Plantfiti

I love the idea of plant graffiti. Figuring out how to provide the plant with dirt to root in is challenging but in the big picture the thought of covering the city in unsanctioned greenery has a lot of appeal.

REVS memorial

I'd seen pictures of this so I was excited to randomly happen upon it.

Corrugated

Blue

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory

It's no wonder I don't see more photos of this place. What a hike! Definitely taking the bus next time.

The best tree in Brooklyn

This is waaay at the end of Manhattan Ave. The storefront with the people in front is Ashbox. But what a perfect tree to sit under.

William Taft to go

I'm not a vegetarian so I may not be a good judge of the food we got here. The fried zuccini sandwich was very good. I also had the salad with the bleu cheese and the fruit. Also good. The caesar salad with vegan dressing was a little odd but still tasted like cesar salad. It had tomato slices in it, which was unexpected. The macaroni & cheese was large bow noodles with a thin cheese or butter sauce, not the orange lump of elbow noodle comfort food I was expecting. For that matter, the potato salad was dressed, but not gloppy white with mayo (how I like it). So I guess the one note I can make there is not to expect traditional comfort food from the comfort food menu items. Of course, if you regularly eat vegetarian you're probably saying, "Duh."

Next time, brunch.

Overgrown

Shoeless

That little triangle park at the top of Bedford where it meets Nassau, is that Greenpoint or Williamsburg or what?

Destefano's Steakhouse

I've searched and Googled and don't come up with anything for this place. It's on Leonard at Conselyea St. in Williamsburg. It looks finished but no menu in the windor or posted hours. Is it not open yet?

Bicycle bars

Ice cream lady

Lightning porn

Last night's storms...

The buildings are blurry in the top one because I moved the tripod while the shutter was open, but it was still again by the time the lightning struck. I had the shutter set for 5 seconds.

Kitchen door

Sleepy eyes and sweaty thighs

Speaking of weird glass penthouses...

Lest anyone think the odd overhanging glass penthouse on the 123 W15th Street design is totally weird, remember someone already thought of that in the meatpacking district. The Diane Von Furstenburg building.

Faro & Bloke

These two must have gone on an outing together because there are a lot of pairs like this around recently.

I'm thinking this was on its way to being a Faro mummy and something interrupted him.

Under the tree

Could really use a better background.

Arches

Umbrella look-out

This lady would probably be a little weirded out to know that I took this many pictures of her but I really like that umbrella and the one-leg-up pose.

Bubbles

Parasol

I like the look of the wall and this is meant to be part of the series of people in the shade but I think the parasol girl has to be in the middle of the shot.

That old house

They're doing some real renovation work on that old house on the corner of Berry and N5th. Better than flattening the lot and putting up a glass cube.

Dream

Red and White - second try

I feel like there's something to be done here compositionally but this is my millionth try at it and I can't quite find it.

Food Service

Umbrella spot - second try

I gave this one a second look and decided I really liked her back. I'm not sure I was really able to bring that out but that's what I was working for.

Sharing a laugh

Obviously not the clearest shot but this is one of those I'm willing to keep just for the figures.

Night fruit

The next corner at Berry & N10th goes vertical

55 Berry's neighbor is making slow progress, I think the entire thing is being put together by one guy. But across the street they've left the "lot" stage and moved to verticals.

Even though the third corner is still at ground level, it's a safe bet this intersection will be unrecognizable by summer's end.

Oy Vey

She doesn't look very impressed with the new building at Berry and N7th. (Their floorboards were shipped yesterday. Walnut.)

Slouch

Red and White

When to hold 'em

Umbrella spot

123 West 15th Street

Oh c'mon, after all of this (http://www.curbed.com/archives/2007/06/19/floorplan_porn_123_west_15ths_undulicious_curves.php) you didn't go take a "before" picture just for the record?

Yellow phone

A black hole

The Caledonia

Smoke break

The Modern

Farmers Market

Renegade Craft Fair

More cool custom t-shirts than you can shake a stick at.

Mural, mural, on the wall...

The mural around the corner is one of the best things this side of Newtown Creek so I have high hopes for what they're working on here. These photos are from Saturday. I noticed they were back Sunday and I walked by today to see that they're not finished so maybe they'll be back again next week.

Bottling Center

With the photo being so monochromatic already I thought switching to black and white would work well. I'm not so sure it did. Maybe I over did it with the contrast.

The Juice Truck

I don't know why this struck me as so newsworthy but I happened to be there just as the Fresh Juice truck was setting up at McCarren Park and it seemed like such a great idea compared to the incessant bleeting of the Mr. Softee trucks. A line formed instantly.

Rest

With it being so hot I've been working on photos of people in the shade.

Black Rabbit to open in two weeks

This is the one over on Greenpoint Ave.

Bridges of Kings County

Couple at the end

Vinnie's caters

Oculo

KCDC Skate Jamboree

I looked up the street and it was jammed with skaters. I lived in the neighborhood for months before I knew there was a massive skateshop there. I guess they were having a sale or something.

Proscenium of destruction

Red Greenspan

The Deedle Deedle Dees

The Deedle Deedle Dees at Pete's Candy Store as part of their PB & Jam Saturday afternoon kids music (and garden cook-out) series. Fun.

