Strand Bookstore

Saturday, December 5, 2009

The weather is quite raw.

It snowed in NYC quite a bit yesterday afternoon and night, but nothing accumulated. Temperature vacillated between 32 and 33 degrees.

We caught two buses and spent the morning hanging out at Strand bookstore. Susan made the acquaintance of a medieval expert who guided her in a selection of the best books to begin her investigation of that period of history that has she has begun to develop an interest. I was looking at books on French history with regard to WWII which was directly across the isle.

I then hung out in their collection of photo books of course. There is a new book of Helmut Newton. In the book are two photos of nudes he shot in the middle of the night illuminated by street light he shot outside our Paris apartment at 10 rue Aubriot, he had converted into a studio. They are included in the book. I took photos of the two full page images. I know where he took them because I recognize the out of focus church at the end of the one block long street. Street! ha! It is cobblestone alley!

I also leafed through quite a few other books, including one of color photos of Ansel Adams. He did shoot a lot, but never made prints because the technology of the period was either very expensive for good quality (dye transfer) or mush with C prints. I used to make lots of C prints and they never had the quality of real life. The text in the book was excellent and mentioned that he called on Harry Callahan to choose his best color images for some purpose, of which I do not recall as of this writing.

Susan made it to the Kate's paperie on west 13th and bought a few things. I left her there and went to the Forbes gallery to see the huge collection of toy boats he has amassed. OMG! 2X! Most look like WWI battle ships, but there others, including a number of submarines. I took quite a few photos of the exhibit. They probably won't be too great because of very low light illuminating the boats. I had to shoot at 400 ASA and at that rating you get noisy grainy images.

Uncle Nate gave me a metal mechanical submarine when I was a kid and I played with it a lot. I also had a sail boat he and I used to sail in Auld Park above the Ohio River.

After the boats was his collection of tiny metal soldiers. OMG! Fabulously exhibited. What a difference from today with computer games that obliterate your opponent.

Then came his collection of obscenely expensive watches.

In the next few rooms were his fine collection of photography. Had every single famous best Harry Callahan of Eleanore along with all the famous best Irving Penn images one can remember over his career. This, along with very old historic photographs.
All this in a fairly small intimate environment. It was a gem!

Then I returned to pick up Susan and we escaped the horrid rain by cabbing it the short distance to The City Bakery at 3 West 18th Street just off 5th Ave. that Dave Anderson sent me an email about. They also have some gourmet food, which we purchased and ate there. They are well known for their thick hot chocolate with home made marshmallows, so I gorged myself on that. We split a pulled pork sandwich, and considering it was made by some dorks in NYC, wasn't horrible. Susan had a tomato lintel soup that wasn't too bad, but I thought was a bit lacking in a definitive taste. Reza's blows it out of the water. We lingered there for at least an hour recouping our energy and watching the passing parade of customers.
By the time we left it was snowing wet blobs. We walked a quarter of a block to 5th Ave to see if we could get a cab. LOL

As we got to the intersection a cab pulled up to unload! What luck! The driver was very friendly, indeed everyone here in NYC has been gracious.

New York City - Day 4 - back 2 MoMA & dinner with friends

Friday, December 4, 2009

Had the full breakfast at the Leo House. All of it was quite good. Equaled what was available at most of the restaurants nearby. It is quite diverse in what is offered. Quiche, scrabbled eggs, pancakes, corned beef hash, bacon, sausage, bagels, croissants, various pastries, toast, juices, fresh fruit cup, creme cheese, coffee, espresso, tea, and probably a few items I have forgotten. Cost is only $9.

We took the bus in front of the hotel on 23rd street to 6th Avenue and a bus uptown to 53rd street. We then walked half a block east to the Museum of Modern Art. We spent full day from 11am till 4:30pm there. I went through the Bauhaus exhibit a second time. We both were impressed with the tasteful objects and craftmanship Marianne Brandt coffee and tea sets as well as her ink pot with a pen holder.

Then we went through the two floors of the modern collection starting with Cezanne forward. My goodness they seem to have almost every single important modern painting of the twentieth century! I've seen them in many of the books I've consulted. LOL! It was good to re-acquaint myself with many of my favorite and influential paintings (and the few sculptures) that I felt are like old friends! Susan and I had some vigorous conversations!

