080329 Walk - West St. & Auto Show

080329 Walk

This was one very long day, adding up to about 12 straight hours on my feet (today’s date, 080404).

Interesting/silly facts about today’s walk.

Route: Vestry St. & Greenwich Ave. (Tribeca) to Canal back to Vestry and up West St. (the Henry Hudson Parkway or Westside HWY) to Javits Center on 34th St. (& really the McD’s on 10 Ave. & 34th, then back to Javits)

Start / Finish Time (approx.): 12:50pm to 3:20pm (not including the Auto Show)

Weather: Cold, mid 40’s, sunny (enough so, that I got a slight burn on my face) and very breezy (making it much cooler than what 46 should feel like)

Mileage (approx.): Actual 4.37 (Not including the Miles at the Auto Show)

Photos Taken: 332+ (139 Walk + 193 Auto Show)

Money Found: $.02 (& $.01 at the Auto Show)

My day really started earlier than stated above, because I had to get to where I had volunteered my services distributing food boxes with Angelfood Ministry. The van shows up at Vestry & Greenwich to distribute the food to those in need or those who just want a bargain on pretty good food. Once, we were done, I departed and headed east to Hudson Street and then north towards Canal. I wasn’t really sure what route I was going to take, it was between going up Greenwich Street or along the river (West St.). Wanting to conserve on photos and battery life for the Auto Show later, I obviously chose walking along the river. There was less to see, but it was much more scenic.

I got to Canal and headed west where I came across a few interesting buildings, 3 really new and 2 very old 2-story houses (or shops). I enjoyed the juxtaposition. I remembered that I wanted to shoot the store front of one of the buildings across from where we were distributing the food. So I went back south on Washington Street shooting a few images along the way and got the ones I wanted too. So instead of back tracking again, I just headed directly west to West Street where I headed north along the river.

To the south, off in the distance I was able to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey (or Jersey) across the river. Paralleling West Street, and more so the Hudson River, there is a bike, running and pedestrian path. This became my route for the day. I walked above the Holland Tunnel, you could see all 4 ventilation towers, 2 (maybe 3) of which are in the river. There are a quite a few piers and a couple of them double as riverside parks. They are quite attractive spaces, I especially liked the tent-like structures.

There were a trio of newly constructed residential towers that caught my eye, not just because they were beautiful in a simple and modern way, but for the details (not great, but nice touches), especially at the balconies. Too bad the construction was pretty shoddy. Crossing the street to see them closer, I saw a delivery bike…just take a look at the photos below for what he was delivering and how the items get delivered……well, I thought that it was interesting, anyway.

I passed the Meat Packing district, but not before passing the pier that was the temporary home of the Nomadic Museum for Gregory Colbert’s photographic works (back in 2005). The space was designed by world reknowned architect Shigeru Ban using shipping containers and paper (cardboard) tubes. I also passed Chelsea Piers. These set of piers has a driving range, bowling alley, ice rink, health club/gym, indoor soccer fields, basketball courts, gymnastic gym, and many other amenities.

In front of Chelsea Piers a poor young woman was lying on the path with an ambulance and park rangers/care-takers aiding her. From what I was told, she had fallen while rollerblading. It definitely looked like she was in pain. I think she had a friend with her. I felt really bad for her, especially since the authorities were stopping and diverting the path’s traffic to attend to her, putting more attention on her from those passing by. I paused trying to figure if there was a way I could help, but figured I would be in the way. So, I said a prayer and kept going.

Around the mid to upper twenties, I decided to call Momar (Mamar). As I am talking to her a helicopter slowly passes overhead. The pier I was on at the time was about 100 yards south of a heliport. It was really fun to watch them take off and land. Most of the flights today were probably tourists taking in the city from the air…something that sounds like a lot of fun. They also carry business persons, but less likely on the weekends.

I also passed the Westside Rail Yards, where the trains (MTA, NJ Transit and Amtrak) are stored and where the tracks from Penn Station head west. This is where the Jets wanted to build their new stadium a few years back (’05) and recently was awarded to a developer to build 16 million square feet of office, retail, and residential space.

