Close Up of the Tree in SoHo

A lot of you asked me about the tree in yesterday's photo. Here is a close-up of the tree with the green buds growing out of its branches. It is definitely an odd looking tree. Does anyone know what kind it is?

Fire Escape

Older apartment buildings in NYC like this one in SoHo has to have an external fire escape because it does not have a water sprinkler system inside. The fire escape, however presents a security problem because it makes it easier for burglars to enter the apartment.

My first apartment in New York City was burglarized many years ago. The burglar climbed up the fire escape and entered the apartment through my bedroom window. Luckily, nothing important was stolen. I remember being traumatized for days after that. I was afraid to come home and when I did, I would ring the door bell a couple of times before entering the apartment. Obviously, I can laugh about it now but at the time, I had lost my sense of security.

Sunday Brunch

I love Sunday brunch. This is one of my favorite breakfast meals -- eggs cooked sunnyside up, sausages, home fries, rye toasts with butter and a cup of good coffee. Yes, it is cholesterolville and not something to be eaten every morning but it is a perfect meal before a visit to the museum or a walk around the city on a Sunday morning.

Chuckeroon of Richmond upon Thames Daily Photo has a totally different idea of a perfect Sunday breakfast. And I think his choice is healthier than mine. What would you like for Sunday brunch?

N.B.: I will be in Washington, DC for the next couple of days. Two&2 of LA Daily Photo will be posting the photos for me if I do not have access to a computer in DC.

Takashi Murakami at Gagosian Gallery

I have been a big fan of Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami's work since he exhibited his sculptures in front of the Rockefeller Center a couple years ago. This month, his art work is being exhibited at the Gagosian Gallery in the Upper East Side.

Takashi Murakami is probably most famous for his cartoon work and hangbag design for the Louis Vuitton label. He has frequently been compared to Andy Warhol because of his commentaries on consumerism and pop culture through his art work.

Queens Library, Flushing

This is the Queens Library on Main Street, Flushing. I did not get a chance to go into this library but I do love visiting local libraries around the city. When I was a kid, my parents would leave me at the public library by myself every Saturday morning and come pick me up right before lunch.

Obviously, this was at a different time and place when it was safe to leave children alone at the library. But guess what I read at the library? I read all of Jackie Collins' trashy novels before I was 12 years old.

So what naughty things did you do as a kid?

Update: It's Roast Duck, Silly

I was told the last two photos I posted were roast ducks, which are totally different from Peking duck. I stand corrected!! To be honest, I have only eaten Peking duck once when someone ordered it for us. Thanks, Carol from Oh for the love of food for the information.

Also, please stop by Chris & Deb's Minneapolis Daily Photo to see how we can enjoy ducks in a different way.

Peking Duck Take-Out Window

This is a fast food take-out window for Peking duck at a restaurant in Flushing, Queens. I know how oxymoronic it sounds especially since a good Peking duck takes more than a day to prepare. I guess the owner managed to incorporate the best of the East and West to bring the cuisine to the masses.

The photo here shows how Peking duck is traditionally served. It is encased in a steamed bun and then topped with scallions and hoisin sauce. However, I think the restaurant here served it with julienned slices of cucumber instead. Each of these little Peking duck stuffed buns costs $0.75.

Peking Duck in Flushing, Queens

I was in Flushing, Queens for dinner recently. I arrived early so it was a good opportunity to take some photos of the local scecne before meeting up with my friends at the restaurant. Flushing is the second biggest Chinatown in New York City. The biggest and oldest Chinatown is in downtown Manhattan and there is a smaller Chinatown in Brooklyn.

This is a photo of a Peking duck being prepared by the chef for dinner. Peking duck is a specialty dish that originated from Beijing and is primarily enjoyed for its crispy crackled skin. The duck is first boiled, then air dried before being roasted to achieve that crispy caramely skin.

Maine Monument at Southwest Corner of Central Park

This is a photo of one of the statues at the base of the Maine Monument located at the south west entrance of Central Park. The monument, created by Italian sculptor Attilio Piccirilli in 1913, was commissioned by the city to honor the merchants who contributed to the success of New York City.

This area of New York City is called Columbus Circle, named after the explorer, Christopher Columbus. Lori of MissBinNYC has a spectacular night photo of the Columbus Circle monument.

Guggenheim Museum

I went to the Guggenheim Museum last Friday, which is located on 5th Avenue and 89th Street in the Upper East Side. The spectacular structure that houses the museum was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1959 and today, it is still one of the most distinct and recognizable buildings in New York City.

The museum was undergoing an extensive exterior renovation so I was not able to get a good photo of the building because of the scaffoldings and wire nettings. However, I was able to take some great photos of the interior architecture. Photography of the art work was prohibited. In fact, we were allowed to use the camera in the lobby area only.

The permanent art collection at the Guggenheim Museum is fairly small compared to the other museums in New York City. It relies extensively on special exhibitions of selected works borrowed from other museums to attract its visitors.

Has anyone been to the New York City Guggenheim Museum? What do you think of it?

Happy Mother's Day

First off, I would like to wish every mothers out there a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

This photo of a pink magnolia tree is only a few blocks from my apartment. Unlike the white magnolia tree that was in my grandmother's garden, this variety does not give off any scent or perfume but it does produce enough blooms to cover the entire tree.

Since I began taking photos for this blog, I noticed that I have become more curious about plants and flowers than ever before. I would stop on the street, at the park or in a store just to admire a flower or a plant. I guess this blog has made me stop to smell the flowers.

How has your daily photo blog changed you?

The Lake & The Boathouse in Central Park

This is The Boathouse Restaurant seen from across The Lake in Central Park. The photo was taken a few steps away from the Bethesda Fountain from yesterday.

