Marc's 366 in '08

Old Timey Charm 89/366

2008-03-30T11:48:00.000-04:00

Every so often it's worth stopping to notice the detail and care that people put into the things they make.

Really big room 88/366

2008-03-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

I couldn't possibly capture this in one picture, so here are several of my amazing room at the Rittenhouse Hotel. Thank you, Uncle Kramer.

Whalebone 87/366

2008-03-30T11:43:00.000-04:00

In case I haven't yet complained about it to you, I was just selected to sit on a jury. One silver lining is that I get to learn about a new area of the city, near the courthouse at Thomas St. Something about this building really struck me.

That's not right 86/366

2008-03-30T11:41:00.000-04:00

This was in one of the lovely Misloach Manot packages I received. I had to wonder why the candy maker decided Esther should have a big open mouth that looks more like a certain modern-day psychopath's mustache than the thin line mouth of the Mordechai and Achashveras lollipops.

Dangerous weapons 85/366

2008-03-30T11:40:00.000-04:00

On my way out of Brazil, security nearly confiscated these salad tongs because the toucan's beak comes to a point. I'm not kidding.

Art is Everywhere 84/366

2008-03-30T11:35:00.000-04:00

I've seen this guy a couple of times doing very impressive sketch drawings on the 96th St platform. Art truly is everywhere.

Tax Time Again 83/366

2008-03-30T11:33:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's right. Time to organize all of my papers and hope I will get something back from the government.

Follow the Pope 82/366

2008-03-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

Everywhere I go these days, there he is. Here, the Holy See descends on Makor's new location in Tribeca. Aasif Mandvi is a very funny guy.

Sharing the wealth 81/366

2008-03-30T11:28:00.000-04:00

Mishloach Manot is one of those customs that is both lovely and a big pain in the butt. The pain part passes pretty quickly so it really is a nice tradition. This is the table they set out in my building to ease the delivery process. I love this city.

Purim Sameach, Your Holiness 80/366

2008-03-30T11:22:00.000-04:00

You gotta love Purim... :-)

Woohoo! 79/366

2008-03-30T11:20:00.000-04:00

It took a long time, but I finally made it through all of the levels on Brickbreaker. Now to up that HiScore.

Costumes Galore 78/366

2008-03-30T11:16:00.000-04:00

I don't often have need for a good costume shop, but at least now I know where to go. Abracadabra in the West 20s is amazing, with costume and novelty items over the whole spectrum.

He Drove the Snakes out of Midtown 77/366

2008-03-30T11:12:00.000-04:00

There are times when working on 6th Avenue is a very nice thing. One of the 200 or so days when there is a parade on 5th Avenue is not one of those times. Happy St. Patty's Day!

My Haul 76/366

2008-03-30T11:03:00.000-04:00

Brazil is the home of cachaca. I'd be remiss if I didn't drag some back with me.

Hotcakes 75/366

2008-03-30T10:56:00.000-04:00

That's a lot of candles on a little cupcake...

Oops 74/366

2008-03-30T10:43:00.000-04:00

Looks like in the haze of my return from Brazil I forgot to take a picture on March 14, so here are two bonus Brazil pictures.

Hanglider Hill 73/366

2008-03-30T10:30:00.001-04:00

This was the view from our hotel in Rio, which was nearly identical to the view that we had in Rio in 2001. You can't see it here, but people hang glide off of that "hill."

Rollercoaster Ride 72/366

2008-03-30T10:27:00.001-04:00

Our drive from the Porto Seguro area to Vitoria was quite an experience. This hill looked much much bigger in real life than it does in this picture. And this was the first of many, over approximately 9 hours, which included one flat tire.

Great Sense of Balance 71/366

2008-03-30T10:24:00.001-04:00

You've gotta be impressed by this...

One Little, Two Little, Three Little... 70/366

2008-03-30T10:21:00.001-04:00

Not sure if this guy was really a native of any kind or was just out to sell trinkets (e.g. crap to tourists on/near the beach), but he made for a good picture.

Therapeudic Caipirinha 69/366

2008-03-30T10:19:00.000-04:00

This was not my second caipirinha of the trip, but this was the one that helped salve the pain of my first (and so far only) jellyfish sting. Ironically (and irritatingly), the beach bar we were at was called...wait for it...Sting. I was not amused.

The First Caipirinha 68/366

2008-03-30T10:16:00.000-04:00

This was the first of many caipirinhas during my trip to Brazil. It accompanied a lovely dinner on our first night in Bahia, in Arraial d'Ajuda.

Really Big City 67/366

2008-03-30T10:14:00.000-04:00

This is the view from my friend's Aunt's apartment. It only hits at the extreme vastness of Sao Paulo, one of the largest cities in the world.

Winging it South 66/366

2008-03-30T10:10:00.000-04:00

As you can see from the date, I'm way behind, so there'll be a lot in short order here. This is a nice quick picture of the inside of the cabin of my Delta flight to Brazil.

All packed up 65/366

2008-03-06T04:03:00.000-05:00

...and ready to go. Soon to be posting (or at least taking pictures) from Brazil.

That's quite a logo 64/366

2008-03-06T04:02:00.001-05:00

Of Paramount importance 63/366

2008-03-06T04:02:00.000-05:00

At the ground level, this building houses the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., among others. But the top is quite distinctive.

Getting ready 62/366

2008-03-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

Starting to prepare for my trip to Brazil. Now I've got a visa and a phrasebook!

Par-tay 61/366

2008-03-06T03:58:00.000-05:00

Another birthday party, another club...

It's beginning to look a lot like... 60/366

2008-03-06T03:57:00.000-05:00

... Purim. Sure, dishes might sell hamantashen all year, but Purim is approaching.

Domo arigato 59/366

2008-03-06T03:56:00.000-05:00

I can't help but thinking of the Louvre line scene from Eurotrip.

Mostly empty halls 58/366

2008-03-06T03:55:00.000-05:00

On a somewhat late night at the office.

Through a cabbie's eyes 57/366

2008-03-06T03:54:00.001-05:00

Regular site 56/366

2008-03-06T03:54:00.000-05:00

I see this view of the Empire State Building almost every day, but the colors of the lights really grabbed me on this night.

Summoned 55/366

2008-03-06T03:53:00.000-05:00

There comes a time in every man's life when he is called upon to serve...

Feliz cumpleanos 54/366

2008-03-06T03:50:00.001-05:00

Danny's Mexican-themed birthday party with red-white-green cupcakes, Mexican flag kipot, and jalapeno shaped candles.

Study in contrasts 53/366

2008-03-06T03:30:00.001-05:00

I've separately posted pics of my indoor mini-palm and snow from my office. So here's one of both.

That's debatable 52/366

2008-03-06T03:28:00.000-05:00

Ain't nothing like cramming into a bar in the Village and listening to people scream at the television during a political debate.

Tourists 51/366

2008-02-21T00:26:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-21T00:20:00.000-05:00

... 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

2008-02-21T00:15:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-20T23:57:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-20T23:49:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-20T23:47:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-20T23:44:00.000-05:00

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

Watching the snow 43/366

2008-02-13T00:58:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-13T00:56:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-13T00:51:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-13T00:44:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-13T00:42:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-08T08:32:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-08T08:21:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-04T23:57:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-04T00:56:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-03T02:09:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-03T02:05:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-03T02:03:00.000-05:00

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.

Lots of Lawyers 30/366

2008-01-30T23:37:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what happens when you put a whole bunch of lawyers in some conference rooms at the Marriott Marquis? I didn't really, either, but I found out this morning that mostly they talk about things like electronic discovery and the ethics of witness preparation. Such is the wonder that is the NY State Bar Association's Annual Meeting.

Sweet Citrus 29/366

2008-01-29T23:48:00.000-05:00

Every winter, Cushman's of West Palm Beach, FL, advertises its honey bell oranges, available for only a short time. I decided to get a box this year and they have been delicious so far.

