Happy Hallloween

This photo was taken at the Halloween Party at Grand Central Station on Sunday afternoon. The event called NYC Goes Orange was held to raise money and awareness of the one million New Yorkers who rely on emergency food from the Food Bank of New York City to feed their families during the holiday seasons every year. People who attended the Halloween Party were asked to donate $5 and all proceeds will go towards the Food Bank, which is a major provider of food items to over 1,000 emergency and community food programs across the city.

Who or what would you dress as if you were going to a Halloween party?

Manhole Cover Doormat

I posted a photo of a manhole cover on Saturday and incidentally, Eliane of NYC posted a great interpretation of it on her blog. Over the weekend, I found this manhole cover doormat at the Posman Books at the Grand Central Station. Apparently, manhole covers are quite the thing in NYC. Who would have guessed?

Do you have a doormat outside your house? What does it say?

Sun Breaking Through the Clouds

The rain began last Wednesday and it poured and drizzled almost non-stop until Saturday afternoon. Then the cloud lifted and the sun broke through. It was a beautiful sight!! This photo was taken at 5 PM Saturday evening as I was standing on the subway platform waiting for the train to arrive. I was going into the city to meet my former colleagues for dinner and drinks. And I didn't get home until 1:15 AM Sunday morning.

So do you still socialize with your former colleagues from your old jobs?

Apartment Stoop 7

Here is a modern interpretation of the classic apartment stoops. This townhouse on 13th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue was probably renovated recently to give it a different look from the rest of the townhouses in the area. This area is considered the gold coast of the Village because of its highly desireable properties and tree lined street.

So how is your weekend so far?

Manhole Cover 2

Here is the second photo for my manhole cover series. This one in the East Village has an interesting but distinct design on it. I always assumed the designs were the somewhat consistent or similar since there probably aren't too many manufacturers out there making these sort of things. But apparently, I'm wrong. The ones I have photographed have been all different.

This weekend I plan to go out and photograph as many of these covers as possible to see if there is a consistency in design or if it is all random.

Have a good weekend.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream.....Gelato??

It doesn't take much to make me. For example, this cup of chocolate gelato with a piece of hazelnut chocolate (Nutella) vanilla wafer and a cup of cappuccino will make me a very happy man!! The photo was taken at Caffee Dante on MacDougal Street, just north of Houston Street. It is an old world Italian cafe with delicious pastries, gelato and coffee.

So what simple things in life make you happy?

What Lies Beneath

I walked by Greene Street in SoHo many times but never noticed the artwork beneath me until this past weekend when I saw some tourists reading the sign (photo #2) on the floor. That was when I realized there was something interesting there. It is an interpretation of the New York City subway map by Franciose Schein. To see the real NYC subway map, click here.

So do you usually look at what's beneath you? Have you ever stepped on a piece of gum or dog doo-doo?

Accident of Nature

I was hoping to get a photo of the baseball diamond in Long Island City (in the background) from where I was standing (on the Queensborough Bridge) but the camera automatically focused on the fence instead. When I loaded the photos onto the computer, I realized this "accidental photo" turned out quite nicely. Yes, it is a wee bit strange but somewhat artistic.

Have you ever taken an accidental photo that turned out better than you expected?

Upper East Side Statue

I saw this statue of a woman and a little girl tugged in a tight corner between two huge buildings on the Upper East Side recently. As you can see, the space behind the statue was used as a trash collection area and the statue looks neglected and unappreciated.

I wish I had taken a close-up photo of the scroll that the little girl is holding to get more information about it. Maybe next time I'm in the area, I will stop by and get more information about the statue.

Have you ever felt neglected? How did you deal with it?

Jing Fong Restaurant in Chinatown

A couple weekends ago, I took some out-of-town friends to Jing Fong Restaurant for some dim sum. If you never had dim sum, it is a traditional Cantonese brunch menu that includes Chinese (Jasmine and/or Chrysanthemum) tea, dumplings, cakes, pastries and congee (rice porridge). You can also get the more exotic dishes or cuts of meat like stew chicken feet, fish bladder soup and stewed pork stomach.

This photo shows the small room/section of the restaurant, which have been renovated recently. The dim sum menu here is vast and quite inexpensive. It is one of my favorite places to bring friends for brunch on weekends.

So what is the most exotic food/meat you have ever eaten?

Earl Grey MarTEAni at Pegu Club

Here is a photo of the bartender making an Earl Grey MarTEAni at Pegu Club, where I met with Eliane, Lori, Olivier and Amedée.

Since the light was kind of low at the bar, I balanced my camera on top of my glass and shot this image on a slow exposure setting. It gave the bartender's hand a blurry image while everything else remained clear.

So what are your favorite drinks?

Amedée in NYC

Amedée and Olivier from Evry Daily Photo are in town this week. Yesterday, they invited Eliane of NYC Daily Photo, Lori of Miss B in NY and I for drinks at Pegu Club, followed by dinner at L'Ulivo in SoHo. We had a great evening and everyone was enchanted with Amedée. We took turns taking photos of him at the bar. So expect to see more photos of Amedée appearing on our blogs in the next couple of days.

Here is a photo of Amedée with his drink at Pegu Club. He was a little bit tipsy because he had some white wine, some red wine and an Earl Grey martini before finishing up this Long Island Ice Tea.

So when was the last time you had a little too much to drink?

Middle Eastern Pastries

These delicious Middle Eastern pastries are from a bakery in Astoria next to a restaurant where I go to frequently for falafel and shawarma sandwiches, tabouleh and babaganoush. The food here are delicious and inexpensive. These pastries are made from filo, chopped pistachios, honey and butter.

So have you ever had these pastries before?

Hi Ho Silver, Away

This policeman kindly posed for me and a group of other tourists in SoHo this weekend. He looked super confident and yet friendly, which is what we like to see in our New York Police Department (NYPD). Eliane from (the other) NYC Daily Photo posted also a photo of the NYC Mounted Unit recently. I guess they are everywhere in the city.

Have you ever ridden a horse? How was it?

Fancy Pumpkins

I saw these fancy pumpkins at the Green Market this weekend at Union Square. I don't think they are not edible; they are purely for decorations only.

I love pumpkin ravioli with sage butter but not a fan of pumpkin pie. What about you? What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?

Gifts from Australia

Here are the gifts I received this weekend from my friends and fellow bloggers from Perth, Australia -- Carol of Oh! For the Love of Food and Belinda of Bel's Fish Bowl. Belinda is (still) in New York City for vacation and she brought along some gifts for me from Carol and herself as well. So I would like to thank them both for the generous and thoughtful presents.

In the photo, you will notice a small bottle of Vegemite. Can you guys tell me what is the best way to eat it? Spread over toasts like butter? Dissolved in soups like chicken bouillon?

Mid-Month Theme: Subway Day

This is the New York City subway map. On the left is Manhattan Island. On the right is Long Island, which houses Queens (n0rth) and Brooklyn (south) . On the top is the Bronx and on the south (tip showing) is Staten Island. These five boroughs make up New York City.

Subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
New York City Daily Photo - Stockholm by Pixels

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?

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.

Chimneys 2

A couple months ago, I posted a photo of rooftop chimneys from the Upper East Side. Then this past weekend, I found more chimneys on apartment buildings in Greenwich Village so I guess I'm starting a new series -- the chimneys of New York City.

These chimneys in the photo was located on the rooftop gardens (with wooden fences) above the 5th floor of the apartment building. But then again, are those onion dome shaped metal structures with circulating parts really chimneys or air circulation apparatus? Does anyone know?

Rats with Wings

Not everything in NYC is beautiful and exciting. It can be very noisy and crowded, super expensive and quite dirty, like this photo above. There are also more rats in New York City than there are people. It was reported in the news recently that for every person living in the city, there are 4 rats living UNDER the city.

Pigeons, like rats are a nuisance. They are essentially rats with wings because they feed on human garbage and spread diseases like psittacosis, cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis via their droppings. What's worst is that some people like to feed pigeons with their leftover bread and cakes, making them less afraid of humans.

So have you been guilty of feeding pigeons in your neighborhood?

Colorful Bicycle

I was in Greenwich Village this weekend and saw this colorful bicycle parked and secured to a sign post on the side of the street. Notice the missing seat from the bicycle; this is a common practice to discourage the bicycle from being stolen. It would make it very difficult to "ride" the bicycle without the seat if someone decide to steal it.

So do you know how to ride a bicycle? When as the last time you rode a bike?

Saturday Lunch at the Aubergine Cafe

I went to the Aubergine Cafe for lunch on Saturday because my favorite neighborhood restaurant went out of business recently. Since this was my first time here, I took out my camera and shot a dozen or so photos before my lunch arrived. Here is a macro shot of my meal -- honey mustard ham and brie on a baguette with a side salad with balsamic vinegarette and a large glass of iced coffee with milk.

So what did you have for lunch this weekend?

Apartment Stoop 6

Here is a beautiful apartment stoop in the East Village. I think the iron railing and gate here are new because they don't show any signs of wear and tear that are normally seen in older iron work. Also, the individual pieces are very thin and delicate. Notice the new paint job and the newly polish front door. I think the building just went through a thorough renovation or face lift.

What do you think? Does it look like a restored old gate or a refabricated piece mimicking the old design?

Fire Escape 8

Here is another fire escape photo and this one was taken in SoHo. Notice the vase shaped railings on the fire escape and the ornate moldings on the roof. This is fairly typical of the building built in that era.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. And Happy Columbus Day. Am so happy to have a three-day weekend.

Lamps at Union Square

Dozens of lamps like this one light up Union Square after the sun goes down. I thought they were interesting and beautiful and I'm glad the city is keep them instead of installing newer ones. But I don't think these are very "green" or efficient.

So what do you do to be more "green"?

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?

Ring Dome by Minsuk Cho

This dome shape structure by Korean architect, Minsuk Cho almost encased the entire park south of Spring Street between Cleveland Place and Spring Street. The project entitled, Ring Dome was made out of hundreds of hula hoop-like tubes secured together by thousands of fabric straps to produce the dome.

To see the see from inside the Ring Dome, click on here to the Making of NYC DP.

So when was the last time you took a spin with a hula hoop?

Taxi Art

Recently, yellow taxicabs were decorated with flowers to celebrate 100 years of motorized, metered taxis in New York City. The project entitled, Garden in Transit was started by two brothers, Ed and Bernie Massey from California in 2000. Over 27,000 pieces of vinyl sheets were painted by children in schools and hospitals and used to cover the roofs and top surfaces of about 12,700 taxicabs in the city.

Of the painted flowers above, which is your favorite?

Theme Day: Tombstone/Cemetery

The theme for October 1st is cemetery or tombstone. I took a photo of these ornate cement urns at a garden store in NoLIta (North of Little Italy) that I thought would make beautiful tombstones in the future.

Here are the other 102 bloggers participating in this months theme: St. Louis (MO), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Mainz, Germany - Hyde, UK - Arlington (VA), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Toulouse, France - Arradon, France - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Joplin (MO), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Seattle (WA), USA - Baziège, France - Baltimore (MD), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Anderson (SC), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Nashville (TN), USA - Tenerife, Spain - Manila, Philippines - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Jacksonville (FL), USA - River Falls (WI), USA - Chateaubriant, France - Quincy (MA), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - Lubbock (TX), USA - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Moscow, Russia - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Minneapolis (MN), USA - New Orleans (LA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Toruń, Poland - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand - London, England - Paderborn, Germany - The Hague, Netherlands - Selma (AL), USA - Sunderland, UK - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Stavanger, Norway - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Weston (FL), USA - Portland (OR), USA - Forks (WA), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Boston (MA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Wellington, New Zealand - Montpellier, France - Jackson (MS), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Evry, France - Saarbrücken, Germany - New York City (NY), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - North Bay (ON), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cypress (TX), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Paris, France - San Diego (CA), USA - Wichita (Ks), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Prague, Czech Republic - Zurich, Switzerland - Budapest, Hungary - Paris, France - Saigon, Vietnam - Grenoble, France - Zurich, Switzerland - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Toronto (ON), Canada - Sequim (WA), USA