Water

Yesterday was temperature-wise probably not the best day for me to go to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to do some research for the travel guide I am working on. But I had to. It was hot, about 90 degrees Fahrenheit/32ºC. Most of the time I walked in the shade and that was OK.

Currently I am writing little pieces about all the new shops, restaurants, nice things to do and some interesting places in NY for the travel guide. Since writing is not really my profession (I didn't go to school for that) it is sometimes difficult to describe a new shop or a restaurant. I only have about 450 characters per new address and I can tell you that is not much! To help me write I found out that it is helpful to visit a shop/restaurant/museum for writing-inspiration. So that's what I did yesterday, today I will be back behind the laptop for some writing.

Of course I didn't really eat at all the restaurants that will be in the guide, that would become too expensive, but I try to go to most of them. Yesterday I went to Juliette, a nice restaurant that actually made me feel a little bit like I was in Paris, France. Luckily the waiters spoke English, because I didn't pay much attention during French class when I was in high school....

And boy was I happy with the water they put on my table, I was thirsty!!

at Juliette in Williamsburg
{weekend in black and white}

I ordered an omelette (with mozzarella and some greens) and a lemonade. It was delicious, especially the home made lemonade, very fitting for these summer temperatures.

Lemonade

Playing tourist

When I moved to New York my parents told me that I should try to see as much of the city as possible, because you never know how long you will stay there. Up until now I have seen quite a lot of the city, but I think there is still a lot of stuff I didn't see just yet. Today I did something very touristy. I joined a bustour with On Location Tours. I chose the 'New York TV and Movies sites' tour. This morning at 11 I got on the bus and we were driven around the city for 3.5 hours to see various places. I was actually a nice tour. The thing I liked the most is that you get to see a lot from the city and from a whole other perspective then when you are walking the streets (that's what I always do). I had seen most of the streets we drove before, but it's fun to hear that this apartment was used in that movie or that this restaurant was used in that TV serie, etc. And since it was raining a lot today I couldn't have picked a better day!


This firehouse was used in the movie 'Ghostbusters'. It still is (and was back in 1984) a fully operational firehouse.

at the corner of North Moore St. & Varick St. in New York City

Please do not steal flowers

Tables and chairs outside a restaurant are chained outside business hours, because they might get stolen (see here). Last week, while walking around on the Lower East Side, I came across a lovely flowerbed (<-- is that the right word in this case?). Apparently these flowers also might get stolen.....
The thought of stealing flowers like the ones below (or any other flower) wouldn't even cross my mind, but I'm guessing this sign isn't hanging there without a reason.

At Hester Street, New York City

Tables and chairs

I have said it before, I have a thing for tables and chairs outside restaurants. (see here and here) Especially when they are empty. This photo was taken a little while ago, I forgot all about it. But when I was searching for a 'weekend in black and white' photo I stumbled upon this one:

Outside seating

I was just clicking around in Google Maps to see if I could find where this exactly was: Restaurant Lyon at Greenwich Avenue and they have some good reviews, their menu looks great, maybe I should actually eat there some time....

Discarded shoes


I guess that these shoes were dismissed by their owner. Job well done, you're free to go now, or something like that.
I found them on the street the other day. Its very common here in New York to move the stuff that you don't need anymore to the street. If you want to get rid of some books you've read, you just put them on top of the trash can. Do you have some left-over clothes? Put them on top of the trash can. Most likely someone who can use your stuff will walk by and take it with him/her.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Summer in the City


Hot, hot, hot, that's what I can tell you about today. I spent my whole day shopping, which was actually great on a day like this. All the shops are airconditioned and by the time you are getting cold, you just go outside and you're back to being sweaty and warm in a jiffy.
I also managed to make a few photos as well. The top one is actually from this weekend, but the sleeping taxi driver was made this morning.

Yellow wave

These temperatures make you sleepy

Summer is comin'


We have had some great weather these last few weeks; not too hot, not too cold and hardly any humidity. I could live without the humidity all day, every day, but then I shouldn't have moved to New York City....
Weather can be strange here, for instance today we had temperatures around 76 F (about 24ºC) and tomorrow it suddenly will be around 96 F (+/- 36ºC) that Is HOT! I am not looking forward to those temperatures. 
The National Weather service just issued a head advisory for tomorrow: Tomorrow's  weather conditions can be dangerous to our health. Avoid strenuous activities. Cooling centers will be open for anyone who needs a cool space to sit or work tomorrow. 


It only seemed appropriate to post a beach photo tonight. This photo was taken May 20 (tomorrow exactly 1 month ago) in Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Picturesque: a nice sunset, (almost) abandoned beach, pretty colors

Waiting for the train


Waiting for the train is something we do a lot here in NYC. In the wintertime it's cold on the platform, in the summertime you can break a sweat while standing still. Yesterday it wasn't that bad, the outside temperatures are ok, underground it is also still do-able. It doesn't happen very often that I make photos in subway stations, I never see something interesting, but these two photos turned out to be OK.

