have been working a "paying" gig for a few years that i don't really "like" yet has it's own benefits, and is within the realm of what i hope to do careerwise in the future. yesterday after working one of those jobs i got inspired for a project i've been working on for many years and tried to make some moves in that direction. drove my car down to the west village after spending the day in long island city and did some wandering around. the subject of my work is a woman who lived in the village years ago and ran a popular radical salon during the early 1900's.

was looking for a particular restaurant in the area that had a caricature of her painted on one of their walls, and was also making my way towards two boots, a "spicy" pizza place that i used to frequent for a bite when i lived down there in that area. found a spot nearby, ironically right in front of the place in question, the waverly inn. made my way into the cozy historic joint, and was guided towards the mural, happily discovering she was front and center as you entered the room.

so it's the jewish new year (l'shana tova!) and i was made aware of this by walking through a throng of temple goers. so starting out on a bittersweet note, for it used to be when my family gathered all together for challah and apples dipped in honey, those days are now long gone, but managing to find many other things to be happy and grateful for.

 have been taking walks down to the hudson river, enjoying sunsets, yoga classes on the pier, and sometimes a glass of wine and entree at the cafe that looks out on the water. the park itself is divided up into different landscaped gardens and you feel like you're walking through a variety of worlds and climates. there is a modern swing inside a colorful sculpture that i love, and there are also lounge chairs where you can relax, take in the view and the sound of the water lapping against the shore. thinking of investing in a bicycle, a pair of running shoes, and taking advantage of the tennis courts and free kayaking. i love central park which is nearby as well but i much prefer the modern, open space by the water.

so i've spoken before about how nice it was to grow up in an area where there were many art and craft stores and a lot of mom and pop shops. 

another favorite of mine that still exists is this gallery/bookroom listed above, where you can find all sorts of vintage memorbilia, old photographs, postcards and ephemera. stopped in not long ago and found this amazing fan of peacock feathers.

 thought it looked like something from gloria swanson's estate, which was in an area called longue vue farms in an old stone french-normandy mansion, spanning 4,466 square feet, and was built in 1925. it was located at a high elevation in croton and had a fabulous view down the river of the skyline of new york city. here she could easily commute to the film studio out in astoria, queens.

there was a strange 2,000 square-foot castle-like structure that served as her guesthouse/garage, and was reportedly built as an addition, by her lover, joseph p. kennedy. here he stored his bottles of liquor during prohibition, using it as a speakeasy that also included a wine cellar. she was living there with her husband, an empoverished marquis that was once a nobleman and often drunk, but was still kennedy's mistress. the marquis would spend large amounts of time sitting in a chair on the front lawn and would offer local kids $20 to run into town for their mail.

her parties were legendary, and here she also entertained the likes of neighbor isadora duncan, who would dance and perform on the terrace of the guesthouse.

beware of artists

random find- my art school girls,

miami nights.