The Old Operating Theatre on Columbus Ave
I was scouting around the West 50’s recently when I noticed a really interesting building on West 59th I’d never […]
I Spy A Boardwalk in Soho
Have you ever seen those I Spy children’s books? Each page features a large picture of a whimsical location filled
Danger and Intrigue in Cortlandt Alley
As far as I’m concerned, Cortlandt Alley between Walker and White Streets is the most beautiful of Manhattan’s few remaining
Evil Birds, Ghost Ads, Forgotten Alleys…
Every Friday, I try to put together a post of random tidbits from my week in scouting. Enjoy! While scouting
Grabbing Electricity at the Old G.E. Building
You probably know 570 Lexington as the skyscraper behind St. Bart’s Church: a towering 50-story behemoth of salmon brick, clearly
Friday Odds & Ends: Umbrella Graveyard, Batman, Dutch Kills, & More!
Quick announcement – I’m going to be a guest on the Leonard Lopate show on NPR! I should be on
They’re Watching You Above Madison Square Park
Note: This exhibition is now over. There’s a really great new art installation in and around Madison Square Park… …which
Owls With Glowing Eyes in Herald Square
I took this picture of Herald Square (6th Ave btw. 34th & 35th) this morning at about 6:45. A second
Chinatown’s “Bloody Angle” – A Trip Down Doyers Street
Pell Street is one of those iconic Chinatown blocks that filmmakers love to shoot on. Short and narrow, lined with
The Most Impressive-Looking Sex Shop in Manhattan
It’s one of those archetypal New York scenes: a squat, three-story building dwarfed on all sides by towering skyscrapers, the
The Cutest Little House in Brooklyn
Just wanted to share a building with you that really made my day while out scouting recently. I was searching
A Closer Look at the Chanin Building
Chances are, when looking at the Chanin Building at the corner of 42nd and Lex… (picture credits: Emilio Guerra) …You’ve
Manhattan’s East 20th Street Beach
It might come as a surprise, but Manhattan has beaches. Yes, they’re small, often submerged at high tide, and you’d
The Rooftop Cruise Ship…Wait, What?
There really isn’t any better way to describe it: look at the building on Water Street between Beekman & Peck
The Death of Theatre Alley
Nothing annoys me more than scouting New York for an Ext. Dank Alley scene. For some reason (probably because of
A Bit of the Southwest on 53rd Street
In keeping with yesterday’s theme of streets in New York that have an other-worldly feel to them, I have to
Walking The Streets of Europe in Manhattan
I love streets in New York that make you feel as far from the city as possible. Obvious examples include
Someone Planted a Bicycle Garden in Queens!
Note: this has since been removed. I was driving along Vernon Blvd in Queens when I spotted something you don’t
A Rainbow at 22 Stories Up
I’ve been scouting midtown office spaces recently, many of which have had some pretty great views of the city like
Brooklyn’s Mansion on the East River
I was walking down Hudson Ave today in Brooklyn’s Vinegar Hill neighborhood when I realized I’d never taken any of
Latest NYC Graffiti Helps You Take Good Pictures!
