My friend, Gail sent me this YouTube video and it cracked me up. Many of you (my readers) who do not live in The City have written to me and told me how much you enjoy hearing about life in Manhattan through photos and prose. Here’s a video you will find hilarious.
Posts Tagged ‘Manhattan’
Shit New Yorkers Say
Posted in Amuse-bouche du jour, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged Arts, Brooklyn, Facebook, Manhattan, New York, New York City, United States, YouTube on January 23, 2012| 4 Comments »
Waking Up -Where Am I?
Posted in BY THE WAY, Ha-P 2 B in OG, Only in New York, tagged Carousel, E-ZPass, Jane's Carousel, Lincoln Tunnel, Manhattan, New Jersey, New York City on September 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Merrily I go round 'n round
I‘ve been on a merry-go-round for the last two week and it wasn’t Jane’s Carousel!!! I have been back and forth between NYC and OG at least 4 times and it’s not over yet. Just a few of these jaunts were Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday in Manhattan, leave Thursday morning for Ocean Grove. Drive back to the City on Saturday night so I can go to the Pinkalicious Birthday party and then drive back to Ocean Grove. Tuesday night I drove home and my plan is to return to New Jersey on Thursday.
It’s bad enough that the toll for the Lincoln Tunnel is now $12.00 -( an obscenity and now I have to check my EZ pass account to see how much money the state is taking out of my checking account), the worst part is waking up in the middle of the night and not being sure what bedroom I’m in and where is the bathroom?
This is life in the fast lane, but not the fun jet set lane…this is the road to work and back. So if the posts to this blog seem spotty lately, now you know why.
Merry-Go-Round Nightmares
9/11 Then and Now – A Few Memories Shared
Posted in BY THE WAY, Friends, Smooth or Crunchy, tagged Manhattan, New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike, New York City, NJ Turnpike, NYC, United States, World Trade Center on September 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »
The posts I thought I was going to do did not get done, quite obviously. And it’s not because I brushed 9/11 aside. Quite the contrary, Sunday night turned out to be the most emotional 9/11 I’ve had since the 9/11.
I went to a memorial service held in the Great Auditorium and within minutes I was in tears. Between the solemnity of the occasion, the bagpipers, the flags, the orchestra, the two choirs and the speakers, not to mention the building, I was a wreck.
And why I didn’t think to bring tissues, I don’t know. The speakers were all great but I have to say I was definitely partial to the Baptist Minister, former Secretary of State New Jersey. He was quite the preacher man!
As I promised, I would post any memories sent in to me about 9/11/01, please read Heather’s account of that dreadful day, my generation’s day of infamy.
We had left Maine early on September 10th and were planning to stop in NYC to visit our daughter the next day. We stopped overnight at a hotel in southern Connecticut to allow ourselves a relaxed time the next morning before heading into the city for our lunch date. As we were getting dressed, my cell phone rang and it was our oldest son calling from his then home in Hatboro, PA asking if we were watching TV. We had not been but the moment we turned it on, the only images we saw were the scenes of the first plane and then the second plane smashing into the World Trade Center buildings and the attendant misery as a stunned world watched. Everybody was speechless and most of the hotel guests gathered in the lobby to watch the large TV and perhaps share the comfort of being around others
Needless to say, we did not go into Manhattan that day but rather, several hours later, skirted around and headed south on the NJ Turnpike. We were one of the only cars on that road. The plumes of ash and smoke were clearly visible from the NJ side. The rest stops were deserted and nearly all food outlets within them were shuttered. The northbound traffic consisted of fire trucks and emergency vehicles ONLY. It was a surreal spectacle and a surreal experience.
To this day, whenever we pass along the NJ Turnpike, we look over toward Manhattan, and we remember the tragedy of that horrific day.
