Two Towers

Here are the Two Towers from the 1964 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens. But most people will remember them as one of the spaceships used by the insect alien to escape Earth at the end of the movie, Men in Black.

So have you been to any site or set where a movie was shot?

Unisphere Revisited

Here another photo of the Unisphere from a different angle in Flushing Meadows, Queens. This photo was taken last summer and I have to admit, my old simple camera did a great job on it.

So when was the last time you went out to take a photo?

Flushing Chinese New Year Parade

The Chinese New Year parade in Flushing, Queens on Saturday included a dozen or so lions and even a dragon. Unfortunately, I was not able to get a good shot of the dragon as it danced past the crowds. Here is a collage of three lions from the parade.

So how was your weekend?

Theme Day: Paths & Passages

The theme this month is Paths & Passages. This photo shows the path (escalator) down to the subway station at Flushing, Queens and the passage through the arched turnstiles to the train further down below.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Lunar New Year

These are Lunar New Year decorations that are sold in Flushing, Queens. It is Lunar New Year today so I'm wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. And may the Year of the Ox bring you and your loved ones a lot of happiness, good health and prosperity.

So what would you like to see in the year ahead?

Parachute Jump at Coney Island

This is the Parachute Jump, a relic of an old amusement park attraction in Coney Island, Brooklyn. I found out on Wikipedia that it was built in 1939 for the New York's World's Fair in Flushing-Meadows, Queens but was moved to the Coney Island Steeplechase Amusement Park in Brooklyn later. Incidentally, I have also photographed the famous structure from the 1964 World's Fair -- the Unisphere which I posted earlier this month.

I have lived in NYC for exactly 10 years now -- I came out here in August 1998 immediately after graduate school. In all that time, I have never visited or seen the Unisphere and the Parachute Jump until very recently. That was because (1) both the Unisphere and the Parachute Jump are located outside my usual haunts or places I regularly go; (2) they were both featured in a Louis Vuitton advertisement and a Gossip Girl promotional photo respectively; and (3) after seeing those images, I decided to photograph them myself for this blog.

So what is your motivation in your photography?

Unisphere Closeup

This is a close-up shot from beneath the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. The 900,000 lb (409,000 kg) structure made of stainless steel was designed by landscape architect, Gilmore D. Clark for the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair. The structure and its surrounding area received a complete renovation in 1994-1995, which cost a couple millions of dollars.

The Unisphere is the unofficial symbol for the Borough of Queens.

So where around the globe would you like to be?

Theme Photo: Metal

It's August 1st and the theme this month is Metal. This globe called, Unisphere is located at the Flushing Meadows Park in Corona, Queens. Come back tomorrow for more information on the Unisphere.

This month, 183 bloggers are participating in the theme photo. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants. Or you can click on the list below:
Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by freefalling, Arradon, France by Alice, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Baruch, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Birmingham (AL), USA by VJ, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brantford (ON), Canada by Nancy, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, Chesapeake (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Cincinnati, USA by Erik Laursen, City of the Blue Mountains, Australia by Richard, Corsicana (TX), USA by Lake Lady, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Edmonton (AL), Canada by , Evry, France by Olivier, Folkestone, UK by Piskie, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Gabriola, Canada by Snapper, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Hanoi, Vietnam by Jérôme, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jerusalem, Israel by Esther, Kansas City (MO), USA by Cate B, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Leipzig, Germany by weltbeschreiber, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Lynchburg (VA), USA by June, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Mashhad, Iran by Meead, Melbourne, Australia by John, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Menton, France by Jilly, Mesa (AZ), USA by Mesa Daily Photo, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Scott, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Molfetta, Italy by saretta, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Nancy, France by yoshi, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, Newport News (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Oklahoma City (OK), USA by ananda.tashie, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Owasso (OK), USA by Jennifer, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Stephanie Craig, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Cheryl, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Pretoria, South Africa by Sam-Ruth, Quezon City, Philippines by ann pablo, Quincy (MA), USA by slim, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Rancho Palos Verdes (CA), USA by Sarah Adams, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Schenectady (NY), USA by Buck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, South Pasadena (CA), USA by Laurie, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Villigen, Switzerland by z, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn.

Queens Library, Flushing

This is the Queens Library on Main Street, Flushing. I did not get a chance to go into this library but I do love visiting local libraries around the city. When I was a kid, my parents would leave me at the public library by myself every Saturday morning and come pick me up right before lunch.

Obviously, this was at a different time and place when it was safe to leave children alone at the library. But guess what I read at the library? I read all of Jackie Collins' trashy novels before I was 12 years old.

So what naughty things did you do as a kid?

Peking Duck Take-Out Window

This is a fast food take-out window for Peking duck at a restaurant in Flushing, Queens. I know how oxymoronic it sounds especially since a good Peking duck takes more than a day to prepare. I guess the owner managed to incorporate the best of the East and West to bring the cuisine to the masses.

The photo here shows how Peking duck is traditionally served. It is encased in a steamed bun and then topped with scallions and hoisin sauce. However, I think the restaurant here served it with julienned slices of cucumber instead. Each of these little Peking duck stuffed buns costs $0.75.

Peking Duck in Flushing, Queens

I was in Flushing, Queens for dinner recently. I arrived early so it was a good opportunity to take some photos of the local scecne before meeting up with my friends at the restaurant. Flushing is the second biggest Chinatown in New York City. The biggest and oldest Chinatown is in downtown Manhattan and there is a smaller Chinatown in Brooklyn.

This is a photo of a Peking duck being prepared by the chef for dinner. Peking duck is a specialty dish that originated from Beijing and is primarily enjoyed for its crispy crackled skin. The duck is first boiled, then air dried before being roasted to achieve that crispy caramely skin.

Chinese New Year Lion Dance

The lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance that is usually performed during special occasions like Chinese (Lunar) New Year, which starts this week. The dance involves two acrobatic performers who balance an elaborate head piece and a long tail while mimicking the moves of a lion to the rhythm of drums and cymbals.

This photo was taken on Sunday (yesterday) afternoon in Flushing, Queens. The lion dance troupe was performing on the street and visiting various retail stores in the area. It is supposed to bring good luck to the businesses that hire these dancers to perform at their stores.

Flushing, in Queens, is the second biggest Chinatown in New York City. The other two Chinatowns are in downtown Manhattan (the oldest and biggest) and Brooklyn. Flushing is also the site of the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the U.S. Open and the Shea Stadium for the New York Mets.