FUBAR Disaster on 51st Street

Posted March 15, 2008 by Famous Ankles
Categories: Mid-town

I was out in Greenwich Village today doing some wandering, and whilst I was there, a crane in the Upper East Side collapsed and destroyed a building that included “FUBAR“, a bar that advertises itself as offering “a heavy drinking atmosphere”.  At least four are known dead at this time.

The mayor has just announced that the bar was not open.  That’s amazing and completely unexpected as it is St. Patrick’s Day weekend and I’ve walked past I don’t know how many groups of “21 year-olds” who are loudly proclaiming their intention to drink.

For me, the most bizarre part is that I’ve been home for about the past two hours and haven’t heard more than the usual amount of sirens and helicopters.  It’s only 10 blocks north of me, maybe a half-mile.

I don’t remember ever seeing the place, but it’s located just a block south of a grocery store I go to quite often.

The way that NYC works, I wouldn’t be able to get close to the site under any circumstances.  If I can, I’ll post pictures later.

-H

Comments: 2 Comments

Bellevue South Park

Posted March 14, 2008 by Famous Ankles
Categories: Gramercy, Manhattan, Mid-town, Wanderings

Across from Bellevue Hospital is a very pleasant little park:  Bellevue South Park.

20080311-bellevue-south-park-02.jpg

It was cold and windy the day I went by there, but you can see that NYC has done a nice little job with the place.  And they’ve done one of their great little tricks:  lots of places to sit.

20080311-bellevue-south-park-03.jpg

The seating doesn’t show up particularly well in the pictures, but it’s there.  I imagine it’s one of those places that visitors to Bellevue can escape to on occasion to smoke a cigarette (rapidly becoming illegal anywhere in NYC) or to avoid the hospital atmosphere.

-H

Comments: Be the first to comment

Bellevue Hospital

Posted March 13, 2008 by Famous Ankles
Categories: Gramercy, Manhattan, Mid-town, Wanderings

Long before I set foot in NYC, I had heard of Bellevue.  It seemed to be a staple element of detective novels and crime dramas and the occasional biography that I read.  It was always associated with the worst-of-the-worst sorts of situations:  shootings, stabbings, rape, the homeless and their afflictions, and often psychiatric disorders.

Bellevue is apparently the oldest public hospital in the US (founded 1736), and I can say this:  it is big.  And, amazingly enough, located right next door to another huge hospital center:  NYU Medical.

And it is located very close to where I live.  It’s around 29th Street and 1st Avenue.

When I saw this sign, all I could think about is that it looked somewhat gothic and cool.

20080311-bellevue-hospital-03.jpg

But it isn’t the main building or the main gate or anything in particular.  The main building seems pretty modern.

20080311-bellevue-hospital-01.jpg

Not what I would have expected from such an old institution with its gritty past.  But the front is just a facade.  Inside has to be one of the coolest entrances to a hospital that I’ve ever seen.  I’m not sure of it, but the glass exterior in the picture above is sort of an add-on and they’ve restored (or seemed to) the old hospital front in a sort of mall-like setting.

And I, idiot that I am, forgot to take a picture.  Actually, they prohibit pictures in there, and they’ve got plenty of security.  However, I could have snuck an easy picture without really violating anything as I’d technically be outside of the real entrance area.  However, I was concerned about the light and my flash and didn’t want to bring myself to their attention.

But it gives me an excuse to go back at a better time.

Anyway, this is only one of many buildings in the complex.  They, too, give me a reason to go back, but I don’t know that I’d be able to wander amongst the buildings.  I guess I’ll find out.

20080311-bellevue-hospital-02.jpg

-H

Comments: 2 Comments

The Love Bike

Posted March 12, 2008 by Famous Ankles
Categories: Manhattan, Wanderings

You see a post with a name like “The Love Bike” and it makes me wonder what you think you’re going to see.

Is it a Harley?  Some sort of huge motorcycle?

How about a Honda?  They used to have one of the great slogans:  “You meet the nicest people on a Honda”.  That was before they did cars and mowers and all.

Perhaps a tandem bike.  You know, a bicycle built for two.

Nah.  Nothing so exotic.

20080311-love-bike-01.jpg

It’s too late for Valentines, so this must be a year-round Love Bike.

Actually, there was a clue to it in the basket.  There was a pamplet for a “Bike Lane Liberation Clown Ride” for March 15 (a Saturday).  They’re planning on having clown makeup and everything.

I know people who fear clowns.  I hope they aren’t wandering around Manhattan and run across a mess o’ clowns dedicated to protecting their turf.

-H

Comments: 2 Comments

Spitzer Stakeout

Posted March 11, 2008 by Famous Ankles
Categories: Mid-town

Unless you’ve been hiding somewhere, or are coming to this site from another country, you’ve probably been hearing the news about New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and his current scandal.

This isn’t a forum that I want to use for politics, but it does turn out that he has an office that is on my way to work.  This morning, as I approached the corner of 41st Street and 3rd Avenue, I saw some news trucks.  I happened to have my camera with me so I took some quick pictures, but wasn’t too expectant of anything (thinking it was just some little news story or human interest event going on that I’d never know anything about). 

I didn’t know that the Governor had an office there until I came home from work and mentioned that two news crews had apparently spent the whole day at this relatively obscure corner.  The doorman told me that there’s a long-time office for him there.  Apparently, Spitzer has been hiding out all day in NYC and there’s speculation that he’s in this office.

I wish I had taken better pictures.  There was one camera crew in evidence and two trucks.  First, Channel 11 (independent).

20080311-spitzer-stakeout-02.jpg

Second, Channel 5 (Fox) was also there.

20080311-spitzer-stakeout-01.jpg

I didn’t use my flash so the focus wasn’t very successful.

Anyway, it goes to show that there are interesting things nearly everyplace in NYC and that I oughta be a little more careful when I take a picture when the sun ain’t fully up.

-H

Comments: Be the first to comment

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »