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If You Were in New York City for Just Two Days . . .


Ed Rooney

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Not read all of the thread, but a spring visit to Brooklyn botanic garden has to be near top of the list, especially as aged folk get in cheap and the cafe is good. There was a free admission day too, but maybe no longer.

 

Otherwise, waterfront/bridges/skyline, High Line, Central Park - once saw some ornithologist types in there looking at obscure birds with binocs, incredible for a busy city centre. Sold a few pics from Prospect Park, but not as many opportunities as the other one.

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We are on the migration route of many birds so Central Park is a good place for birds but don't forget that hawks love our tall buildings and we city folk are very apt to name them as if they were pets.  Our Pale Male even inspired demonstrations when his nest had been removed and he is quite a celebrity.... 

 

 

Paulette

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Thanks so much for that video, Paulette.

 

Some years back, I was in the park at the sailboat pond and watched Pale Male and his then mate, First Love, maybe, fight off a swarm of crowes to protect the nesting chicks.  I know we're not supposed to take sides in nature's battles -- but one could not be on any other side but the red-tailed hawks' that day. 

 

Edo

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19 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

That is about as good a walking tour of this town as one can do, Stacy. Me, I would like about a week to cover all that. Maybe a month? But with all the Live News you do, my guess is you have lots more energy than I do. 

 

Doc:  the month of May can be perfect . . . if you we don't get rain. I won't worry about you finding subjects; you know how to travel. Welcome to New York!

 

 

Oops! I forgot to mention that my son and his girlfriend also came across a Red Tailed Hawk munching on something, on their walk through Central Park. I couldn't tell from the photo if it was Pale Male, there are other hawks who nest near the San Remo, but it was a nice surprise along the way. 

 

I agree, other than Christmastime, May is a great time to visit New York. By then we're usually past the last snow and before the City gets really hot. 

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Thanks for the catch, Bettina. :rolleyes:

 

And thanks to everyone for all the interesting remarks. I did specify "which three subjects would you capture?" So I was asking about stock shooting. But I feel that we should not be restricted to the original theme: conversations should go wherever they go. 

 

Some of you had very special interests -- book stores, our Jewish community, and birds of prey. Others mentioned landmarks . . . or avoiding landmarks. All valid points of view. John Mitchell, I have not seen a checked cab in years. I figure they are just for rent to film producers now. The Yellow Taxi business itself is being threatened by Uber. Thanks for the top 12 slide show. There are three I've not covered. 

 

I limited your virtual visits to just two days. Going to Liberty Island can take most of one day. The Subway ride to Coney Island is almost an hour each way. Shooting the skylines at dusk? You can do just one of those a night. If you are here for stock photos, walking the Brooklyn Bridge is a waste of time. I hope you all do come and enjoy the city in your own way.

 

A long time ago, I told Stacy to stay out of Little Italy with her camera. It was a lame joke, Stacy. You are most welcome over here, and if you need any help, just ask. 

 

Thanks again, Edo

 

 

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1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

Some of you had very special interests -- book stores, our Jewish community, and birds of prey. Others mentioned landmarks . . . or avoiding landmarks. All valid points of view. John Mitchell, I have not seen a checked cab in years. I figure they are just for rent to film producers now. The Yellow Taxi business itself is being threatened by Uber. Thanks for the top 12 slide show. There are three I've not covered. 

 

 

 

 

 I figured that all the checkered cabs are now history. Too bad. Taxi drivers have managed to keep Uber out of Vancouver so far, but it's apparently on the way. When I used to visit NYC during my student days, I spent most of my time in smokey jazz clubs -- listening to Yusef Lateef, Pharoah Sanders, etc. -- and hanging around Greenwich Village. One day I'll have to go back as a tourist and properly see the sights. I used to have relatives there, but they have all fled south to sunny Florida.

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With your mention of Sanders, you would have been in NYC about 10 years too late to hear me playing in those smokey clubs. In the '50s, I was a jazz trumpet player in Washington DC and NYC. In the '60s, I was a photographer in Rome. Other than the landmarks, everything in NYC has changed in recent years. 

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9 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

A long time ago, I told Stacy to stay out of Little Italy with her camera. It was a lame joke, Stacy. You are most welcome over here, and if you need any help, just ask. 

 

Thanks again, Edo

 

 

 

Despite your warning I still occasionally walk through Little Italy, and I see you were in Washington Square for a little Weiwei.

Can we agree the Soho Apple Store is neutral territory? :)

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6 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

With your mention of Sanders, you would have been in NYC about 10 years too late to hear me playing in those smokey clubs. In the '50s, I was a jazz trumpet player in Washington DC and NYC. In the '60s, I was a photographer in Rome. Other than the landmarks, everything in NYC has changed in recent years. 

