More from Manhattan

 

 Artwork made from scanned ephemera.

This was my first trip to New York City, and quite frankly, in spite of the crowds and the occasional long, long walk, I found myself captivated by the city's offerings from start to finish.

 Lady Liberty from the ferry at dusk.

First off, the city was a lot cleaner than I expected. I've lived in the thick or along the suburban fringes of several big cities--Los Angeles, Honolulu, New Orleans and Houston--but I just assumed that New York would be filthy. Certainly we were tramping along the tried-and-true tourist routes, but we did make a foray into the Brownstone blocks of SoHo on foot. The sense of pride the residents have in their city was evident in the tidy gardens, the cheerful posters taped up in front stoop windows, and the trash bins around business and high traffic areas. We saw a lot of graffiti, primarily on buildings near the roof-top lines, and on phone booth shells and newspaper boxes.  I know life is a lot grittier and dirtier in many neighborhoods, but what amazed me was how, in spite of all the people, the city remains clean.

Graffiti on a train car, Newark, NJ, train station.

Second, it was great to be in a city that celebrates the written word--bookshops, magazine stalls, posters, signage, even slogans on tee-shirts and Jumbotrons all blazed with literary fervor, both glorious and mundane.  It was great to sink back with a meaty paper--The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post.  It was exhilarating to wander through three-story bookstores--whether it was the Fifth Avenue Barnes & Noble or the giant Japanese-language bookstore, Kinokuniya, which was stuffed full of manga, language and travel books and anything else connected with Japan, Asia, or the Pacific Rim.  The typefaces and fonts on the signs transcended the blandness of our local malls here in Houston, while the blazing LEDs flashed spangled slogans and scrolling headlines.  The word, it seems, permeates New York, whether in English, Arabic, Chinese or Thai, or Farsi.

Chandelier inside Grand Central Station, NYC.

Third, it was exciting to plunge into the wonderful whirl of cultural collisions.  Clumps of older Jewish ladies chatting in strong Bronx brogues about the best place to get your hair colored as they paused outside a nail salon,  sharply dressed businessmen conversing into their Bluetooths (Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Hindi).  The Syrian, Iranian and Lebanese street vendors displaying racks of halal prepared meats--chicken, beef, and lamb.  The bellhop manager at our hotel was Danish, and the desk clerk was Philipina.  Markets had shelves stocked with Tex-Mex, Asian, British and American foods.  Delis served breadstuffs from around the world--croissants, scones, bagels, and baklava.  Fruit vendors had papayas, apples, mangoes and more.  You could eat and shop your way around the globe without venturing more than a few city blocks.

Fire escape details in Tribeca.

Fourth, New York City's architectural history is so rich and complex that there was no way I could capture it with my camera, and I don't have the vocabulary to describe it with accuracy. Buildings were bedecked with carved details, exquisitely decorated facades, wrought iron embellishments and treatments created with brick or stone.  Glass-covered skyscrapers gleamed like sabers, and reflected the cloud shapes against blue glass.  Trees cloaked in summer greenery draped over park fences of weathered wrought iron.  Sculptures, reliefs, carved doors, capped cornices, gargoyles and the fascinating symmetry of the fire escapes created a stunning tableau.  Even the scaffolding erected across the face of buildings undergoing repairs had a sturdy sense of purpose.  So much different than the calm sameness of the suburb where I live.  So jam-packed with history and lives.

Near Times Square.

Yes, I think I want to go back to New York City.

Patriotic Fun Finds

The fireworks are finished, but Summer in America is prime time for red, white, and blue.  I was busy parading Shelter dogs and helping at Off-Site Adoption events over the weekend, but wanted to post a few patriotic items from my collections.  Above is a cleaned-up version of an awesome flag design, taken from a photograph of a vintage flag box.  I don't have the original flag, but this is a superb design.

This is the cover of a vintage educational game--from back when learning geography was truly a family affair and not just something for a High School AP class.

This game is intact, with the board, question cards and colored map pins.  No one in the family wants to play it--they think I'll win. They're probably right, thanks to my liberal arts education.

Here is a mantel display from last year, with a trio of ribbons affixed to the side of an old, blue-painted carpenter's toolbox:

I am addicted to "smalls"--the little items in antique and junk stores.  Below is an arrangement in a hobnail milk glass vase (probably Fenton) made up of a vintage eagle flag finial, a reproduction of a deck of French playing cards featuring American heroes of the Revolution, and a Bicentennial celebration button I found in a Rosenberg, TX, antique store two years ago.

A display on a bookshelf from our house in Hawai'i (circa 1998) includes a cowboy boot planter filled with colorful flowers, metal cookie cutters, a Cow Parade figurine and an Avon blueware plate depicting Independence Hall, plus some flags, a Liberty statue and a handmade (by me) votive to Virgin Mary.

Below--a copper bank from 1976 depicting the famous fife and drum scene:

The Spirit of 76 is one of my favorites--I was a Junior in high school in 1976!  Below is a new-old stock patch I snagged on Etsy.

And a bit of Texana--a thrift store find--a Marching Band patch. 

Last, here's a photo of some vintage Americana collected by the owner of the Ross Antique Mall in Ross, TX:

Travel Time

 Photoshop work done on a photo of a puzzle box graphic.

I'm excited about our summer travel plans--I've got trips planned to Waxahachie, New Braunfels (both in Texas) and to New York City and Washington, D.C.

This is not the license plate on my Red Van--it's a nifty hand-painted license plate I found at a Tomball, Texas Craft Mall.  While I am touring, I'll be gathering supplies and ideas for my ART.

While traveling, it's always important that you have maps and guidebooks.  BK (Before Kids) we used to lead friends in small caravans over the historic Mojave Road, which crosses the California desert between Needles and Barstow.  The Mojave Road Guide, by Dennis Casebier, is the definitive guide, with mile-by-mile narrative.  You can still travel most of the Mojave Road today,  but some areas we were fortunate enough to see are now off-limits.

After a long day of touring, you might want to check into a motel.  The Oasis has a great sign, but it's located right next to the West Bank Expressway in Gretna, Louisiana, so it might be a bit noisy.  Perhaps you'd rather go camping:

I always like to send postcards to friends while traveling.

And I generally buy some tacky souvenirs:



Of course, it's always nice to come back home:

Because I can have plenty of adventures right at home!

What are your plans for summer travel?  Leave me a comment and let me know!  I might have an image in my ephemera collection that would be perfect for your post-trip scrapbook.