Small Town America

I thought the traditional kick off for summer here in America, this weekend's upcoming Memorial Day holiday, served as a great time to introduce a new series of mine called Small Town America. 

I've recently relocated back to the county of my childhood, which is Rockland County, a mostly inconvenient NYC suburb that still retains some of the farm roots it had when we first moved here as a young family from the city. 

It wasn't always easy to be a curly-haired artist in these here parts, but growing up in this beautiful country planted within me a love for the rural, wild, natural beauty of upstate New York that remains undiminished for me as an adult. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the towns and lands of my youth through the eyes of mature, seasoned artist for the fruits that it may bear. Stay tuned! There’s more to come.

White building with flag.

Around Town: Clouds and Haze

A storm front moving in from the lower Catskills.

For the people of Oklahoma.

Small Town America: Hitchin' a Ride

Bus stop reflection

I love road trips by car, bus, or rail. As a result, I feel comfortable using mass transit way more than your average, car-obsessed American. I like looking out the window at the scenery, or maybe taking a few pictures, or listening to music, or just thinking (or not), which is easy to do when someone else is doing the driving.

Thumbing it for the camera

I grew up in a suburb that is mass transit-challenged, because it serves mainly as a bedroom community for city workers. In the morning and the evenings, hopping on a bus or a train is great because it's quick and easy, but other than those specific times, you have to wait for the slow bus that ambles up to the stop on country time.

On one such day, I took pictures and danced around to pass the time, because in the burning daylight of a noontime bus stop, there ain't much else to do.

  Happy trails to you, today.

Around Town: East River

The Williamsburg Bridge

Fisherman

Around Town: Hawthorne in Bloom

Happy Mutha's Day, New Yawk!

Sometimes it's best to stick with the classics. For the residents of Pearl River, N.Y. who saw me at CVS yesterday, reading cards aloud to my mom, welcome to my life. This. Is. Real.

One Flew by the Cuckoo's Nest

Creeping vines, at the Rockland Psychiatric Center

This is a series of images I shot during a bus commute to and from New York City. One circuitous route takes riders through the Rockland Psychiatric Center, a facility that has a large abandoned portion of its' campus, most likely due to modern health care cutbacks. Talk about the heebie jeebies! It's a weird scene, man.

Long shadows, at the Rockland Psychiatric Center.

Like something out of a horror movie, even in the sunny light of day, there's empty building after empty building. We stopped at the end of one such block, and two riders got on, jabbering nervously about their latest bout of nerves, the more frightening being a skinny, stringy-haired woman with black roots and peroxide hair who reeked of stale smoke. What nightmares these buildings must elicit from some poor soul, brutally tired from a trying nighttime commute home after a long, hard week at work! I hope I captured the haunted feeling of the ghosts of restless spirits past. What a truly creepy place.

Around Town: The answer is love

Love is the answer

Art: The Scream

The Scream, at MoMa.

Edvard Munch was mental, y'all. I got that right away looking at his work up close for myself, and frankly, I'm tired of the whole crazy artist schtick. Maybe back in the day it sold tickets to the freak show but honestly, me and my friends could not perform at the level we do as often as we do if we were totally bat shit insane. Not to mention that his technqiue looked about as interesting as opening a box of crayons and telling the doctor where it hurts. Yeesh.

Novelty acts are great fun and all, but the true test of endurance comes with consistency paired with craft, and there are no shortcuts. My big secret (which is no secret at all) is that I go to bed at a decent hour so I can get plenty of rest, so I can wake up early the next day and do it again....and again....and again. Lather, rinse, repeat. 

And also, Da Vinci rules. That is all.

Street Art: Hookah Jellyfish

Jellyfish likes hookah: in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Around Town: Sakura Matsuri

Cherry Blossoms in Stuyvesant Town

Stuyvesant Square Park

Spring's lush bounty is brief and beautiful in New York. I'm savoring the sights and picking small bouquets as often as I can. Enjoy.

Around Town: Mourning

Pond in early morning light, New Jersey.

For Ann.

Around the Way: Earth Day Lorax, for 2013

Earth Day Lorax

I took this shot of a subway poster awhile back, when the movie premiered in NYC, because I thought the graffiti added a more ominous element. The Lorax gushes oil from its' eyes, a harsh reminder that we need to move further away faster from our dependence on fossil fuels, towards a brighter, healthier future.   

Heed the warning signs.

Around Town: Dancing Trees

Dancing trees, in Weehawken, NJ.

Around Town: Skyline from New Jersey

Bus ride to the city, on one fine spring morning

For Richard Currie.

Around Town: Morning Commute

On the Edge

Tunnel Entrance

Alphabet City

Me vs. Door Jamb: Door Wins!

Swollen, but hopefully not fractured.

Every fighter I've met loves to take pictures of their injuries, and then show them off to other people. I guess it's proof that we'll live to see another day, or a visual sign of our toughness. Whatever it is, I embrace it. It's part of the sport, so if you can't take a hard hit, don't throw a punch. In any event, hands and feet have tons of small delicate bones that crack easily. It's actually legal to fight an MMA fight with a broken hand, because it's taped up anyway.

