City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

I am writing on July 5, but am still thinking about July 4.

July 4 is our national holiday, and it is a day on which we celebrate our independence. There are speeches, songs, parades, visits to beaches and shopping. Most employed people have the day off. Some folks have employment that helps others in their celebrations and those folks work on July 4.

This year many people will celebrate their good fortune in being employed.

Yesterday was a day with glorious weather, a perfect day leading to a grand night for fireworks. Macy's, a huge New York department store, sponsors an annual fireworks display on the evening of July 4. Generally, these displays are launched from barges afloat in the East River, near the eastern tip of Manhattan.

Generally, since I live on the west side of the city, this means that it's way too much hassle to cross the island to watch the sky. I sometimes have watched the display on television.

This year was different. We are commemorating Henry Hudson, and the Hudson River, named for Mr. Hudson. This river is on the western edge of Manhattan, and very close to where I live. This year, Macy's decided to float its barges in the Hudson.

After supper last evening, I thought that I would not be lazily unobservant of the Hudson commemoration. I went to view the fireworks.


It was a quick walk over to the West Side highway, which had been closed to vehicular traffic. Hundreds, if not thousands of folks were already beginning to gather along the two north/south miles of the highway that had been touted as prime viewing locations.

The above photo shows a police vantage point that I passed by to reach the highway. Post 9/11, we often see such safety points. I heard fellow parade goers wondering if there were sharp-shooters within that perch. I just kept walking and thinking positive thoughts.

I thought I would take a few photos to show you the behemoth apartment buildings that entrepreneur Donald Trump has built within the past few years along the riverside.

The buildings are not architectural achievements, but they are very high-priced, and have blocked the river views of many people who have lived in my neighborhood for many years.

I continued to walk southward, and found that the crowds were not so dense as I might have expected. Perhaps the heavy crowding was focused in the mid-town areas. I was glad to not be too crowded. Lots of police men and women were stationed along the highway. Lots of family groups were gathered.

The sun began to set over the west side of the river. This photo shows the "New Jersey coast." It also shows how blurry my photos began to be. I did not put my glasses on, and just clicked away.

Finally, around 9:30, the show began. There were five barges that set off identical blasts. The choreography of the shapes, colors, designs and general ferocity of the fireworks was spectacular and often downright artistic.

At first I did not notice much noise or much gunpowder scent or smoke.

As the show progressed, the barges continued to fire off the jets of light that zoomed high into the air before creating their beautiful afterglow.

I began to realize that my camera technique was not quick enough to capture what I was seeing and so I tried to anticipate the next stage of a particular burst. Sometimes I was more successful than other times!

It was amusing to hear the loud ooohs and ahhhhs of the sophisticated New Yorkers gathered on the highway. We can be very innocent in our reactions to unexpected delights.

I like the above picture even with the shakiness of the focus.

Ooooh! Ahhhhh!

Wow!

Wowwwww!

After a while, I just put my camera away, so that I could really enjoy the panorama in front of me. The show ended with a truly spectacularly loud and flashy burst of multi-color abstraction.

And then the sky was quiet. We all strolled back along the route we had taken to see the show.

I was home in no time, having seen some wonderful city views.

Even so, I still return to my country dreams.

City Views, Country Dreams

Good morning from New York.






When I read comments on my posts, I continue to be amazed by how many arrive from people living very far away. It is such a pleasure to know that even while sitting here in my tiny aparment, I am able to trade thoughts, pictures, information and laughter with folks all across the world.


Recently, I have traded comments with Tulsa http://theartoflivinginjapan.blogspot.com/ who lives in Japan and writes several delightful blogs.


She has tagged me to participate in a game of Five Favorites. I will comply, though my answers may be a bit vague.


My five favorite songs could be Waterloo Sunset, No Expectations, Instant Karma, Once in Royal David's City and As Time Goes By.


My five favorite movies could be The Maltese Falcon, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, anything by Almodovar, Chinatown and Annie Hall.


