Kathy Lee and Ann Curry

 

I had visitors recently, and we did the thing where you wave at the cameras outside the NBC studio while they're filming live. An NBC intern asked us if we would like to be in a special segment with Kathy Lee Gifford. Naturally, one in my party wanted to do this. 

I stayed with my guest, and he and 50 or so others were staged together in the NBC Store located across the street from the NBC Studios. I took this picture of Kathy Lee moving from one building to the other complete with police escort, body guard and assistant. Notice the woman in the foreground totally oblivious to the action going on behind her.

 

Shortly after that, Ann Curry came out, hugged a man and slipped into a black limo that had been parked nearby surrounded with orange cones.

Celebrity Alert: Ben Stiller

Here, an "extra" waits with others like him (i.e., folks dressed in business attire, wearing make up) to be in a scene with Ben Stiller's remake of the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (a 1947 film starring Danny Kaye, which was based on a James Thurber short story).

AND HERE IS BEN STILLER!

Too Technical, Part 2

While waiting for guests to arrive in Long Island City from the airport, my husband and I watched the Reds playing in Colorado, live, from his iPad that was being "slingboxed" from our television in Cincinnati. All this while drinking wine in a sidewalk cafe in Long Island City.

Too Technical!

Isn't it crazy that I can share on a blog a screenshot of a video chat I had with my daughter in Arizona? Just nuts.

Buildings in Contrast

 

The contrast of 19th century brick buildings against concrete and steel skyscrapers near South Street Seaport in downtown Manhattan.

Manhattan View from LIC

 

The view of Manhattan from a park near my apartment in Long Island City.

Police Dog and Man

 

A policeman works with his police dog at a park near my place. Did I already publish this?

 

My husband adjusting the tilt of this big rock in Central Park.

Just a few blocks from my apartment in Long Island City, I came across this sculpture of the iconic photograph "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper". It was parked in front of an old warehouse which I have learned is the home studio of a famous tile painter, Sergio Furnari. This artist is known world-wide for his large scale hand-painted tile art for high end swimming pools.

He has painted and created pool tiles for private homes and upscale hotels in places like Beverly Hills, the Hamptons, and the Caribbean islands. His latest work will be in Dubai, and according to his website, and will be the largest swimming pool in the world.

I learned that he spent one year working on the above sculpture which was completed a week after 9/11. So he drove it to the clean-up site where it sat for several months to encourage the workers.

I'm guessing that many of these old warehouses near me house studios of artists doing amazing things. I'll keep you informed.