The Jacob Javit’s Convention Center is this large black glass building between 11th and 12th Avenues and 34th and 39th Streets, and houses the NY International Auto Show every spring. I have been to every one since I moved to the city, even when I had little to no extra money to spend (my one splurge at the time). I passed up Javit’s so I could grab a bite at McDonald’s, the closest place that accepted debit card for food. After eating and more so resting, I head back to the Auto Show, where I officially ended my walk. But I wondered probably another 3 miles looking at shiny metal bodies of design and engineering inside. I spent the most time with the Minis. There were some nice exotics and concept vehicles this year.

Though the walk was over once I went into Javit’s, to go home I had to walk along 36th from 11th to 8th Avenue to catch the nearest subway. Thankfully I got a seat on the train and was able to catch the E train taking me to the east side, catching a bus going north.

God Bless,
Brant

Auto Show Photos

080413 - 1st Avenue & My Neighborhood

080323 Walk

Today’s walk was pretty mundane, nothing of great interest happened or was seen. But you would never know it by the length of what I just wrote.
Interesting/silly facts about today’s walk.

Route: My Apartment to 86th Street, down 1st Avenue to 42nd Street & 2nd Avenue.

Start / Finish Time (approx.): 12:30pm to 2:30pm

Weather: Cool/Cold, 40’s, sunny

Mileage (approx.): Actual 3.4+

Photos Taken: 129

Money Found: $.00

When I started I realized (again) that I should take some photographs of my neighborhood, apartment, grocery store, etc. Mainly for me when I am old and gray to look back and remember I did actually live in New York City. Also, they are for those who haven’t or won’t be able to visit and actually see my neighborhood. I may only include a few images, see below for sure.
So, I shoot some photos of my apartment from across the street and a few others between 84th Street and 86th Street and between 2nd Avenue and 1st Avenue. Come to find out, 1st Ave. has some nice examples of open urban public spaces and plazas. There were at least 7 that I was impressed with, including a park, each having ample light and air, far away enough from the street.

I passed this Doggie Daycare center before getting to 79th St. They have rooms for BIG Dogs, medium to small dogs, and a very little room for the tiny dogs. When I used to pass by here, I loved to watch the dogs play together and sometimes with the caretaker. I used to come to this area to go to a place called Rainbow, which is a small household goods store. I referred to it as a mini Wal-Mart. Now that I go to Target in Brooklyn, Jersey City or Queens, I am rarely in this part of the neighborhood.

There was a young man and his Golden Retriever, both sitting on a bench outside of a shop, just chillin’. The dog was very well behaved, especially when this tiny little dog was very interested in the Golden. They kept sniffing each other’s snouts like they were saying hi with kisses, you know like the Europeans (& New Yorkers) do. It was such a cute interaction, see the pic below.

Between 2nd Ave. and the East River and in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s are a lot of medical centers and doctors’ offices, as well as a hospital (the one I went to for my knee a year ago). One of these buildings, it is on York actually, is where I met Wendy Brantley, her both amazing mother Shelley and boyfriend Tom. She was in there for a cancer she had since she was little (13, I think); she was only 26 or 27 when I met her. It was the first and only time I got to have any conversation with her. She never went home, though she moved on/into a couple of other care centers before succumbing to the cancer.

I say this as I am reminded of her being in this area and seeing a father helping his mentally challenged daughter crossing the street. I can’t help but notice their relationship. Yeah, I happen to get them in a photo, it was a case where I could use the park behind them as an excuse to shoot the photo. I wanted the park behind them too, don’t get me wrong. I am saddened by their situation, but I refuse to speak anything negative over them, so I won’t say anything further.

When I was looking for an apartment 4 years ago (yes, it has been that long), I saw this place on 62nd and 1st (the same price as I paid for my place) where it looked like the floors morphed into the walls, like there was no distinction where one ended and the other began. The kitchen was about 3 feet long and one sided, that was it. It was a very dingy and awful. I passed by the building it was in (Note for self: image number IMG_0492.jpg).

