Candles, bulbs and beams stretching up to the heavens mark the ways we remember with lights. In 24 hours, when the lights have been melted away, turned off and burned out, still we will remember.
The Empire State Building crowned in red, white & blue 
Memorial candles on the Brooklyn Promenade
Lower Manhattan from the Brooklyn Promenade
5 Comments | 
Brooklyn, Manhattan, WTC | 
Permalink
Posted by annulla
It takes nearly four hours to read all the names one by one. Four hours in the bright sunlight, under a clear blue sky, as they are said in alphabetical order. Nearly 3,000 names — from Gordon Aamoth to Igor Zukelman — recited by voices that are firm with determination, shaking with fury, breaking into sobs.
As the hours pass, the mourners make their way down the long, long ramp into the pit. They carry objects that symbolize those they lost: a photograph, a poem, a teddy bear, a sweatshirt, a mass card, a baseball pennant, a toy car.
When they reach the bottom they gravitate to two shallow pools, temporarily erected with two-by-four planks, in the footprints of the missing towers. There, even those who have no graves to visit can drop flowers into the water, write messages on the raw wooden planks, pray, cry, salute, embrace and remember.
You’re a grandfather now, Dad.
I hope you made it into heaven
Dear Aunt Margaret
For all the souls of the 78th floor
Hope you’re listening to a little James Taylor
God Bless U All
PS The Mets are winning
In 1st place
I never forgot
Rest in peace Mommy
Grandpa, you are our hero!
Golden angel
General Lee
Blue rosary
Wish you could play with us
15 Comments | Manhattan, WTC | Permalink
Posted by annulla
He who plants a tree
Plants a hope.
~Lucy Larcom
On April 15, 1995, terrorists attacked the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The structure was destroyed and 168 people killed, many of them young children.
Against all odds, an ancient elm tree growing near the building survived the blast. After the horror and wreckage was cleared away, fragile new growth emerged from its blackened, wounded branches. Those affected by the attack called it the Survivor Tree and it quickly became seen as a symbol of hope and resilience. Seeds from the tree were carefully gathered and planted; representatives from Oklahoma City brought one of the resulting trees to New York City.
Today, speakers representing several faiths gathered near City Hall and described what the tree meant within their own traditions and beliefs. Then they — and survivors of the attacks on the Murrah Building and the World Trade Center — gently placed shovels full of earth around the young tree meant to symbolize healing and unity.
The sapling from the Survivor Tree joins five trees, already moved to this spot, that lived through the attack on the World Trade Center. These six trees, survivors all, form a living memorial grove, a small pocket of faith and hope, at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Ven. C. Chen, American Buddhist Confederation
Rev. Julie Taylor, Disaster Chaplaincy Services
Rabinder Singh, United Sikhs
Mohammad Ravzi, Council of Peoples Organization
Rabbi Craig Miller, Jewish Community Relations Council
Victoria Ramsey, Union Theological Seminary
Antonio Mondesire, Awo Ifa Olo-Obatala
The littlest tree planter
Akiva & Co. playing
Leave a Comment » | Manhattan, Religion, WTC | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Eleven silver strands of light,
Eleven facets of a gleaming heart,
Eleven tears, forever falling, on
Eleven names in a tranquil pool.
While the government is still years away from constructing even the simplest memorial to the thousands who died on September 11, 2001, American Express has commissioned and constructed a work of art to honor the 11 AMEX employees killed in the terrorist attack.
Entitled 11 Tears, it occupies a lobby corner of American Express’ corporate headquarters at the World Financial Center. The work was designed by landscape architect Ken Smith, a native of Iowa who now lives and works in lower Manhattan. It “unites sky and ground, heaven and earth” and incorporates natural elements: water, light, quartz crystal and black granite. At the center is a 600 pound tear-shaped piece of Brazilian quartz, which was carved to have 11 sides, one for each victim.