Central Park used to have a notorious reputation because of the crime rates in the city. But in the last decade or so, the park has become a very safe place to visit even late in the evening. However, I don't suggest anyone hanging out there after midnight.

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park

The Bethesda Fountain is probably the most iconic and recognizable structure in Central Park. The fountain, which was designed by Emma Stebbins in 1686 and unveiled to the public in 1873, has an 8-foot female winged angel on the top and four 4-foot cherubs representing Temperance, Purity, Health and Peace at the bottom. It is located just north of 74th Street in the middle of the park.

North of the the Bethesda Fountain is The Lake, a huge body of water where one can rent canoes and floating bicycles for an afternoon of recreational activities. The Lake is extremely popular among young couples in love who are looking to spend a romantic afternoon together. As a matter of fact, Central Park is one of the most romantic places to visit in New York City. I have taken some of my dates here for a nice walk after a romantic dinner.

So what are some of the most romantic things you have done for your significant other?

Dandelion

I have been playing a lot with the macro feature of my little digital camera lately. Every time I see something small or has lots of details, I switch the camera to the macro setting and start taking close up photos. Unfortunately, it is not as easy as it seems because the LCD screen on my camera is very small and it is difficult to see if the image is in focus or not. Many photos that appear in-focus on the LCD screen come out blurry on the laptop.

Here is a photo of a dandelion plant that has a pod filled with hundreds of feathery seeds. When the wind blows, these little seeds will float up and fly off to wherever the wind takes them. Dandelions are also very hardy plants because they can survive under very extreme conditions. Most gardeners consider it a weed and a nuisance.

Don't Honk; $350 Penalty

The theme photo for February was "What Annoys You Most About Your City" and I posted a photo of a crowded subway train because it was the easiest concept to translate into photography. But in actuality, the thing that annoys me most about living in NYC is the car alarms that seem to go off at 3 AM in the morning right outside my bedroom window. But how does one translate that into a photograph?

Well, now I have found a perfect photo to illustrate my feeling. This street sign on the corner of Mott and Spring Street in SoHo says honking (I assume it means at night) will result in a fine of $350. All I have to say is, "Bravo!" If I were Mayor Michael Bloomberg, I would make drivers pay $1 for every honk they make.

What do you think? Do you use the honk frequently?

Walking Billy the Cat

On my way home yesterday evening, I saw a woman walking her cat. I was totally intrigued because I have NEVER seen a cat on a leash before. I quickly introduced myself and the lady, who is also my neighbor, introduced me to Billy the cat.

Billy is a Persian and is totally accustomed to walking with a lease around his torso. Because Billy can easily wiggle out of a regular neck strap, he was fitted with a neck and chest strap that is commonly found on smaller dogs. Billy was very shy and kept moving, which made it difficult to take a good photo. But after much coaxing, he finally sat still and I snapped this photo.

So have you ever seen a cat on a leash before? What is the weirdest thing you have ever seen on the street?

MoMA:Up in the Sky

This photo, taken while standing outside at the Sculpture Garden at MoMA, shows three distinct structures in the area. The triangle on the left is the Intersection II by Richard Serra and the triangle on the right is the roof of MoMA that extends out into the garden. The building in the middle of the photo is the highrise that abuts the museum.

This is a photo of the skylight on the 6th and top floor of the museum where special exhibitions are usually held. As you see, the MoMA is sandwiched between two highrise buildings. The building on the left is the same building in the first photo above.

MoMA: Richard Serra at the Sculpture Garden

This is a macro shot of Intersection II (1992-3), a gigantic structure by Richard Serra at the MoMA sculpture garden. It is made up of four identical bands of steel, each weighing 30 tons and measuring 13' high x 53' long and 2 1/8' thick. The structure is arranged in two parentheses formation like this: (( )).

Here is another shot of the Intersection II (below right) taken from inside the MoMA building. The other structure on the upper left is also by Richard Serra called, Torqued Ellipse IV.


Here is a link to more photos of the Intersection II on flickr.com by different photographers. They did a better job of capturing the image of the structure than I did.

MoMA: Monet & Pollock

Reflections of Clouds on the Water Lily Pond by Claude Monet (1840-1926) is one of the most spectacular works of art at the MoMA, not just for its sheer size (6' 6 3/4" x 41' 10 3/8" or 200 x 1276 cm) but its beauty and colors. The painting from the Impressionist movement, occupies the entire length of a gallery has three leather benches in front of it for admirers to sit down, relax and enjoy the scenery.

This painting by Jackson Pollock entitled, One: Number 31, 1950 is a perfect example of his drip and pour technique, which he popularized during the Abstract Expressionist era. The painting is 8' 10" x 17' 5 5/8" (269.5 x 530.8 cm) and is one of many Pollocks exhibited in the permanent collection at the MoMA.

When taking these photos, I was torn between simply taking a perfectly aligned photo of the art work only OR do I want to include museum goers in the picture. What do you think? Do you usually include strangers in your photo or do you make every effort to exclude them?

MoMA: Looking Up, Looking Down

I had a day off yesterday (Thursday) so I went to my favorite museum in the city, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. The reasons I love MoMA best are because: (1) it is small enough to see all the exhibitions in an afternoon but big enough to have a diverse collection of art; (2) the new building, designed by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, is simply spectacular; (3) it is very easy to get to from my apartment; and (4) there is a wonderful fruit and vegetable juice cart right outside the museum for some post-museum refreshments.

The photos above show the views of the 5-floor corridors from the mezzanine (left) and the mezzanine from the 5th floor corridor. For the rest of the week, I will be doing a series of photos from my visit to the MoMA.

Do you have a favorite museum or place near your home where you can visit on your day off?