This past Christmas, my aunt gave me a really neat gift she found in storage. Apparently, my grandmother took a trip to New York sometime in what must have been the 1950’s or early 60’s, and purchased one of those souvenir tablecloths with a cartoon tourist map of New York. The artwork is great, but…
As far as I’m concerned, Cortlandt Alley between Walker and White Streets is the most beautiful of Manhattan’s few remaining back alleys. It’s the archetypal image of a New York City alley – narrow, dank, secluded, and bordered by decaying loading docks, rusting fire escapes, and graffitied brick walls. I love the fact that if…
Every Friday, I try to put together a post of random tidbits from my week in scouting. Enjoy! While scouting in Tribeca earlier in the week, I was glad to see that my favorite Manhattan ghost ad (a sign, billboard or painting advertising something long gone) is still in decent shape… Located at the corner…
Friday’s finally here, and it’s time for another wrap-up of various odds and ends from a week in scouting. First, I was checking out a rooftop in the East Village when I noticed this interesting ice formation from the drain… …which, if you look at it from the right angle, looks like a very sinister…
I love streets in New York that make you feel as far from the city as possible. Obvious examples include Washington Mews and Pomander Walk, but a third less noted example is one of my favorites: Centre Market Place in Nolita. Here, hidden in the shadow of the beautiful Police Building, a row of townhouses…
This is Part 2 of our look at Ghostbusters – Click here for Part 1! With this article, we’re completing our “New York, You’ve Changed” look at Ghostbusters. Picking up where we left off, Egon, Ray, and Peter have been kicked out of Columbia and have since purchased a Tribeca firehouse to base their fledgling…
In the final episode of HBO’s incredible series Flight of the Conchords, New Zealand folk duo Bret and Jemaine were evicted from their apartment at 28 Henry Street in Chinatown and forced to return to New Zealand. Will they return to New York for a third season? No one seems to know… …but they might…
New York is overfilled with flashy, archetypal steel-and-glass diners that look like they were transported here directly from the 1950’s. Sadly, as the city has become more and more gentrified, most of them have become carbon copies of each other in terms of quality (shitty) and price (rip-off). One of my favorite diner exteriors is…
There are certain places in NYC that people rave about as being “so unique” and “must see.” I’m trying to think of good examples, but the only one that’s coming to mind is Magnolia Bakery, bakers of cupcakes whose recipe consists entirely of ludicrous amounts of sugar, butter, and flour. Don’t get me wrong, they’re…
Back to Manhattan, where I found myself scouting less and less frequently (it costs way less to shoot in any of the other boroughs). I started in the Lower East Side, or LES if you’re feeling lazy. I love the building ad for S. Beckenstein Fabrics, complete with arrows pointing to the door that takes…