The museum had a special exhibit of the water Lillie's series by Monet in their collection. One is three huge canvases that creates a long panoramic image that stretched across an entire wall. It is similar to the ones in the Orangerie in Paris. I shot a poignant image of a older woman in furs in a wheel chair viewing the painting from approximately the center. Offset, standing to her left, and silhouetted, is a young woman nearer the painting tilted a bit with her legs crossed. A profound contrast.

The museum had lots of folks visiting. There were a number of guided tours with loud docents that unfortunately seemed to follow our every move!

I shot a few nice shots of the surrounding architecture out some of the large windows of the new wing looking uptown. One is of a narrow townhouse directly across the street that looks like it was inserted from the Baron Haussmann's reconstruction of Paris! It was only three or four stories high and had that tilted greenish roof with three attic garret bay windows. We wonder who lives there! In front of that apartment was a trailer with four gorgeous black motor cycles.

A few blocks further uptown, directly behind the townhouse was a glass facade building that reflected approaching back lit storm clouds. The windows appeared like ceramic tiles which changed their patina as the clouds moved and the light varied.

That evening Debbie Hecht and Sean O’Neil met us at out hotel. We then walked two blocks to an Bombay Talkie at 189 Ninth Ave just south of 23rd St. Attractive interior, fine wait staff and tasty food. We shared a selection of appetizers I don't recall. Susan had Okra baked with tomato and onions. I had chicken tandori, but it tasted different that what I have had in the past. Then we strode across 9th Avenue to a cup cake emporium. It was packed to the gills! I took shots of the lady icing the cup cakes through the window. She was part of the attraction. We brought our goodies back to the Leo House because there were only two tiny tables in the tiny joint which were unavailable.

Great conversation.

New York Day 3 - LES, Tenement Museum & dinner at Katz' deli

Thursday, December 3, 2009

We had breakfast at the Leo House.

We decided to try out the bus system so we could observe the city as opposed to being underground. It took two buses, but we made it to the Lower East Side. We just stumbled around, not seeing all that I had planned but stopping in quite a few shops including a bra store, a deli, and a number of clothing joints including Nick and Sons, one good vintage, and an art gallery or two. At Nick’s I purchased a reversible belt that the salesman was able to cut down to my size and punched in two extra holes.

We came across David Owens Vintage Clothing at 154 Orchard Street just north of Rivington. He had some very nice stuff and I spoke to him about Susan’s 70’s designer clothing and he was interested. I am to email him some photos. davesvintage@aol.com Also he might be interested in my mother’s custom jewelry.
We discovered Il Laboratorio del Gelato at 95 Orchard which was excellent, but not out of this world.

We took the Tenement Museum's "Piece Work" tour on the second floor of a tenement building led by an "educator." He was quite young but good. At the beginning he asked how many people in some way might be related to the garment trade and it was suprizing how many in our small group of about 10 or 12 were, including myself. (My uncle Harry Levine was a cutter at Crown Overall.) The tour featured 3 different time periods of family living. It was well worth taking.

We had dinner at Katz's deli on Houston. I had matzo ball soup which I thought was pretty good, a good pastrami sandwich and an excellent creamy cheesecake. Susan had a brisket sandwich. unfortunately it seemed mostly populated by tourists.

New York City Day Two - Fab Bauhaus show!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009 Overcast all day, at 5pm a drizzle began that developed in to an all night rain.
We had breakfast at the compact Breadstix Café a quite decent café at the SE corner of 23rd St. and 8th Ave, a half a block from the Leo House, a hospice/hotel operated by the Catholic diocese; it is fairly clean, comfortable and safe. We had, what became our standard, ham and cheese croissant and coffee.
Just as we exited the café door to descend into the subway right next to the restaurant, and endless line of three or four groups of 3rd or 4th graders beat us to it and began going down the stairs. They were on a “field trip” to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Little did we realize that was happening all day every day we were in NYC! [I might add there are very few subways with elevators or escalators in NYC.] We waited, and waited. One we finally got to the bottom, Stef had to figure out how to purchase a tourist subway pass good for 20 rides or so. This was our first encounter with a friendly New Yorker who guided me in the use of the ATM like touch screen. It went very smoothly as I charged it on a credit card. Then we had the bad luck to be on a car loaded with those little darlings all talking at the same time. The noise was deafening.
Went to the MoMA and spent the entire time at the excellent and in depth Bauhaus show. They have a lot of photographs and paintings by Moholy Nagy. The show featured many items I had not seen in books.
At 3pm we had a reservation for tea at Bergdorf Goodman. This was to be a very special romantic and quite respite, but proved to be the nosiest tea room I have every experienced! The meal itself was okay, nothing outstanding. Susan enjoyed it, and that is what was important. I shot a few shots out the window of the beginning of Central Park, the Apple store cube in the plaza of a building at 59th and 5th Avenue as well as the entrance to the Plaza hotel.
At Bergdorf, we visited their “tea shop” room. Gorgeous antique and vintage tea sets, accoutrements and toast racks. Sigh! What a joy for Susan!
At the end of the day, after a time consuming cab ride down 5th Ave. we finally returned to the hotel. Susan was worn out.
What we had forgotten is that tonight was the Rockefeller tree lighting which is on 5th Avenue! An estimated million people were supposed to have amassed for the sight which featured two to three hours of first class entertainment preceding the lighting and broadcast live nationwide on NBC which is located in the Center.

Our 2 week visit to NYC 2C the Bauhaus show and more

I kept a journal during our trip to New York City to see the Bauhaus show at MoMA, Robert Frank’s "The Americans" show at the Met, the Man Ray show at the Jewish Museum and the recently opened Neue Galerie dedicated to artwork and some furniture created in Austria and Germany from the turn of century, just after WWI, and before WWII. I have been editing it and am close to being done, so thought I would post it day by day in separate entries into my blog. I will keep the actual dates of each day's activity, as indicated below.

Ready? Here we go!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The plane was packed to the gills! They had difficulty getting all the carry on luggage and coats in the overhead bins!

We walked all the way down 8th Avenue to have dinner at Tea and Sympathy in the Village. We split a salad of field greens with vingerette. I had Banger (sausage) and Mash. Susan had pork loin with sage dressing mashed potatoes with baby peas and carrots. Finished the meal with excellent sticky toffee pudding. Then went next door to their shop offering many British food items as well as Christmas “crackers.” We noticed a large grocery bag near the cash register with the name Tina Brown on it in large marker pen.

Photograms and my vision of so called "photography."

I am a graduate of the Institute of Design in Chicago which Moholy established upon his coming to the USA after the closing of the Bauhaus in Germany. Unfortunately he had passed on by the time I arrived. I studied with photographers Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind as well as very fine graphic designers and graphic artists along with numerous visiting greats.

My apartment was around the corner from where Moholy originally lived in a charming Victorian three flat on Lakeview Avenue and Deming Place, in Lincoln Park. But, by that time, that too was gone, raised for a hi-rise. Only a plaque remains.

Moholy was a great inspiration to my thought process and vision.

I made photograms every year I studied there, finally realizing that photography does not need an object involved in its creation since, in it pure execution, photography only requires a source of radiating energy effecting a surface sensitized to that type of energy.

With that realization I began exploring sources of light and used them to expose colored 8x10 inch paper and later 8x10 Ektachome in 1961, 62 and 63.

In the end, I finally discovered sources of pure exploding light that I did on the above sizes of paper and film. I named these "dynagrams" (C).

I also coated my face with paper developer and pressed my face against fogged 4x5 and 8x10 sheet film for a minute or two and then ran the film through hypo - fixer. I named these "epigrams." (C)

I also explored other alternative energies such as heat (thermofax), x-ray and others.

Count Basie at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1959!

Test to see if I can embed a link to music on wolfgangsvalt.com. This should be Count Basie at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1959!

Bicycle Beats Helicopter

Bicycle Beats Helicopter

Shared via AddThis

Today was World Carless Day. Read this story about a race by various modes of transport in rush hour São Paulo including the bicycle. Be sure to watch the video.

