Morning Walk #106 - Where Dinosaurs Walk

56 degrees & 86% humidity

An NYPD patrol car parade. They have some name for it...I don't know if it's a show of strength or what but at sometimes at shift change they have a string of cars drive by with lights flashing. This one was only 9 cars but it was impressive when they turned the wrong way onto a one way street.

Then another 10 patrol cars parked at Union Square

A trainer describing the details of today's workout to his client. Not sure why you start out telling someone how difficult the session is going to be...

The Monday GreenMarket is always smaller than other days but this morning it is even smaller!

Everybody selling pumpkin something...pumpkin donuts, pumpkin scones, pumpkin chili, pumpkin ice cream...

Last day of September

Steps: 7236

Some Buildings are SO Needy

Tree versus Fence

Yay! The tree wins!

Morning Walk #105 - A Mini Trip Down Memory Lane

59 degrees, 66% humidity along with some morning cloud cover

Looking inside a gutted brownstone...only brick walls remain

Next door another brownstone is having a heated sidewalk installed

Rap is blasting up the block...coming from an Honest Ade delivery truck

Dropping off the compost

Catching a glimpse of Jonathan apples at the GreenMarket! I haven't noticed a Jonathan in years...usually the closest is a Jonagold and that Jonathan/Golden Delicious hybrid is not the same.

When I was a pre-teen my dad worked with a guy who also had an orchard.  Every Fall the orchard owner would sell apples to his co-workers and my dad would come home with a bushel of Jonathans. We kept them in the garage and they lasted a long time since we mostly only ate them in our school lunches.

I had a much sweeter tooth so an apple was not my snack of choice. And then I discovered "Little Women" and read the scene in which my favorite character, Jo, would wrap up warmly in the attic eating apples and reading. We didn't have an attic but from then on once the Jonathans arrived...I'd wrap up in a blanket in my cold room over the unheated garage or sometimes I'd wrap up in a blanket in our unheated travel trailer. Books and apples were always involved.

Turns out that Jonathans originated in Woodstock, NY in 1826 (although there is an alternate theory.) Who knew when I was growing up in the Midwest that New York would be a theme that runs through my life. But then it could just be because New York is the center of the universe.

And, yes, I bought the apples.

Steps: 8024

Morning Walk #104 - High Line

Still some color on the High Line

59 degrees & 77% humidity

2013 has seen the most visits I've made to the High Line. I live close and always enjoy the visits yet sometimes I don't think to go there. It's often crowded in the summer with locals and tourists. It is not an exaggeration to say that on some walks I have not heard a word of English spoken.

My last few visits have been perfect...cooler weather and less people  The vegetation has grown in and it doesn't look newly planted any more even though the landscaping crew is always working, trimming, planting.

I wonder if people who are not big city dwellers really appreciate the miracle that is the High Line.

I once visited a building that looked out over the elevated railway...before it was the High Line.  Even then the natural weeds and grasses growing there made it look inviting. I asked about access but was told it was not possible.

The area next to the High Line is now desirable real estate and there is much new building some of which takes away some of the charm and also blocks some of the views of the river on one side and the city on the other.

In the morning there are runners and people walking to work and school. One guy walked the length while reading a newspaper. Others brought coffee and took a break to drink it. And there are always photographers...the amateurs and the professional.

Steps: 7871

Morning Walk #103 - Madison Square Park

Rocks in the trees in Madison Square Park

53 degrees and 73% humidity. Felt warmer today.

A man sitting by the bus stop waving his arms at passersby as if he is directing traffic

A man in a business suit giving a cigarette to a homeless man. You can get lung cancer even if you don't have money to buy the cigarettes!

Best idea - After school special: 2 cookies & milk for $3 at Billy's Bakery

Let's talk about Selfies. I don't even like the word although I acknowledge the common practice of cutesy words, abbreviations et cetera now running through the English language. I admit to using some of these shortcuts - at first with sarcasm - and then waking up one day to realize they are part of my everyday usage.

So back to these self portraits. On the one had it's hazardous on an NYC sidewalk. I'll be walking along and suddenly have to dodge a couple people in front of me who suddenly came to a dead stop to take a self portrait with a camera phone. I have to forgive them because I'm sure that moment had to be preserved immediately and there was no time to step to the side instead of stopping pedestrian traffic.

