NO ball playing

somewhere in greenpoint, brooklyn - map it here [i]
Seriously???
Oh come on! It's like... totally unfair! I swear: I've done my homeworks!! All of them! And I'll be super careful, I promess. Pleeeeeeeease?
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This sign on a façade of Greenpoint reminded me a sign I saw in Nice (South of France) last winter.

somewhere in nice, french riviera - map it here [i]
Trop injuste!
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Since many of you are asking, the last pictures taken were not snapped with the new camera. Still with the good old iPhone.
I haven't gotten a chance to learn the instructions for the Leica yet. It will be a while.
[i] indicates a picture taken via iPhone
[L] indicates a picture taken with the new baby Leica

heart in a puddle

lorimer st - greenpoint, brooklyn - map it here [i]
This Sunday, I was exploring Greenpoint, a Brooklyn neighborhood, also known as Little Poland. It's an ecclectic neighborhood, rumored to be the next hipster haven.
On Lorimer Street, I saw this puddle with a plastic heart. The trees reflected are from McCarren Park just on the other side of the street.

So I have to ask: which one do you like best? The vertical or the horizontal one?

meet my new baby

leica d-lux 4
Christmas came in early! I woke up early this morning to be right in front of B&H when it opened its doors, ran to the point&shoot counter, and ordered my new little toy. I wanted something simple, a little old-fashioned looking, easy enough to carry everywhere and use everyday. I could not resist the leather case to keep it warm and safe. "You're in luck!", the vendor said. "The camera price just dropped by close to $100 and the leather case dropped by $50". Cool!!! Christmas, I told you. Really. It cost me close to nothing. I won a little award at work and it was worth just slightly below my total purchase. Sweet!
So now, I'll have to learn how to use this thing. It looks a bit more complicated than that simple click on the iPhone. But hey, that's why I bought it. Woot!

lights out!

a cool crib in the UWS
Did you vote earth tonight at 8:30pm by switching off your lights for an hour? I sure did. And I heard the Empire State Building had the nerve of copying me. Pfff...

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To learn more: http://www.earthhour.org

weeds invasion

halcyon - 57 pearl street - map it here
You know how it goes... One day you notice a few benign little sprouts. You kind of dismiss it. Next thing you know, there's a weeds invasion on your façade!

This wild mural is the façade of Halcyon in DUMBO. They don't sell weeds in their shop but everything you need to be a top-notch DJ - vinyls gallore!

monster on wheels

broadway around 38th - map it here
What can I say? It's loud all around. And that's why it's fabulous.

the monster project

somewhere in dumbo - brooklyn - map it here
After a monster of delay in the postings of this blog, and after having conquered the monster cold, it's only fitting that I present you with... the monster project!
The red monster above is of course called... the red dragon. But the black one below is much much scarier, don't you think? You didn't know wandering in the streets of DUMBO was that dangerous, right? Now, you are warned: they have monsters at every corners there... brrr... Intrepid as I am, I ventured on the website of the project and learned some reassuring facts. These are actually friendly monsters, which Kylin O'Brien is painting around the city, in a collaborative effort with New York City public school children.
"These creatures are elements of children's imaginations and reflectioon of what they find both powerful and frightening. As neighborhood murals, they are transformed into local guardians. They are very much a commentary on our collective strengths and fears".


You can learn more about it here:
• www.kylinobrien.net/themonsterproject/projecthome.html
• www.themonsterproject.net
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/17250795@N06/sets/72157608081178454/

mister time & miss quincampoix

somewhere in dumbo - brooklyn - map it here
Since you are ready for a little street art safari, meet Mister Time and Miss Quincampoix, two characters of street artist Frank Duval, aka FKDL.

In this short video (in French), you will learn that his collages brought him initially to New York, Barcelona and Paris. Now his little family of 20 characters follow him in Berlin, Torino, Rio, ... His collages are prepared in his studio in Paris and declined locally following his moods on corners of the city that appeals to him. From a distance, you might be attracted by the shapes and colors. But a closer look will show you his passion for old papers, from the 20ies to the 70ies. It's a collection of our memories and a form of recycling.

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To learn more about this artist:
• FKDL website: http://www.fkdl.com
• FKDL blog: http://www.fkdl.com/blog
• FKDL photostream on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fkdl
• see the man at work here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lia and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lia
• a close-up of Mister Time in SOHO: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fkdl

street art, anyone?

13 old fulton st. - dumbo, brooklyn - map it here
Just checking if you are ready for a little street art/grafitti/mural extravaganda. Are you?

inside the canyon

Did I ever show you how good-looking New York lampposts are?
You can't really miss it here. I like how its old-fashioned good looks and curves contrast with the straight lines of the modern architecture in the background. It makes me think of a drop of rain at the end of a curbed twig. Behind this cutie, you may recognize The New York Times building, the light one at the very back. Which means the avenue across is Broadway and a block or so behind us is Bryant Park. And I am back from lunch.

w

104 w40th st - map it here
What?? Is he back? Didn't we take care of this recently? Au secour!!! - I wondered when I passed this giant W.
All kidding aside, I have absolutely no idea what it stands for. But a closer look gives me an excuse to go back and find out. Can you see that colorful mosaic in the lobby? That deserves a second look. Mission for one of the next lunch time expeditions.

don't panic

somewhere in dumbo - brooklyn - map it here
For each problem, there's a solution...
IF KEY GETS
STUCK - DON'T
PANIC AND BREAK IT.
Push on cylinder
and pull the key at
the same time.

in memoriam

Broadway @ W79th St - map it here
Oh NOooooo!!!
Do you see what I saw last night?
Our little yellow friend is no more.
But we'll always have the memories...





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Related posts:
• tuesday, october 2, 2007 - chair in an unusual place
• tuesday, october 30, 2007 - chair in an unusual place-update
• monday, march 31, 2008 - a quick update
• thursday, june 12, 2008 - alive and kicking

down under the manhattan bridge overpass

dumbo - brooklyn - map it here
This is why they call it D.U.M.B.O.