Andrew Baisley

How many people walk down the street without looking up from their phones? We actually counted.

Louis in an Eno hammock up at Devil's Bathtub overlooking Yosemite Valley.


Hammocking over the Merced River here in Yosemite Valley. This photo is flipped upside-down, with the reflection of Half Dome.


Hanging off a bridge above Upper Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in the U.S.


Double Hammocks 30ft up, over the Merced River.


Relaxing 30ft up in a tree over the Merced River.


Hammocking up in Illilouette Canyon, in Yosemite Valley.


Louis 40ft up in a tree near the Ahwahnee Hotel.


Me, in my Eno Hammock on top of Liberty Cap, with a view of Half Dome in the background.


I love my Eno Hammock, I bring it everywhere I go.


Louis in his hammock he made himself, up at Yosemite view on a flake over looking the Valley.

slacklineblog:

I think this guy needs to invest in a slackline to take his extreme hammocking to new levels. 

Apple has officially started selling SIM-free iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices in the U.S. today. This offer is more beneficial as it does not tie you down with a standard two-year contract with a specific US carrier such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon or Sprint, which means the phone is unlocked and can be used on any carrier worldwide. The SIM-free versions start at $650 USD for the 16GB iPhone 6 and goes up to $950 USD for the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus. Having taken Apple over three months to release the SIM-free iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus since its launch, look for this version now at select retail stores in the U.S. and online at Apple.

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast.com

Welcome to In Focus, a feature where writer Hannah Frishberg profiles some of the great street photographers of New York City's past and present.

[The Freedom Tunnel, June 2010. All photos by Stéphane Missier.]

"I didn't have a camera in my hand before coming to New York," says photographer Stéphane Missier, but the city inspired him to start shooting. Now eight years later, he has hit every urban explorer's favorite site—though don't call him an urban explorer. Missier was born in the small town of Metz, in northeast France, and although he's spent nearly a third of his life in his native country, he maintains that he only has the accent to prove it. "My biggest inspiration is New York," he says, and he spends his days capturing the street life in Brooklyn and Manhattan, focusing on urban ruins and oft-forgotten corners of the city.

[Abandoned Greenpoint Warehouse, February 2011]

What do you think your photos say about New York City?

I think that the main comment I get about my pictures is they have an atemporal feeling to them. They look like New York in the '70s or the '80s. When you look at my work, you don't know when those pictures were taken. I'm trying to capture the New York I have in my head. Being a foreigner, I grew up with images of the city and pop culture references from back in the '90s. I guess at the beginning I was just trying to capture the things that I've seen. The New York of today is boring. I guess New York is not the same anymore. It's completely different, even Brooklyn. So I was never interested in taking pictures in SoHo and all that stuff. I wanted to find the real vibe, the real New York. I wanted to recreate the authenticity I have seen in movies. Al Pacino, Carlito's Way, Bryan de Palma, Spike Lee. That's the New York I wanted to capture. That's the inspiration.

[Shadows from Neptune (Underneath the B Train), March 2011]

Why do you think street photography is important?

You just capture the time. In my case, it's just my expression of my time in New York. I'm not from here, so if I ever tried to live somewhere else in the future, I would have those pictures as a memory of my time in New York.

[Red Hook Grain Terminal, August 2010]

What attracts you to ruins photography?

I really started photographing because of street art. I'm a big street art fan, and I was lucky enough to move back to New York in 2007 when it was really the explosion of street art. Not graffiti, but wheat pastes and stencil artists. I was just driving around Brooklyn and Manhattan chasing those pieces. It was the very beginning of Flickr, and it was some kind of a competition. I learned about the Freedom Tunnel, and thought, 'wow, I want to go there.' So I went, and that's when I fell in love with that feeling, the adrenaline. After awhile I went to the most iconic abandoned places in New York, like the Red Hook grain terminal. I went six or seven times with different people, taking them up on the roof, just hanging around waiting for the sunset.

[The Freedom Tunnel, July 2010]

Do you have a favorite abandoned place in New York?

Whenever you're on the highway or around Red Hook and you can see that massive piece of concrete, the Red Hook grain terminal...the view on the roof is amazing. I think it's the highest point in that section of Brooklyn. You've got Lady Liberty on the side, and when the sun sets, it's just magical. I wish I could go there more often. The Freedom Tunnel is also pretty dope, although the murals aren't there anymore. It's just the feeling, the beams of light hitting the tracks, and the light on the wall, and the little bit of danger.

[The Atrium: A Hidden Gem in Downtown New York, October 2011]

How do you feel about the phrase "urban exploration"?

I don't like that phrase, because at the end of the day, it's still street photography. I was never in my head part of that "urbex" movement. I always distanced myself from urban exploration. It's like, its street photography, under the street. I went to Detroit with a friend, and we just went everywhere in terms of urban exploration. And after that, after being on top of Michigan Central Station...everything felt so boring after that. In my head, I went to the best destination ever, and when I came back to New York I was back on photographing people.

[Bushwick Industrial Train Tracks, November 2010]

Do you find photographing a living subject more intimidating than breaking and entering?

It's completely different. Taking pictures of kids in Bushwick, it's not illegal. You just walk up to them and ask their mothers if you can take a picture of their sons. Being in the Freedom Tunnel, with the train that passes by, trying not to get caught by the Amtrak police, or the grain terminal, with the Coast Guard next to it... Once we saw a flash from the roof, and we saw cops as we were coming out through Red Hook Park, so you had that adrenaline directly linked to where you are.

[Bottle Beach, March 2011]

Have you ever been confronted while taking pictures?

I've gotten dirty looks and stuff like that, but that was more in East Williamsburg with the hasidim. They don't really like to see anyone with a camera next to their family and their houses. I don't usually walk with my camera in my hand, I walk with it in my backpack. Then I start to talk to people and I pull out the camera, and they all want to be photographed. I don't steal their pictures, I always ask, and most of the time, people say yes. Usually they're like, 'oh yeah, no one ever took my picture.' They feel flattered that someone is paying attention to them. I always email them the pictures, and if they don't have email, I just go back to their house and drop a print for them, like with this one 86-year-old Cuban man.

[Lavender Lake, September 2010]

Does photographing the changing city make you sad? Do you feel as though something is being lost, or do you find the process very photogenic?

It definitely makes me sad. I walk through my old neighborhood and nothing's the same. I walk past those beat up walls, the iconic graffiti and pieces of art, and it's gone. The streets are in constant flux. One time, I was shooting a friend and I said, 'I know a very nice wall, we'll shoot there.' We went there and it was repainted. If you see something you like you've got to take a picture right now because you don't know if it's going to last.

It's almost like Manhattan doesn't have any soul anymore, and that soul is disappearing in some sections of Brooklyn, too. So from a photography standpoint I need to find another turf. Living in Bed-Stuy, I'd just walk around my block, didn't have to take the subway or travel. Everything felt so genuine. Now I have to find other places.

It's difficult for me to talk about gentrification because I'm not a native New Yorker. I'm not even from the U.S. I moved to Bed Stuy in 2007. I am technically a gentrifier, but I have a bunch of principles I try to respect when I go to a new neighborhood. You try to know the neighborhood where you are. When you know your neighborhood, you're going to respect it and the residents.

[Doz Bel, 2011]

What kind of camera do you use? Do you ever use film?

I have one 50 millimeter for portraits and one 28-135 millimeter. I mainly use a Canon 7D, but I also have a Contax T2. I mainly shoot with the 28-135 one, the other one is just to play around. I feel like you either do film or digital photography. I feel like it's difficult to do go between the two. Ninety percent of the photos on my website are digital. With digital, you don't have to pay a lot of money and you can shoot a lot. It's lazy, but I learned photography on a digital camera.

[Ina Rubadub Style, August 2008]

Do you have a favorite photo or photo taking experience?

From my collection, I have two or three pictures that I really, really like. One is a black and white photo of a guy in front of a wall of speakers in a street. It's not an amazing picture, but it was a block party in front of my house. I love that picture because of the moment, and all the memories I have of living on that block in Bed-Stuy.

[Summer in the City, August 2012]

Also, one of a guy with a tattoo of his chest that says "In memory of mom." I really like that picture. We were talking about where he got the tattoo, and the guy said he got it in jail, and then we talked about how he ended up in jail. My favorite pictures are linked to the moments and conversations with the people. My favorite pictures have an amazing story in the background.

[Bushwick Industrial Train Tracks, 2010]

In your photos of the Bushwick train tracks, were people living there when you shot those images?

I didn't see those guys. Those people had dogs and stuff, and some people got bit by the dogs. There was no one there, just toys and books and mattresses.

[Bushwick Industrial Train Tracks, November 2010]

You used to go by Charles Le Brigand - what happened to that identity?

It's like your Hotmail email when you were 17. You're embarrassed. It was my alter ego. I don't use it anymore. The thing is, I had a lot of attention on my photos when I had that name. Now I don't want to differentiate myself.

[Chris Pape aka Freedom, July 2010]

Who or what is your biggest inspiration or influence?

My biggest inspiration is New York. I didn't have a camera in my hand before going to New York, and then I realized stuff was happening. Seven years ago, no one was in Bushwick and you had some nice spaces and I was like, 'oh, I'm going to document street art.' I saw the life happening around pieces of art, and I dropped street art and focused on people and places.

[Bushwick Industrial Train Tracks, November 2010]

[Hell, September 2010]

[The Hole, September 2010]

[Abandoned Greenpoint Warehouse, February 2011]

[The Batcave, September 2010]

[The Bronx Riviera, July 2011]

[The Batcave, September 2010]

[The Batcave, August 2010]
· Stéphane Missier [Flickr]
· In Focus archives [Curbed]

Ending years of speculation, lobbying, protesting, and hand-wringing, the Cuomo administration has reached a decision on hydraulic fracturing in New York State, announcing today that the state would finalize a six-year moratorium on the process of extracting gas from the Marcellus Shale, a massive deposit of trapped gas deep under parts of New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. [ more › ]

#BreakfastSerial listening party!

(ed. We banished the intern for being a mooch.)

nyc-arts:

parkavenuearmory:

Micro-photography of individual snowflakes by Alexey Kljatov

Incredible! 

uchicagoadmissions:

This robot goalie is about as good at soccer as admissions officer Sam Pennisi, who sent this gif along for your enjoyment. 

