URBAN LANDSCAPES

Hi, everyone.  I just returned from Paris.

Paris ... ?  Not quite.

Hah!  Fooled you.  (Well, maybe not the Parisians).

This lovely building, which reminds me of Paris, is actually on the Upper West Side of NYC.  73rd Street & Broadway, to be exact.  It happens to be next to the Temple of the ballet world in Manhattan: Steps on Broadway.  Unfortunately, the Steps building isn't nearly as photogenic as this one is, so I swung my lens over here instead.

Of course, the beauty of Steps lies within its walls.  Elite dancers the world over take class daily, and I happily share in their sweat on the studio floor.  This time, it was great to be with a few guys from Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.  You know, the funny men in pointe shoes!  Don't let their antics onstage fool you.  As I witnessed in class, these men are serious technicians and artists.  They are male dancers who train and perform in pointe shoes, much like Shakespearian actors might rehearse in doublet and hose.  The result: convincing parody.


The Trocks!  They are terrifically funny, especially if you are familiar with the classical choreography behind their parodies.  Their technique and artistry are not to be underestimated.

But wait. This post isn't about ballet.  There's a reason it's labelled "Urban Landscapes."

I meant to contrast that first "European" building with the dizzying geometries most people may associate with New York architecture.

Complex geometries
off of 6th Avenue

Empire State Building reflected off of
another building on 43rd Street and Bryant Park

Unusually curved tunnels in the Times Square subway
also unusually devoid of people

Traffic on 59th Street Bridge into Manhattan
taken from the car
Some things never change!

Empire State Building and Chrysler Building
viewed from the car on 59th Street Bridge
on a dreary, rainy day
(I was on the far side of the back seat)

"Fall in New York!  Crisp, with the smell of mustard pretzels
mingled with subway steam"
-- how my friend described this photo

I wish I had had time to pass by Central Park, the High Line, the Met, SoHo, etc. -- all favorites, with their own urban vibes.  Next time again.  For my other impressions on previous trips, click here and here.

What images do you associate with New York?  Which city is your favorite in the world?