Tourists 51/366

I'm no stranger to tourists in NYC. After all, I work a block from Times Square. But I'm not sure how this big group of Brits ended up on 96th St.

The shoes were made for walking... 50/366

... and that's just what I'll do. This is some of the patriotic consumerism that I participated in on President's Day.

Stairway to... Waldo 49/366

Before being patriotic and shopping during President's Day, I went up to Riverdale for lunch with friends. To get there I had to scale these very tall steps.

Proper placement 48/366

During my trip to DC, I had to make a pilgrimage to the National Portrait Gallery. As part of an elaborate joke, Stephen Colbert's portrait is currently hanging near the Hall of Presidents, above the water fountain by the restrooms. It was well worth the trip.

Warm interior 47/366

Along with some friends, I discovered a new nook in Georgetown - the Ritz Carlton. The lobby (more like a lounge) is a great large room with exposed brick, rich colors and a fireplace. It is a really great place to grab some drinks on a winter night.

Are we really that classy? 46/366

Every day at lunch time my office building has a pianist playing on a grand piano. For some reason, the piano was replaced with a wind trio. I tried to get a clear picture, but learned that apparently we're not allowed to take pictures in the lobby.

RItuals 45/366

Since I've been working, I've been amused by a part of the Valentine's Day ritual. All day in Midtown you can see delivery men carting bouquets of flowers to people's offices. It makes for a pretty funny sight.

Relic 44/366

It's not often you see a Beta video player these days. Not sure where they unearthed it...

Watching the snow 43/366

Unfortunately, the snow didn't quite come out in this picture, but it was really coming down for much of the day. While I'd prefer to be watching the snow while wearing comfortable pajamas at home, it is nice watching it from more than 20 stories up.

Thar she blows 42/366

These mid-avenue steam pipes are not so uncommon in the city. This one happened to be operating on a particularly cold night so the steam was much more visible. I'm not sure what the source of that steam was, but it sure was stinky...

Bringing down the house 41/366

The Shabbatones wrap up their performance at JCFPA 2008 with Maya Buskila's "HaLev". The festival was great and the Shabbatones did a wonderful set. I performed with Tizmoret and our set was terrific.

Sing it! 40/366

TonesFest found itself at Japas38 for some Saturday night karaoke. Maybe not the best idea to blow our voices on karaoke the night before a singing festival, but it was a lot of fun.

Preparing for the Onslaught 39/366

This weekend I hosted the third annual TonesFest - gathering of current Shabbatones and alumni during the weekend of JCFPA, the Jewish Collegiate Festival for Performing Arts, held at JTS. Here's the food for our massive Friday night dinner. It was a great time!

Castle in the Sky 38/366

I meant to take some pictures of this during earlier stages of construction, but never got around to it. This rooftop house, directly across the street from my apartment, has been built over the last year. It is a pretty impressive project right in the heart of the Upper Westside.

Urban Jungle? 37/366

Not exactly, but leafy green plants do add some nice atmosphere - and help clean the air - in a NYC apartment.

Go Big Blue 36/366

Coinciding with the Super Tuesday primaries, the NY (NJ) Giants had their Super Bowl victory parade in downtown Manhattan, along the Canyon of Heroes. This little fan, like the rest of us, couldn't see anything other than some ticker tape and streamers falling from windows, but he was really excited to be there, nonetheless.

Seasonal weather 35/366

A few days ago, various people were bemoaning the lack of snow in NYC in January. It was the least snowy January in 75 years (these statistics are clearly kept by the more science-minded crowd of obsesssed baseball fans). The snow didnt' last long and didn't stick, but it was nice to walk in for a minute or two.

Traditions 34/366

Somethings just go together: chocolate and peanut butter; hummus and pita; and the Super Bowl and fried foods. My friends' deep fryer gets kicked into high gear for the annual event. This year, the game was even more exciting than the commercials! Go Big Blue!!

Aftermath 33/366

I hate washing dishes, but a bunch of used wine glasses, etc. are the aftermath of a good dinner with friends, so I'll take the hit.

Music in the Morning 32/366

I have become quite a fan of several of the musical acts that I frequently see in subway stations. Sure, there are lots of really bad musicians who shouldn't even be playing on noisy underground platforms, but occasionally you get lucky. This group of five a cappella singers were fantastic. So I bought their CDs. It's good to be able to be a patron of the arts.

"Rush" Hour 31/366

We still call it rush hour even when no one can move. This was the scene that greeted me as I tried to get out of the subway. It took me probably about 5 minutes to walk what normally takes about 15 seconds. A great way to end the day.