My five favorite books is a category that proves impossible to list. I might be permitted to list categories? My art history books with favorites on Georgio Morandi, Pierre Matisse, James MacneilWhistler. My art technique books. My needlecraft books. Short story collections by DH Lawrence. Novels ... oh, just too many to list.


My five favorite crushes is another tricky area. Are these crushes to be only fixated on people, or could they be ... wonderful shoes, beautiful gardens, art supply stores, yarn shops or libraries? If people, this is also tricky ... must these people be alive? Then perhaps I'd say Roger Federer, Ray Davies. Since I am not so young, crushes from past times are so much easier.


My five favorite random things. Ah, the window of opportunity opens.

Being able to get outdoors, whether it is by taking a short walk to Central Park, or being able to visit a friend who lives by a lake. Glorious photo above.

Finding free time to draw or paint or visit friends.

Re-connecting with old friends or finding a new friend.

Hearing good news.

Laughing.

Can you all just about see the deer peeking through the edge of the forest that surrounds my friend's home? It makes me laugh to remember how he watched us watching him.

Back to the game.

I would like to invite the following wonderful blogging friends to join the game.

Milla to be found at http://milla-countrylite.blogspot.com/

Cait O'Connor to be found at http://caitoconnor.blogspot.com/

Irish Eyes to be found at http://irisheyestheviewfrommywindow.blogspot.com/

Un Peu Loufoque to be found at http://ttheothersideofme.blogspot.com/

Sue to be found at http://mousenotebook.blogspot.com/

Visiting any of these folks will guarantee any reader a treat. They are five of my favorite writers, and they can lead you to even more favorites.

Have fun with the game of tag.

City Views, Country Dreams

Good morning from New York.

My most recent post was one of many posts that chose a theme of china plates, at the suggestion of Elizabeth, who writes About New York. It was fascinating to see how many other people share an interest in china old and new. The large turn out of crisscrossing comments encouraged the lovely Valerie, who writes as Acornmoon and who "follows" my site, to suggest another theme, Mugs on Monday.

Feeling that I can easily be a mug on any day of any week, I'll share some photos of some of my favorite mugs with you this Monday.


The little bone china mug above was given to me many years ago by a friend who'd come across it in a bargain shop. I love using it to store some of my baking tools. You can just see the tip of a wooden double-tined fork that was carved for me by my late father. I use this to poke a decorative touch on top of biscuits, making their round shapes appear like buttons.

The mug was made in Staffordshire England by Crown Trent. The village scene surrounds the entire circumference of the mug. This and the following photos will prove to you all once again just how much clutter surrounds me.

This tiny mug was a Christmas gift years ago from my mom, and there's a very faint gold inscription over the rose that reads "Love the giver." Well, she's my mom, and of course I love her! There is a circular red stamp on the bottom of this mug that says Made in Germany.

Ah, now here is a breakfast time still life. Coffee in the press, orange juice in the glass, several brown betty teapots ready to step in as needed, and the plain white mug from which I usually do drink my coffee or tea. I bought it at the NY Conran Shop and it was made in Bangladesh. I have a good friend from Bangladesh and I think of her when I use this mug. If I had a dishwasher or microwave, this mug could enter and exit them safely.

Now here is another use for a mug. I like the shape and the pinky lavender of this one, that I bought for a dollar on sale at Anthropology. As you might guess, it is a Chinese-made knockoff of a vintage design. It makes a great receptacle for all the brushes I need to get my make-up applied.

And here is my final Monday mug offering. This was one of a set offered as a promotion by Maxwell House coffee back in ... maybe the 1970's. The printing on the mug is blurry; it is not just my faulty photography. I liked the idea of mixing my instant coffee brands. Maxwell, meet Nescafe. This picture also allows a peek into my minuscule kitchen, and the crowd of postcards that are magneted on to my fridge. Can you see the old card with Diana's image?

