PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY – GRAFFITI

I love walking around New York City.  You never know what you'll discover.  Here is some great graffiti I found on Warren Street, downtown.  The faces said:  Summer.

Happy Friday.

(The rain can be beautiful too.)

PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY -- AMSTER YARD

I found the most beautiful and picturesque courtyard in the city -- Amster Yard at the Instituto Cervantes, an institution that was founded by the Spanish government in 1991, to promote the Spanish language and Spanish and Hispanic-American culture.  The best place to learn Spanish in the Big Apple!

I could spend hours there ... reading, writing, dreaming.  Care to join me?

The Muse

The oasis

Comfy chairs

The view... Up!

PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY - FARMER'S MARKETS

   

I♥NY.  Especially the Farmer’s Markets around the city with smiling vendors selling everything from vegetables to flowers to honey to chocolate milk (my favorite!) to goat cheese to lamb’s wool.  It’s a great place to get your greens.  In fact, plenty of the city’s chefs visit these street markets to get fresh produce for their restaurants.  I’ve even seen Rachel Ray at them.  Visit a street market near you.  You’ll never know what you could find or whom.  Happy Friday!

  

Have a good weekend!

PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY – GIBSON GUITARS

 
I♥NY.  As I mentioned before, I love discovering new things around and about my New York. I will share my findings and photos with you every Friday so stay tune!


Today, I have pictures of The Gibson-Baldwin Showroom, formerly known as The Hit Factory on 54th Street.

The Hit Factory is no more, and the Gibson-Baldwin Showroom is just that a showroom -- empty space for people or corporations looking to throw a party in a different kind of venue, and the Gibson-Baldwin Showroom is very different. It’s also a forgotten part of New York’s music legacy.

The Hit Factory was where Michael Jackson produced his album “Bad,” and where Steve Wonder recorded his mega hit album, “Songs in the Key of Life.” Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen and others also recorded there.

The original Live Room (where the band played) is still there with its double-pane sound-proof glass; the control room on the other side of the glass sits empty, its motherboard gone; and two isolation booths are on the sidelines. One was usually used for the singer, the other for a piano or drums. There’s a club in the basement where Michael perfected his moves, and a room filled with guitars, lots of guitars. There are the traditional acoustic guitars, the Les Pauls, bass guitars, electric guitars and even one with a double neck like the one Jimmy Page played with while on tour with Led Zeppelin.

I can’t play for beans, but my father and uncle did. They used to play acoustic guitars. Their signature song for me was “Las Mañanitas.” I love that song and still play it for each of my birthdays and on special occasions.

Happy Friday. May your life always be filled with good music! ---mcf

 

PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY - STREET ART

 

I♥NY.  I especially love the street art created in sand – yes, sand! – by this wonderful street artist on Union Square.  I have to find out his name but I never want to interrupt the creative process. Maybe next time.   Enjoy!

Look at that color! those swirls! A Star Flower!

Artist at work.

See why I don't want to interrupt him.

Happy Friday