In my quarterly photo essay, “Lens on New York,” I hope to offer a genuine insider’s perspective. As a third-generation Manhattanite, I know the city deeply – not just what we witness on the news or read about in the paper, but as someone who lives in this city and loves it. I’ve walked most streets. I was here on 9/11 and experienced the collective slow healing and communal blooming of strength and kindness that, in my opinion, makes this gritty city like none other in the world.
New York Public Library
During the peak of COVID-19 in New York, the street under our bedroom window became one of the main arteries to the city's hospitals. 24 hours a day, the sirens would shriek past our house, carrying the sick and the dying. These Masked Lions, named Patience, and Fortitude, stand in front of the iconic New York Public Library. They illustrate how New Yorkers stay optimistic and resilient in tragedy.
Man and Batman
I used to work in Times Square, where folks dressed up as superheroes and cartoon characters and posed with tourists for money. I found this interaction between Batman and the young tourist from Israel so moving. The young man is simply asking for – and receiving – advice on the best subway line to take.
Stags
The American Museum of Natural History on Manhattan's Upper West Side is famous for its breathtaking dioramas of the natural world. In constructing these "boxes of life,” some made as early as 1925, these artists combined taxidermy with a deep knowledge of the plants and landscapes of the planet. These two stags are among my favorites.
Police Dog
Although the New York City subways have experienced all kinds of violence, most New Yorkers realize that this (mostly safe) transit method is the best way to get around. As an animal lover, I'm always drawn to police dogs, and am always told that the dogs are "working" and not available to pat or play with. This young dog, however, is not yet used to his strict routine!
Waiting for the Parade
Famous for flying above the New York City streets on Thanksgiving morning, the gigantic Macy's balloons are wrangled down in ropes on side streets as they wait their turn to "join the parade." Sadly, because of a recent accident where a balloon knocked over a street lamp, causing it to fall and injure onlooker, the balloons are no longer allowed to fly as high as they used to.
Wire Bird
The sculptures on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art change each spring. This flying wire bird ascending into the clouds made me feel that something doesn't have to be "real" to feel free and shockingly alive.
Elmo Checking his Messages
A moment of laid back privacy and peace for a much beloved public figure.
Pretzel Man at Night
Usually manned by recent immigrants to the City, Hot Dog & Pretzel Carts are ever-present, whatever the weather. This gentleman probably doesn’t make much money, but he is always there, offering passers-by a warm snack and a friendly exchange.
New York University Library
As NYU alumni, I have spent many hours in the twelve-story Bobst Library opposite Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. On a recent visit to a friend's lecture, I noticed that all the library's open balconies had been sealed withfloor-to-ceiling metal barriers. A safety measure, put into place because three students had killed themselves.