The state of our union is....drunk 28/366

2008-01-29T23:30:00.000-05:00

President Bush delivered his final State of the Union Address and we were there to keep the drinks flowing with our 7th annual State of the Union Address Drinking Game. The hit counter keeps climbing and it definitely seems that people had a good time with it.

Nighttime Traffic 27/366

2008-01-28T00:32:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I don't take the chance to take a picture until late, and I'm left with what I can see from my apartment. So I caught this scene of the traffic on Broadway whizzing by.

Regular Maintenance 26/366

2008-01-27T18:37:00.000-05:00

No, these are not subway phantoms. Rather they are some of the scores of workers I saw fixing the tracks this weekend in what has become a weekly ritual. One day, I hope the trains may run as scheduled. Until then we just do the best we can.

Quaint in the Garden State 25/366

2008-01-27T18:32:00.000-05:00

So a Starbucks and handful of other national chains might not be everyone's idea of a quaint street in a relatively small town in NJ. I spent Friday evening and Saturday in Summit, NJ, which was very nice. This scene, which I couldn't capture appropriately broadly, seemed like a nice example of modern suburbia.

Growing trend 24/366

2008-01-25T01:16:00.000-05:00

These "Store for Rent" sides have been spreading throughout the west side over the past year or so. Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here (kudos to those who get the reference), but the proliferation of banks and Chipotles, etc. in place of long-loved local stores sucks. I'm all for progress, but as these signs show, a lot of these businesses were forced out by rising rents and the landlords demanding these rents have nothing to fill the space. Serves them right, I guess. Hopefully the maintenance of these fallow storefronts is teaching these folks a lesson.

Cookie Truck! 23/366

2008-01-24T01:36:00.000-05:00

This truck full of wonderful looking fresh desserts (cookies, cakes, etc.) started appearing just outside my office building the day that I met with my doctor and committed myself to cutting sweets and a lot of extraneous calories. Now I know how Adam & Eve felt looking at that apple...

Urban Wildlife 22/366

2008-01-24T01:34:00.000-05:00

This penguin may be a little far from his home habitat, but clearly he's in town for the great TV shows (writers' strike notwithstanding).

NY Matters 21/366

2008-01-21T22:10:00.000-05:00

The NY primary is February 5, so for the first time in at least a while the NY primary matters. These were the first canvassers I've come across so far.

Somebody's getting married! 20/366

2008-01-20T20:10:00.000-05:00

Mazal tov, Amy & Jon. Today I went to a wonderful wedding. It was a lot of fun and I think everyone had a good time. Really, that's just about all you can ask for.

It's Baaa-aack 19/366

2008-01-20T01:19:00.000-05:00

The 2nd Ave Deli has returned, though no longer on 2nd Avenue (it's now on 33rd near 3rd). Though they serve mostly things that I shouldn't be eating these days, for any number of reasons, it's okay to cheat every so often. And it's SO tasty.

Roughly the Center of the Universe 18/366

2008-01-20T01:15:00.000-05:00

I passed through Grand Central Station on Friday, heading to Riverdale for Shabbat. I've never spent much time in GCT, but it is incredibly impressive. The seeming calm that you can see in the main atrium belies the immense number of people that go through there on a daily basis.

In Vino Veritas 17/366

2008-01-20T01:05:00.000-05:00

I went to a wine tasting on Thursday day, hosted by the Kosher Wine Society. It featured a good selection from Galil Mountain Winery, one of my favorites. It was nice to be able to taste a number of their wines at the same time.

Splish splash 16/366

2008-01-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

I took a midday trip to the mikveh at the Temple Israel Center in White Plains with Jon for his pre-wedding dip. It's not every day you get to take a picture of a working ritual bath.

School Daze 15/366

2008-01-15T23:58:00.000-05:00

I had to drop by a local public school this morning for Tikvat Yisrael. Even though my schools looked pretty different, there was something nostalgic about the miniaturized reality of elementary school.