Perhaps that might be another them for a post. Do any of you have an odd collection decorating your refrigerator's door? Who has got the smallest kitchen.

I am looking forward to seeing who else has written about mugs today. Think it's time to make another cup of tea. Cheers!

City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

A friend and fellow blogger had tipped me earlier this week that today might be a day to write about plate. I had almost forgotten all about this theme until now on Friday evening.

My apartment is far too small to hold as many plates as it does. I love old china, and also admire newer plates with patterns that are vintage inspired.


The above plate is from a set of celadon tinted ironstone I bought in the mid 1970's, thinking that I might as well get something to dress up my tabletop. Floral patterns please me, perhaps just like floral scents also suit my taste. I have never chipped a plate or cup from this pattern.

The above blurry close up of a central motif is part of a set of bone china I bought decades later. It is fun to bring this out every now and then when I have friends for tea. I no longer have room to really serve a dinner party, even it I do have plenty of plates!

This even more out of focus floral design is in the center of plates that I was given. They once belonged to a relative from another era. I am afraid to use these plates, because I would not want to damage them. I don't feel quite so protective of china that I have bought for myself.

Lighting not at all good in the above photo, but I am sure that any of you will recognize the pattern. I was astonished recently to learn that the pattern is no longer made in the traditional way. I regularly use plates, cups and saucers in this pattern. Some are chipped and some are mended. I don't mind a bit.

At some point years ago, I went through a white china phase, and this plate is one of the last remaining pieces of porcelain. The cups from this pattern have beautiful graceful shape, and I have drawn and painted them several times.

Ah, here is another old favorite. These plates, cups and saucers had a rough time of it on my table and there are not many left. I also love the pheasant motif and have painted it many times.

Once I thought that I would eventually have a house, with a proper kitchen and dining room and that china would have a purpose. I no longer have those sorts of plans. Even so, I don't regret having spent time selecting these plates, not to mention all the other antique cups and saucers that find various places of honor in my close quarters.

After all, none of this is being made any more. I never thought my daily china would become so rare during my own lifetime.

Sweet dreams to all.

City Views, Country Dreams

Good afternoon from New York, on a hot Sunday, the final day of May.

This is a time of year when many so-called street fairs come to our neighborhood. Various vendors set up their stands early in the morning, and then hope to attract lots of customers before having to dismantle the stands around 6 pm. The stands are actually in the street, so that normal vehicular traffic is blocked during the fair hours.

As I walked down Broadway, I took a sampling of photos to give you an idea of why folks either love or hate these fairs. You will quickly see that a city street fair is very different from a village craft fair.

There are many food stands, many of which seem to offer similar menus. Fresh fruit was plentiful, either cubed, pured, dipped in chocolate, or put to other uses. In the background of the above picture you might just see some roses blooming in a tiny triangular park formed where Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue convene.

Another view of the roses, and a chance to find hot dogs.

This photo is a longer range view to show that there are many tall buildings along Broadway. Most have stores or cinemas or restaurants at street level and apartments above.

You might be tempted to buy some orchids. I am not at all sure if these orchids will have much of a life span.

You could buy some baskets woven in Africa.

You could try to endure the very fragrant smoke from the grills long enough to buy a gyro or shish kabob.

Just across the way, you might consider a carpet, but remember that these carpets are also collecting lots of that fragrant smoke.

A few blocks down the street, I saw a straw hat stand that was doing very well.

Here's a corner of a stand that mainly featured children's clothing. The little crocheted key chain bobbles and finger puppets were rather charming.

Chocolate coated bananas, sure to be a bit messy when being eaten.

I had not seen this delicacy in prior street fairs, but several stands were offering the mozzarepa this afternoon. I did see a few folks giving them a try. Other folks settled for traditional grilled corn on the cob, with lots of butter.

The above picture is a close-up view of a jewelry stand's necklace assortment.

This young lady was doing very well with her blender, pineapples, canned pineapple juice, bananas and strawberries. Her stand was very near the southern end of the blocks given over to the street fair, and just north of our neighborhood's cultural zone, at Lincoln Center.

For the past year, the many buildings and plazas at Lincoln Center have been undergoing much needed renovation work. Alice Tully Hall is just now coming out from under its protective scaffolding, and now has a splendid angular glass front.

The above picture shows a new cafe that is just inside this glass front. It is a nice place to meet before a performance, or just to sit down for refreshments. Very different atmosphere from that of the street fair.

Just outside that glassed-in area is a mini-amphitheatre, which is also angular in shape. There are occasionally performances held in this space. The performers will have to compete with the traffic moving down Broadway a few yards away.

There is always lots of change in this neighborhood, even though many of the older buildings are designated landmarks and, therefore, cannot be torn down. Lesser anointed buildings are always being replaced by new towers that are not always architecturally distinguished.

This last picture is taken facing uptown, or northwards on Broadway. The building under construction will be 22 stories tall, and is being build pretty quickly. I keep thinking of all the folks who will be living there, and whether they will want to ride the same subways and buses that I ride.

Hoping that you all have enjoyed this Sunday in the city. You may now be even more happy with your own country views.

Happy June to all.

City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

I have read lots of blogs today that brought to my screen all the beauty of spring's arrival in various countrysides. I was awake, yet felt that I was also dreaming.

New York reality today has showed me ... and anyone else around this city on a prematurely summer day. It was 90 degrees. If I were less lazy, I would do the centigrade conversion, but the heat has made me lazy.

Often our city will suddenly embrace this sort of sun-fueled heat at the end of May. To have it happen in late April is a surprise. I dug out my favorite 2008 sandals, and got the laundry done early, got the other required errands done early.

I live in a building built before World War II, and therefore, in city real-estate speak, deemed pre-war. This might amuse some of you all who live in older countries. The walls of this pre-war building are thick enough to keep its inhabitants cool for long after the outside gets hot. Even tonight it is quite comfy in this apartment, and only one window is open.

But I do get ahead of myself. In the early afternoon, I set off on a bus for the east side of Central Park, planning to walk back home after my visit to the library. Just before I boarded the bus, at the end of a long queue, I heard the bus driver in a typically loudish, or even loutish, conversation with another boarding passenger. Seemed that there might be a change of route. The man in front of me did not want any delay in his eastward trip.

I knew that there was a March of Dimes Walk fund raiser around town today, because I'd sent my usual check to a dear friend who's walked this walk for decades, but somehow I had forgotten that there was also a parade on Fifth Avenue, honoring Greece.

I got on the bus. We began our journey. Just as we got to Central Park West (obviously the western boundary of the glorious Park) the driver announced that we would indeed be taking a detour. Bit of tension moved its way backward from the driver's frontal location through the bendy-bus. I just relaxed, knowing that at the worst, I would see more of the Park from the bus window than I would see on the normal route.

The detour took a very long time. We did get to the east side, and I got off the bus around Park Avenue, so that I could capture some photos of the tulips in their final act of blooming. There are blocks and blocks planted with these tulips and these flowering trees. With today's heat, these Park Avenue beauties will not have many more days of glory.

Block after block has this planted area dividing the uptown and downtown traffic routes.

I have taken these pictures following a special request from a lady who remembers the Park Avenue tulips, even as she now shows us so many beautiful views of Vienna.

Ah, finally off the bus, and over to the library for a great hunt in the stacks, and discovery of a book that would otherwise have been lost. It had not been checked out for years. The book is The Stone Book, by Alan Garner.

Got the book checked out, and decided to brave the mid-afternoon heat for a walk through the Greek parade and back across the Park. Great decision!

There was a slight breeze, and I remembered to visit what was still abloom in the Lilac Walk.

Most of the many varieties of lilacs along this little pathway just south of the Sheep Meadow have already gotten past the bloom stage are are leafy green. All the same, those still in flower are also giving all who pass by their delightful fragrance.

As I began to really feel the warmth of this sunny afternoon, I glanced over at the crowds that had chosen to gather all over the Sheep Meadow. A few weeks ago, this area was still fenced off, not available to the sun worshipping public. The gates are now open.

Would any of you all really want to be one of hundreds of people on this lawn? Or would you prefer to be on a country lane, or dealing with various needs of your garden, or watching cricket (or even playing cricket?) Do you perhaps see where my dreams arise?

I wish you all pleasant dreams.

City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

I hope that many of you have had the treat of reading blogs by Exmoor Jane. For some reason, Jane has tagged me to participate in a meme. I am both honored and alarmed.

I will try to answer some of Jane's questions, and then ... read carefully to the end, will tag some readers to catch the toss and perhaps respond. No pressure. Only respond if you wish.

What are your current obsessions?
Trying to survive is at the top of the list as our world changes in so many ways.

What's for dinner?
Just had that quickly prepared dinner, and as it is many evenings, it involved pasta, lots of colorful vegetables, a bit of chicken, olive oil, Parmesan. A few glasses of wine always make these dinners relaxing.

Last thing you bought?
On the way home from work, I got a quart of milk and a half gallon of orange juice. Oh, and also some chocolate almond biscotti.

What are you listening to?
Reggae show on BBC via my trusty laptop. I am multi-tasking.

Favorite holiday spots?
Years ago, when I could afford to take vacations, I would always travel across the Atlantic to the UK, and have many favorites places there.

Reading right now?
Current issue of The New Yorker magazine, and ... courtesy of a tip from Jane, Granny Reardun, by Alan Garner.

Four words to describe yourself?
Honest, un-dyed (hair), tired, energetic.

Do you talk to yourself?
Oh, yes, and sing also.

Guilty pleasure?
I just cannot answer this one. Any answer that I begin to write just seems so trivial.

Who or what makes you laugh until you're weak.
Less and less as time goes on. I still do smile quite easily.

First spring thing?
Seeing the faint green haze over Central Park and taking that first walk to see if the snow drops are a bit past it, and if the yellow signals of daffs and forsythia are on the move.

Planning to travel to next?
If the economic situation does not improve, I may never again travel for holiday pleasure. So...my next travel would either be via the NYC subway to work or perhaps by foot over to beautiful Central Park.

Best thing you ate or drank lately?
Another tricky one. I did have a pretty delicious slice of cake with raspberry filling and marzipan icing last week.

Flower of the moment?
As a city person, I mostly experience flowers vicariously. Tulips are the latest showstoppers in New York.

Favorite ever film?
Too tough to select one. The Manchurian Candidate and Dr Strangelove were pretty good, but I also just loved The Thin Man, My Man Godfrey, lots of the Marx Brothers films, Basil Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes, Wings of Desire, Chinatown ... too many others come to mind.

Care to share some wisdom?
I love to gather wisdom from others, and only get up the courage to share any of my own notions when really, truly feel that someone would want to hear some of my nonsense.

Would you rather walk, run or ride?
Walking is my choice every time possible. It clears my mind of troubles, and often presents me with some unexpected joy. A flower, a friend I haven't thought I'd see, a funny dog, a child learning to walk.

So, I have gotten through Jane's challenge, and will now pass on the toss. If any of the following folks see this post and wish to take up the tag, please do replace one question, add a question, and have a bit of fun with the list. I pass along no pressure at all.

Readers tagged are:
Irish Eyes
Cowgirl
PG
TiggyWinkle
Camilla
Merisi
Puffin
Elizabeth
CalicoKate
ScriptorSenex

I've listed lots of names of folks who are kind enough to visit my blog. If any of the rest of you have not visited these folks, I encourage you to make that click.

With that, I will now wish all of you pleasant dreams.