CITIES WHERE I HAVE LIVED

Some for years………..others for only a short time.  But I have loved them all.

In London I lived right around the corner from OLYMPIA……the exhibition center famous for the Chelses Flower Show……one of the most famous in the world.  This year the dates are May 22-26.

Eiffel Tower in Paris……also known as the “Iron Lady”.  Have lunch in the tower:

Site officiel des Restaurants de la Tour Eiffel – Paris // 58 Tour Eiffel – Le Jules Verne – Bar à Champagne //

Brooklyn Bridge…..NYC……wanna buy it?  Many a rube has fallen for this scam.

STATUE OF LIBERTY.  Paid for by millions of French school children gave small contributions.  Of course, she was designed by Frederic August Bartholdi.  She arrived in New York from France in 1885………all 350 pieces of her…..n 2225 crates.  Americans collected money to pay for the base on which she stands.

Cute little Citroen car….favorite of Parisians…..small enough to park anywhere……even on the sidewalk.  It is a crazy car to drive…..but fun.

The famous night club……..Moulin Rouge {the Red Windmill}…..in Place Pigalle.

Very baudy floor show….famous for it’s “Can-Can” girls.  Oh LaLa !

Brasserie Lipp……….Paris……..with the same decor since 1926.  A place to drink beer, wine and coffee.  A place to sit and read, write and vitit with the ghosts of past celebrities……Marcel Proust,Chagall Yvs Montand and my favorite…Simone Signoret………..whose loft in SoHo I had a chance to rent….when I moved from Boston to New York.

To be a waiter here…….you have to be proposed by another.

The Book Stalls in Paris…….filled with books, and MY PRINTS that I did years ago.

Sacre Coeur, a magnificent Roman Catholic Basilica…….on top of a hill in Montmartre…..home to many famous artists.Picasso lived here.  I didn’t!

Notre Dame de Paris………..the worlds most stunning Gothic Cathredal.  The hotel where I always stay is just a stone’s throw away.

Hotel De Lutece.  You will love it too.

Hotel Lutece Paris Hotel 3 etoiles – SITE OFFICIEL – Hotel charme Ile Saint Louis – Notre Dame

The building in this photo are actually closer to Union Square.  My loft was near here when I moved back to New York from Germany.

Harry’s Bar.  This one Paris…….but my fave is in Venice.  Tho the one in New York is rather exciting too.

Ah London.  My home for two years…….on the edge of west Kensington….near the palace when Princess Margaret lives.  Tho we never crossed paths.

THESE PHOTO COLLAGES ARE ALL FOR SALE.  FRANCK TORDJMANN IS THE CREATOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER.

NEW YORKERS WHO WON’T BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

The Department of Homeless Services currently shelters about 6000 families…and about 7000 singles.  Thousand more sleep on the street and in the subways.

HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH provides a door where this couple can sleep………here washing their clothes in the styrofoam cooler.

HALLOWEEN Skeletons In Northville

My sister Wini and I were having a whirl about town…….in Northville Michigan……….

and ran into a few of our old friends.

John Denver

Adam and Eve

Phyllis Diller .

Fred and Ginger

“BM”          9RAW: ‘Big Mouth’ sings like a horse on MSN Video

Mark Mussler……[the Village People].

Minnie Pearl

Bubba Smith………..one of the greatest.

All these deiightful skeletons are brought to you by:

Begonia Brothers Landscape Services and Supplies, Party Rental Inflatables and Supplies – Northville Michigan

A WEDNESDAY WALK IN CHELSEA

GLASS TOWERS ARE POPPING UP ALL OVER

This one is on 6th Avenue and 26th street.

DOUBLE DECKER CAR PARK……..$20 PER HOUR

ANGEL THRIFT WAS CLOSED……….

NATE BERKUS was inside doing a shot for his TV show.

Trick or Treaters were in the window.  Cute.

Who donated all the gold?  $5 each.  King Midas…….move over !

A painted window at F I T.

She stole the hat from a witch……….or is she a witch?

The Empire State Building peeping out.

LOST !

For only $10…………spiritual advice!.

Painting in the subway…………over the stairs.

Olde Good Things have a traveling menangerie in a truck.

Woody………

and a Palamino.  FOR SALE.

Ran into a couple of old friends.

Lady GAGA was nowhere to be seen.

Street AD for the hardware store around the corner.

A “Tiger in your tank”……….or a saw in your head !

DRILL……..

“How much is that doggie in the window”?  $900.

BRONZE BALLS outside Fashion Institute of Technology on 7th Avenue.

SIT DOWN.  Take a break……..or take it home !

DETROIT Monument to the Dead Africans

Where Grand River Avenue splits with Grand Blvd. , the artist Olayame Dabls has   created a monument to Africans who died trying to escape from slave ships.

His use of materials reflects many of those used in African cultures.

This sections is called:  ” Iron teachings rocks to rust”.  Is there a metaphor here?

The artist welcomes visitors…..and is happy to oblige them with a tour.

Many of the objects he uses are dropped off my total strangers.

I wonder what his intent was/is with the car?  Is it a form of a slave ship?

