Rainbow over the Washington Square Park fountain

 

This was yesterday around 6 pm.

The West Village... at night

Mile End Delicatessen

Here's another piece of home.

Mile End Delicatessen is a Montreal-style deli. It has a store in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn,  and one in NoHo, Manhattan, where it also serves Montreal bagels (a must; they are 100 times better than New York's). 

I recently tried the the Ruth Wilensky sandwich, featuring fried beef salami and mustard in an flatten onion bun toped with onion seasoning. It was very good! Comfort food at its best...

 

Pieces of home: Patrick Watson in New York

Friday two weeks ago was a really bad day for me. I had to go the Department of motor vehicles to exchange my Quebec driver’s license for a New York one; a seemingly simple thing. I ended up waiting there for five long hours: a first line to get information and forms, a second, which I thought was the real one, but that was only to get a number, and finally the third – and official – one. What a waste of time… and those who know me well are aware that I am not the “car type”.

Anyway… at least, there was Patrick Watson to save my day. The 32 years old Canadian singer-songwriter from Montreal was giving a free intimate performance at the South Street Seaport during the evening, participating in the River to River Festival. 

Liquor store illuminated sign - West village

Fire alarm at the south Street Seaport

Faulty wiring underneath a pier is believed to have caused a smoky fire at the South Street Seaport on Saturday afternoon. Martin and I were there for the The 4Knots Music Festival. The three-alarm fire, which was quite impressive, was apparently brought under control in about an hour. 

Here's some pictures:

La “Belle époque” by Michael Kalish along the Hudon River

This glorious 14-foot tall three dimensional sculpture, unveiled in the Hudson River Park a few weeks ago, has for name la “Belle époque” and was created by the American artist Michael Kalish for Perrier-Jouet.
 

Here’s a nice video showing the creation of the artwork. I also suggest you take a look at the artist’s website as it shows his work very well. Finally, I’ve found this CBS report explaining how Kalish, who mainly works with metal, has been using old license plates to create portraits – including a series of presidents – and other artworks picturing his own take on the United States' culture.

Star on 18 Diner

I've never been to this place, which is situated right off the Meatpacking District. I just love the color of the building as well as the local and unpretentious ambiance around it.

Hot dog graffiti

This piece was found in the Gallery District of Chelsea, around 22nd Street and 11th Avenue.

Jazz on the Hudson River

The Hudson River Park is home to several summer events from June to August. Among them, Stars of tomorrow features students from both the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and from Mannes College The New School for Music performing on the lawn of Pier 45 on Tuesday nights. 

The last show we attended was a jazz performance. It is nice to finish a weekday with a picnic along the river, with a cool breeze and a pink sunset light reflecting on the buildings of the City. Moreover, these events are surprisingly not crowded.

Manhattan Mini Storage's ads

It's moving day in Québec! Yes, we really have a special date for that. I can't imagine everyone moving at the same time here in Manhattan; it would simply be a disaster...

Here's a special post for you my friends from Québec, especially those who are moving today or have moved this past weekend.

As you walk in the streets of the New York, Manhattan Mini Storage's ads are pure entertainment. The family-owned and operated self-storage and moving company is known for its controversial, political, and pop culture-related advertisements that speak to the people of New York City. 

Here's some pictures showing their last campaign – not my best work as a photographer but I still wanted to share them with you: