara

after introductions were made
Judy and Gary coated up
and
left
but not before trying to pass off a banana bread
a friend of Gary's had given him

We insisted he keep it
even tho it made a cute photo op

by the time
Joseph and Barbara left
it was way too late to order pizza
Toonman finished the potatoes
and
I had a peanut butter and fudge sandwich!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday no matter what you ate
thank you for tagging along
for being the swell comment leavers you are
gentle reader
you are the best!

merry christmas

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

wishing

you

all

very

merry

Christmas

waiting patiently - angelic rose

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Rose

is waiting patiently

to feel better

She's improving slowly

This is

not

a new photo of Rose

I took it a few years ago

before

I had the BIG camera

using an P&S

so the whole photo isnt very good

but

its still a favorite of mine

She was so sweet and patient

letting me put the bow on her

letting me snap

not just one

several

bad photos

I doctored this one

but its still not good

nevertheless

Rose, Toonman, Jack and I

wish you and yours

a lovely holiday

flea market finds

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

that's Jill

in the Lotus Jane kiosk

selling Cambodian crafts

Jill and her husband adopted

their daughter, Jayne,

from a village in Cambodia

and a friend gifted Jill with a scarf made there

which started her thinking

how she could help women in Cambodia

and other third world countries.

Every item she sells is Fair Trade

by using primarily locally-sourced sustainable materials

the women/artisans make handcrafted unique, stylish goods

helping them to improve their lives

and

those of their families.

Some of the items

are made from recycled materials

such as bombshells and discarded magazines.

See those bracelets?

They are made from recycled flipflops!

Those beads?

Made from recycled paper!

I bought several wonderful items from Jill to be given as gifts this holiday season

You can check out the items at the GreenFlea on 77th/Columbus

on Lotus Jayne's website

by clicking

here

three on thursday - stars bright

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

another angle

to get

the same 3 stars

this time without old Glory

(click here to see the other version)

its an interesting shot

if I do say so myself

and

I am
I do

that building

on Madison Avenue

around

77th Street

is very art deco

and

so are those stars

Happy Hanukkah!

festival of lights - happy hanukkah

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

toonsday - what could be better...?

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue - the cat did what?

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Rosie spend a week at vet

came home

had a follow up visit this past Tuesday

she's got chronic kidney disease

a whole lotta meds and care but she's worth it

then this past Friday

3 days after her follow up

she began acting oddly

how odd
is it for a cat
to pee
on
a
printer ?

I wondered if it was a comment on my holiday card

in any case

the printer is dead

she was

however

letting me know

she wasnt feeling all that well

another visit to the vet on Saturday

I diagnosed UTI and vet agreed

I asked her to pay me

she laughed

I said I want a plaque in the new upstairs

vet's been remodeling for a year now

its a money pit

and

most of the recent money has been mine

I also got a hair, actually many hairs,

cut

a new less frumpy me

YEA!

A massage much needed

tho had I known

we'd be donating to the vet again

I'd have passed

I wouldnt

I needed that massage

badly

Sunday
I continued to beautify™
a pretty festive wine-y color with pale pink glitter nail polish
dee-vine dahling

A trip to the Flea
proved disappointing
aside from picking up my new pillowcases
from Kitty who owns and designs for
the divine chair company

the drawstring purse vendor wasnt there
so I could fulfill my offer to pick up a few
the day was freezing
I was walking fast
until
this stopped me

this brownstone on West 77th just across from the Green Flea
had the loveliest beribboned decorations

charming very turn of the century
with the
'gas' light

iPhone
again
it was too cold to schlep the BIG camera
and
the little P&S really isnt working right
or left for that matter

A quick stop at Zabar's for a fix of their meatballs
oh
I had some of Zabar's chicken/corn soup
I intended
eating
only half

intended

it was good

Oh yeah, I ordered a new printer

Thanks for coming along, as always its more fun with you

sunday shadows - 79th street at west end avenue

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love shadows

I love the massive brick buildings

on the Upper West Side

For now, a new Sunday theme

maybe not every Sunday

you'll have to stop by and see

sharing with Shadow Shot Sunday

waiting patiently - ricki

2011-12-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Everyday

I stop by to visit

Robin

to see the wonderful

wildlife and rural photos

he posts

Yesterday

I stopped by and learned that

Ricki,

Robin's beloved dog had passed.

I asked if I could re-post

his photo to share with those of you

who dont know Robin

because

Ricki was such a handsome guy

and

was so well loved

he deserves to be celebrated

Here's to a good friend who will be much missed

flea market finds - samplers

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

We went to the

Antiques Garage Market

(NO! they do not sell antique cars or garages)

on West 25th Street

between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

I'd never been before

and

it was interesting

its inside a parking garage

so it indoors

but

its not heated

so its cold

I guess

most collectors of such crap,

antiques,

are hot blooded

searching through other people's cast offs

looking for that one item really worth

something

this was hanging along the ramp up into the garage

I looked at it on the way in and on the way out

I decided I had to share

Its a Wall O'Samplers

I suppose

you cut them

and

frame

individually

what happened to actually stitching your own sampler

with your own motto, pithy, clever, witty saying

umm

Yeah

Well

I guess stitching samplers went the way of the motto t-shirt

or did it?

three on thursday - drawstring bags

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

Another

I could have saved

for

Flea Market Finds

but

I didnt

These bags sparkle and shine

Gold, red, turquoise blue

Hard to decide

Large enough to tote a ton of stuff

pretty

stylish enough

to go out on the town.

water tower wednesday - 23rd Street

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Whilst out and abouting

with Shelley and Darcy

this past weekend

we stopped in the Flatiron District

to get pix of the Flatiron Building

It was getting on 3 p.m.

the sun was blessing

this red brick building

with a glowing kiss

as the water towers atop looked on.

Those windows face Fifth Avenue at 23rd Street

toonsday - Patsy & Mickey in A Sucker Bet

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Hilary!

monday monologue - more SantaCon

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

I didnt realize when I was making the SantaCon collage

that you couldnt embiggen to see the Santas

so here are a few of my favorites

.. again ..

no editing, just SOOTC

there was Donna and Dance-a

the striped sock elf & reindeer chorus line

the hey look she's taking our picture

and the sunglass santa wavers

I took all these Santas on the way to the Garage Flea Market on 25th between 6-7 Avenue

that too was a bust

but

we did learn about a new small flea market where we stopped

and

Darcy bought her dad a carved wooden figure,

her dad is a wood carver and collector

I took these photos

of some of the crap, er, antiques

a Jimmy Durante figure

with an on/off switch

but no juice

so we couldnt see/hear what he did

maye it was

Goodnight Mrs Calabash, wherever you are

a Romanesque or Stalinesque bust someone drapped with a holiday scarf also for sale

this mannikin/manikin looks as if it was posed for on a very very cold day
he's lost his head but still has his 'slave' collar
veddy interesting

then we decided I had to have lunch

on the window sill next to our table was

this pepper plant

with a odd sign

poking is prohibited

when it was time to head back uptown

Darcy wondered how a NewYawker orients

I said well I always look for this

its viewable from just about everywhere

Thanks for tagging along, it made sharing the day even more fun!

its beginning to look a lot like

2011-12-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is another long post

it might turn into two posts

who knows

but lets get started with my meeting

my Blister

(Blog+Sister = Blister)

Shelley and her pal Darcy

visiting from the Canadian West Coast

they've spent the past week sightseeing and just plain having fun

Saturday they included me

a wander through Hell's Kitchen

and

down into the Flatiron

looking for artisian crafty holiday crap, treasures, on sale at holiday fairs

We started on 39th and Ninth at the Hell's Kitchen Holiday Market

lots of junk

and

one snotty vendor

who chastised me for exploiting their wares by taking pix vs shopping

well sir,

Shelley shopped

as I exploited

see

this Tibetan gentleman

showed us this bowl when stroked makes this amazing sound

its a yoga thing

I think

well I know

that

Shelley teaches yoga

She bought herself this lovely and warm Yak wool shawl

because baby it was cold outside!

We trekked down to 25th and Seventh in search of the

Festival junk, er, artsy fair

Shelley had seen advertised online

along the way I keep seeing people

dressed in Santa get ups

of all sorts

turns out it was

SantaCon

and the city was filled with Santas

in all shapes, sizes, colors and get ups

they wandered in packs

stood in cliques

crossed streets

waited for taxis

waved at me

smiled at me

posed for me

they were everywhere

to show you how everywhere

they were

I did a collage

these are only the shots I liked best

tho admittedly

some were taken so fast that the focus is not necessarily great

here they are unedited unsigned SOOTC for you!

there's more

but I think I'll add it to the Monday Monologue

just in case nothing happens on Sunday to blather about

waiting patiently

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Morgan and his mom were waiting outside Zabars recently

Isnt that a schmoopypie face?

flea market finds - books

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

used books

caught the eye

these two little pink ladies

I didnt stick around long enough

to see if they found something to read

but

I was tickled to see them interested in books

You're never too old

too young

to enjoy a good read

three on thursday - grand central

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

these 3 windows

are in

Grand Central Station/Terminal's

main concourse

which has the most glorious ceiling

its called the

Sky Ceiling

you must see it for yourself,

photos dont do it justice

at least mine didnt

I'd be sharing one

water tower wednesday - dawns early light

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

you've seen this view before

its what I see

walking up 80th Street to Broadway

to the subway

in the mornings

just before daylight savings time

the morning skies were pink and grainy

the grain is due to my point&shoot giving up the ghost

its no longer focusing properly

and

its getting harder to hold it steady even with the 'shake reduction'

(or whatever its really called)

turned on.

toonsday - Soooooo angry...!

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

HE
suggested

that I use that as my new venting expression

and

I totally cracked up,

it was one of the funniest things

he's ever said.

Seriously.

monday monologue - so much stuff

2011-12-05T07:50:00.001-05:00

So much stuff went on this weekend

from the internets failing

(thank you SO much TimeWarner, its still out I am quickly typing and uploading photos here at the office)

Rose coming home from hospital

last weekend's vet visit turned into her being hospitalized

she's doing great thanks to her wonderful

Dr Andy and his entire staff at City Veterinary Care

from

the desk ladies to the techs

she almost didnt want to come home.

Kidding

My friend Nancy came over on Saturday to visit,

go shopping with me

have lunch at Fred's in Barney's

We stopped into

GaGa's Workshop

where I was encouraged to take photos

had I known

I'd have schlepped the BIG camera

alas

you'll have to settle for unsigned,

unedited

point&shoot pix

supplemented

by iPhone pix

the Madison Avenue windows

the elevator waiting area

the shoppers

the displays

the merchandise

every item is priced high

25% of each item's sale price goes to GaGa's foundation

nothing is returnable or exchangeable

all sales

final

Barney's went all out

every shopping bag in the store was branded

GaGa!

Sunday

with the internets still out I headed out to meet my friends

Larry, Kevin, Judy and Kathy

Ditch Plains

a really fun laid back restaurant

very child friendly

thankfully the children and their parents were smartly kept in another room

tho the line up of strollers in the entryway was a bit scary

me and my Larry

that's Kevin, me, Judy

and Larry

on the way from the restaurant to the Flea Market

we passed this mirror on the street and posed

I was on a mission, my friend Laura Peach wants skeleton keys!

mission accomplished

all that hard work brunching and flea marketing was followed

by beautification™

seriously did you think I wouldnt?

Thanks for tagging along, its always more fun when I know you're here!

a sunday post

2011-12-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

This summer

on a errand

I cut through

Grand Central Station

I'd heard about the amazing marketplace

I stopped to snap a few photos

which eventually were download

from the camera

and

uploaded into Picasa

potential blog fodder

Last weekend ToonMan asked:

why do you only post one photo on the weekends?

my reply:

I find that I get more hits/visits/views

(not comments, no comments are often as scarce as hens teeth)

on the Waiting Patiently series than any other photos I post

This week

as I was prepping the Waiting Patiently photo

I came across this photo of the bakery in the Grand Central Market

it reminded me of when I was a kid in the Bronx

How so you ask?

Well every Sunday morning my Mom gave me 50 cents for BOTH the Sunday newspapers

(the NY Daily News and the NY Times)

along with a list of things to get at the bakery:

crumb buns, honey buns, jelly donuts, something I cant think of the name of but it had coconut on it

I didnt really need a list

the women who worked behind the counter

knew me,

knew my parents,

and

they knew the Sunday order

I'd wait my turn

and

almost before I could say anything

they had it all bagged and ready to go

then

I'd get the newspapers and head home

it was a weekly ritual

I'd forgotten til that photo stirred the memory pot

so this week there's a Sunday post

maybe

you're reading it as you have some breakfast sweet with your coffee or tea

dont get any on the keyboard!

waiting patiently - igby

2011-12-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

That's Igby

he's waiting in his carrier

while his mama gets beautified™

at Polished Beauty Bar

He's my friend Kat's pup

Igby is very smart

he knows if he plays his cards right

Kat will carry him

I guess he had the winning hand

flea market finds - keys

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

From very old to new-ish

to fit big locks or small

luggage keys

office keys

house keys

door keys

who know what keys

all sizes

all shapes

all sorts of keys

three on thursday - olympia, remington, royal

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

anyone old enough to remember these?

portable manual typewriters

three of the top brands

Olympia, Remington, Royal

at the Flea Market

I didnt ask how much

ToonMan had a Royal

I wonder what happened to it

water tower wednesday

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

honest to goodness

I cant remember

where

on the Upper Westside

I shot this!

toonsday - what's in a name...?

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue - still stuffed

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Its was a lovely long weekend

that began with leaving the office early on Wednesday

dinner that evening was with friends

at Robert

in the Museum of Art & Design
(the restaurant photos taken with my iPhone)

the view is as good as the food

we all pulled out our phones

and

snapped the scene below

its even more magical on the ground

after dinner

we headed uptown

we tried to see the Macy's balloons

but

it was truly insanely crowded so we said good night

Thanksgiving didnt happen the way I hoped

the restaurant, in fact, two restaurants, I hoped to order in from
were closed

one was closing early!

we called around a bit

ending up with burgers and limp lukewarm fries

but
thats not what its about

its about football

ToonMan enjoyed the day

Friday

I was lucky enough

to catch up

with

two from-out-of-town-in-NY-for-the-weekend friends

who hadnt met before

we went to lunch

Saturday was an all beautification™ day
starting off with a blissful massage at exhale

Rose had a vet appointment, she'll be fine

we played with Jack and the presentation pointer

if you say where's the light?

he looks at the last place he saw it

no matter how much time has passed

last weekend I got to the Flea Market

and

picked up the new pillows
Jack approves, he loves that chair
which brings this post back to the beginning
the friends
I met for dinner on Wednesday
are the friends
who when they downsized their home
gave us that fabulous chair & ottoman

thank you again for a great evening, Lauren.
SIL we'll do Island Burgers.
It was a fun lunch
Maureen, Mary
I'll see you both soon.
and
now that the weekend is over
'life' gets back to normal
my husband can have his cave back

Hey honey, Nancy's coming over next Saturday

waiting patiently

2011-11-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

this week

no one was waiting

it was more about hi howyadoin'

lets see where you've been

in a very doggy way

flea market finds - week 2

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

This week's Flea Market table has

a plethora

Buddha bellies to rub,

a crucifix with a very Eastern air to it

some fish

a few roosters

a ram

a horse

praying hands

a rabbit or two

and

a crystal ball!

I keep thinking

how long it must take

to box those up

to tote them to market

and

then box 'em back

to tote home again

and

it exhausted me!

Its a tradition

2011-11-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Every year
on the eve

Thanksgiving

the Upper Westside

closes down several streets in the West 70/80s

to allow

Macy's employees

to inflate the huge balloons

that are part of their annual Parade.

And over the years

its become tradition

for people to crowd the streets

and

avenues

in an attempt

to witness this up close

there are children and adults who feel like children themselves as they watch the balloons inflate

there is also news coverage

and

lots of friendly police to keep the crowds under control

but

what many forget

dont even notice

are

the smaller balloons

that line the streets

peeking over the gates

from inside

Margaret Mead Green

leaning out

as far as

they can

So excited

waving happily

bouncing in place

waiting to see

the stars of the show!!

Wishing you all a wonderful family filled Thanksgiving!

*all these photos were taken last year and 'treated' with Topaz Labs Adjust 5 Spicify effect

water tower wednesday - soho

2011-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

It was a

hot

hazy

August afternoon

when I took this photo

I believe,

I think,

I am pretty sure

I was standing

Broadway at Spring Street

toonsday - no surprises here ...

2011-11-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

monday monologue

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

It was a busy weekend

errands,

work,

some shopping

and

of course

beautification™

but

I was not

as busy as

these trees

they spent all weekend

dropping

those

golden ginkgo

leaves

all over all the silver cars!

Cue

Sting's Fields of Gold

And

in case you hadnt heard,

ChesapeakeBayWoman,

aka

Janice C. Vogel

a Blister o'mine,

who blogs

here

has finished the book that has ruled her life

for the last upteen months

and

kept her from

Blogfesting this summer

the book

Then & Now

Mathews County

goes on sale December 5th,

just a hop skip and short jump calendar-wise

it would make a great holiday gift

to place your orders,

click

here

waiting patiently

2011-11-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Ready for his close up!

this sweet doxie

was

waiting

on a comfy camp chair

with a warm rug to snuggle down on

alongside his person's vendor space

at the weekly Green Flea Market

Columbus/77th Street

flea market finds - mirror mirror

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

welcome

to a new theme for

Friday

I'm not sure

how long

it will last

but

for now it's

Flea Market Finds

Friday

Mirror Mirror

on the 'wall'

who is the fairest one of all?

three on thursday - ginkgos

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

I know

there

are more

then

3 trees

but

cut me some slack

they are lovely old trees

and

the leaves

look like gold

in the late day

sun

water tower wednesday

2011-11-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Broadway at 73rd Street

with

little done

other than

adding my signature

However

over on

Through My Eyes

I've posted

the same shot

with a little of

Topaz Labs antique effect

just for giggles

toonsday - reality is not pretty ...

2011-11-15T06:06:00.001-05:00