Some Light on the Bridge

 

There are many images of Welland's old lift bridge rising out of the recreational canal like a pair of brontosauri approaching one another. Some photographs are shot at night, with strategically placed lights reflecting off the still water, one row lining the bridge and another row running back along the edge of the canal.

 

This bridge stands strong and proud as it guards the great intersection of our city. Not having been raised since 1972, it has remained an integral part of Welland's identity and a recognisable feature for so many residents and visitors.

 

With Niagara College's campus reaching north from the canal, there are so many transplanted young people stretching their wings for the first time as they live away from home. It is unfortunate, but they likely only venture downtown for a specific excursion, just to see what it's like, since everything they need is up near the college.

 

Twenty years ago, this was me. I lived just a few minutes away from the college and pretty much walked everywhere I had to go. One evening, I decided to take advantage of the newly launched community bus service that circulated later than the regular city buses. I wanted to see downtown, but I was happy to take the long way to get there so I could tour the area as well!

 

Seeing the lift bridge for the first time was awe-inspiring for me. I'd never seen anything like it, and not having yet viewed ships in the functioning waterway, I marvelled at the idea of a bridge - a part of the street - actually lifting into the air! And as we drove around the general area, I could spy glimpses of one tower or another through the buildings, grounding me as the bus followed its route.

 

I imagine it would echo the thrill of being in Paris and finally gazing upon the illustrious Eiffel Tower that one had only previously seen in two dimensions.

 

Even with its bridge-adorned canal, I know Welland is a far cry from Paris, but a historical, recognisable structure that reaches up into the sky, visible from many areas of a city, is something to be revered and preserved, regardless of its international stature.

 

Fast forward to a June evening in 2013 that saw me as a long-time resident meandering along the winding pathway leading towards Main Street. I was behind the Civic Square and shot several images of the bridge and its accessories as the sun receded into the escarpment. Like many people, I typically traverse the bridge on four wheels as I make my way up Niagara Street in the direction of the college. But this time, I saw aspects of this familiar structure while on foot that I'd never noticed from a vehicle, such as this smooth nautical light.

There are many ways to see the bridge, and many angles and facets to contemplate whether the vantage point is from a sister bridge or from the foot of its towers. Hopefully it remains a prominent Welland structure, and continues to be valued and maintained to stand tall in our downtown.

Salted View on the Rock

Salted View on the Rock

Cabot Tower, Signal Hill, NL

 

 

This is my latest in an eclectic collection of self-portraits. Never one for symmetrical or sparkly pretty,  I enjoy the natural filters applied by the reflective surface of choice: the abstracted ripples of a stainless steel wine fermenter, a round mirror's distortion, a window's slightly muted weathering... always unique and always inverted!

 

I love the idea of capturing by my own hand a moment in time in a place that intrigues me. They are so personal to me that I never have to write down where or when they were taken, even as they float contently in a sea of thousands of images.

 

This one was taken during a trip to St. John's, NL. I was looking into the exterior of the Cabot Tower while standing atop its roof and my Mom was looking towards the ocean due east! I was visiting in July and in addition to the warm sunshine, there was barely any wind! Another different way to experience the rock.

 

 

 

The spot on which we're standing can be seen in the photo below:

 

 

 

 

 

And for those of you who don't know what the Cabot Tower is, here is my full shot in all its strong, stately glory:

 

 

 

It's funny because I visit St. John's yearly and whenever I'm there, I venture to Signal Hill and I devour the imagery with my camera. Every time. Of course I always add new corners and streets to the list of things I want to see, but Signal Hill is always included. And I always grin when I'm standing there and I imagine that I'm taking the same shots again and again. But today, as I was searching for the specific illustrative shots seen in this post, I had to go through my archives to find them! The first picture is from 2013, the second one 2012, and the third was taken in 2010! So it's gratifying and exciting to learn that I am adding to my collection every time. And that regardless of how many times I see a familiar landscape or building or historic site, there is always something new to discover. After all, it is being experienced through refreshed eyes and another year's worth of experiences and understanding.

