Christopher Street Pier

Christopher Street Pier (officially Pier 45) is part of the Hudson River Park, a 5-mile strip of parks, gardens and piers interconnected by a pathway for biking/jogging/walking along the west side of Manhattan, the largest park development project since Central Park. By the 1970s, NYC's role as a commercial port had virtually disappeared and the waterfront and piers had severely deteriorated. Opened in 2003, Pier 45 was one of the first segments to be reconstructed. The 850-foot long pier includes shade structures, seating, wood decking, grass lawns and a water taxi stop. The photo was taken from the end of the pier, looking towards the city. Click here for more photos. The pier and area around Christopher Street, however, have been mired in community problems and battles. The Pier is a mecca for gay youth and creates severe problems for the neighboring community, as individuals spill into the streets after the Pier closes at 1 AM. The articles at the FIERCE site will give you an idea. I do highly recommend a daytime or evening visit - these problems are not manifest until late night - and the views and space are beautiful and relaxing...

South

This photo was taken looking south from the Top of the Rock observatory at Rockefeller Center. This view is of particular interest for a number of reasons. Dominant in the photo is, of course, the Empire State Building, currently NYC's tallest building, built in 1931 and billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World when it opened. If you look carefully, at center left you can see the Brooklyn Bridge, behind it is the Verrazano Bridge; center right you can see Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The land masses from left to right are Brooklyn, Staten Island and New Jersey. The slab skyscraper on lower right is the WR Grace building. If you are interested in seeing vistas of the city in other directions, click the two links: East and North. Perhaps when we see the concrete jungle of midtown Manhattan and find it a pleasant site, we are subconsciously agreeing with British zoologist Desmond Morris, who wrote "The city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo." After all, most of us love the zoo - at least for a visit :)

The Garden at Saint Lukes

This small, exquisite sanctuary in the West Village is virtually unbeknownst to outsiders. In fact, in doing this post, I found almost no information online - the official site for the church does not describe it, nor does the wikipedia article. It was difficult to chose a photo, so please click here to see the entire series. Officially known as The Garden of the Church of St.-Lukes-in-the-Fields, the two acres of garden grounds surround the church, which was built in 1821, and are open to the public. Barbara Leighton created the Barrow Street Garden (the core of the garden complex) in 1950. It was expanded from 1985 to 1993. Because of its naturally protected setting and orientation, the garden area has become a microclimate with plants (flowers and fruit) rarely seen this far north. It also lies on the migation route of birds and butterflies. The Episcopalian church itself is actually quite unique and progressive, with a choir comprised of an impressive roster of professional singers. Behind the gate lies a real special oasis in the Big Apple...

Manhattan Island

It is important to note and easy to forget, that first and foremost, Manhattan is an island and that its role as a harbor is what led it to become the great city that it is. By the early 1800s, after construction of the Erie Canal, NYC was an international port and the greatest shipping center between Europe and America (click here for article). Unlike cities like San Francisco or Portland, Maine where the maritime presence is very strong, one could easily go weeks, months or longer in NYC and never see or sense the water. But an island it is, and the urban density is a product of its limited and well-defined space. The five boroughs of New York City have evolved with distinct and unique characters, which to a large extent is due to their physical separation by water - all the boroughs are islands or part of islands except for the Bronx. Brooklyn and Queens are both on Long Island (and share a land border). This photo was taken from Christopher Street pier looking southwest down the Hudson River to the bay, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and New Jersey. New York services many cruise lines, ferries and tour boats. The ship is the Norwegian Dawn - click here for a close-up photo. Although words such as isolation and vulnerability come to mind, somehow I find great comfort being on this small island...

Pastis

It seems everyone likes the ambiance of a French bistro - certainly enough to keep Pastis highly popular. Restaurateur and meat-packing district pioneer Keith McNally has started many of the city's trendiest restaurants, including Lucky Strike, Pravda, and Balthazar. The furnishings are all French, giving Pastis one of the most exquisite authentic looks in town - zinc topped bars, brass railings, light globes etc. These photos were taken quickly - I was prevented from taking photographs inside - many restaurants are sensitive about this. However, there are three virtual tours on the Pastis site. The place is typically packed with those seeking to see and be seen. Not everyone has been charmed - see this 2000 article from the New York Times. I think it is difficult, however, to meet service expectations when a place becomes this popular and crowded. Without a reservation for dinner, this place is virtually impossible. If you are interested in trying it out, perhaps lunch or brunch ...