His Bead Museum is packed full of African artifacs.

detroitblog » Blog Archive » Mirror man

All kinds of people are involved in his projects…..Africans, Europeans and other artists who want to help him with his vision.

Iron……a mainstay in his sculptures…..teaching us how to rust?

Use the paint…………then reuse the cans.  UseRefuse?

Stelle?

Three slaves………..

I shot for hours.  More BLOGS of his art will follow soon.

DETROIT………Burn Baby Burn !

Ever since the 1967 riots, Detroit has had 33,000 abandoned houses.

The riots lasted five days……..500 injured, 7000 arested, 2500 stores burned down [after looting] and 400 houses burned down.

  Cost to the city……..$80 million.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RIOTS 0F 1967     Panic in Detroit: The 1967 Riots! – YouTube

The fire department actually has “brown out” days……..shutting down 12 fire for houses one day each week.

……….budget cuts and not enough firemen.

Why don’t they just let these houses burn to the ground?

Staying at a fire and watching it burn to the ground takes time…….preventing firemen from answering calls to other fires.

It is cheaper to leave a house standing than to demolish it.

180,000 abandoned houses have been demolished since the riots.

2000 more will be torn down this year…at great cost to the city’s resources.

Detroit in no longer considered a “City” by the federal government………it is now a “Town” with fewer than 900,000 inhabitants.

A ” town” receives far fewer federal dollars than a “City”.

Detroit is disappearing because the residents are disappearing.

Many torch their houses for profit…..others for entertainment.

On “fright night”…thrill seekers will set fire to hundreds more houses.  The firemen will be stretched to their limits.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

CLICK HERE:     The Ghosts Of Detroit by Mandroidmusic – YouTube

DETROIT…….Houses that are Homes

My sister, Wini, and I drove around our old neighborhood……..and this is what is left of it…….and people are actually still living in these houses.

CLICK ON TO SEE MORE:      Detroit City Tour of Ghetto (final cut) – YouTube

I was born in this house on the corner of Alexanderine and Cass Ave.  Looks like someone is trying to restore it.

This reminds me of the time that City Marshals evicted us for non-payment of rent.  A neighbor let us move into their garage in the alley.

Three little kids were on their porch.  We gave them a pumpkin.

Sidewalks grown over……ghostly !

The man who lives in here came out and shooed us away.

A guy came out and told us he would call the police if we didn’t leave! WE LEFT!

My friend Lucy used to live here.  She was the dress buyer for Sak’s and Korvettes.  She now lives in Heaven. {I hope}.

Someone is trying hard to maintain their home.

We lived on this corner for 10 years………..

This Catholic church was just down the street on Trumbull Ave. Now it is the only building left for 12 blocks.  Homeless people are living in the basement.

Sad !  What happened to the family who lived here?

They were having a Bar-B-Q in the front yard!  I was NOT invited to chow down.

He is actually trying to restore this house.  GOOD LUCK!

Entire neighboorhoods are GONE.  Sidewalks GONE.   Families GONE.

This church was called HOPE GOSPEL when I was a kid. It’s still there on the corner of  what used to be Lincoln and Willis streets.

Now the church is on the corner of Aretha and Temptations!.  I get the “temptations” part………but Aretha?

Dionne Warwick sings “A House Is Not A Home” at St Lucia Jazz Festival – YouTube

DETROIT……..Franklin Village

Just outside of Detroit………..is a charming Historic Village……founded in 1825 by Elijah Bullock.  Covers about two square miles.

A charming place for lunch.  CLICK ON TO GET IT’S HISTORY.

Franklin Grill – Be Part of History

Met up for a reunion with Lois……………one of my classmates at Cass Tech High in the 1950′s.

Batter fried asparagus for a starter……….

A table with a view………

Lois’ husband, Jerry perusing the menu.

These three were part of our lunch………….corn!

Cute place to pick up a few vittles.

Pumpkins……your choice…….$3.

Ye Olde Franklin Cider Mill…………we stopped for donuts.

The sweaters weren’t all that beautiful!  A bit “too country”.

No time for a Spa treatment.

Charming historic cottages abound.

For Sale…$250,000.

One of the 3100 residents who live here in this charming village.

DETROIT South Military Street

While in Detroit I went to visit one of the houses where I grew up.

I was 8 years old when I lived here……….on  South Military Street.

The house was down the street from historic  FORT WAYNE……where I used to play on the turrets.

This was the dining room and the kitchen of our “Home Sweet Home”.

This used to be two bedrooms…….for a family of 7.

Let’s frame it.  Call it “PEELING PAINT“.  Sell it for $25,000 and use it to restore the house.  NOT !!!

PAN AM takes off today, Sunday October 25th

COFFEE…TEA…OR……. ME?

The show takes off today………..and the critics have given the previews great reviews. TV Guide rated it one of the top five.

The “Stewardess” were in front of the Lincoln Center Opera House……..serving their classic beverage.

It begins tonight at 10pm on ABC…..and new drama series..

COFFEE?       Sanka!  No thanks.

TEA?        “Yes..Green.”  ”No green?  What is this the 1960′s?

Remember when flying was fun………and becoming a stewardess was every girl’s dream?  [mine too].

Thank you TOM for flying PAN AM.  BUCKLE UP !