Boston Graffiti

Some graffiti Erik and I saw in Boston while we were there on the 4th of July
 

Sea Shells by the Sea Shore

 

The good life

Between my trip to London and my work convention Monday, I am finally able to spend a few days relaxing in Mallorca. My friend Andrew took this picture of me yesterday at the beach.  

Random Graffiti pt.2

Well, it didn't take long for the legal graffiti I photographed last week to be graffitied. Now, tell me, is this message a good or a bad thing? I mean . . .
 

Houston St Graffiti

Graffiti unites the Democrats on Houston:

 

Ladies and Lads who Brunch

It was my distinct honor to have brunch with Hiral, her sister Nipa, and Erik. Apparently, in the two and a half years of living in NYC, Hiral has never done weekend brunch! If this is true (which I still find unbelievable), then I am very happy to have been a participant in her rite of passage as a New Yorker. After brunch at Relish we headed to the State Park on the waterfront in Brooklyn where Erik captured this awesome photo of Nipa, Hiral and me. Hiral is going to be leaving Gotham in August, so we have many brunches to fit in before then!
 

The end of a Giant

Everyone knows I'm a nerd. One of the things that makes me a nerd is that since high school, I've watched Meet the Press as often as I was able to catch it. The news of Tim Russert's death, for me, is probably the most shocking public death since Princess Diana. He was a giant in the political press. Russert stood above the mere political pundits that crowd the airwaves. He was, first and foremost, a journalist. Listening to the streaming coverage on MSNBC, it is amazing to hear that in addition to being a great journalist, he was a wonderful person. He genuinely cared about his family, friends and his hometown of Buffalo (which has lowered their flags in his honor, calling him the greatest ambassador of Buffalo). The stories being recalled about his relationship with his father, the basis of his best-selling book, brought tears to my eyes. My Sundays will never be the same, and our national political coverage will have a large hole to fill.
 

Fox News, WTF??

Why does Fox News exist? I know, to screw with everyone who is not a Republican. Apparently Fox thinks that Michelle and Barack Obama exchanged a "terrorist fist jab" on the night he clinched the Democratic nomination. Fox is such a destructive force on the U.S. media. That so many people watch it is bad enough. Fox's negative influence on the other cable news networks is more reprehensible.

Random Graffiti

Here is some random (and legal) graffiti I saw in Soho this week:
 

I've lost my wisdom

Teeth, that is. Here was me last Friday afternoon after the quick removal of my four wisdom teeth. I made a pretty quick recovery and was back on solid food as of Saturday.  

First BBQ of the Season

Erik and I cleaned out our cement garden this weekend. With a clean backyard and beautiful weather I thought it was time to crack open the BBQ. I picked up some salmon burgers from Whole Foods, a couple side dishes, and also grilled some mushrooms. I discovered a great brand of charcoal that uses the bag to light the coals. Dubbed the "Green Way to Grill," this cuts down on lighter fluid which is harmful for the environment. Summer BBQs: BRING IT ON

 

Monday in the Park

Monday was the best weather we've had in NYC this season--perfect for Memorial Day. We spent the day in the Sheep's Meadow at Central Park. Erik and I met up with my friend Mike and his crew and Erik's friend Noelle and her friends. Mike and I had a great game of Travel Scrabble (I let Mike win by 40 points). After several hours of sun we went to a great Mexican restaurant and had drinks and dinner. What a great way to spend Memorial Day!
 

Top of the Rock

Visitor weekend #3 just ended today. Erik's friend John was visiting from Oregon and we had a great time showing him around the city. Although I have lived here for two years now, I was able to have a few new touristy experiences. First, I had never been inside Grand Central Station. I've never been at the base of the Chrysler Building (I've seen the trade mark silver top many times). We took John to the "Top of the Rock"--the observation deck at the top of Rockefeller Center. The views were impressive:
 

London (shut) Eye

I had a long evening of walking around and now its time for bed! After three hours of walking around, I ended up at the London Eye and took some cool night shots. Luckily my hotel wasn't too far away because I was tired!
 

