I made a calendar of some of my favourite NYC street photography to hang at my cubicle at work. Most of the images are of everyday life: local people walking, cycling, sitting, shopping, and browsing. I do love being a tourist and I fully embrace my place when I'm there. But that doesn't stop me from trying to imagine what it might be like to live in such a vivacious, eclectic city and wake up every morning with so many options!

The image above made the cut. I specifically chose this one for my birthday month because I love being around art, whether historically impressive or passionately personal. There's something comforting and relaxing about wandering among creatively adorned easels in an open air art exhibit, and this one in Union Square was an unexpected treat while exploring the city in April.

I think birthdays should be a celebration of oneself, to unabashedly indulge in whatever excites and amuses and pleases. It's a day to be embraced and perhaps buy special treats and flowers and whatever else would make the day special. I don't think it just happens without a little preparation and I don't think someone else should be on the hook to provide it. And it should not be overlooked.

Here are some more ideals I feel like sharing in my way on my day:

 

Former site of Dani's Bistro, St. Paul Street, St. Catharines

Try out new eateries.

                             

Antique Wooden Escalator ascending lower floor of Macy's - 34th Street, Manhattan

Take the easy way up if it's more interesting.

Spotted in a shop window near Union Square, Manhattan

Smile.

Flatiron District, Manhattan

Opt for the balcony whenever you can.

Spotted affixed to a lamppost in Manhattan

Say it in your own way.

Signal Hill National HIstoric Site

Allow yourself to be swept away.

Water Street - St. John's NL

Accept yourself for all that you are.

St. John's, NL with The Rooms in the background

Be intrigued by the juxtaposition of styles.

Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls

Always have good music in your vehicle.

And remember:

Spotted along the Harbourfront - St. John's, NL

(no caption required!)

Cheers!

Christine



Part of the view from Signal Hill

St. John's, Newfoundland

“...where folks are real and people feel so deep inside
and the sea just rolls right through the soul of Newfie pride”


from My Home’s in Newfoundland

Just one of my favourite lyrics from Stompin' Tom.

Spellbound at Massey Hall, January 30, 2013

This was the scene at Massey Hall about fifteen minutes before Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Centre began their seduction of divine artistry and expressive passion. As we settled into our seats and surveyed our surroundings, it was clear this wasn't going to be "just another Wednesday evening"!

There was a great buzz in the air - sashaying across the red floors and swirling up the black support beams and skipping along the seat backs - rendering the crowd tipsy with anticipation. This is one lush, historic venue, well-versed in the hosting of serious music lovers as they delight in their genre of choice.

This vantage point provided a different angle of this grand space. While the view from the back of the theatre puts the scalloped ceiling on display, this view from the side showcases the tidy seating levels and stained-glass windows high above. From this angle, one can not only revel in the antics of those on stage but also in the reactions of those gleefully under their spell.

As the artists occupied the stage, the star trumpeter assumed his position at the back of the ensemble, and maintained it right up until the encore. Wynton Marsalis even retained his seat for his solos, revealing much about his modesty and his support of the other performers. The intention for this band is to promote jazz. Mission accomplished.

This concert solidified my existence as a jazz lover! My jaw fell open as I absorbed the first number and it pretty much remained there for the duration of the show (and judging from the honest vocal reactions of other members of the audience, I wasn't the only one captivated). I marvelled at the performers' ability to interpret the music, knowledge of their respective instruments' capabilities (and ability to push those limits wholeheartedly!), and razor-sharp communication between and during sets.

I delighted in the genuine expressions of enjoyment amongst the performers. I think musicians must be at the top of the "work that doesn't feel like work" ladder. The pianist was absolutely giddy as he arched over his keys, his fingers fluttering proficiently along each one, his smile radiating out into the air. The drummer, the only performer not wearing a suit jacket (who rocked his suspenders) was also beaming like a kid at Christmas. The bassist lavished sweet attention onto his bass, passionately devouring its neck at one moment , and softly plucking its strings the next.  

It was great to observe performers who held an obvious level of admiration towards one another's instrument of choice. They would turn around during their break to drink in another's performance, perhaps learning a little something along the way, perhaps reaffirming a sense of gratitude for sharing their craft.

There were a few performances at centre stage, including a sexy and very physical guest trombone soloist, a smooth and charismatic baritone sax feature, and a trio performing an exquisite and impossibly delicate rendition of Mood Indigo.

Everything about the experience sang to me. I even loved that when the ensemble played 42nd and Broadway, I remembered that I once stood at that very intersection! But I guess that's part of the interpretive power of music: its tendency to evoke memories and stimulate emotions that are unique to each and every person drawn into its spell.

View from Quidi Vidi Brewing Co.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Quidi Vidi itself is a charming, picturesque village that persuades her visitors to park their vehicles and get out and walk. Perched at the edge of the ocean, the clean green wood-sided brewhouse is hard to miss, and should not be missed for all of its own charms:

Cold craft beer arousing your tastebuds with its complex and refreshingly unique flavour. Spirited music weaving its way around the room that touches the walls with a caress one minute, and a pounding the next. Fabulous scenery that seduces one to succumb to its rugged perfection with an extended, dreamy gaze. Each facet of the experience bursting with a homegrown and unique flavour. Each one quenching a thirst in its own way.

During the day, this space beckons beer afficionados to wander its halls lovingly saturated with the pungent aroma of fermenting ales. This is how I experienced the establishment, as seen above: quiet and unassuming with little evidence of theatrical social stimulation. However, one only needs to spy the addition of a modestly furnished stage with the abundance of beer in this space to imagine an alter-ego of typical Newfoundland merriment! Calm before the storm.

Outside, the sunlight bathes the craggy hillside as the fringes of the ocean lap gently along the perimeter. However, one only needs to survey the condition of the rickety blue structure near the mouth of the harbour to imagine the potential for a wet and windy onslaught of typical Newfoundland fury! Calm before the storm.

The brewery produces a satisfying variety of beer crafted using only the essential ingredients. Visit: www.quidividibrewery.ca or go there for real!

Niagara Ice Dogs Game at the Jack Gatecliff Arena

St. Catharines, ON

Photo taken with my iPhone - which was subsequently returned to my purse and zipped in!

As an enthusiastic attendee of a recent Ice Dogs game, I was both appalled and amused by the number of people sitting there with their heads down, zombified by their smart phones. At a live hockey game! I mean, really, why did you trek out to the arena at all if you aren’t going to participate? And how is it possible to ignore the action anyway? Not even a commanding check into the boards could rustle up the attention of these folks – some of those in the front row didn’t even flinch!

Aside from missing the excitement of a game we’ve been deprived of so far this year, these phone junkies also miss the rest of the experience: the sudden eruption of cheering when we score, the smell of the popcorn and the call of the roaming beer vendor. They can’t engage in conversation with those sitting beside them: no musing about the antics of the forward, the coolness of the ref, or the charm of hearing Stompin Tom on the loudspeaker in between plays!

This is just one illustration of the twisted relationships many people have with their smart phones. Once I got thinking about it, I decided to write my fourth Tribune Community Editorial Board column on the topic.

Click here to read my opinion! 

Shot from Top of the Rock


New York City.

The mere mention of this word combination induces a pupil-dilating euphoria that's hard to match. You may have booked your flight and Times Square-surrounded hotel room innocently enough, but once you start spreadin the news that you're going, you have to accept full responsibility for drawing people into a New York state of mind.

Those who have been here before you ache to return. Those that haven't long to experience its delirious tempo and see all the sights they have seen in their favourite movies and TV shows. They want to shop on Fifth Avenue and see the namesake of so many couture brand names as if they were celebrities. They want to see celebrities, regardless of whether they are icons or freaks. And they want to shoot out-of-their-everyday-world pictures to their heart's content.

You will find out why entire songs have been written about a minute here, an autumn here, and a hotel here.

People come to this place dreams are made of, either to get away from it all or to become a part of it all.  And then they want to share whatever experience they bring home with everyone else who also loves NY.

Broadway Avenue in Flatiron District, NYC

I love Google almost as much as I love New York City.

Like jaunty dashes drawn on with a bevelled marker, I was charmed by the way this splash of blue enlivens this otherwise monochromatic scene. This also displays my love of shooting contrasting textures and spaces that reveal evidence of past lives.

I knew I had shot this during an excursion to New York City, and I was pretty sure it was during the trip that included an inspiring walk through Greenwich Village, SoHo, and East Village.

To further narrow it down, I studied the plum-coloured banners and Googled "Wined Up New York City". Now I've got my address: you are currently looking at a photograph of 913 Broadway.

But wait - there is another business visible here. Going by the window text under the bold blue awnings that caught my attention to begin with, I Googled "MDE New York City". Less luck on this one. Or wait, maybe it's mdc. "MDC New York City". Bingo! You are also looking at a photograph of 909 Broadway. 

I didn't patronize either of these businesses while I was in the Flatiron District, but it was a fun exercise!