Mecca

Weird scenes inside the gold mine...I'm on a train...I can't complain.

On Broadway

Take a different look at Broadway, "The Great White Way", seen here in the upper 50's (streets), in Manhattan.

A Different Lamp

Yet another different style of street lamp--you gotta love the variety!

Memorials of 9/11/01

Across the Hudson River from the World Trade Center site rests a steel beam taken from the debris of the September 11th, 2001 attacks. A simple and powerful memorial, to be sure...

Just a few yards camera left of the above memorial sits a sculpture rescued from the debris of the twin towers.




The plaque reads:

"Makeshift Memorial by J. Seward Johnson

Rescue workers in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 tragedy got their only smile of the day when a "victim" lifted from the rubble turned out to be a bronze sculpture by artist Seward Johnson.

'Double Check' was set up amid the wreckage, becoming a makeshift memorial, as flowers and heartbreaking remembrances soon covered the piece. Deeply moved, Johnson reverently collected all the messages of love and pain, cast them in bronze, and welded them to the piece exactly as he had found them one month after the tragedy.

Copyright 2005, The Sculpture Foundation"

Happy Memorial Day!

PS--A blogging friend of mine, Ted, a U.S. veteran, has posted some photos for Memorial Day on his BLOG. Definitely worth a click...and be sure to read the comments to his main post. Ted, thank you for your service!

It's On

Yes, "it's on"...just not in New York City. The "it" referred to on this sign stands for the pro basketball playoffs, but the two local teams, the New York Knickerbockers and the New Jersey Nets, have finished playing for this season.

Better luck next year, guys!

Pay a visit to CROAKER'S CORNER for photos I have Guest Posted in Croaker's absence...and more!

Only

Fun with lamp posts and road signs on the west side of Manhattan...

Visit CROAKER'S CORNER, where it is "Post-at-Will Guest Post Weekend". I am one of the Guests and posted a photo there today...

Grim MSG

No wonder things have gone sour for the Knicks and the Rangers! This scary face lurks above Madison Square Garden and has the surrounding area in a tizzy.

Hopefully, by next season, the New York City sports institutions can appease this angry deity. Look out, KNICKS CITY DANCERS, you could be sacrificed!

PS--visit CROAKER'S CORNER, where it is "Post-at-Will Guest Post Weekend". A few guests will post 'em, if we got 'em...

Little Man, Big City

In this one, we see a scene from "The Adventures of the Little Man in The Big City". Not really, of course, but the "walk" symbol makes for a fun composition, eh?

Commuting Shoes

Thank you to all the train passengers who wear cool shoes. It really makes the ride fun. They play so well against the filthy linoleum.

53rd and Fifth

Don't listen to people who tell you not to look up in The City. You would then miss scenes like this one from the corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street in Manhattan. Just do what I do: make sure you have breathing room before devouring the view.

The Church? SAINT THOMAS Episcopal Church, founded 1823.

ESB and Crane

Here we see a view of the Empire State Building from 28th Street. Not to worry, the crane appears closer than it really is...

Waiting on 33rd Street

I took this shot, today, a little before 1 PM...me, sitting in the car, waiting for a friend. We get a little glimpse of the city life on 33rd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan.

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Congratulations to "davidmkim" (500 BE credits), "LunaStone" (250), and "angelemt2559" (150) who won today's contest. Thank You to all participants.
Keep coming back!
(If you missed the contest, scroll down...)

Lamp Man

You can call it "12th Avenue", if you want. I always call it the West Side Highway. Anyway, not to photoblog you with pictures from a similar area on consecutive days but, see, on Saturday, it took me one hour to go from the Holland Tunnel area to 52nd Street. As if that weren't bad enough, I wasn't going to 52nd Street. I still had 90+ miles to go.

You guessed it, though--I took a whole lot of photos from interesting spots. In this one, a man works on a street lamp near the Hudson River.

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"Find the Post" Contest

Search through my photos to find the certain post.

Hint: "a sacked holiday icon"

Simply comment at that photo to win!


500 BlogExplosion! credits* for winning = first correct answer
250 for 2nd Place
150 for 3rd Place

Ready...Begin!