I especially had to laugh about this couple because she is very enthusiastic
He doesn't seem to care a whole lot...

Just bored. Period.

Liberate your Art


Last week I visited Leanne's blog 'Knowing where to stand'. (you should check out here blog sometime, she makes beautiful photos)
Leanne had just put up a new post and it was titled 'Liberate your art'. After reading that post I immediately thought "I'm gonna join this year!"


So, 'Liberate your art', what is that all about? 
Kat (over @ Kat Eye Studio) is organizing a postcard swap. The 'liberarte your art postcard swap' encourages you to "create, share and liberate your art into the world". Like Leanne I don't consider myself an artist, but I do like to send (and receive postcards) and I like to print my photos, so why not print my photos on postcards?
I send 5 printed postcards of my art to Kat. She will swap them around with the cards from other participants, and I will receive 5 postcards in the mail over several weeks. This sounds like a lot of fun to me!

The only difficulty will be which photos will I choose to print on my postcards?

And now that we are already on the postcard subject, I would like to introduce a new blog of mine: Postcards, from me to you.
I really like to receive something nice, like a postcard, in the mail every now and then. And I can't stop sending postcards, there are so many nice ones, and there is always someone I can think of to send it to. The other day I stumbled upon Prem's blog (also with beautiful photos you should check out sometime) and it turned out that she also likes to send and receive postcards, she even has a postcard-swap-blog. We swapped postcards, I received hers, she is waiting for mine to arrive. Inspired by Prem I made my own postcard-swap-blog. If you would like to swap postcards with me, which I would like very much, you can contact me via: Postcards, from me to you.

Happy Fence Friday!

Isn't this lily a beauty?

Photo taken at the former plantation home of Andrew Jackson; The Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee.
Find more beautiful fences at 'Life according to Jan 'n Jer'

Not really sure what it is exactly that attracts me in this photo, but I couldn't walk by without making a photo the other day. I'm not sure if this moped is still in business, but besides all the trash that is put on top of it, it seems in good condition to me. I'm sure that it belongs to a delivery guy, and he is probably cruising around the city as I type this. It is raining, raining and raining, that always makes it extra busy for a food-delivery guy.

Rivington Street, New York City.

Monday Mural

I'm glad it's Monday, now I get to post this photo! There must be someone in New York who has had some bad experiences in his/her love live... I've seen this sentence a few more times in different places in the city.

Love Stories Suck

For more Monday Murals visit Oakland Daily Photo

Ten on Ten


Ten photos over ten hours on the 10th of the month.

We didn't do the dishes last night....this is what awaits me in the kitchen this morning.

Breakfast, oatmeal with an apple, some sugar and cinnamon, Mmmmm

Today New York celebrates Puerto Rican Day, there was a big parade on 5th Avenue, which we didn't see (way too busy)

Streetshot

Nice little place where we had lunch this afternoon. 

Going home,  taking the subway

Every Sunday it's the same: the trash cans outside our apartment complex are more than full. People who walk by
also use our trash cans. Today I found this charming sight....

I think I have the flu or something like that.... How is that possible in this time of year? I took a little nap this afternoon,
that made me feel a little bit better.

I don't know what we would do without our fans, they provide us with a much needed breeze. 

The pile of dishes has only gotten bigger....I don't want to do it, maybe tomorrow?

This is the Empire State Building seen from Hudson Street earlier this week:

The Weekend in Black and White.

It's busy around here, as you probably may have noticed by the lack of photos this week. But this afternoon we took some time to go to Central Park and enjoy our lunch while lying down and enjoying the beautiful weather on Sheep Meadow. It was so beautiful outside I couldn't resist making some photos with my phone. The clouds were impressive, perfect for Skywatch Friday, don't you think?

Sheep Meadow in Central  Park
Made with my iPhone and processed in Instagram.

My view
Also made with my iPhone, not processed.

For more beautiful Friday skies please visit Skywatch Friday.

Today I found an amazing piece of public art while wandering around. First I thought, "Man, this piece has probably been here for ages already and I only just discover it now". But after a little research on the internet tonight I found out this piece was unveiled in Petrosino Square May 20, 2012. So I only didn't know about it for two weeks. (this will be on display through September 23, 2012)


It is called 'Survival of Serena' and is made by Carole Feuerman, a New York based artist. She is known for her hyperrealistic sculptures of swimmers and bathers. I was (and am) amazed by the details in this sculpture (painted bronze). She has some hairs peeking from under her bathing cap, there are water drops on her arms and face, here eyelashes and eyebrows are amazing! For some reason I only made three photos of this sculpture. (it was quite busy with people who wanted to pose next to Serena, I think I got bored waiting for a moment without all these people...)

It's Friday and that means: Happy Fence Friday!

Have a great weekend everyone!
And for more fences, you can visit Life according to Jen 'n Jer