On the other hand, all these photos now make their way to the internet. The most awful, unflattering, out of focus shots invade cyberspace. I don't do Facebook or Twitter or Instagram but I still catch glimpses of some of these photos on blogs or in emails. Why do people think we want to see it? And teenagers (and Anthony Weiner)...wait till those photos resurface when you have teenagers of your own!

Taking photos of yourself is not a bad thing. (Actual cameras often have self-timer buttons that make that easy.) Put your good photos in a scrapbook. Share them with your family. But keep them out of the cyber-reach of strangers!

Steps: 7378

Morning Walk #102 - Washington Square Park

48 degrees and 73% humidity

A crisp morning

A man painting mysterious lines and numbers in fluorescent orange for an upcoming construction project

Bigelow Pharmacy celebrating 175 years

An older woman and younger man circling the park numerous times. I've seen her before with different young men. I now imagine that she's an NYU guidance counselor taking early morning appointments only if the students will walk with her.

The 1839 Georgian brownstone formerly occupied by John Phillips Sousa at 80 Washington Place (apparently now completely modern inside)

Coffee shops seemingly on every block and every one doing excellent business

Steps: 6397

Morning Walk #101

This little guy is not as clear as I would like due to me setting the camera on the sidewalk and guessing at the focus...but he looked adorable just sitting there not concerned about me at all although he did fly away after 3 shots.

53 degrees & 63% humidity

and 30 minutes later it was down to 51 degrees

A nice Fall morning  now that it's officially Fall

And still some people freezing in their short sleeves

Waiting for a crane to back into a construction site

The cop turning right on the red light.  NYC is one of the few places you cannot legally turn right on red. Out of towners and cops (apparently) do it all the time.

Teenagers greeting each other like long lost friends after an absence of 2 days

Steps: 6355

Sulpture: Lightness of Being Part 2

Sculpture: Lightness of Being

 

 

At City Hall Park through December 13, 2013

Morning Walk #100

High Line Art. See previous art by this artist

60 degrees, 77% humidity, sunny

Today and tomorrow are predicted to be the warmest days of the week.

100 morning walks...so soon. Who would have thought that I could keep at it?

I've been noticing that the homeless are less likely to push their treasures around in shopping carts and granny carts. They are apparently picking up discarded rolling suitcases and now looked more like disheveled travelers.

A man in the park rolling up his sleeping quilts and packing them into his suitcase

Graffiti: I am here it doesn't matter why

Film shoot: Jet Blue commercial (no runways or airplanes in sight)

Steps: 5373

A quick morning walk before I pick up someone after an outpatient procedure.

The walk to and from the hospital brings my steps total to 16,347
,

Morning Walk #99 - The Hudson and Ladies Mile

A steam ship paddle boat (a little worse for wear) chugs up the Hudson

55 degrees, 58% humidity and clear skies

Pigeons sleeping under benches

A man wearing a royal blue t-shirt and a yellow and orange floral tie

Two film shoots:  Law & Order: SVU back in the projects and Broad City



This building opened in 1896 as the Siegel Cooper Dry Goods Department Store - the biggest store ever at the time.  On opening day 150,000 shoppers stopped in and were assisted by 3000 employees.

In addition to clothing, furniture and household items, the store sold groceries including meat from a refrigerated meat room and live fish from a huge fish tank.  There was a beauty salon, barber shop, post office, dentist office and the bicycle department had a track for prospective buyers to try out the equipment.  Even more progressive was the classroom provided for the children employees to have 2 hours of classes every day.

An ornate fountain was the showpiece on street level and the catch phrase of the time was "Meet me at the fountain."

The overextended Mr. Siegel sold the store in 1904 to Mr. Greenhut who was a little late to the Ladies Mile party as other large department stores were moving uptown but he kept it going till 1918.  The building had a short life as a military hospital during World War I.  Today it is broken up into TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Bed, Bath & Beyond and numerous offices in the upper stories.  The façade still has lots of the same features that it had on opening day.

Steps: 7420

Morning Walk #98 - Washington Square & Union Square

53 degrees, 63% humidity and sunny

Feels like Fall and I like it

People walking in trances

Two very young girls holding hands while following their elderly grandfather who was leaning heavily on his cane

Three employees waiting impatiently for security to let them into the New School

Jackson Diner: Indian Cuisine

A squinting woman walking into the sun...sunglasses perched on top of her head

Lots of women in scrubs

Dropping off compost and shopping at the GreenMarket

At a store selling clothes for young men:

"Please take your hats and glasses off and check your bags at the counter.