There’s a pretty great photo op of the Empire State Building at 33rd & Park – at least, when New
Treasures on the East 25th Street Courthouse
One of my favorite buildings in Manhattan is the marble courthouse on 25th & Madison, home to the Appellate Division
Times Square Recycle Billboard Made From Recyclables
Note: This is long gone. I was scouting near Times Square on Friday when I noticed this neat new billboard
Chelsea Birds Are Watching You
Wanted to share some really neat details I noticed while scouting in Chelsea the other day. This building, at the
The Case of the Missing Church Half
Walking west on 12th Street from 3rd Ave, you probably wouldn’t give it a second glance: a stone church located
The Tiniest Church in Manhattan
Just a cute bit I noticed while walking down Great Jones Street today… On the firehouse, I saw something peeking
The Mysterious Stonehenge on West 22nd Street
I was walking north of 21st Street on Tenth Avenue when I noticed something odd… …A pair of stones, each
Local & Interstate Moving & Storage
I was scouting recently in northern Long Island and happened to drive by this old moving/storage company garage… I love
45 Years Late to the World’s Fair
By the time I got there, it was gone. The World’s Fair, you ask? Nope. I am referring to something
A Closer Look at the PS 110 Owls
A few weeks ago, I wrote about PS 110, an elementary school located just south of the Williamsburg Bridge… …whose
The Owls of PS 110
Next time you’re heading over the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn, either driving or on the pedestrian walkway, be sure to
The Singing Statues at St. John The Divine
In the south-western corner on the St John The Divine property is Synod Hall, a large indoor space available for
The Tower of Terror on West 11th Street
When I turned the corner onto West 11th Street and saw the Palazzo Chupi for the first time… …I have
Telephone Exchanges and the Oldest Number in NYC
In the 1930’s and 1940’s, as telephone numbers began to increase in digits, “telephone exchanges” were introduced to make it
Decapitation at the Ziegfeld
If you go to the brownstone at 52 East 80th Street between Madison & Park… …you’ll see the decapitated limestone
The Last Phone Booth In New York City
There are only four outdoor phone booths left in Manhattan – and they’re all on West End Avenue. That’s it:
The Hungry Gargoyles of 110th Street
One of my favorite buildings in Morningside Heights is the Britannia at 527 West 110th Street. The building, built in
Remnants of the Old W-burg Shopping Districts
I love seeing these signs gracing lamp poles in the North Williamsburg area because, to my understanding, they were put
Studebaker of Bedford Avenue
I was driving down Bedford Ave around the Crown Heights area in Brooklyn when I passed this great neo-Gothic building
Oldsmobile of Flatbush
I love traveling down Flatbush Ave past Prospect Park because there’s so much history to find hidden on every block.
A Visit To Sleepy Hollow
“The sequestered situation of this church seems always to have made it a favorite haunt of troubled spirits…To look upon
Bedford and Driggs, or Fourth and Fifth Aves?
I love Forgotten NY’s Street Necrology section, in which they pour over old city maps to find streets and roads
The Servant’s Entrance
Quick one for today: I was eating lunch in my car at 113th & Riverside when I noticed an interesting
The Staircase Animals of Bethesda Terrace
For those that have never been, Bethesda Terrace in the middle of Central Park is one of the most beautiful
The Graham Home For Old Ladies
One of my favorite buildings in Brooklyn can be found at 320 Washington Ave in the Clinton Hill area. Set
Across The Street From The Chrysler Building
I came out of the Chrysler Building yesterday and noticed a number of people staring at the ugly, uninteresting glass-curtain
Remnents of Kleindeutschland (Little Germany)
If you live in New York, you’ve probably passed by these two beautiful buildings on 2nd Ave at 9th Street
Staying Together on Division
Sorry in advance for the cuteness factor, but I couldn’t resist taking pictures of these two stray cats down on
Remnants Of The Old Grand Central Cab Stop
I recently scouted a great parking garage on 44th between Vanderbilt and Madison. It’s right next to Grand Central Station,
The Masked Lady of Broadway
If you look above the doorway of the Trinity Building at 111 Broadway… You’ll see this row of faces staring
The Remains of a 1920s Cruise Ship Office At One Broadway
You never really think of Broadway having a beginning or ending. It’s the oldest north-south thoroughfare in NYC, and is
Lost At Sea
One of my favorite public art pieces in New York City is probably familiar to anyone who has ever waited
Evil Jesters on West End Ave
I really dig the motif on this building, The Umbria, at 82nd St and West End Ave… …which I choose
The Rooftop Ski Chalet on West 78th
I was walking on West 77th Street when I saw it, poking through the trees…Something that seemed out of place…
The Dragon House on West 76th Street
I was scouting around the West 70’s over by Riverside Drive when I saw this really, really interesting building ornamented
Lamb Skulls in Times Square
The cool thing about the Lamb’s Theater (currently under renovation) on West 44th Street in Times Square? The row of
Man Leaps From 23rd Street Ledge
Someone emailed me a couple weeks back that there was a man jumping off a ledge on West 23rd btw.
Elephants on East 10th Street
This building, 9 East 10th Street (once the home of author Dawn Powell), features a really, really neat building number
The Greek Temple At 28th Street
I was walking south down Broadway from 34th Street today when I saw this pretty amazing temple perched on top
Could I Get A Hand Holding This Thing?
One of my favorite blocks in Manhattan is West 46th Street btw. 5th and 6th Avenues. An incredibly diverse mix
Travel the World by Sea or Air
On 8th Ave btw. 39th and 40th is this really great faded travel sign, complete with an arrow on the
On the corner of 23rd and Fourth…Or Is It Park?
I’m standing on the corner of 23rd and Park Ave South… So why does that building on the corner say
The 9th Ave Demons Don’t Like You
I’ve been scouting for something around Times Square/Hell’s Kitchen over the last week (as evidenced by some of my recent
Tragedy on Broadway
It’s funny how you stumble on interesting bits in the unlikeliest of places. I was scouting Broadway in Brooklyn, which
NY Hotel Miraculously Offers Steam Heat, Housekeeping, and Hot Water!
A neat old brick wall ad on the side of the New York Inn (8th Ave btw. 46th & 47th):
Sin Will Find You Out!
I love religious crosses with neon-lettering attached to buildings, especially when they have ominous messages. Ignoring the tackiness factor, the
The Rooptop House on 3rd Ave
After posting about the Beach House on an East Village apartment roof, one of our readers, Karen, commented that it
The Financial District Pharaohs
I’m not sure how well you can see these from the ground, but adorning the corners of this building are
The Cup & Saucer Diner
New York is overfilled with flashy, archetypal steel-and-glass diners that look like they were transported here directly from the 1950’s.
The 40th St Philosophers
One of my favorites bits in Times Square can be found on West 40th Street between Broadway and 6th. It’s
The W Hotel Elephants
I was in midtown today scouting around East 48th Street, an area with a ton of archetypal New York hotels
The East Village Roof-Top Beach House
For the first year or two after I moved to New York, I became one of those people who smugly
The Wall Street Fish
I love that thousands of New Yorkers go about their business every day unaware of the countless eyes watching from
The Angel of Sunnyside
I was scouting a location in Sunnyside, Queens, and I happened to notice the fountains in a nearby apartment courtyard.
Stained Glass on the Subway
As the MTA rehabilitates subway and train stations across the city, about 1% of its annual budget is allotted for
The Amazing Wizard Of Park Ave
Merry Belated Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Holidays/Etc.! I was grappling with two enormous backpacks on my way out of the city on Tuesday
Back In Time In Midwood
Nothing is better than driving through a neighborhood I’ve never been to and stumbling on something like this: You can
The Ghostbusters Firehouse Dressed For Christmas
This isn’t a secret or anything, but Hook & Ladder #8 has been dressed for the season and looks great,
The Navy Yard Lounge
Note: this is now gone. This is probably familiar to anyone who drives down Flushing Ave off of the old
The Gargoyles Over Madison Square Park
The amount of detail to be found in NYC is absolutely mind-boggling, to the point where there are ornamentation and
Amazing Vintage Electronics Store Sign In Brooklyn
I was early for an appointment at a Brooklyn college this afternoon to shoot some science labs, so I stopped
The Skinniest Building in Midtown
Look closely – it’s only wide enough for one window. This renovated brownstone, wedged between two much larger buildings, is
A Rose Grows In Brooklyn
Note: this is now gone. I was under the JMZ elevated subway line in South Williamsburg today near Marcy Ave
Greenpoint Warehouse
Just a quick one today. This is one of the coolest warehouse signs in Greenpoint: -SCOUT
Grand Central Rats
Thousands of people go into Grand Central through the Lexington Ave entrance every day. I always wonder how many look