I'm tweeting

I am doing more frequent short postings, some with with photos on my twitter account at:

http://twitter.com/finephoto

Yikes, haven't posted! I tweet a bit though!

Hello to those few who even are aware of my blog.

Sorry, haven't posted a thing in many months! I have gotten addicted a bit to this Twitter thing, and follow Lance Armstrong as well as a few others. Much quicker and immediate than blogging. I do some posting there as well, along with links to photos at twitpic. If you are interested in checking out my micro-ramblings on twitter, I can be found at https://twitter.com/finephoto

If I have posted a picture on twitter, it does not actually appear on twitter, but rather as an imbedded url that takes you to the photo at twitpic.
That url is http://twitpic.com/photos/finephoto

Well, I may well be off to a sunny bike ride along the lake shortly.

S.

Countries I have visited around the Globe

Not too impressive, but here goes!


visited 7 states (3.11%)
Create your own visited map of The World or determine the next president

Here is a map of where I have traveled in the United States of America.

visited 38 states (76%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or determine the next president

Nothing here!

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nada!

Nothing here!

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Believe me, it was not worth it any way! Just a fun thingy.

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Bob Seeley boogie woogie pianist extraordanaire!

This past Saturday, June 7, I caught Bob Seeley at the Piano Salon event at Piano Forte in the Fine Arts building at 400 S. Michigan Avenue here in Chicago. Just sheer joy!

I shot the below video with my still Canon sd700is digcam. This is at youtube.com. The original has much higher resolution. Just click on it and the video will play. enjoy!

Pix from Savanah, GA trip

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Sculpture at 1800 N. Clark, at Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Pk, Chicago, IL

1800 N. Clark, at Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Pk, Chicago, IL, originally uploaded by finefoto.

Foster rocks at approximately 5400 north.

Foster rocks at approximately 5400 north., originally uploaded by finefoto.

I have a new LG cell phone with a camera. It is the first one I've had with that feature. It also plays mp3 music along with a host of other features that can distract me for hours.
I took it on a recent morning stroll along the lake front and grabbed this shot of life as I tested it out.

Quinceanera at Millenium Park 8-2007 at "the Bean"

quinceanera at Millenium Park 8-2007 at "the Bean", originally uploaded by finefoto.

This is the original camera crop.

Quinceanera at Millenium Park 8-2007 at "the Bean"

quinceanera at Millenium Park 8-2007 at "the Bean", originally uploaded by finefoto.

Quinceanera at Millenium Park 8-2007 at "the Bean"

quinceanera at Millenium Park 8-2007 at "the Bean", originally uploaded by finefoto.

This was shot on an extremely hot & humid August Sunday under a large polished stainless steel sculpture named "Sky Gate," but know locally as "The Bean" due to its shape. It is located in a large park between downtown Chicago's "Loop" and lake Michigan. The park is approximately two long blocks by three blocks. It features a concert venue, other sculptures, a garden, a restaurant and other features. Weekends, the park features a multitude of cultural and other activities.

It is a favorite place for locals to celebrate weddings, birthdays and other important events.

This photo is of a group of friends participating in a "Quinceanera," in which a young Latinia female makes her debut before the church and society at the age of 15 in a rite of passage celebrating the girl's transition from childhood to adulthood. It is one of the most important and memorable events on her life.

To learn more look it up on Wikipedia or better yet, try www.epcc.edu/ftp/Homes/monicaw/borderlands/10_a_hispanic_...'s.htm

Shot with a Canon SD700is compact camera.

North Ave palance Extreme bike rider launched into sky and lake

2007-4-8 North Ave palance Extreme bike rider launched into sky and lake, originally uploaded by finefoto.

What can I say? These guys show up early most Saturdays on the concrete placade between Oak Street and North Avenue beaches just south of the chess pavilion in Chicago and take turns at this dare devil bike trick. All the while literally hundreds of joggers, bikers, roller bladers and walkers and parents pushing babies in strollers are going by.

shot with a Canon SD700is pocket camera.

