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I did.

Saturday Night Live

Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of “Saturday Night Live,” the longest-running and highest-rated weekly late night television program in history, leaving the studio after the show.

La Taza De Oro Restaurant

This small Puerto Rican restaurant (it's really more like a lunch counter or a diner) is located just south of 14th Street on 8th Avenue. Some reviews here and here and here. This classic New York City place has been around for years.

It's simple and inexpensive and the food is consistently good. Nothing fancy, just a super filling plate of rice and beans and roasted chicken. Everything is very authentic and I always have a great meal. The staff is extremely friendly and they also make a decent cup of espresso. Highly recommended. It's definitely not on the tourist maps, but is just a little part of what makes up my New York.

I always sit at the counter. On my most recent visit, I made friends with an aspiring movie producer who sat next to me named Michael. He enjoyed the food as much as I did.

Chelsea

An incredibly busy evening for the art world tonight in Chelsea. There must have been two dozen openings.

Here is the scene at my friend, the scuptor, Robert Taplin's opening at Winston Wachter Fine Art on 25th Street. Pictured: "Thus My Soul Which Was Still in Flight (The Dark Wood)", 2008, Wood, polychromed resin, edition of 3, 50 x 48 inches x 42 inches.

Whitney Port's Graffiti Truck

Ok, technically it's a van, but we don't have to be so strict.

Can you imagine my surprise when this van came barreling down Mercer Street and parked right in front of the Mercer Hotel. I'm pretty sure that Whitney Port, star of the hit MTV show, The City, hopped out of the driver's seat and her trusty socialite sidekick, Olivia Palermo, was in the passenger seat. They must have just arrived from a Diane Von Furstenburg photo shoot or something equally glamorous.

But what freaked me out even more was that it looked like Audrina Partridge and are-they-married-or-aren't-they, celeb couple du jour, Speidi (Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt) jumped out of the back. (Note to Spencer: Get your website going!) You never know what you're gonna get in NYC. It seems these young stars sure know how to drive around in style. Of course there wasn't time and I somehow managed to miss getting those tabloid worthy pictures.

Or was I just seeing things? I can never tell. I'm so bad with recognizing celebrities.

[The ladder on top of the van is a particularly useful addition as you never know when they might need to style something way up high.]

Ice Skating in Central Park

Of all the places in the city to go ice skating, I prefer Central Park. It's not very crowded on a Tuesday night. Too bad none of my friends from here or out of town are very keen on a mid-winter skate.

So does anyone want to go skating?

If not, I think I know a cute three year old that might really enjoy going. The hot chocolate is on me afterwards!

A Winter's Evening in Central Park

A stunning view of the Plaza Hotel from a bridge overlooking The Pond in Central Park. Tuesday evening. Also nice views of the General Motors Building, Trump Tower, and The Sherry-Netherland.

Madison Square Scrutiny

Out the window. Madison Square Garden. 8pm. Rascal Flatts and Tom Cruise's "Valkyrie." To me, this picture makes it seem really busy and chaotic in the city. So much going on all the time.

Perfect Freedom

2nd Avenue. Around midnight.

Kim Kardashian's Graffiti Truck

Curvy cutie Kim Kardashian was seen driving this bad boy through Queens last week. No surprise that she had the expensive sound system in this graffiti-laden cube truck jacked up way past 11 and was listening to Gabriella Cilmi's hit song, "Sweet About Me," on repeat.

Time Out New York voted it the best song of 2008 calling it, "a typically ace tune for this 17-year-old Aussie, and her unassumingly sexy delivery brought it all home." It's pretty obvious that, among other things, Kim has an ear for a good song.

Jessica Simpson's Graffiti Truck

I spotted Jessica Simpson driving this truck up 6th Avenue the other day. She was rocking out to "Play Me Like a Record" by Kelli Crossley.

Jamba Juice on the Corner

14 people standing on the corner of 56th Street and 6th Avenue. One red jacket.

Central Park Caesar

Christian Jankowski, Living Sculptures, 2006-2007. Installed by the Public Art Fund at 59th Street and 5th Avenue.

Radio City Rewind

Looking down 6th Avenue towards Radio City. Almost home.

Wheat Paste Art

The back of this news stand is a popular place for all sorts of street graffiti. Just north of Union Square.

