Ester Rada at the Revival, Toronto

This is the talented and beautiful Ethiopian-Israeli singer Ester Rada. She performed to a full-house at the Revival in Toronto as part of the Small World Music Festival in September. 

These are some of her men; the band is an ensemble of great musicians. They played a lot of funky, jazzy grooves influenced by Ethiopian music. 

They played an upbeat-er version of the upbeat "Nanu ney", a very popular Ethiopian song by Muluken Melesse, to which I grew up listening. The cherry on top! 

Rain, Rain Please Go Away!, Brooklyn

I took this photo in Brooklyn, this last Saturday. The weather had been awful for a few days by then. That particular day was the worst for me. I wanted to walk around in Park Slope, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and visit the Forte Green Flea Market. With all the rain and wind, the Market was cancelled - what a disappointment! So I absolutely can relate with the cute sentiment on the signboard. 

Rain, rain go away! I want to enjoy my urban stroll!

I still went ahead with my stroll ... courtesy of my full-length raincoat and my low-maintenance hair that doesn't mind rain. 

A Petite Jazz Singer in Industrial Architecture, Toronto

This is the wonderful Dian Panton at the Long & McQuaid, Jazz FM 91.1. It was the station's Sept. 17, 2015 LTA (live- to-air). She sang some tunes from her new album, "I believe in Little Things". She was accompanied by Don Thompson on bass and Reg Schwager on guita; both very fine musicians.  

I took the picture from the mezzanine. I liked the contrast between the petite singer wearing a fancy dress and the industrial style of the architecture of the hall. Here is an article where I featured the architecture of the radio station.      

In Bird They Trust, Harlem

Streetbird Rotisserie, owned by the Ethiopian-born, celebrity chef, Marcus Samuelsson, is a hot spot in the gentrifying part of Harlem.  

Space and Productivity

I am a strong believer that the quality of your work space has a significant impact on your productivity. You need to create that corner, that spot in your house or office that gets you in the right mind set for high performance. Lighting, view, paint/color, your own sense of Feng Shui, and furniture have to be considered well to bring that effect. 

I saw this office/study furniture store in Little Italy, Manhattan. It looked cute from the outside and that was what drew my attention. I went in and explored the pieces of furniture they had; I liked the simplicity of the design and the lightness of the materials. As the name of the store says, they are Goods for the Study; but they are good for study as well. They would make a minimalist, bright, and comfy space. 

A Dancer on the A-train, Manhattan

A Clock and Birch Tree, Toronto

Two Stylish Men and a Vintage Store, Harlem

I was exploring Harlem on foot when I ran into these stylish men. I asked if I could take a picture; I told them it was for my blog. Even though I am mostly interested in taking pictures of buildings and other built structures, they caught my eyes. I found out they were brothers. Both equally stylish; one with a flamboyant sense of fashion and the other with an understated one.    

The one with a funky, pink hat invited me up to his clothing store on the second floor of the building, in front of which I met them. It was a delight to chat with him; his personality matches the flamboyance of his style. It was also fun to browse his store. He has great vintage and new items. In fact, one of my greatest fashion finds happened in it.   

Band on Wheels, Montreal

This is the West Trainz at the Montreal Jazz Festival, 2015. Fun. 

Becikvert, Montreal

I have told many people that you can borrow (for free, in case it wasn't clear) one of these bikes from 10AM to 6PM from the Mont Royal Metro Station (Montreal) everyday of the summer. Yes, it sounds too good to be true. It is actually true. 

The Little Library on a Street, Washington, DC

This is on 13th Street, near Logan Circle, in DC. 

Ancient Ethiopian Crosses

I saw similar crosses hanging down Ethiopian women's necks. I also saw them dangling on their chests when they do the traditional dance, "eskista". The above were a decor at my friend's apartment and they work well as a wall-hanging, too. 

Reflection of the Empire State Building, New York

I was not even going to see the Empire State Building. It must have been the camera hanging on my neck and my question to the bus driver that gave it away that I was a visitor. Or he just thought I would be interested. A gentleman got off the bus right behind me. He said he was going to show me something. He walked with me a few steps and pointed to a building a little further down the crowded street, on the right side of us. It was the reflection of the Empire State Building. I could tell from the way he talked about it that he appreciated the view very much. In fact, he took a picture of it as I did. Snap, snap. 

That was an awesome piece of information he shared. I thought to myself: no amount Googling or no Apps could tell you that. I count on incidents like this to justify my not relying so much on the Internet. Talking to people is so interesting. They might tell you interesting things, too. Like where to look for reflections. 

