Tag Archives: New York City

I Used to Hate Spring…

By Johna Till Johnson
Photos by Vladimir Brezina

April puddle

April is the cruelest month, breeding
lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
memory and desire, stirring
dull roots with spring rain.

—T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

I’ll admit it: I used to hate Spring.

Why “admit”? Because from what I can tell, most people are thrilled by lengthening days, soft fragrant breezes, and the sight of new flowers pushing up through the fresh grass.

In New York, Springtime is especially noteworthy. Everyone takes to the parks. Lovers canoodle. Pets frolic. And we walk around with goofy smiles and say unexpected things to each other, like “Please,” and “Thank you” and “After you!”

So what’s not to love?

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Landscape

By Vladimir Brezina

Landscape 1Just as wild as the natural landscape

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is the urban landscape in which we live

Landscape 2Landscape 3

A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Landscape.

Half-Light

By Vladimir Brezina

Half-Light 1

From the molten dyes of the water
Bring the burnished nature of fire
… Rain flakes of gold on the water

—Ezra Pound, The Alchemist

Half-Light 2Half-Light 3

A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Half-Light.

Dance

By Vladimir Brezina

Dance 1.

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Seen at the 2013 Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Dance 2

A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Dance.

Vibrant

By Vladimir Brezina

A rainbow of colors keeping the winter gloom at bay

VibrantCentral Park, New York City

A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Vibrant.

Alphabet

By Vladimir Brezina

We’re only up to “C”! A long way to go still on our circumnavigation of Manhattan…

AlphabetThe Columbia “C”

A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Alphabet.

Waves

By Vladimir Brezina

Under the Brooklyn Bridge in the East River, the waves are always fun… ;-)

Waves 1
Waves 2For more photos from this Manhattan circumnavigation see here.

A contribution to Ailsa’s travel-themed photo challenge, Waves.

Trio

By Vladimir Brezina

Three of the largest—

Three of the largest

Three of the smallestand three of the smallest—

— but they are all equal “vessels” in the eyes of the law.

“The word ‘vessel’ includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.” (U. S. Code, and similarly in the Rules of the Road)

 

A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Trio.

Halloween Postmortem, Part II

By Vladimir Brezina and Johna Till Johnson

Even skeletons check their cell phonesThis year’s Halloween decorations were plenty scary. But in our neighborhood, they’re just the backdrop: Every year, Carnegie Hill Neighbors, the local neighborhood association, puts on “Spooktacular”, a Halloween block party that features entertainers (including a lively DJ/MC playing dance music) and a costume contest—and of course trick-or-treating, with lots, and lots, and LOTS of candy!

Whole families show up in costume, including mother, father, kids, pets, and—this being the Upper East Side—nanny. (For those who don’t know, the Upper East Side is home to financiers, top lawyers, and other Masters of the Universe.)

The party is open to the whole neighborhood, and it seems to be getting bigger, and better, each year.  (Here are the photos from 2011, 2012, and 2013.)

Looking left... and looking rightVlad in the crowd

The photographer stalking his prey (while being stalked by a giant floating spider)…

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… and here are some of his photos:

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What I Saw in the Park the Other Day…

By Vladimir Brezina

(click on any photo to start slideshow)