Sunday, January 30, 2011

the original and the knock off



natural light in Grand Central-1941

What used to be lit by nature is captured glaringly by a movie prop floodlight that can never replicate the original...


artificial capture on a Sunday afternoon

Monday, January 17, 2011

all roads lead home


left the house pretty early with one goal in mind, hadn't gone for a walk like this in awhile and I needed it. Grabbed a cup of coffee at the corner bodega, made my way down the central artery that cuts through Harlem valley. looped around the large green space in the middle, cut across millionaire's row, minks and uggs galore, pharmacies and florist shops since the 1890's.

Passed the luxury shops wondering how they can afford to stay open with no traffic going in. Light a candle for the lost souls in the church where F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald got married. Beads, threading, hats and purses. move on...

Passed what once was Tammany Hall, the sight of Luchow's and realize I'm hungry. Thought I could hold out till Veselka's for soup but got enticed by the hole in the wall selling dumplings and corn soup. Get distracted by the meat shop on Second Avenue and gaze at the sausages, blitzes and lamb chops the size of a football and have fantasies of being able to cook all of that. Russian filters in and out of my ears as I go up and down the display cases...mental note to come back but only to buy something I will realistically cook and eat.

Almost there...pass houston, delancey, grand..can see a partial view of the Manhattan bridge. Pass the cup and saucer lucheonette which looks more like one those old timey places for people on the run as I didn't see any seats, just counter space.



I made it!


then conversations of reform and orthodox, uptown and downtown, mentally making a note of what I need to change in that one chapter, unexpected company from a woman whose grandmother was a Ratner and the lady I was partnered with filling my head with 124 years of history I will have to remember at some point.


" Well you found you're right place, everyone has their own way for telling the story." It's alot to remember but think I can handle it,

As dusk sets, I get ready for the return trip cutting through another swath of my home. I survived. but the sneakers finally gave out. oh well, time for another pair.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

"you must retreat in order to advance"

So I am retreating...back to when women knew how to really dress it up....

Fox Furs-1910


to when you could be reminded of how small you were in the world
Banker's Row-Pittsburgh-1915
to when you had more choices to wet your imagination....

Zine Shop-1940


-images from Shorpy

Monday, January 3, 2011

lesson from the pond


keep your head above water, paddle even if you can't swim that well and eventually the barrier will slowly eb away.