Bloke?

Would a guy who puts up paper airplanes on little wood squares also do a paper boat?

Graffiti flood level

This wall is from 2005 and has probably been photoblogged a billion times. The truck too for that matter. But I got a kick out of seeing everything with graffiti at the same height, like the flood waters rose and when they receded everything below the water line was colored.

Rest

This probably doesn't matter very much but this is one time when I think I like the cars in the shot. It pushes the man deeper into the picture I think, makes him blend in more.

Strike a pose

I'm hanging around watching them set up for this photoshoot on the chance there's something to be learned. Just before they begin shooting the model tells the assistant to make sure no one's taking pictures. The assistant comes over to me, and tells me, "This is all copyrighted."

Um... OK, congratulations on that. Here's the thing: If you're going to stand on Bedford Ave in your underwear, contorting yourself on an antique car, I'm going to take your picture. And if you're a diva about it, I'm going to put the pictures on my blog even if they're not quite in focus.

Shrine

What you punch is what you get

Horny mask

The Dancers

At today's Puerto Rican Day musical celebration

Proud parents

Greenpoint

Another new bar on Franklin

I saw a couple gals working on a storefront on Franklin at Calyer in Greenpoint last week but didn't get a chance to ask what's going in. Today they weren't working but a permit was visible. "Alteration of existing commercial restaurant within the first floor ... to include new bar." Looks like it's got a garden too.

Nooooooo!

Union Picnic closed by the DOH.
I was eating the pulled pork with sweet potato fries on an almost weekly basis. We showed up today to find it papered. Damn.
Ironically, we went to Brick Oven Gallery for dinner instead. (Sorry, no photo of that).

Father, son and scooter

The Flash

This guy was waiting for the red light and the setting sun really lit him up all orange and I was right near a fire call box so I had a good way to stabilize the camera. I had him for sure. But the point and shoot doesn't have a shutter speed and it decided it needed more time than the guy had to offer so instead he's a blur of that sunset orange I was aiming for.
That's Madison Ave.

Midtown geometry

Downtown and in Brooklyn I look at people, doors, storefronts... as soon as I get to Midtown I only look up.

The Fitting

Soho

Spikey tree of death

Hey Xris, what do you make of this?

This tree is on Roebling around N6th or so. There are other trees on the block with the same leaves but this is the only one with this kind of dramatic spikes. At least, it was on this day.

It's a Hyosung

It looks a little like a VRod, but it's a Hyosung. There's a dealer in Brooklyn that sells them but this is the first time I've ever seen one.

Cash out

Bridge cafe

Indoor Outdoor

My pictures inside the newly redone Fix didn't come out very well but the filtered light in the doorway is nice.

A Taste of Poland

The view from the cheap seats in the turtle park.

These last two shots were really just out of frustration. The Polish people in Greenpoint have a certain style and it's so funny to see them at the pool which has been infested with hipsters every other time I've been. When you're in the midst of it it's so apparent but how do you take a picture of it?

Plywood poster

Here's another one from that guy who does colorful pieces on plywood scraps. The last two I shot disappeared almost immediately leaving only bits of glue behind. I think people steal them and take them home. "Steal" might be the wrong word for something that's just left on the street.

Eyes sign

I don't know this artist and I don't recall seeing anything like it, so it could be a one-shot deal. Still fun to see though.

Skylounge view

I went to an event in the Sony building, 55th & Madison. This is from the 35th floor skylounge. Nice LIC views.

Ice Cream Man

I would usually try to make up for the clash in light color (blue dusk, yellow light in the truck) by trying a black and white version but in this case I like how it highlights the ice cream man. Bigger version works better. I've been wrestling lately with trying to avoid framing my photos with verticle objects like light posts (I'm not certain but I think that's a bad habit) but in this case cropping it out threw off the balance too much. I may play with this a little more and try one more version.

ADDING: OK, second try:

Synecdoche shooting in Williamsburg

I initially felt bad for not getting this up in time for the shoot named on this page, but they're actually shooting today too. Regardless, I wanted to point out that I'm pretty sure, given the name of the film, that a lot of the sudden new (German?) street art we see down around Metropolitan and Wythe is probably just part of the movie. Synecdoche does have some big names though, so keep an eye out for stars like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tilda Swinton.

I have a couple shots of today's shoot so I'll add them later if they look like anything.
ADDING:

No one famous in this shot I don't think.

When the plays let out

Cameras up!

Times Square

Taking back the wall

Scooter Parking

This place deserves to be photographed a little better but I liked the scooter so I kept this one.

Guitar, rock

Room with a view

Sidewalk sitting room

They even had an electric fry pan plugged in cooking cutlets.

Under the Williamsburg Bridge

Double decker tandem

We Make Shakes

Moped and roses

It felt like they went together better when I was there. Not sure this is a picture of anything.

Doves

East Village

Caught out

Milly's Mini Market

Hydrant happiness

East Village

Angelina has taco fever

Greenpoint getting a Soup nazi Man

This is Manhattan Ave. just a little ways down from Enid's. I didn't bother to see how close they are to being finished because frankly I haven't been in the mood lately for soup, but presumably they'll be ready by soup season.