Union Rat 14/366

2008-01-14T23:27:00.000-05:00

These are definitely a common sight when you are walking around the city. In fact, this one, on 44th St. isn't one of those that I see most often, which are on 45th St, both between Broadway and 6th Ave. and between 5th Ave. and 6th Ave.

Lincoln Center 13/366

2008-01-13T23:55:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure why, but this slightly unconventional shot of Lincoln Center appealed to me. You never know what will strike you when you're wandering around.

The Other Dunkin Donuts 12/366

2008-01-13T13:37:00.000-05:00

This Dunkin Donuts, which I can see from my apartment, opened sometime in mid- to late-2007. It is less than a full block from a pre-existing DD, but many believe that in this case newer is better.

Rainy Day 11/366

2008-01-12T18:40:00.000-05:00

The rain was coming down in sheets when I popped outside to get some lunch. Thought it would make an interesting picture.

A Slice of Princeton in NY 10/366

2008-01-11T00:02:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately I couldn't get a shot of the flag unfurled, but if I had you would see a big black P on an orange field. In the shadow of the Chrysler Building, the Princeton Club provides a gathering place for tigers in the urban jungle (that would make a good brochure tag-line). For me, it's mostly where I get my haircuts.

A Little Piece of Florida in NY 9/366

2008-01-10T00:57:00.000-05:00

I picked up this little palm tree on my last trip through the Ft. Lauderdale airport for work this summer. It hasn't yet gotten up to the ~4 ft that the box suggests, but who knows. It did just sprout two tall shoots out of nowhere this weekend.

Everyday People 8/366

2008-01-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

This is not the oddest sight that I've seen on the streets of New York. It's probably not even the oddest sight in the 8 days so far in 2008, but I was fairly entertained by this guy carrying this enormous poster right by Bryant Park and people barely batted an eye.

A City in Motion 7/366

2008-01-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

When everything is working properly, we do a pretty good job of moving lots of people around. This is just a view from my daily commute, the hectic Times Square subway station.

Remnants of the Season 6/366

2008-01-07T01:04:00.000-05:00

New York does a good job of dressing up for the holidays and fortunately the city takes as long to take down its lights as do most households.

For he's a jolly good fellow 5/366

2008-01-06T17:20:00.000-05:00

There are good group shots from Jon's bachelor party, but I want to restrict blog postings to pictures for which I actually snapped the shutter (some exceptions will arise later in the year). This fairly captures the dinner portion of the evening, which was a wonderful dinner at Mike's Bistro. And we all sported our great "The Knights Who Say Ni" t-shirts.

Into the distance 4/366

2008-01-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

I find something interesting about when you're able to look down train tracks and eventually lose them in the distance. There aren't so many really long straight-away roads in this area, so it's mostly train tracks that I think of when I think of looking at a single unbroken line running to the horizon. I have no particularly profound thoughts here, just something that tickles a part of my brain, I guess.

Theater Frenzy! 3/366

2008-01-04T01:24:00.000-05:00

Today I had my first encounter with tkts since it moved to its current location in an alley under the Marriot Marquis. It seemed somehow to have surpassed the controlled chaos of its former location, with the space in front of the windows being a virtual mob scene. Today's ridiculously cold temperatures probably contributed somewhat to the near-huddle of the theater-going masses. Kudos to Evan for braving the line...twice. I had a lot of fun at "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" tonight.

Rumaki 2/366

2008-01-02T23:51:00.000-05:00

I think having dinner with friends, while good anytime, is probably a good way to start the year. So that's what I did tonight. We shared a (too small) order of delicious rumaki.

Happy New Year! 1/366

2008-01-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great start to 2008. Welcome to my photo-a-day blog. My goal is to have a picture for every day in 2008. Though I am up most days at midnight, it's only on January 1 that it has some significance, so I thought it would be fitting to start with pictures taken just after the ball dropped. I rang in the new year with a big crowd at my friend Kate's apartment. I decided to use these pictures because nothing says Happy New Year like watching the ball drop in Times Square, and that's what we did. I hope you join me on this day to day journey as chronicle the things I see as we go through 2008.