The Camera Club of New York is a long lived organization that has been around for over 100 years. It is THE club that helped photography gain acceptance as an art form. The movement by Alfred Stieglitz was started right here in our city. It became a forum for the advancement of the new art form with lectures given by some of the worlds famous photographers, Steichen, Atget, and Avedon. The Camera Club is steeped in rich tradition that makes me proud to be a New York photographer. I went to see their new space recently at 336 W. 37th st. They have juried exhibitions and some of the best darkroom rental rates in the city; provided that you sign up for at least 3 months or a year. The Camera Club is for serious photographers who want a forum to present their art and a place to create it. I urge anyone who has even a remote interest in photography to go and view their exhibition space or attend a lecture.

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Last night, I saw something I’ve never seen before - either in the city or anywhere else. At Regal Cinemas in Union Square, after seeing the movie Iron Man (which I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend), the men’s bathroom had a line twice the size of the ladies bathroom. It was bizarre. The men’s line wrapped out into the hallway, while there was barely a wait for the women’s. I don’t whether it had something to do with the gender ratio of the audience for Iron Man, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before!

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I run around the city quite a bit, on foot, on the subway, and sometimes in cabs. I try not to take cabs as often as I used to because public transportation is cheaper, greener, and better for me, what with all the walking and climbing stairs and whatnot. But sometimes, when I have to race from a doctor’s appointment in SoHo to a customer meeting on the UES, I gotta deal with the cabs.

I have a love/hate relationship with NYC taxis. One of the things I’ve come to like for its convenience yet despise for its annoyances are the credit card/infotainment devices in the back of most (if not all) cabs now. They’re touch-screens, and they have the option for you to turn them off, which I always do for a couple of reasons - one, I don’t want to watch TV all the time, and two, I get motion sickness if I read things while I’m in a moving car, and I just can’t tear my eyes away from the news ticker when it’s on. However, a few weeks ago, I was in a cab whose touch screen didn’t work. I couldn’t turn it off - the mute “button” didn’t work, nor did the off button. The driver couldn’t override it either. So I just hung my head out the window, much like a dog, and tried to ignore it.

I also had the privilege of seeing one of them reboot itself after an error. It was running Windows 2000. Way to stay current!

I do like the ability to pay via credit card. I usually pay cash, and always tip in cash, but every once in a while I have to get somewhere and don’t have the cash on hand. I know the last couple of taxi strikes were about this issue (among others) - the drivers said that many people who pay by credit card don’t tip and they get less of a cut because of the credit card fees.

So what do you think? Do you like the little news and ad TVs in the cabs? Like the convenience of the credit card machines?  Think cabs are for rich yuppie assholes? Confess!

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Photo from innatirving.com

My mother and sister hosted a lovely bridal shower for me last weekend at Lady Mendl’s. A historic brownstone, Lady Mendl’s has a lovely exterior and a ridiculously elegant inside. High ceilings, ornately-carved furniture, and large windows fill this refined establishment.

As it’s just a short walk from Union Square, I thought I’d arrive with moments to spare. But by some odd stroke of luck, nearly all the guests arrived early and I entered to find a full house of guests! We’d reserved one of the private rooms and it was the perfect size for an intimate party. The space feels like some (very wealthy) person’s sitting room - and this just creates a warm vibe.

I unfrazzled myself with the help of some delicious champagne cocktails - the guava and champagne was particularly tasty! The atmosphere made for easy chatting and mingling until the lunch and tea were served. The meal consisted of a yummy salad, a selection of delicious finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and chocolate-covered strawberries with candies. Everything tasted wonderful, and looked adorable at the same time!

After I’d opened my gifts, one of my bridesmaids remarked that she’d like to live at Lady Mendl’s and I agreed.

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Rego Park, Queens
quick facts:
location: Central Queens bordered by Elmhurst and Forest Hills
subway stop: 63rd Drive, Rego Park [V and G lines]
Brief history: Basically farmland until the 1920s, when the REal GOod Construction Company purchased the land and built 575 eight-room homes; apartment buildings followed. Until 1962, there was a Long Island Railroad station in Rego Park.

I decided to start this series closest to home, where I live. When I say “I live in Rego Park”, I get one of two responses:
1) Where’s that? or 2) Oh, isn’t that where the mall is?…….Actually the Queens Center Mall is in Elmhurst, just over the LIE. Rego Park is becoming a shopping mall of sorts, with a little mall on the Boulevard [Sears, Marshalls, Circuit City, Bed Bath and Beyond, Old Navy], and another one to come in 2009 [Home Depot, Kohl’s, Century 21].

Bukhara-on-the-Boulevard? Rego-stan? Forest Hills’ poorer cousin? Shopping mecca? If you judge Rego Park by its hub — the corner of 63rd Drive and Queens Blvd., you’re missing something. Venture down 63rd Drive toward 99th Street, up to 108th Street, and further down to 67th Avenue, and notice a scene which looks like it could have come out of Anatevka or “Borat”. Stores have signs in Cyrillic Russian lettering, and in winter, many heads are covered with big fur hats, and in all weather, “babushkas”. Rego Park is the center of immigrants from what is now Uzbekistan, a former Soviet Republic, and specifically from the areas of Bukhara,Samarkand, and Tashkent. These are not the Russians of Brighton Beach. These are people of Central Asia. If you walk on the north side of Queens Boulevard up 63rd Drive past Citibank, CVS, and Dress Barn, you enter another world. Walk down the long block toward 98th Street. and stop in the delis with the signs in Russian — one is mid-block, and the other on the corner. You will see an amazing array of smoked fish, cheeses, pickles, fresh yogurts, sweets, breads, and pastry. Continue on just past 99th Street and stop into Tandoori Bukharian Bakery. Eat a samsa - the Central Asian version of the Indian samosa. If you walk to 108th Street, otherwise known as “Bukharian Broadway”, you run into even more of these Central Asian delicacy shops. The fresh yogurt is amazing, and the sweets are like nothing you have tasted before.

But Rego Park is also getting an influx of young American families, and young professionals who are sick of paying rents $3,000 a month for an apartment the size of a walk-in closet, or who are sick of paying rent at all, and want to own a co-op for less than $500,000. There is now a Starbucks at the corner of 67th and Queens Boulevard, and a new vegan place with Soho-like decor and soft couches across the boulevard [Tierra Sana]. But the old standbys are still popular — London Lennies [seafood] on Woodhaven Blvd, Ben’s Best serving up kosher deli for over 50 years, and Knish Nosh [knishes and other Jewish dishes. Other places that don’t disappoint are Avellinos [Italian] near the 64th Street entrance to the subway, Tung Shing Palace, [Chinese] one block east from Avellinos, and the Shalimar Diner on 63rd Rd. across from the library.

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Hello Spring! Walking on the streets in NYC in the springtime is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I was walking to a local restaurant to get some dinner last night and had two beard conversations! I ran into Ron whose beard is looking fabulous. I picked up my dinner and started walking back to my apartment. I ended up walking next to a spry looking guy with a full white beard lugging some big bags. He complimented my my beard right off and we started talking about all of beard styles we have ever had. He used to be able to grow a stomach length beard in 13 months’ time! Amazing! It takes me about a year to get to my maximum of about 6-7 inches. He was an absolute treat to talk to. It made me smile to talk with a random person on the street and have such a effortless conversation. Hint to all men: Grow a beard, it’s an instant conversation starter., and the ladies like it too!

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Photo from Wikipages.com

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is hosting the annual Cherry Tree Festival this weekend. This event usually draws a large crowd, including many people dressed as Japanese anime characters. Last year, the gardens looked beautiful with the trees bursting in shades of pink and white. I haven’t made it there yet this year, but the festival continues tomorrow until 6 pm.

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Photo from http://davidgaw.typepad.com

I just rode on a NJ Transit double decker train for the first time. I have to admit, these trains look pretty sweet. They definitely offer more space, helpful during the craziness of rush hour. The only problem I had was with the seats facing alternating directions every car (not as common on the standard trains). I ended up rushing to a backwards facing seat (not my favorite way to travel).

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You can get a ticket to see Pearl Jam on June 24 or 25 at Madison Square Garden, while supporting a progressive candidate for US Senate. Steve Novick is a liberal progressive candidate for Congress from Oregon. He is being endorsed by a group of musicians, including Stone Gossard, guitarist for Pearl Jam. Other musicians in support of Novick are Rufus Wainwright, Michael Stipe of REM, and Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie.

