Virtue and Delight

New York turns perfectly ordinary people into food snobs  -- --simply because everything you could ever desire and then some is available to you almost every minute of the day.

Blogging turns perfectly ordinary people into the sort of weirdos who take pictures of their lunch.

Smoked salmon tartine at La Pain Quotitien.

New  lunch special at the same place. Tuscan white beans, bread soaked in olive oil, frissee, parma ham. Yum.

Now for the really good stuff.

To cut to the chase. 

Chelsea Market. Brownies, blondies, brownies of every flavor you could dream of (mocha, white chocolate, caramel etc etc) in big sizes and tiny. People say, "I don't really do sweet things but just a taste....." Ha!

Pat invites me behind the scenes at the Fat Witch bakery. This is my lucky day.

Such a cheery, plump contented witch who now pops up all over the place even on tea.

Middle aged women giggle. A fat witch they say: ah that's me.

I think green tea is meant to be good for you.

ps.  My favorite is the white chocolate brownie.

Mysterious East (Northport) and Other Curious Juxtapositions

Right next to the Twin County Driving School on Vernon Valley Road, we come upon two shopfronts where a melange of things spiritual are displayed.

The Buddah and angels, henna and belly dance.

The shop front next door is a complete puzzle. 

Lots of draperies, crystals (I think) and a sort of palaquin.

A card lies on the frozen ice of the assisted living parking lot. 

After I have photographed it, R. picks it up. 

We are disappointed to discover it is something to do with a video game.

In ABC Carpet the Virgin's Heart beats and we are blessed.

Green Lights on the Bus

Seen in Soho

Spring Street. A real truck trying to blend in with its surroundings....

  Near Cosby Street

Spring Street again and an enigmatic young man.

He would have been more enigmatic still if he hadn't smiled.

The Year of the OX/ Chinese New Year

To Canal Street on the C train. East to Mott Street on a brisk, cold morning.

Such crowded pavements decorated by confetti shot from these cardboard launchers. Lots and lots of children enjoying the day.

This yellow dragon's head is riding on top of a stroller whose occupant is enveloped in plastic against the cold.

When the confetti is launched from the rockets,  there is a loud bang which some people find a little too much.

Everything is terrifically red. A symbol of good fortune.

The dragon dances into shops and restaurants.

The sidewalks have never looked so pretty.

It really gives you something to think about.

Susanna took much better pictures you can see here.

For MKate's  cool pictures of Chinese New Year in Malaysia go to Le Vie Est Belle.

Bars

I ought to call this blog Tame New York because nothing ever happens.

The bright colors of the deserted playground contrast well with the snow.

So many things in New York are behind railings and bars. There must be jobs for metal workers. I hear there has been an uptick of people going to welding school.

This playground on 9th Avenue.

And this one between 8th and 9th Avenues in the 20's.

The bus window passing the Post Office Facility on 12th Avenue.

A decorative fire escape and barred window on 25th Street.

Sunday morning. Too early to eat falafels on 8th Avenue.

Quiet Sunday/Shadowshots

Such an exciting week.

A time for quiet reflection. 

Sparrows on 22nd Street.

For other Shadowshots, please go to

Heyharriet.blogspot.com

A doorway reflecting 23rd Street.

Ice and Horses

The Hudson River is cluttered with thick chunks of ice. 

The center of the river moves extremely swiftly. How one would hate to fall into it.

Chelsea Piers. Friday afternoon, looking west towards New Jersey.

Clearing the ice on Pier 63.

Mechanical horses for children at Chelsea Piers.....

...and real horses on 8th Avenue.

Lunch or a Walk up the Road

On my way to lunch I am offered a little taste of croissant by chilly but cheerful girls.

The seamstress in the dry cleaners busies herself with mending. Look how many colored threads she has. The delivery man is bringing someone else lunch.

A new snack bar on 23rd Street near 5th Avenue reminds me of when I worked at Tunstall's Distinctive Gifts in LA. We had a gum ball machine and whole cardboard boxes full of gum balls in the back and I was allowed to eat as many as I wanted.

Now I prefer soothing monochrome.

(Le Pain Quotidien. 19th Street and Broadway.

The models maintain their snooty composure in the face of brown paper and markdowns.

Inspiration or Working from Home

Bee and Sarah have had recent posts about their work spaces/studies. Gretel showed a picture of her table scattered with fascinating objects. Dave King discussed responses to paintings.

(You can see how much time I've spent recently in the Blogosphere since the weather is so beastly cold and I've been pretty much winterbound.)

Robert and I both work at home.

This is his very old chair and a painting in progress.

This is the tray he mixes paints in - a sort of accidental painting in itself.

A photo, a painting, lots of bits of paper that have spray paint and stuff on.

"When oft upon my couch I lie in vacant or in pensive mood/they flash upon my inward eye which is the bliss of solitude...." 

Wordsworth had it pretty much right.  Quite a lot of lying on couches required when trying to be creative.

An unintentional ode to red on my desk. A jumble of things. What resonances each each sets off. 

Things Seen From My Window

This  precariously positioned character, attached to the facade of a building on 23rd Street, advertises a dance club.

 

When Ms/Mr Liberty (on the corner of 8th Avenue on Monday) saw his photo, he said, "Oh no! All the points are hanging down."

He was handing out flyers for an insurance company.

Yesterday, I saw other members of his tribe approaching.

The man without a costume would prefer not to be seen with them.