Argyle Rd.

This is my old neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. Down around the corner of Cortelyou and Argyle roads, I remember snippets of my childhood, including bakery runs on Sunday morning, the playground around the corner, and even the walk up Argyle to Prospect Park.  Most of the neighborhood changed, but I was able to quickly find old bearings through my memories of this part of town. Most notably, the mural in Lt. Federico Narvaez Tot Lot has weathered the decades long between visits, and stands just as it did to me almost 20 years ago today.

Confetti everywhere

Yesterday was the Chinese New Year Parade in New York City, and I found myself photographing mostly children and people enjoying the parade, rather than the parade itself.  "Confetti everywhere" is all I could think, all I could seem to photograph all day.  Most of the enjoyment it seemed came from popping confetti tubes, which showered the streets and onlookers, covering the pavement with a pinkish, liquid mass.  It was a lot of fun, but once I got myself in the mind of a child, I began to enjoy the whole thing much more.  I would be curious, if anyone could tally a figure, of how many of those confetti shooters were used yesterday.

Big ups to the New York City sanitation workers who cleaned house after the parade.  They were working the moment the last float turned down Mott and Canal, and this morning is the cleanest I have seen Chinatown... for the entire year I have lived there!

No Pants Subway Ride!

 How does one explain the tenth annual No Pants Subway Ride in New York City?  Thousands gathered at six strategic meeting points on and off the island, riding out into the subway system, and removed their pants.  We rode the N from Canal Street uptown for ten stops.  After removing our pants, we transferred to a following N Train, and carried on as if business was usual.  Once at the border of Queens, we transferred to the 6, and rode back to Union Square where the no pants riders celebrated their liberation from chafing jean, corduroy, and leggings. The whole event was organized by a group called Improv Everywhere, and was carried out in cities globally.  

What was this experience? Strange reactions and confused participants mashed with too much media coverage.  I fully enjoyed the concept and desired effect.  Unfortunately the N Train was rather sparsely crowded and drew little reaction.  The return trip on the 6 was much more of what I would consider the goal of this event.  Our subway car was crowded with pantsed norms, and the pants-less participants (Lisa and myself included) made things uncomfortable, goofy, sexy, and flat out funny.  The party in the square was... polar bear club meets pillow fight meets fraternity hazing!

Photo by Lisa Barnshaw

Photo by Lisa

Photo by Lisa

Photo by Lisa

Amazing photo by Lisa

Photo by Lisa

Photo by Lisa

Quote of the day (from bystander at start point): "Actually... I can't do this, I'm not wearing any underwear!"

Trash, everywhere

You remember that snow, that blizzard that hit New York just after Christmas?  The city slowed down to a halt, and there was only quiet whisper of cars over the muffled blankets of snow.  It was beautiful, for a day or two, and quite charming to be knee deep in soft powder.  That fun has worn off, has shed its beauty, and now a week's worth of trash has piled up even higher than the forecast accumulation.  I guess the sanitation department has some catching up to do.

A day in the life between two bridges.  Sometimes it is all white smiles and clean sheets... but sometimes everything is covered in a bed of filth.  God, I love New York.

One more thing. Happy New Year! May it be more photographic than the last!

Winter in NYC

The Nor'easter that hit yesterday made traffic in New York City slow to a slippery, drunken stagger. Cars and trucks marooned everywhere, winds heaving snow from rooftops.  It was a good day for cold fingertips and dripping noses, for eating snow and puddle hopping.

SantaCon: The quest for St. Nick

There is nothing like a bit of good anarchy in the streets, and SantaCon is one of those afternoons where New Yorkers don a Santa Suit and join thousands of strangers for a bit of anonymous debauchery.  Most of the Village was packed with Santas, and everyone who was not in a red suit was instead wearing a look of awe and confusion.  I couldn't help to think that there should be a lot more days like this in New York City.  Assembling in great numbers, forcing the public and the police to accept the temporary insanity, Santa took over the city (and made it very possible for some Saturday afternoon street photography).

My favorite out of all the hordes of people, were the elves protecting the real Santa.  "NO PICTURES PLEASE," they shouted, as they rushed the real St. Nick from my lens.  They seemed to be having a lot of fun while staying in character, and interacting with everyone else. 
 

Cheers to the elves for keeping Santa safe from those evil paparazzi photographers!