North Ave palance Extreme bike rider launched into sky and lake

2007-4-8 North Ave palance Extreme bike rider launched into sky and lake, originally uploaded by finefoto.

What can I say? These guys show up early most Saturdays on the concrete placade between Oak Street and North Avenue beaches just south of the chess pavilion in Chicago and take turns at this dare devil bike trick. All the while literally hundreds of joggers, bikers, roller bladers and walkers and parents pushing babies in strollers are going by.

Tiffany dome of Chicago's cultural center (before restoration)

Tiffany dome of Chicago's cultural center, originally uploaded by finefoto.

This is the 38-foot dome in Preston Bradley Hall of Chicago's Cultural Arts Center. It is believed to be the world's largest Tiffany dome. Designs in the ornately decorated room are inspired from nature including fish scales in the dome and theTiffany lamp in this photo. Directly above the lamp are the symbols of the Zodiac. It is located at Michigan Ave., and Washington st. This was shot before the 2008 restoration that cleaned it up and got rid of the flourencent bulbs and now allows natural light. A visit now is truly one of visual delight. Not as mind blowing as St Chapel in Paris, but never the less, refreshing. This was shot with an ordinary point and shoot Canon sd700is digital camera at 200 asa. I laid on my back on the floor to compose this shot, and enable myself to hold the camera steady and align the two circles.

Chicago- Reliance Bldg 1st skyscaper with steel skeleton

Chicago- Reliance Bldg 1st skyscaper with steel skeleton, originally uploaded by finefoto.

Located at 32 N. State Street, the Reliance Building was built shortly after the Chicago fire, and is the first steel (not iron) skeleton structure building in the world and gave birth to the concept and engineering that enables the building of tall buildings with no masonry support what so ever, like in the Monadnock building a few block south east. Burnham and Root were the architects.
For more info, check out http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/R/RelianceBuilding.html

Rookery building, Chicago, IL

Rookery building, Chicago, IL, originally uploaded by finefoto.

Although the Rookery building was designed by Root, it is the Frank Lloyd Wright remodeled large skylit lobby done in 1905, which features elements of his Prairie School designs that bring fans from all over the planet. It is located at 209 South La Salle St., a few blocks south of Helmut Jahn's State of Illinois building.

My French guest, who I was giving an architecture tour pointed out that all the delicate cut out work in the iron beams would be economically impossible today, even if you could locate crafts people capable of the work.

The lamps are a delight to study also.

Unfortunately guests are limited to the first floor and are unable to explore the spectacular spiral staircase. Lucky for me, I was able to get fabulous photos of it back in the late 1960's that have been reproduced in various publications.

Chicago - Carson's Sullivan facade

Chicago - Carson's Sullivan facade, originally uploaded by finefoto.

One of the first buildings I showed a visiting French woman during our architecture tour was this structure on State Street.

"One of the most important structures in early modern architecture, famed for its influential modular construction and design. Visionary architect Louis Sullivan shaped this commercial building--originally built for the Schlesinger and Mayer department store--into a dramatically animated structure that inseparably merges beauty and function. The ornament of the lower two stories is frozen in cast iron, while at the same time giving the impression of being in fluid motion. It is an excellent example of Sullivan's genius for architectural ornament."
from www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/C/Carsons.html

If you visit Chicago, you must not miss exploring its architecture, and this is number one on the list.

Chicago - Dubuffet & church

Chicago - Dubuffet & church, originally uploaded by finefoto.

Here is another more unique view/interpertation of Jean Dubuffet's "Monument With Standing Beast" installed in the State of Illinois Plaza at Clark and Randolph streets in Chicago's loop.The building is by Helmut Jahn and worth exploring its huge open atrium.

I shot this with a point and shoot Canon sd700is during a morning architectural walk of the Loop with a visitor from France. Just shows that it is not the camera, but the eye of the fotographer that creates a fine fotograph.

Chicago - Dubuffet & church

Chicago - Dubuffet & church, originally uploaded by finefoto.

"Monument With Standing Beast" by Jean Dubuffet in the State of Illinois Plaza. The building is by Helmut Jahn and worth exploring its huge open atrium.

I shot this with a point and shoot Canon sd700is during a morning architectural walk of the Loop with a visitor from France.