Street Art @ Tate Modern

Like many photographers, I enjoy taking pictures of graffiti (and there's usually an unlimited supply in Brooklyn). When I was in London in December I took some great shots of an area where any artist can spray their art on public walls. The Tate Modern now has a current exhibit on the exterior walls of the museum called "Street Art." Here's one of the six artists:

 

Parent's Visit

My parents made it to New York for Mother's Day. We spent the weekend doing some fun touristy things. Friday night, we went to Birdland, a jazz dinner club. We had some drinks and appetizers while listening to the club's happy hour Big Band. After that, we had dinner with Erik at one of our favorite restaurants in Chelsea, Rocking Horse. Saturday we walked around Central Park, which was much nicer than our brief walk in the Park the last time my parents were here in August when it was 95 degrees and humid. Saturday night we saw Curtains, a musical starring David Hyde Pierce, of Frasier fame. Sunday we met my parents up at Rockefeller Center after they went to mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. We had a stroll down Fifth Ave and saw the Empire State Building and relaxed for a bit in Madison Sq Park by the Flatiron Building. We headed back to Williamsburg, had some drinks at Spike Hill Irish Bar and then took a stroll along the W'burg shore.

 

On to November

Stupid Elite Economists

Remember a time when economists mattered:



I'll go with Clinton in 1992, not the 2008 "economists are elite" Clinton

A view from within

Here's a picture from within the Grand Canyon from our 5.5 hour hike on Tuesday. We're headed to Scottsdale today to see Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West.

 

Night on the Echo Cliffs

We stopped off on our way back to Flagstaff from Page to take a few photos of the Echo Cliffs as the sun set.

 

Antelope Canyon

We left the Grand Canyon this morning to head north to Page, Arizona to see Antelope Canyon. The canyon, formed by millions of years of water, twists and turns, often looking like a corkscrew. The guide pointed out different parts of the canyon that look like animals and people (Jay Leno, Abraham Lincoln, the Sphinx, George Washington).
 

Day One of Arizona Adventure

Erik and I spent our first full day in Arizona in Sedona. Known for its red rocks and stunning geological formations, Sedona is an interesting little town. Sedona is home to a Frank Lloyd-designed church, new age/mystical fanatics and southwestern artists (as well as meth addicts and stuck-up wealthy people, according to our new friend Betty Davis, aged 74, who works at an art store in Uptown Sedona.) The picture below is from Cathedral Rock. We climbed for about an hour to some spectacular, panoramic heights. Tonight we're in Flagstaff as a pit stop on our way to the Grand Canyon tomorrow.

 

Last day in Paris

As further torture, there was sunlight in Paris while I was stuck inside. (I snapped the photo below during a meeting break). I can't wait to go back to Paris for vacation and have more time to walk around and explore. I'm back in New York now and about to start packing for vacation. I'm so excited to see the Grand Canyon!!

 

One more pic before bed

Despite the chilly weather, there are some signs of spring in Paris. Here are some trees surrounding Notre Dame:
 

Sacre Coeur

 

Long Day, fun Night

I had a long day of work. Well . . . it felt long because we were inside when there was FINALLY some sun in Paris. We were all hungry at 11:30 because the hotel had a very small breakfast (I guess that is why it is called "petit dejeuner" ("small lunch" in English). Because we were starving, we got some typical French foods to go--quiche, baguettes with brie, etc.-- and ate while we worked. Instead of having a proper lunch break, my coworkers wanted a coffee break because we were stuffed from our snacks. I took the opportunity to snap some pictures of a church by the office. The style of the church, complete with flying buttresses, was similar to Notre Dame. After work, my coworkers and I walked to REAL Notre Dame and then, because our boss was still doing some work, we went to Montmarte to see the Sacre Coeur (photos above). There was a group of musicians singing "Spanish" songs (aka the two or three songs in Spanish that Americans know like La Bamba). It was a beautiful site--Montmarte is, I think, the highest point in Paris where you can see the whole city. This is the spot, according to Wikipedia, where it is believed the Jesuits were founded. Below is a photo of me in front of Notre Dame:

 

Paris, a nuit

 

Ok, I Lied

Need to be in bed, but here is one photo from my Eiffel Tower journey: