10 Random Things I saw While Walking in NYC this Past Weekend
I was in New York this past weekend. And whenever I’m in a large city–especially NYC–I love to walk. I had a camera with my (surprise, right?) and snapped a few photos. Actually I snapped nearly two hundred photos, and here are ten of them in no particular order (but I will give brief explanations to some of them).
Starting with the top photo you may be wondering if it weren’t snowing (nope), and what are the people clutching. Well, unbeknownst to me this past Saturday was National Pillow Fight Day and this is a photo a really large pillow fight just as it was ending in Washington Square Park (to see more pics and videos–at Huffington Post–click here).
The first photo below is a shot on MacDougal Street. It’s the front of the basement comedy club, The Comedy Cellar, which is in the opening credits to the show Louis, starring Louis CK (to see the seen in the opening credits, click here).
This next photo is, of course, the Empire State Building, as seen from a block away on Broadway.
This next shot is of one of my favorite buildings in NYC, the Flatiron building. I walk past it each morning and evening on my way to classes I’ve been attending. Interestingly, I recently came across this video of the scene at the foot of the building in 1903. I was standing in the very spot (as a took a few other photos) that the videographer was likely standing when they shot the video…gave me goosebumps.
This next shot is of the Gem Spa in the East Village. Most likely know that this was a hangout for hepcats for generations…from the beats, to the hippies, and rockers. In 1973 the New York Dolls posed in front of this store for the photo on the back of their album. For interesting info on this store and it’s roll in urban hipster culture, follow this link.
Below is a photo of a group of Hare Krishnas blissed out singing and chanting in Union Square Park. The first time I came upon the Hare Krishas chanting in this park was 1985 while stumbling drunk around NY with some college friends. We talked with them (and even drunkenly chanted with them a bit). They were very nice and didn’t try to convert us; they even fed us free vegan food. I thought of this as I tapped my foot and watched them for a few minutes. Their chant is mesmerizing and in fact difficult to shake…it’s quite beautiful actually; simply singing to and calling out to God (Krishna). To hear a beautiful rendition of this mantra sung by George Harrison, click here.
Below is an image of a Joe Strummer memorial in the East Village. I’ve visited this numerous times and have watched this video at least twenty times. The video shows the mural being painted while Joe Strummer sings Bob Marley’s Redemption Song. I really hope you watch the video…very moving.
Below is a photo of a chicken-headed man playing chess in the park at dusk. Umm…how could I not take a picture of this guy? After I took the shot he looked up at me and stared without saying anything…I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be freaked out. I did laugh, but then after the awkward silence, I left.
Below is a photo of a building in the East Village. Do you recognize it? It’s the building that is featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti album. This building (or at least the front steps of it) was also featured in the Rolling Stone’s video for their song Waiting on a Friend.
And the picture below…well that’s just a lovely and warm sunset over Lower Manhattan.
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#468)…and a quick note
On the bike…two cardboard boxes containing various leftover food items (stuffed shells, Cornish game hen, lemon coconut cake, etc.; one box is actually empty), and two half-gallons of juice, a half-gallon of milk, (more) dog food, and a new pair of flip flops.
A quick note…I’ll be away from my computer for the next few days so I’ll likely not be posting until Monday or Tuesday. Thanks–as always–for visiting and putting up with my idiosyncrasies in both words and image. Anyhow, until then…peace.
Crocuses and Lillies…evidence of spring
Despite the cold temps, these plant still manage to push through the damp soil and reach for the sun. Amazing isn’t it? In a few month’s time the crocuses will be a memory and the tiger lillies (two below) will all but have taken over my garden.
10 Quotes from Maya Angelou
The above image of Ms. Angelou receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom was found here.
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
“Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.”
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”
“I do not trust people who don’t love themselves and yet tell me, ‘I love you.’ There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
“I believe we are still so innocent. The species are still so innocent that a person who is apt to be murdered believes that the murderer, just before he puts the final wrench on his throat, will have enough compassion to give him one sweet cup of water.”
To read five quotes from other people that inspire me, click here.
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#467), the View from My Handlebars, and a single brief comment
Fortune Cookie Philosophy…
Chickpea and Haricots Verts Falafel with Spicy Roast Pepper Taratoor Sauce (Yum!)