Good Luck and Godspeed...and, please, no wagering!

* if you are not a member of BlogExplosion.com, pardon the interruption. Or, sign up! http://www.blogexplosion.com

USS INTREPID

On the West Side Highway at 46th Street, we find the USS INTREPID, a storied US aircraft carrier turned sea, air, and space museum. An under rated place to go, in case you wonder.

AB AB

Clearly, I am in the wrong business. Construction continues all over the New York City area.

Wings over Wakulla

Twilight of Old Florida? Nah, just a bird drying its wet wings in the soft breezes at Wakulla Spring, Florida....I couldn't help posting this one....

Queens Window(s)

A brief moment of sunshine today in Queens...

The first "13 THURSDAY CONTEST" has ended. After extensive analysis in a smoke-filled backroom, the results have been tabulated.

1st Place and 300 BE credits go to "mjet2" for a post on photo #1.

2nd Place and 175 BE credits go to "GidgetBones" for a post on photo #13.

3rd Place and 150 BE credits go to "croaker72" for a post on photo #13.

Honorable Mention goes to "Zanthera" for submitting the first entry.

Thank You to all of the many participants. You made my selection difficult. Please look for another contest here in the future. Come again...

13 Thursday #13: Old Florida, Old Trucks

Just off the side of a two lane road in northwestern Florida sits this group of rusty old cars. No explanation given.

Please scroll down to see more of my 13 Thursday images.

-- 13 THURSDAY CONTEST --

Write your caption for one of my "13 Thursday" shots. Post it in the comments for that photo.

NOTE: If you wanna write more than a few sentences, leave a non-anonymous comment at the photo and/or link me to the caption. I will go from there.

The best caption, in my estimation, wins 300 credits redeemable at http://blogexplosion.com

Deadline is when I make my next post, say, midnight tonight, at the earliest.

Good Luck!

13 Thursday #12: Inside Out

The interior of one of the above trucks.

13 Thursday #11: Sun-N-Sand

Near the Gulf of Mexico in northwest Florida, you see plenty of neat old signs and other interesting things.

13 Thursday #10: Dinosaur Eclipse

Visit old Florida before it goes the way of the dinosaur.

Please scroll down for more of my 13 Thursday images.

13 Thursday #9: Pink Dino

Just off Highway 19, not far from the dinosaur garage below, stands this loveable dinosaur you can drive up to and give a hug.

13 Thursday #8: Harold's Auto

You have to love an auto repair garage in the shape of a dinosaur!
Click for CLOSE UP

Harold's Auto Center, Spring Hill, Florida

13 Thursday #7: Composition with Manatee

Seeing this arrangement of shadows made by trees and the underwater OBSERVATORY, I waited for a manatee to enter.

13 Thursday #6: Shore Manatee

This manatee rests near shore, coming out of the water slightly for the photo op.

13 Thursday #5: Save the Manatee!

20 miles north of Weeki Wachee, is Homosassa, Florida, home of HOMOSASSA SPRINGS WILDLIFE STATE PARK. Wounded manatees from the wild get to heal in the protected waters of the park.

I took this photo inside the floating underwater observatory through thick glass.

13 Thursday #4: Peacock

A male peacock rests on the limb of a tree at Weeki Wachee Spring. Many wild animals and birds inhabit the park.

Scroll for more of today's 13 Thursday images.

13 Thursday #3: Mermaid Practice

2 little girls enjoy the view of mermaids practicing between shows at WEEKI WACHEE SPRING.

13 Thursday #2: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

I took this one while driving over the VERRAZANO-NARROWS BRIDGE which connects Brooklyn and Staten Island. Of course, this marks the beginning of the trip south to Florida.

Yes, I was behind the wheel. Do NOT try this at home.

13 Thursday #1: Mermaid Drinks

A mermaid drinks a soda underwater as part of a morning show at WEEKI WACHEE, FLORIDA, the city of live mermaids. This roadside attraction has been in business since 1947. Women swim in a natural spring using air hoses to breath, as an audience watches in an underwater theater. Really something to see!!!

