Rodrigo - November 13, 2007

Rodrigo was in New York from Spain. I had known him for a few months when suddenly, he had to go back. I had suggested he send me a picture from there. Before he could really even unpack, he got an opportunity to go to Sudan. He told me it is all tropical rain forest where he is.  So I hope he can imagine of how cold it was when I went out to hang his pictures. The Brooklyn Bridge at dawn...

It was icy cold but so beautiful.


I didn't hang Rodrigo's picture high enough on the bridge. I should have put it above where the cables crossed. But I had worried about bringing the ladder onto the bridge in this post 9/11 world. Even climbing on the little lattice fence seemed a provocation I preferred to avoid. So, I hung it as high as I could reach. Of course with the wind and the gravity, the picture slid quickly down. Perhaps it escaped the notice of passersby and is still fluttering below the bars.


There were two friends to visit near Smith Street in Brooklyn. This is when Rodrigo's picture seemed to make a determined stance to hang either upside down or sideways.




Things were complicated at Baltic Street. It is nice to see a little oasis in the gentrification, though.

Over on Atlantic Avenue, I solved a problem that had been coming up all too frequently. The old street signs with the perforated metal pole was being replaced by more decorative poles. The signs are held on with metal bands. I laced the picture through one of the bands.






I admit to momentary grumpiness as I headed towards Rockefeller Park. It is in Battery Park City and has sculptures by Tom Otterness. It is hard to get to, requiring a crossing of the West Side Highway. The wind was strong, the sun was not high enough to warm and the streets were filled with the privileged Tribecans and their children. I realize that's unfair. The Tribecans live there, they have the right to go about their business with their offspring on a Sunday morning. But I was grumpy and sure that I would find more of them in the park, jogging and walking their designer dogs. In fact I had the place to myself, however, there were no signs to hang on at all. Luckily there were those Tom Otterness sculptures...


It was again, quite cold and I did not linger in the deserted park.

Next I went to Union Square, where Rodrigo said he always seemed to end up.


The sun had risen higher and the light was fine.



Finally, Rodrigo wanted to visit near the Chrysler Building, which he said always impressed and surprised him. It is truly one of the most beautiful buildings, but it is hard to see the angles from closeup. I was a little worried about how to get Rodrigo's picture and the Chrysler Building in the same shot. In the end, it was quite simple. The view was perfect from Lexington Avenue in the thirties.




It is hard to see Rodrigo in this picture, but the light is so quintessential of New York. I thought he could marvel at how different it is from where he is now.