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As someone who lives and walks this city daily…my blog is all about delving a little deeper, seeing what it has to offer, and capturing the true essence of New York City. Whether you live in Gotham, or just visiting…feel free to look around my blog. Bet you might find something new to do!
P.S. As of the end of April 2013 my more personal postings will now be at The Next Few Years.
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Category Archives: Celebrity sightings
a valentino kind of evening…
Here’s what happens on a little evening walk in my hood…
Oh yes…this got my attention straight away…
It all started as I rounded the corner to the Lincoln Center. Seems the opening of the New York City Ballet fall gala was a star studded event and a Valentino paradise!
We have Babs and her entourage attending…
Along with Martha…
I wasn’t impressed with her outfit…
But along comes Daphne Guinness….
Seems she’s quite the fashion icon (Lady Gaga’s mentor) and heir by direct descent of yes…you guessed it…Arthur Guinness…the founder of the Guinness brewery business…she was fascinating…
But it was Anne Hathaway who stole the show…wearing this incredible Valentino dress…
The back of this dress was amazing and she was so gracious with the paparazzi…
A beautiful evening and a fabulous Valentino event…I wanna press pass!!!
The End.
on the street with bill cunningham
I don’t know Bill Cunningham. I only know what I’ve read and the recent documentary produced by Richard Press. But the general consensus seems to be that he’s an extraordinary person.
A person who lives on his own terms. If you don’t take the dollars, they can’t tell you what to do is probably one of my favorite Bill Cunningham quotes.
(If you’re reading this and don’t have a clue who I’m talking about, just pick up a New York Times Sunday paper and in the Styles section – on the street – you’ll find out. Born in 1929, Bill is a fashion photographer known for his candid street photography.)
Photographer…Perfectionist…Cyclist…Loner…Maverick…Visionary…many words have described this man. But it took a walk down Fifth Avenue and an encounter with Bill to see for myself. I was literally “on the street” with Bill Cunningham and the tables had been turned!
I’d read that when most of the popular, younger street photographers of today’s generation were seeking publicity in every possible way, this veteran photojournalist preferred to be invisible. And that’s exactly the way he came across. Gracious as gracious could be as all of his fans were eager to say hello, including myself. I watched him for a while, always taking the time to shake someones hand, to say thank you, or to give a friendly nod and smile. But if you watched him closely you could tell he was appreciative, but you just got the feeling being recognized was just a little too much for him and somewhat overwhelming at times.
I followed him for a while as he made his way down a few blocks. An exciting opportunity, watching the master at work.
Also posted in People
Tagged Bill Cunningham, Fifth Avenue, New York Times, Richard Press
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obama in nyc
At first glance one would think there’s an Orthodox Jewish parade happening, but no…something bigger. Much bigger.
How about the arrival of the President coming across East 48th Street as he makes his way to Ground Zero! (Hey GQ, you’re looking the wrong way!)
Officer O’brien was such a doll…he shared with me the President’s “typical” procession…and seeing this particular vehicle was a sign he wasn’t too far behind. He also told me because of the type of side windows in his Cadillac, I wouldn’t get a photograph either. (Good to know.)
Now we’re getting somewhere… a major sign he’s getting close!
Hey people! Here’s the President! Who are you still looking for?
My new best friend, Officer O’brien, told me there would be two Cadillacs and one never knows which one the President will be in. It also varies which side of the car he will sit. So I guessed the left, since he’s left-handed and he probably has to sign all those important papers during his “free” time. And you know us left-handers, gotta have plenty of room! Sure enough!
I quickly put down my camera and saw his profile in the backseat on the left hand side. A quick wave was exchanged as he went by…meanwhile everyone else continued to look…looking for someone but I haven’t a clue who!
Late afternoon in the gotham den
The days are numbered in the gotham den as I prepare for a move to a new location. So stay tuned for an update (very soon) on Gotham Den II in the same hood!
But on another note…was on a biking tour in Central Park yesterday and a black SUV kept riding along side with some rocker looking dude taking in the views…Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek) and his security team obviously pulled some strings to drive through the park once it was closed to traffic. Just another day in the neighborhood, ha!
