Chinatown, Walker Street Between Lafayette and Centre Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This might be the ugliest restaurant I've ever seen. So why did Bill and I stop there for lunch? Well, first, this shot was taken from across the street after we ate there; I don't think I realized how grotesque it really was. Second, I had a vague memory about XO sauce and maybe a restaurant of that name and was curious. Third, it was about 3:00 and we were pretty hungry.

Below is the inside.


Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

It was comfortable enough and there was a nice tree growing up through the floor. We had dumplings (good), salt baked shrimp (I've had better), pea shoots (I've had better) and a soft noodle dish with dried shrimp (interesting and good). The waiter had cautioned me that the noodle dish was very Chinese. Verdict: It was good enough but no need to return. And I didn't see any XO sauce.




Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 ……… click to enlarge

Construction! Condos in Chinatown! No need to get agitated, though, this was built in 1910 and is being renovated for retail market and professional office condominium spaces. I didn't even know they had such things, but it sounds like a good idea. Also, you should know that 139 Centre is fully in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui.

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Chinatown, Walker Street Between Lafayette and Centre Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This short block has a couple of themes going, which will unfold tomorrow night, but tonight it's all I can do to throw up this themeless street scene.

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Chinatown, Walker Street Between Cortlandt Alley and Lafayette Street

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is Art in General, a nonprofit arts organization, founded in 1981, and so named because it is housed in the General Hardware building. If you're wondering what the sign "Sam Beckett Come Home" is all about, you will not find it on Art in General's website. Instead, go here.



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

According to a sign above this shot, written mostly in Chinese, this is the U.S.A. Beauty School.

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Chinatown, Walker Street Between Broadway and Cortlandt Alley

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Many apologies to those of you who depend on me to post every night. It was Verizon's fault. I'm thinking cable.

The boundaries of Chinatown keep changing because, unlike other neighborhoods, determined by geographic or historical associations, Chinatown is determined by the preponderance of Chinese businesses in the area, which obviously can expand (or contract, though it has not done that yet). Based on these two photos, I'm going with Wikipedia's declaring Broadway to be the western border.

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Tribeca, Walker Street Between Church Street and Broadway

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge




Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

I am hereby repealing the one photograph only per night rule. We have to move a little faster. I'm not going to live forever, you know.

The yellow sign in the lower photo refers to the annual New York International Fringe Festival, now over. Once again, I have failed to get myself to a performance. About 200 companies performed this year at over 19 venues, this being venue #5, walkerspace.

Urinetown was originally performed in the Fringe Festival; I saw it on Broadway and thought it was great. However, I would guess the ratio of good to bad is small. Great to bad even smaller. But it's cheap! $15 tickets. And fun! You may discover the next theatrical genius! Let's all go next year.

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Tribeca, Walker Street Between Church Street and Broadway

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

What a great convention. What a great candidate. And to hear Pat Buchanan call Obama's speech "magnificent," and "the greatest convention speech" topped off the night in a most pleasing way.

Okay, tomorrow, back to regular life.

Luckily I had the foresight to edit this photograph earlier today.

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Tribeca, West Broadway at Beach Street

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Well, I don't think Bill matched Hillary, but he did all right enough, and then Joe Biden gave his speech and was just wonderful. Don't you love him? Well, not if you're Republican, I guess. Although even if you're Republican, you might have a little secret fondness for him. Yes?

This is Tribeca Park, so called since 1985 to acknowledge the neighborhood's new name (TRIangle Below CAnal), coined by real estate agents in the 70's, but soon adopted by all. Before that, it was called Beach Street Park, a perfectly fine name.

It was a perfect summer day, low 80's, dry, breezy. Bill and I kept congratulating ourselves on our good luck.

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Tribeca, West Broadway at Lispenard Street

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

How about that Hillary? Damn. What a pro. Now let's see if Bill, that sonofabitch, can match her. If he does, I'll be saying how about that Bill? Oh, it's a good year to be a Democrat. This is history, folks.

I was going to talk about this restaurant Pepolino and how Luka and I used to go there when she was a smoker because upstairs you could smoke, but now I haven't been there in years, and I'm thinking maybe we should try it again; it's awfully appealing on the outside and so on, maybe a little musing on the passing of time, but all of this seems so trivial given that the fate of our country lies in the balance.

