My love letter to Coney Island

Coney Island's large and golden beach

When the weather begins to be nice and warm in May, New Yorkers desert the city and rush to the beaches on every weekend. They go to the well-known Hamptons, but likewise in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn as well as Staten Island where there a number of options to relax, put your feet in the sand and gaze into the sea.

I always wondered why we don’t see many pools in the suburban landscapes around Mahnattan when looking down from the plane while leaving or landing in New York (pools are an important aspect of suburban life in Montreal); who needs a pool when you can access the ocean so easily?

You all know I love Brooklyn. Obviously, Coney Island was another place I was looking forward to visit. I remember watching a video entitled “Love letter to Coney Island” a few months ago on the Internet; this short film left me seduced by the very rich history of the place. Think about it: Coney Island has been welcoming New Yorkers since the 1830’s.

People watching - Midtown

Lazy afternoon on a West Village terrace

 Could these people ask for more?

Contradicted Williamsburg

I’ve wanted to visit Williamsburg since Forever; even before knowing that we would move to New York, I remember reading an article about the neighborhood and that was it, I was instantly fascinated by it.

Williamsburg is a neighborhood of Brooklyn known to be an influential hub for Indie rock music as well as for its local art community. The area, which has been gentrified these past years, is being redefined by a growing population and a rapid development of housing and retail space. Williamsburg is a young and busy neighborhood with numerous popular bars, shops and restaurants; it is equally one of the coolest places I’ve seen in New York. 

The coolest photographer - Williamsburg’s baseball field

I love this picture: the guy looks so cool with his big hair and his camera…

Dog walker in Chelsea

Ok, I agree this picture is not as special as my dog rack.

I have a fascination for dog walkers and I can’t help taking photos of them. Where I come from, dogs are a lot less well-mannered as here. You would never see a pack walking with such calm, grace, and independence; all these guys would probably just want to fight or play together.

Basketball players at West 4th Street

West 4th Street basketball courts in Greenwich Village, also known as "the Cage", represent apparently a great place to watch amateur basketball; on nice spring or summer days, the two courts fill with players of all ages and nationality, mostly coming from the Bronx, showing up their talent to the largely curious audience eager for a good show.

 

 
I passed by last week on a sunny and warm day and the ambiance was great, probably because these people had been waiting to play all winter. I found it particularly interesting to observe the blazing disputes between some players. Also, because the courts are non-regulation size - they are a lot smaller -, more emphasis is given to "banging inside" or tough physical play.

Lonely in Time Square

I caught this contrasting moment when I was myself sitting alone in the Time Square’s red stairs. It felt special being lonely in an area jam packed with hundreds of people. I suddenly started observing other loners and I wound up taking this picture, which is completely the opposite of typical busy Times Square’s shots.

Street food

With over 3,000 street vendors in the City and food stands on almost every corner of midtown,New York’s street Food is much more than hot dogs and pretzels. On the sidewalks, you can get almost any food you want from gyros to cupcakes, dumplings, falafel, couscous, waffles and burgers as well as Mexican and Korean tacos.

This picture has been taken in midtown on a cold Friday night.