GOPY

First images of 204 Forsyth.... Eleven half and full floor residences on the park, across from 215 Chrystie Street. A dramatic penthouse with lots of outdoor space. Stunning interiors by Paris Forino. Launching soon, so register on www.204forsyth.com :heart:

A photo posted by Fredrik Eklund (@fredrikeklundny) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:55am PST

Master Instagram revealer Fredrik Eklund has taken to the medium once more to show off the first interior renderings from 204 Forsyth Street, the ground-up development overtaking the former lot of Nativity Mission School on the Lower East Side. The seven-story, 11-apartment residential building is being developed by Charles Saulson of Bowery misfortune fame. Eklund indicates that sales in the building will be "launching soon."

· 204 Forsyth [official]
· Fredrik Eklund [Instagram]
· All 204 Forsyth Street coverage [Curbed]

This summer, several homeless New Yorkers were each given a camera and told to shoot "that which they hoped others might see." Their arresting photographs are currently displayed at the Bowery Mission under the title: "Through My Lens: A Photographic Survey from Society's Margins." [ more › ]

Tech-giant Microsoft gives us a glimpse of what it's like to work for one of the most innovative companies in the industry. The 20,000 square foot location combines cozy and high-tech elements to create a unique workspace that utilizes a variety of decor. Outfitted with Microsoft's latest gadgets, the office features lounges, game rooms and large relaxation areas that encourage interaction between all of the employees. In addition, the colorful interior showcases different art works and includes an extensive set of furniture to ensure that creative energy is present throughout the building. Check out the images above to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Microsoft office in Washington.

Read more at Hypebeast.com

Photographer Peter Clarke has sent us photos of MY80, a residential apartment building in Melbourne, Australia, designed by architecture firm Hayball.

From the architect

The building’s diverse vertical neighbourhood features retail tenancies, commercial premises and residential dwellings.

With a strident, singular expression, the tower wears a richly detailed yet rhythmic skin. The folded geometry is reflected in the predominantly horizontal articulation, with fluid, vertical elements providing an organic connection between each level of the building. Curved junctions soften the façade and frame compelling views of the city and beyond from apartment balconies.

Public and communal spaces enrich the activity of the tower. The ground floor is occupied by retail, with a residents’ lounge and business centre as a mezzanine to the main foyer. A double height communal terrace on level 15 delivers a pool, designer kitchen, barbecue and cinema. A communal terrace and sky lounge at the top of the building (level 53) crown MY80.

Architect: Hayball
Photography by Peter Clarke Photography

[All photos by Will Femia.]

The Greenwich Lane, the residential redevelopment of St. Vincent's Hospital, is a huge project—so huge that its sales gallery was built in a former supermarket. It's fitting to describe such a massive sales gallery as ridiculous. But the Rudin family's motto has always been "go big or go home" (we just made that up), so naturally, the development team built out a model for every single building in the project. There are five buildings, plus five townhouses, and each has its own distinct aesthetic design by Thomas O'Brien, whose favorite thing to do is combine old and new. At the Greenwich Lane, he eschews the all-white-everything so often seen in new developments, and the results are remarkable. If it was possible to live in a sales gallery, we'd happily move in.

No prospective buyer would want to see every single model, so to help them narrow down their options, they first take a look at an intricate scale model of the building and play with a massive Greenwich Lane iPad. The gallery above captures this experience, and details the elaborate underground amenity complex that exists below the buildings.

The FXFOWLE-designed development has more than 200 units, and it's currently more than 70 percent sold. About 90 percent of the buyers are domestic, with about 70 percent already living in the city. Closings will start in early 2016.

↑ First up is 140 West 12th Street, a 22-unit building with mid-century-inspired design and restored facade. The one- to five-bedroom homes feature casement windows, red oak hardwood floors in a "russet" finish, and many units have private terraces. The sales gallery model shows the design of the Art Deco lobby, which has walnut paneling, marble wainscoting, and a carved stone base. O'Brien designed all of the furniture and lighting. There are currently two units available in this building, a 3,088-square-foot 4BR asking $8.61M and a 1,073-square-foot 1BR asking $2.59M.

↑ Moving down the block to 150 West 12th Street, which has a restored 1920s facade and 1920s-inspired design. The 14-story building features 24 units, with two per floor. They range from one- to five-bedrooms homes, including several multi-level homes with private gardens and terraces. The kitchens here are a dream, featuring soapstone counters, white cabinets with milk glass insets, and espresso-stained floors. The master bathrooms are also lovely, with a herringbone-patterned gray marble floor with a white marble tile border. O'Brien repeats the same shapes in all of the bathrooms, but in slightly different ways. There are also only two units available here; a $12.45 million 5BR and a $18.75M penthouse.

↑ 160 West 12th Street is the third and final building that features a restored facade. It is the biggest of the West 12th bunch, coming in at 15 stories and 58 one- to four-bedroom units. Here, O'Brien's designs are Bauhaus-inspired; homes' front doors are black painted steel, and kitchens have stainless steel lower cabinets and glass back splashes. Master bathrooms have mosaic marble floors and slatted cabinetry. Nine units are still available, ranging in price from $3.45 million to $8.57 million.

↑ Along Seventh Avenue, we have 155 West 11th Street, the biggest building in the project. It's entirely new construction, and fits in with the rest of the city's new construction by being very glassy. The 82 units have floor-to-ceiling windows, so to balance the sunlight, O'Brien use a richer palette in the kitchens. Cabinets and floors have a dark stain, and kitchen counters are a darker grey marble. The design is decidedly more modern than any of the West 12th Street buildings. According to StreetEasy, there are seven units available at no. 155, starting at $3.65 million. The priciest option is an 11th floor corner unit that's asking $17.525 million.

↑ There are only eight full-floor units at 145 West 11th Street, and only one $19.15 million unit remains. Reps call the building "club-like," and the design matches that feeling. The model features elements of the lobby, which has fabric-upholstered walls with antique brass trim and a floor with three different kinds of marble. The word "lavish" is definitely appropriate. The homes measure 4,500 square feet, and the $25 million penthouse found a buyer awhile ago.

↑ And finally, we have the townhouses. They measure 27.5 feet wide and can have up to six bedrooms. The entire third floor is a master suite, and there are fireplaces in the master bedroom as well as the living room. Each has a private garden, and a glass wall in the living space can fold open to bring the outside in. The kitchens look similar to those in 155 West 11th Street, but they also feature a wood-burning oven. What makes these houses different than all other new construction townhouses is that they have all of the same services as the rest of the Greenwich Lane, meaning the owners will never have to shovel snow or take out their garbage. They have not yet been listed, but will ask an average of $25 million each.
· The Greenwich Lane [official]
· All Greenwich Lane coverage [Curbed]

Architectural firm LGA have designed the Garden House in Toronto, Canada.

From the architects

After years of living in an Edwardian house in Toronto’s west end, the owner decided it was time for change. She wanted to remain in her neighbourhood, but she was keen for a smaller home in order to declutter her life and she was excited to engage in the creative process of designing a house. She found a small lot only a block away from her historic home and she approached LGA Architectural Partners to help her build a new home with a modest budget and a contemporary attitude.

Simplicity and practicality were of prime importance. LGA designed a neatly stacked trapezoidal box that maximizes the space of the narrow lot and breathes within the generosity of the adjacent laneway. They clad the front and back façades in no-maintenance cedar to warmly greet the street, and the sides with a dark cement board to visually “remove” the private house from the shared laneway.

LGA employed a number of strategies to create a spacious interior that belies its small footprint and modest street elevation. They organized the open concept interiors by cleverly defining rooms without closing off most spaces. A low counter separates the kitchen and entry vestibule and three stairs serving as seating lead down to the generous sunken living room. By placing the breakfast room at the front of the house facing a large window overlooking the street, LGA created an area that doubles as an indoor porch where owner and her family can sit and watch the street life, or draw the curtain for privacy. In the living room, built-in storage provides additional seating and leaves the room open and uncluttered. Sliding glass doors open to the backyard extending the interior space outside.

On the second floor and at the nexus of the house, the library/office takes advantage of natural light and prime views with a desk placed in front of a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking mature backyard trees. Up a small stairway, the master bedroom and modest three-piece bathroom feel protected, but not cramped as big windows wash the interiors with natural light. A skylight above the open riser stairwell leading up to the second floor draws natural light down into the house, reducing the need for artificial light in the basement.

The interior artfully balances the owners love of colour, texture and pattern with her need for neutral spaces to think with clarity and to display her books, art and artifacts. The cheerful green accent wall in the entry vestibule playfully contrasts the primarily bright white walls. Pops of turquoise on the inside of the kitchen cabinets delightfully surprise. The owners partner, a lighting designer, programed the LED light bank along the expansive white wall by the staircase, transforming the house itself into a canvas for an ever-changing light show. The owner brought the furniture from her previous house and her vintage pieces are refreshed in their new contemporary setting. The house is a play of contrasts – old and new, subtle and bold, playful and practical, small yet spacious.

Architect: LGA Architectural Partners
Project team: Dean Goodman (Partner-in-Charge), Danny Bartman, Yvonne Popovska, Megan Cassidy

Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame

Among the many eccentric dining options of Korean cuisine, none comes as taboo and controversial to foreigners as the art of eating a live octopus. Vice recently headed over to Seoul as part of its food-centric MUNCHIES series to visit Jongno Octopus where Head Chef Kim Sang Jin shows viewers the proper way to eat and serve live octopus. Freshly caught and locally sourced, the octopus is washed and drained by Chef Kim as he cuts the tentacles into small bite-sized pieces. A dash of garlic, chili, and sesame oil tops the dish as it makes its way out to diners. Slow and steady chewing is a recommended route to consuming the traditional live octopus dish, a staple in Korean cuisine. Enjoy the video above.

Read more at Hypebeast.com

Welcome to In Focus, a new feature where writer Hannah Frishberg profiles some of the great street photographers of New York City's past and present.

[A subway scrapyard in 1987.]

For more than 30 years, Steven Siegel has been photographing New York City. After living in the city for more than two decades, he's since moved back home to the New Jersey suburbs, but he can't help but return to his "Dream City" when he can, seeking out that "holy grail of street photography." While he's found beauty in the New Jersey Meadowlands, Alaska, and Upstate New York ruins, nothing compares for him with the "tidal wave of humanity" on a busy Manhattan street corner. The selection of photos here are some of Siegel's most iconic shots from the 1980s, a time when, he suspects, the amount of pictures taken in Times Square on any given day numbered in the dozens. Indeed, people often assumed he was shooting for a newspaper, as the concept of recreational street photography was so rare most found it inconceivable.