 

 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



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!

At the Scene of the Crime: Bay Street in Toronto

You see before you evidence of a drive-by shooting that occured right out in broad daylight in downtown Toronto. The incident was pre-meditated, thoughtfully orchestrated, and heavily pixelated. Armed with a weapon of mass production, the perpetrator purposefully and masterfully carried out the intended mission with great focus. There was an accomplice but he escaped in a flash with his equipment. No injuries were sustained but there was substantial capture both from this location and various other settings throughout the city. Authorities zoomed in on the culprit by following the light bouncing off the sides of the buildings, clearly exposing the activity. It is estimated the ambush continued for several hours before the shooter was apprehended, subjected to a search, and secured. Although every effort is being made to stop down this operation, it is feared that similar shootings may take place in the future and residents are advised to stay inside and close their shutters.

Brooklyn Bridge ~ Manhattan Pier ~ October 2012

Actually setting foot on this iconic bridge was the last of my great New York City intentions, as I had explained in a previous post. I had heard about this dedicated area for those who wish to cross the bridge without a car - and it is pretty cool: safely elevated away from vehicular traffic, pedestrians get our own expanse.

After six trips to the Big Apple, I finally got to make my way along its wooden floor, taking special care to remain on the right side, which was also the correct side, for a pedestrian. The lanes are clearly marked so one knows where the feet go as opposed to where the wheels go, and the cyclists have no qualms about scolding those who wander onto the wrong side. It felt like a glimpse into the world of the locals, knowing that they routinely make this trip, either to get to or from work, or to escape the stresses that are created as a result.

Being that it was late in the day, it was decided that we wouldn't go all the way to Brooklyn, but would just go to this tower before turning back. (My travelling party was graciously indulging in my desire to do this so I took what I could get!)

I was enthralled with the view as I approached the first pier on the Manhattan side. This tower looked even stronger than any image I'd seen and was wonderfully clean and proud. There was also more cabling than I realised, and I delighted in the contrast between the robust concrete structure and the relatively thin gridlines reaching out from it. Looking up at the intricate webs of cables and their patterns was mesmerizing. I would have liked to have stopped and gazed upwards for longer than I did, but the perpetual flow of the crowd doesn't really approve of interruptions. (Curiously, there are a row of benches along its railings at the edge, shortly after embarking on its route. Imagine, someone thinking to place seating on a bridge!)

I did stop when I reached the tower, however, and shot right underneath it, capturing proof that I couldn't have been anywhere BUT right underneath it! It was thrilling to be standing on such a recognisable landmark, the backdrop for so many movies I'd seen, the subject of so many New York City photographic books I've devoured.

And even though I can now comfortably draw a line through "Walk along the Brooklyn Bridge", I have to go back! My insatiable obsession with New York City has spilled over creating a alternate infatuation with this bridge. I just want to unleash my camera all over this subject... to take my own pictures from every angle: I want to stand at each of its shores, to sail underneath it, and to get adjacent to it, perpendicular to it, and all the way across it. Then there's the night view, the winter view... the city as it looks from the middle of it... the people as they make their way across it... insatiable I say!

The Rooms - St. John's

Newfoundland and Labrador

Located in the heart of St. John's, The Rooms is one hulk of a building, dwarfing nearly every structure along the upper rim of its sprawling and colourful cityscape. I've heard some of the locals speak of it with disdain, complaining that it doesn't "fit" structurally or stylistically with the rest of the city's historic architecture. Okay, what they actually say is that it "sticks out like a sore tum"! 

Granted, it does command your attention as you drink in the luscious view from atop Signal Hill. And yes, it's a simple, triangular design, devoid of the details and intricacies that embellish so many of the other buildings in this 500+ year old city.

But, I discovered that it has its charms. If its simplicity doesn't echo its neighbouring historic buildings, it does seem to fit right in with the jutted rocks and cliffs that abound in the city. Its placement certainly does afford some of the best views of the mouth of the harbour and Signal Hill. I found it quite magical to stand before those massive windows at night and look out at all the light-studded hills. And when I was granted a free afternoon to make my way up Garrison Hill and meander around the property and slide along its smooth facade, I developed a real appreciation for the architectural cleverness. The mirrored planes are angled in such a way that the reflections are playfully distorted and bold.

I imagine since its doors first opened seven years ago, it's become a prominent structure in St. John's, recognisable to both locals and visitors alike. It still sticks out, but it's more of a thumbs up.

To learn more about this all-encompassing celebration of everything cultural, visit: http://www.therooms.ca/

Along Central Park Drive in Manhattan - October 2012

The sunshine and rising temperatures created a contradiction in seasons this past weekend in the big city. From the rolling, picturesque hillsides of Central Park to the multi-level heights of city living, the fall colours were blazing under the noonday sun. The store windows displayed equally bright oranges as their owners seduced the passersby to wander inside for costumes and decor. It's hard to imagine Halloween bringing out characters even more bizarre than those typically seen along the pathways but one can certainly see the potential!

Along Wacker Drive Overlooking the Chicago River

I have my screen saver set up to display a slide show of my Street Photography. Lately, it seems everytime I look at it, I see an image from my 2010 trip to Chicago. The grown-up escape and catching up with a dear friend was the icing on the cake as we burrowed into the charisma and history of this approachable and architecturally stunning metropolis.

This was a very amateur attempt at night photography, sans tripod, that I took the night before we took flight and rails back to our respective realities. This image illustrates much of what I loved about Chicago: the buildings and the river in which we flowed as we learned about their origins... the spectacular meals we enjoyed at The Gage and Quartino and my first real sushi experience earlier on this particular day... the ease at which we walked along its streets at any hour of the day or night as we explored and lingered and gazed and engaged...

I shot this while breathing those deep breaths that only flow while removed from schedules and responsibilities, a condition that is very easy to adopt while on vacation!

My Insatiable Pursuit of Interesting Buildings

Gooderham Building - Toronto

This gorgeous roseate facade I shot at dusk's infancy is of the Gooderham Building (also known as the Flatiron) on Wellington Street. It is actually surrounded by a multi-faceted intersection with an awning of streetcar wires and a clear view of St Lawrence Market. As I stood across from its apex, drinking in the view that I had been wanting to see for a long time,  I tried to imagine how it looked back in the 1890's when it was built. There just seemed to be so much activity taking place just steps away from its walls! The interesting thing about the view was the dense fog that swallowed up the towering office buildings behind it... I didn't even realise they were there until I saw someone else's photograph of it the following day. So although I didn't appreciate it fully until later on, it certainly was a nice way to study this glorious building for the first time.

It was a dynamic Saturday night in the Financial District, St. Patrick's Day to be exact. There were young, vibrant partygoers zigzagging all over the place displaying a handsome collection of Irish paraphenalia. But I was elated to be toting nothing more than my camera... my eyes crawling around the gently stippled walls of this historic structure and appreciating all of its intricacies. Everything appeared so clean and smooth and there were only subtle differences in the colours. I love the glow from in its basement and from the streetlights. It was a great place to be on an abnormally warm March evening with the wisps of fog in the air and the flurry of excitement from the passersby. A great evening to be meandering about with camera in tow.

Brooklyn Bridge, NYC

One of my favourite scenes in the original Sex and the City movie takes place towards the end: Miranda is walking on the Brooklyn Bridge hoping to see her one-time unfaithful husband and love of her life, Steve, walking towards her. Those recognisable double arches stretch up into the blue sky and the sun is shining down through the cool spring air onto all the pedestrians. As Al Green and Joss Stone sing about mending a broken heart, Miranda spots Steve and their feet can't bring them together quickly enough because this union signals an unspoken agreement to let go of their past hurts and move forward together in love. Every time I watch it, I think how poetically it combines everything that I love about New York City: the urban lifestyle, the stylish people, that brilliantly written tv series, and the familiar architecture that I love to explore.

I think walking that familiar bridge is the last untouched line on my New York City To Do List. I've scurried up and down Manhattan's avenues and streets like a little mouse, shamelessly playing tourist on five separate, dynamic occasions, albeit for a day at a time! I've photographed my reflection in the exterior window of the Empire State Building, reflected on the calm after the 9-11 storm at the World Trade Centre Memorial, and became swept away in a sea of people amongst Times Square's towers of neon and pixels. Yes, I heart New York. But I still haven't really seen the Brooklyn Bridge.

That explains why I am supplementing this post with a substandard image of that famous span. I realise it doesn't truly do it justice. I didn't really even have a whole lot of control over how it came out being that I shot it while sitting aboard a CitySightsNY double decker tour bus! Even though the main aim of that particular visit was to photograph the bridge while standing somewhere between Brooklyn and Manhattan, I figured I better take what I can get as we passed by. It's like taking a picture of a deer you spot while walking in the forest: take a picture as soon as you see it and then work on getting more refined as you move closer. That way, if it darts out of view, you'll at least have something to say you saw it...

Fence between The Kirk and The Rooms

Harvey Road, St. John's, NL

Every morning upon awakening, Mr. Lister would shudder at the thought of the task awaiting his attention in the back yard. Burdened with undesireable responsibility, he sulked in his morning shower, rolled his eyes at his dilatory reflection in the mirrored medicine cabinet, and wrung his hands as he puttered down the hall towards the kitchen. He purposely left his faded yellow curtains drawn so that he was not immediately reminded. But his intentions were futile: the neglected task was all but screaming into his hairy ears because he could think of nothing else.

"Paint me! Paint me!! PAINT ME!!!"

When he had acquired his modest but cozy bungalow a few years back, he thought nothing of the abandoned steel fence that spanned the width of his property, tenaciously retaining its bordering function, as archaic and rusted as his own spirit. He decided that the interior of the house provided sufficient coverage from the ravaging Newfoundland climate... a place to watch television, a place to assemble a sandwich, a place to lay his head... it had everything he needed! He had no intentions of ever penetrating the backyard anyway.

But over time, its posture became more evident. He began to see those ruddy posts waving at him, taunting him like every other task he chose to ignore since he retired four years ago. He had become a crabby, lonely replica of the man he used to be, and with nobody in his life to keep him in check, he just accepted whatever mood befell him on any given day.

But then, his self-depreciating attention was kidnapped by the stunningly sweet lady who moved into the old Marsden place next door. He didn't think anyone would ever move in there, much less a witty, capable widow with a zest for life and a flare for landscaping. She introduced herself as Arianna as she deftly trimmed away the overgrown yews that divided her property with his. He would step out onto his porch for his newspaper and find himself lingering in anticipation of a wave or a greeting. His quick darts into the dewy mornings became longer and longer such that he would actually engage her in conversation. Over time, his eyebrows began to lift and the little crook that had been wedged between his eyes had all but disappeared.

He decided that he wanted to brighten up his home and brought in some of the daisies that were growing along his yard, persisting every summer in spite of his grumbling and ignorance. Finally, he wanted to enjoy their abundance and share in their cheerfulness. He was preparing to invite Arianna over for a coffee. He surveyed his humble kitchen and decided that it was acceptable, especially with the happy bunch of flowers perched in a vase in the middle of the table. 

And so it came that on one particularly sunny morning, he unwittingly threw open his kitchen curtains and he saw that which he had been avoiding so feverishly. But it didn't stir up disdain, it created a feeling that had been hibernating for so long that it almost jolted him with its intensity: he felt motivation! He no longer wanted to avoid the onerous task, he wanted to tackle the job and feel satisfaction. And he wanted to see a bold red fence waving at him from his backyard upon awakening every single morning, as quirky and charismatic as his new appreciation for his address... and for life. And so he knew just what he had to do: Paint it.

When on vacation...

One should always block off time in an itinerary to explore the view from the water in your host city (if such an option exists, of course!) Whether it's an intentional touring event that provides a knowledgable, narrated, and sometimes spirited explanation of the various highlights and notorious stories that flavour the city, or simply an alternate, fluid mode of transportation, it is worth the effort! Even if you aren't on the water, sometimes all you need to do is drive around the harbour and voila.. a skyline!

Similar to contemplating an oil painting, standing back and drinking in the view from afar allows you to appreciate the amalgamation of what makes it great! The towering (or sometimes colourfully modest) assembly of buildings that makes up a skyline is sometimes one of the most recognisable and revered images that can be captured of a city (I believe that it ranks right up there with the view from the highest observatory.. ooh I smell another post idea!!). Drifting along its perimeter, through its veins, or right under its arched connectors, one is granted insight into a different aspect of a city's personality, one that compliments what you see as you stand right on the doorsteps at street level and slide your gaze upwards.

I was thinking about this recently, and I realised that I have done the water view in some of the largest cities in North America. And I will do it again.. each and every time such an option exists.

Architectural Tour

Chicago

Duck Tour

Boston

Staten Island Ferry

Manhattan

Rented Powerboat

Toronto

Southside Road

St. John's

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

Respite 

Part of the Niagara Falls, ON Skyline

The intention was to capture fireworks. During the summer in Niagara Falls, its Friday and Sunday nights are illuminated by bursts of green and red and yellow... huge gleaming chrysanthemums and corkscrews reaching out across the sky before dripping back downwards to mingle with the mist. The idea of watching  pyrotechnic paint exploding over this Everest of waterfalls has intrigued me ever since I moved here. And while I have enjoyed the show a few times, I've never ventured out to photograph it, or any fireworks display for that matter!

Doing so required only a little effort and even less patience.. it was relaxing, refreshing, enthralling.. it proved to be a wonderfully effective escape from all the little uncertainties and obscurities that so often infect my brain. Turns out all it took was a different angle, a clear focus on something totally removed from everyday challenges and contemplations. Nothing wrong with a little distraction from time to time!

The exercise taught me so much about extended exposure times and how to make them work for the subject to produce different effects. I also discovered how a flash of light, and as well a series of moving flashes of light, can create a hearty, unique image.. delightfully surprising no matter how expected the result may have been!

As it turned out, our selected location wasn't the best vantage point for freezing multi-hued explosions dancing over hotel alley. But that's okay.. some of my favourite pictures from that evening evolved without any fireworks at all! I devoured the preliminary practise photography as the lighting readjusted itself to suit the setting sun... stalks of hotels with their lucent windows and all of their architectural personalities towering over this famously picturesque but torrent waterfall.. a natural phenomenon only discernable by the ghostly flow of mist rising above its brink.

But since I have mentioned fireworks, I do have some evidence of their occurrence that evening! While I look forward to more practise in the realm of night photography, I do like the display I captured in the following shot.. the suggestion of an erupting thistle flanked by a pair of aurora borealis with a meteor shower to the right....... okay perhaps it is like cloud formations in which each viewer typically sees different creations and now you think I'm crazy for thinking I see these things!! Anyway, however you see it, it was a great experience!

An apartment buildling on St Marks Place, Manhattan


So I asked Mr. Cab Driver to bring me to the East Village, but instead he brought me to Writer's Block. Let me tell you, it is not a place you ever want to visit.. with its sarcastic welcome mat, brazenly laid out, as if they just knew I was going to show my face here sooner or later. And there is no strength in numbers on this block; the fact that all creatively inclined creatures end up here at one point or another in their actual or elusive careers provides zero consolation. No.. you must believe me when I tell you that no good can come from a place like this. All I wanted to do was hop on the next blue CitySights tourbus and get the heck out of there. But they were no help.. I waved my ticketed hand furiously in hopes that I would be noticed, but driver after driver just sped past me.. I was merely just another piece of text on the page. As if I didn't have anywhere better to be!!!

I stewed for a while, and finally decided that the only sane thing to do was to find myself an accessible bench and take a load off. Literally. I removed my trusty red knapsack and leaned back on my hands and decided I would no longer consider my self-imposed schedule. Like literary insomnia, I figured if I stop thinking about it, it would solve itself.. my body and mind would know what to do, upon being freed from all the expectations and assumptions and timelines of my imagination. Really, there's no point in trying too hard because life is going to happen regardless of what you do... and there will always be a story to tell, a picture to capture, a memory to share, and an experience to.. well.. experience! It's all good. Really.

How the Rockefeller does Central Park:

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I am sitting here at my computer on a routine weekday evening gazing at this picture thinking "was it all a dream?" Okay, not really.. I know full well that my recent adventure to the Big Apple was rivetingly pure wide-eyed, adrenaline-fueled reality. But it was such a quick intense blast of New York magnificence that it almost seems dreamlike. My quiet little home city would have building envy if it knew what I was up to over the weekend.


Up to 70 floors, to be accurate - 67 by way of high speed elevator (complete with glass ceiling!), 2 by escalator, and the last by cement steps. The very highest platform comes with the best views because not only are you looking down over everything, including other sightseers, but your eyes are refreshingly unrestrained. There is no safety glass surrounding you up there, only a cement "railing" that reaches mid-waist - permissible, I suspect, because if you were so inclined or so unfortunate to scale that wall, you would only fall a few feet down to the lower viewing platform. And while I shudder at the thought of falling anywhere while standing 85 feet above the Avenue of the Americas, I was exhilerated and content to be standing there.


It was suppertime when I took this photo, this evidence of a venue that I was finally able to check off my NYC "must see" list: the perfectly rectangular mass of greenspace that is Central Park tightly nestled within a sea of concrete and rebar and glass. I love how it seems to just exist comfortably, unintimidated by the stature of its surrounding neighbours, proudly retaining its natural (albeit artificially originated) woodland escape kept safe from adept and opportunistic developers who must drool over this thankfully protected mass of real estate.


I located an empty spot at one of the few benches on the deck and sat down to drink in the view. I had been mesmerised by what I saw as I peered over each side of the tower's petal-like edging, but this one was my favourite. It's just so surreal; I'd taken a rickshaw through this same park during a previous trip, but it's a different place entirely from this angle! It even sounded surreal: the noise constantly created by all the traffic and other activity taking place at street level swirled up softly, magically filtered by the atmosphere with only a few sirens escaping from an otherwise peaceful cadence.


So contrary to popular convention, if it sounds like a dream, looks like a dream, and feels like a dream... it still just might be real!

Both sides of Queen Street West, Toronto

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I am looking at a row of stores, teeming with clever merchandising displays, trance inducing sale racks, and the next big deal.... a cavalcade of retail rendezvous and commercial camaraderie. But at which side of the street am I actually looking? What I really see is the building behind me, which is the same view that the people inhabiting the floors above EB Games and clic klak are viewing. Mirrored architectural facades are a bit of a guilty pleasure with me; I always find myself enthralled by very simple concepts such as these, and so indulge. I like to imagine how much more interesting a city's streets would be if every historic building were able to look across the street and see its own reflection, or to muse about how flat and colourless this building might be without its vermillion costume of bricks and arches. I suppose if a storefront were situated across from a derelict, hulking shell of a structure, one would not want to apply reflective panes to its exterior. But here, it works. I also enjoy the way a clean image on one side is delightfully distorted on the other, a watery, stylised version of a predictable arrangement.

This was taken on one of my favourite days of 2010, a late afternoon jaunt full of autumn freshness, intriguing photographic exploration, and a breezy, schedule-free itinerary... it was one of those episodes that found me dangling before everything stimulating, frequently with a unabashedly silly grin on my face. I think as adults, we don't engage in enough frivolous downtime, we don't often allow ourselves an afternoon to guiltlessly unhook our responsibilities and toss them into the trunk with the other incidentals as we purposely seek out a locale that inspires us... or simply causes us to grin incessantly. Of course length of exposure and quality of human accompaniment affect the effectiveness of such an escape, both of which satisfied my needs quite nicely on the day in question!