Circus Amok

Since 1989, Circus Amok has been performing its circus/theater free in parks and public spaces in the boroughs of NYC. Circus Amok is an amalgam of traditional circus arts with political theater. Each year's production has a new, loosely defined sociopolitical theme around which its wild acts are created, all with their caustic brand of humor. This year's show was entitled Citizen-Ship - An Immigrant Rights Fantasia in 10 Short Acts. And yes, that's a real bearded lady in the photo - Jennifer Miller who is director of the company. She previously worked in the Coney Island Sideshow. I appreciate the creative talent, dedication and hard work of this non-profit traveling show - juggling, acrobatics, stiltwalking, clowning, large scale puppetry, dance and theater accompanied by their own 7-member live band. If you want to see a Circus with EDGE that thinks out of the box, plan to see them next year - this was their last show of the 2006 season ...

War ... and Peace

Maritime Building

This stark white, tile faced building with 5 foot portholed windows was originally built in 1966 for the National Maritime Union by Albert C. Ledner, a New Orleans architect. The 8.5 degree front sloping wall was the architect's solution to a 1961 zoning requirement (20 foot setback above 85 feet). The building included living quarters, instructional, medical and recreation space for sailors. In 1987 it was acquired by Covenant House, a shelter for runaways started by Franciscan priest Bruce Ritter (who in a sad scandal, resigned both from Covenant House and the priesthood in 1990). In 1996, the building was sold to the New York Service Center for Chinese Study Fellows which provided housing and education for Chinese students, artists and business people. In its most recent incarnation, it has been converted to the Maritime Hotel - purchased in 2001 for $19 million by Sean K. MacPherson and Eric Goode, who partnered with developers Richard Born and Ira Drukier (who also did the Perry Street Condos by Richard Meier). The hotel has an elevated plaza, a garden with pond and lily pads, two restaurants, patio, roof bar, and beautiful teak furnished rooms with white ceilings (each with a porthole window) - evoking a ship's staterooms ...

Meier World

In the far West Village, flanking the Hudson River and the new, immensely popular Hudson River Park (this photo was taken from the Christopher Street Pier) are three residential 16-story towers all designed by starchitect Richard Meier. The projects all share a crystalline structure, clad in insulating laminated glass. The two buildings on the left are 173/176 Perry condominiums (completed 2002) - the first Meier construction in NYC. The spaces are open lofts with interior design and furnishings completed by the owners. The building on the right is 165 Charles (completed 2006). The interiors of the units in this property, in contrast to Perry Street, were completely designed and finished by Meier and apparently spectacular (click here for article). And the roster of tenants includes celebrities (Martha Stewart, Nicole Kidman, Calvin Klein, et al). These projects are a big subject, so I leave it to you to read further online, perhaps starting with the Richard Meier official site. Of course, anything this outspoken in a historical neighborhood will provoke controversy - many nearby streets are cobbled, and the surrounding area has predominately low rise dwellings. However, new construction is a part of our world, and the appropriate architectural solution for a given context is difficult...

Cherry Lane Theatre

On one of the most charming and bucolic streets in the city, you will find the Cherry Lane Theatre. This small, quaint theater at 38 Commerce Street in the West Village is, however, not small in reputation or impact. The building site was originally a silo on the Gomez Farm in 1817 - the building that now stands was first built in 1836 as a brewery and was later used as a tobacco warehouse and box factory. Click here for more photos. It was founded as the Cherry Lane Playhouse in 1924 by a group of colleagues of Edna St. Vincent Millay. The roster of playwrights and actors that have worked there is truly astonishing and voluminous: O'Neill, Beckett, Albee, Pinter, David Mamet, Sam Shepard; John Malkovich, Gene Hackman, Barbra Streisand, James Earl Jones, Rod Steiger, Dennis Quaid, Kevin Bacon, Harvey Keitel, to name just a few. If you are not familiar with this theater, I suggest you peruse their extensive website and learn more about it. As a laboratory for theater with a groundbreaking heritage, it is quite fitting that New York's longest running Off Broadway playhouse is located on a street with a bend and left off the grid of the Commissioners' Plan of 1811...