The massive crystal is set into a stainless steel ring and suspended from the ceiling by 11 thin cables. Beneath the point of the upside-down tear is an 11 sided black granite pool; each side is inscribed with the name of an employee and a few words, selected by those who knew them best, to summarize the people they were.
At random intervals, 11 drops of water fall from the ceiling into the pool, creating intersecting ripples, “symbolizing the connections among the close-knit group of colleagues and friends.” The fountain is surrounded by benches of matching black granite.
Visitors sitting there and looking through the windows find themselves gazing directly at the site where the 11 died, working as American Express travel counselors on the 94th floor of One World Trade Center.
Lisa Kearney-Griffin
Bridget Esposito
Benito Valentin
Yvonne Bonomo
Anne Talsky Ransom
Lucia Crifasi
Karen Renda
Paul T. Zois
Sigrid Wiswe
Loretta Ann Vero
Gennardy Boyarsky
Out the window is the World Trade Center
In Memoriam
Architect Ken Smith
29 Comments | Manhattan, WTC | Permalink
Posted by annulla
High atop a hill at the northern tip of Manhattan Island stands the Cloisters, the branch of the Metropolitan Museum devoted to the art of the middle ages. Constructed in the early 20th century, the fortress-like building was inspired by medieval structures. The setting, structure and core of the collection were gifts from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to the people of New York.
This building incorporates chapels, halls, rooms and architectural elements from Europe. The ancient stone portals, windows, columns and fountains allow many of the items on display to be shown in settings similar to their original situations. Visitors don’t simply view a wooden crucifix hanging against a white gallery wall; they see it displayed in a stone chapel, illuminated by sunbeams streaming through stained glass windows.
The museum also features three enclosed gardens, including an herb garden containing more than 250 species that were grown during the Middle Ages. The plants, grown in beds and large pots, are grouped by their intended use: household, medicinal, aromatic, kitchen and seasoning, salads and vegetables, plants used by artists, magic plants, those associated with love and marriage.
The most famous work in the Cloisters is the Unicorn Tapestries, a series of Belgian textiles portraying a party of nobles hunting and capturing the mythical creature. The collection also includes stained-glass windows, metalwork, sculpture, painting, liturgical miniatures, enamels, jewelry and of course, cloisters.
Main entrance
Lion wall fountain
Doorway to a courtyard
Butterfly in herb garden
Dragon fresco
Lion fresco
Carved ivory
Miniature ivory carving
Cross shadow
Red columns
The Unicorn is Found
The Unicorn Leaps Out of the Stream
The Unicorn at Bay
The Start of the Hunt
The Unicorn in Captivity
Window in gothic hall
Swabian stained glass panel of groom
Swabian stained glass panel of bride
A seat in the shade
Bonnefort Cloister on lower level
Espaliered pear tree
Exterior at closing time
6 Comments | Art & Photography, History, Manhattan, Museums & Galleries | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Students, to you ’tis given to scan the heights
Above, to traverse the ethereal space,
And mark the systems of revolving worlds–Phyllis Wheatley
Although her poetry was once an international sensation, today Phyllis Wheatley is remembered more for her extraordinary life than her work.
Born on the western coast of Africa in the mid-1700s and kidnapped by slave-traders, she was purchased by Bostonian John Wheatley as a servant for his wife. Her name was derived from those of her owners and the ship that transported her to America, the Phillis. Observing her quick mind (she learned English in only a few months), the Wheatleys defied custom by teaching the young slave to read and write. Soon she was reading English, Greek and Latin classics and the Bible and composing poetry.
Six years after her arrival in America, Phyllis Wheatley’s first poem was published; after another six years her book, the first published by a slave, made its debut. Her work brought her freedom, acclaim and renown. As a freewoman, she traveled in the US and abroad and met noted figures of the day including John Hancock and George Washington.
These bright-eyed kids attend a school located in a tough corner of Brooklyn and named in Phyllis Wheatley’s honor. Caught on a class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they display the energy and imagination “to scan the heights” — and more than a bit of youthful, joyful hamminess.