I’ve blogged about Capt. Timothy Stackpole, whose memorial bracelet I ‘ve been wearing for 10 years, my recent encounters with a fellow blogger and with Michele, two people who actually knew Captain Stackpole and went to his wake and funeral. And last year I did a blog about 9/11 Then and Now. See link below.
https://pbenjay.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2914&action=edit
I featured the photo of the empty shoes which so poignantly spoke to the loss of so lives and how the left behind living try to cope when there’s no one there to fill those shoes. That memorial display was in New Jersey and in New York City…
A man remembers his father
photo by Murray Head
Memorial bracelet - 10 Years
And Gail sent me this link to one man’s tribute to the wife he lost in The World Trade Center:
Related articles
- Ten years ago in NYC (puyman.wordpress.com)
- “Call to Remember” Project Invites People Everywhere to Share and Hear Memories of 9/11 (prweb.com)
- New Providence unveils 9/11 memorial (nj.com)
- September 11 Memorial Up-Close (huffingtonpost.com)
New York Speaks-Listen By Looking At The Voice of the City
Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged Brooklyn, Business and Economy, Manhattan, Metro Areas, New York, New York City, New York City Metro, United States on August 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »
A while ago I said I was introducing a new category; it is a combination of Only in New York and the subcategory of FAB FOTOS – AIWYFI a/k/a Art Is Where You Find It. And in New York, art takes many forms. Sometimes it’s in the architecture, sometimes the people, and sometimes it’s a slice, a snippet, an angle of something, someplace or someone that Murray has captured in his lens.
I hope you enjoy these Postcards from the City
Two Buildings For The Price Of One
I Call It "Oozing Grate"
Advancing Forces
Heading to Roosevelt Island
Or You Can Take The Bridge
All Photos Courtesy of Murray Head
A BLACK WASP! Is that an Oxymoron???
Posted in Fab Fotos, tagged Flora and Fauna, Manhattan, Mother Nature, Roosevelt Island, Wasp, Wikipedia on August 10, 2011| 1 Comment »
Well not really because he isn’t even black after all. The little creature in question is actually a purple blue iridescent. Murray has been out and about and ventured to Roosevelt Island which really is an island off the island of Manhattan. He came across some great gardens and took fabulous photos of yellow jackets, flowers, bees, hornets and wasps. Today we are all about the Great Black Wasp aka Sphex Pensylvanicus.
The great black wasp lives across most of North America, the larvae feed on living insects that the female paralyzes and brings to the underground nest. Wicked huh? Why is always the female that does the dirty work and makes sure everyone is fed?? The following is from Wikipedia:
Adult females of S. pensylvanicus build an underground nest which they provision with various orthopteran insects,[6] particularly of the genera Microcentrum, Amblycorypha and Scudderia.[3] Prey are stung three times, once in the neck and twice in the thorax, and are paralyzed by the wasp’s sting, although they can survive for weeks.[1] The prey are then carried to the nest. While collecting their prey, the females are vulnerable to kleptoparasitism, in which birds, including the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), steal the prey that the wasp has collected.[6]
As you can see, Mother Nature has provided a food chain for all God’s little creatures – I wonder who eats the wasp?
LOOK at this tiny little creature!!!!
"Pollinating is my life"
Hanging On With One Leg
Look closely to see the wasp in action
Great profile!
"And now a little from this flower"
The Great Black Wasp
All photos are courtesy of Murray Head
Fab Foto Friday – A Tuesday Afternoon in Central Park
Posted in Fab Fotos, Only in New York, tagged Biology, Central Park, Flora and Fauna, Macro photography, Manhattan, Murray Head, New York City, Photograph on July 15, 2011| 2 Comments »
Just another sunny summer day, not unlike most of the rest of the past two weeks. Blue cloudless skies and warm weather, a macro lens, and some really cute creatures make up this week’s Fab Fotos.
The lazy, hazy daisies of Cenral Park and a black wasp!
Such a Beautiful Bird
Japanese Beetle, A Tourist, I Hope!
A Darning Needle
Oh my, what a long nose you have!