Luna Park Cafe

At the north end of Union Square Park (50 E. 17th) near the farmers Greenmarket, is an outdoor seasonal bar/restaurant called Luna Park Cafe. Al fresco dining and drinking is, of course, popular everywhere there is suitable weather, more so in cities where outdoor space is at a premium. In NYC, there are only a small number of restaurants in public parks, so Luna Park's location makes it a formula for success (and pricey). Open April through October, the place is a hotspot, particularly in the evening when this photo was taken. It appears the north end of the park is getting a complete redesign and much needed overhaul (click here for article). The pavilion that houses the restaurant is being redone and Luna Park will be replaced. Of course any change always sparks controversy, but I believe the renovation will be a good thing, especially if done in a timely manner...

San Gennaro

The Feast of San Gennaro is celebrating its 79th year - started in 1926 as a one day event and now spans 11 days (Sept 14-24). San Gennaro was the patron saint of Naples. Newly settled Neapolitan immigrants started the annual festival, continuing the tradition from Italy, commemorating the day in 305 AD when Saint Gennaro was martyred for his faith. The feast takes place in Little Italy along Mulberry Street, which is closed to traffic for the duration. Homemade food is the main attraction: sausages, calzone, braciole, zeppole, funnel cakes, pastries, torrone, seafood, pizza and more. Restaurants on the street set up outdoor seating. There is an annual Grand Procession. Today, the official feast day, there will be a Celebratory Mass and a religious procession. On Saturday the 23rd, there will be a parade. On the more mundane side, there will also be a cannoli eating contest. Live entertainment is provided every day. Click here for schedule of all events at the official site. Carnival style games of chance are popular and there are even a few rides. The event brings over 1 million visitors - many neighborhood residents feel it as a serious invasion and many New Yorkers avoid it, seeing it as much too commercial. I think everyone should experience it at least once ...

Northern Dispensary

On one of the most unique corners in NYC sits one of the most mysterious buildings, previously owned by one of the most eccentric real estate investors - the Northern Dispensary, a triangular Georgian brick building, unoccupied since 1998. Click here for more photos. It is remarkable for having been continuously operated since 1827 as a public clinic - Edgar Allen Poe was treated here at no charge for a cold in 1837. It is also unique in that it has one side on two streets (Grove meets Christopher) and two sides on streets with the same name - where Waverly meets Waverly (click here for photo). The previous owner, William Gottlieb, drove a beat up station wagon with broken windows, yet after his death in 1999, his collection of properties was found to have a value of between 100-300 million dollars. He was notorious for acquiring properties and doing nothing with them - his sister Mollie Bender continues the Gottlieb tradition with no apparent plans for the building. A private deed placed on the building stated that the property had to be used to provide medical care to the "worthy poor." However, since the deed is private, it is not clear whether it could be enforced. So its future is very unclear as the building stands eerily empty ...

Tank Worship

The NYC skyline is known for many its many icons, but water towers are not generally among them. However, one of the most ubiquitous sites in the city, from the street and above is the water tower. Estimates are that there are over 10,000 in the city with over 100 being built or replaced each year. And there are only two companies that make them, both dating back to the 19th century: Isseks Brothers and Rosenwach Group. The city's natural gravity-driven system is adequate to supply buildings up to six stories in height. After that, additional pressure is needed. By storing a typical day's supply in a rooftop tank, adequate water pressure for the entire building is able to be supplied by gravity - at night the tanks are filled by pump - this eliminates a much more expensive pumping system to supply water at all times and at peak demands. Click here for a more detailed description with links on the operation of water towers. These wood tanks were photographed on University Place. Most of the city's towers are exposed, some have them covered with elaborate cupolas. Like many things in the city, there has been a romanticization of the water tank - in Tribeca, tanks are considered a decorative element. The ultimate validation of tank worship? - in 1998, an art project was funded called Water Tower - now part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection - check it out here ...

East

This is Manhattan facing east towards Queens, shot from the Rockefeller Center observatory just before sunset. The Citicorp building is at the far left - the lone tall building in the distance just left of center is the Citicorp Building in Queens (the tallest building in that borough). The green topped building in the center is the Waldorf Astoria hotel - to its immediate left is the GE Building at 570 Lexington Ave. The green strip of land in the middle of the East River is Roosevelt Island. I always find aerial views of NYC so inspiring. The density just makes me feel like everything is there and anything is possible - the New York of dreams, song and film ....

