Month: August 2020

For many years there was a women’s state prison in Chelsea, along the river. It closed in 2012 after it was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. I think of this place whenever there’s talk about closing Rikers and opening smaller prisons in each borough. After researching Blackwell’s Island, (now Roosevelt Island) when prisons and other institutions were in operation there in the 19th century, I became very acquainted with the downsides of isolating prisons away from everyone else.

I can certainly understand not liking the idea of having a prison near you, but Bayview was in operation since the 1970s and most people didn’t even know it was there. It’s a beautiful building, and that’s because it was built in 1931, and it wasn’t built to be a prison. It’s first use was as a place for sailors to stay while their ships were docked in Manhattan.

A peek inside.

Another peek inside.

An indication that it was once a prison.

There’s a mural by Knox Martin on the side of the building, but you can’t see it anymore. It’s blocked by another building now.

The details on the side of the building are lovely.

I started watching birdcams during the pandemic. They are fun and surprisingly relaxing. My favorites are one in Akron, Ohio. In addition to the birds they get raccoons, (with babies sometimes!) opossums (my favorite), skunks, bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, and the occasional deer and cat.

Someone just turned me onto the Cornell feeder, which is lovely. I don’t know what they do but the colors and resolution are great.

Then there’s this new one in Pretoria, South Africa (link is gone now). The variety they get is amazing. For a couple of days I’ve been watching a fruit bat trying to get a banana. It’s been killing me, I so wanted him to succeed and last night, victory!

A few other great sitings at the South African birdcam. This is a genet.

And this is a Hadeda Ibis.

Two years ago I posted a picture of loaves of Wonder Bread hanging in the window of a Bleecker Street storefront. I keep meaning to post pictures of another storefront featuring Wonder Bread. This one is on Greenwich Street, but I forgot to note the corner. I’ll check the next time I pass it by.

I completely missed the Edward Muybridge photographs! You can see them hanging in the background between these two loaves. Now I’m even more curious about this storefront.

It looks like the bread inside is completely black with mold. It’s been hanging there a long time. Could it be these were hung up two years ago, the same time I saw the ones on Bleecker Street?

My choir director arranged for three small outdoor sings for our group, the Choral Society of Grace Church. I went to the first, because it was the closest to me (the pier at Christopher Street). Everyone was wearing masks, and sang socially distanced, although it looks like we moved in closer. There was a very strong wind though, so I think we were safe. I could have sung for hours. But according to recent research, singing in groups for more than 15 minutes is not safe. So we sang four short pieces (including Palestrina!) and called it a day.

This is Manhattan Samba getting ready to play. I used to be in the band, but I haven’t played with them in years, so I was just there to get some video of them for an upcoming gig (the Mermaid Parade, which is going to be virtual this year). This is on the highway along the Hudson River, at Little West 12th Street.

It was just so sweet, and quirky, and best of all, it so proudly displayed the diversity of our country. But not in a boring, grade school presentation way. The Ohio guys. Rhode Island with the plate of calamari. Alabama casting its votes in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Matthew Shepherd’s parents casting the votes for Wyoming.

I also learned more about who can vote and who cannot vote, which seems horribly unfair. All these territories should be made states. I don’t think I have ever even heard of the Northern Mariana Islands until last night, I’m embarrassed to admit.

Circles drawn on the grass in Madison Square Park, in order to enforce social distancing.