Today I watched the first 45 minutes of "The Green Lantern."
It was so over air-conditioned in theatre and the sound was played so damn loud (and there are non -stop explosions and special effects mayhem...BANG CRASH ZOWIE).
To be fair to this movie, ( though I cringe at what the 3D version must be like) it is an animated comic book--and aimed at kids...I knew that before I saw it but hoped it would at least be well paced and have some clever lines or something.
Kids will probably like it....adults will find it very shallow and too full of unpleasant jolts. But if the idea is just to take the kids to a PG rated action movie,
I guess that's not so bad ( there was a row of kids with women tending to them
several rows in front of me and they were all happily munching on popcorn.)
This makes me envious because I can't eat popcorn anymore...the shape my teeth are in ( I have dry mouth because of meds I am taking) I would crack or break a tooth if I hit a hard kernel,
In fact, I know a man in his 30' s who does not have any particular tooth problems who recently broke a tooth while eating popcorn.
Other than that, there was a very bright note: when the cashier saw me leaving early --she offered me a free pass with no real expiration date....so I can go back again and see something more adult.
Furthermore, I would like to stress violence per se is not a problem for me with this movie...it is not grisly (at least not what I saw) like some Chainsaw Massacre or something..
Bet the kids who were watching it in front of me play video games that are just as violent.
Another example: "Sherlock Holmes" ( if you remember it...too bad if you never saw it) had all kinds of action scenes, including a grotesque slow motion boxing match and I enjoyed it very much.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
St. Francis of Assisi Church
Colorful baroque church of St. Francis of Assisi on West 31st Street...Let us see if I can find anything on the internet....
The grand dedication ceremonies took place on Sunday, July 17, 1892. Archbishop Corrigan blessed the church and consecrated the three altars. Archbishop Winand M. Wigger of Newark, who had grown up across the street from the original church, delivered the sermon. He was also the donor of a large stained glass window dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi.
The city’s extraordinary growth at the turn of the century stimulated great social and economic change. It quickened the pace of urban development and altered the face of many neighborhoods. Nowhere was this impact felt more keenly than on West 31st Street. Many families moved away when their stable, working class community was transformed – almost overnight – into the heart of New York City’s notorious “Tenderloin District.”
To keep up with the changes around them, the Franciscan Friars inaugurated what was to become a way of life for “parish without parishioners.” Thus was born the concept of an urban “service church” suited to the needs of a transient population of commuters, shoppers, tourists, laborers and business persons.
Manhattan backyards
Some Manhattan backyards are very park-like places, others are shabby looking...Backsides of these tenements is not all that cheery a view, though I notice one apartment has extended out a porch with an awning...
Troublesome Teens
You never know if you are going to have a problem taking pictures of people on the streets of New York.Saw this group of teens about a block away...you could hear them squawking away about where they were going next.
They said nothing when I took their picture but when I got about 50 feet away they started shouting jibes at me and one girl in particular kept screaming she did not want her picture on Facebook ( she probably has her back to the camera anyway).
Monday, June 20, 2011
"Street Furniture"-- how bad is it?
A lot of people in better neighborhoods ( which is just about all of Manhattan these days) object to these street stands, considering them an unsightly nuisance.I have just learned to ignore them.
Crowded Signage
Crowded Midtown streets hit you with a barrage of signs...Notice the small sign for Laura ( another psychic) in the middle of the picture).
C. G. Jung Center
First time I ever noticed this C.G. Jung place although I must have walked past it many times.About C.G. Jung: ( Wikipedia):
Carl Gustav Jung (German pronunciation: [ˈkaʁl ˈɡʊstaf ˈjʊŋ]; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is often considered the first modern psychologist to state that the human psyche is "by nature religious" and to explore it in depth.[1] Though not the first to analyze dreams, he is one of the best known pioneers in the field of dream analysis. He was a self-described natural scientist, not a theoretical psychologist. For Jung this salient distinction revolved around his initial process of deep observation followed by categorizations rather than the reverse process of imagining what categories exist and then proceeding to seek for proof of and then discover that one was correct, always correct. While he was a fully involved and practicing clinician, much of his life's work was spent exploring tangential areas, including Eastern and Western philosophy, alchemy, astrology, and sociology, as well as literature and the arts; all of which were extremely productive in regard to the symbols and processes of the human psyche, found in dreams and other entries to the unconscious.
