Tag Archives: Sigma 30mm f1.4
Christmas When You Live in Less Than 450 sq. ft.
You make a lot of sacrifices living in Manhattan. Square footage? Forget it. What you paid $200K for elsewhere would cost you $1.5 to 2 Million. So you get a studio if you live in Manhattan, maybe a 1 bedroom if you live in the boroughs. You learn to live in a space that’s one fourth of what you lived in before. And it’s easy, because you live in NYC. There’s no place else like it in the world.
And then Christmas comes. Shit, wouldn’t it be great to have a tree? Yeah, where are you going to put a tree? You get a small tree and pay $25 for a 3 foot tree. You schlep it to the subway stop, ride home with it, then walk the four blocks to your apartment with your tree, evergreen in your lungs the whole time.
When you get home, you spend 30 minutes trying to clean the sap off your hands, it will wear off over the next couple of days. I was lucky that Kate took pity on this tree and made it special. Over two nights, she strung popcorn and cranberries by hand. We had no ornaments, so we grabbed two in Dumbo over the weekend – an S and a K.
I think it’s one of the best trees we’ve ever had.
Kiosk Stairs, Halls, and Landing in Soho
The Kiosk Store in Soho is a total gem in an area lacking cool. They always have neat things in their second floor shop, but right now they have items and ephemera from Japan. Every time I walk by the pink neon arrow, I’m attracted by the tagged stairs leading up to the shop. The stairs, the stairwell, and the hallways on the second floor have all been handsomely marked with graffiti and tags. If you’re stuck in Soho, stop by Kiosk for a look. You’ll be glad you did.
Barcelona Digital Pics
It was an instant love affair with Barcelona. Every turn into an alley or street had me stuttering and commenting to Kate on how amazing this street was (as compared to the last amazing street). And then when you toss in the beach and the harbor, you have a beautiful, world class city. Can’t wait to go back!
Barcelona Beach Tower
Ladies Shopping
Playground in Barceloneta
Sant Carles in Barceloneta
Alley in Pink
Turning Alley
Graffiti and paste ups in Barceloneta
Pigeons nesting in ruins
Plaza entrance
Colchoneria
Red arm holding a flame
Carrer Dels Carders
Another amazing curving alley
Graffiti at night
Old film place on Barri Gotic plaza
Plaza at night
Alley at night
The Clipper City Harbor Cruise
On Friday night, we walked up to Pier 17 at South Street Seaport and boarded the Clipper City tall ship for a harbor cruise. We picked the twilight cruise and were not disappointed with the sunset.
Sails up on the Clipper City
Smaller boat behind us sailing towards Manhattan.
Kate soaking up the sun and salty air
Sail boat eclipsing the setting sun
This is the closest I’ve ever been to the Statue of Liberty
Heading back to Manhattan at twilight
Foggy Morning in Portland, Maine
I went to Portland, Maine for business on Thursday and Friday. I’ve always been curious about the East Coast Portland, so I got up at 5:30am on Friday to take some pictures in the Old Port District near my hotel.
Love this Paper sign on the top of the building, Portland, Maine
Brian Boru Bar, Portland, Maine
Random Street, Portland, Maine
Alley, Portland, Maine
Gull, Portland, Maine
Lobster Traps about to be loaded on boats, Portland, Maine
Lobster Boats lined up, Portland, Maine
Sign and Birds, Portland, Maine
The Catherine, Portland, Maine
The Hilma Francis, Portland, Maine
Early Morning Lady, Portland, Maine
Portland Lobster Company, Portland, Maine
Opposite Men, Portland, Maine
Alley Entrance Olive Cafe, Portland, Maine
Distant Figure, Portland, Maine
Vacation Continued
Lots of gorgeous sail boats out today on the Miles River, St. Michaels, Maryland
Little bit closer to the action, St. Michaels, Maryland
Driftwood in the rocks at f1.4. St. Michaels, Maryland
Adirondack chairs on dock, St. Michaels, Maryland
Kate’s sparkling wine, St. Michaels, Maryland
A Rare Look Inside the Tenement Museum
Tonight, to celebrate the opening of their online photo database, the Lower East Side’s Tenement Museum held their “Snapshot! A Tenement Museum Photo Event.” This event allowed visitors, for the first time ever, to take pictures inside the museum.
Our photo opportunity started in the gift shop, where a curator presented a short slideshow of the history of photography in the Lower East Side. He took great care to keep it short and then mentioned that they wanted to get us in the building with plenty of remaining daylight to take pictures. Afterwards, they split us up into groups of three and we marched across the street to 97 Orchard to begin our tour. Our guides were careful to give us free reign of the top three floors, but they were always nearby to answer questions and proudly point out little details that they didn’t want us to miss. As I wandered around taking pictures, Kate chatted with the guides who were always ready with information or a story about the building’s history.
One of them hinted that the museum may do another photo event later this year. If they do, you should definitely jump on the chance to attend.
All photos are natural light, no flash.
Looking into Third Floor Kitchen, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Kitchen 2nd Floor, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Detail of Floor, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Posters in Bedroom of 3rd Floor, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Dolls and Broom Against Wall, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Books on Chest, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Old “Nuts to You” Message Scrawled in Hallway, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street (click on pic for large version)
Couch and Window, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Game on Kitchen Table, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Striped Socks on Indoor Clothes Line, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
The Hallway Toilet, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Here I was like, “Weird, there’s even reading material on a hook.” The guide replied, “That’s not reading material.”
Sewing Machine, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Original Notes on Door Jam of Shop/Apartment, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Flyswatter, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
Blue Room, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
After the tour, we were invited to the newly built rear yard, complete with recreated outdoor privies, to indulge in gelato from museum neighbors Il Laboratorio del Gelato.
Hanging Laundry in the rear yard, Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard Street
You can spend hours just looking around in the Tenement Museum’s gift shop, but don’t miss out on a tour of this amazing building.
Things that Caught My Eye, Sunday Edition
Had some time to kill before meeting Kate to watch Spain win the World Cup (Vamos Espana!!), so I wandered around the East Village and over into Noho.
This was in the East Village, on 12th Street, I think…
You go, Noah!
I wonder how much longer this independent auto repair shop will last on the corner of Bowery and Jones?
Flowers on the corner of Second Avenue in the East Village.
Hmm, somewhere over in Noho. I don’t recall where.
Birds on doors, Bond Street in Noho
Army of One in Noho
And I would be remiss if I didn’t post this pic from right before the match.
10th Annual Vintage Police Car Show
On Saturday morning, I woke up and noticed this out of our 15th floor window.
Yes, it was once again time for New York City’s 10th Annual Vintage Police Car Show. I zipped down there with a camera to catch some of the cars before the crowds got too dense to take pictures. This dark blue and yellow one caught my eyes first.
Vintage San Diego car
And this whole row of these New York City Plymouth cars just made my jaw drop. Wow.
And then there’s this red, white, and blue beauty…
I talked to the guy who owned this Starsky and Hutch replica. What a beautiful car.
I think I remember these lights…
Yeah, we didn’t think that Kate should try to jump in through the window with all the cops around…
A Weekend on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Not New York City related, but sometimes you have to get out of the city. Kate and I are lucky that her parents have a gorgeous house in St. Michaels, Maryland that’s easy driving distance from here. They designed and built this house several years ago and we’ve come to cherish every weekend that we get to spend there with them. All photos taken with Nikon D90 and a combination of Sigma 70-200 f2.8 lens and Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens.
The house from the river
A bridge over the Miles River
Passing under the bridge
Snapped a photo of these geese from the boat, love the orange beak of the one on the right
Our dear Chloe on Kate’s lap
Peaceful hammock by the water
The view from the hammock, sky over the Miles River
