Man Made Lake

Nothing Is Forever

Bushwick | Sunset Park | Belmont | Borough Park | East Harlem

     Unlike their more respectful Brazilian counterparts, American taggers are a highly competitive and confrontational bunch.  Big beautiful pieces often last only a few hours before some kid scribbles his name over it, hoping to milk some of the attention that the original work earned.  I have, however, noticed a strong exception when it comes to memorials.  Here you can actually see the paint start to chip.  One explanation could be the presence of a profound respect for the dead and their families.  Or perhaps taggers are afraid of being hunted down by the deceased's comrades.  Regardless, these things always creep me out.  People die everywhere, all the time, for an array of reasons.  But when walking through a rough patch it's a little unsettling to see shrine after shrine to dead who just happen to always be young Latino or African-American men.

Greenpoint Siding

a shameless rip from the United Colors of Greenpoint

Greenpoint Bodegas 1

Alleys of Philadelphia

    Center City has a surprising wealth of alleys- but not the type you find behind office buildings full of dumpsters and telephone wires. Row houses front the street, and in the wealthier parts, like Rittenhouse Square and Washington Square West shown below, homeowners go all-out perfecting their tiny facades and planters. Far too skinny for automobile passage and too cobblestoned for bicycles, these little streets form completley pedestrianized pockets in an otherwise congested metropolis.

    It often seems that Philadelphia longs for a time when it was a more significant city. So much of it's identity is tied up in colonial history and Ben Franklin. But it's physical idiosyncrasies are treasures too often overlooked. These tiny car-free alleys are, in my opinion, one of Philly's greatest assets.

Doors of New York

South Williamsburg, Brooklyn | Hamilton Heights, Manhattan
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn | India Square, Jersey City