I have been thinking a lot lately about the words I heard a woman preach on the train several months ago, “Money cannot buy health and strength.” I think there is something to be said in this statement about how we live our lives + the paths we choose to follow, an expression that is calling to mind what is best for my heart and soul…
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| Beneath the Empire State — New York |
every day brings a ship,
every ship brings a word;
well for those who have no fear,
looking seaward well assured
that the word the vessel brings
is the word they wish to hear.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
manhattanhenge
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| Manhattanhenge seen at 14th Street + 5th Avenue, NYC |
Thank you to my faithful reader Eric for tipping me off about this special sunset in Manhattan this evening. I was pleased to see crowds of people gathering on street corners as sundown approached, waiting for the right moment when the sun perfectly aligned with the Manhattan street grid. So comical to see viewers run into the street at red lights to snap a photo (I was one of those people)! Unfortunately the latter part of the descent was spoiled by cloud cover, but there were still several minutes of glory.
Check this out for more on Manhattanhenge — and thanks again, Eric!
Best,
jc
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| Waiting for Manhattanhenge, 14th Street + 5th Avenue, NYC |
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| Dancing for Dollas — Q Train, NYC |
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| Remnants from a Weekend on Washington & Prospect — Prospect Heights, Brooklyn |
I recently received one of these beautiful New York Metro metal cuffs as a gift from a very wonderful visitor. You can find a similar version here, and always find your way around NYC (even when you’re not in NYC).
today in brooklyn
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| Pinkstone, Garfield Place — Park Slope, Brooklyn |
coney island
This past weekend I made it out to Coney Island, roughly a 45 minute journey from my apartment. Growing up I’d always heard about Coney Island and the carnival rides, boardwalk and beachfront, but being able to experience it was without comparison. The closest thing I can relate to is summer days at the North Dakota State Fair, where spiraling rides are tangled in children’s shrieks, funnel cakes and hot dogs are abound, and the crowd stretches across every surface.
Despite the chaos of the Island, there are many isolated moments that tell simple stories in themselves. Groups of kids kicking around sand, water, or a ball, friends enjoying the waving tides, folks with their lazy bellies face up and backs in the sand. Sounds, smells, words, water, workers, wanderers, wearers of swimsuits, sunscreen and sandals. The signs of summer dotted shore to shore.
Coney Island is not beautiful, calm, or scenic. It hardly contains the trademark beach characteristics of clean sand and blue waters, and there are many people in the crowd not fit for bathing suits. I cherished Coney Island not for beauty, but for a getaway. Like the old lake and fair days I had in North Dakota, it served as a reminder of childhood, of things I always looked forward to, of getting away. And for the city dweller, getaways are entirely necessary.
best,
jc
approximatelyes.com 