Go Barack!

Just two more nights of this and then I'll return to my normal dry unemotional commentator self.

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Tribeca, Sixth Avenue Between Canal and York Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………click to enlarge



Mary Sargent © 2008 …………click to enlarge

I know, I know, I said it was going to be Chinatown tonight and here I am giving you Tribeca. Sorry. Tribeca on the way to Chinatown, then Chinatown.

I'm late because I was watching the convention. How about that Michelle? I'm happy to be a Democrat for the first time in a long while, and I'm so proud of our country, also for the first time in a long while. (I can say that because I don't plan to run for political office.) And how about Senator Teddy? There was a time I curled my lip at Ted Kennedy, but time passes, things change, and now I have to say he's an all right guy.

So the walk. Bill, my son, was here for a visit, and Friday we went downtown for a photowalk. The plan was to walk around Chinatown and get a late lunch somewhere. We took the A train to Canal, walked Sixth Avenue to Walker and Walker to Canal. When we got off the train at Canal, what is the first thing I see? Construction! Another condominium. One York.

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Inwood, Park Terrace East Between 215th Street and Isham Park

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


Last shot. Tomorrow Chinatown.

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Inwood, Isham Street at Cooper Street

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

And now my destination. I bought tomatoes, green beans and whole wheat sour dough bread.




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Inwood, Park Terrace West Between 215th and Isham Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Here's a glimpse of my destination, looking from Park Terrace West down to Isham Street. It's the Inwood Saturday Greenmarket – one of the best things to happen since I moved here in 1995. I know it's been here at least 4 years and now it's open year round. Does anyone out there know exactly when it opened?

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Inwood, Park Terrace West Between 215th and Isham Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

After the first block of apartment houses from 215th Street, going south, Park Terrace West wends its way through Isham Park. It is pretty up here, y'all.

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Inwood, Park Terrace West Between 215th and Isham Streets

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………. click to enlarge

I am too tired to write. More tomorrow. Maybe.

Inwood, Park Terrace West at 215th Street

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

To remind you: this walk was taken last Saturday at an uncharacteristically early time; it is now 9:15 a.m. and it seems a few other people are also out and about. In fact, these ladies may be going where I'm headed. Yes, I do have a destination in mind.

This is Park Terrace West, a new street for this blog.

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Inwood, 215th Street Between Park Terrace East and Park Terrace West

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is the Northeastern Academy of the Seventh Day Adventists, a small religious high school. I have lived close by this school for 13 years and paid little attention to it but now I am consumed by curiosity and can find almost nothing on the web. Their web page is still under construction. I'll have to interview a student or two when school resumes.

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Inwood, 215th Street Between Park Terrace East and Park Terrace West

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Across the street from last night's deserted building are the prized Park Terrace garden apartments, so-called, not because of the lovely plantings around the outside, but because of the interior green space which is for the sole use of its residents. See below. Note it was shot from outside of the fence.

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Inwood, 215th Street at Park Terrace East

Mary Sargent © 2008 ………… click to enlarge


I did something very unusual this morning. I woke up at 8:30 and instead of stretching, rolling over, and going back to sleep, I got up, got dressed, grabbed my camera and went out. I didn't even feed the cats. Well, they're not used to getting fed before 11:00, anyway.

It was a lovely morning, about 72°. It was actually pleasant being out that early. Quiet. I could stand in the middle of the street and shoot. You should try it. Right after you take that boat ride.

This is the side of this building we've seen before.

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East River

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

Okay, now are you going on a boat ride? I mean those of you who have access, of course. If you're in some landlocked place, far from bodies of water, find yourself a plashing fountain and sit there and watch the sky grow dark. That's good, too. A glass of wine would only add to it.

That's the lovely Chrysler Building on the right, and the manly Empire State building on the left, of course.

This is the last shot of the boat ride. I hope I get out tomorrow for a photowalk. I hope it doesn't storm.

East River

Mary Sargent © 2008 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


And now, finally the waterfalls. The first two photos are shot at the Brooklyn Bridge and the third one at Pier 35 on the east side of Manhattan. The other two waterfalls are at Governors Island and the Brooklyn Piers.

You must imagine being on a boat on a balmy summer evening.