All posts by gwong

Lunar Eclipse

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There are some times where I think I’m a pretty good photographer. This photo, unfortunately, is not one that would lend credence to that thought. This was supposed to be a shot of a total lunar eclipse or at least the beginning of one but I just flat out Blaise-choked (Top Chef reference for all my TC watching friends). It came out okay but nowhere nearly as nice as what I had hoped for. My problem? No tripod. I tried shooting this by propping it an an angle on a fence but it just wasn’t steady enough for the shot I wanted. The next one’s in four days but that’s gonna do me no good since I’m presently DSLR-less. Goddamn.

This photo was taken on February 20, 2008.

Lunar Eclipse

Enjoy the Go!

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Do you like hearing words of encouragement while taking care of business in the bathroom? On the go and need to find a bathroom post-haste? Stuck in the Times Square area? Well, then step right up and enter Charmin’s annual holiday pop-up bathroom! While you’re doing the deed, you’ll be serenaded by the strains of their official with no other discernible lyrics besides the cheerfully sung “enjoy the go!” Charmin – making your number two their number one priority this holiday season!

These photos were taken on December 15, 2010.

Believe

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This is what you can see on the facade of Macy’s Herald Square – “Believe” in giant Christmas lights on the 34th Street side and the Christmas tree in lights on the Broadway side. I’m all for believing but I’m reminded of another kind of believing – the kind the New York Mets engaged in selling their fans last offseason. “We believe in comebacks” being chief among them. Last night was a gigantic gut punch for Mets fans – Cliff Lee spurned the New York Yankees only to run into the arms of his old flame, the Philadelphia Phillies. Even when Mets fans, they lose. Of course they do. Believe. Whatever.

These photos were taken on December 10, 2010.

A Walk Through Wrigley Field

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After starting my summer of funemployment with an early July trip to Austin, I finished it off with a late August journey to Chicago. Food, booze, and sights were there in excess but no trip there would be complete without taking in a game at Wrigley Field. The day I went was a miserable one – chilly (for late August), windy, and wet. In short, just miserable. Somehow, they managed to get a game in, thanks to the quick work of the grounds crew. While they were setting up to get the game going at a decent time, I took the opportunity to walk all throughout the historic stadium. Maybe aged or old would be a better way to describe it – the bathrooms have troughs for men to urinate in – very bar/nightclub-like and equally messy. It’s decidedly no-frills here with just two decks of stands and the bleachers in the outfield. It’s a nice stadium but, like Fenway Park and the old Yankee Stadium, if it weren’t historic, it’d be a dump. I’m not ripping on the place but sometimes the truth sucks. I hear they got rid of the troughs this year so they’re slowly making some progress, I guess.

These photos were taken on August 26, 2009.

Just Some Old Guys Watching Basketball

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If you watch any of ESPN’s college basketball coverage, you’ll recognize these old guys as, from left to right, anchor John Saunders, analyst Digger Phelps, and analyst Bob Knight. Saunders is one of my favorite ESPN anchors/commentators – he’s smart, witty but he never makes the broadcast about him, unlike some of his fellow colleagues. Digger is a rare breed – he’s both the on-air goofball as well as a solid analyst. He’s best known for the tielighter, where he “accessorizes his flamboyant attire by matching his neckties with a like colored highlighter.” Bob Knight or “The General”, as he was known when he was a stern head basketball coach who’s a bit of an asshole but really was a great coach and leader of men, graduating more basketball players than just about every other coach there is. Sadly, he’s a snoozer on air – all that fire and energy on the court just never made it to the broadcast chair.

When I took this photo, these guys were watching the final moments of the first game of the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader. After the game ended, it would be back to work and on air for these guys.

This photo was taken on December 7, 2010.

Just Some Old Guys Watching Basketball

The National + Yo La Tengo

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On the last night of Hannukah, which also coincides with the last night of the Yo La Tengo 8-night long residency at Maxwell’s in Hoboken – funny how that just works out, no? – The National was the special guest opener. The National. Opening and playing in a 200-person venue. That’s something I thought I’d never see since Boxer was released in 2007 and their star rose rapidly. As much fun as it was to see them here, it only made me long to see them again in a much larger venue so they can have their full orchestral backing and nifty light show as well as much better sound. But, you know what, I can’t complain because just a few weeks ago, I was thinking I wish I’d gotten to see them a second time this year and, just like that, problem solved.

I’ll admit I bought the ticket because I heard The National would be there that night. And while I don’t love Yo La Tengo, I do like them and they’re a good band to see live. A good set which ended with Ira wading into the crowd during their last song.

These photos were taken on December 8 and 9, 2010.

A (Red) River Runs Through It

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Imagine walking through the turnstile and then see this stream of viscous red liquid running from just to the right of your foot all the way to the edge of the platform. Even in a Disneyfied New York City, the first thought that pops into your head has to be “this is blood,” right? It certainly looked burnt red and seemed thickish enough (thicker than water, thinner than syrup) that blood wasn’t entirely a bad guess. Thankfully (or sadly, depending on what you think is cool), after tracing it back to the source, it was just a spilled cup of some rather thick fruit juice. Oh, what could have been…

This photo was taken on December 4, 2010.

A (Red) River Runs Through It

Syracuse Fans Cheer On Their Team at Jimmy V Classic

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Last night was the annual Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, an event I attend with my friend Rachael just about every year since we’ve been friends. This time, for the first time in a long time, we actually stayed the entire time for both games. A good thing since the game I really wanted to see was Syracuse-Michigan State in the nightcap. It was back and forth for about, oh, the first four minutes, 35 seconds but after taking an 11-10 lead at 15:25 mark in the first half, Syracuse would never trail again. Sure, the Spartans would close to within two, 48-46 at the 13:16 mark in the second half but they would never get closer as the Orange then went on a 24-12 run to end the game. I took this photo at the 13:04 mark, one second after Rick Jackson made a dunk on a play he started by making a steal at the other end.

This photo was taken on December 7, 2010.

Syracuse Fans Cheer On Their Team at Jimmy V Classic

Macy’s 2008 Holiday Windows – “Believe”

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These were posted on a previous blog of mine – don’t remember which one because I’ve gone through quite a few in the past two to three years – but I figured it’s worth reposting, especially as it really is ’tis the season. The Macy’s 2008 holiday windows theme was “Believe” which I think is still the theme, even in 2010. I could be wrong. I haven’t seen this year’s windows yet but I’m hoping to check those out soon.

For a better description of 2008’s theme, I’ll let designer Paul Olszewski explain:

I wanted to take all the simple things that surround us during the holidays and make you believe that so much more goes into them, so much magic goes into them, than meets the eye.

These photos were taken on December 18, 2008.