Where Sally Faked Harry

Katz's Famous Delicatessen on the Lower East Side. Serving great food since 1888. Located on the corner of Houston Street and Ludlow Street. The famous deli where Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in the movie "When Harry Met Sally."

Men in Blue

These are some of the massive numbers of NYC police that were on duty last night to arrest the crowds of drunk people from New Jersey that descended on Times Square for the annual New Year's Eve celebration. Of course, many of these police officers would admit that they were mainly on duty to check out the teenage pop sensation Jonas Brothers who performed in the bitter cold.

Recession Special

Hot dogs are cheap and plentiful in Manhattan. Gray's Papaya on the corner of 6th Avenue and 8th Street in Greenwich Village. I'm not a huge fan of the papaya juice, but at the right time it's pretty good.

Quite All Right

We'll bid goodbye to the year with a small bit of text lifted from Fowler’s Modern English Usage courtesy of the Confused of Calcutta blog:

"The colloquial form “quite all right” is an apparent PLEONASM, quite and all being identical in sense; “quite right” is all right, and “all right” is quite right, but “quite all right” is all quite wrong, unless indeed all right is here used in its sense of adequate but no more, and quite is added for reassurance."

In either case, I think it's all going to be quite all right since we all need a bit of reassurance wherever and whenever we can get it. Looking forward to more surprises in 2009. Smile.

Shopping is...

I think they are trying to say that shopping is fun, especially at Bloomingdales.

Paul's Toothbrush Collection

A collection of colorful toothbrushes at Paul Smith on 5th Avenue and 16th Street.

Horns Prohibited

This always happens right when you are in the mood to blow your horn. A DOT sign pops up that stops all the fun.

Actually this reminds me of all those New Year's Eve horns that appear in the Times Square area. If you happen to be stalking around my neighborhood on Wednesday night, please cool it with the horns this year.

Two Doors

His and Hers doorways on Bond Street. Lower Manhattan.

Winter Trees

No leaves.

Subway Man and the City

An MTA worker with a bright orange flag stands precariously close to the third rail on the side of the subway tracks in Queens. As the subway was turning, I took this picture through the window of the train.

New York City looms in the background. You can see the United Nations, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building if you look hard.

Nothing Illegal

A group of men counting their money. They appear to be one of the many barbershop quartets that move from subway car to car singing up a storm this time of year. They were resting after a long day and counting up all their hard earned loot. They need to watch out for pickpockets with all this cash they are flashing around.

Sign of the Times

Storefront on Lexington Avenue. Everything must go.

Christmas Chocolate

Fresh Belgian Chocolate. These delicious Christmas Chocolate Santa Claus are available at Leonidas on Madison Avenue.

Presidential Portrait

A few weekends ago, I was walking through Times Square late on a Saturday night after going to the movies. As I was walking down 42nd Street, one of the street vendors on the sidewalk caught my eye. If you've never been to Times Square before on a weekend night --it's a total scene. Tons of random people milling about staring at the neon lights and basically doing nothing since there isn't a lot to do there. Some crappy restaurants, a few lame clubs and lots of signs. They have all sorts of vendors on the streets looking for ways to make money by taking pictures, making caricatures, selling t-shirts, and a number of other things.

This one guy stood out because he was making tiny clay portraits (sculptures) and they were very lifelike. I watched him make one and then decided to get one of my own. I sat in a little chair on the street while the crowds walked by and he moved the clay around for 20 minutes. And then miraculously he was done. He sprayed and mounted his work of art and I was on my way home.

Unlimited Nights and Weekends

Broadway and Houston. Post-snow storm. Verizon should use this as a new logo, it might increase subscribers -- at least below 14th Street.

Headed Uptown Friday Night

Holiday couple.

Anne Hathaway's Graffiti Truck

Even celebrities drive graffiti trucks in New York City.

I swear I saw Anne Hathaway get out of this bright red truck while making a Christmas delivery in Queens. It's no surprise that she had this song by Martha and the Muffins blaring out the open windows. The coolest thing was that she was singing along, "...I know it's out of fashion/And a trifle uncool/But I can't help it/I'm a romantic fool..." Go Anne!

Two Billboards

A pair of billboards in Queens.

Your Next Stop

Red Bull and Blake. A heady combination.