Slicing Nova Lox

Nova or Nova Scotia salmon, is sometimes called Nova lox and is salmon cured with a mild brine and then cold-smoked. It is beyond delicious on a bagel with cream cheese and the guys behind the counter at Zabar's slice it as good as any place I know.

Shopping for Cheese

Zabar's on the Upper West Side has an enormous cheese department. It sure was crowded on Sunday afternoon. It almost felt like going to a concert because people kept bumping into me.

Making Bagels

If you ever wondered how they make bagels, here is how they do it. Making bagels at H&H on Palm Sunday afternoon.

Bagels Delivered Fresh Overnight

If you like bagels and you need them overnight, this would be the place to get them. H&H Bagels on the Upper West Side. This is the largest bagel maker in New York City.

Be a Good Neighbor

This is just another excellent reason to not want to have a dog in the city.

Family Owned and Operated

Yes, New York City has grocery stores that deliver. D'Agostino way up on the Upper East Side.

Team Hulk or Team Frankenstein

It's so hard to decide if I like Edward or Jacob more. What a tough decision.

I spotted these exceptionally collectible boxes of sugar-filled Twilight: New Moon Sweethearts candies at Duane Reade. Totally guaranteed to rot your teeth and make you even more brain dead than you already thought you were.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Graffiti Truck

I was getting a bagel and coffee for breakfast this morning and I spotted this truck grabbing a parking spot on 6th Avenue. I got a little closer and the driver was none other than Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr. He may be sleek and high tech in the movies, but he plays it low key when he doesn't want to be recognized driving around the Big Apple.

Have you noticed that a lot of celebs driving around Manhattan are opting to go with the somewhat smaller graffiti van rental? They are a little easier to park than their larger cousins, the much in demand graffiti trucks.

Pipe on the Avenue

It's amazing that I never even have to leave a two block radius of my house and I can pretty much take a year's worth of photographs. You don't often see people walking around smoking a pipe. I pretty much need to work on holding the camera steady when I'm stealing a shot, but I like the loose blurry effect all the same. You get the point, don't you?

Where is Brianna?

It seems a lot of people disappear just like Brianna. It happens all the time. They seem to plain vanish into thin air. Just like that. Weird.

Making Your Way

Navigating through the lunchtime shoppers and throngs of pedestrians on 6th Avenue near Herald Square and Macy's.

Manhattan Problems

Either these are a few of the typical problems faced by residents of the city or new ICANN domain name designations. Anyone looking for a .bedbugs URL?

Sunday Afternoon Mid-Stream

Sunday afternoon on West 57th Street.

First Place

I have no idea what they could have won, but a huge group of kids were walking along Central Park South carrying these enormous glittery trophies and they were screaming, "We won first place!"

A block or two later another group of kids were claiming out loud to anyone in the immediate vicinity, "We won first place!" Both groups of these red-shirted-screamers can't have won first place or was this one of those postmodern contests where everyone wins a first place trophy of some sort?

Riding Dirrty

On an unseasonably warm day, a lot of motorcycles seem to come out of the garages and zoom around the corners of the Village. I liked the way she worked her heels around the foot pegs.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

The sign of a good art opening is when your gallery sells a lot of artwork. The sign of a great opening is when the New York City Fire Department shows up to shut it down early.

Nearly 1,000 people showed up for Ryan McGinley's latest photography exhibition early on Thursday evening. Fueled by dozens of cases of free Budweiser, the truly enormous crowd was dispersed by the fire and police department after Team Gallery and the streets of Soho were overrun by nude photography aficionados.

Pictured above: Ryan McGinley and a Fire Marshall as his opening gets shut down due to who knows how many fire code violations.

Sunglass Shuffle

Just shuffling across 56th Street with a sack on your back.

Laundry Night

Waiting for the laundry to dry on Thursday night at 10:00PM.

St. Patrick's Day Traffic

The traffic department sure knows how to get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day by towing your car away and charging you a huge fine.

Spring Flowers

Spring is almost here and the delis all over the city have a wide assortment of colorful flowers for sale. A fragrant bouquet is always a wonderful way to brighten up your apartment especially when you are in the middle of a boycott.