Stay tuned for more posts today (above) because it is my "13 Thursday". I will post 13 shots from my trip last week to Florida. After all, what is more New York than a trip to Florida?

St. Patrick's and Me

Here's looking out of a friend's midtown office window. You can see some of St. Patrick's Cathedral among other taller buildings--even my camera and fingers reflected, too, on the right side of the frame.

Magic Stadium

Magic hour hits Yankee Stadium. Too bad the Yankees had no magic in their bats in a tough loss to Texas. Here we see the right field bleachers and Yankee right fielder Bubba Crosby in early game "action".

Tarp Off

After a brief rain delay tonight (Monday), the Yankee Stadium grounds crew removes the tarp from the infield. The Yankees lost the game, 4-2, to the visiting Texas Rangers.

Lamp Scene

I took this shot around 6:30 PM on Mother's Day Sunday. Yes, seeing the scene, near Grand Central Station, made me happy. Some folks like flowers and I do, too, but I'll take something like this over a flower close-up anytime.

That's one more for you, mom. I love you!

Subtle Reminder

Work on the new building(s) began at the World Trade Center site recently. I found this rather SUBTLE tribute quite moving...

Happy Mother's Day, especially to those who lost children in the attacks September 11th, 2001.

Saturday Something

I enjoy scenes like this tremendously. They brighten otherwise cloudy days.

Let's Go To The Hop

Otilius would have a cow if I posted a non-New York image on his blog. But he didn't say I couldn't direct your attention to a different blog picture, here-- "Maxwell at the Shock Hop". Enjoy while Otilius is on vacation.

Hold and Personal

It sounds like a conversation not the name on the side of a building.

"Hello"

"Yes, I'd like to speak to Mr. Smith."

"What is this pertaining to?"

"It's personal."

"Please hold."

"Smith speaking."

"Mr. Smith it's about the parking situation at your warehouse....."

Sunset JC

Croaker here guesting for Otilius. I remember my first trip to NYC. I was 12. My dad, older brother and I went on a company outing by bus. We traveled the two hours from Philly to NYC to see the Yankees play the Boston Red Socks. It was my first baseball game.
I don't remember much about that night just flashes of things; the black kids playing baseball in the street on the way to the park (a street that I remember looking similar to this one), the stadium lights, the green-green grass. It's a memory I've held onto. It's the reason I take my boys to sporting events whenever I get the chance. I hope they remember those times too.

The Neck

This shot from Broadway in Manhattan makes a nice neck for a guitar, when combined with the previous photo "Columbus Circle".

Broadway Guitar

Viola! A diptych from Broadway in the 50's (streets)...

Look for Guest Posts by CROAKER on Sunday and Monday. Don't worry, the posts will include my photos.

"Columbus Circle"

North side of Columbus Circle, Central Park West and Broadway...

Reportage: David Blaine #5

No bum rush allowed, or necessary, at the DAVID BLAINE stunt in front of the Lincoln Center Opera House. A relaxed atmosphere as usual at a DB event allows you to get as close as you want without any trouble.

Reportage: David Blaine #4

A wide shot of the scene at Lincoln Center.

Reportage: David Blaine #3

Fun for the whole family this week in New York City as street-magician-turned-public-spectacle David Blaine "camps out" in Lincoln Center.

Reportage: David Blaine #2

Everyone within earshot pays attention, when David Blaine, "Drowned Alive", says a few words. On Columbus (9th) Avenue, between 63rd and 64th Streets...

Reportage: David Blaine #1

If you wait a little while, you can walk right up to the bubble in which DAVID BLAINE will reside for several days. I took this photo 2 hours ago.

Columbus Circle

The old and the new of Columbus Circle, where Broadway crosses 59th Street and 8th Avenue/Central Park West.

Sculpture Lunch

Around Lincoln Center, you can find a good lunch spot under a sculpture. Solitude, to be announced.

ESB Theme

I originally posted this shot August 26, 2005, back when I didn't know how to make my posts larger. Now, for ESB's 75th birthday, I humbly repost this shot. Scroll down for more...

visit CROAKER'S CORNER for one more...