Morning View - 72nd & Second

A giant and odd-looking crane thingy has appeared above the future site of the Second Avenue subway's 72nd Street station. You gotta feel sorry for all the folks on the lower floors of the apartment buildings, who will likely be facing out on this mess for the next several years.

Decade One

Ten years ago today I moved to New York City after six years in San Francisco (gay) and eight in Fort Lauderdale (gay). I spent my first year here living in Chelsea (gay), then I lived in Hells Kitchen (gay) for a year, then I spent a year in the heart of the West Village, one block off Christopher Street. Gay, gay, gay. But for the last seven years I've been on the Upper East Side, living a couple of blocks from the tallest building in the above photo. A neighborhood that is SO not gay. I've sometimes pondered why I'm now content to be living in relative remoteness from "the scene" which once had such an irresistible draw, lying to myself that it's inertia that keeps me on the UES. And certainly not, you know, aging. Ahem.

I don't think that on March 18, 2001 I seriously thought I'd be here three years, much less ten, but New York City has this strange power over you in which you become almost afraid to leave, lest you "miss" something. On the other hand, I never really fell in love with this town, not in that heart-stopping "OMG, this place is amaaaazing" way that I did with San Francisco. In fact, I spent my first year here mired in great regret, logging in every morning to look at live traffic shots of the Golden Gate Bridge. But still, everything you hear about NYC is true. It's the most, the least, the best, the worst. It's that funky stew that keeps me here. And probably will for a long time. Decade Two begins today.

Morning View - Upper East Side

Morning View - Upper East Side

I think I was on one of the last planes allowed to land at JFK yesterday during the blizzard. Travel tip: You really don't want to be on flights that end with applause for the pilot. Anyway, this morning I sent my relief cat-sitter Edward out into the mess for a few photos. At this writing, everything on my block appears to be closed except for drugstores and coffee shops.

Morning View - Election Day NYC

A perky nonagenarian took my ballot at the Lenox Hill Senior Center and fed it into the machine. Then when the screen read "Vote Recorded!" she shook my hand and said, "Thanks, American!" That choked me up a little bit.

Afternoon View - Park Avenue

Afternoon View - UES Teabagger House

On our way home from Bear Hill in Central Park today, Dr. Jeff and I noticed the Tea Party flag hanging outside a gajillion dollar Upper East Side townhouse on the block between Park Avenue and Lexington. By chance, the owners were returning home and on the sidewalk right behind me as I took this photo and they scurried inside with heads bowed as they realized as I was photographing their motherfucking flag.

Afternoon View - Upper East Side

I live a couple of blocks behind the tallest building.

Morning View - New York Primary Day

NYC debuted its optical-scan ballot machines today. No booth, no little curtain, no giant lever, no satisfying kerchunk. Sigh.

Morning View - Park Avenue & 66th

Embiggens nicely!

Morning View - Frick Museum

Almost seven years living on the same street as the Frick and I've never been. One of these days.

Afternoon View - Madison & 68th

Embiggens nicely.

Morning View - White Ghost

Currently installed in the middle of Park Avenue at 70th Street, Yoshitimo Nara's White Ghost is part of his show at the Asia Society Museum. The exhibit opens tomorrow and runs until the end of the year. You might know Nara's work best from the album covers he did for artists such as R.E.M and Shonen Knife, the latter of whom will perform at the museum on September 25th.

The Luckiest Girl In The World

Walgreens, Second Avenue, 12:30pm

Chick 1: Flu shots, $25. I guess it's that time again.

Chick 2: Richard got me one for my birthday last year.

Chick 1: You're joking.

Chick 2: Plus dinner at Olive Garden.

Chick 1: You're joking.

Chick 2: I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Previously Vaccinated

Cafe Figo, First Avenue, 8AM

A group of boisterous old ladies is seated next to me...

Old Lady 1: Are all these old biddies making too much noise for ya?

Me: No, I used to live in South Florida, I'm used to it.

Old Lady 2: Hah! He's immune!

Afternoon View - First & 66th

I haven't figured out how to work a single feature on my new camera, but this attempt embiggens nicely. And to whoever may have found old my camera in a Montreal taxi, I really need to have that memory card back. Cuz otherwise, I can definitely never run for Congress.

Afternoon View - 100 In The Shade

At 1:45pm today it was already 100 degrees on my mostly-shaded fire escape, with record-setting temps being notched around the city, including a 106 degree reading in Central Park. Now excuse me while I try to crawl into the fridge.

Coffee Talk

Cafe Figo, First Avenue, 1PM

Linda Richman Look-A-Like: So anyway, false alarm, thank the BVM. But I told her that if she EVAH makes me a grandma before I'm 50, I'll move down to her Nanna Marie's in Boca so fast it'll make her weave spin.

Dancing As Fast As He Can

Citibank ATM vestibule, First Avenue, 8:30am

MAN ON CELL: OK, fine. Fine! I'll go without you. But you know what, Ed? No matter how much time you spend at that fucking gym, tomorrow morning when you get up you are still going to be 47 years old. You spend so much time trying to look good, nobody actually sees you.

Yeah, Totally

Rite Aid, Second Avenue, 8am

Cashier: And that comes to $10.02.

Elderly Man: OK, wait I have the pennies.

He empties his pocket onto the counter and a small diamond-shaped blue pill skitters towards the cashier, who quickly pushes it back towards him with a gasp.

Elderly Man: That's an ALIEVE!

Cashier (expressionless): Oh. I believe you. Yeah, totally.