Broadway Avenue! Manhattan

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

She saunters along Wall Street and then Broadway, apparently aimlessly, a pink and black shopping bag dangling from her right hand. One would suppose that she does have an eventual destination but is evidently uninterested in increasing her pace at this time. Blissfully unaware of the hoards of Manhattanites darting alongside the strands of traffic, she methodically places one stiletto before the other, her head slanted to one side, her left arm extended towards an stately, rugged fence that has been following her. She traces the bold but intricate pattern with a long, manicured finger, sliding it slowly along the ridges of black iron, caressing its rugged texture, at once smooth and etched. She continues to follow this massive collection of metal shafts and arches, allowing it to guide her along the sidewalk as her attention remains inward, her thoughts collaborating. She lingers in this fashion until her finger is feeling only the air, and she is snapped to attention upon reaching the end of the structure. She grasps the satin straps of her bag and quickens her pace, as if suddenly realising she has somewhere appealing to go and is now intent on arriving.

GE Building "30 Rock"
Rockefeller Center
New York City - April 2010

It is almost 6pm in the Big Apple and Otis Pretorious springs out of one of Manhattan's many yellow taxi cabs, carrying a tidy white package. He secures it against his body, protecting it as he swiftly enters the lobby, saluting the doorman on the way in. He smiles warmly at the two immaculately tidy young women gracing the front desk.

"She's still here, Mr. Pretorious," the one with the red hair says with a magnetic grin. "You're not too late."

"Tremendous!" Otis beams back, and disappears behind the mirrored elevator doors.

The numbered button illuminates under the pressure of Otis' index finger, and as he leans back against the smooth metal wall and inhales deeply, he realises that he knows his elevator companion.

"Otis Pretorious!" greets the stout, wire-bearded man heartily, extending his well-manicured hand. "How are things? I hope you're about to tell me that you had as good a day as I did!"

"Oh, I'm certain that's the case," Otis replies enthusiastically, accepting the handshake. "It's always a good day in this city. And it's about to get better!" He gently taps the parcel that he's been cradling in his hands.

"Of course it is," the man agrees. "But before you start celebrating, why don't you swing by my office so I can show you the most recent pictures of the grandkids?"

"You know I would love to, sir," Otis begins, "but I am already a little later than I'd promised I would be. Perhaps I could come visit you on another day?"

"Certainly!" the man exclaims. They continue to exchange regards as the elevator soars higher and higher. When they arrive at Otis' floor, the two men share another handshake and Otis exits, leaving the man to ascend to his office just a little higher up.

Otis walks through the orderly office, past the rows of quiet cubicles, having been deserted for the evening. He pauses and then takes a few steps backwards to align himself with the back of the tall brunette occupying the last cubicle in the row. She revolves her chair and smiles at her visitor.

"How are you Otis?" she asks.

"I'm doing well, thank you," Otis replies. "Things have been busy out west but I am very much enjoying the challenge."

"I know you will do great things," the girl responds. She pauses a moment, then asks, "Are you here to see Emily?"

Snapping back to reality, Otis firms up his grip on the box in his hands, and answers that he is. "I'm actually running late. Maybe we can have lunch sometime; I am in town for a week."

"Maybe we can," she nods. "Enjoy your evening, Otis."

Otis lingers for just another moment before heading toward the office adjacent to the cubicles. He peers in at the well dressed woman seated at the desk inside and taps softly on the door jamb.

Emily spins around, her face lighting up. "Otis! It's so good to see you!!" She rises from her chair and rushes to embrace him.

"Hey sis," he beams. "Great to see you too!" He surrounds her with his arms and then goes to open the box he'd been carrying, revealing a neatly decorated cake and proclaims, "Here's to our birthday!"

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved