Endless Summer

The art and culture of  Williamsburg, with its fun street scenes, is just so nifty that I felt the need to do a second post. Actually, there are going to be a third and fourth post shortly following. All of the photographs that I shared yesterday were of the same wall- these are from all around the neighborhood.  It felt like summer on the day I was in that area- so sunny and nice!  I can't wait until it is in the seventies every day.  In August I know I'll be biting my tongue, but right now, I'm just enjoying being able to wear sandals for the first time in months. 

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Community Canvas

Williamsburg- that pretty hipster and hasidic enclave in northern Brooklyn.  It's not an area I visit that often, but wow, does it have a lot to offer!  The main streets are lined with cute cafes, bars, and vintage stores.  There is a gorgeous park along the riverfront, with a great view of Manhattan (come back in a few days for more about this).  Fun antiques are sold on tables along the streets, and the walls of the abandoned warehouses are covered in some of the most creative and bizarre murals and grafitti that I have ever seen. 

There was one area in particular that just fascinated me.  It was the skeleton of an old warehouse, and I'm not sure what it is used for now, if it is at all.  Around the building were the kind of temporary walls you generally see around construction sites.  As I said, I'm not sure if this was part of the aesthetic, or whether this really was a construction site.  Either way, it was neat.  One place on the wall was this first photograph- "Community Canvas," encouraging people to draw and paint (and even sculpt!) on the wall.

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

It's Vegan

I love getting feedback on this blog, no matter what that feedback is.  I'm a pretty small website, so I don't hear from my readers all that often, but even if I don't respond automatically, or even respond at all, I always appreciate that someone took a moment out of their day to share their thoughts about my work.  It really is incredibly flattering.  So, thank you to all of you who have ever done this, and to those of you who  have always wanted to leave me a comment and haven't done so, please feel free!  Introduce yourself and say hello.  Even though I'm occasionally a bit sarcastic here, I'm generally a nice person, and if you are awesome enough to want to say something to me, I'm sure that you are a particularly lovely individual!

Anyways, on occasion, I google search random keywords for this site, such as travel and toile, "travel and toile" and my name.  You know, just to see what comes up.  Most of the time, the first few pages are all information that I have sent into the magical land of the interweb, but also I get to see who has linked to my stuff.  Generally, when I do this, I will find a couple of sites that I did not know showed my link.  The majority of these are actually cleverly disguised ads, but sometimes I'll discover that someone used one of my photographs on their blog, or posted it on their tumblr, or linked to me in their sidebar, like I share some of my favourite blogs with you.

 Today, I found that a blog review site had linked to Travel and Toile.  I was simultaneously excited and a little bit nervous.  Did they like my site?  Did they enjoy my pictures?  What if they think that my writing is no better than that of a kindergartener?  The blood was rushing to my head a little bit as I was waiting for my slow, slow internet to load the page.

It turns out that the review was of an article I wrote about two and a half months ago titled What IS Travel and Toile?  I was going through a rather angsty and decidedly cold and unemployed period at the time, and the article was my way of sharing with you how I had no idea where to take this blog.  I was kind of tired of my general format, and starting to wonder if this was worth it at all, and shared that with you.  Basically, it was a bunch of paragraphs of me complaining and feeling bad about myself, and looking for sympathy.  You did sympathise with me, and I truly appreciated it.  However, since then, I have gotten my act together, acquired a new (and totally awesome) job, stopped complaining, and used all of that energy with which I was feeling bad about myself to take better photographs and write longer and more interesting articles to go alongside them.  So, hooray for that.  I'm loving doing this these days, and I hope you are enjoying reading it!  Seriously, writing the posts for this blog is a lot of fun, and all of my readers (yes this includes you) are just fabulous.  Thank you.  You win!  I mean, you don't really win anything other than my affection, but that must be worth something.

IN ANY CASE,  

Congratulations!  You've reached the punchline!  The review of What IS Travel and Toile? was only two words long:

What IS Travel and Toile?

-It's vegan.

...

... um... what? 

 I suppose that it's good to know that my site is friendly to all living creatures!  A bit bizarre, but I am deciding to take it as a compliment.  Cheers, review site.  You've simultaneously made me feel great about myself and confused me utterly.

Please enjoy some celebratory photographs! The first  one (above) shows me in my fun straw hat I purchased on Easter, and the second and third (below) are of the delicious cupcakes my friend Mariana made for me as an Easter present.  The fourth and fifth photographs (further below) show buildings on the Sarah Lawrence College campus up in Yonkers, where I spent my Easter filming a time-traveling mob thriller.  All photos taken with Instagram (real photos return tomorrow).

Happy Belated Easter, by the way, if you happen to be someone who celebrates Easter.  Whether or not you celebrated the holiday or not, I hope that your week has just been excellent thus far.  You rock my socks.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
and
Yonkers, New York, USA

Bits and Pieces

A few weeks ago, I shared a post about how enamored I have become with Instagram, an iPhone app that puts film-like filters over phone photographs.  It's stupidly delightful, and I've been playing with it a lot.  On days when I know I might be able to get a few good shots in, but am not planning to go out for a long shoot, it's a nice way to carry around fewer expensive electronic items.  Plus, as someone who very much wants to begin experimenting more with film, it's an opportunity to see some of the styles of different vintage cameras and such.