 

Sorry I missed you. I was just a little kid in the 50's. My ears are still ringing from some of those Pharoah Sanders shows. He's still blowing apparently. Wish I had caught Coltrane live. You probably did. Montreal was also a hot place for Jazz (still is) and blues. A lot of the big names showed up on a regular basis. I probably wouldn't recognize places that I used to visit in NYC.

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I met Coltrane, actually played in a Monday night jam season with him. I played a very shy two choruses; Trane played 35.  I remember that well, but I can't remember the name of the Lower Eastside club on 2nd or 3rd Street. And I knew Miles all through the '50s, before and after he lost his voice. He lived at 881 Tenth Avenue, where my sister lived. My step son, Hansford Rowe, is a fusion bass player who lives in Montreal, married to a Québécois

 

Free Jazz began in '59. Sanders didn't show up till the '60s. I stopped playing trumpet in '58. Mine is a long story. :wacko:

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4 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

I met Coltrane, actually played in a Monday night jam season with him. I played a very shy two choruses; Trane played 35.  I remember that well, but I can't remember the name of the Lower Eastside club on 2nd or 3rd Street. And I knew Miles all through the '50s, before and after he lost his voice. He lived at 881 Tenth Avenue, where my sister lived. My step son, Hansford Rowe, is a fusion bass player who lives in Montreal, married to a Québécois

 

Free Jazz began in '59. Sanders didn't show up till the '60s. I stopped playing trumpet in '58. Mine is a long story. :wacko:

 

Wow! Jamming with Coltrane must have been an unforgettable experience. It sounds like the 50's were quite a decade for you.

 

This is how I remember the young Pharoah Sanders circa 1970. Thembi remains one of my faves from that era. Actually, there's something almost Christmas-like (in spirit) about it.

 

P.S. Just checked out your son's website. There's obviously jazz in the genes...

 

 

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This will be my last comment on jazz in this thread, John. That Timbi tune you sent of  Sanders is not Free Jazz, it's modal and very melodic, just going back and forth between a Bb and an F chord. Hmm. Is he not the guy who used to play two saxophones at once? 

 

Don't bring your cameras to NYC today, folks -- it's as dark as a summer's night. :ph34r:

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48 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

This will be my last comment on jazz in this thread, John. That Timbi tune you sent of  Sanders is not Free Jazz, it's modal and very melodic, just going back and forth between a Bb and an F chord. Hmm. Is he not the guy who used to play two saxophones at once? 

 

Don't bring your cameras to NYC today, folks -- it's as dark as a summer's night. :ph34r:

 

Yup, Thembi is definitely not free jazz. It is also repetitive, but I like the hypnotic, lyrical quality. I believe it was based on African rhythms. But you're the musician.

 

I actually liked Coltrane's earlier, melodic stuff more than his bombastic free jazz, same goes for Miles Davis' music. Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain were my favourite albums. The guy who played two saxes is probably Roland Kirk. He was a bit of a showboater, but he could really play. I saw him at the Esquire Show Bar (long defunct) in Montreal. Rumour has it that he had a heart attack on stage (not surprising) while performing and then died of a stroke shortly after.

 

Have a merry one and all that jazz.

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I was in New York in 2000 and took a Big Apple Greeter walking tour, which showed parts of the city which were off the beaten track.  It was great as I saw the 'real' New York, if you like.  Would do one again if I ever return.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎19‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 17:53, John Mitchell said:

I'd like to photograph the big, old yellow Checker Cabs if there are any still roaming the streets. They became a symbol of NYC for me, especially the battered ones with tires strapped to their bumpers.

Even all the old Ford Crown Vics are gone from Manhattan at least.  It's Toyotas, Nissans and a few domestic models all of which are low emission.  Even the gift shop at the Museum of New York only has Prius toy taxis.  

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2 hours ago, Alan Gallery said:

Even all the old Ford Crown Vics are gone from Manhattan at least.  It's Toyotas, Nissans and a few domestic models all of which are low emission.  Even the gift shop at the Museum of New York only has Prius toy taxis.  

 

Makes sense. Those old behemoths were picturesque but not exactly environmentally friendly. Most of the taxis in Vancouver are Priuses.

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The best way to see Manhattan is from Brooklyn Heights and along the waterfront there - consider walking in across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Roosevelt island via aerial tramway.  Staten island ferry is a free photo platform for views into lower Manhattan and harbour sights (Long lens and good luck with light) and be prepared to sprint around to the departure gates at the Staten island end unless you want to spend time at the terminal there.   There was a spot in Greenwich Village that give classic views into the midtown tall buildings that you might recognise from any number of establishing shots from movies and TV from an earlier age, but that is obscured by a recent building.  Times Square is way busy and almost impossible to work but Naked Cowboy shows up from time to time. Eats around there at best north of the square up 7th with more choice and less crowds if you walk a few blocks. For real non glitz NY vibe neighbourhoods and parks - even Tomkins Square Park (where 90% of bodies turned up in NYPD Blue) is OK.  Other Boroughs are available.

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