Columbus Circle

Columbus Circle is a major nexus in NYC at the southwest corner of Central Park. It is the intersection of Central Park South (59th Street), Eighth Avenue, Central Park West and Broadway. It is also a major transportation hub for numerous subway and bus lines. A marble monument of Christopher Columbus sits atop a 70-foot granite column - the pedestal has an angel with a globe. The monument was built in 1892 (completed in 1905) as part of NYC's commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' first voyage to the Americas. It is difficult to capture the area in a single photo - there are points of interest around the entire circle: The Time Warner Center and shopping complex, Trump International Hotel, Merchant's Gate to Central Park with the Maine monument and of course the fountain and statue area itself, which underwent a renovation in 2005, winning a landscape architecture award. This traffic circle has always been hectic and difficult to navigate; now with the new wooden benches, fountains and plantings it has become an island of calm in the storm of NYC ...

911

A number of people asked why I put up no photos regarding the events of September 11 on Monday. I did take a number of photos and went to the actual site with a friend. However, I did not bring a tripod (an obvious mistake) and all the photos I took were handheld with long exposures. On reviewing the photos I felt they were too poor to post - there were thousands of great photos online - but friends who saw them (including three photographers) felt I should post the better ones anyway - so here they are as a small collage. The illuminated clouds image on the right was taken from the Village. The other three from the site itself. The two beams of light were visible from all over Manhattan, the boroughs and New Jersey - they were not projected from ground zero itself, but from the top of a parking garage just south, as seen in the bottom photo.

Pan Am Building

I think of this as the Pan Am building - its name during my first years in NYC. Designed by Emery Roth, Walter Gropius and Pietro Belluschi, it was the world's largest commercial office building when it opened in 1963. The Pan Am building is located at 200 Park Avenue above Grand Central's north shed. A controversial building - many have found it to be very unappealing, dominating the skyline from many nearby vantage points, occluding views such as that of the New York Central Building (now the Helmsley Building at 230 Park Ave.) It is perhaps best known for its helicopter service (it has a rooftop helipad). There was much excitement about their 7-minute ($7) flight to JFK airport, offered between 1965 and 1968 and reopened in 1977. However, service was closed after an accident that killed five people - broken landing gear caused a helicopter to tip over, killing four people waiting to board and a fifth person on the street with part of a rotor blade which had flown loose. Click here for a link showing early photos of the building with its iconic logo including the helicopter service. And check out these photos showing stewardesses in uniforms from the glory days of aviation when flying was a luxury and planes were not seen as a bus with wings as they are today. More photos and an interesting article here. In 1981, the building was sold to Met Life. When Pan Am ceased operations in 1991, the Pan Am logo was removed and replaced with the Met Life. Of course revisionism rears its head after a loss - see this article from the NY Times. Apparently many now are less negative regarding the building now that time has passed ...

MacDougal Alley

This is the second of the Village alleys I am featuring. Most of the small buildings on this charming gated cul-de-sac were built in the 1830s as stables for the larger homes on Washington Square North and 8th Street, much as those on Washington Mews (see my post from 9/9/06). As the well heeled moved uptown, however, this alley became quite seedy. According to an article by Christopher Gray, the alley was rescued by sculptor Frederick Triebel in 1902; by 1906 the street was already a fashionable art district. In 1907, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney had a studio there and later established the Whitney Museum on 8th Street. There is a longer roster of well known artists and sculptors who have resided here. Originally the alley went from MacDougal Street to Fifth Avenue until the behemoth 2 Fifth Avenue was built in 1955 (the large building in the center of the photo). MacDougal Alley had the last remaining gaslights in NYC ...

The Public Theater

Just south of Astor Place on Lafayette Street lies the Public Theater (both the organization and building name). The photo is of the interior lobby - click here for exterior photos of the building (the glass high-rise is the Gwathmey). The performing arts organization was founded in 1954 by Joseph Papp as the Shakespeare Workshop. It found a permanent home in the former Astor Library in 1967, when it premiered Hair. The 1854 building, considered by many to be the finest example of Rundbogenstil - a German variant of Romanesque Revival, was actually slated for demolition before being rescued by Papp. Click here for an excellent NY Times article on the building. The Public Theater has won over 200 awards (Obie, Tony, Drama Desk, Pulitzer); 49 shows originating here moved to Broadway. They produce new plays, musicals, and Shakespeare; many of their productions tend to be more avante-garde. They also operate the free Shakespeare in Central Park, a summer actor training intensive called the Shakespeare Lab, and Joe's Pub, a venue for musicians and other performers. Every time I walk by, I admire the building and also remind myself that I should make an effort to attend their performances...

