This week features a day trip to Long Island. The itinerary was an indoor flea market, an outlet mall, and the town of Port Jefferson.
Day tripping
The outlets had great bargains including a windbreaker for Fall and a bundle of books at a discount.
Port Jefferson offered Red Shirt Comics and seafood at PJ’s Lobster House where we dined indoors for only the second time since March!
As of this writing indoor dining will return to Manhattan on September 30th.
Women’s Rights
2020 is the Centennial of the Vote for Women in America. New York dedicated its first statue of real women’s rights pioneers on Literary Walk.
Also marking the 200th Anniversary of Susan B. Anthony’s birth, this new monument is long overdue.
Central Park Wonders
I took a nature walk through the ramble recently. This is an area of the park with interconnected paths that twist through scenic woods. Bird watching here is fantastic.
A young Jazz Saxophonist played. A group of guys enjoyed a game of beach volleyball. And the police keep guard over a statue of Christopher Columbus.
The Conservancy takes great care of Central Park. Maintaining the lawns, trees, benches, and the rest every day.
This Summer has been hot and sunny most of the time. My husband and I are staying put in New York for now. These days I love my city. Have you looked at the weather across the country lately?
Park Summer
The Conservatory Garden
Located at E. 105th Street & 5th Avenue across from The Museum of the City of New York, this garden is a treasure with flowers, romantic paths and fountains placed well. A quiet zone perfect for escape from the chaos outside.
9–11–2020
19 years after the attacks on U.S. soil of 3 American planes used as missiles destroying the Twin Towers, damaging The Pentagon, and crashing in Pennsylvania killing over 3,000 people, Corona Virus has killed over 200,000 Americans.
We will all pause to remember 9/11. But never forget that then & now we had a President not duly elected by the people.
Dear Readers, September arrives with plenty to share. New images of my neighborhood shows the hard work being done to keep life as normal as possible. Labor Day weekend begins….
Carl Schurz Park was a great change this past week. On what turned out to be the last Sunny day for a spell, people got out to soak it all in before it’s too late!
This park sits atop the FDR Drive on the far Eastside of Manhattan. As seen above the Esplanade over looks the East River. Views of Roosevelt Island, Triborough Bridge re-named the RFK, and Hells gate freight bridge can be enjoyed here.
On this particular afternoon there were splendid fair weather clouds on view. Great people watching too. Looking South towards the Queens Borough bridge in this shot.
There is a dog run and views of NYC Ferry boats. The lighthouse sits on Roosevelt Island.
Central Park re-opened its Tennis courts before Summer’s End.
Sparring practice; Dog at play.
Beauty of clouds; The manhole covers are uniquely marked to prevent theft.
Ferry Station on East 90th and York Avenue. This water taxi transports you to Astoria, Queens. There are Ferries to Soundview in The Bronx too.
A man exercises with a Hoola Hoop; Boys play ball. Dog walkers take a break with their charges.
In the collages we see all kinds of activity. A girl flies a kite. A young Dad walks home with his friend and kid. A woman confined to a automated chair enjoys jazz music. A yoga class takes place. Two men workout on the Great Lawn. A Doorman washes down the walk. A man finishes up his run checking his phone.
I have many more images to share of Central Park. The gallery below features them.
The Ramble
A natural ecosystem that is great for walks. One of the nation’s top bird watching spots.
The many paths feature charming views of forest. A great way to escape for a while.
Our neighborhood is open again with outdoor dining and a new 24 hour deli.
As our city continues to re-open I am hoping the awful numbers of March do not return. If Summer 2020 proved one thing to me it’s that we are all together. No matter what happens New Yorkers will continue to support each other.
My Dear Readers, thanks for stopping by Evan’s Gate! Until next week…
A couple of weekends ago my husband and I were transported out of the city for the first time this year!
My super amazing sister-in-law and brother whisked us away to their home upstate.
You see my beloved Brian’s birthday is coming up this week so this was a celebration.
August 21, 2020
Upstate NY is bucolic with mountains, rolling hills, and picturesque farms.
Set within this menagerie is a home full of love and wonder.
My sister-in-law gets organic produce delivered and grows vegetables on her deck.
She whipped up salads full of flavor within minutes. Our niece made a surprise pop-in with a friend too.