So, here a few of my recent shots, complete with little stories .  I hope you enjoy them!

My favourite Teacup next to my windowsill.  I got this awesome thing at Urban Outfitters- it's a pretty, teacup style, but it's large like a mug.  And I like to drink lots of tea and coffee,  so the larger the cup, the happier my morning tends to be!  Now that I have a great new job and have to show up by 9AM after a forty-five minute train commute, a happy morning me is a far preferable option.  Not that it wasn't always, but it is even more so now.

This photo shows, if you hadn't guessed it, the Brooklyn Bridge!  It was taken during one of my many traipses over the structure.  I don't remember when.  If I went to my Facebook and checked the date and time, then I would know, but frankly, it's rather irrelevant.  My favourite thing about this photo is the awkward man's head that made its way into my frame at the very last minute.  Something about his excellent and spiky hairstyle just makes me grin like a little schoolgirl.  Here's this gorgeous, majestic bridge, and its classy cords and lamppost- and then this guy with goofy hair.  Frankly, I'm extremely glad that he stepped into my shot.

The most fun thing about taking photographs with my phone, however, is that people sometimes cannot tell that I am, indeed, photographing them.  I've always loved street candids and the like, but my ability to take photos discreetly is a bit dubious, to say the least.  (What I mean is that I totally suck at it.)  But now, I can take this kind of picture.  So, here is my Starbucks barista, in Tribeca, pumping some lovely, sugar-free flavor into my latte.  Or, it may have been equally lovely sugary flavor into someone else's coffee.  In any case, I sincerely enjoy this filter- it's called Poprocket, and the name makes me want to groove to the Spice Girls with my hands covered in Ring Pops.  I'm not quite sure why that is, but it sounds like fun, so I'm just going to go with it.

THE DOLLAR DUMPLINGS.

These are a New York institution.  At least, for me.  You can get five delicious dumplings for only one dollar.  The sign outside is mostly in Chinese, except for, very small, the words "Fried Dumpling" in all caps.  I believe there is a letter missing somewhere too.  This place is on what is basically an alleyway street right near Columbus park in Chinatown.  There is no real door- to get in, you walk through some of that hanging plastic strip, which does very little to keep the heat in or out.  There is always the same woman working behind the counter, who seems to be the owner.  Sometimes there is another person with her, making dumplings as she shells them out.  She barely speaks English, but asks you "how many?" and the proper response is to hold up the correct number of fingers.  You give her that number of dollars, and she hands you plates or take out containers full of that many multiples of five nummy dumplings.  There is a bar with hot sauce and vinegar sauce, and about seven stools.  The service is rude, the food comes instantly, and it is obscenely cheap.  Perfectly New York City in every way.  I love it.

Brooklyn and Manhattan

New York City, New York, USA

Eggs and Such

Ah... it's that time of year.  That chocolate egg time of year.  I've always liked this time- Easter, and all of that.  Celebrations of spring, new life, and overall re-birth.  Easter is a delightful holiday.  And nothing is more delightful than personalized chocolate Easter eggs, like my parents brought for us!!

You know what else I like?  Crepes.  My family was here the past few days, hence the last few days with no posts.  During this time, they gave us the afore-pictured chocolate eggs.  Which were personalized, and totally delicious.  They nailed it.  Danny's was peanut butter and mine was coconut.  Yum.  Anyways, in return, we took them to our favourite crepe joint in DUMBO.  They did treat us there as well... but it was our idea. 

That is my mom and Danny, enjoying their crepe deliciousness!

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Test Track

While I was walking over the Williamsburg Bridge last week, (see previous post for a little bit more info on this excursion of dreams) I noticed the trains going over the bridge.  Let's be honest- it'd be tricky not to notice them.  They are giant, shiny trains.  They are loud.  And, at some points on the walkway, they are about four feet away from you, creating a nice breeze that is pretty difficult to ignore.  These are the J, M and Z subway trains, the ones I used to take into Manhattan every day.  When I moved to Brooklyn, they were all on the brown line, but now the M is part of the orange line.  I had a whole new perspective now, months later, watching these trains instead of riding in them.  So, I decided to photograph one as it went by, underneath me.  There are a few moments in the pedestrian walkway  where you can stand directly over the trains.  I took advantage of it, and caught an M going by.

Plus, just in case you were ever worried about anything ever, there is this sticker on the bridge.  It is there to remind you that this life is only a test.  

Then there is some word I can't make out.  But, this life is only a test, apparently.

The only test in my life recently has been my train not running on a lot of weekends.  Ah, well.  The head of MTA is trying to make improvements.  I can live with a non-existent train every once in a while.

New York City, New York, USA