Friday, August 20, 2010

In the Big Apple: Leaving New York

Me and my friend Lisa Ch, who I mentioned in my last post (sans pictures):
Lisa showing off her ring from La Alberca, where we did our program. I have the same ring.
Well, it is time to go home. It is hard to leave New York, but it's been a great visit. In the end, with so much time, it was very relaxing. Now for a few pics from my last few days. A little hard to see, but this is me, last night, on the rooftop deck at my hotel.
Black sheep?
Those phones were at Grand Central Station, which I almost forgot how much I love, until I was back inside, so I goofed off for an hour or two. Loved taking pics of the people sitting next to this sign...
I just love the hub bub of Grand Central, and love a pic that's clear with just one or two people blurred. It says action... love it!
More people on the stairs, it's a common thing to do...
Until a cop comes and shoos you away....While I was there, I wandered by this sign and remembered... "ah ha!!", that's something I've always wanted to do!
They had some outside seating set up for the summer, and while it looked lovely, IMHO this didn't qualify as the 'real' thing....
The Campbell Apartment is one of the most famous bars in the world, and is such an integral part of Grand Central that it actually has its own entrance:
Me pouting at the dress code requirement posted at the entrance. I was in a teensy tank top, shorts and sandals.
I asked to peek inside to take a pic, and, alas, they let me in!!! When I said I knew I wasn't dressed appropriately, and the girl at the door said "We're not too busy, and it's different for girls anyways." Cool. In I went. When I asked if I could take a few pics, sans flash, as long as I didn't include any guests, he offered to take one of me, with flash. Sweet. This is me and my rich little $7.50 Amstel. I do not have flowers in my hair, I think that's some lamp behind me.
Not much one can take a pic of, without flash, and without including people, in the dark... but just for the mood...
Bartender blur... I love this one!
Now, some pics when I went down to Greenwich Village and SoHo yesterday...
It may not look like much, but this intersection at Houston and La Guardia (also known on the opposite side as West Broadway and Houston on the other side of the street) hides something very special. Two things, actually. I got here taking the 6 train to Bleeker Street. I actually took this pic as I was walking away from the two things I am going to show you.
First, or should I say last in terms of when I saw it, was this explanation of what was planted in all that greenery on the corner, and what the "Time Landscape" is. Click the pic to enlarge it if you want to read (it's kind of cool). Otherwise, keep scrolling down for the most exciting thing....
I came across the destination of my trip approaching from behind, from Bleeker Street. Which ever way you approach, look for the towers of the NYU residences (called Silver Something) and you will find this Picasso beauty:
It is an enlargement of Picasso's 1934 sculpture, The Bust of Sylvette, and it was done by Carl Nesjar. If you want to read more, click here (also some interesting stuff about the complex, designed by I. M. Pei). I had a glorious time, just wandering around, soaking it in, and taking pics...
While technically in Greenwich Village, the blue of a building just into SoHo provides an interesting urban background for this fabulous work...
I was thinking how lucky those students were, then I noticed this cat tree in a window.... and I thought, how lucky that cat was, getting to stare out at a Picasso all day! Meeoooow!
Now,one more pic from my dip into SoHo... this one of just a cool blue stairway...
Now, a few more pics of my hotel, The Pod, which I wrote more about here... this is the lobby. It really is a cool space.
Another pics of the lobby. The art is the work of New York artist James Rizzi, and there were original paintings in this theme throughout the hotel, including the hallways and some of the doors. Interestingly, I was chatting to the concierge today, and he is also an artist and collaborates with Rizzi. See some of Bryan Raughton's stuff here.
Looking from the outside deck of the hotel into the lobby lounge. There is something really cool about how this pic turned out that I like. By the way, I am sitting in that very lounge now, at the laptop bar, as I write this.... killing time before my evening flight.
My feet on the back deck last night as I enjoyed a glass of wine.
Looking up from the back deck. Isn't that cool?
Now, up to the rooftop, just as dusk was settling in....
Hip places to sit on a hip deck in a hip little hotel. How hip is that?
My foot and the Manhattan skyline as the sun set. I was lying on my back on one of those wooden bench things. The clouds were pretty cool... though the evening was hot.
Oh, Big Apple, how I will miss you! But I'll be back again, that I know for sure... I still have more pics, and will, hopefully, post them when I get home. Hope you enjoyed joining me on my wee journey here....

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