Dear readers, we are all in good health with no reason to fear being exposed to Covid. We are moving on.
Following our lunch we were taken on a scenic drive around rural towns leading to our destination of Rhinebeck, NY which is home to the State fair. This event was cancelled this year.
Our first set of images were taken in this charming village. The community has restrictions in place. Indoor dining returned everywhere North of the city! We were able to celebrate my husband’s birthday inside a restaurant!
In Rhinebeck, restrictions are in place. Stores limit capacity with 20 minutes time allowed to shop.
On our way back to the city we visited Cold Spring. This town has interesting shops with antiques, records, and sweets.
Social distancing rules are in place.
There were walking patterns too. On our visit the town of Cold Spring was not crowded.
Cold Spring was lovely. Signs of hope were everywhere.
Scenic Cold Spring, NY
Seeing family again fills you with love.
SoHo
A return to downtown for the first time this year! A very warm sticky day. Lots of great people watching.
In green tee and shorts is my hubby. Another Birthday brunch with a friend.
Open Streets is a city program that closes off certain blocks to traffic for cleaner outdoor dining.
The above gallery at the top you can glimpse a selfie I took in a men’s store.
Gotta Have Park!
Although it’s late August there are still hot days ahead. The park provides great moments from sweet dogs to cool people.
Riverdale, NY
My hubby and I saw my parents for the first time this year!
Johnson Avenue is an open street for eateries. At W.235th and Riverdale Avenue.
There are teeny cars and tricycles provided free of charge for families with toddlers.
Summer always goes by the quickest. Warm to hot days; far less clothes; being. The crisis is not over. We have a long way to go yet. Let us all hope the days ahead are healthier.
For this week I will leave you dear readers with a gallery of lovable poochies! After all these are the dog days…
I have a keen awareness of what surrounds me. Walking around I take notice of details that feel as though they were left for people like myself to discover. The camera is an indespensible aid in recording these findings.
August is moving fast. Political conventions will be virtual for the first time. Perhaps substance will make a comeback to the proceedings.
Summer has become tedium. I feel differently about seasons now. As I grow older I enjoy Autumn more and more.
Still I have many more images of Summer 2020 to share….
During this crisis much has recently been discussed about the future of transportation in New York City. Revel Mopeds appeared one weekend.
My first reaction was surprise. How safe could this mode of transport be in a big city.
Then a few weeks later many young people were on them. Many without the helmets that come with the mopeds in their small trunks.
The portable scooters only do 30 M.P.H. and cannot be taken on highways, bridges or tunnels.
I could safely predict that sooner or later they would go away over safety problems. Indeed a couple of recent deaths led to Revel removing them from New York City altogether.
The CitiBike share program has been the preferred mode of new transport. Many of its riders do wear helmets. People use them a lot for recreational purpose in the park.
Summer Heat
Season’s peak shows the few well bodied souls who endure the high temperatures and humidity. The steps of The Met are too hot during heatwaves. The steamy air envelops the park and surrounding streets.
Rising from Bethesda Terrace is Bethesda Fountain, with the famous Angel of the Waters statue atop. The statue references the Gospel of John, which describes an angel blessing the Pool of Bethesda and giving it healing powers. The fountain commemorates the Croton water system, which first brought fresh water to New York City in 1842.
Vistas and Views
The immaculate lawn of the Conservatory Garden above right corner; The Eastside of Manhattan seen across the reservoir on the upper left corner; A postcard image of the El Dorado towers in the upper middle section; Below on the left and right are The Delacorte Theater seen from above on the patio of the Belvedere Castle.
The Castle
Sitting above the Delacorte Theater this landmark provides the daily official temperature in New York City. Offices stationed here for the Weather bureau following a restoration in 2019. The site is open again.
In The City
I spend more time outside the park since August began due to hot/humid conditions plus heavy thunderstorms. The local streets are still pretty quiet. No tourists. We have more difficulties to face since services will get cut and the MTA (Subways/Buses) is talking about a fare increase.
In the gallery below are a cross section of images I took over the past 4 months. Food vendors attempt to make money; Some restaurants closed for good before Covid; Movie theaters are shuttered; 5th Avenue has lost its former grandeur; The Plaza Hotel sits sentry.