[South Bronx.]

Have you enjoyed photographing the changing city, or does it make you sad and jaded?

Well, the only constant in New York is change. And, of course, one has to be ambivalent about that. From a photographer's standpoint, it's fascinating to return to a location that you photographed five or ten years ago and to note the changes and to record the changes.

New York is changing and it always has been. New York has been driven by commercial forces from the time of its founding by the Dutch. The only issue is the pace of change, which varies greatly by borough and neighborhood. Fortunately, in the outer boroughs, there are still lots of places that have retained their idiosyncratic character, their authenticity. Check back in five years, though!

The truth is: New York is, in reality, hundreds of cities. I've been photographing New York for decades and the city is so dense and complex that I can still encounter a neighborhood in New York and be utterly surprised.

[225th Street and the Harlem River, at the C Rock.]

Do you find New York today less photogenic than it was a few decades ago?

Photogenic is such a subjective word. I never get tired of street photography, and I really do believe that Manhattan street photography in particular is unique and always will be, precisely because of the mix of people on the street and in the subways from all over the world. The essence of New York is getting a business person next to a homeless person next to recent immigrants—the enormity, the heterogeneity of the people, just standing on a busy street corner and taking it all in, whether you're photographing or not. New York is eight million people from all over the world living in relative peace, which is hopeful for the whole world, that people in such close proximity can get along.

The essence of New York is and always has been forced interaction with strangers every step of the way. For most Americans, that's incredibly anxiety producing. They're used to their bubble, their personal space they can control. Random interactions, that's what New York's about, and that's what street photography's about. We as photographers, we want to tap into it because the power of a great street photograph is the power of people who don't know one another passing by like ships in a night, and what that says when you have a picture of New York, Midtown Manhattan with a high powered businessman passing a homeless man on the street. That high powered businessman, if he were in suburban New Jersey, would never pass a homeless man. He would never have to confront that. He'd be in his limousine. So street photography is all about documenting that, which is what cities are, especially New York. People from all around the world being in close proximity.

[Central Park, 1981.]

What kind of camera do you use?

35mm old Nikon camera, Fujifilm. I've had the camera for 10 or 15 years. Before the Fuji film, I used Kodachrome till the day Kodak eliminated it. I have irrationally held on to film photography. At some gut level, I hold onto film photography because I hold on to the craft, even though the craft is no longer necessary. I guess for me, my entire body of work is film, and when I leave this earth I will leave behind a body of work that is one medium; my portfolio will be consistent.

At some deep psychological level, because I put up with film for all the years and all of its inconvenience, it's a badge of honor to continue to use it. Digital is so easy; a monkey could photograph with digital. That's incredibly depressing to me.

When I was photographing 20 or 30 years ago, there were very few street photographers, because it was a hard thing to do. Street photography was so rare that people on the street did not understand why anyone would be photographing their neighborhood. Many assumed that I was working for a newspaper. They couldn't conceive someone would be photographing an ordinary neighborhood for no apparent reason. Now photography is everywhere, and the number of pictures taken in Times Square every day is in the millions. When I was photographing Times Square in the '80s, the number of pictures taken in a day was, I suspect, in the dozens.

[Brooklyn Bridge 35.]

You have some landscape photography on your Flickr, as well as many shots of Jersey - have you ever found a comparable subject to photograph, besides New York?

The New Jersey Meadowlands is a special place for me. I love the idea that photographers can find hidden beauty in places that many people find to be conventionally ugly. But look again, and you can find the beauty.

[Village Halloween parade.]

How would you say today's ruin photography compares to your work in the '80s?

Of course, there's far fewer ruins today in New York and the surrounding areas than there were thirty years ago. It's fairly difficult to find an abandoned building in New York City today; 30 years ago, they were everywhere in the outer boroughs.

As for ruins photography generally, it's become almost fashionable and stylish. It was an eccentric pursuit when I was doing it decades ago, now it's become almost a mainstream hobby.

[Aqueduct Racetrack.]

What's the best picture you didn't take?

I've been photographing for more than 30 years. There are thousands of photos that have gotten away when you do it for that long. It's too painful to even catalogue, more difficult than cataloguing your dreams. The best salve is to take more photos. With photography, you are at the mercy of forces beyond your control, so you do the best you can.

[South Bronx circa 1980.]

Tell me about the shot of the man throwing the brick?

He was a guy that I knew and it was a posed shot so it looks a bit more edgy than it actually was.

[The Bowery.]

How about the one of the people on the Bowery? Did you talk to them?

I definitely engaged them. You can usually tell when the photographer engages the subject. The Bowery has a fascinating history. The Bowery in the 1980s was the city's skid row. Alcoholic men would go to liquor stores, get drunk and fall onto the sidewalk, so you'd have to step over their bodies walking down the street. Long gone. Sometimes people were nice and sometimes they were aggressive and confrontational. I'm quite fortunate that I never had any physical violence directed at me in all the years.

[Subway Dream 4.]

The subway dream series? Where did you find those cars?

Those photos were taken in the late 1980s in a subway scrapyard in Jersey City. Incidentally, the scrapyard is s still there, but the subway cars are long gone. It was an amazing location, truly surrealistic. The New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty were in the background. Just amazing! One of my films from that period has a scene inside one of those cars.

[WTC, circa 1980.]

