Monday, February 28, 2011

Another nice Murray Hill townhouse

Certain neighborhoods in Manhattan have classic townhouses and Murray Hill is one of the best examples.

They have become ridiculously expensive...but then, Manhattan is a magnet for the rich and superrich.

Consulates in Murray Hill- Polish and African

There are a cluster of Consular offices in Murray Hill.

African one occupies a townhouse on a side street...

While big Beaux Arts building serves for Poland.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

More Basketball

A mild day brings basketball players back to St. Vartan's Park in full force.

Just a hint of Spring is enough to set people off.

The Galway Hooker Pub

New pub in Midtown..

Somehow I think the Galway Hooker must mean something different in Ireland than it does in New York...

Maybe not.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Midtown Signs- Typical Advertising

Unlike the Border's sign, I think this one is just another advertising gimmick...but who knows.

Midtown Signs- Power!

Oh wow. $184 million now.

We can all dream on I guess.

Midtown signs= Border's Closing

Have no doubt about it, local Borders Book Store is on its way out....like a lot of other traditional book stores.

Midtown Signs-Folksy Cookin

Duke's Diner on Third Avenue advertises " Real Good Cookin"--

Think folksiness may be a little tongue in cheek or deliberately retro.

Midtown Signs- Hidden Directions

This little sign is blocked by other signs actually and of very little use to motorists coming off the ramp from the Midtown tunnel...

Midtown Signs- Yuppie Appeal

Well, I guess sort of a local joke here...

Only new parents who could afford to move to Park Slope from Midtown would be yuppies probably.

Midtown Signs- Polish Passport

Midtown is full of all kinds of unexpected signs...

Like this one near the Polish Consulate

Friday, February 25, 2011

New Bar & restaurant

Brand new place.

Suppose it is meant to appeal to yuppies but it is hard to tell.

One wing of the place says "Lounge" and the other "Beer Garden."

The Beer Garden part looks like just a traditional NYC pub.

Novelty Shop

While walking over to Sixth Avenue and 27th Street, I passed this Novelty Shop..

This kind of place is fast disappearing in Midtown.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

More Kale

Melting snows reveal decorative kale that has been there since December.


Flower District

At this time of year, there are no potted trees ( much less potted palms) hanging out on the area on Sixth Avenue known as "The Flower District..."

Here, people inspect decorative sprays...

Sixth Avenue in Flower District

The Flower District on and around Sixth Avenue in the upper 20's is very quiet this time of year.

Sixth Avenue added a number of high rise buildings a few years ago during the boom, and most of them seem still advertising apartments etc. aggressively.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Austin's - 34th and Park

Another local eatery that is nice and always busy is Austin's, at 34th and Park.

Seems to have a crowd of regulars.

Monday, February 21, 2011

St. Vartan's Park after snow

They said this was going to be an unusually snowy winter, and they were right...

Let us see if March is better.

Dogwalker on the phone

Woman walking dog takes time out to sit on bench and get on proverbial cell phone...

Snowy bench doesn't seem to bother her.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Flowers behind plastic

Flowers are displayed behind a heavy plastic curtain wall on 34th Street...

The plastic curtain seems to be a reminder how far we are yet separated from Spring.

Oh, that Empire State Building

People just cannot get enough pictures of the Empire State building from down below.

Crazy Bananas

This ice cream, coffee and bagel store is called Crazy Bananas for some reason...

Guess just to stand out. Or there may be some more obscure reason.

Cop Car Parade

You see this spectacle around here every couple of weeks...

I still don't understand exactly what this endless parade of cop cars with flashing lights is all about ( maybe I should google it)

Someone suggested it was cops running up overtime

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Japanese Straightening

What, pray tell, is Japanese straightening?

Store Closing

Memories of a cultural way of life that is fading away at store closing on Third Avenue...

Security desk

Woman keeps eye on comings and goings at security desk

Friday, February 18, 2011

Tennis Duo

Snow has melted in St. Vartan park and what looks like father and daughter are out practicing tennis...

Cookies

From time to time I just get a craving for cookies...

Usually at a bad moment, diet wise.

Just looking today.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Replacing facade

Restoring stone work on facade of apartment building in Kips Bay.

Just another one of those daily sights you tend to overlook.

Fore Rent Sign- Fred Astaire!

Small building has space for rent...

Surprised that Fred Astaire Studios are still in business!

The Charleston

When they were building it, the developers prominently called the building The Charleston--but now seem to have hidden most of that name from view.

Maybe some market research study told them it was not a good name for a building.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Women Putting out Crumbs for Birds

Not forgetting our fine feathered friends, this lady on 31st Street drops some crumbs around for them....

The Law

Cop near Empire State Building.

Cops won't let you take their photos but this guy probably thought I was just another dumb tourist and did not object,

Looks like he would like to arrest me, though.

Shoemaker at Work, finally

Here, FINALLY, is neighborhood shoemaker ( 31st Street) at work and in front of his shop.

You wouldn't believe how long it has taken me to get a shot like this...agreeable fellow, the shoemaker.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Park Reader

Cold February day still finds people out reading in the park....

Red Scultpure

Think this sculpture on Third Avenue in Midtown looks better in a photo than it does in real life.

Laila Rowe

Laila Rowe has been mentioned on the BBC as a place for women to find cut rate fashion stuff..

They have a lot of sales/

Think they aim mostly at younger women with limited budgets...

Fed Ex on Third Avenue

I have been to this Fed Ex/Kinko's so many times over the last five or six years..

Mostly for the Kinko copies, used for school purposes.

Lot of memories here, like getting binding done on Typography project.

February Basketball, father and son

What I take to be a father and son fool around with a basketball at St. Vartan's Park with the February snow unmelted...

Monday, February 14, 2011

Pashmina- $5 and Up

A Springlike Monday finds this street vendor off Third Avenue in Midtown...

Quite an array of merchandise, huh?

The Madoff Building

This used to be known as "The Lipstick Building"..

Now, however, because it was where he had his headquarters for his Ponzi scheme, it is "The Madoff Building"