Please be advised that you are being recorded at the moment of your entry.

No pets or roller blades"

Steps: 9539

Morning Walk #97 - Stuyvesant Park

The leaves haven't even turned yet so what is this all about?

50 degrees, 53% humidity

Delightfully cool

So many people in shorts, short sleeves, sleeveless. Do they not check the weather report? ( It may be a crapshoot but it's still a guideline!)

Seeing more and more chain stores that are remodeling. Cash must be flowing!

A food truck painted yellow and decorated with the Brooklyn Nine - Nine logo dispensing free coffee and bagels as a promotion for the new TV show

Fathers walking their 'tween daughters to school while having animated conversations

Halloween decorations appearing in apartment windows

Checking out the new stores and restaurants popping up

Steps: 11,085

Morning Walk #96 - Madison Square Park and the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building on a gray morning

63 degrees, 75% humidity, cloudy

Walking my old route to work...a few changes along the way

Cutting through the flower district. Lots of Fall flowers and colors

but what is this?

In the park, there are still lots of stacks of pieces of the Red, Yellow, Blue sculpture

Raindrops start to fall

A man and his dog sitting next to each other on a bench, sharing an umbrella and a breakfast sandwich

Though it was clearly threatening rain (and was predicted) many people seem umbrella-less

Stopping for a few grocery items. Had planned to cut over to make a compost drop but holding grocery bags and the umbrella seems like too much trouble

Steps: 6310

Trees

I like trees a lot...but maybe...outside the apartment

Carousel

At the RiverPark

Morning Walk # 95 - Riverwalk & High Line

A pop of color when you least expect it

67 degrees, 90% humidity, sunny skies

A blond bulldog puppy with a purple skull & crossbones dyed into the fur on his hindquarters

A Sharp Tongue Coffee truck...does that sound like something you'd like to try?

Walking through Chelsea Piers

A few people running along the river

Benches still wet from last night's rain

Two guys in dress shirts & pants, walking their Citibikes and

looking for a dry place to sit

Watching the Ride 2 Recovery group cross the West Side Highway with a little help from NYPD. A worthy organization that assists veterans...

Work on The High Line extension is making progress

Lots of people this morning.  At least, a couple walking meetings

Film shoot du jour: Law & Order: SVU

Steps: 9408

Morning Walk #94 - Shots from a block

Urban fountain

...but park all you want on Friday

On a delivery truck

I don't think I want to know

77 degrees, 76% humidity, a little sunshine and clouds

Coming down the elevator...the Oscar Mayer jingle pops in my head.  Oh oh.

A yellow bus:  Happy Child Transportation Co. (What bus picks up the unhappy children?)

Man in kilt keeps scratching his legs under his knee socks. He reaches his car and finds a ticket on it.

My bologna has a first name...

Four transvestites standing in front of a porn store

A short break on a bench at the Fashion Institute of Technology

...it's O-s-c-a-r

Four blue uniformed maintenance guys leaning over a window sill...legs hanging in the air

Homeless-looking guy sleeping on the sidewalk next to his wheelchair

My bologna has a second name...it's M-A-Y-E-R

Woman throws bread to 3 squirrels in the park and 40 pigeons swoop in (Yes, I counted them)

Film shoot du jour: Person of Interest

Oh, I love to eat it everyday and if you ask me why say...

'Cause Oscar Mayer has a way with b-o-l-o-g-n-a!

Now try to get that out of your head!

Steps: 7311

Morning Walk #93

77 degrees & 78% humidity, hazy sun

The air is thick and hard to breathe

Fall clothes in the store windows make me sweat

More film shoots...'tis the season...TV shows, movies, commercials

The GreenMarket setting up shop...the worst part is dragging out the tables and produce but everything looks so good!

Trimming trees around the park

Hosing down sidewalks doubles the humidity

A store called Olde Good Things sounds like the place for me

Steps: 6415

Rest in Peace

I took this photo of the World Trade Center Tribute Lights in 2008 standing at the same
vantage point from which I saw the tragedy unfold in 2001.

Morning Walk #92

Laura Lobdell's tiny jewelry store

69 degrees & 83% humidity. Foggy & gray.