I remember having swollen feet after a season of brutally hard kickboxing classes, and I queried the teenager working behind the counter at the dojo about it. It was an enlightening few seconds—there's nothing one can do for it anyway, but tape it up and let it heal, and the substance that grows back over hairline fractures is stronger than bone anyway. That was awesome to hear, and I never forgot it.

In my ridiculous case, I was having some free form fun punching and kicking a standing bag at the office where I work, precariously perched right next to a set of files and a door. I knew it wasn't right to do it, but I was having too much fun, dancing around and throwing hay maker hooks. I hooked the door jamb, and the fight was over. Door jamb wins! This time....

I always throw them wide, because voluptuous women have a harder time keeping their arm close to the body; we have to actually squish into our bosom, which feels really weird. Every guy that's ever seen me swing feels the need at some point to give me “pointers” about something every female fighter I train with already knows, but they're late to the game anyway. Trials started for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, and there's a women's team on it.

Have at it ladies.

Around Town: The Port Authority

Fly away home, at the Port Authority.

Around the Way: Easter is here, and so is Spring.

Easter Sunday, and Spring is here.

The light changes, the sun becomes stronger, bushes and trees sprout a fine green haze around them, waiting to burst into renewed life. It seems like overnight, daffodils and crocuses spring forth from the soil, and the air becomes vibrant, verdant with new growth. We celebrate all of this, and more. 

Enjoy the warmth of a new day, here in New York.

Street Art: The Pole Speaks

“Hey! Whassup?”

Street Art: Jerky was here

Never compromise, ya jerk!

 For David, a.k.a. “Jerky”

Toys: The Easter Edition

The biggest Catholic holiday we have also ushered in a host of good things for us as children: warmer weather, flowers, and Easter candy. Just like with Christmas, we eventually figured out that our Easter Bunny was our Mom, who, over the years, became less adept at hiding, in direct proportion to our prowess as hunters. Easter egg hunts became fierce.

I remember the day when Mom asked me for something in dad's closet, and I found the big tell-tale straw basket instead, stuffed with goodies like chocolate eggs and bunny rabbit toys. Instead of being angry, upset, or disappointed, I actually felt relieved that the bringer of happy things was my own Mom. Well, of course it was.

I found this gorgeous selection of more naturally made animal toys at my kick butt local store in the Slope, Little Things. As much as I love stylised cartoons, I couldn't help but think I would have vastly preferred a real looking rabbit like this one as a little girl, over standard drugstore fare.

Happy Easter, and shield this one from the kids ;)

Go Organic....if you can!

Everyone who reads me regularly knows that I prefer organics; in food, in clothing, in cosmetics, in life. This layering on of chemicals, ones that feed into the petrochemical system we have in place that needs to be dismantled, is an extremely toxic way of life, and totally unnecessary to our collective health and hygiene.

But you also know that I realize organics are still much more expensive than cheap, mass-produced goods. So, I do what any other person living in challenging economic times does: I buy stuff on sale.

This week, Duane Reade's are carrying the most excellent product line, Avalon Organics Vitamin C, at a high discount, at savings of 75%. If you can't find them for that steep a reduction, buy them at a reduced price, and if you can afford full retail, go for it.

Their clean citrus scent, organic packaging, and natural ingredients work just as well as those pricey snake oils available at a much higher mark up, and they come at a much better price for your health and for our society. Enjoy :)

Around the Way: The Pavillion Theater

Type inlay on hard wood floor

A recent trip to my local cinema turned up a few lovely surprise, like inlaid type on a wooden floor, and custom hand-painted tables. Little gorgeous details like that, personal artistic touches to a space, make the experience all the more memorable.

Custom painted tables

Just like the art of the book, a really good movie house will never go out of style, because it's not something you can replicate digitally. Enjoy your movie time, just like I did.

Family portrait!

Around the Way: Hand Lettering

Jazzy poster at Barbés
http://www.barbesbrooklyn.com/

Curly ‘Do

There comes a time in every curly life when the thicket must be cleared. Such a time came to me one hard-working weekend, when I noticed that the shorter ends growing out of my layered ‘do looked sufficiently better than the long piece stuck down the back of my jacket. I was at the office, it was freezing, and I peeped myself in such a state in the bathroom mirror. Lo and behold, an idea for a new hairstyle was born.

My awesome hairdresser, a former RISD attendee natch, was on board because it's right on trend for the season. He went a little shorter than we originally discussed, but it was cool. I was up for it. So here it is; an uneven blunt cut with some hip longer pieces. He wanted to stay far far away from Soccer Mom Land, and so did I. We did that. Rudy, you da man homeboy ;) Thanks for the hook up.

Springtime curly ‘do

Around the Way: Spring is Coming!

Spring is Coming!

But it didn't feel like it this morning....

Around Town: Post Office at 34th

The ceiling at the post office on 34th Street and 8th Avenue

Around the Way: Fancy Pants

I wear fancy pants....sometimes

Around the Way: Walkens are Welcome

Walkens are welcome at the Café Steinhof

We have this great Austrian restaurant in my 'hood that's been around for long time, which is the hallmark of a successful restaurant in our highly competitive town. Places that have have been around for many years with a strong neighborhood following are signs that they're really good, because just to stay in business is a “win”, what with skyrocketing leases and an ever-dwindling supply of customers.

