Empty High Line

You don't see this often...usually there are lots of people to be seen walking along the High Line.

Morning temperature: 73 degrees

Steps: 8449

Art For Sale on the High Line

Morning temperature: 82 degrees

Steps: 9683

Art Columns on the High Line

Morning temperature: 82 degrees (heat index: 86 degrees)

Steps: 9576

High Line Art

High Line

The High Line was a never ending stream of people on Mother's Day Sunday.

Morning temperature: 68 degrees

Steps: 9311

Highline Viewing

This is the viewing area on the High Line. Not sure if that means people on the High Line can view below or if people below can view the people on the High Line. Of course, it works both ways. Usually there are a lot of people sitting up there but the cold weather is keeping them away.

Morning temperature:  31 degrees on a day that the high is predicted to be 28 degrees!

Steps:  8348

Lounging

These are some of the famous chaise lounges on the High Line. They are very popular...not that you can tell from this photo. They have wheels and can be moved along the railroad tracks though it's not easy. I made a lot of visits to the High Line before I ever had a chance to sit on one of these. I was surprised that the angle of the back is really uncomfortable for me. Now I don't envy the people who get there first and get to sit on one of them!


Morning temperature: 72 degrees, felt like 82 degrees, 100% humidity
Morning steps: 7041

Sunday

Grassy Goodness

Tall Flowers

These are TALL flowers...I'm guessing they are about 7 feet tall although I didn't include the entire stalk in the photo.

Morning temperature: 77 degrees, 79% humidity
Morning steps: 6226

Chasing Butterflies

 

 

Happy July! There were lots of people on the High Line this morning but I was chasing butterflies. This Monarch led me on quite a chase. It flew among pink, red, purple, yellow and orange flowers but only seemed to land (briefly) on the orange flowers. I kept hoping for a little more contrast.

Now that I look at the photo I can only see those leaves with the holes in them!


Morning temperature: 72 degrees, 81% humidity
Morning steps: 7434

Orange Flowers

Morning temperature: 71 degrees, 83% humidity
Morning steps: 7048

Purple Flowers

It was sticky HUMID this morning. You could see it in the mist and the fog shrouding the tall buildings and even the not so tall buildings. You could see it in the mirror which showed my hair sticking straight out like I had stuck my finger in an electric socket...or does that only happen in cartoons?

But it was good photo shooting weather. The colors of the flowers on the High Line looked rich and saturated. The landscaping staff has to spend a lot of time pruning now because the plants are lush and growing.


Morning temperature: 71 degrees
Morning steps: 9276

Friday Morning - Solstice Eve

It was delightfully cool this morning after yesterday's muggy mess. Lots of people decided it was a good morning for a walk on the High Line. I kept thinking I must be later than usual because there were so many people. And those people kept hogging some of my favorite spots!

Morning temperature: 64 degrees
Morning steps: 6241

Trees & Railroad Tracks

I especially like parts of the High Line where you can see the evidence of its former life as a railroad.
And I especially like birch trees.

This morning it was surprisingly cooler than yesterday...cloudy, humid and windy. Today's photo shoot appeared to be group shots of employees. All were dressed nicely...professionally. I saw some people getting a solo shot and then small groups that I imagined were different departments as well as a full group shot. Women were trying to prevent their skirts from being blown up in the wind but it was hopeless to try to prevent the windblown hair look.


Morning temperature: 73 degrees
Morning steps: 6939

Need Some Rain?

Somewhere in there...there is actually a point that's in focus!

It was wet and drizzly when I headed out for a walk this morning. I hurried to get around a group of 20 or so late teen/20-something people who were getting a tour on the High Line...in French. All I could think of...was...I was glad I was not a chaperone of that group. They seemed interested and attentive but they were at a age that could be trouble on a trip to NYC!

By the time I made it to one of my favorite arbor spots the rain was coming down pretty good and then it was a deluge which lasted for the rest of my walk home...even though I tried to wait it out for awhile! When I got home there was only one item of clothing that wasn't wet!

Morning temperature: 65 degrees, 93% humidity
Morning steps: 5673

Shade

One of my favorite arbor spots on the High Line

The first time I went to the High Line there was much to like about it. The only slightly negative comment I had was "no shade"! The trees were too young to provide any shade though there are a couple places where you can walk through buildings if you really need some shade.

By now the trees are growing and shade is available in various places. Unfortunately the high rises along side are growing too which is a different kind of shade.

Morning temperature: 52 degrees
Morning steps: 5702

Skittles

When I first saw this cooler on the High Line I thought "What a great idea! Another opportunity for beverages."

 

And then I noticed there were no electrical connections...so I had to take a closer look.

No drinks...just art. Part of the Archeo collection on the High Line, Josh Kline's "Skittles" depicts various contemporary lifestyles as smoothies.

Not being a smoothie aficionado I had not seen the real smoothies pictured below till several weeks later.

High Line Billboard

At the High Line: Faith Ringgold's Groovin High

High Line Photo Shoot

This photo is not from the High Line. It's in front of a brownstone on 22nd Street

This morning I was back on the High Line. In addition to catching up with all the wonders of the landscaping it's a good place to go when there is a threat of rain because there are a couple of covered areas.

The magic water feature was running for the first time this season. The water comes up, flows across a section of the sidewalk and disappears...all rather mysteriously and on a seemingly flat surface with no edges to contain the water. Yet it never runs onto the regular walkway.

Mostly what I noticed was a photographer with a killer camera lens standing in the water and taking photos down below him.

I continued my walk to the beginning of the High Line and then back to the 16th Street area to one of my favorite spots. I like to sit under some young trees looking south for a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty (she was just visible through the fog) and check my email.

I had passed the photographer again and saw the young couple who were the subjects of his photo shoot. Now as I waited for my phone to turn on the woman asked if I minded moving for a few minutes so they could take some shots there.

I, of course, got up immediately...there are plenty of benches on the High Line...even if that was one of my favorite areas! I asked if they were taking engagement photos. No, they were having a professional photo shoot for their 5 year anniversary. The photographer went into marketing mode exclaiming what a great idea it was to mark a 5 year anniversary as an important milestone - especially in the this city.

It IS a good idea to mark the milestones. But speaking of milestones, I was feeling pretty old looking at these 2 young people - especially that baby-faced young husband - and realizing that they were old enough to have been married for 5 years!

Morning temperature: 60 degrees
Morning steps: 6105

Watching

A mosaic eye in the subway station

It rained during the night but was holding off in the morning. Another fog filled sky above.

The High Line had few people at first. Then a class of junior high students was suddenly everywhere. They had a paper list and were taking photos with cameras and tablets...on some kind of photo scavenger hunt it seems.

A little further along the way, an adult family was walking along...two people with purple graduation gowns and assorted parents and siblings probably. They would stop from time to time and take photos with different combinations of the people.


Morning temperature: 61 degrees, 96% humidity
Morning steps: 6469