Jubilation and Aging Hippies in Times Square
As it became clear that Obama was going to win the Presidential race, I grabbed my camera and headed to Times Square to photograph the celebrating crowds. To my delighted surprise I ran into an old friend – an aging left wing activist and hippie named Aron Kay who was infamously known as Pie Man. Aron is a holdout from the radicals of the 1960’s. …Read More
9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and a Weeping Willow Tree
Trees are extremely precious commodities in Manhattan, and it makes me sad whenever I see one come down. I was extra saddened this morning on the FDR Drive when I noticed a favorite weeping willow tree partially toppled by Hurricane Sandy. I didn’t have my camera so I picked it up from my office and got back on the highway to take the shots posted …Read More
Manhattan After the Hurricane
My office downtown is dark with no phone service or water, but I am thankful because my home is intact and we have electricity. Not so for many people whose lives have been upended by this historic, devastating storm. I took my camera out in the storm’s aftermath to see joggers on a closed FDR Drive and downed trees all over the City. I stopped …Read More
Umbrella Symphony in Manhattan
Last week I was caught in a summer downpour in lower Manhattan after I left the office late in the afternoon. I was wet and uncomfortable, and fatigued after attending to patients for most of the day. Like other New Yorkers trying to get home, I was rushing to the subway with my head down and my umbrella dripping. Suddenly I stopped, lifted my head, and …Read More
Inspiration in Central Park with Achilles International
Inspiration is wherever you find it, and on Sunday morning of June 24th there was plenty in Central Park. I was on my usual bike ride around the loop and discovered that the Achilles International event called the Hope and Possibility Race was about to take place. I cut my ride short and rode back to my apartment, returning with my camera equipment. I was …Read More
Revisiting St. Vincent’s Hospital
I took a walk past St. Vincent’s Hospital the other day. It was surrounded by fences, boards, and warning signs pending demolition of some buildings and renovation of others. The place I used to go for coffee before making rounds is now a Duane Reade. I felt a bit sad, having worked there doing geriatric consultations, seeing wound care patients, and teaching students and residents for …Read More
Art, Poetry, and Contemplation at the Howl
Last weekend I visited the Howl Festival at Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. Named after the poem by Allen Ginsberg, this was a celebration of art, music, and dance. It was a beautiful day, and a nice opportunity to contemplate how New York City has evolved in the past two decades. When I moved from Jersey to the West Side of Manhattan in …Read More
City Rhythms
One of the things I love most about New York City is the pulsating energy of its street life. The cars, taxis, and subways move to an energized beat as they traverse the bridges and tunnels that form the arteries that connect the City to itself and surrounding Boroughs. From day to day, week to week, the rhythm might slow down a bit on weekends …Read More
Signs of Spring in Manhattan
After two dozen years of living in New York City I have experienced how city life can wear down the spirit. The intense competition, the bustle of streets and subways, and the ever-spiraling expenses take a toll on many people. But there is always the promise of renewal, particularly in the spring when the weather turns fair and the flowers bloom. For this post I …Read More
The Meatpacking District in Black & White
I am writing this blog post while sitting in an al fresco restaurant in the area known as the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. Twenty-five years ago I photographed this place, never imagining that it would transform into a glitzy international tourist destination. I moved into New York City in 1985 to study geriatrics at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Back then, the International Center for Photography (ICP) …Read More