He considered the process of individuation necessary for a person to become whole. This is a psychological process of integrating the opposites including the conscious with the unconscious while still maintaining their relative autonomy.[2] Individuation was the central concept of analytical psychology.[3]
From what I read on the Internet, it has a training Institute and a bookstore....
http://www.cgjungny.org/jungcenter/jungcenterhome.html
Lord & Taylor Jewelry
I never really thought of Lord &Taylor when it came to jewelry.About Lord & Taylor ( Wikipedia):
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods (later renamed Associated Dry Goods Corp.). Today, Lord & Taylor is the sole surviving department store nameplate from Associated, as well as from May Department Stores. Lord & Taylor is wholly owned and operated by NRDC Equity Partners. NRDC bought the chain from Federated Department Stores in October 2006 as Federated sought to concentrate on the Macy's chain after their purchase of May Department Stores (with all May department store nameplates having been converted to Macy's), and because the Lord & Taylor brand conflicted with Federated's Macy's and Bloomingdale's brands.[1]
Following its acquisition of Lord & Taylor, NRDC Equity Partners has since acquired Hudson's Bay Company in Canada. In 2008, NRDC's portfolio of retail companies became components of a new multinational limited partnership, Hudson's Bay Trading Company, L.P.
Lord & Taylor consists of 46 stores and lordandtaylor.com
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Former Hotel?
I think this building was put up originally as a hotel for some reason....Seems to be something different now.
This came towards the end of a very long walk on a hot day and I was too tired to investigate further...
I may get back there in the future.
Father with Twins (it seems)
Wow, is this a typical scene from the streets of Kips Bay/Murray Hill.Lots of younger families with kids around here..
A lot of them have nannies as well.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Walking Tour in Murray Hill
People on a walking tour in Murray Hill. Have no idea what they were finding so interesting...People often ask me why I don't conduct walking tours myself.
Answer: this blog IS my walking tour.
Garment District Bargains
Middle of Garment District has some bargain stores...Wonder how good the merchandise is.
Notice sign in the background advertising men's suits from $79.99!
And shoes at $9.99...
Well, it probably only costs a fraction of that to make them in China or somewhere....
Pet Shoppe Sentimentality
This pet shoppe has such adorable ( as they say) stuffed toys in their window..Reminds me of that awful syrupy Doris Day hit from the 1950's, "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?"
I like animals as much as most people but this is getting a little cloying.
Street Band -- but where is the audience?
Not a bad street jazz band ( I would give them a B plus)....but people near Herald Square ignore them ( break dancing would get a crowd, I bet).Man sitting nearby continues his texting....preoccupied like so many others.
Street bands are easy to take compared to noisy ( wow, noisy) drum groups they allow in subways.
If they can ban cigarette smoking, why can't they ban noise pollution?
Thursday, June 16, 2011
What is Fashion?
What is you definition of fashion? In NYC, you see everything.This main is wearing a suit jacket with jeans and sneakers...guess it is a "fashion statement."
One internet author writes about fashion:
It's not that easy to answer the question, "what is fashion?" because it means different things to different people. Fashion is an art. It's a religion. It's a job. It's a peek into a personality. It's playfulness. It's an escape or a disguise. It is a feast for the eyes. But ultimately, fashion is an individual statement of expression for each of us.
D'Agostino-- most expensive supermarket chain
D'Agostino's in Murray Hill.Rated the most expensive of supermarket chains in NYC.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Pfizer, Drug Giant
Sign on building on 42nd Street says it is Pfizer's International HQ... I don't know if this is true anymore.Pfizer seems to keep shifting its operations all over the place.
From Wikipedia:
Pfizer Incorporated (NYSE: PFE; English pronunciation: /ˈfaɪzər/) is a global pharmaceutical company, ranking number one in sales in the world. The company is based in New York City, with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut. It produces Lipitor (atorvastatin, used to lower blood cholesterol); the neuropathic pain/fibromyalgia drug Lyrica (pregabalin); the oral antifungal medication Diflucan (fluconazole), the antibiotic Zithromax (azithromycin), Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction, and the anti-inflammatory Celebrex (celecoxib) (also known as Celebra in some countries outside the USA and Canada, mainly in South America). Its headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.[2]
Pfizer's shares were made a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average on April 8, 2004.[3]
Pfizer pleaded guilty in 2009 to the largest health care fraud in U.S. history and received the largest criminal penalty ever levied for illegal marketing of four of its drugs. Called a repeat offender, this was Pfizer's fourth such settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in the previous ten years.[4][5] On January 26, 2009, Pfizer agreed to buy pharmaceutical giant Wyeth for US$68 billion, a deal financed with cash, shares and loans.[6] The deal was completed on October 15, 2009.Puerto Rican Day Parade
I could not get anywhere near the Puerto Rican Day Parade...Cops had all sorts of streets blocked off and crowds were incredible.
Typical of NYC diversity, this shot has Asians seeming to be part of the Puerto Rican Day festivities...they were just out on the street, like lots of other people.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Florsheim Shoes
Only Florsheim shoe store I have seen in many years...Really brings back old memories when I used to wear them
Wikipedia says:
Florsheim Shoes is a shoe brand in the United States. It was founded in 1892 by Milton S. Florsheim and his father Sigmund.
Until the mid-1990s, almost every mall in the United States had a Florsheim store. However, with the rise of such shoe stores as Journeys and Finish Line, and the de-emphasis of shoe stores in American malls, most Florsheim stores closed down by the early 2000s. This followed the fate of other companies such as Kinney Shoes and Thom McAn.
In 2002, the company was repurchased by members of the founding family. Thomas W. Florsheim, Jr. and John W. Florsheim of Weyco Group, based in Glendale, Wisconsin, repurchased the brand for $47 million from rival Florsheim Group, according to the Wall Street Journal.[citation needed]
A Fishy Place?
Did not realize this restaurant was a Seafood Place until I walked past the front door..Aroma of cooking fish was quite strong.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
La Quinta Hotel--Flags Flying
This refurbished grand old building has Canadian, American , and (?) flags flying.Let me see if I can google up something about La Quinta hotels...
( I think now the third flag is Mexican)
They say:
"The La Quinta Manhattan is located on 32nd Street between Broadway and Fifth Avenue, steps away from the Empire State Building , Macy's, the fashion district, Penn Station and Madison Square Garden . The Jacob Javits Convention Center is also close by. We offer a variety of thoughtful amenities and services here at the La Quinta Inn Manhattan including free wireless high-speed Internet access, Free Bright Side BreakfastTM, free calls within the U.S., daily newspapers, in-room personal safes, laundry and valet services, as well as reduced-rate parking. All rooms are equipped with an iron, ironing board, coffee and coffee maker, hairdryer, cordless speakerphone with voicemail as well as cable TV with Movies on Demand and Nintendo video games. Our concierge service will help guests arrange for car services and sightseeing activities. Guests have access to the 24-hour business center, as well as the on-site fitness center and gift shop. Larger rooms are available for families or business meetings."
Gap for Kids
Ever since I was a kid I have heard people complaining about the price of children's clothing.This Gap store has sales now...I wonder what the quality of the merchandise is now that everything is made in sweatshops in China.
A patient rare bookseller
I find this a really interesting shop.They have a big range of books for a place that is not very big.
Next time I am walking buy I think I will ask the guy running the place how business is going...or does that sound too nervy?
There used to be a lot of second hand and rare book stores in Manhattan, and they have dwindled severely in number.
A friend of mine has a second hand bookstore in Nevada City,
California, and I guess business there is just O.K....but he loves it and would not give it up for anything.
I suppose the people who run this rare book shop also have a passion for their business.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Yeah, another jeweler
I am not as aware of Bulgari as say, Cartier.Again, from Wikipedia:
Bulgari (BIT: BUL) is an Italian jeweler and luxury goods retailer under French control since 2011 (LVMH). The trademark is usually written "BVLGARI" in the classical Latin alphabet (where V = English U), and is derived from the surname of the company's Greek founder, Sotirio Voulgaris (Greek: Σωτήριος Βούλγαρης) (1857–1932). Although the company made a name for itself with jewelry, today it is a recognized luxury brand that markets several product lines including watches, handbags, fragrances, accessories, and hotels.
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