Getting Better All The Time

Saturday was a lovely day. Usually I try to avoid going into the city on weekends, since I'm there every day of the week, but yesterday I had agreed to meet a friend for brunch (he used to live in Brooklyn, but recently defected to Chelsea), and had also made plans to meet a friend at the Housing Works Open Air Street Fair (a street full of books! for a dollar each! who could resist?) later in the afternoon, and as much as I love spending time on the subway, it just wasn't worth coming back to Brooklyn in between. So I wandered.

And I found a millinery. A millinery! I was very much tempted to go in and try on hats, but I resisted. 

I settled for a picture of my reflection in a big wide-brimmed black hat in the window.

And then I played with the close-up setting on my camera.

NO BIKES ON FENCE. I have to say, when I saw this sign I immediately thought of a bike perched atop the fence. I think anyone who could balance their bike on this fence deserves to leave it there. Clarity in signage, people!

I've been meaning to explore the High Line for a while now, so I went to the 20th Street entrance and went exploring.

More experimenting with close focus. 

Frank Gehry designed this building, just west of the High Line. It actually looks stranger in the picture than it did in person. 

There should be more above-ground walkways like these. What a clever idea.

There were a whole row of these windows. I skimmed the little plaque - the idea is that they mimic the river, how the light comes through alters the colors and it always looks a little different. (You never look at the same river twice?)

Toward the lower entrance at Gansevoort Street, juxtaposition of old tracks and native flora.

From the exit at Gansevoort Street I wandered east toward Housing Works. I passed Magnolia Bakery on my way; all these people are standing in line waiting to buy cupcakes. Make of that what you will...

UNNECESSARY NOISE PROHIBITED. Oh, if only!

And one more of these, just because I can. It's blurry, but I think that mirrors the blurred line between fandom and not wanting to be the annoying amateur paparazzi.