Exciting New Project

I have very recently began an association with a terrific organization called Statement Arts.  This is a nonprofit group that primarily works with at risk and under-served youth. Currently we are producing an exciting, arts-based environmental awareness and education program that will use photography to both celebrate and document the journey of WATER. 

The project is called 'A Single Drop of Water' and its goal is to raise awareness about the importance of this precious resource, water, and its scarcity in many communities.

An international photography contest has just been launched and the purpose is two fold. Firstly, the contest will be used to gather images for the curriculum, and secondly, the revenue generated from the entry fees will be used for future programming at Statement Arts.

Prize money will be given ($1,500 for the Grand Prize, $500 for category winners) and Calumet Photo (www.calumetphoto.com) has generously offered to donate a few cameras for the winners of our "Under 25" and "Peoples' Choice" categories.  Winning entries will also be exhibited in New York City in Spring 2011 to coincide with World Water Day (March 22).

The competition is open to ANYONE (even if you're a friend). And the fee to enter is only $25, a small amount that will go toward a great organization. 

SUBMIT A PHOTO --- TELL A FRIEND!! Follow this link for more information:  A Single Drop of Water

Help spread the word! Please do not hesitate to forward this email to any friends and colleagues or fellow photographers! 

Thank you VERY much for reading. I appreciate your support. 

www.statementarts.org

Catching Up

Well, it has been far too long since I have logged in and freshened up this blog. The past few months have been filled with travel, family visits, work, and personal projects. I cannot believe how fast these last six months have gone, or the entire year for that matter!

To recap the my goings-on since late Spring, here is the rundown: went to LA to work for a month, on the road in several countries for the next month, back home to NYC, visit from my Mom, off to Chicago for a month of work (with a few side trips up to Michigan sprinkle in), back to NYC and still here which I love.

Being in New York always makes me happy (the main reason I moved here!) so I have been thoroughly enjoying being back and having time to settle back in. It can be tough being away so much and not having the time to dig my heels into all the things I want to do here. So now that I've had some time to myself I've been filling up my days with activities that have been on my "to do" list forever. And its been great. Catching up with friends, meeting new people, volunteering wherever they'll take me, taking a class at NYU, walking the streets of the city, and generally enjoying myself. I feel like I'm getting to know myself better from all of this and that has been very important.

More to come...

A few weeks ago I picked up this great, old globe. I've been spinning it every once in a while, thinking about where I've been and where I'm going. In a few days I am leaving for Los Angeles and soon after that to go back on the road for work. Aside from the work part -- I cannot wait to travel! I'm not sure where I'll be but, regardless, just getting out of the country for a month always invigorates and inspires me.                                               

Thank you, Canada.

LABOR DAY

The holiday originated in Canada out of labor disputes ("Nine-Hour Movement") first in Hamilton, then in Toronto, Canada in the 1870s, which resulted in a Trade Union Act which legalized and protected union activity in 1872 in Canada. The parades held in support of the Nine-Hour Movement and the printers' strike led to an annual celebration in Canada. In 1882, American labor leader Peter J. McGuire witnessed one of these labor festivals in Toronto. Inspired from Canadian events in Toronto, he returned to New York and organized the first American "labor day" on September 5 of the same year.

(borrowed from Wikipedia)

This was my first time walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. It sounds like such a daunting undertaking - walking across a bridge - but its quite simple really. There is a walking path and it takes less than an hour. Plus the view is stunning. All of Manhattan and Brooklyn, Governor's Island and the Statue of Liberty is all there and so close it seems you could touch it all. It was also great to see the new Brooklyn Bridge Park on the Brooklyn side finally open and packed with Saturday afternoon lounging. The park was created to further expand the green space in the city and to reclaim abandoned piers, lots and docks that lined the coast of the East River. Delightful and inspiring.

I had quite a scare today. It seemed that, after nearly five years together, my beloved PowerBook G4 may be leaving me forever. After arriving at work this morning and powering up my old friend, something went wrong. An odd, never before seen message popped up on the screen. I immediately closed her up and my co-worker made an appointment for us at the Genius Bar -- the ER for Macs. 

