Photo Essay: The Doors of Lower Manhattan
In a city that never sleeps and whose inhabitants are almost in a constant state of motion, it is easy to let everyday things go unnoticed, especially something as commonplace as a door. Yet, Manhattan has many fascinating and aesthetic doors that once spotted are hard to miss again.

The doors of lower Manhattan, below 14th Street, are especially unique and filled with the area's heritage and originality. Some of these captivating entrances belong to townhouses, office buildings and restaurants and show the city's artistic, modern and vanguard roots, while some simply have extra odds and ends that deserve another look. Here are just a few that stand out out of the snapshots that I took for my photojournalism grad class.



My friend K and I were looking for doors to capture for almost two months, and now that I'm more aware of the different entrances in the city I still find myself scoping for them, even in NYC television shows. Funny how things can change once something is brought more to your attention.

Speaking of New York shows, the new sitcom coming out on CBS, Love Monkey, with that guy from Ed has been filming near my subway stop and in my neighborhood.

Because this makes me laugh


Oh Whitney what happened to you? You were so pretty and seemingly classy in The Bodyguard, now I can't say 'I'll Always Love You.'

I've been tagged (Let's not make it a habit):

Four movies you would watch over and over (and I have!)
When Harry Met Sally
Baby Boom
Die Hard
Soapdish

Four places you have lived
New York, New York
Norton, Massachusetts
London, England
Greenwich, Connecticut

Four TV shows you love to watch (just four??)
Friends
Grey's Anatomy
Alias / Lost (same creator, so I'm putting them together ;) Speaking of Lost check out this funny flash video
Golden Girls / Moonlighting / Taxi and so many more

Four places you have been on vacation
Italy
Tortola
Vegas
Puerto Rico

Four websites you visit daily
Google
Blog Explosion
eBay
AOL

Four of your favorite foods
Macaroni and Cheese
Dark Chocolate
Lucky Charms
Steak (rare)

Four places you would rather be right now
In my apt or more specifically in my bed
On the beach, but someplace hot, thus not here
With my dad
At the movies, since there are a lot of films I need to catch up on

Four people you are tagging
Nobody, consider yourself lucky!

The Cab Driver Plays Puccini
When I'm riding in a taxi, the majority of the time the drivers are talking on their cell phones, using earphones of course since it's the law, but sometimes it's the whole duration of the cab ride even. I know that they are aren't actually talking to me, since having fallen for that before, but I just can't help but wonder who is talking to them for so long at all hours of the day. Do they have a wife just sitting at home providing them with phone company? Are they talking to other cabdrivers? Usually it's not in English so it's hard for me to figure out the relationship. I know during the work week it's hard enough finding someone I can call on my lunch hour who is available to chat with, so I'm really curious how they find someone after midnight, in the afternoons and during the morning commute to speak with. Don't these people have jobs that require communication outside their cells? Yes, I'm giving this way too much thought.

When my cabbies are not on their mobiles, I do like asking them questions, it's the reporter in me I guess. I like hearing where they are from, what long shifts they work, their commute, if they own or rent their cab, about their children, spouse etc. I'll start by a comment on the weather like: 'do you believe all this rain? I'm getting ready to build an arc.' Then they ask me about where I'm going or about where they just picked me up from, then the conversation segways into what I do for a living, schooling background, their living in Queens and their children who they want to see do well in regards to education and job wise.

Before the holidays, the day after the strike I hailed a cab and asked to be taken to Grand Central Station. The cab driver, Mohamed, then asked me if I was "Going to Connecticut?" I laughed and said "yes, why do I look like I'm going to Connecticut?" He said "yup" and that was that. haha. When he found out that I was Italian, not sure how that came about though I do remember that he is married to a Philippine woman who he says is beautiful like Italian women and then he put in his own mixed CD of Puccini, then we both hummed along to La Boheme. It was pretty funny.

News Update: Questions are still surrounding the maple syrup smell that has swept Manhattan twice now. Trying to Make Some Sense of That Syrupy Scent. My old blog post about smelling the sweet scent can be found at: Attack of the maple syrup.

Link: Top 10 Free Time Wasting Sites on the Net

Happy New Year
Just got back from Vermont and am very bruised. I luckily didn't fall skiing but I sort of twisted my leg, got whacked by a child's pole and incurred several bruises while sledding at night. Below is a photo of the place we rented--although it doesn't do it justice and is missing the snow--the place sleeps 10 yet we managed 14.



News: 100 things we didn't know this time last year, which I found thanks to A View From England. Who knew Nicole Kidman is afraid of butterflies and that one in 18 people have a third nipple? Very glad I'm not one in that statistic, I had only heard of Chandler on Friends to have one, oh wait and a guy friend from college.

PS: My former coworker and I have a snapshot in MediaBistro's Party Photos: PR in New York at the bar Libation. You have to scroll down a bit, it has my name in the caption.

Looking back on 2005
It's been a good year, no major deaths for a change, had some fun dates and good times out with my friends, completed my master's degree, found a new job. vg indeed.

BUT...did I complete my resolutions from last year? Let's see:

* Will let my crush know how I feel --Nope, didn't do that, but the point is moot now and there were several other crushes along the way ;)

* Find at least one vegetable that I could possibly like besides potatoes and corn, since my friends say those are hardly vegetables to begin with and that I need to explore greens. --Yup, did it! I like string beans with lots of butter to dilute the taste

* Sign up for yoga classes again and actually exercise; after all, my daily walk to the subway is not a "real" workout no matter what I have said in the past. --Joined Crunch gym and go at least two times a week, so that's another check

* Stop answering you know who's calls and being his bitch. --Done, see ya

* Go to Magnolia less frequently and to Thai restaurants more often. --I think I did that, well at least the Thai part.

* See more Broadway plays/musicals. Yes, I saw eight shows! Check out the side column pull down bar for the reviews

* Write an ending to the book I've been writing for 5 years so I can move on to the hundreds of other stories that are in my head. Nope, too chicken and no time. Hopefully now that I'm done with my extra studies I can.

* Actually do the reading for my graduate courses instead of just skimming. --Does it matter, I'm done!

* Do my homework assignments *before* watching my recent NetFlix rental. --Yes, my NetFlix watching declined immensely, however, it was replaced with DVR watching

* Make myself feel uncomfortable and do what comes to my mind when going out with friends, since those are the times when I end up having the most fun. --It's my motto, it might have gotten me in trouble a few times but no regrets.

* Finish Mary Tyler Moore Season 1 DVD--I've only owned it for 2 years now. --And you'd think this would have been the easiest one. I got through 3 dics though, and there's still time left. Maybe on the plane to NC when I go visit my aunt.

* Try Pink Champagne -- I've been wanting to since seeing "Affair to Remember" and "Love Affair," before I could even drink alcohol legally. --I'll buy some to toast in the New Year and will report back on the taste.

* Next New Year's Eve will do the midnight 4 mile run in Central Park and drag my friends too. There's fireworks. --Hmm I managed to gain the interest of only one friend, so I failed there. I'm going skiing in Vermont instead.

Overall: Blog more, drink more, laugh more! --Check, Check, Check!