So yes, these little vegetarian/vegan nuggets are as good as they look (bet you can’t eat just one). And yes (as usual) they are really simple–exceedingly simple–to make. They are not only a play on the classic falafel and taratoor sauce (chickpea fritters and sesame-garlic sauce), they are actually a variation of an earlier post for this recipe (broccoli falafel, click here for that recipe). This, of course, is only a guide (as usual, as well). You can add or delete whichever vegetable you have at hand or like (haricots verts, by the way are just fancy words for a French-style green bean; though any will do in this recipe). And the taratoor sauce is a play on the classic Lebanese tahini-garlic sauce. In this version I added a couple roast red peppers (I used canned this time of year, but in the summer months I’d use fresh; click here to learn how to roast a fresh pepper). For the spice in the taratoor recipe I–being from Buffalo–used Frank’s Hot Sauce (the same sauce that goes into chicken wing recipes), which is a rather mild sauce; if you choose a spicier sauce you may consider to reduce the amount. Anyhow, as mentions, these are really easy and super-delicious (addictingly delicious). Recipes are below.
Chickpea and Haricots Verts Falafel
Makes about two dozen falafel
2 cups cooked or canned chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked green beans, chopped (about 8 ounces)
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ cup whole wheat flour (more as needed)
sesame seeds for garnish
oil for frying
Combine everything except the flour in a food processor and process until relatively smooth. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the flour by hand. Allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes; if it feels too moist add more flour. Shape into small balls, then flatten them slightly while pressing them into sesame seeds. Preheat a skillet with about ½ inch of vegetable oil and fry the falafel about two minutes on each side, or until crispy and golden on the outside and cooked throughout. Remove the falafel from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.
Spicy Roast Red Pepper Taratoor Sauce
Makes about 3 cups
2 roast red bell peppers
1 cup tahini
½ cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup hot pepper sauce
3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Three Quotes and a Short Video from John Fugelsang (for Easter)
“The only way you can cling to both a Bible and a gun is by ignoring Jesus.”
“Obama is not a brown-skinned, anti-war, socialist who gives away free health care. You’re thinking of Jesus.”
“Only in America can you be Pro-Death Penalty, Pro-War, Pro-Unmanned Drone Bombs, Pro-Nuclear Weapons, Pro-Guns, Pro-Torture, Pro-Land Mines, AND still call yourself Pro-Life.”
Here’s another contemporary quote, but this one is from the actor, John Cusack. When asked who his heros are, he responded…
“Let’s go with Jesus. Not the gay-hating, war-making political tool of the right, but the outcast, subversive, supreme adept who preferred the freaks and lepers and despised and doomed to the rich and powerful.”
Things I Saw While Riding My Bike Today (a photo essay)
Firstly I have to say a couple things. Mainly an apology (if these pictures bore you). This is the most photos I’ve posted at one time. But sometimes I simply cannot help myself. I am proud of my beautiful city and it’s long history. Yes, I realize–to my friends “across the pond” who are reading this–by some standards Buffalo is not an old city, but in North America it is. Anyhow, it was such a beautiful spring morning (crisp and not a cloud in the sky) that I felt like taking a bike ride (big surprise, right?). So I packed a couple cameras, lenses, and a tripod on my bike and rode through a few of our cities oldest and original neighborhoods…the Cobblestone District, the Old First Ward, and the area around the Grain Elevators and the Buffalo River. While the First Ward is a residential area, the others are not…especially around the grain elevators. And when I went there this morning it was–not surprisingly–devoid of people; the crumbling buildings in the Cobblestone District was the same. And it felt incredibly beautiful to me…big hulking grain elevators with the sound of nature all around me. There were, for example, wild geese all over the place. It’s as if the area has regressed into an unofficial nature preserve without the help of humans. The abandoned grain elevators and buildings in the Cobblestone District were like architectural ghosts…not really living but not ready to make the transition to the other side. They themselves–without words–have a story to tell about the Queen City. I shot nearly a hundred photos this morning, and here’s a few I thought I’d share.
A Recipe for Spring (whether it feels like spring or not)
So yes it is officially spring, but no–like much of the country–it does not feel like it. Nonetheless, I’m cooking as if it is. This is a really simple and really delicious recipe for stove-top braised asparagus. It’s really just a variation of any of my aglio e olio recipes…but with a couple more steps. But it is still exceedingly simple and really delicious (did I mention that this was delicious?). Being Good Friday, I ate the asparagus with fish meatballs (here’s the recipe). The asparagus was done before the meatballs and pasta were cooked and I ate most of it before I sat down for dinner. Anyhow, here’s how to make it.