Cello

The cello is a beautiful instrument - not only in the sound it produces but also its graceful design. I have some bias here - I do own one and did study for a very short time. But just mentioning the instrument always seems to elicit the cliched response, "Oh, I just love the cello." Peter Lewy plays the streets regularly in New York, and these photos of his cello and performance are the results of my chance encounter with him again in the evening under the Washington Square arch. If you are interested in learning about the instrument, click here for an in-depth article. Peter is an accomplished professional - check out his website here. The cello is very close in range to the human voice - perhaps this is part of its appeal...

Washington Mews

Washington Mews is one of my favorite NYC alleys. It runs between 5th Avenue and University Place, one block north of Washington Square North. The majority of these small, charming, two-story buildings are converted stables, built in the 1830s for the brownstones on Washington Square and 8th Street. A few on the south side were built in 1939. The street retains its original Belgian block paving, a major factor in its historic feel. As the area became popular as a bohemian enclave, artists did begin to occupy these buildings as studios. Today, these buildings are primarily used as residences by NYU faculty or offices. Click here for an article from the NY Times. Although the street is private and signed as such, pedestrians are not really discouraged. Private alleys like this are extremely rare in NYC. A walk down is a step back in time - it never fails for me...

Cuba

This small Cuban restaurant at 222 Thompson Street in the Village has one of the liveliest, most festive atmospheres I've seen. Many find this cozy, charming place transports them to Havana. They have live music 6 nites per week and the place is generally brimming with customers, frequently spilling into the street. The food is authentic traditional Cuban. This photo was taken through the front window showing Jose Martinez, an on-site expert hand roller of cigars - complimentary for all customers. See their website for Jose's bio, menus, music info, etc. They have 3 rooms for private parties and a bar. Click here for more photos, inside and out. I can't vouch for the food - I haven't eaten there yet - but I plan to soon. The reviews appear to be generally good. But be forewarned - this is a fun place and can be somewhat noisy...

The Amato Opera

It's hard to imagine a small opera house surviving in NYC 1) for 59 years 2) as a self sustaining operation and 3) on the Bowery! And keep in mind, that although the Bowery is somewhat gentrified now, for much of the 20th century (and Amato's history) it was considered quite a poverty-stricken, crime-ridden area - home of the infamous Bowery bums. This small gem is one of those NYC "secrets"; it certainly is not on the tourist radar and currently does not even have a listing at wikipedia. The Amato Opera has been permanently located at the small white building at 319 Bowery since 1964 - prior to that it had a number of venues and a prior permanent home on Bleecker Street - click here for a complete history. The opera company, started and run as a husband and wife operation by Tony and Sally Amato, has been a training ground for thousands of young performers, many of whom have gone on to perform at leading houses. They perform well known and lesser-known operas by major composers and also do Operas-in-Brief, an educational program. Ticket prices are far less than at major opera houses. Characteristic of NYC's style as a study in contrasts, Amato Opera is next door to the rock club CBGB. If you are at all favorable to opera, I would recommend it as a refreshing alternative to the larger opera houses ...

Joe Ades - Gentleman Peeler

I have observed this vegetable peeler salesman for years at Union Square - he is nearly always surrounded by a crowd - see more photos here. Joe Ades, 72, is a remarkable pitchman; people watch just to see his impassioned sales style, selling his peelers at $5 a clip (which he claims are from Switzerland and unavailable elsewhere - click here for photo). A terrific in depth article was done by Vanity Fair in the May 2006 issue titled The Gentleman Grafter. You can read the story here. I learned that Joe, impeccably dressed, dines in fine restaurants with his fourth wife, drinks Veuve Clicquot at Cafe Pierre and retires to a three bedroom apartment on Park Avenue - however it was not clear how much of his posh lifestyle is a product of his own accumulated money versus his wife's. In this photo, you see Joe displaying a 1994 newspaper article and an image from the Vanity Fair cover. Although the magazine exposé uncovers tidbits I'm sure Joe would rather not make public, he knows what good promoters know - all news is good news. His notoriety will just bring more people to watch the artist at his work ...

