Monster Alert

Another neighborhood, another mural! This one was taken in the East Village over the weekend. Some of the murals can be quite creative and funny. And this one is definitely one of the better ones.

So are you afraid of monsters? Do you believe in monsters?

Big Brother Is Watching

This photo was taken around the corner of a restaurant in Nolita where they put their garbage bins -- you can see the plastic lids at the bottom of the page. The restaurant placed a sign saying the area was under video camera surveillance and (I assumed) someone stenciled a picture of a guy in a suit walking by or away with a bag.

I've been photographing murals a lot lately. I don't know if it is because there are a lot more of them in the city lately or they are getting better, artistically.

Has this ever happen to you?

Tribal Mural

This young lady had more important things on her mind than admire the interesting tribal mural on the wall at Houston Street.

So have you ever been so engrossed with your electronic gadgets that your miss what is around you?

No Parking

This is the most colorful NO PARKING sign I've ever seen but I don't think it is real or sanctioned by the Department of Motor Vehicles. It maybe a street art or graffiti with a message. But what is the message?

What do you think?

SoHo Graffiti

This interesting graffiti caught my eye as I walked down Mercer Street in SoHo last weekend. It rare to see Asian inspired theme in graffiti art but this one looks like it has an Asian face. There is a little bubble above his head with a heart in it. I wonder what that means.

So what are your plans for the weekend?

Mona Lisa in SoHo

I saw this graffiti in SoHo last weekend and it reminded me of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, well sort of. It looks like a modern interpretation of the original art work.

So have you seen the Mona Lisa?

N.B.: I'm heading to Rome, Italy for a week long vacation this afternoon. I will try to post new photos from my trip whenever possible.

Graffiti City

Paris has the outdoor stairwell at Centre Pompidou and we have ours at 5 Pointz in Long Island City, New York. This converted warehouse, across the street from the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, is home to many artists who work in their studios here. These graffitis are part of their work and they are totally approved by the building owner.

So do you have a monument or place in your city that resembles one in another city?

subway Day: Three Wise Men

Today is August 15, which means it is another subway theme day. The photo above is an enlarged view of a subway sign for the N and W trains at Union Square. I was waiting for the train when I noticed an interesting smudge on the N circle. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a stenciled graffiti. I couldn't help but like the "artwork" because I think it is quite hilarious and very original. But I don't know what it represents.

Three other cities are participating in the mid-month subway theme:

Budapest by Andrea Gerak - Peter's Paris - Stockholm by Pixel - New York City Daily Photo

New Lawn at Bryant Park

This photo was taken a couple weeks ago after Bryant Park had laid down new sods on the ground. There were signs everywhere requesting the public to stay off the lawn. Everyone appeared to respect the signs because nobody was on the lawn.

So do you always obey the law? What kind of offenders annoy you most? I really despise litterbugs and people who deface public properties.

Not So Cool Kids

I saw this sticker on the parking meter at Union Square and thought it was hilarious. It is so cool to be uncool nowadays.

So were you a cool kid or an uncool kid?

Theme Photo: Graffiti or Street Mural

The theme for March's photo is graffiti or street mural. This photo above was taken from the elevated #7 train in Long Island City and it shows the graffitis that are plastered all over the surfaces of various buildings in the area. They are part of a permanent art project for PS1, an alternative, avant garde museum.

This month, 144 bloggers are participating in the theme photo. Check them out.

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn

Chelsea Flower Market

This painting outside the Chelsea Market Building is what was left of the old wholesale flower market in the city. Now the building has been taken over and made into a television studio for The Food Network and NY1, a 24-hour local news channel. There are also numerous gourmet bakeries and grocery stores in the building.

So what is your favorite flower?

Political Message

Todd of Postcards from Hell's Kitchen and CityGirl15 of Gramercy Cafe recently posted photos of political messages they saw in NYC and they reminded me of a photo I took almost a year ago at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. It was a small graffiti scribbled on a giant poster blanketing the wooden fence surrounding the renovation site. If you click on the image above, you will see a full size version of the photo and what the graffiti said.

If you were to scribble a graffiti on a public space (not that I'm advocating it), what would you write?

Graffiti or Art?

Is this graffiti or art? I found this scene in SoHo near some of the most expensive retail outlets in New York City. I think this is an entrance to one of the few artist studios that are still in SoHo.

Most of the original buildings here were warehouses (dangerous and undesirable) in the 1970s. Then struggling artists moved into the area (cheap rent, huge spaces) in the 1980s and gentrification began. In the 1990s, SoHo became a hip and chic area and today, it has some of the most expensive luxury retail stores and condos in the city.

So what was your neighborhood like 30 years ago?

N.B.: I have been really busy at work lately so if I haven't stopped by your site to say HI, please excuse my absence. I will try to drop by when I have some time.

Groovy for the 60s 2

Here is another groovy, psychedelic van/school bus that I found parked in front of a Starbucks in the East Village this weekend. I have to admit, the artwork on it are very well done.

So did you take a school bus when you were a kid? Do you have any interesting school bus stories?

Collage

This is a collage of scenes from the window of the subway train that I take to and from work every day. As you can see, it is an elevated train that travels above the ground, instead of underground. I purposefully chose a window with graffitis to give the photos some depth and contrast.

I started this project after reading about Todd of Postcards from Hell's Kitchen's post on his 'walk to work photo' project. But he has a more interesting commute to work than I do.

So how interesting is your commute to work every day?

TV Killed The Radio Star

I saw this graffiti on a temporary wall in front of a store in Union Square. I thought it was beautifully done and so unique because it was anonymous. Most graffiti artists tag their work with a logo or a nickname.

Interestingly enough, Dr. Vint Cleft, the godfather of internet, predicts that TV will go the way of radio in the near future. TV killed the radio star and internet killed the TV star.

So how many hours of TV do you watch a week?

Empty Subway Train

I was on the N train going home from visiting a friend in Astoria and was pleasantly surprised to find myself alone in the subway car. So I whipped out my camera, which accompanies me everywhere I go, and took this photo. The N train runs on the elevated track in Queens (you can see the blue sky in the windows) and then goes underground when it crosses the East River into Manhattan.

The orange and yellow seats may not be my choice of colors but I do like the overall look of it. Notice some of the glass windows have graffitis written on them. Graffiti is a huge problem in NYC, especially in public places like the subway stations and trains.

So what is the color of your car or the subway train you ride on? What is your favorite color?

Graffiti Art @ Korean Restaurant

Graffiti art may sound oxymoron but somtimes it does add character to an otherwise uninspiring place. Take this 24-hour Korean restaurant on 32nd Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue, otherwise known as Koreatown, for example; dinner guests are invited to draw or scribble on the walls. It gives diners an interesting topic to talk about and may even attract people to the restaurant. This place definitely stands out on a street filled with other restaurants serving similar Korean food. For more photos and what I had for dinner, click here.

What would you write if you could scribble on the wall??

N.B.: Han of Seoul Daily Photo posted a somewhat similar photo last week. Check it out!