The Coolest Mural and How I Found It in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

This is one of my favorite murals. And this is how I discovered it. I came out of the Brooklyn Public Library near Prospect Park with a bike map on a Sunday afternoon. I was not cycling even though the weather was just perfect for it: clement as late April weather is; full of sunshine; warm but cool enough you could wear an unbuttoned fall jacket. I just needed to have a physical map that showed the entire New York City. I had a number of reasons for this. 1. My Canadian phone company has given me a small amount of data in my travel package so I have to use Google Map sparingly. 2. The battery in my two-year old iPhone has been weakening and has rendered my phone unreliable for exploration. 3. I like to see the features on a map in something bigger than the palm of my hand. 4. I love to mark on my maps and leave notes. 5. I just love physical maps, plain and simple.  

So anyway I came out with my map and spread it on a short wall right on top of the steps down. I was trying to figure out the best route to my destination. A gentleman was standing to the left of me. He asked if I was going somewhere. I told him, "Williamsburg". My architect friend had told me I might like the neighborhood. We got down to task with this nice gentleman finding the best way to get there. We did. (Whoever told you New Yorkers weren't nice haven't met this gentleman and other nice people I ran into.) Then he told me to look for a graffiti on Bedford Avenue and 11th Street (I think) if I wanted a free entertainment. He looked it up on his cellphone and showed me what graffiti. Attractive picture. Sure, I wanted to see it.   

I didn't go to Williamsburg that afternoon. Well, technically, I did. But I remained on the southern bordered of the neighborhood. Not by design but I just have a knack for getting lost! When you are "exploring", you have the luxury of doing that; so I did. No stress, I could come back the next day, right? But I thought what I saw was it until I met my architect friend's friend who owns a vegetarian restaurant in the gentrifying neighborhood of Bushwick.   

I went back the next day. This time, I found Williamsburg "proper". I forgot about the graffiti, though. I explored the neighborhood: I went in to stores; had lunch somewhere there; and took pictures. As I was winding down my perusing of Bedford Avenue, I turned to go back up and there it was. The graffiti. I loved it. Like everything else, though, it looked better in a picture.  

     

At Victoria Metro Station, Montreal

This is a seat at the Victoria Metro Station in Montreal. I took the photo in 2013. It was very early in the morning in the first week of July when I went there for the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal. (So looking forward to the festival this summer!)

Check out the the white and turquoise tiles on the left side. So subtly creating visual variety to break the monotone of the black and grey tiles. I would say, it could have gone a bit bolder and still maintain the subtle-ness.  

There was nothing around to capture in the photo to give a sense of the scale visually. But just so you know, the seat it about 40cm-high. 

The elegance in its minimalism caught me eyes. 

A Big Tree, a Small Tunnel, and a Lone Saxophonist, Manhattan

In Central Park, on a beautiful day in late April, 2015. 

Roof Truss, Innisfil

This is a roof - truss system in the Innisfill, Ontario town hall. The wood and metal look nice with the pendant light. 

The 504 Streetcar, Toronto

This is the 504 streetcar. It runs between the Dundas West and Broadway Subway Stations along Roncesvalles Avenue and King Street. The Toronto streetcar is the slowest means of transportation I have ever used. The 504 is the slowest of all. To give you a sense of how slow if you have never been on it: I am a cyclist; I cycle with average speed; I am faster than the 504. Get it?

It looks pretty, though. It has a nice proportion, slim and long. Comfortable, too, to sit inside and glide along with it if you are sight-seeing and time is not an an issue, provided the car is not crowded.  

    

The Village Vanguard, NYC

A Living Room

Access Point to the High Line, New York

This is one of the access points to the High Line: from 14th Street. A masterful juxtaposition of concrete and glass. Just beautiful.  

Public Art, Buffalo

This art work is in front of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo. The contrast between the tree and art has interesting. In form, the art work is attempting at being organic like the tree. The metal from which it is made of is not letting succeed. Perhaps that was that tension was the intended result. This picture was taken the first week of April. It would be nice to see the green of the tree contrasted with the grey of the art work in the summer.

A Kitchen

Elizabeth Arden at Queen's Park Subway Station, Toronto

The lady to the right is Elizabeth Arden and she is quoted as saying, "Our only limitations are those which we set up in our own minds, or permit others to establish for us."

A Pen and Paper

A Hat on a Wall

My hat on a wall