Three friends
Doing a split
Handstand
Deep dimples
Break dancing
Smiling boy
Leave a Comment » | Art & Photography, Brooklyn, Manhattan | Permalink
Posted by annulla
In downtown Manhattan, someone carefully painted an alphabet on the wooden fence surrounding a construction site at the corner of Warren and Church Streets. There is no visible indication of why, when or by whom this alphabet was created.
Apple � Boy
Cat � Dog
Egg � Fun
Good � Hello
Ink � Jam
Krishna � Like
Mom � No
Ontology � Pencil
Quark � Robot
Silly � Tungsten
Ulterior Motive � Vague
Wet � X-Ray
Yes � Zen
13 Comments | Graffiti/Hip-Hop, Manhattan, Mysteries | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Tonight, in an effort to stay cool and delay going down into the oppressively hot subways, I attended a book signing at the Borders Books store in Columbus Circle (stores in ritzy neighborhoods tend to keep their thermostats set at Arctic levels).
The book signing (and reading) was by boxing trainer and commentator Teddy Atlas who, working with writer Peter Alson, has just published his autobiography, Atlas: From the Streets to the Ring.
During the course of his career Atlas has moved through every level of society, working with the famous and infamous, the beautiful and the ugly, dancers and athletes, doctors and executives, underprivileged kids and hardened criminals. He’s known gentleness and viciousness, redemption and damnation, punched hard, dried tears, heard as many confessions as a priest, felt the power of love and the damage of indifference.
He arrived late, delayed by taping a TV segment at Brooklyn’s Gleason’s Gym and, apologizing profusely, read a long passage from the book. Then, fielding questions from knowledgeable fight fans, he spoke about his work with young boxers, the “Golden Age” of the sport (in his opinion, the 1920s – 1950s), why today’s fighters don’t measure up to their predecessors and why he isn’t working for HBO.
Just before he began signing books, this unmistakably tough guy said something that struck a chord with me. He spoke about fear. Atlas, who is certainly in a position to know, says that all fighters are afraid. Even the men who appear to be the toughest, the most fearless, are scared to climb into the ring. The trainer’s job isn’t to teach the boxer how to stop feeling fear (an impossible goal), but rather, how to live with his fear.
“They’re all afraid,” said Atlas. “Do you think there’s one of them that wouldn’t rather go get an ice cream than fight? They can’t stop being afraid, but they can learn not to show it. They learn to accept it and deal with it and not let it stop them.”
1 Comment | Books, Literature & Publications, Manhattan, Sports | Permalink
Posted by annulla
As a student I learned that Dada was a short-lived, rather silly art movement of little significance. My professor snickered about a few European artists who became notorious in the 1920s and 1930s by treating porcelain urinals like fine art and filming each other slicing up cow’s eyeballs. They knew how to get publicity, he told us, but they created nothing of lasting value or meaning.
How little he — and I — knew. This exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) was a revelation. The show is the first in the United States devoted exclusively Dada, and it is one of the best exhibits I’ve ever seen. I wandered in with no particular expectations and left with a fresh understanding of, and appreciation for, one of the most influential art movements of the 20th century.
The exhibit will be open for two more months. If you have the opportunity to go, do so and be prepared to think about Dada in an entirely new way. Don’t forget to pick up an audio guide. The commentary is fascinating and, thanks to our art-loving mayor, who has been throwing some of his money in MoMA’s direction, the guides are currently available free of charge.
Dada at MoMA
3 Comments | Art & Photography, Manhattan, Museums & Galleries | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Today is Bastille Day, the anniversary of 1789 uprising when the people of Paris rose up and stormed the Bastille prison. Their actions set in motion the overthrow of the monarchy and the birth of the modern French Republic.
In France, Bastille Day is a national holiday that is celebrated (much like our Fourth of July) with parades, parties and fireworks. In the United States, festivities marking the day tend to be both sparse and quirky and generally include a peculiar event called a “waiter’s race.”
For several years Les Halles Brasserie has organized a Bastille Day block party in downtown Manhattan. Even though the restaurant is currently covered in scaffolding and the street outside is undergoing major construction, the party went on, including dancing girls, waving flags, a four piece band playing La Marseillaise, chilled champagne, food fresh off the grill and special appearances by a cow, the Statue of Liberty and Marie Antoinette.
The barricades, metal plates in the asphalt and potholes made the footrace particularly challenging; professional waiters had to walk (no running allowed!) the course holding a full tray; the winner wasn’t the first to cross the finish line, but the first to cross without spilling a drop. In the spirit of empancipation, this year the “waiter’s race” was won by a steady-handed waitress. Viva La France! Viva Viva L’indépendance! Viva La Femme!
Dancing girl picks a partner out of the crowd
Lady Liberty stands outside Les Halles
A cow
Marie Antoinette
Waiting at the food tents
Food trays emptied quickly
Lamb sausages sizzling on the grill
Holding trays, waiting for the race to begin
The winner (on the right) is announced
Les Halles
Leave a Comment » | Manhattan, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
When it comes to homosexuality, most gay organizations are determined to project an image of normalcy in which all gay men are Will Truman and all lesbians Ellen DeGeneres.
— Riki Wilchins
This massive last-Sunday-in-June event has always been characterized by a mixture of flamboyance and defiance. Initially known as the “Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March,” it began as a way to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots – the singular event that sparked the gay rights movement.
The Stonewall Riots (also known as the Stonewall Rebellion) took place over several nights in June 1969. The riots started during what was supposed to be a routine police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar on Christopher Street. According to Martin Duberman’s book, Stonewall, the rebellion was sparked when a police officer prodded drag queen and incipient transgender activist Sylvia Rivera with a nightstick and she responded by throwing a bottle at him.
A melee ensued and the angry crowd overwhelmed the surprised officers who’d expected the crowd at the Stonewall, like all their predecessors, to quietly enter the paddy wagon and submit to arrests for “indecency.” When passers-by and patrons of other bars in the neighborhood joined the fight, the NYPD brought in reinforcements and riot gear. Before it was over, a crowd of 2,000 protestors fought 400 police officers. Once unleashed, their sense of injustice and outrage quickly led to the formation of several gay rights organizations.
Over the years, the anger and rebellion that fomented the gay rights movement have been largely replaced – at least in the mainstream media – by a more conservative message, a more inclusive, celebratory and conciliatory tone. The march turned into a parade, the words “Liberation” and “Freedom” were replaced with “Pride,” the focus on transgender rights and concerns was replaced by the fight for legalized gay marriage.
But this year, the rage and outrageousness that fueled the movement’s beginnings returned to the front pages and parade-goers’ conscienceness. On June 11, popular drag performer and Billboard chart-topping singer Kevin Aviance was attacked outside a gay bar in the East Village. He was robbed and savagely beaten by a group of men who yelled “Kill the faggot” and pelted him with garbage.
Suffering from a broken jaw and requiring extensive physical therapy, it appeared that he would be unable to participate, as scheduled, in the parade’s after-party.
However, two days before the march he told the New York Post, “I am getting my mouth unwired for one day, so that I can be done up for the Gay Pride Day Parade on Sunday.” And so he did. Today he made a triumphant return to the public eye, riding Hannibal-like on the back of an elephant while waving to the ecstatic, cheering, wildly proud crowd.
Gay bashers can kiss my ass
From the LGBT Community Center
Baby blue accessories
Dressed in MetroCards
Pink hat
The Barry Z Show: 15 years of great TV
The colors of Brazil
Puerto Rico
Purple and gold
Red and yellow
From the Center
Svedka Vodka float
Lady Bunny for Svedka Vodka
Rainbow Mohawk
Matching bandana & motorcycle
American by birth, biker by choice
Evita, direct from Argentina
Dancing men in lederhosen
CrossDressers International
Big water gun
Radio station KTU 103.5 float
Columbia float
Another Gay Movie
Just out of the hospital, Kevin Aviance
Kevin Aviance
2 Comments | Manhattan, Parades, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Well we’re movin’ on up
To the East Side
To a dee-luxe apartment in the sky
We’re movin’ on up
To the East Side
We’ve finally got a piece of the pie— Ja’net DuBois and Jeff Barry
Theme song to “The Jeffersons”
It wasn’t that long ago that they were homeless and hopeless, scrounging around in garbage cans and sleeping in the streets. Now these cats are ensconced in a duplex apartment on one of the city’s toniest streets. Welcome to the Meow Mix House.
10 cats from shelters around the country were brought to New York to share the Meow Mix House – a storefront that has been temporarily transformed into a kitty dream home. The cats-in-residence are participating in what’s being called “the world’s first cat reality show.” All the cats will be adopted and receive a one-year supply of Meow Mix cat food. The “winner” in will also be given “a job working for The Meow Mix Company as Feline Vice President of Research and Development.”
Of course it is silly, and it is intended to sell a lot of cat food, but the Meow Mix House also raises awareness of animal welfare and, for the week it remains at the corner of Madison Avenue and 49th Street, the house’s residents are amusing, enchanting and entertaining their fellow East Siders.
Exterior view
New Yorkers stopping in their tracks
Napping on the couch
Descending from the loft
Grabbing a snack
Sinking to a new low
Posing for passers-by
Napping
Catching some rays
Beware of cat
2 Comments | Manhattan, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
The second Tuesday of every June, as day turns to night, one of the most beautiful sections of the city hosts the Museum Mile Festival. The mile-long stretch of Fifth Avenue from 82nd Street to 104th Street is closed to traffic while nine of the cultural institutions that line its sides are open to the public, free of charge. For a few all-too-brief hours this evening, this normally quiet, dignified street overflowed with laughter, awe, music, art and magic.
Face painting on 5th Avenue
Escaping from straight jacket & chains
Watching a magician
Jazz in front of National Academy of Design
Young sidewalk artist
Chalk drawing
Chalk drawings by Giorgia
Cassis (Birgit Staudt) in front of the Goethe-Institut
Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre
Juggling flaming torch, machete & apple
Watching a street magician
Young juggler in front of Metropolitan Museum
Leave a Comment » | Art & Photography, Manhattan, Museums & Galleries, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
OK, it isn’t a typical block party; it is a heavily-promoted, big-time commerical enterprise featuring corporate sponsors and high-profile chefs. But there’s no denying that this weekend the 4th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party attracted a crowd that included some of New York’s most ravenous foodies.
The event brought 10 pitmasters to Madison Square Park for two days of marinating, smoking, basting, cooking, eating, dancing and drinking. Thousands of people stood on line for hours to get their share of the ribs, pulled pork, brisket and Brooklyn Beer while soul, jazz and country musicians took the stage. Best of all, the proceeds from the sale of food and drinks benefit the Madison Square Park Conservancy. Good food, good beer and good music, all for a good cause.
Entrance to Madison Square Park
Surrounded by smoke
Partygoer eating a barbeque sandwich
Bettye LaVette singing soulfully
Partygoer carrying a platter
Partygoers digging into platters
Pit worker covered in barbeque sauce
Pit worker in a scorched shirt
3 Comments | Manhattan, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
This section of the Lower East Side, Eldridge Street between Canal and Division, was once the home of a thriving community of Eastern European Jews. In 1887, they constructed the jewel of their block – the Eldridge Street Synagogue, an imposing Moorish-style building with a vaulted ceiling, stained glass windows, ornate brass fixtures, hand-painted murals and a velvet-lined ark.
Over time, the center of New York Jewish life moved elsewhere and the area began to fill with immigrants from other areas, primarily China. The Synagogue’s congregation dwindled, the operating budget became smaller and the building fell into disrepair. As a tiny group of worshippers hung on, the roof caved in, the walls crumbled and the entire structure neared collapse. Then, in the late 1980s, historians and community activitists “discovered” the building and formed the Eldridge Street Project, Inc., determined to restore and preserve this landmark.