I went into the Bed, Bath & Beyond for a break and to window shop for a couple of frames I needed for gifts. I then passed by the Queensborough Bridge or also known as the 59th Street Bridge. Paralleling the bridge is a tram that goes from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island. The only tram, from what I’ve heard, that is used for actual public transportation. Under the bridge as part of the bridge’s base is a grocery store, and looking back on it, I should have gone in it. On the south side is an open plaza that has a cool store (architecturally anyway). A few years ago I went in it when it was a modern furniture store (like Design Within Reach, for those in the know). Up the street near the entrance to the Bridge is the Humane Society, they encouraged me to go up to the animal shelter on 110th St. Which is where I first saw Renzo and decided that I would bring him home…well, actually I asked and God said that I could? He is something I love and appreciate more and more each day.

I passed by a place named JIMBO’S. I am hungry right now and it is sounding really good. I also passed the street where the construction crane collapsed a few weeks earlier, killing one tourist and 6 others, 7 in total. The street is still closed off, at least at the time the photo was taken. I am sorry there is nothing really to see in it. I passed the Trump World Tower, one of many Trump named buildings in the city, across the street from the United Nations (buildings) and across from this beautiful little public space, including its fountain. I obviously passed the U.N. and even stepped onto the grounds at the tours entrance, where I took my self portrait (see gold photo below). Time didn’t allot itself to actually continuing further onto the grounds of the U.N. The line was a little long getting through security.

Most people may not know this, but New York City is made up of 5 boroughs (an administrative division of the city, or smaller towns making a larger city). All but 1 of them are islands or part of islands. Staten Island and Manhattan are individual islands, the Bronx is the only one part of the mainland, and Queens and Brooklyn are technically part of Long Island. But don’t tell them that.

There is a little section of the East Side in the upper 30’s and lower 40’s, that is basically a city within a city. Tudor City is its name. It is a neighborhood that happens to be raised above the normal street level, by about 30 feet, having its own street/s. It does tie back somewhere to the Manhattan street grid, but I haven’t found it yet (I really haven’t looked though). I will go up there someday, but not today.

Well, I end this walk by jumping on a bus that will take me down 42nd street to Grand Central where I can jump on a #4 train to Brooklyn (Target). Which by the way is closed today…oh yeah, it’s Easter Sunday. Happy Resurrection Day everyone!

God Bless,
Brant

BTW, my apartment is the 2 windows right above the word “HOLE” in “Jackson Hole.”

Previous Comments

I just wanted to thank all those who had read and made comments on the blogs I have (had) on myspace. I really appreciate them, THANK YOU.

Please feel free to post them on here, if you wish.

God Bless,
Brant

080224 Walk - Finally

080224 Walk

This one took forever to upload and to gather the images together (today’s date, 080313). Sorry for the delay.

Interesting/silly facts about today’s walk.

Route: Battery Park, up Church Street to Canal St., back to W. Broadway, and up 6th Avenue to 8th Street over to Astor Place.

Start / Finish Time (approx.): 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Weather: COLD! Again, low 30’s, sunny and breezy, some snow left on the ground

Steps Taken (approx.): unknown

Mileage (approx.): Actual 3.4+

Photos Taken: 214

Money Found: $.08

I decided that I would finish 6th Avenue by starting from the south end and work my way up to where I finished the first walk (080216). This was a good idea especially since the Church that I attended was very near the tip of Manhattan. I went to Faith Exchange, which was on South Broadway, between Trinity Place/Church St. and Rector, near Wall St. and Battery Park. So I headed south to Battery Park, so I could start at the very beginning of Greenwich Street which turns into Trinity Place and then into Church Street. I got a glimpse of the Hudson River through Battery Park before I turned around and headed north. I passed the building the church is in and then Trinity Church (Episcopal). I got quite a few good shots of it. It is a great subject, especially how it juxtaposes all the modern and ultra modern skyscrapers that surround it. Quite a lovely brownstone building.

