UNIQLO

This advertisement was on a temporary wall surrounding a construction site in Chinatown. The ad is for UNIQLO (pronounced you-KNEE-coo-lo), a Japanese brand of medium priced clothes that just opened its first NYC store in SoHo. It is supposedly the largest UNIQLO outlet in the world, with over 35,000 sq ft of retail space and serves as the brand's global flagship store.

The store was designed by well known interior designer, Masamichi Katayama and boasts a 5-storey high display case filled with unique t-shirts created by artists from Japan specifically for the store opening.

The advertisement depicts cashmere sweaters and wraps that retail for $89.95 and $59.95 respectively. I'm thinking of getting the sweater in brown (on the zebra) or dark blue (on the right pengium). Or if I'm really lucky, I may find one under the Christmas tree this year. *wink* *wink* I've been a good boy this year; really I have!!

Photos

You can find street vendors selling just about anything in New York City, from the ubiquitous hotdogs and pretzels to the occasional guy hawking fake watches and handbags. There are, however, some great stuff to be found on the streets if you look hard enough.

In SoHo, you will likely find amateur artists selling original, homemade jewelries, knitwears, cards, and whatnots. There are also entrepreneurial guys selling antique books, old photographs, and all thing used and worn.

This is a photo of a display stand, on Broadway Avenue between Spring and Prince Streets, that specializes in framed portraits of celebrities, movie posters, magazine covers, and other scenic images. I suspect the target customers are tourists but that doesn't mean a local New Yorker can't pick up some pictures for his or her apartment.

My favorite image in the photo is the one depicting the evolution of ape to man and finally, to woman -- woman being the most evolved! HA! Okay, I won't go there!! Audrey Hepburn in the turtleneck sweater is a favorite too. Which is yours?

Subway Train

This photo was taken inside the Union Square subway station on a slow speed shutter setting to capture the contrast between moving and stationary objects.

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the NYC subway system is one of the oldest and most extensive public transportation systems in the world. The first underground line began in 1904 and today, it has 468 stations and over 656 miles of tracks. The longest ride stretches over 31 miles from the Bronx (207th Street) to Brooklyn (Far Rockaway) on the A Line. Average ridership per day is approximately 5 million people. Most people use the subway to commute to and from work, or to wherever they are going.

Apple Cube

This is the new Apple Store on 5th Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets in NYC. The store, which opened in 2006, is actually underground beneath the gigantic glass cube. It has 10,000 sq ft of floor space and is open 24/7.

A distinct feature of this store is the lack of designated check-out counters. Apple Store associates float around with portable handheld "EasyPay" devices that allow customers to pay by credit cards, and the receipts are automatically sent via e-mail notifications. Supposedly, this eliminates long lines for purchases and unnecessary paper.

Bloomberg Tower

This is the new Bloomberg Tower on Lexington Avenue and 59th Street. It was completed in 2005, and stands at 806 feet (246 meters) high and 54 stories tall. The first 9 floors are offices while the rest (tower) are condominiums. It currently houses, among other offices, restaurants and retail stores, the headquarters for Bloomberg LP. Michael Bloomberg is the current mayor of New York City.

The complex was designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates and was voted as one of the best skyscrapers of NYC in 2005.