Have you considered publishing a book of your photography?

I've been trying to get a photo book published. It's very tough. I do believe that my 1980s New York images are marketable, because they're historical photos that you can't go out and photograph today. It just goes to show that if you last long enough, some of your photos may eventually acquire some value as historical artifacts.

[Charlotte Street, The Bronx, circa 1980.]

Who are your biggest influences and inspirations?

I'm aware of the old masters—Walker Evans, Helen Levitt, Diane Arbus. It's hard to identify any single influence, but I guess what always has driven me to photography is I'm a naturally curious person. I love to explore places, and if I'm going to explore I might as well bring my camera. That's why people do urban photography, street photography, and ruins photography. They just love going discovering and visiting the world around them. And I'm one of them. The New York metropolitan area is such an enormous collection of human settlements that connect in direct and subtle ways to each other. Either you're interested or you're not, and if you are, chances are you might as well enhance that enjoyment by photographing it.

[South Bronx.]

[Coney Island.]

[South Bronx circa 1980.]

[Abandoned West Side Highway.]

[View from Jersey City, circa 1980.]

[Central Harlem.]

[Times Square circa 1985. The juxtaposition of the signage here is just so strange and ironic. Not sure whether the overall effect is one of absurdity or sadness.]

[Circa 1985.]

For more of Siegel's photos, check out his Flickr.
—Hannah Frishberg
· In Focus archives [Curbed]

Going caroling

[Credit: Shuttstock/Victor Masalski]

'Tis the season for giving, which means it's time to revisit the annual holiday tipping guide. Most building staff in New York City prefer to receive their holiday tips in early December, so to help you dole out the dollars, take a look at a tipping guidelines memo originally sent out by a Two Trees Management super back in 2005 (original here, and years' worth of Curbed tipping advice over here). But what worked for Two Trees' staff and tenants nearly a decade ago won't necessarily work for the rest of New York today. Brick Underground always provides a comprehensive guide, offering a general tip range for different types of building staff.

Brick Underground's general tip range remains the same as it has been the last few years:

Super, resident manager: $75 -$175 on average (broad range: $50 - $500)
Doorman, concierge: $25-$150 on average (broad range: $10 - $1,000)
Porter, handyman: $20 - $30 on average (broad range: $10 - $75)
Garage attendant: $25 - $75 on average (broad range $15-$100)

Every year, Brick Underground also conducts a poll asking New Yorkers how much they tip. More than 700 people answered in 2013, and here are a few takeaways from the results:
· 25 percent of owners in doorman buildings tipped nothing.
· 25 percent of owners in non-doorman buildings also tipped nothing.
· 26 percent of renters in non-doorman buildings tipped nothing as well.
· Only 4 percent of renters in doorman buildings tipped nothing, while 20 percent tipped more than $1,000, making them the most generous group.
· 23 percent of renters in non-doorman buildings tipped more than $2,500, which BU thinks could be "a testament to the Airbnb sharing economy where renters rely on supers to turn a blind eye and/or lending a helping hand."

This year's poll is ongoing, but it's shaping up to have similar results. Tipping, of course, isn't mandatory, but forgoing the gifting custom may put you on the frostier side of service.
· BrickUndergound's 2014 Holiday Tipping Guide [BrickU]
· Holiday Tipping Poll 2014 [BrickU]
· The Tipping Point archive [Curbed]

Black Friday Sales Roundup

Don’t bother fighting the crowds this Friday. More and more retailers are putting their sales online, allowing you to shop comfortably from home. We’ll be doing a Black Friday sales roundup from now until Sunday, and then make a new post the following day for Cyber Monday. 

For now, here are some early Black Friday deals. Check back often, as we’ll update this list throughout the next few days. We’ll italicize new listings, so you know what’s just come in. 

Oh, and of course all of our hand-made pocket squares are 23% off with the code HOLIDAYS.

Australian supermodel Gemma Ward, best known for being the youngest model to appear on the cover of American Vogue and for dating actor Heath Ledger before his death, has listed her two-bedroom East Village co-op for $2.25 million, the Daily News reports. The prewar apartment benefited from a recent renovation and features, in addition to the master bedroom and smaller second bedroom, a living room, dining room, and den with a wet bar. The latter two rooms are separated by cast iron and glass doors. Ward bought the place in 2007 for $1.5 million.

· Listing: 232 East 6th Street #4CDE [Town, via Streeteasy]
· Supermodel Gemma Ward wants $2.25M for her East Village apartment [NYDN]

[Elephants in the first Macy's Parade, in 1924, then called the Macy's Christmas Parade. Photo via Macy's.]

New York City's iconic holiday traditions span centuries. Take the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting, a lit-up spectacle that dates back to 1931. As for the balloon- and float-filled extravaganza that is Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, its first iteration crawled the streets in 1924. Then, it was all about Christmas, promoting the department store's in-house Santa Claus, and featured real elephants. But as the years marched on, balloons were added, characters morphed, and the hoopla grew. Peruse these historic images for a sense of parades past.

↑ 1927: the Happy Dragon, the second parade balloon. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1929: a dachshund balloon released after the parade. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1931: a balloon breaks free near the Empire State Building. Photo via the NYPL.

↑ 1932: the parade near Columbus Circle. Photo via the NYPL.

↑ 1932: balloons near Columbus Circle. Photo via the NYPL.