I walked past it a couple of weeks ago after getting a freshly made chocolate croissant from a tiny French bakery called “Parco” that's across the street. To me the door alone defines the essence of our unique Brooklyn lifestyle: hip without trying too hard, a cool vibe without forcing it on you, and really, really good food. Unpretentious and awesome: that's how I feel about my hometown. 
Walkens are always welcome!

http://cafesteinhof.com/

Go Green!

The Boogie Down Bronx sports the green.

Hey New York! It's parade weekend, so if you're drinking a pint or two (and you know you will), stay safe and take mass transit. That's what's it's for, you sot ;)

For those of you visiting from out of town, take a tip from a classic Seinfeld episode about the Puerto Rican Day Parade: just stay away.

Stay safe, and have a great time. Happy St. Pat's—Marie

Reel Life: Chop Shop

Few movies capture the horror of growing up on the streets like this one: no parents, no authority figures, and no protection whatsoever. Like the Brazilian movie City of God, Chop Shop lets you see what happens when a society utterly fails its youngest, and then exploits their naivety and innocence for profit.

The biggest difference for me is that Chop Shop feels exactly like the area of Queens that circles the big baseball stadium where all those juicy cars park, begging to be ripped off. This is my home turf. In between that con is a massive array of gypsy cabs illegally combing our city streets looking for fares, then clogging the nearby garages, seeking the cheapest deal to quickly replace a broken rear-view mirror.

Our hero is a “little man” in the ghetto sense of the words: because he has to be. He finds his sister (also out of foster care and in the shelter system), then tries to fold her into his now-legit world at the garage. He both works and sleeps there, and humble as it is, it's a toe-hold into the makings of a new life, as we watch him struggle to bring her into it.

I won't give away much more, but if you're a native New Yorker, you know people who grew up like this, or maybe you did, too. I know I started working as a kid, and it's still the mainstay of many cultural labor forces. Some parts are difficult to watch (who likes seeing children hurt or violated?!), but in the end, they remain a family: a small family of two, with a boy-child who is more of a man than many will grow up to be, and his troubled teen sister, and how they manage to stay together.

That's hope.

Poetry in Motion: Grand Central

Grand Central turns 100 years old this year, and it looks better than ever. Nice job, New Yorkers!

http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/

Around the Way: Snow Kitty Day

Sendak-inspired Snow Kitty

Just remember folks, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb*. Let's say goodbye to winter with this last Nor'Easter! Goodbye, winter.

*http://bjws.blogspot.com/2011/03/origin-of-saying-march-comes-in-like.html

Around the Way: Goodbye Winter!

The Community Bookstore of Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Good morning, New Yorkers! Many of us start to feel the pall of winter-like conditions during the tempestuous month of March.
Today we had snow flurries during our morning commute, and some of us are totally over it. 

I thought this image captured the fun of a winter soon to be gone, taken of a local bookstore window in Park Slope, advertising the pleasures of reading indoors during cold days, over a bowl hot soup, with a book written and illustrated by our beloved hometown Brooklyn hero Maurice Sendak, now with a school named in his honor.   

Brighter days are ahead!

http://communitybookstore.net/

Street Art: Mama and Baby Bird

Mama Bird and Baby Bird, together on 6th Avenue

Around the Way: Back Alley Diety

The God of Garbage and Recycling has fallen a long way down!

Call the Midwife

Watch Season 2 Preview on PBS. See more from Call the Midwife.

If you've never caught this show on PBS, give it a "go". It's about young midwives working at an abbey, run by the experienced nuns who minister to a poor London parish, set against a bombed out post-WWII backdrop. The period details are incredible, and even though you know you're going to get hit with that warm, fuzzy feeling at the end, just go with it. It's satisfying in all the right ways.

March Blows In

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot 
and the wind blows cold: when it is summer 
in the light, and winter in the shade. 

—Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Good morning, dear readers! March is a very exciting time in New York. The weather turns from winter to spring and back again in the span of a day, and this town gets ready for the biggest parade of the year, the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Most importantly, I get to break out my Irish gear and post pictures of me sporting it, because as most of you readers know, I am descended from the Corbetts' of Galway through my maternal grandfather. Incidentally, he bought me the Greek fisherman's cap you see me wearing in my new authors' photo to the right because I loved his so much, bought when my grandparents travelled the globe after his retirement from ConEdison.

Those of us who are also lucky enough to be Acadian come from a beautiful island called “New Scotland”, or now commonly known as Nova Scotia. We are a wonderfully eclectic blend of the French, Native American, and Celtic, and this month's wild weather ride, with its' rough storms and pelting rains, only drives the point home further for island people of the Northern Hemisphere.

Change is coming. Are you ready? 

Sláinte

Sláinte (SLAHN-chə) is a word literally translating as "health"^[1] and is commonly used as a drinking toast in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.