Prince & Elizabeth

I took this photo primarily as an archiving tool to remind myself later where I was when I took the other photos. And interestingly enough, this photo turned out quite nicely. I especially like the colors and classic New York street scene.

So how do you archive your photos? Do you have a special way of naming your files or do you immediately delete the photos you don't like?

I have over 240 folders on my laptop from the 2+ years of taking photos for this blog. It has taken up a lot of space on my hard drive and I need to go back and delete most of the bad photos.

Pixelated Mural

This pixelated mural is located on the 2nd floor wall of an apartment building on Prince Street near Bowery in Nolita. I don't know who the image is (Bernie Madoff?) but it is definitely an interesting piece artwork.

So where is the most interesting place you have seen a mural or artwork?

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?

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?

Gonzo Marketing

A little boutique in Nolita (North of Little Italy) has found an interesting way to advertise its merchandise. They placed a mannequin wear a little black dress and a beautiful necklace right on the street in front of the store. A lot of people who had no prior intention of going into the store stopped to admire and touch the merchandise on the street. Then they wander into the store to take a better look at the clothes.

So what smart ideas have you seen or heard lately?

Claudette Colvin

So who is Claudette Colvin? According to this street art on Elizabeth Street, north of Prince, Ms. Colvin was a 15-year old girl from Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the bus in 1955 and was subsequently arrested. This happened 9 months before Rosa Parks did the same thing and became a national civil rights activist.

Isn't it great to get a history lesson from street art? So what have your learned lately?

And God Created Adam

I saw this mural depicting one of Leonardo da Vinci's work, The Creation of Adam on the side of a building on Lafayette near Bond Street in Nolita (North of Little Italy) last weekend. The interesting thing about this mural is that both Adam and God were drawn as black men here.

The original painting (a fresco) was drawn on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. I believe I saw the real painting when my parents took me to Italy when I was about 10 years old. I even tossed a couple of Italian liras into the Trevi Fountain in Rome hoping one day to go back to the city again.

So tell me, in which city did you have your best vacation?

Table & Chairs

This photo was taken at the Lieutenant Petrosino Square in Nolita (North of Little Italy) where the The Ring Dome stucture was installed last month. Corona, the Mexican beer brand, must have sponsored the event or paid for the tables and chairs at the square because of the advertisements on the chairs.

Recently, the New York City health department started cracking down on bar tenders who used their bare hands to put line wedges on the top of Corona beer bottles, which is how Corona are usually served. Supposedly, bar tenders are required to use a pair of tongs or gloves to handle ready-to-eat items. This caused an uproar among bar tenders who have been serving lime wedges bare handed for many years without any government intervention.

So what kind of beer do you like most? Do you have a favorite brand?

Dog in Nolita

This cute dog was tied to a pole outside a cafe in Nolita (north of Little Italy) while its owner went inside to get some coffee. The dog must be used to this arrangement because it didn't look scared or nervous. Actually it just looked bored.

When I crouched down take this photo, the dog didn't get excited or wagged its tail. It merely looked at me as if to say, "What do you want?" Now, that is a New York dog. :-)

So when do you feel bored?

Puck Building

This little golden statue stands on top of the front entrance to the Puck Building in SoHo and Nolita. The red brick building is probably most famous for being the site of Grace Adler's office in the TV-series, Will & Grace.

We are experiencing our first fall (autumn) like weather this weekend after two weeks of hot humid temperatures. I am really excited about the cool weather coming because I like temperatures below 60 degrees.

So at what temperatures are you most comfortable?

Patisserie Menu

Last Sunday, I went to Ceci-Cela Patisserie in Nolita (North of Little Italy) for breakfast. I got a cup of cappuccino and an almond croissant, and sat outside on a bench in front of the cafe. While eating my breakfast, I saw this menu printed on the wall connecting the cafe to the store next door. I took a photo of it because I love the colors and typography. It reminds me very much of Provence, south of France.

To see a photo of me after I finished the croissant, click here to the Making of NYC DP.

So what would you order for breakfast if you were at this cafe?

Fire Escape 3

This is another beautiful fire escape of a building in Nolita (North of Little Italy), which is located between Bloome Street and Houston (pronounced as House-ton) Street. Nolita is currently a hip retail district where small boutiques sell clothes and home furnishings by up-and-coming local and international designers. Recently, there has been a push by local businesses to bring in higher-end Italian retailers like Armani, Versace and Gucci to establish the area as an extension of Little Italy.