Mid-Month Theme: Subway Day

This is the turnstile entry into the subway station at Jackson Heights, Queens. The cost of each ride regardless of distance or direction is $2 or you can buy an unlimited subway pass like I do for $81 per month. With the prices of gasoline/petrol approaching $4/gallon in the US, I'm glad I don't own a car.

So how much is the cost of gasoline/petrol in your city?

Subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
New York City Daily Photo - PHO (Paris) - Stockholm by Pixel

Old & New

You can see the reflections of an old pre-war building on the window panels of this new apartment complex on Lafayette and 8th Street. The structure on the lower left corner of the photo is an outdoor garden on the 3rd floor with an unopened picnic umbrella.

I love picnics but I haven't been to one in over 10 years. When was the last time you had a picnic in the park?

Lafayette Street & Bond Street

This is the East Village or specifically, Lafayette Street looking north from Bond Street. The building at the end of the street is the same building as the one I posted two days ago. The street looked somewhat empty because it just stopped raining. In a couple of hours, this area will be crawling with young hipsters and NYU students.

So where did you go to school? I went Northeast Louisiana University for undergraduate and graduate school.

The Plaza Hotel

Here is a close up photo of the newly renovated Plaza Hotel. According to this New York Times article, the formerly 800 rooms hotel now has only 180 rooms while the rest of the building has been converted into luxury condominiums.

So how do you define luxury? What is an everyday luxury to you?

Broadway Avenue & 8th Street

This amazing building on the corner of Broadway Avenue & 8th Street in the East Village has some of the characteristics of architecture from the early 1900s. The small windows are a tell-tale sign because steel beams were not routinely used for the building construction yet.

So do you prefer older buildings with small windows and solid walls or contemporary buildings with all glass windows and no walls.

Note: Check out this amazing photography project/site entitled New York Street Shots, which highlights the work of some super talented photographers in New York City.

After The Rain

It rained cats and dogs almost non-stop from Friday evening through Sunday morning this past weekend. But the rain stopped briefly on Saturday evening when I went to the East Village to meet some friends for dinner. On the way to dinner, I saw puddles of water everywhere and noticed the interesting reflections in them. So I took out my camera and starting taking photos.

This is one of the few photos that came out nicely because of the light from a car approaching and the person crossing the street when I took the photo. The other 6 or so photos I took were not as interesting because they lacked context or movement. I guess every element serendipitously came together in this shot.

So how many photos/shots do you normally take for each "scene" when you are out shooting photos for your blog?

But I'm Not Ready To Go Home Yet

I saw this adorable long haired dachshund at Union Square last weekend. He patiently posed for me and after it was over, his owner told him it was time to go home. But he didn't want to leave.

So when you were a kid, did you ever want to play all day and not go home?

Bagel & Cream Cheese

I was in Chelsea to meet my accountant last week and after the meeting, I stopped by Murray's Bagel in the neighborhood for a bite to eat. As you can see, I ordered the sasame bagel with green onion cream cheese and a big cup of coffee. That was my breakfast and lunch.

So have your filed your taxes yet?

East Side Vista

Here is another 'stitched photo' from my visit to Long Island City. This photo shows the east side of Manhattan (left) and Long Island City (right). The bridge in the middle is the 59th Street Queensborough Bridge. There are two levels of automobile traffic, a subway line and a foot path on that bridge.

Click here to see the full size photo.

So what are you plans for the weekend?

Long Island City

This is a view of the waterfront in Long Island City where I took the photo of the United Nations building. Long Island City in Queens has been expanding like crazy lately with at least three new condonimiums sprouting up in the last year alone.

The photo above was taken using the 'stitch capability' on my camera, which basically combines three successive photographs together to make one long panaromic view. Click here to see the full size of the photo.

So what special camera capabilities have you used lately?

United Nations Building

The tall iridescent green building on the left is the United Nations building. It is located at the end of 42nd Street by the East River in Manhattan. This photo was taken from across the river in Long Island City, Queens.

So what is the up-and-coming area or neighborhood in your city?

Spike, the Bull Dog (Again)

We had our neighborhood St. Patrick's Day parade last Sunday and guess who I saw marching in the parade again this year. It's Spike, the Bulldog who lives in my building. Spike is quite the superstar in our neighborhood because his photo appeared in the New York Times newspaper last year.

So does anyone famous live in your neighborhood?

Gone To The Dogs

I have featured photos of my neighborhood dog walker twice already: Dog Walking 1 and Dog Walking 2. Here is a new photo of the dogs sans the dog walker this time. In fact, he was standing to the right of the photo telling the dogs to sit quietly for this photo shoot. And they all did!! Aren't they the most perfectly behaving dogs you have ever seen.

So were you a nice behaving kid when you were young?

Upper West Side Vista

This vista of Upper West Side was taken from Central Park. Upper West Side is considered one of the most desirable residential neighborhoods of New York City. It is also a family friendly neighborhood where young professional couples with children tend to stay.

So how many children do you have?

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

Snow Day at Central Park

The evening news is reporting a snow storm approaching the city late tonight. So in anticipation of the storm, here is a photo of Central Park covered in snow. This photo was taken a couple months ago after a huge snow storm.

Aside from snow angels and snow men, what else can you do with snow on the floor?

N.B.: My friend, Brien showed me this YouTube video on Frozen Grand Central Station. It is an awesome stunt. Check it out!

Parking Garage

This type of outdoor parking garage is quite common in the city where space is a premium. To maximize the number of cars stored in the area, there are elevated parking spaces that are meant for longer term parking while short term parking are located on the street level.

So how many cars do you have? What kind of car do you drive?

Korean BBQ & Wine Bar

This new Korean BBQ and wine bar on 32nd Street between 5th and Madison Avenue, otherwise known as Koreatown, has an interesting structural design for its wall. It definitely caught my attention and I had to stop to take some photos. I also love the subtle colors from the back lit bar inside the restaurant.

So how has your week been so far?

Tables & Chairs

These tables and chairs are located at Bryant Park behind the New York City Public Library where many locals and tourists alike come to relax and enjoy the scenery or simply to access the free wi-fi connections available here. During the winter season, the park is converted into an ice skating rink and twice a year, giant tents are erected to host the New York Fashion Week.

Even though this is one of the more beautiful parks in the city, I rarely come here because it is not on my regular commuting route or near any place where I would normally shop or eat dinner.

Do you have a favorite park near your city? How often do you visit it?

Brooklyn Bridge After A Snow Storm II

Apparently, we weren't the only crazy ones to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge during a snow storm on Friday afternoon. After having the right side of our faces frozen by the howling wind, we stopped in at Ferrara in Little Italy for some cappuccino (me), hot chocolate (Carl & Emeline) and cookies.

So what is your favorite way to stay warm during a cold winter's day?