An Upper East Side Townhouse

A beautiful townhouse in Manhattan's Upper East Side with colorful window flowers.  

West 14th Street

This is the view of West 14th Street from the High Line. 14th Street is a major crosstown street in Manhattan, and an important business location. It is also considered the northern boundary of Greenwich Village, Alphabet City and the East Village, and the southern boundary of Chelsea, Flatiron/Lower Midtown, and Gramercy.

Bryant Park's Citi Pond Skating Rink and Holiday Shops

One of New York's popular winter destinations is Bryant Park and its Citi Pond Skating Rink, Manhattan's first and only free admission ice skating rink. The rink is open daily until February 26. Aside from the skating rink the park has a festive holiday market that offers a wide variety of gift items including handmade goods, apparel, jewelry, decorative goods  and food. 

Central Park South

Central Park South is the section of 59th Street that forms the southern border of Central Park in Manhattan. It runs from Columbus Circle on the west to the Grand Army Plaza at Fifth Avenue on the east. Central Park South is home to the Plaza Hotel, the Ritz-Carlton in Central Park, the Park Lane, and JW Marriott Essex House, as well as some of the most expensive apartments in the city. The image above was made on a rainy Monday evening, October 15, 2012.

America's Most Visited Tourist Destination

It's called the "Crossroads of the World", or "The Great White Way." New York City's famed TIMES SQUARE is the nation's most visited tourist destination, according to a survey conducted by Forbes.com. Times Square is a major commercial intersection in Manhattan, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, from 42nd to 47th Streets. The Theatre District includes the "extended Times Square area", consisting of the blocks between 6th and 8th Avenues from east to west, from 40th to 53rd Streets. Times Square was formerly known as Longacre Square. In 1904, Longacre Square was renamed Times Square when the New York Times headquarters moved to the Times Building (now called One Times Square), the site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop.

STONE RELIEF AT BETHESDA TERRACE STAIRCASE

The Bethesda Terrace in Central Park features ornate stone relief and carving that depict nature designed by Jacob Wrey Mould. He brought a whimsical personality to the stone carvings that line the grand staircases that descend to the Bethesda fountain. Birds and foliage are common subjects in Mould's relief and carvings. This photograph which I took when I visited the newly restored terrace last weekend, demonstrates how the artwork blends perfectly with the environment.

CENTRAL PARK'S SHEEP MEADOW

This image was made yesterday at Central Park’s SHEEP MEADOW. In the summer, the Sheep Meadow is a 15-acre lush, green lawn which is a haven for sunbathers, picnickers and kite flyers. It is a wonderful place to relax and admire one of Manhattan’s greatest skyline views. From 1864 until 1934, a flock of pedigree Southdown (and later Dorset) sheep inhabited the meadow. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Sheep Meadow was a popular venue for large-scale concerts and televised events such as the first landing on the moon in 1969.

SAKS AND THE CITY

Although the holidays are over, creative and eye-catching window art displays remain part of the street scenes in Manhattan’s 5^th Avenue shopping district. One of them is a simple yet colorful window art captured in the above photo which I took at SAKS FIFTH AVENUE a couple of days ago. Saks Fifth Avenue is a prestigious department store located along 5^th Avenue, between 49^th and 50^th Streets, just across the street from Rockefeller Center. Founded by Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel, the flagship store opened in 1924. Since then, the store has been providing New Yorkers and tourists with the finest quality clothing and program of services. The store is also known for its elegant, themed and animated window displays during the holiday season.

BRIGHT NIGHTS

I made this photograph of 67th Street by night from the northeast corner at Columbus Avenue on Manhattan's Upper Westside. Lined with illuminated trees, this street is between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. On the right side of the street is the ABC television network and on the left are affluent residential buildings and one of New York's most famous restaurant, Café Des Artistes.