All photos courtesy of Murray Head
Related articles
- MACRO MAGIC or Mother Nature UP CLOSE and PERSONAL (pbenjay.wordpress.com)
- June Is Busting Out All Over! – Fab Foto Friday, Finally!! (pbenjay.wordpress.com)
- Once Upon A Time There Was A Spider and A Wasp… (pbenjay.wordpress.com)
New York Speaks: Listen By Looking to the Voice of the City
Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, tagged Central Park, Dustin Hoffman, Manhattan, Murray Head, New York, New York City, Taxicab on June 17, 2011| 1 Comment »
NEW YORK SPEAKS
It’s FAB FOTO FRIDAY and I’ve got some wonderful photos to share with you. First off, I have an announcement; I am introducing a new category of photos and morphing another one into it. Only in New York is now going to be included in New York Speaks. Think of New York Speaks as images depicting the voice of New York City. The City speaks to us; sometimes shouting out loud for attention, sometimes whispering in its stillness and beauty, sometimes informing, sometimes warning. I think you’ll find this to be a great addition to the blog and as you are all well aware, 99,9% of the photos are shot in New York City and more specifically Manhattan. The City is so big and like a Rubik’s Cube, it has many sides. We’re lucky enough to have Murray Head scouring the town for us, capturing the smiling faces of kids playing in this big playground of a city, dogs romping in the park, hawks and owls and the many, many species of birds and flowers that inhabit Central Park, as well as glimpses of the massive architecture and snippets of the City’s varied and colorful denizens.
This week New York Speaks is a reference to a very famous line in a movie shot here in New York City. In Midnight Cowboy, Dustin Hoffman as Ratso Rizzo is crossing a busy Manhattan street and a taxi cab cuts in front of him; He pounds his fist on the hood of the cab and says, “Hey, I’m walkin’ here”. New York is walking, talking and always moving.
WALK Don't! Run
Strolling and Trolling for Nickels
Almost Motionless in Mid-Air
STOP
GREEN Means GO
Mixing It Up, Pouring It Out
WHY were Donna, Hugh, Nacho and Marc at a Polo game on Governor’s Island?
Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged Donna Karan, Governors Island, Haiti, Hugh Jackman, Manhattan, Murray Head, Nacho, Veuve Clicquot on June 11, 2011| 2 Comments »
FAB FOTO FRIDAY
It was a gorgeous day in Manhattan with blue skies and sun shining down on Governor’s Island where an audience of fashionistas, philanthropists and glitterati gathered to watch a Polo Match. The occasion was the annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.
Donna Karan visited Haiti after the devastating earthquake last year and was deeply moved by the artistic spirit of the people. She came home and set up Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti. Veuve Clicquot chose it as the beneficiary of their annual Polo Classic, Hugh Jackman (one good-looking Aussie) and Nacho (one hunky Argentinian) co-hosted and thus a major social and charitable event is born. It was held on Governor’s Island, a place in New York City rich in history and so this will be a two part blog post; But first, the fashionistas because they constitute a very classy, eclectic FAB FOTO FRIDAY.
Wearing the colors of the day!
Exquisitely Green
Up, Up and Away Hat
Let Me Show You My .....Hat
Perky, Pretty, Pink and Purple
Seersucker Suit and a Bow Tie
Saucy Pink Saucer Hat on the Side
She's Got A Big Pair of ....Sunglasses and A Pink Hat
The Colors of Clicquot
The Sponsor
The Benefactress - Donna Karan
All photos courtesy of Murray Head
MACRO MAGIC or Mother Nature UP CLOSE and PERSONAL
Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged Bergdorf Goodman, Central Park, Garden, iPhone, Macro photography, Madama Butterfly, Manhattan, Murray Head, Photograph, Public, Vanderbilt houses on June 5, 2011| 2 Comments »
It’s Sunday and FAB FOTO FRIDAY didn’t take place on time (again!) BUT YET I DO have some fantastic photos to share with everyone. Murray, Pbenjay’s Blog’s resident photographer went to Central Park and visited The Conservatory Gardens which are located in the northern end of the park between East 104th St to 106th St. The grand entrance to this part of Manhattan’s verdant jewel is framed by a gate which was part of the former Vanderbilt mansion that stood on present site of Bergdorf Goodman, the width of which stretched from East 57th to 58th St. The gates, then as now, guarded the entrance to a beautiful garden. Step into The Conservatory Gardens with me and through the magical macro lens of Murray’s camera, we’ll see Mother Nature up close and personal.