Luckily my Genius (or "geek" as he called himself) was extremely kind and helpful. He quickly made a diagnosis of the problem, took my computer to the back for its procedure (not sure what goes on back there but I'm guessing its geekapalooza). He soon returned and my G4 was back to normal. This was a huge relief, as one can imagine. 

                     Yes, I love Twitter.

You must understand, this computer is a work horse and extremely loyal. It has traveled around the world with me 6 times not to mention the innumerable domestic trips. It was even (sorry computer) inadvertently left in France for 2 months. Thankfully it was rescued by the Charles de Gaulle Airport police and returned to me via the American Consulate in Paris. Long story. 

Needless to say, we have a long history this computer and I. And I am sure the time will come when I will need to retire her but I'm just not ready for that just yet. Hang in there G4!! 

The Whitney Biennial takes place every other year and highlights the most innovative, forward thinking, and impressive artists and their exceptional works, all of which were created in the United States during the past two years. It is a study and a celebration of all that is relevant and/or just simply inspiring in the art world at this moment. The Biennial featured 50+ pieces that ranged from minimal to dense, sedate to chaotic, understandable to unbelievably puzzling. Every piece a delight.


I have been wanting (ok, dying) to see a Whitney Biennial for years. I've bought old copies of the exhibition catalogues on eBay, I've made NY friends go the Whitney and buy me the catalog and ship it to me; I've been obsessed. So, to finally be in NYC during the Biennial was a dream. And it delivered. From the sculpture to paintings to video installations, it all left me inspired in one way or another. That is what I love about art. From one moment to the next I never know how a piece will make me feel. Even a work I've seen many times over. 


The Whitney has another exhibition currently called Collecting Biennials presenting important pieces that were on exhibit at previous Biennials. This was terrific. It was a great opportunity to see some of the best works by 20th century artists such as Jasper Johns, Edward Hopper, Matthew Barney, Mark Rothko and two of my absolute favorites Robert Rauschenberg and Julian Schnabel. This exhibit was the icing on the cake to the  2010 Biennial.


If you ever have the chance to explore the Biennial, it is well worth your time. It is a terrific snapshot of the world in that moment. And it makes you feel as if you are truly witnessing something special which, let's be honest, you most certainly are.


A few of my favorites from the Biennial: 


Kate Gilmore: Standing Here (2010)
(video installation)
Stuck inside a column of sheetrock, the artist attempts to kick and punch her way out, whilst wearing a proper dress and heels. I thought it was a great juxtaposition of the struggle women endure to be tough yet ladylike. 


The Bruce High Quality Foundation: We Like America and America Likes Us (2010)
There is so much going on in this installation. "A video projected on the windshield surveys a contemporary culture defined by YouTube clips, Hollywood movies, and news media. The voice-over describes an ambivalent, yearning relationship with the United States, as if the country were a dysfunctional family member or abusive lover." 
The title references a historic 1972 performance piece by German artist Joseph Bueys, "I Like America and America Likes Me" in which Bueys was flown to America, driven into NYC in a Cadillac ambulance, and staged in a performance space for three days -- alone with a coyote. Ah, modern art. 

My first day back in LA. So far so good. I took a long walk through Santa Monica where I'm staying, and met up with my friend Larissa for lunch at Buddah's Belly. Then I headed to my old West Hollywood neighborhood for  dinner and drinks with another friend, Lauren. It was great spending time my friends who I miss so much these days. And its also nice to know where everything is and exactly where I am going! It has become my norm to always have a map or to look up where I'm going in before I leave my NYC apt. So, it certainly feels like being back home again. And I'm liking that.

3rd Street Promenade

Even if one aims for a slow, leisurely day in New York a full day will still be had. After a late, late night my cousin Amie (who is visiting from Texas) and I were a bit in the clouds on this lovely Friday. We started out at the High Line Park which runs along the West side from the Meatpacking District up to Chelsea. This is a newly created green space (it opened last June and I had the pleasure of walking through the week it opened) that was created on old elevated train tracks that had long been abandoned. This is reclaiming at its finest. A beautiful, peaceful park that can make you feel like you are on the outside of the city looking in.

