Kayaking on the East River

This photo was taken from the pier at Long Island City two Saturdays ago at about 8:15 AM. I noticed this guy kayaking alone on the East River. Who on earth wakes up that early to go kayaking on a Saturday morning?!?!?!

In the background of the photo, you can see the Queensborough Bridge that links Queens to Manhattan. You can also notice some weird splotches in the sky. Those are dust particles from the INSIDE of my camera lense. ARGH!! It's an old camera so I think it's time for me to get a new one.

So what time do you usually wake up on Saturday morning?

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?

Long Island City Vista

Here is another view of the Pepsi-Cola sign (middle of the photo) in Long Island City. Click to enlarge the photo and you will also see the Queens Borough Bridge and the ConEdison Power Plant chimneys. The building on the right is one of the new condominiums that are sprouting up all over the neighborhood.

So would you ever live in a condominium or do you prefer a house with a back yard?

Pepsi-Cola Sign

This Pepsi-Cola sign is what was left of a Pepsi bottling plant in Long Island City, Queens. The gigantic metal structure has gained such an iconic status in the area that earlier talks of moving the sign elsewhere caused quite a huge uproar among the local residents. For now, it stays where it is supposed to be.

So does your city have an iconic structure that represents it?

Mid-Month Theme: Subway Day

I was waiting for the train at the Queens Plaza station last weekend when I spied this man, on the opposite platform, looking somewhat confused. He was reading the bulletins next to the subway map and trying to figure out which trains to take that day.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) frequently re-routes trains or pull them out of service on weekends to allow routine maintenance of the subway tracks. Most of the work are done on weekends to avoid inconveniencing commuters who rely on subway transportation on week days to get to the office on time.

Today is July 15, which means it is subway day. The theme is shared by the following bloggers:

Budapest - New York City - Paris - Stockholm

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?

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

Silvercup Studios

This photo was taken from the window of a moving (#7) rain in Long Island City, Queens. The building beyond the elevated highways is the Silvercup Studios where many of the New York City based television shows are filmed. But there is currently a writers' union strike going on right now so all studio work are suspended until further notice. Shows that are affected include Late Night with David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

So do you have a favorite TV show?

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?

Mid-Month Theme: Subway Day

This photo shows the elevated tracks of the subway system. As you can see, there are numerous buildings surrounding it but most of them are warehouses. I think not many people want to live next to the subway tracks.

In the back ground, you can see part of the sign for Silvercup, which is a movie studio in Long Island City where all the interior scenes of Sex & the City and The Sopranos were filmed. You can also see the skyline of Manhattan in the far background.

Subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:

New York City Daily Photo - Stockholm by Pixels

Welcome to Manhattan

This is the exit ramp of the Queensborough Bridge onto 59th and 60th Street in Manhattan. The bridge connects Long Island City in Queens to Manhattan across the East River. This photo was taken from a cable car suspended hundreds of feet above the river. You can see the pair of double steel cables that hold up the car in the top right of the photo.

Last year, two cable cars were stuck for over 5 hours midway through the journey after the stations lost power. Emergency generator power did not kick in and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had to fly a specialist in from upstate NY to fix the problem. The cable car service was subsequently shut down for months. It was returned to service only recently.

So do you have a fear of height? OR do you have any phobia?

Mrs. Bigfoot @ Socrates Sculpture Park

I was taking a walk through the Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City last weekend and guess who I saw? It was Mrs. Bigfoot.

The Socrates Sculpture Park is an outdoor museum and exhibition space with an internationally renowned artist in residence program. It is also a community garden where local residents can bring their families and pets to enjoy the outdoor space. The area, located on the waterfront of north west Queens, used to a landfill and dumping ground until a coalition of artists and community leaders cleaned and transformed it into a park in 1986. Aside from the park, another popular attraction in the area is the Noguchi Museum.

This 6-foot tall female Bigfoot was one of the sculptures at the Socrates Sculpture Park. A Bigfoot is an apelike animal said to be found in the remote forests of North America. Although numerous sightings have been reported, none has been caught. Some believe that they do not exist..

What do you think? Do you believe in Bigfoot?

Ravenswood Keyspan Generating Station

The Ravenswood Keyspan Generating Station is a power plant located on the north west section of Queens, across the East River from Roosevelt Island. The area, notoriously known as "Asthma Alley" by environmentalists, is also home to Queensbridge Houses, a huge public housing project in Long Island City.

The seemingly harmless and beautiful chimneys in the photo expel exhaust fumes containing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matters, which have been linked to severe respiratory problems in children and adults. The 60 year old power plant is one of the reasons why New York City is known as the asthma capital of America.

Unfortunately, the power plant is a necessary evil because it generates over a quarter of the electricity consumed in New York City. Without it, many people would not have electricity for their homes.