↑ 1934: a balloon based on performer Eddie Cantor. This was the first balloon ever based on a real person. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1934: this Mickey Mouse balloon was the first ever created with the help of Walt Disney. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1940: a Santa balloon rounds the corner. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1940s: Happy Hippo balloon. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1940s: Uncle Sam. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1946: a pilgrim balloon. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1947: the Macy's elf. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1948: Harold the Fireman's first-ever appearance. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1949: Harold is back, and now he's a baseball player, embodying the national pastime. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1958: A Spaceman balloon, hung from a crane. Photo by Bettmann/CORBIS.

↑ 1961: Bullwinkle makes an appearance, and is captured in color, too. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1965: here comes Underdog! Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1966: It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's an old-school Superman. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1968: This is the first-ever Snoopy balloon—Flying Ace Snoopy, to be precise. Six Snoop-tastic iterations follow. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1977: It's Kermit. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1984: Raggedy Ann. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1985: Betty Boop. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1988: Pink Panther. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 1991: Spider-Man makes his first appearance. Photo via Macy's.

↑ 2002: Oh my, Kermit, how you've grown. Photo via Macy's.

· Historic Images [Macy's]
· Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | A Photo Archive [42nd Black Watch]
· 82 Years of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, In Photos [Curbed]

wordbookstores:

In cold milk. 

Every watch tells a story. Sometimes passed down, sometimes waiting to be told. Or maybe the story is the watch itself — hewn from a solid block of tegmented, submarine grade steel, repurposed from the cockpit dial of a retired WWII-era fighter, or containing stones salvaged from the tallest peak in the world.

Either way, you’ve found the watch whose story speaks to you, completing your look and telling the time through the immutable style of a flick of the wrist. But what makes it worth your hard-earned cash? From materials and craftsmanship to critical componentry, there is a wide range of criteria that can spell the difference between a $100 watch and a $10,000 watch — starting with where it was made. And while the confidence of “Swiss Made” is one of the most recognizable and powerful marketing tools employed by the watch industry, it’s hardly a definitive stamp of quality. Look deeper, and you’ll also find quality timepieces made in Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, and even China. But regardless of origin, since sheer quality is impossible to fake, here are just a few things to look for in a superior timepiece.

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Things to Consider

Availability: In the modern age of mass production and distribution, “limited edition” doesn’t always spell exclusivity. Know the quantity and the market to determine if “LTD” is worth the extra coin.
Power: Quartz vs. Mechanical: We’ve already covered this, but the guts of the watch are critical — expect a quality mechanical watch to start at two to three times the cost of a quartz.
Case: Not all composites, precious metals, or alloys are created or shaped equal. Expect to pay a premium for custom machining in ceramics and carbon fiber, solid precious metals (rather than plating), or alloys like surgical stainless steel and titanium with greater hardened properties and corrosion-resistance.

Crown: Due to tighter tolerances and greater complexities in machining, a screw-down crown adds better water resistance, and thus sometimes commands a slightly higher premium than a standard push-pull crown.

Crystal: Scratch-proof synthetic sapphire will always cost more than an acrylic or mineral crystal, but will likely still look new after several years of regular wear.

Bezel: On many sport watches, a fixed or rotating bezel usually protects the edges of the crystal while displaying additional timing information. Aluminum or steel bezel inserts are the most common, but an upgrade to a ceramic insert gets you scratch-proof protection and added resistance to UV damage.

Dial: Texture and color; like applied (raised) indices, generous luminosity, and a chapter ring or handset that play with the light are just a few signs of an extra measure of care beneath the crystal.

Movement: There are precious few companies capable of mass-producing in-house movements — Rolex and Seiko being two such examples. The vast majority of other watch companies rely on outside sources to supply the movements. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, avoid paying an excess premium for watches powered by stock ETA, Sellita, or Rhonda movements, as these parts often lack the finishing or exclusivity typically reserved for watches with in-house movements. Some companies like Muhle-Glashutte buy stock parts and modify them heavily to suit the needs of their watches. These performance upgrades are usually the bridge between off-the-shelf and fully in-house movements.
Finishing: There are many ways to “finish” or fine-tune many of the minute details of a watch, from its polished case or bracelet machining, to the bezel tension and smoothness of crown action, or even to the movement itself, which might have Geneva stripes, blued screws, or decorative perlage. Good finishing always adds visual appeal, but complexity and length to the production process, separating the wheat from the chaff and often spelling the difference between $200 and $2,000.

Even still, while there are infinitely many other manufacturing details that can impact a watch’s value, its regular availability, distribution channels, and the brand’s pedigree (re: “marketing budget”) will often spell the greatest disparity in price. Fret not though, as there are still plenty of amazing watches just waiting to be found — ones that proudly maintain the rich traditions of their predecessors while maintaining modest price expectations.

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Buying New?

If you’re planning on buying the watch new, your foremost option is usually to start with a trip to the local authorized dealer of the watch. From here, you’ll have firsthand access to trying on the watch along with the personalized service that comes with any good shop. This could include access to extended warranties, fitting or service benefits, or price breaks on later purchases — whatever you get, it never hurts to make friends with the guys around the corner before you start nosing around online.