Today, with the restoration project well underway, the Eldridge Street Project is sponsoring the 4th Annual Egg Rolls and Egg Creams Block Party. This unique event celebrates the evolving culture and traditions of this densely-packed community with nods to both its Jewish heritage and its Chinese present.
The block party features the language, arts, music, dance and foods of both cultures, including mah jong lessons, a Chinese calligrapher and a Jewish scribe, arts and crafts, performances in Yiddish and Chinese, and, of course, delicious home made kosher egg rolls (a fried variation of the classic Chinese spring roll which contains no egg) and egg creams (a traditional New York soda fountain drink which contains no egg).
How to Make an Egg Cream according to Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Syrup
1. Take a tall, chilled, straight-sided, 8 oz. glass.
2. Spoon 1 inch of U-Bet Chocolate Syrup into glass.
3. Add 1 inch whole milk.
4. Tilt the glass and spray seltzer (from a pressurized cylinder only) off a spoon to make a big chocolate head.
5. Stir, drink, enjoy.
Making egg creams for an eager crowd
Master egg cream maker
Mah jong on the sidewalk
Calligrapher, scribe and the tools of their trades
Restoration in progress
Selling kosher eggrolls
The yarmulke is a present for Daddy
Her first yarmulke; she made it herself
3 Comments | Food & Drink, Manhattan, Religion, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Two mysterious, brief encounters near the main branch of the New York Public Library today left me wondering about romance in this city.
First, on the 42nd Street side of the library was a scene that should have been in a movie – an old Checker cab was parked in the right lane, blocking traffic, while a photographer hurriedly shot images of a gloriously gorgeous newlywed couple. At first glance they appeared to be models posing for (perhaps) a bridal magazine, but the scene lacked all the accoutrements of a professional photo shoot; there were no stylists, no makeup artists, no assistants – just a perfectly beautiful pair in a perfectly dramatic setting on a perfectly beautiful day.
Secondly, a sign pasted inside a phone booth on the 5th Avenue side of the library. As I passed the booth, I caught a glimpse, took a few more steps and stopped. Had I really seen that? I went back for a photo of what is possibly the most anti-romantic image ever.
So … is New York one of the most romantic cities in the world or the one of the least? How do this sign and this couple exist on the same block? In the same city? In the same universe?
Stopping traffic on 42nd Street
A big clinch
Sign pasted inside phone booth (WARNING: not for the queasy).
5 Comments | Manhattan, Mysteries | Permalink
Posted by annulla
For years, friends earnestly urged me to listen to public radio and for years, I ignored their suggestions. I suspected that the programs on something called “public radio” would be either educational (translation: dull and dry) or political (translation: dull and irritating).
Then, one night, someone turned the radio dial and I heard a deep voice intone, “Welcome to Lake Woebegone, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.” I was enthralled by the quirky variety show that followed and the exotic Midwestern culture it portrayed. Fascinated by the program, A Prairie Home Companion, and its tales of Norwegian bachelors, lutefisk suppers, deer hunting and ice-fishing, I’ve kept the radio tuned to that station ever since.
Tonight, the man behind that voice and show, Garrison Keillor, appeared at the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Union Square. He described his experiences making the new feature film based on his radio broadcasts, fielded questions, offered advice and autographed books and CDs for the wistful New Yorkers who hope to spend their summer vacations on the shores of beautiful Lake Woebegone.
Garrison Keillor speaking
Signing a book for a fan
3 Comments | Books, Literature & Publications, Manhattan | Permalink
Posted by annulla
Tonight, in the offices of a small, local non-profit group, I attended the special invitation-only screening of a new film. In middle of a large, loft-like room, screens were erected, folding chairs arranged, a projector set up, and long tables covered with movie-fan-appropriate food (popcorn, soda, candy bars).
Friends, fans and family of the cast and crew filled the seats and watched the sort of, kind of, semi-official premiere of “Together,” a quirky romantic comedy set among geeks and artists in New York.
From the film’s Web site: Together was written in the summer of 2005 by Jason Hammonds and Mike Murphy. Murphy is a law student and writer at the University of Michigan and he and Hammonds have collaborated solely via the internet and phone on this project. Much credit to Emmanuel Ording, Nick McIntyre and Chad Jenkins for helpful edits and insites [sic] along the way.
The film was shot in October/November of 2005. Together takes a look inside of [the] reality and fidelity of a single man, living in NYC [and] running a business from his cramped apartment. It is a comedy with a darker side that speaks to the slightly tempestuous situations that most of us face in the course of our lives.
Smattered with characters that are just pure funny, this tragic comedy is something that everyone can relate to. The story unravels around decisions about getting married wrapped with reflections on what brought the two main characters to where they currently sit (literally at a dinner table).
This little film is low budget, but definitely not low talent.
Together: On the lake
Together: Central Park
Together: Friends talking
2 Comments | Film & Television, Manhattan | Permalink
Posted by annulla
The first tenant moved in yesterday, but the grand opening of the building at 7 World Trade Center was delayed until noon today. The usual dignitaries spoke, a blue ribbon was cut, cameras flashed, reporters took notes and then the real welcome began with a free concert featuring what was billed as “seven downtown artists.”
The show started with famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, who performed in front of the new fountain with a choir of neighborhood school-children, then climbed onstage and sang solo, ending with the words “God bless America.”
He was followed by Americana-gospel hybrid Ollabelle, the legendary Lou Reed (who sang his classic Sweet Jane), folk troupe Pharaoh’s Daughter, singer-songwriter Citizen Cope (who gave me one of his CDs), singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega (who sang her hits Luka and Tom’s Diner), electronica quartet the Brazilian Girls and the jazz of Bill Ware & Vibes.
An extra treat was provided the Soda Shop, an old-fashioned soda fountain situated on Chambers Street, a few blocks north of 7 WTC, which dished up free snacks of pure comfort New York food – egg creams, lime rickeys, pretzels, macaroni & cheese, miniature hot dogs and tiny pastel-buttercream frosted cupcakes.
Hanging a banner on the facade
Ronan Tynan performs
Member of Ollabelle performing
Lou Reed performing
Lou Reed performs
Pharaoh’s Daughter performs
Citizen Cope performs
Suzanne Vega performs
Brazilian Girls perform
Bill Ware performing
Elaine Amherd of Bill Ware & Vibes
Ollabelle signing autographs
Lou Reed signing an autograph
Taking an order for an egg cream
Fountain with Balloon Flower by Jeff Koons
4 Comments | Manhattan, Music, WTC | Permalink
Posted by annulla
In 1986 the Gay Men’s Health Crisis held the first AIDS Walk in New York and 4,500 walkers raised $710,000. Today, the 21st AIDS Walk New York saw 47,000 walkers raise an estimated $6.47 million.
The 10-kilometer walk began and ended at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street in Central Park, looping around the park and overflowing the streets. Three checkpoints along the route, staffed by volunteers, provided walkers with refreshments, toilet facilities and cheers.
Waiting for tables at Checkpoint 3
Setting up trash bins at Checkpoint 3
Young walkers on Riverside Drive
Offering drinks to the walkers
Providing drinks … and more.
Checkpoint 3 getting busy
Walking family
Walking in memory of a lost sister
Walkers from Community Service Club
Crocheting while walking
Walking while looking glamorous
Young walkers reaching Checkpoint 3
We miss you; RIP Mom
In loving memory of Raymond John Helm
Walking (not hopping) bunny
Volunteers working at Checkpoint 3
A young walker
Volunteers sweeping up at Checkpoint 3
The rain waited until the walk ended
Leave a Comment » | Manhattan, Special Events | Permalink
Posted by annulla
You are currently browsing the archives for the Manhattan category.
Blather From Brooklyn 