Times Square Mural

Times Square Mural is a massive artwork by Roy Lichtenstein that is installed in the 42nd Street Subway. It's 6 feet tall and 53 feet long. If you're a fan of his work, tere's also another enormous Roy Lichtenstein artwork on 7th Avenue around 51st Street installed in the lobby of the AXA - Equitable building. There's actually a lot of public artwork installed all over New York City. You could spend a whole day looking at it all for free. I ought to develop a free artwork tour of New York City. I could charge $20 a person. Of course there are plenty of museums that have great collections and if you know when to go, you can get in for free or next to nothing. Friday night at MoMA and the Whitney are Pay What You Want nights and you can go to the Metropolitan as their admission is a suggested donation at all times. If you don't mind getting a dirty look from the person who sits behind the counter you can give them a nickle or a dime or whatever you think is appropriate. The Guggenheim doesn't offer any sort of discount ever. Some smart corporation that appreciates art ought to sponsor a free Thursday or Friday night at the Guggenheim.

It's really hard to believe that nearly a half a million people come through the 42nd Street subway station every day. That's a lot of people.

The Most Fun on Broadway

Broadway is really having a tough time if this show is the most fun on Broadway. I have no interest in this whatsoever. "Cats" played here forever. That's another show I never saw. I'm not really a big fan of Broadway musicals.

This is the back side of the Winter Garden theater.

Party Like A Rock Star

There was a massive rain storm that blew through town on Saturday night. Despite the rain and hurricane strength winds, I ventured out to see the new Matt Damon movie "Green Zone" in Times Square.

The rain also didn't discourage the four guys standing in the door way of Embassy Electronics from trying to drum up a little business for themselves. The intrepid young African businessman with his back to the camera (who for obvious reasons didn't want his picture taken) asked me in a very thick accent if I wanted to "party like a rock star." He then told me he had free samples of cocaine and marijuana.

Cracks in the City

Earlier this week the German artist Jan Vormann came to the city and plugged all the cracks up with his wonderfully inventive Lego sculptures. But by the time I got there, someone had taken all the art. (You'll need to click this link to understand what I'm talking about) This was very disappointing. However, now that I think about it, this guy in the picture kind of looks quite suspicious, doesn't he? Is it possible that he could have a small cache of Lego art hidden in his bag there?

(On a side note, thanks to Bess for my lone blog comment yesterday. I was expecting to hear from you after my tale of broken elbows. So no thanks goes out to you comment deadbeats in Hawaii, France, Germany and at the University of Washington. You know who you are!)

St. Patrick's Day Cookies

You can never get prepared early enough for St. Patrick's Day. Better stock up on some green "Kiss Me I'm Irish" cookies now before they are all grabbed up by those cookie loving Irish girls out there.

Oh No, It's The Naked Cowboy

How I managed to take this picture after I broke (ok, it's fractured) my elbow I have no idea.

I thought he got a ton of money from M&M's and didn't have to walk around in his underwear anymore? It would actually be much cooler if he dressed up like an M&M.

It looks like TNC needs a hot oil treatment for his hair. Maybe he can get a sponsor a little bit better than Icon Parking Systems, don't you think? I hope they're paying for that prime real estate on his guitar.

Sofia Ristorante Italiano

It's hard to imagine how some of these restaurants in Times Square stay in business, but it's all about location. I've never eaten here and the food probably really sucks at Sofia, but my little sister loves this place for some reason! I think she must like the way they bring all those huge trays up and down the stairs.

Look Mom, No Hands!

The friendly bicycle repair man.

Usually I have pretty good luck, but this week it took a turn in the wrong direction. I was riding home late the other night up 8th Avenue and my bicycle got a flat tire. Somewhere around 38th Street a small metal spring with a very sharp point got lodged in the rear tire and all the air came hissing out. I had to walk it home about 20 blocks. The next day I hiked over to 9th Avenue where I found a great bike shop that fixed my bicycle in about five minutes flat (no pun intended). They were quick, inexpensive and friendly, I had the brakes adjusted, the flat repaired, the tires inflated and everything was just great. Or so I thought.

About 10 minutes later on my way home, I was stopping right in the middle of Times Square and I hit the brakes. I guess I really wasn't totally prepared for the brakes to work so well. I went head over heels right over the handlebars and landed flat on my right arm in the middle of the street. My newly fixed bike came tumbling down right on top of me. I hopped right up and told the few people who asked, "I'm fine, I'm fine." Turns out I wasn't so fine. After a very painful night's sleep, I called the doctor first thing this morning and spent a very long day at the doctor's office. I waited at the radiology department downstairs getting four or five x-rays and then there was, of course, a very long wait for the orthopedist as well. I was smart to anticipate that you always have to wait at the doctor's office and I brought along Peter Hedges excellent new book, The Heights. After hours and hours of waiting around I found out that I have a fractured right elbow. It's not the worst fracture in the world, but it sure hurts like hell. It looks like I won't be riding my bike very much in the near future.