Note: Joe Ades died Sunday, February 1.

Outdoor Art Exhibit

Twice a year for 75 years, Greenwich Village has been home to the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit on Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend (and the weekend following). It was started in 1931 by Jackson Pollock and William DeKooning, when both Village residents and both desperate for cash, took their paintings to the street. Their efforts were noticed by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, founder of the Whitney Museum of Art, and Alfred H. Barr, Jr., Director of the Museum of Modern Art who organized the annual event. It is now attended by over 200 artists and 200,000 visitors. The entrants are juried by fellow artists based on slides submitted. Prizes, donated by individuals and organizations, are awarded by artist-judges in various categories: Fine Arts (Graphics, Mixed Media, Oils & Acrylic, Watercolor), Photography, Sculpture and Crafts (Jewelry, Metal Work, Ceramics, Glass, Mixed Media, Fiber, Wood). The artists I know no longer take this show seriously, considering it too commercial. But, this is a common criticism of virtually everything these days and given that art and snobbery are virtually synonymous, perhaps you should be the judge. There is one weekend left (September 9 & 10). The show currently runs primarily along University Place (where the photo was taken - click here for more photos). There is a map showing the exact location at the WSOAE site ...

Albert's Garden

Scattered throughout the Lower East Side there are over 40 community gardens (and 400 in the entire city). These come as a surprise, even to residents - they are certainly not on the tourist radar and quietly offer a visual respite from the concrete jungle. For a list and map of these gardens, go to the Earth Celebrations site and click on the Garden Preservation link. Albert's Garden, on 2nd Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, is typical of these community gardens. As you can imagine, tremendous effort goes into this effort - keeping developers at bay is no small task - I applaud the efforts. One such effort is Bette Midler's Restoration Project started in 1999 which rescued 114 of these gardens and established a trust. Perhaps in time I will feature another one of these gardens if I come across one in my travels ...

North

I love vistas, views and heights and Manhattan is a great place for such interests. This photo was taken from the top of Rockefeller Center looking north. The green expanse is of course Central Park. The open field on the lower left is Sheep Meadow - a popular and wonderful area for relaxing. The body of water just above it is the Lake (see two previous posts here). The other large body of water is the Reservoir which has a walking /jogging trail around it - the open field below it is the Great Lawn, the complex to the right is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The buildings flanking the park on the left is Central Park West, on the right is Fifth Ave. If you want to investigate further, here is a great online site which has two interactive maps of Central Park, one of them an aerial photo. I found the large slab building on the lower right blocking the view quite obtrusive - this is the Solow Building at 9 W. 57th Street, apparently one of the most controversial buildings in Midtown - surprising, isn't it? :)

Fiorello LaGuardia

This bronze statue is located on LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village. I have passed it nearly everyday for years, but knew little of the man who was born in NYC in 1882 and served as mayor of NYC from 1934-45. The most striking thing is his small physical stature - it turns out he was just over 5 feet tall. However, he was no small man as far as achievements: Congressman (representing Greenwich Village), translator (he spoke several languages), lawyer (NYU law school grad), Attorney General, major in the US Army, and NYC mayor for 3 terms. He was responsible for leading the city through the Depression and for many public works programs including roads, bridges, tunnels (including West Side Highway, East River Drive, Triborough Bridge, Brooklyn Battery Tunnel) and public parks. A lover of music and conducting, LaGuardia felt his greatest achievement was the creation of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. I recommend reading his bio.

No Standing

There was so much noise coming from the street (not an unusual situation on lower Broadway) that we decided to close our office windows. In doing so, we observed a typical construction site but noticed a not so typical work scenario - the backhoe operator was stretched out, snoozing away in plain view of passersby and traffic - here's the perspective from the window. I couldn't resist a quick photo break and went down to the street for more photos. His compadres were busy doing hard labor - digging by hand with shovels, cutting pipe, etc. We noticed his (in)activity went out until noon, when he awoke and started reading the newspaper (lunch break?). I learned from this that being a heavy machinery operator might have some privileges and that Caterpillar must make some very efficient equipment. In fairness, I did notice a number of No Standing signs in the area - perhaps he was just following the rules to the letter :)