Move Over, Philadelphia: The City of Brotherly Love is Now New York City
As much as I enjoy exploring and photographing New York City on my own, it is always cool when I have someone to do it with. It is especially cool when that person is my older brother visiting from California.
The last time I visited the East River Greenway with a camera, it was toward the evening (see here: http://herb-lehman.livejournal.com/85333.html). This time, it was broad daylight, with the type of patchy fair-weather clouds that would fit perfectly into a Charlie Brown special...you know, like in those scenes where Charlie Brown and Linus stare at the clouds and talk about life. Okay, I'll stop yammering and just share the pictures:
The shrubbery that was just starting to grow in August 2007 has fully bloomed now, making for some idyllic perspectives on the midtown skyline...
...or maybe not so idyllic. Nothing like the contrast between nature and a gargantuan, smoke-belching power plant. One can just imagine the Simpsons' Mr. Burns laughing evilly from somewhere behind the trees:
In all the times I've run past this spot while training for marathons and half-marathons, I've never noticed before that this walk was dedicated to a firefighter. I guess when it's the weekend of 9/11, these things make themselves more obvious.
Speaking of the marathon, it's just six weeks before this monstrosity of a bridge will humble a heck of a lot of people at the 16-mile mark.
I wonder when this envelope factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn was last active. It's probably some hipster bar/art gallery now.
My brother, joining me in getting shots of the East River. He is quite the photographer, with lenses and everything (and a cool shirt).
Interestingly, the next two pictures were taken from two opposite ends of town -- the first from the East River Greenway, and the second from High Line Park at 20th Street and Tenth Avenue, which has become EXTREMELY popular since its opening in June. Indeed, it was so crowded that we didn't last there long. My recommendation: hit the High Line at eight in the morning on a weekday, if you can.
The High Line has perhaps spurred some new development on Manhattan's West Side between 14th and 23rd Streets, and some of the new buildings are pretty funky looking...
...and contrast sharply with some of the neighborhood's existing architecture.
I'm very fascinated with architecture, even though I know little about it. It's probably time for me to start taking out some of the massive tomes in my library's Art & Music department and giving myself a hernia or three trying to transport them from Brooklyn to Staten Island. In the meantime, I'll just sit back and enjoy cool stuff like this.
Overall, a very cool brother-bonding experience.
The last time I visited the East River Greenway with a camera, it was toward the evening (see here: http://herb-lehman.livejournal.com/85333.html). This time, it was broad daylight, with the type of patchy fair-weather clouds that would fit perfectly into a Charlie Brown special...you know, like in those scenes where Charlie Brown and Linus stare at the clouds and talk about life. Okay, I'll stop yammering and just share the pictures:
The shrubbery that was just starting to grow in August 2007 has fully bloomed now, making for some idyllic perspectives on the midtown skyline...
...or maybe not so idyllic. Nothing like the contrast between nature and a gargantuan, smoke-belching power plant. One can just imagine the Simpsons' Mr. Burns laughing evilly from somewhere behind the trees:
In all the times I've run past this spot while training for marathons and half-marathons, I've never noticed before that this walk was dedicated to a firefighter. I guess when it's the weekend of 9/11, these things make themselves more obvious.
Speaking of the marathon, it's just six weeks before this monstrosity of a bridge will humble a heck of a lot of people at the 16-mile mark.
I wonder when this envelope factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn was last active. It's probably some hipster bar/art gallery now.
My brother, joining me in getting shots of the East River. He is quite the photographer, with lenses and everything (and a cool shirt).
Interestingly, the next two pictures were taken from two opposite ends of town -- the first from the East River Greenway, and the second from High Line Park at 20th Street and Tenth Avenue, which has become EXTREMELY popular since its opening in June. Indeed, it was so crowded that we didn't last there long. My recommendation: hit the High Line at eight in the morning on a weekday, if you can.
The High Line has perhaps spurred some new development on Manhattan's West Side between 14th and 23rd Streets, and some of the new buildings are pretty funky looking...
...and contrast sharply with some of the neighborhood's existing architecture.
I'm very fascinated with architecture, even though I know little about it. It's probably time for me to start taking out some of the massive tomes in my library's Art & Music department and giving myself a hernia or three trying to transport them from Brooklyn to Staten Island. In the meantime, I'll just sit back and enjoy cool stuff like this.
Overall, a very cool brother-bonding experience.