The Empire State Building is a little blurry, but it’s still so pretty.
It’s green for the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, but some Iranian activists see it as a rallying point and a sign that America is with them and not Ahmadinejad as the U.N. General Assembly rolls into town.
I think I like their idea better.
I came out of the Union Square subway station yesterday morning and was instantly confused. There was a Greenmarket on. This usually happens on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I actually had to ask one of the vendors what day it was. He confirmed that it was in fact Thursday. So why were they there? To feed hungry snowboarders. Huh? He said, turn around. And there, when I did, was a little mini-mountain of snow and a whole gaggle of boarders.
They were just setting up for a big competition that was to occur later that night. So I went back on my trip home. The kids weren’t going too hard, I guess the fear of landing on concrete is a mighty one, but it was an amazing thing to witness in the middle of the City’s hustle and bustle.
Ah, New York… You just never know what you’re going to find around the next corner.
The East Village is covered in mosaics. Most are made by one of the last squatter artists “The Mosaic Man.” He covers light poles and store fronts wherever he can get permission to do so. They’re amazing pieces of art and I’ll try and get a picture of one soon.
Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those (I think). I believe it is the headquarters of this man’s business. Not nearly as gritty, but beautiful nonetheless. The entire stoop is covered in the mosaics, but it’s the peacock feather and sunny little flowers I love the most. I’ll miss these…
Tompkins Square Park isn’t usually this quiet, but on a drizzly New Year’s day, it felt like we were the only people in the park.
The Temperance Fountain, erected by a teetotaling San Franciso dentist in 1888, features a beautiful statue of the goddess Hebe and actually has water in it (given the park’s history, this is quite an achivement).
Thanks to Bette Midler, yes, that Bette Midler, the community gardens of New York survive and thrive. These gems, usually located on abandoned lots in what used to be low-income neighborhoods like the East Village and Lower East Side, were once in danger of being sold off to the highest bidder. And then, yes, Bette stepped in and saved the day.
This is one of those gardens in the East Village on New Year’s Day. I can’t remember which of the three on this block it is specifically, but I think it might be the Earth People garden.
And why are these gardens important? They provide peace, quiet and serenity in the middle of chaos. They’re a great place to read and bird-watch, have a little picnic or just sit and think. I can’t imagine the city without them!
A Chicken In Every Granny Cart 
People Are Clucking About