St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC

St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City is one place where you can step out of the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. Within its walls, you’ll find a modicum of peace and quiet. Just like the photographs of the stained glass windows I took in Spain, I always try to get a few shots of the ones in St. Patrick’s.

Years ago, when I was in film school, I took a number of black and white shots inside the cathedral. This was in the days before the digital darkroom. There were chemicals, enlargers, and actual film. I enjoyed that kind of work. Hours spent in the darkroom helped improve my photography in the field. Today, I use a consumer digital camera, snapping shots for this blog and other general documentary purposes. It serves the purpose and the quality of the output is actually good when considering the cost, time, and effort put into it. It truly is “easy.”

 

The shots of these stained glass windows came out good considering the cathedral is dark compared to the brightness of the sun shining through the window. This is a challenge for an automatic camera. Of course, you’re not able to correct the perspective or expose as well as you could with a manual camera. Nonetheless, the images are bright and clear, especially on a computer monitor. Another advantage is weight; my old manual cameras are heavy and cumbersome. Whenever I would set them up, people get intimidated or think you’re out to make a fortune on their image. Sorry, not quite, just an advance hobbyist having some fun. With the consumer cameras, I rarely encounter that problem.

Anyway, we were in St. Patrick’s. In here I always show proper respect for people praying or a service that may be in progress. After all, this is an important place of worship. I’m impressed by the devotion of the people who come here. I’ve seen everyone among the pews, from business people at lunch time to tourists from around the world. Some people light a candle for someone in need, or say a quick prayer before their saint of choice. Either way, it is interesting to observe.

One final note, at the time of this writing, the exterior of St. Patrick’s is undergoing some work. There is scaffolding set up around the main entrance on 5th Avenue. The cathedral is open, but the exterior photos may not be as pleasant as you would like.

Published in: on September 21, 2008 at 12:54 pm  Leave a Comment  
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New Ideas for Housing

In the wake of natural disasters, urban sprawl, and neighborhood renewal, there are smart people coming up with new ideas for housing.  A recent exhibit in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art, revealed some of these concepts including this tiny example, a 76 square food house.

The place is big enough for one. It features all the amenities of any normal house: bathroom, kitchen, sleeping area, dining area. There’s less space than you’re typical tugboat cabin; I can confirm that. But it is functional. Here are two more examples as seen from above.

The one in the foreground is very much like a shipping container. It can be combined with similar sized units to expand the living area. At the same time, it is economical to transport given it’s standard size. The one in the background was rather bizarre in that it featured a unique construction method using cut plywood shapes. It had an organic feel to it on the inside but nothing I’d want to live in. Then there was this cottage which also used die-cut plywood shapes to allow for easy assembly.

The way the shapes are assembled gives the walls tremendous strength. It’s also easy to transport as all the pieces can be cut at the factory, shipped flat, and put together on site with less skilled labor than a traditionally built home.

These type of exhibits get your mind going, which is why I try to take them in every time I’m in New York.

Published in: on September 20, 2008 at 3:34 pm  Leave a Comment  
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The Treats Truck, NYC

While in New York City yesterday, I happened upon The Treats Truck on 38th Street at 5th Avenue. Not one to pass up a meal, dessert, or other stomach filling substance, I checked it out.

As you can see from the photo above, I had to wait in line. This type of thing is what I like about New York. Right on the street, literally, you’ll find great food. In this case, it’s brownies and other sweets. Of course you’ll also encounter every type of food from a cart or truck that you can imagine. Let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer here:

Nice cookies! The hardest part is deciding which one you’d like. Buy a couple, maybe three. What could happen? With all the walking I do in NYC, I don’t worry about putting on the pounds. As you might imagine, I treated myself to an ice-cold Coca Cola after this, then went about my day.

Next time you’re in NYC, don’t be afraid to try the food from the “roach coaches.” You might be impressed.

Published in: on September 19, 2008 at 6:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Ballesteros de Calatrava, Spain

Driving through rural Spain can not be overestimated. I’ve been fortunate to make several trips through the countryside by car. Each of them took different paths, revealing parts of the country that are definitely not on the tourist agenda. One such place was a small town named Ballesteros de Calatrava. There is a castle there, perched high on a small mountain. Here’s a look.

This place is straight from the Templer Knight playbook on how to let people know you’re a serious feudal lord. It’s mostly ruins now, but well worth the stop. The drive up the hill takes about 10 minutes because the road is rough and narrow. When you get to the top, however, this is your view:

You can see why they built the castle up there. The commanding view of the surrounding valleys left no chance for any army passing by unnoticed. Of course, then the Templers would be on the march, heading out to break some skulls.

My wife and I stayed at a fantastic hotel in Ballesteros called the Palacio de la Serna. I highly recommend this hotel and its restaurant. Every room is different, every meal excellent. It is owned by an artist who uses some of the outbuildings as his workshops. Thus, you have the benefit of seeing his work, both finished and in progress. It may not be on the itinerary for your first or second visit to Spain. Nonetheless find the time to get there. You won’t be disappointed.

Published in: on September 13, 2008 at 2:08 pm  Comments (1)  
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