A streetcleaner honks at pedestrians

A little girl chasing pigeons in the park

A man does a quick change on his little girl's stroller so she can face forward

Tourists taking photos of each other in the park

Leafblowers breaking the morning semi-silence

A friendly park worker greeting old friends and new

A mother and son jumping rope...apparently on their way to school

Today is primary day in NYC. On my way home the campaigners were out in force! Tomorrow some people are going to be able to sleep in...hopes dashed...for now.

Steps: 7675

Morning Walk #91

Some of the 1830's seminary architecture.  This part is now the Highline Hotel.

58 degrees & 59% humidity

A hot Sunday followed by great weather today but the 90's are coming back

Lots of sleeveless tops and arms surprised to be sporting goosebumps

A man spraying water on the sidewalk but paying more attention to his phone

Citibikes staff loading up bikes from racks that are full to transport to other locations

A film shoot in the park

A dog pulling his owner left and right as he chases squirrels

The deconstruction of Red Yellow Blue in Madison Square Park. I'll miss the splashes of color in the park.

School is back in session on my street

Steps: 7911

Holy Leafyness!

On the Hudson

Note to Self

Morning Walk #90

More abandoned shoes

58 degrees, 49% humidity and sunny

It feels like Fall and I'm not complaining

A woman in pajamas walks her dog

People in a mix of seasonal clothes...still not sure if they should dress for summer or fall

A film crew shooting an outdoor dining scene for a Showtime production

The park definitely looks like Fall and the usual characters hanging out are fewer and different

A man sleeps wrapped head to toe in a shroud-like sheet. Not sure how it remains white

Men in business suits on their way to work stop to pick up vegetables at the GreenMarket...briefcases in one hand and bags of produce in the other

A little girl in a fluffy hot pink skirt walks behind her father who is pushing a stroller. That skirt is wider than the girl is tall

Steps: 5577

Morning Walk #89

Shoes abandoned by Gramercy Park. At least they have each other.

67 degrees, 67% humidity and sunny

Only 1 degree warmer than yesterday but it feels warmer

Mimosas this Saturday at the Brooklyn Industries store

Sidewalk chalk drawings guide shoppers into the American Apparel

Decorating store windows at 7am

A man dressed in black carrying a single red rose

Another man passing out religious tracts

Quote at the spa:  "Hope is a waking dream."  -Aristotle Onassis
(I would like to know at what time in his life he said that)

Lacy off white dresses seem popular. Note to wearers: Seeing your butt crack through the dress does not really complete the look in a good way

Steps: 9406

Morning Walk #88

66 degrees (Yay!), 67% humidity and sun

Excellent morning weather

Lights were still on in the first park I encountered

Two other small parks are still locked up tight

A woman starts a conversation. She is 65 and starting an accelerated LPN program at NYU. You go, girl!

Message on a bag:  If you want to be cute, eat veggies and fruit

Goorin Bros, Bold Hatmakers since 1895

The mysterious ceramic mural at 88 Perry Street.  It says Ano 1865 on a building that went up in 1900 but may not have been installed till 1972

Steps: 6083

Morning Walk #87

72 degrees & 93% humidity

What a difference a day makes!  Well, it's still intensely humid but there were a lot of people on the street. I saw quite a few people before I even got from my building door to the sidewalk.

Fog shrouds the skyline...again

Sanitation trucks are everywhere

A crane bringing in a very long white rectangular object the length of nearly half the block drew quite a crowd of early morning spectators

The river looking dirty with trash probably brought in with last night's rain

Fewer runners on the riverwalk

A detour through the High Line found quite a few people dressed for work making detours of their own

A blue shirted Apple employee sitting in the window of the Apple store

Most people walking with a cup of coffee in one hand

Steps: 7382

Morning Walk #86 - This humidity is going to kill me!

76 degrees (Accuweather says it feels like 86) & 87% humidity

Rain is predicted

Sweating in the apartment, yet when I walk out of the building sweat immediately beads up on my face

A quiet Labor Day morning

Labor Day Sale signs in store windows

The top of the Empire State Building is lost in fog

A plastic toy airplane in the gutter

A deceased bird on the sidewalk

A homeless man holds up his hands like he is taking a photo with a camera phone...only he is aiming through a pull tab

Message on a mug:  You are not perky. You are obnoxious.

Steps: 5871