City buses are getting crowded. I have not returned to public transit. My last subway ride was in early March.
Above at the far right corner is a local school. The faces of graduates adorn many schools now. Not so long ago this type of remembrance was for victims of school shootings. Covid changed the culture.
Empty chairs at empty tables will probably be the verdict for schools in the Fall. Many local restaurants have outdoor dining now. Indoors is not allowed in the city.
Mask wearing is inconsistent in the city that was once the epicenter for the crisis. I know I cannot control the actions of others but it seems crazy not to protect yourself in the face of this virus.
Even crazier are people who are still in denial over its existence. If we ignore safety protocols this crisis will deepen.
Every New Yorker surely remembers not too long ago when horse drawn carriages were the center of a debate. Our Mayor wanted to end this practice. Now with Covid the carriages are gone.
Museums are re-opening on August 24th, my husband’s Birthday!
Thank you Dear Readers! Stay healthy and see you next week!
I was just thinking how we were told back in January to write out the full 2-0-2-0 when dating important docs. Who knew that it would be almost exclusively applied to receiving unemployment benefits.
My Dear Readers: Updates from New York City. July ends. USA continues to deny the impact of Covid—19 despite the largest recorded drop in its economy in history!
If you reside outside of North America you may have heard about how poor our safety net is here. This is showing up now during this unprecedented crisis.
I only glance at the headlines each morning. It takes until late in the day to realize how much more our country has slid in the eyes of the world.
New York City has sport once again with its expensive corporate stadiums empty. Overpaid athletes are playing with piped in crowd noise.
Several athletes in baseball are now sick. Games are getting postponed. I think baseball should cancel the season.
No Broadway/ Off—Broadway theater. No museums. No movie theaters. Broadway and Hollywood had both reached their commercial summit. I do not believe this will happen again.
If we have cinemas the interior of those spaces will have to be reinvented along with Broadway and Off—Broadway theaters.
Personally, my fear is that America will be vunerable like never before to a new authoritarian reality. Already the President floated the proto-fascist notion of delaying the Fall Election. This never happened in America before this con man took office.
People are waking to see how much damage has been inflicted upon regular people over decades of blindly adding police to streets. This has resulted in the brutality seen in recent days.
The people were empowered to fend off the awful notions of power hungry office holders. Our struggle for greater Democracy will continue.
With such heavy issues hovering over us I refuse to conform to the reactionary nature of certain friends and family. I just read “Twilight Of Democracy” by the historian Anne Applegate, seen below in the picture, argues strongly for Democratic ideals. She is hopeful Americans will reject the anti—democratic platform of Donald Trump.
Highly Recommended to everyone who cares about Democracy.
My photography is an outlet to express what I see daily to counter the ugly forces at play in today’s world.
Despite it all I am having a lovely Summer. What else can I do? November will be chilly. And by then our biggest Election will be upon us.
Museums
5th Avenue from E. 86th Street to E. 103rd is called Museum Mile. There are several along this route on the East Side. The Museum of the City of New York, The MET, The Guggenheim and The Jewish Museum are my favourites. I took pictures of their facades over the past three months. Devoid of crowds. A silence. Mourning? Will they come back as strong as before the shutdown?
The grand Metropolitan Museum of Art sits in waiting.
The Guggenheim with its famous spiral design by Frank Lloyd Wright has never been so deserted. I took several images to capture angles and represent a fuller vision of its contemporary beauty.
The Museum of the City of New York, The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, and The Jewsih Museum are seen below:
Exhibits frozen in time. Not changed since March.
Candids
Another component of taking images on walks are the people you see in moments. So distracted are these strangers that I could not resist capturing them in time. What follows are the first results of my observations.
L—R: A Father calls to a friend to take a cooler and other gear into the park; A dog walker; Two kids with their scooters.
A romantic stroll in the park.
August Arrives Tomorrow
Major League Baseball attempted to start a shortened season but finds itself in a bind now that the Miami Marlins team is ill with Covid—19. Then the Phillies were struck then the St. Louis Cardinals.
All of the hot spot states are only beginning to require masks and think about shutting down again.
The Republican party is making this crisis a partisan issue; their leader floats proto—fascist ideas daily.
Here in New York City while we have settled into our Phase 4 lives a new month starts tomorrow!
