High above Central Park

Kids playing ball.

My friend Caroline's apartment was flooded awhile back and she and her family temporarily moved into an apartment on Central Park West and 88th street while repairs were being done. I went over late this afternoon and took these photos off the wrap around terrace. The most amazing views... Plop down about $4 million and it can be yours. Click on images.

Today's pics

The shriveled remains of Halloween

Sunset over Nagle Ave, Inwood

Funny sign in Chelsea art district

Downtown

At least three times I've seen this odd attempt at making some sort of statement scribbled on various doorways downtown. Or, maybe it's just bad, meaningless graffiti. I wish the author would leave a bit more to ponder. With that information, maybe perhaps, I would.Interesting late afternoon shadow against the massive London Terrace building on 23rd.
Loft building in Soho that I daydream of living in someday. The views must be spectacular. I've done "The Secret", I've meditated, I've prayed, I'm even willing to marry some 92-year-old woman who lives near the top to live in that building. I don't ask for much from life... is this too big of a request?
Down near Canal Street, I liked the fading afternoon light on this flag....

Joan...

Last week I shot Joan Collins. I can't say much other than it didn't go exactly the way I would have liked it to. It started off with her being an hour late. When she arrived in the suite, I asked her sit down on a couch in front of a large window, hoping to use the Park Avenue skyline as the backdrop. In the whopping 6 minutes she "allowed" me to shoot her, she managed to question my choice of lighting set up (twice), asked why I was shooting from such a low angle, had someone get her some water, ask to turn up the air conditioning and have her husband Quincy (who is younger than I am) check the lcd screen on my camera to see if he approved of the shot. Overall she seemed bored and generally displeased with me. Then, suddenly she jumped up and said, "I think we're done". Sorry Joan, you win the title of my least favorite "celeb" shoot in 17+ years.
Here's a link to my 6-minute cover shot.

Packing up, I picked up the cup she had used and put it in my bag. For putting me through this misery I'll wait a few years and sell it on Ebay. Perhaps some crazy Joan Collins/Dynasty fan in Iowa will give me a few bucks for it (along with a nice 8 x 10 glossy portrait, of course).

Christmas lights are already up in the 'hood. Holy Shitmas

Unhappy cute dog trapped in a bodega basement...

Very happy dog trapped in loving owner's embrace.

The price of paranoia

Everyone is bugging out for Obama to do something. Jump into a financial shitstorm and fix it in 2 years. The World Trade Center is still a hole in the ground 9 years later. Hurricane Katrina levels New Orleans and it's still a mud hole. But, Obama is supposed to fix everything, including our huge financial mess, in only 2 years? People are stupid. You want to see what our problem is? Read the following pamphlet I recently got from my 81-year-old friend Sallie Marx. Here's where all our tax dollars go. Here's a brilliant idea, close a few of the 700+ military bases around the world that aren't doing anything, stop starting wars and don't get into every skirmish that starts up worldwide, and we'd pretty much be able to fix the budget AND solve the healthcare woes in short order.... But I may be wrong. (click to enlarge)

Me and a Brazilian

I saw this little shaft of light on a wall and made a self portrait.
I helped my wonderful friend Amber set up her new lights while in Vancouver. She was shooting a test of this lovely Brazilian girl... I had to horn in a take a few shots.

Frogs etc

Walking through Chinatown I saw this large bucket of frogs sitting in front of an open fish market. Glancing down, I felt sorry the little things and wondered who actually buys and eats them. Something tells me they eat more than the legs, they waste nothing.Another odd sight in Chinatown, I passed this manicure place and noticed the prices. Excenllent!
Shadows on the Met early one day. (Sorry, not a great snap, still testing out the limits of the LX5).