Stove-Top Braised Asparagus with Olive Oil, Lemon, Garlic, and Hot pepper
Serves four
¼ cup virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed of their fibrous ends
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 lemon, juiced
Heat the oil in a large skillet then add the asparagus. Sprinkle the garlic, hot pepper, and salt on and around the asparagus. Gently shake the pan, and using tongs, turn the asparagus in the pan. Add a few tablespoons water to the pan, then lower the heat and place a lid on it for a couple minutes. Remove the lid and add the lemon juice to the pan, gently turning the asparagus. Transfer the asparagus to a clean plate and pour the oil and lemon over it, along with the garlic and hot pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Ezekiel French Toast with Pineapple Syrup and Caramelized Mango (recipe and pics)
Sometimes it pays off (for my son) to have a professional cook for a dad. French toast is his favorite breakfast and I make it for him every couple of weeks. I’ve posted many variations of this but this particular one is one of my favorites (to see other versions of this, including more pics, directions, and brief histories of French toast, click here.). And like most of the recipes I post on this is just a guide…the bread, syrup, and fruit are all interchangeable; only the method remains the same. Anyhow, here’s how to make it….
Begin by simmering a half-cup (or so) of your favorite juice with a tablespoon or two sugar (I use raw sugar, but it’s not necessary). When the juice takes on a syrup-like appearance it is done.
While the syrup is simmering mix together a couple eggs with a tablespoon or two of milk. Soak the bread for a few minutes and then cook it on both sides (in a tablespoon or two of butter and oil). Add the fruit to the pan as the taost cooks and caramelize that as well.
Transfer the toast and fruit to a plate and drizzle it with the syrup. Simple as that. The recipe, in fact, is really simple…but getting your teenage son to do the dishes; well…that’s another story.
Aerial Ballet…predators looking for food in the city
This is pretty cool (I think)…birds of prey looking for food in the heart of the city. I first posted about these birds last year, when one of them took up residence in a garden where I work. At the time I thought it was a falcon (our city does host does have them…click here, here, or here) but a reader suggested that it may be a Cooper’s Hawk. Whichever they are they certainly are impressive…and graceful. They were circling above a large construction site where the earth is being excavated. I can’t help but wonder if they weren’t on the prowl for mice and rats. They were, for the most part, hundreds of feet up just circling, then dipping a little, then circling some more. I watched for about 10 minutes or so as I snapped photos, waiting for the strike but it never happened. Anyhow, I thought I’d share a few of the photos.
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#466)…and a very brief comment
On the bike…boxes of food (quiche, dinner rolls, muffins, etc.) on it’s way to a local food pantry.
So okay, I generally love the snow, I really do. But (always a but), this is going on a bit too long this year. If you are reading this from the same area of the world in which I reside (the northeastern US) you likely remember last winter were it–for all intense purposes–failed to snow the entire winter. Now this winter just keeps going. Notice the white diagonal streaks in the photo…those are tiny sharp little hail balls (really tough on the face and eyes while riding), which of course was the precursor to a brief lake effect snow. Nonetheless, I did enjoy it (I like the challenge of riding in it; the sense of accomplishment of using my own power to get myself and other stuff from point A to point B). It’ll be summer be for we know it…
Spiced Fish and Potato Strata (recipe, photos, and directions)
Yes, this is as delicious as it looks. And again–even though it may seem complicated to make at first glance–it is really quite simple. I used spices that I enjoy, but if you have an aversion to heat simply tone them down or omit them all together…it will still be delicious. Strata takes it’s name from layers rock formations because of the layers of foods. This is also, of course, the name for various layered egg dishes, but this recipe contains no egg. This is a great recipe to serve a small group where the baking dish is brought from oven-to-table; it makes a great presentation. Anyhow, the easy recipe is below but prior to that I’ve showed the simple steps in photos (with a few words). Enjoy.
Begin the recipe by slicing the potato and browning it in an oven.
Next, cook and slightly brown onions, peppers, and a few cloves of garlic.
Here’s the fun part: layer the casserole. First the cooked potatoes, then the peppers and onions, then raw fish, and lastly tomatoes and lemon.
Cook the spices in oil, splash it with fresh lemon juice, and drizzle it over the fish.
Now here’s the easiest part…put it in the oven. Simple as that. But trust me, the best thing of this recipe is eating it (the recipe is below).
Spiced Fish and Potato Strata
Serves Six
3 medium potatoes, sliced thin
9 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 fish fillets
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
3 lemons, two juiced and 1 sliced
2 teaspoons coriander seed
2 teaspoons crushed hot pepper
1 teaspoon black mustard seed
1 tablespoon curry
1 bunch parsley, minced
Preheat an oven to 450F. Combine the sliced potatoes in a bowl 3 tablespoons of oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir the potatoes to coat them with the oil, then lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake them for about 15 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked and slightly browned; set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet then add the sliced green pepper, red pepper, and onion. Cook the onions and peppers for a few minutes until they just begin to brown, then add the garlic and cook another minute; set aside.
Shingle the potatoes in a casserole dish, then layer the cooked onions and peppers on top of the potatoes. Arrange the fish in the pan on top of the potatoes and peppers, then cover the fish with slices of tomatoes and lemon.
In a small skillet, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil along with the coriander seed, hot pepper, and black mustard. Heat the skillet over medium heat and cook the spices for a couple minutes, until they become fragrant and begin to “pop.” Remove the pan from the heat and stir in first the curry powder and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, then (carefully) the lemon juice.
Spoon the oil-spice mixture over the fish, then sprinkle the parsley across. Lower the oven temperature to 350F and bake the fish for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked throughout..
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#465), and the View from My Handlebars
On the bike…a gallon of extra virgin olive oil.
The view…a murder of crows overhead.
Anticipation…Waiting for Spring
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#464) and the View from My Handlebars
On the bike…two bottles of red wine, a gym bag containing wet clothes, and nearly $40 in groceries.
Pan-Roast Salmon with Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Lemon, and Hot Pepper
Okay…so I know I say this all the time. But this is really easy to make (one step, really) and is as delicious as it looks. The recipe below is just a guide, use whatever seasonings or vegetables you like. There are a couple key things to remember though. One is to make sure the oven is fully preheated, and that your skillet is fully preheated (I like to use cast-iron). And also, if you are using any hard vegetables that will take longer than the fish to cook–such as sweet potato–precook it first. This way everything will cook uniformly. Other than that, you basically place everything in a hot skillet and place the skillet in a hot oven. Simple as that.
Pan-Roast Salmon with Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, Lemon, and Hot Pepper
Makes two servings
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 salmon fillets, boneless and skinless
1 small onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 cup cooked and diced sweet potato
1 cup cauliflower florets
½ teaspoon crushed hot pepper
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 lemon
Preheat an oven to 450F.
Heat an oven-proof, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat, then add the olive oil. Pat the salmon fillets dry, and gently place them in the skillet with the skin-side facing up. Arrange the onion, garlic, sweet potato, and cauliflower around the salmon, then sprinkle the hot pepper and salt. Slice two slices from the lemon (keeping the remainder in tact) and place a slice on each piece of fish. Place the pan in the oven and allow it to roast for about 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon over the fish and vegetables. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the fish to plates, turning the fish over (the side that was facing the pan will become the side facing up on the plate). Arrange the vegetables around the fish, and drizzle it with any oil, lemon or juices remaining in the pan.
More Reasons to Ride a Bike…
Photo found here.
As many of you know, I gave up car ownership almost a year ago, but even before that I was extremely car-lite. I simply find that I would much rather get around by other means when possible, mainly biking and walking. With this said, I also consider this part of my exercise routine. And it’s interesting in that when I was younger I did these same things but never thought of it as exercise…it was just a means to get from one place to another. Anyhow, I came across this article the other day and was interested to find this type of transport coined as “active transportation.” The article is published by the Yale School of Health, and cites how walking or using a bike from transportation–even just small amounts a day–is really good for you. Here’s an excerpt:
The acts of bicycling to the office and walking to the store appear to deliver significant health benefits to adults, including reduced risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. A new study co-authored by a Yale School of Public Health researcher found evidence that people who engage in even modest levels of “active transportation” (classified as engaging in at least 10 minutes of continuous bicycling or walking in a typical week to get to a destination) enjoy a range a health advantages over their more sedentary peers.
Anyhow, I just thought I would pass this on. To read the full article, click here.
Urban Simplicty 