Category Archives: Extras

Photoblog 017: Mooooooooooo York.

Cow appreciation day. You can find all sorts of odd celebrations in the city.
That asian guy in the middle of the shot doesn’t look pleased.

Categorized Under: Extras, PhotoBlog

Photoblog 016: Grand Central Eats! Nomnom.

If people didn’t know any better, you’d think all I do in New York is eat (well.. that’s kind of true.)

Grand Central Terminal (AKA Grand Central Station) is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. It’s a mix of classic architecture and design with modern-day functionality. Which makes it awesome.

I’ve always been a fan of the zodiac and astrology, and the ceiling of Grand Central is a giant painting of the constellations.

On each level, you have tracks (metronorth and the LIRR) leaving for Connecticut and Long Island. I decided to grab lunch today down in the dining concourse, which is in the “basement” so to speak. It’s home to a huge variety of food; pretty much any classic ethnic meal you’d want, you can find (I went with falafel today!) And a few popular chains like Juniors and Hale & Hearty Soups.

The station itself is pretty huge. Several levels and lots of wings, I always end up finding someplace completely new every time I go just to wander. I’ll have to go back and take pictures of the shops you can find (the fresh market is EPIC).

Stuff I have coming up: Port Authority Bust Terminal (ugliest building in NY) and Bryant Park!

Categorized Under: Art & Lit, Entertainment, Extras, PhotoBlog

Sketchbook Scans 001: Runic Annoyances

So I’ve been having trouble getting inspired to do artsy thing, be it drawing, sketching, or just free-form writing. It’s easy to try to look elsewhere for inspiration; friends, idols, culture.

But wanting to inspire myself is a little harder. While looking for classes to take over the summer one instructor described his course as tapping in to the inner artist; we all have two, the outer artists who observes and records and the inner artist who creates. I need to find the latter and shake her back into existence.

Anyway, point of this “series” so to speak is to inspire myself by drawing, sketching, doodling, and scribbling in my sketchbooks / notebooks and scanning all my old crap (we’re talking 10+ years of madness) to remind myself of those days when I was freer. You know, back in college and high-school when I wasn’t quite corrupted / jaded by adulthood and responsibility and actually had the time and energy to let my mind drift into the very scary abstract unknowns of my being. And shit.

Today’s scan dates back to sophmore year of college (age 19-20) where I apparently was taking notes in ancient runic & making a list of things that aggravate me.

I will eventually get around to translating the runes, since I have forgotten it enough that I can’t read it off the top of my head anymore. Yes, I used to be able to, but I also used to know the entire Pokérap by heart. Many things fade with time, it would seem.

But yes. My top 3 annoyances at the time were women w/ strollers, know-it-alls, and George Bush.

Go figure.

Categorized Under: Extras, Sketchbook

New York Photoblog 015: Urban Jungle Lunch

During warm weather, New Yorkers like to eat outside (even though it’s particularly hot today…). People will sit pretty much wherever they can plant themselves. Popular eating spots for lunch include buildings with lots of stairs, like museums and in this case the New York Public Library. This facade faces east from 5th Ave and spans 2 blocks (40 – 42 st) so it serves a HUGE chunk of lunchers, including workers and tourists.

Categorized Under: Extras, PhotoBlog

Picture 014: The City At Night

 Hi-Res Version, just in case.
I really love how this picture came out.
This is a street view from 32nd street, in front of Penn Station, looking uptown on 7th ave towards Time’s Square (that small mass of light right smack in the middle.)
The really cool thing about cloudy nights in NY, especially if they’re low, is that all the lights of the city reflect off the clouds, as you can see here.
I’ve really gotta hit up Times Square at night one of these days. As much as I hate tourist-trap areas, that place is really spectacular when it’s dark and I think you guys would like to see those.

Categorized Under: PhotoBlog

Picture 013: View from the Train

One nice thing about fall is that the sun sets during evening travel and makes for some pretty shots.

It sucks that blogger doesn’t have threaded comments so I’m gonna go back and try to reply any questions or comments in the next day post.

@Janus Kane : subways are way worse, as much as NJT blows. We at least have AC and a chance at sitting, haha. Subways, you’re gonna stand 95% of the time.

@Izmeer: Yeah, I’ve had to stand once or twice before I learned the trick of just going all the way to the back of the train. The last few cars usually have space.

From Rain Rain Go Away
Rain is nice, but in NY it’s really shitty cause cars splash you and it mixes with the usual city much making for some grossness at times.
The worst is when it snows, it’s pretty and white for all of 10 minutes and then it’s just brown and yellow slush for the rest of winter, haha.
You guys will get a few of those pictures, I’m sure.

Categorized Under: PhotoBlog

Picture 012: Misery Loves Trains Full of Company

Commuting on New Jersey Transit during rush hour often means standing for 40 minutes.
This was one of those unfortunate days.
PS. The one-level trains were leased in 1993, making them about 17 years old.

Categorized Under: Extras, PhotoBlog

Picture 011: Office Madness

No, I don’t understand it either.

Categorized Under: Extras, PhotoBlog

Picture 010: Rain, Rain, Go Away

Rainy day on Broadway. Ich.

Categorized Under: PhotoBlog

Picture 009: Crazy Tourists

This guy is not a bum. He was on the phone yelling for about 10 minutes while I waited for a bus. Then his wife showed up carrying about 7 huge shopping bags and he just got up and the two left.
It was odd.

Categorized Under: Extras, PhotoBlog