More often than not, there are better deals to be found online, but be aware that while many less than scrupulous retailers aren’t in the business of selling fake or replica watches, there are plenty of ‘grey market’ products (display items, returns, dead stock, etc.) floating around the internet waiting to be snapped up for the best deal. When purchasing online, confirm that your dealer is authorized by the watch company to ensure you have full access to any applicable manufacturer’s warranty. Repair bills can easily eclipse the savings from a slightly better grey market deal, so choose accordingly.

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Buying Used?

The used market is an excellent place to find gently loved watches, sometimes at a considerable discount from their original asking price. While it’s always of foremost importance to “buy your seller (ie: their reputation),” the Internet is rapidly evolving the ease of consuming watches in the secondary market. Consider shopping through reputable sites like Chrono24, who act as a third-party marketplace to host innumerable listings of verified sellers, or Crown & Caliber who directly maintain an inventory of quality consigned watches, hosting and shipping each listing themselves and providing each buyer with a personalized level of customer service.

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Buying Vintage?

From rugged Heuer chronographs to the pioneering Omega Seamasters, there is a host of amazing and readily affordable vintage watches to be found on eBay. But remember, the same rules still apply — and perhaps more importantly than before. Don’t buy the watch, buy the seller and learn as much about the specific watch as you can. Since authenticating the movement is often the best means of verifying the watch itself, always request photos of the watch’s internals, and be sure to confirm when it was last serviced. If it hasn’t, be sure to factor in the cost of a full overhaul into your purchasing budget. Oftentimes, a well cared-for vintage watch will have a service record which can be supplied to any subsequent buyers. It’s also important to understand the difference between fully authentic, and refurbished watches, so you can be prepared to pay accordingly.

Regardless of what you choose to buy, or where or how you choose to buy it, remember that watch collecting is just as much about the chase as it is about the inevitable catch. Find watches that speak to you, learn to enjoy the process, and don’t settle for anything less than what you had your heart set on in the first place. And as always, wear that latest catch in good health.

Read more at Hypebeast.com

zooophagous:

crazycritterlife:

chokesngags:

nightsofnuru:

sizvideos:

Video

Note taken

Is that a fucking bear??? I never really believed bears could run fast. Jesus Christmas.

Holy shit, its like terminator bear

Fun fact, a sprinting bear can run as fast as a galloping horse. Now if they replaced all the horses in the Kentucky Derby with bears, things would get a lot more interesting.

Super fun fact!…That bear was scared for it’s life..It’s hauling ass to get away from some idiot in a car. Let that sink in! 

[Photos via Field Condition]

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS—The brand new Columbia University Medical Center continues its steady climb upwards, and the taller it gets, the more absolutely crazy it looks. Field Condition has some new shots of the currently facade-less building and its "study cascade" design from Diller Scofidio + Renfro. [Field Condition; previously]

CENTRAL PARK—The Museum of the City of New York is displaying, until January, the original Greenwald Plan for Central Park that the famous Olmsted and Vaux drew up in 1858. The four-by-twelve-foot map, depicting Central Park's framework in pen and ink, is on loan from the Parks Department. [CurbedWire Inbox; previously]

Kudos to This Guy (Really)

Earlier this week, we posted about this guy, a British scientist named Matt Taylor. Why? Well, it’s probably pretty obvious. The picture above is Taylor answering press questions at Philae landing event, and he (for some reason) chose to honor what’s probably the high point of his career by wearing a bowling shirt covered in scantily-clad women.

Why’s that a problem? Well, there are basic sartorial reasons, the kind of thing we might write about on our blog if it were targeted at guys who land spacecraft on comets. Like it’s a horribly ugly shirt, and it’s completely unsuited for such a momentous occasion. The real reason, though, is that engineering is a field that’s historically been hostile to women, and to wear a sexy ladies-themed shirt on so public a day as that one sends exactly the wrong message. A message that crosses from distasteful into nasty.

But this is a post about what he did right.

Yesterday, Taylor apologized. Sincerely.

He said: “I made a big mistake and I offended many people, and I’m very sorry about this.” And he even cried, which there’s no reason to believe was a show.

That’s a really decent thing to do. 

I’m reminded of my friend Jay Smooth’s video How To Tell Someone They Sound Racist. When you’re accused of bias, it’s easy to assume your humanity is under indictment, and not your actions. The kneejerk reply is to say, “I didn’t do something sexist, because I’m not a sexist.” In other words: to have done something wrong, you have to have been malicious. Not just have had malicious intent, but to be fundamentally evil. And since none of us think we’re evil, we can’t have done something wrong.

Much harder is to say, “I don’t believe in sexism, and for that reason, I apologize for my mistake.” To recognize an error and to accept responsibility for behaving differently in the future is a brave thing to do. That’s what Taylor did, sincerely, and I tip my cap to him.

Here’s the thing: when you have the upper hand in society, it’s easy to leave your decisions unexamined. It’s easy to assume something is neutral that’s actually hurtful to others. If Taylor were one of two or three men on a team with fifteen women, those circumstances would have made him to think about what effect wearing that shirt would have. Odds are, though, that the numbers were reversed, that there were many more men than women. That circumstance never asked him to examine his assumptions. And that any woman who was bothered by it figured it was easier to just not say anything.

We write this over and over at Put This On: your clothes communicate. They talk to the world before you open your mouth. Think about what they say.

And if you make a mistake? Cop to it, and apologize. Like Matt Taylor did. That’s being a grown-up.