Near the High Line is Chelsea Market which is housed in an old cookie factory and contains dozens of food shops, a bakery, wine store, a great market, Buon Italia for all things Italian, and several little restaurants among other things (like the Food Network studios). We sat down for lunch at Friedman's Lunch, one of my favorite spots for sweet potato fries. They make the best sweet potato fries. I dream of them. In addition they also have a great lunch menu: the vegetable sandwich with hummus is delightful and Amie had tilapia tacos which looked quite nice. But honestly, for me, its all about those sweet potato fries. Did I mention they are served with blue cheese aioli? Yes, they are.

   

Once we were sufficiently lunched and foodied out, we headed up to midtown to check out Rockefeller Center. All I can say about that is -- the tourists have arrived. Avoid Rockefeller Center until school starts again in the Fall. Maybe it was the previous late night or simply the crowds but by late afternoon we were ready for dinner and relaxation. So, we ran up to Zabar's and filled our baskets with cheese, bread, olives, salmon, chocolate and such and jumped in a cab back to my apartment for dinner and movies. It was just what we needed. 

In the past nine years of my life I have not been out of Los Angeles for more than two months at a time. Since moving to New York I have not been back in nearly six months. So I was somewhat apprehensive about coming back. Would I feel happy to be back? Or would I feel out of place? Would I miss my new home in NYC so much that I couldn't just relax and enjoy my time on the West Coast? Time will tell. I am sure a bit of all of those emotions will come into play at some point. But I'm going to sit back and enjoy, see friends, visit my favorite places and remember why I called this sprawling, crazy city "home" for so many years.

Sundays in the Park...SPRING!

Ah, Spring. Who knew I would be so thrilled at the changing of seasons? Was I in California for that long? Apparently so because it seems that all memory was melted away (probably from all the hot hot sunshine) of the joy to be had watching the snow melt, the temperatures rise, and the rains turning the trees technicolor green and the flowers a veritable ROYGBIV explosion. Oh, and its only just begun.

After working for the past few months I have not been able to spend much time in the park. But I am now finished (for now) and spent yesterday there roaming around. It is such a great place. I am always amazed by how much is going on at any particular moment. One minute you're walking a quiet little path through the Ramble and the next you're listening to a Jazz band belting out some of the best music. A little further down the road baseball games are in full swing (sorry but that just works), kids are learning to ride the bikes they probably got during the holidays, and everyone is chipper, myself included.

Needless to say it was a lovely Sunday in Central Park. Every single day since I have moved to this grand city I have felt so grateful to be here. Through the epic Winter, the job search, the torrential rains, a rather tedious new show, my subway line being shut down, the total change of lifestyle, etc etc - I still love it. Honestly, this is the best city in the world. This place delivers!

Here are a few photos I found interesting. The Winter photos I took the day of one of the big storms we had in February and the Spring photos are from this past weekend. I just happened to have similar shots in the same locations. What a difference a few months makes. Enjoy!

How's The Weather?

For many, many years when friends or family would call and ask "How's the weather?" I gave this answer 99% of the time: "the same, sunny and warm". Well, my answer has now changed significantly. I have been in NYC for 3 months and it has been any combination of the following: freezing cold, snowing, raining, windy, sunny, cloudy and always questionable. But I must admit I have not minded this schizophrenic weather at all. You never know what you're going to get from day to day. Its like New York in that way. Every day you see or learn or experience or are shocked by something new. And I'm loving it. And of course, taking photos of it.

Somewhere near Penn Station...

Central Park, along the 94th St Transverse

From the Herman Miller showroom, 6th Ave @ 46th St

Greenmarket

I love to cook. And I love to eat. And I am somewhat fussy when it comes to both. I like fresh fruits and vegetables and stick to mostly organic foods and vegetarian meals.

One of my favorite places to get great produce is the Union Square Greenmarket. Most of the week Union Square is packed with little tents selling everything from fresh baked bread to in-season fruits and vegetables, organic wine and cheese and all sorts of other delicious finds (I'm a fan of Rick's Picks pickles. So good.) You can even drop off your compost while you're there which is terrific. Its a great way to give back to the farmers who've brought in all this great food.

Rick's Picks

Valentine's Day 2010

Valentine's Day was a particularly lovely winter day in Central Park. And there were many, many people out enjoying the sunny day. True to fashion, the park was filled with black-clad New Yorkers but I managed to find a few people in red which I found appropriate for the occasion of the day. So I lightly stalked a few of them and managed to get a nice shot of one heart-colored jacked amid its darker counterparts.