Map of a great walk along the lake up in Edgewater - Foster to Montrose

Check out the map. If it does not appear in this post cut and paste this url in your browser and click on enter or go.
http://tinyurl.com/yvggjp

Brown Out

Around 9am today, a Sunday in February, the electric in our area has gone out and we seem to have a brown out. No real power, but the bulbs have an extremely low orange glow, like an one watt night light. It was this way for over two hours until I ran out to the power company truck in the alley when I heard its familiar motor. No real info, but I could see another truck over two blocks north. They theroize that a transformer blew when a squirrel shorted out the wires when he jumped from one wire to another and his tail clipped the wire he jumped from. This is a frequent problem. When it happens, and the transformer blows, there is a loud bang that joints me out of my seat!

Since we have no idea when, or even they will be able to fix the problem, we have decided to camp out at friend's and so have gone to their place. That is where I am posting this from.

Corkscrew Audubon Swamp

Corkscrew Audubon Swamp: A Sanctuary birds & wildlife.
If you are in the Fort Meyer area be sure to drive south to this fabulous nature area. I'll post more info later.

Vintage Bill Evans to sit back, eyes closed and enjoy

Bill Evans Trio
Uploaded by alternativa

This classic Bill Evans video features Chuck Israels, bass and Larry Bunker, drums, perhaps in Paris at a recital given at the Orchestre de la Radio Televise Francaise (ORTF) in early 1965, or at a similar such event.

Finesse!

Fab Video of Hawk, Bird, Getz, Rich, Little Jazz, Ella and more

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Charlie Parker
Uploaded by alternativa

Enjoy!

Vine leaves in fall

Vine leaves in fall lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Fall has return again and I came across this as I was walking to the elevated station. This was on the wall of the train tracks. The original file is very sharp compared to this lo-res posting. Since I shot it on a very gray overcast afternoon, I tweaked it a bit in Photoshop, to the image's great improvement IMHO. Wish I could have done this back in the old C22 print days!

Bobby Lewis at PianoForte

2006-09-16 Bobby Lewis at PianoForte (10) rt2 lo-res 9C) Stef Leinwohl
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

The mature warmth of trumpet and flugel horn player Bobby Lewis appearing in the intimate Salon environment of the PianoForte piano shop in the Fine Arts Bldg on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Among the pieces he played were Emily and the theme from Black Orpheus. The reflected hands on the keyboard belong to the ever ready and flexible Jim Ryan. The concert was on Saturday September 16, 2006.
Was shot with the magnificant new Canon sd700is pocket digcam.

Edgewater dental tooth brush neon sign

Edgewater dental tooth brush neon sign
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Part of my continuing documentation of strong graphic neon signs in the Edgewater area of Chicago. This one is on Broadway.

Notice reflections of the krate kid neon sign across the street. This is, a "happy accident", as I call it. So much fun, considering his placement.

I don't know if this is a standard neon sign, or is a custom design. In any event it is quite striking graphically.

Chicago Neon Statue of Liberty

Neon Statue of Lib - neon lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

This neon sign, on Bryn Mawr just west of the el stop in Edgewater, Chicago, flashes on and off making it difficult to shoot. It is for a tax prepairer.

It is across from "Flourish," a wonderful bakery where you can also enjoy a pastery with their custom blended coffee. They also serve daily special light meals featuring three daily specials.

Flourish has a bar along the window great for the observation and study of the parade of the eclectic blend of inhabitants of the community.

The perfect place to hang out if caught in the rain.

It is not far from a nice bookstore just south on the west side of Broadway.

Chicago Grafitti

Chicago Uptown Berwyn El viaduc_v lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

This is along the west side of a viaduct wall south of the Berwyn el stop in Chicago. It is part of about seven others that were done about five years ago.

Edgwater Graffiti

Chicago Uptown Berwyn El viaduc 2 lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

This is along a viaduct wall south of the Berwyn el stop in Chicago. It was painted in 2001. Amazing how intense the eyes are considering this was done by teen agers.

spider in the city

spider hi res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Just happened to be walking around my neighborhood in Chicago and found this spider. No idea its name, since I am not into spiders much, although I enjoy them as objects and love their webs. It has been very rainy and humid which seems to bring out spiders. Perhaps to snare mesquitos.

Lake Pt tower, Chicago, patriotic window washing machine

Lake Pt tower patriotic window washing machine
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Chicago skyline no one sees from a patch of wild land just east of LSD at river

Chicago skyline no one sees from a patch of wild land just east of LSD at river
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

This was shot from a wild weedy patch of land just east of Lake Shore Drive north of the Chicago River where it meets Lake Michigan. It is basically unaccessable. I had to circumvent two fences and wend my way through chest high Queen Anne's Lace, wild brambles and tall bushes and trees. Behind me, across a slip of water, is Navy Pier. Little are the Pier visitors aware of this wild patch of prairie. I believe it belongs to the city, but am not sure at all.

Chicago fountain along river rear Columbus Dr & Chicago River in N Loop

Chicago fountain along river rear Columbus Dr & Chicago River in N Loop
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

This is a unusual water fountain in the Streeterville area just north of the loop downtown in Chicago. It faces the Chicago River just before it enters Lake Michigan.

Chicago - bean (Cloud Gate) Sculpture reflections

2006-09-06 Chicago - bean 1004 lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

The official name of this sculpture is "Cloud Gate," but since that is such an obtuse name and since it looks like a giant kidney bean, everyone has nick named it "The Bean." It at the north end of Grant Park along Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is made of polished stainless pannels that were expertly welded together so that the seams are invisible. It is a delight to experience.

Hancock Bldg between Mies' 860 N LSD bldg.

2006-09-06 Chicago - Hancock Bldg bet Mies LSD bldg, Chicago lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

The buildings on the right and left are the famous 860 LSD glass and steel buildings designed by Mies van der Rohe. The building in the center is the Hancock Building on Michigan Ave.

Chicago - bean & japanese tourists

2006-09-06 Chicago - bean & japanese tourists 1001
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

These Japanese tourists and having so much fun playing with their reflections in a sculpture named "Cloud Gate," but since that is such an obtuse name and since it looks like a giant kidney bean, everyone has nick named it "The Bean." It at the north end of Grant Park along Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is made of polished stainless pannels that were expertly welded together so that the seams are invisible. It is a delight to experience, as you can see demonstrated by these Japanese tourists.

He is mimicing her suggested pose. Both are giggling.

Give Pandora a try to create your own radio stations to play your own programmed favorite music

duke ellington Radio

click on the above link it should take you to a station playing mostly Duke Ellington and his style of music.

If that is not to your taste, try Wilco Radio to listen to the band Wilco.

Then explore creating your own station.

Marias, Paris

Strapped
Originally uploaded by Mernas.

Au quartier juif, Marais Paris

Au quartier juif
Originally uploaded by Mernas.

quite the nice B&W shot. Not easy to grab.

Bryn Mawr nr Broadway:

A new bakery/pastry shop opened in June. S and I often visit it to enjoy, not only their fabulous pastry, but light meals. It is located in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago at 1138 West Bryn Mawr at the El stop, just east of Broadway. I had the best pot pie I have ever eaten. The crust was the secret.

Moishe's Movers

Moishe's Movers
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Oy Veh!

TallShips Visit Chicago

TallShips
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Every three years the Tall Ships tour the great lakes and make a week visit in Chicago, IL in August. You can get on board and tour the ships.

Docked just east of Michigan Ave bridge below Wacker Dr.

TallShips visit Chicago

TallShips
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Every three years the Tall Ships tour the great lakes and make a week visit in Chicago, IL in August. This was shot under horrid misty flat light. They have a parade of ships the first day. Too bad for the weather. Of course it cleared up and was sunny, as you can see in another shot I posted, after they had docked.

What a delight to see the wonder of wind power from the past.

Jimmy Rosenberg 1993

Jimmy Roseberg in 1993. Wow was he good even then!!

Biréli Lagrène, Gipsy Project & Friends

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Ah to have been at this "Arrêt spectacle" Concert au petit Trianon in Paris on March 2 of 2006! Biréli Lagrène, Gipsy Project & Friends (Didier Lockwood, (fiddle) Dorado Schmitt, Angelo Debarre)

Festival "l'esprit manouche"

Here is a great video from 12-13/07/2003 - at Moseley Park, UK. featuring gypsy stars Tchavolo Schmitt, Angelo Debarre, Fapy Lafertin & Tim Kliphuis, Note manouche (Mandino Reinhardt, Sony Reinhardt, Marcel Loeffler, Joselito Loeffler, Gauthier Laurent). it is 1hr 18 of joy.

Hawaiian shirt at the White Palace Grill, Roosevelt & Canal, Chicago, IL

R & I had an early morning breakfast at the venerated classic "White Palace Grill" at Canal and Roosevelt on the near south side of Chicago near the area where the Maxwell Street Market was forced to move when the U of IL bought up the vibrant nearby old Maxwell Street area at Halsted and Rosevelt Rd. I had scrambled eggs, 4 pancakes and two generous thick pieces of ham for $5.50. Coffee was an additional $1.00.

This fellow was sitting on this chrome stool when we sat down in the booth opposite. I grabbed a shot of him as soon as we settled in. In less than a minute he had finished his waffel delight, stood up and walked off.
Hawaiian shirt at the White Palace Grill, Roosevelt & Canal, Chicago, IL
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

500 blk of Oakdale Ave, Chicago

500 blk of Oakdale Ave, Chicago
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

We often walk along a street looking straight ahead, straight down at the sidewalk or right or left for traffic, but rarely up at the diverse architectural detailing and windows, much less the reflections in the windows. Here some of detailing is a simple arrangement of the laying of the brick to create a diamond design. Compare this brickwork to that in one of the photos posted on May 9, 2006. The locations are only two blocks from one another, but probably 70 years apart in construction dates.

500 blk of Oakdale Ave, Chicago

500 blk of Oakdale Ave, Chicago
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Simple pressed tin detail that at one time was very popular because it was inexpensive compared to having a trained artisian carve it out of solid stone.

500 blk of Oakdale Ave.

500 blk of Oakdale Ave.
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

bleeding hearts 1 lo-res

bleeding hearts 1 lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

bleeding hearts 2

bleeding hearts 2 lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Each spring brings the delicate pink sculptures known as "Bleeding Hearts." These are just east of our apartment on Oakdale in a fenced in garden on the parkway.

Benches in water tower pk Chicago lo-res

Benches in water tower pk Chicago lo-res
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

I happened to be walking through the delightful park surrounding the old water tower when noticed this interesting rhymatic pattern of the chairs.

This photo is also a homage to Henri Cartier-Bresson for his decisive moment seeing and patterns. See, compose, and wait -- click! Hard to do with a point a shoot that has a shutter lag.

Spring at 431 Oakdale

Spring at 431 Oakdale
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Light! That's what its all about.

sun reflection on wall with walker

sun reflection on wall with walker
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

This is at Pinegrove at Oakdale in the Lakeview area of the northside of Chicago. The sun is reflected from a few window panes in the late afternoon. What a delight to discover! Particularly when most people are looking straight ahead or worst yet straight down at the concret in front of them. Of course, you can find some very nice abstract images on the sidewalk, even graffiti. Shortly after shooting this I met an economist visting Chicago as I crossed the street. We had a delightful half hour conversation. I showed him the image to demonstrate his question of what a good photo was. I compared this one to others of the same situation that did not work as well, or at all.

2900 N Broadway, Chicago graffiti

2900 N Broadway, Chicago graffiti
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

I decided to walk an alley for about four blocks instead of a street on my way to a doctor appointment. This led to discovering these two stencil graffiti images. Have no idea who did them or what they are about. They are around 2950 N. Broadway in the Lakeview area of Chicago.

alley diagonal bricks & person at sunset

alley diagonal bricks & person at sunset
Originally uploaded by finefoto.

Was I delighted to walk past this one day! I spent about 15 minutes grabbing shots of people as they used this short cut to Clark St from Broadway. The light is perfect to reveal the brick design. Compare this brickwork to that in a photo posted on May 15, 2006.