Ouch.

(I think it's time for a roll call. How about some comments from some of my regular blog readers. If you haven't spoken up before, now's your chance. Surely someone looks at these posts.)

L’ambition d’une idée Nr. 1

There were so many great piece of art at the Independent Art Fair on 22nd Street this past weekend, but one of the my favorite pieces was presented by Mitterrand + Sanz, an art gallery located in Zurich, Switzerland. The small and very provocative artwork pictured above is constructed of blue neon tube and is by the talented Chapuisat Brothers. I didn't ask how much it was going for, but I'm sure it was snapped up right away because a lot of people seemed to take a great deal of interest in it. I'll take two of them.

Looking On

Looking on at Lincoln Center in front of the new fountain.

Smile For The Camera

Carnegie Hall is a very popular place to take a photograph.

Deep in Contemplation

Totally lost in the art. One of my favorite moments at The Armory Show 2010. Last Friday night.

Butt Valentine

I have absolutely no idea what this could mean. Use your own imagination. Some club on 6th Avenue in the 20's.

Who Likes Chocolate?

It's usually a very good thing when you see a big bold sign in all capital letters reading "CHOCOLATE." Last night, after spending my day going to a few of the art shows, it seems I stumbled upon just what the city needs: an excellent new chocolate shop. It's located on 20th Street just east of 5th Avenue in what some people call the Flatiron area. L.A. Burdick is a relatively new chocolate shop that supposedly offers some of the best hot chocolate in the city. Let's pray for some more cold days in March because I need to get back there to try it out for myself.

Waiting for a Cab

Luckily for this gentleman, it's not quite as hard to get a taxicab in the snow as it is in the rain.

Lunch Can Wait

Bags and bags of lunch await delivery. But first a quick cigarette break.

Winter Wedding

I suppose if you had to calculate the cost, it's a lot cheaper to have a weekday wedding in the middle of the winter in Times Square. You can invite the world....for free. Plus every one of the guests can get a souvenir "I ♥ NY" t-shirt for only $2.99.

Tesla Corner

One would think that there are other ways commemorate a scientific genius than a sign on the corner of Bryant Park at 6th and 40th Street because he liked to feed the pigeons there. Given this dubious honor, I can think of lots of honors we might bestow on other great men (and women). Put your thinking caps on.

Shanghai Dumplings

Late afternoon is the best time to make dumplings in the window of John's Shanghai on 46th Street.

4 Women at La Perla

Just standing around at La Perla in some expensive lingerie. I think the one on the far left likes me.

Speaking of liking me (or not as the case may be) and for the few of you still keeping track, it looks like the first official royal boycott of 2010 is in full effect. More details as they become available.

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

This tree in Central Park captured during the recent New York City snowstorm reminded me of a much larger version of Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree.

NYC T-Shirts

A t-shirt of John Lennon wearing a t-shirt.

Vanishing Point

After a fairly interesting birthday last week, it seems everyone I know must be reading this book. It is as good a way to get out of having to get me a birthday present as any . . . I suppose. Either that or people aren't as nice as they pretend to be.

It really must be something in the stars cause I can't figure it out otherwise. Anyone care to illuminate me?

Barbra Streisand's Graffiti Truck

I got really lucky today and I saw Barbra Steisand getting out of this custom graffiti truck on 46th and 6th. It must have been a late lunch at Margon, the Cuban joint just down the street. Like any older celebrity, Barbra doesn't drive her own graffiti truck. The younger stars take great pleasure in the full-on city graffiti truck driving experience, but understandably Babs has a driver who waits in the truck for her. Though you've got to give her credit for embracing the trend. Maybe Ashton Kutcher turned her on to the truck vibe.

Johnny Depp's Graffiti Truck

It seems that Johnny Depp doesn't visit New York City all that often, but you can be sure that when he does he surely travels like a graffiti king. You've got to have eagle eyes to catch the celebs in these graffiti trucks, but I spotted Johnny last week (before the snow) driving down 2nd Avenue in this mean machine. He parked it just south of 68th Street.

Perhaps he was headed to the Gotham Coffeehouse? The customers are a little rude, but they have great coffee cake there.