Friday, June 19, 2009

Top of the Holand Tunnel Vent

Simply hot. It's so hot in New York City that everything becomes redundant. Details don't matter. The air turns into water and it feels like you are walking around in a fish tank. People mellow out because of the heat and as they slow down the honking subsides. The noise doesn't travel so far underwater, and walking along the West Side highway all you can hear is the low humming of a big fan that sends air down to the people below. People in their cars - people in the tunnel - the Holand Tunnel. Standing right above the tunnel, is this peaceful view as you look in the direction of New Jersey.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Old Ford in Red Hook

Once there was an old car. Well, a truck to be exact by the name of Ford. When it first rolled out of the factory, it was proud and eager to be on the road. As time passed by and the work went on, Ford felt like it could do anything for anyone. Then one day Ford noticed the other cars were passing him by, and as his voice got throaty and things were beginning to squeak, folks started to call him 'old'... there is one of them "old fords" they would say. Just the same, being a good ol' truck, he pushed on and wouldn't give up. Ford didn't recognize any of the young'ns anymore. The road felt bumpy and even the people different... all in a hurry to get some place. Well as the days rolled by Ford eventually found himself parked on an old side street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The cobble-stone road and ocean breeze made him feel right at home and he thought that was it... I've had a good run at it. Then one day, a man came by and saw Old Ford. He said to him: 'I've been looking for you a long time. Folks told me there's an old ford parked down in Red Hook right by Sunny's, so I decided to go see for myself"."I'm so glad I found you", said the man. I've got a granddaughter with an old soul. She doesn't feel at home in the big city and needs someone to show her around... all the cars around look the same, come, go and die, but you're gonna live for ever". Well Old Ford perked up like he was still on the assembly line and from then on he wasn't 'an old ford' but came to be known as "The Old Ford".

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Far Rockaway. A place so far from New York that it's hard to believe it's so close. Tom Waits and Jesse Harris were touched by the beach enough to write songs about it: the surreal, the mysterious and free. Pass through Breezy Point and you might think you are in southern California, but the people will remind you that you are on the east coast - and so you head back to the city: relaxed and smelling like the beach. In this picture, a group of musicians and good friends embrace the wonders of Far Rockaway.

Monday, June 1, 2009


The funny thing is it really felt like time stopped. As though no one had ever heard of this little town; Alfred. The folks unaware of the world outside, dancing to their own tune... I wish I could remember how it went? Outside, in the breeze of a warm summer's night all you could hear were the crickets accompanying the picture show... that you see.