New York, New York.

 

Brian and I went to New York City a couple weeks ago. It was awesome.

Life-changing, I would say.

 

 

We decided to go pretty randomly. We were talking, having a cigarette 3 weeks before we went, thought of the idea, went inside, and bought tickets. It worked out pretty well.

 

 

Brian had an interview with some people in Manhattan for an internship with Shu Akashi and I pretty much just went to go and also see a good friend of mine,

 

 

this pretty lady named Kristen Shaw.

 

Brian got the job by the way,

 

 

he’ll be moving to NYC in December.

 

The first night, our plane was delayed so we got to Kristen’s at around 12:30, talked until around 3:30 and went to bed.

 

The next morning was Brian’s interview so we took the G to the L into Manhattan (haha New York public transport kicks the CTA’s ass, without a doubt.)

 

 

Anyways,

 

We got down around 9:45, got some coffee and bagels and sat around until Brian’s interview. He left to get the job and me and Kristen sat and chatted until she had to work.

 

 

Then when she had to go, Brian got out of the interview, danced around because of the good news, and then we decided to wander the city map-less, which was an awesome idea.

 

 

 

 

We then headed toward Rockefeller Center to meet up for lunch with Matt Nighswander, which was great. I hadn’t seen him since he taught my darkroom I class.

 

I tried photographing him but got yelled at and threatened to call the cops on me because I had my camera on a tripod which is apparently illegal in New York now?

 

Brian then wanted to go see his cousin at his office, so we did that. We walked almost entirely across Manhattan to get there but it was worth it.

 

 

So we got to the office and his cousin was playing Nintendo Wii tennis on a projection screen, so, while he was in the middle of his game. I sat down at the table and passed out for a half hour.

 

Then I woke up and introduced myself. Remember kids, good first impressions are essential!

 

Haha, then we went out for a cigarette.

 

 

We hung out there for a little while, looking at some photographers that the people at Brian’s interview recommended he looked at.

 

Then we had to head back to Chelsea to meet Kristen at her work and then go get dinner.

 

 

We got there and that salon was awesome.

 

 

It’s called Suite 303, at the Chelsea Hotel. We quickly learned from reading their client book that Brian’s lifetime man-crush, Jake Gyllenhaal, gets his hair cut there. Brian was psyched.

 

Then we left to go meet up with everyone for food.

 

Oh yeah, I forgot. This is Candice,

 

 

Kristen’s roommate (and half of Jessie’s face).

 

We finally found a place that I forget what it was called, but it was really good food and wine and bread and conversation. It was a good night.

 

 

 

Kristen headed home because she felt sick, but the rest of us headed out to a bar, I think it was called World Liquors or something. I don’t know but we randomly saw Chris Starbody there, who recently graduated from Columbia, he was Brian’s photo I TA.

 

So we stayed there, had a few drinks, and headed back to the apartment in Brooklyn.

 

 

 

 

Went to bed late, woke up late, and then we got brunch with Jessie and Candice in the West Village.

 

 

The food was great, and again, more awesome conversations.

 

 

 

Candice had to meet with a group for school; but Jessie, Brian and I headed off to check out some art.

I saw some lettuce conveniently placed next to a photograph,

And a man playing the same phrase over and over again for 6 hours straight,

it was awesome.

Then we went to an installation called “static balance” by Carsten Nicolai which was amazing.

Those exposures were like 30 secs long, it was dark in there.

Then we left, and hung out in that area until we thought we had seen the majority of the exhibitions, I couldn’t believe how many there were.

We then headed on our way and started heading back toward where we were meeting people for dinner.

We walked for awhile,

stopped for a bottle of wine at a restaurant where Jessie knows the owner,

so we got a free appetizer and more good conversation.

Then we headed to a place called Lovely Days to get Tai food and meet some more people.

This is where I met Ben,

and Laura,

very good people.

After dinner we took off to a japanese ice cream place called Pinkberry, I think? It was crazy. I didn’t get anything.

I would’ve taken pictures in there, but there were signs everywhere telling me not to. So I abided.

Then we went to this coffee shop and hung out for a bit, then called it a night.

The next day was Kristen’s birthday but she still had to work and everyone else was busy during the day. So Brian and I decided to head up to Central Park and maybe go to the Gugenheim after.

After getting to Central Park, we quickly realized it was one of the most relaxing places in the world.

So we ended up, just sitting and talking and reading for about 7 hours.

And Brian photographed the pond,

while I photographed this pup.

Then Brian photographed me,

which was only fair since I photographed him,

all while around us there were kids playing,

people sleeping,

clouds disappearing,

musicians playing,

a man with a stick,

he got from a tree with a man in it.

Then Jessie showed up to hang out!

We hung out for a bit,

and then I photographed her.

And then we headed toward Cafe Orlin for Kristen’s birthday dinner.

We got there early, so we waited outside for a little bit and listened to Bob Dylan on Jessie’s iPod.

Then we saw Gabriel,

a guy we met a couple nights before who goes to Cooper’s Union.

We finished our cigarettes and headed in once everyone got there.

dinner was delightful. Kristen got mad when we wouldn’t let her pay for her birthday dinner.

The night continued with going to a wine cellar and a few bars

(candle lit^, thanks xtol.)

We called it a night pretty late, and had to get up early for our flight in the morning.

I hurriedly photographed Kristen in the morning,

and then we barely made our flight, got back, bought film at Calumet, and made it to Studio II by 6.

Good trip.