AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN

Wendy Sayuetz is a folk singer, part of the NYC subways music series. She sings the “Amber Waves of Grain” a song about her bike trip across America. She resonates about being drunk with the sights of amber waves of grain. In ordinary Nebraska wheat she sees a glimpse of American’s soul. “With miles of shimmering plains, the journey was somehow complete” she sings. .. Later, back in Manhattan, she is speeding downtown on a rush hour train. “What I found in Nebraska has been hard to sustain in the years that quickly gone by” she muses. “Now, the subway it grinds to a halt, an announcement shatters the air. We’re sorry to inform you there will be a delay, there is congestion at Times Square. Beside me two women keep 10 kids entertained by teaching them a song. I smile as I hear a familiar refrain and I find my self humming along. What I thought I had lost I seemed to have found from these kids on the Number 2 train. One small piece of Nebraska in New York’s underground – for Amber Waves of Grain."

MOVIES IN MANHATTAN

Why is Manhatan such a magnet for movies and films? It seems like every day one runs into an ad hoc production studio on a side street with dressing rooms, wardwrobe trucks, canteen stations, and equipment trucks. The streets signs are clearly posted "No Parking - Sunday - Filming_________. It might be CSI Gossip Girls, Sex in the City or any other TV show or film.

On a recent visit to Grand Central, a small film crew was repeatedly filming this woman walking from the West bank of stairs toward the ticket kiosk in the center of the Terminal. After each take she would go stand in the corner and stare off into space - apparently preparing for her role which had her - staring off into space.

I don't know what the movie was, but only about 4-5 people stood by and watched. The rest of the people in Grand Central went on their way obvlious or uninterested in the filing.

CELL PHONE GUY

Pacing back and forth on the sidewalk on 34th street tracing a four foot path he declares to the cell phone “I’ll get the pricing right away.” He is staring at the walkway the entire time so as not to be distracted from his conversation. His brief case is propped against the bench (see behind his right knee.) “Thank you sir” he says and then ends the call. I can only surmise that it is a very serious call.

Next he is scrolling through his phone’s menu and sees something that makes him think of another call to make. He picks up his bag as he punches in the numbers on his phone. He starts talking establishing a 20 foot pathway. This is a noisy intersection with Madison Avenue; two men power washing an office building currently at the 15th floor and working their way down. I can feel the mist across the street. The cars are honking and yet he continues his conversation with a 20’ back-and-forth path. This call must have been more relaxed because his longer stretch seems to be more natural.

He stops walking and says “I can’t hear your, say it again” Well, hello, it is very noisy intersection. He begins pacing as a bus stops to drop off and take on passengers. He then says “All right, thanks, bye.” No “Sir” this time. So the call must have not been as important.

He ends the call and walks toward the entrance to a building. It is now 10:58 so he must have an appointment in the building at 11:00 a.m

BLOCK THE BOX

Traffic is heavy in New York and at times barely moves. It doesn't help if cars block the intersections. So, the City has developed a block the box and you get a ticket program. If your car is caught in the intersections, like the car in the picture, when the light changes you have blocked the box. Notice that the light is green for uptown traffic.

Today, I was on the corner of 36th and Madison Avenues at 4:47 p.m. as traffic was heading east toward the Midtown Tunnel. Traffic was heavy and the police were issuing $115 tickets to anyone blocking the box.

In a one-half hour period I saw seventeen light changes and the following cars or trucks stuck in the intersection and the resulting consequences:
1) Mercedes - ticket
2) Range Rover - ticket
3) Cadillac - ticket
4) Lamborghini - ticket
5) No one blocking the box
6) Honda (beat up) - ticket

At 5:01 p.m. one officer goes over to a parked police car to report in to an official.

7) Saab – no ticket
Honda - no ticket
Large pick-up truck – ticket
8) BMW – ticket
Subaru – ticket
9) No one blocking the box
10) Lincoln Town car – no ticket
Honda – ticket
11) BMW no ticket
12) Cab – no ticket
Van – no ticket
13) White GMC SV – no ticket
NY DOT vehicle – no ticket
14) BMW – no ticket
15) Range Rover – no ticket
16) Mercedes – no ticket
17) Lincoln town car – no ticket
Honda – ticket

It was interesting that although taxi cabs were plentiful, only one was caught in the box during my one half hour study (and that one was not ticketed). And, after 5:00 p.m., even though the officers were still there they wrote only a couple of tickets whereas before 5:00 p.m. they were writing up every car that blocked the box. At $115 a ticket, they collected $575 from five cars with only one getting away. After 5:00 p.m. 4 tickets and 12 got away. I guess 5:00 p.m. must be quitting time. I must remember that for future reference.

FASHION WEEK

Fashion week takes place twice a year in Bryant Park. A mega tent is erected encompassing one-half of the park or about a third of a city block. In the fall, the spring fashions are displayed and in the spring the fall fashions are displayed. The audience is generally the press and buyers from around the world.

Although the public is not invited, many linger at either the front entrance to see the celebrities or the back entrance to see the models. At the back entrance I overheard one model being interviewed by a journalist. "What is your Style?" "City Chic" "Who did your top, skirt, shoes, purse, etc” The model rattled off designer names like she was listing her friends.

