Northern Exposures

Reflections

Changing of the Guard

Parliament Hill, Ottawa

A Confession...

I have to own up to this, out loud and in public: I've never been on the Cyclone. Not that I have anything against roller coasters, nothing of the sort. I love roller coasters. In fact, the last time I was at Disney World I made a special early-morning trek to get an extra run on Space Mountain before coming back to New York. Of course, the last time I was at Disney World was fourteen years ago, and it was the last time I was on a roller coaster, for that matter. And the last time I was on a roller coaster before that was also on Space Mountain, but in Disneyland. In, let's see..1980. Okay, so I haven't been on a roller coaster in a while.

But I will get on the Cyclone this summer, and I may even get on the Wonder Wheel, the other major Coney Island icon that I've managed to miss out on for my forty-seven years....

.

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas

Cattllacs

How I Got That ↑ Shot

Photo by Sherry Murphy


May, 2007

Compare and Contrast

Downtown

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Jones Beach

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Brooklyn Museum

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East End - Long Island

Lensbabies

Tilted Snack Shop

Sagamore Hill

Jones Beach
Spyglass

SeamS

Shooting the Freak

July 2007

Despite the signs, despite the crowds, and despite the barker's pleas, very few people actually step up and do shoot the freak. Mostly, it seems, they stand around hoping someone else will pony up the three bucks for five paintballs.

Could it be because, after being here for four years already, there still aren't any prizes?

Mostly Mammals, a Couple Fowl, and a Reptile

Clark I
Clark II

Clark III

Clark IV

The Identical Triplets

Iguana Inna Grass
Molly Napping

Rude Awakening

Oy! Canada!

Betsy Napping

The Wary One

Not Amused

Fraidy Cat

Basking in the Afternoon Sun

Just Ducky

Misty

Lord and Benny Taylor

Batman Squared - 1987

Rolling Through the Stones

Eternal Rest

Elia Corti - Barre, Vermont
Small/Town

These two stones are next to each other, however, 'Town' is located to the left of 'Small'.

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Why Wait?

Bridging New York

Sunrise Over the Throggs Neck

Verrazano from Bay Ridge

Whitestone Sunrise

Scenics

End of the Road

Echo Lake
Exit - Lot 6

59th Streaklights
Black-Eyed Susans

Lighthouse From Camp Hero

Moonset Over City Island

Peconic River Reflections

Stop. No, Really

Washday Glory

Carmens River Sunset
Dead End

Hell Gate

Structures and Storefronts

Hudson Street Scene

Quartersphere

The Cyclone at Coney Island

Pink House at Planting Fields I
Javits Reflections

Gordon's Novelties

New York(er) Sunset

Soho Side Street

Empire State Birds


Pink House II

Playland at Coney Island

Aquatic Center, Sunset

Coney Island Boardwalk

Canal Street Buildings
Storefront, Mount Vernon, NY

Bath House, Point Lookout

Greenhouse, Bellmore NY

People

New Girlfriend

Childhood's End?

Awaiting

Autoportrait with Cat

Fingerball

Violist

Jumping Triptych

Painting the Town (and Walls, Doors and Cars)

Newbold Avenue, Bronx

Grand Street, NYC

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Sackett Avenue, The Bronx

56th Street, Brooklyn

Hunts Point, The Bronx

Engine 323 - Brooklyn

Moving Memorial

Mail Pouch Wall Ad, Upstate New York

Inanimate Objects

Green-Wood Angel
God's Army of One

Heigh-Ho

Water Fountain

Coney Island Bees
The Big Duck in Flanders

Brooklyn Steeds

Night

Stained Glass

Long Beach, NY

Flag Day, 2001

On the Beach

Sunken Meadow Spyglass

Jones Beach Water Tower

VanGoghlaroids in the Kitchen

Pepper Basket

Peppers and Greens

Vermont Bridges, Covered and Not

Three-Ton Bridge
Upper Falls Road

Quechee Gorge Bridge (Route 4)

Houses around Woodstock, Vermont

Pink House, PerkinsvilleRiver Road

Yellow House

Houses on the Woodstock Green

Gallery on the Green

Brick House

11 The Green

T'Other House on the Green

Porch Flag

Tulips and Dahlias

Tulips

Tulips in Dreamland

Clyde's Choice

Orange Julius

VanGoghlaroids in the Garden

Hello, Dahlia

Bloody-Eyed Susans


Backyard Bouquet

Mistral

Eyeing the Future

Does she look nervous? She should. She's looking over one of the many plywood fences that have been propped up around her neighborhood in recent weeks. For the time being she can be found along the boardwalk near Stillwell Avenue and 15 Street, but those fences are surrounding a lot that the city redevelopment plan has its eyes on, and the building she's on may not be around very long. She has a right to be wary.

But at least everyone has toned down the acid-trippy neon extravaganzas, with soaring LED-lit arcade walkways in place of the boardwalk (ala Freemont Street in Vegas) with roller coasters zipping overhead and hologram advertising everywhere. There may have even been flying cars in those early artist renderings, too.

They soon realized that nobody was going to fall for that sort of tinsel, but it was enough of a shiny object to get everyone's attention tuned for the potential. Now that Astroland has been sold, by next year most of the rides and attractions will have been dismantled and moved elsewhere. The Wonder Wheel was landmarked by the city in 1989, so it won't be going anywhere. It shouldn't be going anywhere, at least.

Still, it's hard to find out exactly what is going to be built. The developer, Thor Equities, does its largest business in shopping malls, and high-end ones at that. The kind with the words "Gallery at" in their names. "The Shoppes at Mermaid Avenue" might be a good name for this project, only the shoppes have to include a bodega and a newsstand, a dive hotel and some bus stops. They want to put housing here, too, which the city isn't crazy about, as they've laid out plans for street and parkland upgrades with just an entertainment angle in mind. None of the official city plans address development within the Astroland property.

She keeps her vigil for now. Although chances are she'll soon be watching a preview of the fate to eventually befall her before long.