Continuing on I got to the World Trade Center site. As an observation, it is hard to tell what is going on there with what looks like a disorganized mess of construction equipment and materials. I wish I had more to say about this, but I don’t have much to report. It is just a sad reminder of what happened six and one half years ago. I took a few photos of it and the fire station across from the site (probably not shown in the gallery below).

Moving on, I pass the Cross that was found at the WTC (see pics below). From here the walk got pretty boring. I saw the AT&T building that has absolutely no windows on it. There were a few other interesting bldgs, but not any to write about. I followed Church St. ended and T’ed into Canal Street. There I turned around and went back a few blocks to go back to catch the very beginning of 6th Ave., only to head north again. I crossed Canal and saw the bldg Christi used to work in. Side note: I won’t be mentioning her much, unless I feel it has significance. This one does, because of a few reasons. The first is that I shouldn’t have been able to see that bldgs front door, another bldg had been torn down since the last time I had been in the area. And second was I had some weird feelings when I saw it, having reminders of her. I decided then to completely avoid any area that would possibly remind me of her on these walks, for a while at least.

I had lunch at Cool Bloo, a little take out and delivery place a few blocks north of Canal. The building that it was housed in was probably no wider than about 6 to 6 ½ feet wide, 2 stories and probably 40 or so feet long. On the inside it was no wider than 5 feet. And all this housed a kitchen, cashier counter, spiral stair, bathroom that was out of order and an area where patrons could order. There were windows where customers could order from outside when the weather is warmer. It was quite the site. It is very expensive though. I got a burger (no cheese, that’s always extra) and a chocolate shake for about $14 something. The shake was about $6. I walked up a block to eat at an open space with benches and the sun was shining, so I could at least stay somewhat warm. I couldn’t eat at Cool Bloo, because there was obviously no room, nor seats. It was a pretty good burger and decent shake.

When I was finished with lunch I crossed the street and went back south a few blocks to get a couple of shots that I wanted. I continued north, passing SOHO to my east, and Houston St., ending up between the Village (Greenwich Village) to my east and the West Village to my west. Not much to say about this area (yet, wait ‘til I actually walk them), I did like the urban scale of many of the residential buildings there. I hit the bathroom at a McDonalds. I passed the Supercuts where I ended the previous walk and turned right onto 8th Street (east).

8th St. can feel like forever when walking it and I don’t know why, it’s only really 2 long blocks to Astor Place. I stopped into a few shoe stores looking for a good deal, none that I really liked enough. The shops along this street are anywhere from tattoo parlors, to shoes stores, to some strange club attire shops (clothing), to restaurants, to NYU bldgs. NYU’s main campus, by the way, is between 8th St. to the north, Houston to the south, 6th Ave. to the West and Broadway to the east. Passing 5th Ave. I saw the arch at Washington Square Park (south) and the Empire State Bldg (far north).
The end of my journey today brings me to Astor Place, where Cooper Union, The East Village, NYU students, K-Mart, a SOM (I think?) glass condo tower and St. Marks Place all converge. Playing near the Subway entrance was this bluesie, jazzy, bluegrassish, zydico 3 man band. Each member had there own style. An older black man singing, playing a tin tub, broom stick, string bass, a guitar player of no particular look, but a good musician none-the-less and what seemed to be the band’s leader, playing the keys, a horn on a string around his neck, singing, sporting a suit coat and derby. Though I didn’t recognize what they were playing, they were pretty good, quite entertaining and a very enjoyable end to this day’s walk.

Officially over I go to K-mart to grab a few house hold items that I need and then head home, because I was exhausted.

God Bless,

Brant

The official journal entry for 080216

080216 Walk

Well, I finally uploaded the photos to the photo album. I only chose about 18% from the total images I shot, (yup, 18 images from about 100 total). Some of them are the best shots I had taken. Others are just the touristy shots, Radio City, Macy’s, etc. And some are more informational, like how this city is put together and how it stays running, steam and vault opening, etc.

Here are a few interesting/silly facts about today’s (last Saturday’s actually) walk.