Also posted in Central Park, Cycling, Gotham Den
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Rescue me
Ok. I think I’m going to find a big rock and hide under it. WHERE have I been?
I wake up this morning and do what I always do. Go to the window with my hot mango tea and check out the street activity. Well during the night Hollywood showed up.
So needing to attend to an errand, I make a dash from the den and learn that RESCUE ME is being film. Now keep in mind I don’t watch that much TV. (Yes, I MUST watch Brian Williams every night cuz he’s my man.) But rarely do I watch it unless it’s some type of news.
Now I think I’ve just found my favorite new program. Where have I been for four seasons of RESCUE ME? After seeing the signs “no parking” due to filming, I was curious to see who was on MY street. Could it be Sex and the City gals? NO. It was RESCUE ME. Never heard of it. So once again I google. Say no more. This show revolves around the lives of the men in a NYC firehouse. FDNY. God I love men in uniforms. I will now be a very dedicated fan.
Also posted in Gotham Den, Local sights
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John Fogerty at the Beacon
I grew up listening to the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music took me through 2 serious boyfriends and my first marriage. Somehow I lost touch with their music over the past 15 years, so when I saw that John Fogerty was playing at the Beacon Theatre, I jumped at the chance to get a ticket. I arrive at the Beacon Theatre early Tuesday morning thinking there would surely be some available tickets. Nope, all sold out. But I learn a secret about getting last minute tickets from the little cutie pie in the box office. (if I told you, I’d have to kill you) So I score one later in the day!
First, let me give you a little info on the Beacon. It’s only a few blocks from the Gotham Den (can life get any better??) and it opened in 1928. Sadly it closed in 1981, but over the past several years the theatre has completed a three phase restoration project. It’s now remodeled and revitalized and yours truly got to see the restoration in all its glory.
I arrive promptly at 7:15 for the 7:30 p.m. show only to find a handful of people seated. Hmmm….did I miss something? The warm up band starts promptly at 7:30 and they play about 5 heavy metal songs which is not my favorite music, but I have to say they sound pretty good. But where are all the people? They told me this was a sell out?!?
So I learned a very “local” lesson – according to my new friends sitting beside me. New Yorkers are busy and usually don’t take the time to make it to the warm up show. Oh, now I get it. You take your time getting off from work, have a cocktail, and slowly make your way to the show arriving just in time for the main event. I like that. So after an intermission I make my way to get a glass of wine and return to my seat and the party begins. For the next 30 minutes the theatre was just one big cocktail party. You stand at your seat and mingle with the people in front of you, in back of you, and beside you.
The lights dim and then out comes JOHN FOGERTY and for the next couple of hours we are entertained like there’s no tomorrow. We dance and we sing. We watch John, who happens to be 64 years old, run across the stage and strut his stuff like a teenager. He never let up. Song after song brought back so many long-forgotten memories. Born on the Bayou, Bad Moon Rising, Who’ll Stop the Rain, Lookin Out my Back Door, Down on the Corner, Have You Ever Seen the Rain…too many to list.
It wasn’t until I was reading a review of his tour did I learn that this particular night was his final date on his fall tour. How exciting to be a part of it! Let the midnight special shine a everlovin light on me…
Also posted in Events
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You never know what you'll wake up to!
Most of the time the sounds of garbage trucks picking up trash outside the Gotham Den is my morning wake-up call. Yes, I know…it’s a lovely sound. This morning was different. “Take 1…” “Take 2…” “Take 3…” was my alarm. Yep, movie in the making right outside the den! It was fun to watch all the takes as many neighborhood characters interrupted as the couple walked time and time again down the sidewalk. Only in NYC! FUN!
Kelly Rutherford – Celebrity sighting
I’ve always liked Kelly Rutherford from the days when she was Megan on Melrose Place. I happened to get a couple of photos of her today while filming Gossip Girl just a couple of streets from the Gotham Den. I told her she was my favorite in Melrose Place and she was very gracious with her “thank you so much!” She’s gorgeous, isn’t stick thin and NICE.