The Big One

Oh, how I am enjoying my first winter in New York. The snow just keeps falling. But here are some photos from the first Big Storm of the season. This furious blizzard turned the city, and Central Park in particular, into glorious snow globe.

Sunday in the Park, With My Mom

My Mom came to visit me a few weeks ago. She had not been to New York since the early '90s when she and I took a trip here together. So, she was due for some good old fashioned site-seeing!

We went everywhere and had a great time. We took a boat ride around Manhattan, visited Ground Zero, walked through SoHo and bought things we didn't really need from street vendors, had lunch at Katz's Deli (one of my favorite places), took a tour of Lincoln Center, saw a taping of the Letterman Show, and walked everywhere. There is more that we did but I can't remember it all.

And, of course, I had to include her in my weekend ritual of walking through Central Park. Even with the trees bare and snow on the ground the park is beautiful. But it was also very, very cold! So, we ducked into the Central Park Boathouse for lunch. The Boathouse is a great place for food, drinks, and taking in the view of the park. An iconic New York restaurant.

After lunch we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then to PJ Clarke's for dinner, and ended the evening at the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center for a performance of "The Sleeping Beauty." Not a bad day in the city.

Reel Abilities

A friend of mine invited me to a documentary film screening at the Reel Abilities film festival this past weekend. The festival is "dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities." There truly is a festival for everything.

The film we saw is called "Shooting Beauty" about a photographer who, after spending time photographing a group of people with cerebral palsy, decides to give this group of disabled people cameras and ask them to document their unique lives. It is a touching and inspiring story. The great thing about a film like this is learning about a group or individual who is literally changing lives and that we may never know about if it weren't for the film. Or for that matter the festival itself.

HOME

A few photos of my new apartment. I managed to settle in quite well, thankfully. Everything fits. I still need a few things - a table and chairs would be nice, a proper bed, and bookshelves would be great. Otherwise, it is comfortable and just what I need. The first photo is the foyer, then kitchen, bedroom, and a corner of the dining area (the otherside is stacked with boxes of books, natch).

Sundays in NYC

It has been decided that each and every Sunday I will spend a part of the day in Central Park. Why not, right? Central Park is amazing. And it is time to build some NYC rituals and I figure this a good one to start with. Sundays in the Park.

This past Sunday I didn't actually make it to the park until after dark. Now, do not fret; I did not walk through the park -- I am not yet that brave. So, I walked along its edges, down 5th Avenue from about 78th Street. And even in the dark, it is still a lovely walk.

Earlier in the day I met an LA friend of mine, Patrick, in Union Square. We had a good lunch at Republic (a decent Pad Thai) and that Sunday staple, the Bloody Mary. So good. Afterward, Patrick took me down to the East Village to "the oldest bar in New York" - Mc Sorley's. They have two types of beer there - light and dark. Take your pick. We had dark, of course, because dark beer is the best beer (and that is the opinion of this author). Also on the menu is the "cheese plate" which consists of saltines (in the sleeve), raw onions, and white cheddar cheese squares. Combined with the spicy mustard on the table, you've got yourself a meal. Delicious.

After saying goodbye to Patrick, I hoped on the 6 train at Astor Place and headed uptown. It was still light outside and I wanted to get to the Park. But, I was sidetracked. By the Whitney Museum. Oh, how I love this place. So, I went in, bought a membership (the 2010 Biennial is coming up in February and I want to go as often as possible) and then perused their current exhibition. CANNOT WAIT UNTIL THE BIENNIAL! I've been wanting to experience that for years and now I will finally make it. Love it.

*The gorgeous photo of Central Park (above) was taken by my friend Diana K. Garret. Her photography is beautiful. Take a look: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianagarrett/

Sunnyside, New York

My first neighborhood in New York City. This was a lovely Sunday morning.

NYC

I Love New York.

After years and years and years of dreaming of living in New York City...I finally made the move. It is exciting, daunting, bewildering, and honestly a relief! I've finally crossed off a MAJOR "to do" on the old LIFE list. Now, on to the rest of my life. Whatever that holds. Its all a mystery and just the way I like it.

I took this photo as I was landing on the day I got to the city. Of all my times flying into NY I've never had such a great, clear view of the entire city.