At another time I saw a Japanese model being interviewed by three different Japanese television stations.

The photographers were everywhere waiting for THE picture. Of course, the models more than agreed to be photographed and easily assumed the “pose” position. Of the photographers I saw, (about 20) only two were women. I don't know who is pictured about but she caused quite a stir when she arrived. The only comment I heard from her was "Well, New York is a small town after all in the fashion world." Yes inde

September 7, 2009

Coney Island, on Labor Day about noon. The rides are just opening. The weather is sunny, about 72*. There are only a few sun bathers on the beach. And only a few people on the boardwalk. One girl about seven is wering white slacks and top, flip flops, atiara, and purple sunglasses with frogs on the rims. She has a smug look on her face. And older woman is wearing a straw hat, blue and white stripe shorts faded orange slacks and bright organge croc shoes. Even wearing sunglasses her outfit hurt my eyes.

The boardwalk and shops looks exactly like it might have looked seventy years ago. I just noticed a guy playing "Hit the Srike" where he uses a sledge hammer to hit a rubber base which capults a disc upward about fifteen feet until it hits a bell. Three tries for Five dollars.

None of the food prices are posed. Why is that? So people cannot price shop? Next I see a rundown shop, dimly lit, that advertises and sells T-shirts, sand toys, ball caps, sweat shirts, and rents beach chairs.

A man building a sand castle about three feet high and six feet across. It is complete with turrets, stairs, towers, walk ways and assorted additional buildings. He is very maticulate about each grain of sand.

At the corner of Stillwell avenue and the Boardwalk is an official street sign "Polar Bear Club Walk" Two older men are sitting near the sign in beach chairs wearing bathing suits and othersise completely tanned, talking about thier Clubs' activities.

They tell anyone who will listen that they only swim in the ocean between November and April. "Come by any weekend and swim with us" they tell the passerbys.

September 4, 2009

What do people wear in New York? I had some spare time between volunteer activities at St Bart's so I decided to see what New Yorkers were wearing. (This was Park Avenue between 50th and 51st streets.) First, the shoes. A fifteen minute unscientific survey revealed that 46% of the men were wearing walker shoes and 33% of the men were wearing dress shoes. (This was a work day after all.) Sneakers were third at 17%. I am glad men are smart enough not to wear sneakers with a business suit, but walkers with a business suit? I hope they change to dress shoes when they arrive at the office.

The women loved their flip flops or sandals - 44% of them. Walkers came in second at 22% I only hope the women change into dress shoes before they reach the office. Walking into the office in flip flops

Next, what did people wear on their legs. 34% of the men had on dark or dressy slacks, Jeans were second at 28%. For women, 42% were wearing slacks, with skirts and jeans at 14% each.

The only men or women I saw wearing shorts were tourists. There were almost 100 people sampled in each of the four categories above.

September 3, 2009

A delivery truck was parked outside the Waldorf Hotel today on 50th between Park and Madison Avenues about 9:00 a.m. The driver was inside the hotel loading dock waiting to make a delivery when his truck began to roll downhill toward Madison Avenue. As the driverless truck reached Madison Avenue the light turned green so the runaway truck crossed the intersection with the light. Fortunately, there were no pedestrians walking against the light. The van proceeded across 50th street toward Lexington about one-half block before coming to a halt by crashing into scaffolding at the W hotel. The police immediately blocked off 50th street. Because the van had hit the scaffolding, the van could not be removed until the scaffolding could be reinforced and stabilized.

The poor driver must have been shocked to walk out of the loading dock to discover that his truck was missing. I would have loved to heard him on the phone with his boss trying to explain that situation.

The Naked Cowboy

What an embarrassment, The Naked Cowboy running for Mayor. You can see behind him is his campaign staff giving away "Naked Cowboy" T-shirts for only a $25 dollar donation.

He has a guitar and pretends to sing but all you hear is his voice monotone "I'm the naked cowboy ya hoo ya hoo" Of course no one comes to hear him sing. He allows tourists to take pictures of him with their girlfriends or wives for a "tip" which he slides into his guitar, usually 1-2 dollars. In the five minutes I watched him he had nine "customers." Not too bad a take. What is his platform? He can do more with less.

August 28, 2009

It is raining today and while walking to church to fold bulletins I saw a woman about 30 dressed all in black, black dress knee length, shoes, purse, and sun glasses carrying a black umbrella. But, because it was raining she must have though some color was needed so she was also wearing hot pink tights. To complement the tights she placed matching pink rosettes on each spoke of the umbrella. I only wished I had snapped her picture. Next time I will get her picture.

Yesterday, in front of the office building at 220 Madison was a full sized coffin on a bier. The coffin lid was partially open exposing a manikin wearing a death mask. The coffin was a protest against the management of the bulding for hiring a non-union contractor to remove asbestos. The leaflets proclaimed that the company has along history of violating laws that keep workers and the public safe from asbestos exposure. The gave the telephone number and name of the person responsible and suggested that we call him to complain.