Some of the issues that Steve Novick has taken strong stands on are the environment, marriage equality, and net neutrality. A donation of $250, $400. or $700, will get you a ticket to the Pearl Jam concert. Donations must be paid through the Novick for US Senate site.

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I’m drawn to lights, bright colors and fun.

So when I walked down my usual path on Orchard Street between Stanton & Rivington, I was shocked to see that amidst the historic raw New York buildings and one of the more quieter blocks in that neighborhood a brand new store had opened that was the flame to my moth-like nature.

The weirdest thing is that the store primarily carries clothing for women (they are soon to start carrying jeans for men which will probably fall way out of my budget) and yet I still wanted to enter. It was recently featured in Elle Magazine apparently and also promoted by some costume designer that worked for Sex & the City.

The store is the brainchild of a DJ who happens to be of Egyptian origin; S. Hamady. The name literally means “house of light.”

The bright colors, buzzing lights, plush pleather cushion in front of the register are just a few of the treats you get by visiting the store. Even if you don’t purchase anything, be sure to check it out for sheer awesomeness. The store prohibits photography within the premises and it’s understandable why.

It should be experienced, not seen.

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Feathers flew ferociously in Bryant Park a couple of weeks back. Now I see them on Law & Order SVU’s trailer featuring Robin Williams.

Another curiosity about this page is that only a few months ago, I saw B.D. Wong being held up by JFK security line delays as he fought to board his JetBlue flight to San Francisco. At that time I was wondering how B.D. was doing financially since all I could recall was that I knew his face from 80s movies. And now he’s on SVU. Lord bless Law & Order and all the food it puts on so many hundreds of actors’ tables.

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I tried out the Cloister Cafe for lunch today. Located in the East Village, this spot is kind of adorable. It has a lovely garden area with an outdoor bar (lined with a selection of hookahs). The garden feels very Mediterranean with a fountain, stone figures, and a pastoral landscape mural. I found the prices surprisingly reasonable, though the menu is not extensive. I ordered a mozzarella tomato sandwich, which was decent (though not anything particularly special). While the service and food were fairly mediocre, I’d definitely go back for the enjoyable atmosphere of that little garden. It would be a fun place for a summer brunch or an outdoor happy hour.

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All detectives were judged “Not Guilty” in the death of the Sean Bell case. This was decided in Kew Gardens Queens just moments ago. More to come as it is available.

Some additional details are that in the case the detectives had fired a bullet that went inside of a living room. They had also shot in a public area endangering the lives of those nearby.

Again, all officers acquitted of all charges against them - this is news as of 9:15 am, April 25th.

9:20 am
From someone who was in the newsroom, the judge’s verdict said that “the state did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.” According to a reporter the parents of Sean Bell just stared upon hearing the decision and the mother shook her head and started crying.

This case is undoubtedly a very serious one and we can be sure that Sean Bell’s supporters will continue to try and take further legal action.

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Photo from Wikipages.com

I just heard a sad story about one of my former favorite spots - Dojo. When I first moved to the city, I loved Dojo since it’s super cheap and has plenty of veggie options for me. Now that I’m working in the West Village, I mentioned to a coworker that I might have lunch there sometime soon. He responded by relating a disturbing incident his friend had experienced while dining there. She had ordered a salad (something I had frequently ordered to get the tasty carrot ginger dressing). When it arrived, she saw a live cockroach crawling in it! When she pointed this out to the server, the server’s response was, “Oh, yeah. They like the salad.”

Now I realize cockroaches probably inhabit many NYC restaurant kitchens. But to have one actually in your dish and a server who doesn’t seem particularly concerned about the situation, that’s disturbing. I don’t think I’ll be going there again!

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I was POd recently when my Metrocard deducted the cost of a new fare when I transferred from the N22 bus to the F train. The N22 is a semi-express bus that goes from Long Island to 179th street station.

But apparently, according to the letter that the MTA sent to me, no new money had been deducted from my account since my balance remained the same. Now, I don’t recall all the details but I was pretty sure that I was ripped off. But now all I have is this MTA letter with a “sincere apology” for inconveniencing me.

But what I read in the letter was something that was absurd. To transfer from 1 bus to another is free, but to transfer onto an express bus is $3.

That’s understandable if you’re going from Queens to Manhattan, but what about the short trips taken from a local bus to an Express bus to travel only a few blocks? Unfair.

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