Route: E. 86th Street, East Drive (Central Park), and 6th Avenue from 59th Street to 8th Street

Start / Finish Time (approx.): 2:30pm to 5:30pm (it’s not about speed remember)

Weather: COLD! Low 30’s, sunny and breezy within the “Grid”

Steps Taken (approx.): 8415 (I used a step counter, that I was graciously given)

Mileage (approx.): based on steps = 3.9+ / Actual 4.8+

Photos Taken: approx. 100

Money Found: $.04

I started from home at 2nd Ave & 84th St. and headed north to 86th. I took 86th west to Central Park, where I followed the East Drive, within the park, south. Behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) I saw the Egyptian obelisk. From this drive I saw a knoll that had beautiful sycamore (I think) trees and walked near The Dock, think romantic row boats rides (just not in winter). I made my way down to 6th Avenue or as people outside of the city call it, The Avenue of the Americas. I passed by Radio City Music Hall, near the Diamond District and the MOMA. I also saw the new Bank of America Building, Bryant Park and Macy’s at Herald Square. This, by the way, is one of my favorite public spaces in all of NYC, but just those little islands between the intersections of 6th Ave., Broadway, 32nd through 35th Streets. Anywhere else around here and the tourists can be quite overwhelming.

As I continued through this set of islands, I heard some drums being beaten and had to see what the commotion was all about. There were a group of about 20 plus drummers and flag holders celebrating the Chinese New Year (year of the rat). They were pretty good and an enjoyable diversion from my intended path. (Fun to try and shoot too.)

Making my way back down 6th, I got to 23rd, where I went into Best Buy to thaw out and window shop. I also went to the Barnes & Noble to purchase a new map, so I could physically document where I have been. I passed near my previous employer’s office and 4 blocks later my current employer’s office, where I took a bad photo of me (NO, you can not see it). Passing 14th Street, I entered The Village and I guess really the eastern edge of the West Village. This is where I ran out of battery power in my camera. Which was fine, since I was near my final destination anyway, Supercuts. And one of the better haircuts I have had here, I might add.

Thanks for reading this boring blurb. But like I said previously, this is more for me to document my journeys, than for your entertainment. Good thing, huh? ;)

God Bless,
Brant

Here is the map.

Well, why not!?

Start of the BLOG

(Feb. 18, 2008)

Yup, I am going to try my hand at blogging. I actually have a direction I want to take this too. You see, I have had this strange goal ever since I moved to New York. I wanted to walk every single street in Manhattan, from Battery Park to Inwood, from the Lower East Side to the West Village, and yes this includes all of Harlem. I want to see the entire city, its beauty and its blight (which to me actually has quite a bit of beauty in and of itself).

I have been meaning to start this journey and series of walks for quite a while, but I wanted a digital camera to take along with me. I wanted to record what I thought was unique. It could be architecture and the public spaces created by it, as that is my field. It could be children playing. It could be a homeless person or just a beautifully framed photo with no reasoning behind it other than it was “pretty”. Or it may be a bad photo of some iconic THING, that may or may not be important to me, but I want to be able to say I was there. What ever the case, I couldn't do this until I got my camera. Now that I have it, enough memory cards, and an extra battery I can start this bizarre quest.

There is another part to this too, but not near as intensive. I want to ride every subway train to its last stop. Why not right?

Anyway, I have to start sooner than later, because I don't plan on living here forever. Plus, I feel as if God is getting me ready to transition out of NYC in the next couple of years. And after my first walk this past Saturday, I may have started a little too late. Only time will tell.
Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress. The title may change a few times, the format may as well, and I probably won’t have too much in the form of an organized plan of attack on my routes or locations for some time. So please bare with me, as I try to record my journeys as they occur. This blog is really more for me and keeping track of where I have been and to record what I see, hear, smell, feel sense…you get the idea. So please feel free to ignore this blog, it will most likely bore you.

I hope to post an actual summary and a few photos from it later this week. Below is a glimpse of the first route I took Saturday February 16th, 2008 (thanks to Google Earth).

That’s it for now. God Bless,
Brant