Honey Bee perched on a rose petal
Madame Butterfly
Bee Cosying Up to a Yellow Flower
Monochromatic Mother Nature
Yellow-Jacketed Wasp Scaling A Stem
Snow Pearl Butterfly
Lady Bug on a Leaf
Bzzz bzzz bzzz
Hornet Wating to be Seated for Dinner
All photos courtesy of Murray Head
Aren’t these just amazing pictures? It was hard to pick just a few to show you, so I hope to be publish more in a future blog. I tried to think of which one I liked the best and couldn’t begin to decide. Even if I had to pick only from this bunch, I’m not sure, but I might say the Bzz Bzzz bzzz really did it for me with the wings caught in motion to the point where for a moment you think you are watching a video!! And then this last photo was just magnificent; I had about 4 tag lines for it and couldn’t decide what sounded better. Soooo I’m offering everyone a chance to send in a new caption for the bee inside the purple flower. Please send as a comment to this post or send me an email. I’ll publish the entries next week.
Fact Finding Friday
Posted in BY THE WAY, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged Knickerbocker Club, Manhattan, New York, New York City, New York Knicks, Petunia, United States, Washington Irving on June 3, 2011| 1 Comment »
New York Knicks
I do have photos (somewhere on the computer) for a FAB FOTO FRIDAY but this day like so many others recently has been spent cleaning up, repairing, renewing and re-doing and I wish I could say it was on myself BUT no, it’s been the house and yard. So the day goes by and I haven’t researched the photos for today but I have hopes for a FAB FOTO feature before the weekend is over, check back!
AND this week I learned two new things which only goes to prove (for the hundredth time) that you are never too old to learn something new.
FACT ONE:
First of all, did you know that when you are deadheading your flowering plants there are some plants that you should not be pinching off. WOW for years I have been hunched over my petunias and pinching off the dead blossom and the sepal containing it. My plants kept blooming despite my beheading tactics BUT this week I learned that petunias should not be snapped off – rather you should gently pull the dead blossom out and if you look closely you will see a bud inside! The next flower!!! Presently I have a huge 15″ planter brimming with pink and white petunias and I’m carefully extracting the blooms. However, petunias can get leggy and they should be pinched back so your planter doesn’t get all straggley looking.
Pluck Not Pinch
Looks like I missed one in the front!
FACT TWO:
If you live in New York City, you are certainly familiar with the New York Knicks, Knickerbocker Beer, The Knickerbocker Hotel, The Knickerbocker Club and at one time, even New Yorkers were referred to as Knickerbockers. Where did this all originate? There was a book published in 1809 entitled A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker (1809). This was a satire on self-important local history and contemporary politics. Prior to its publication, Irving started a hoax akin to today’s viral marketing campaigns; he placed a series of missing person adverts in New York newspapers seeking information on Diedrich Knickerbocker, a crusty Dutch historian who had allegedly gone missing from his hotel in New York City. As part of the ruse, Irving placed a notice—allegedly from the hotel’s proprietor—informing readers that if Mr. Knickerbocker failed to return to the hotel to pay his bill, he would publish a manuscript Knickerbocker had left behind.
So there you have it, a myth debunked. There was no Diedrich Knickerbocker, just Washington Irving pulling off a great hoax and giving birth to one of New York’s legends.
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