Saturday reflections

Layers of reflections through the windows of the Fifth Avenue bus, a few months ago when it was still dark in the early evening.

The in-betweenish spring weather is lingering longer than usual this year: a day in the 80's is followed by one in the 50's. I met some students in Central Park today, and when I walked outside it was much colder than I had expected. As there was no way in hell I was walking back up the four flights of stairs to get a jacket, I made a quick stop on the way to buy a hoodie at the gift shop at the zoo. And I congratulated myself on this very clever solution, right up until the moment the cashier rang it up: $60!

Snowy day

Yesterday was the first day of intake testing for spring classes. The forecast on my phone said rain, possibly some sleet, so I wore sneakers that were completely inadequate for the slushy sidewalks left by hours of light but sloppy snow.

One picture is from the bus on Fifth Avenue looking into a Central Park that was blurred by focus-grabbing droplets on the window. The photo isn't black and white but might as well have been, as you can judge by subtracting the taxi and streetlight colors from the other photo, taken on the other side of the park after I got off the bus.

I managed to get home without breaking any bones, which is the important thing.

Merry Christmas

This picture is a few years old, but it's one of my favorite things in New York at Christmas—standing in Rockefeller Center near the tree, looking across Fifth Avenue at Saks.

Because we can probably all use a smile today

Fifth Avenue, during my walk home from school yesterday afternoon.

Urban poetry

Last semester one of my students wrote a lovely essay that I submitted to the Literacy Review, a journal of writing by students in adult literacy programs in New York, published by NYU. And it was accepted!

The launch party was last week, with readings from many of the authors. I took this picture with my phone from the party: a view of the arch in Washington Square Park, looking up the length of Fifth Avenue beyond.

Saturday reflections

There's not much distortion in this reflection, taken on Fifth Avenue near the Library, but I like the way that wire makes another angle across the image.

Saturday reflections

Summer sun on Fifth Avenue, as captured by a revolving door in one of the high-end stores.

Saturday reflections

This is Atlas again, in a much more whimsical mood, with those mighty legs topping a jaunty straw hat.

Saturday reflections

I've done this one before, but it's irresistible: reflections of the statue of Atlas and St Patrick's on Fifth Avenue.

Saturday reflections

The Ferragamo store on Fifth Avenue on a bright, almost-summer, day.

Saturday reflections

This one is a little different -- an ornate church and a sleek modern tower reflected in glossy stone on Fifth Avenue. It's not actually in black and white, but it might as well be.

On the avenue, Fifth Avenue

I wasn't going to put anything up today but this picture from last week came out so unexpectedly well I have to share immediately -- I love the Art Deco vibe.

This is another window at Cartier on Fifth Avenue. I think I see the beginning of a series here.

Saturday reflections

Lunchtime on Fifth Avenue, and reflections at Cartier and Harry Winston.

Bonus Saturday reflections

Because it's only 20 degrees outside and even after two cups of coffee and reading more news than is good for me I still don't feel like getting dressed and going out in it, here's another picture: the Atlas statue in front of a triptych of cathedral reflections.

Wikipedia tells me that when this statue was first unveiled in 1937, people protested because it looked too much like Mussolini. “Later, painter James Montgomery Flagg said that Atlas looks too much as Mussolini thinks he looks.”

Saturday reflections

Resuming the usual blogging schedule after a bit of a holiday break, here's a black and white version of St Patrick's Cathedral reflected in the windows of the International Building on Fifth Avenue.

You can see the curves of the Atlas statue that sits in the courtyard in front of the building in the lower part of the window.

Saturday reflections

Here's a twofer: a gaudy bracelet and a truly unfortunate necklace in the windows of Cartier on Fifth Avenue. I like the effect of photographing the windows at an angle so the reflections are all smooshed together and the focus is on the jewelry.

Two photos, two more days in the office and I'm off to London for Thanksgiving, with a brief stopover in Brussels on the way.

More urban poetry

A young dancer in training.

Saturday reflections

Here's the dazzle of a spring afternoon on Fifth Avenue -- and our spring has been mostly lacking in dazzle so far -- with crowds of spring break tourists reflected in the windows of one of the glittery emporiums there.