I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art this week with my camera. The experience was like wearing a new pair of prescription glasses. I could focus and see the details, of the art, in front of me.

Also new was discovering that the Met and the four block radius east of the museum may be a French colony.   There are French stores as Petit Bateau, French chocolates from La Maison du Chocolate, French restaurants as Demarchelier and French speakers everywhere. Families, young people, old people, not to mention the museum tours in French. Who knew?

But discovering a French colony on the Upper East Side was not the reason for my visit. I went to the Met with B&H Photo, as part of a free (yes, free!) full day event to learn more about Lensbabies.

Lensbabies are selective focus SLR camera lenses that allow you to create diverse effects with your camera versus creating them in post-production software as Photoshop. In simple terms, they help make cool, creative photos.

The event started at the store on 34th Street and 9th Avenue, in the B&H Event Space.  David Brommer and Gabriel Biderman from B&H delivered a detailed overview of the Lensbaby products and their diverse effects. But what made the event fantastic, was receiving a Lensbaby (of our choice) loaner to shoot with in the afternoon. The original plan was a Lensbaby Safari Shoot in Central Park but, due to unpredictable rain and a fast thinking B&H Event Team, we relocated to the Met.

The afternoon was a serious photographic workout.  Mastering the Lensbaby will take more time but thanks to B&H’s Event Space I was able to test drive the product and share my results with you.

Given my unemployment status, I’m not ready to make the investment in a Lensbaby yet, but I can tell you that testing the equipment was a lot of fun, so thank you B&H Event Space!

My photos have been submitted to B&H for a photo contest, prizes include Lensbabies!   So while I hope you have taken a break from your day to enjoy my photos, I really hope I win a Lensbaby!

Wish me luck!

Leslie

I understand that riding a motorino (scooter) isn’t for everyone.  But as a New York Times online article recently noted “Urban America is Catching the Scooter Craze”. And my friend and dedicated passenger, Fara, can attest to how great it really is.

But for those of you who still aren’t convinced I have another Motorino option that is sure to please.

Located at 349 East 12th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, Motorino is a new Neapolitan style pizzeria (in the former Una Pizza Napoletana space).

I like pizza on occasion but it isn’t something I eat regularly, until tasting Motorino’s brussels sprout pizza with smoked pancetta, garlic and pecorino cheese.  Yum!  It also doesn’t hurt that it has a great name.

But what I really like about Motorino, is their small menu starting with the oven roasted brocollini seasoned with garlic, chili and pecorino cheese, followed by one of the seven pie choices (one size only) as the smoked scamorzza (a smoked Italian cow’s-milk cheese) pie flavored with squash, pancetta and sage and finishing with the every-bite-is-delicious tiramisu or the surprising, yet perfect, chocolate and vanilla twist soft serve.

The restuarant is small and doesn’t take reservations, so at night be prepared to wait outside on the sidewalk for a table.  And for those of you sensitive to noise, the decibel level can creep up in the evening, with the sound of local New Yorkers bouncing off the clean white tiled walls and marble table tops.

Fara (who also doubles as my eating and photography assistant) and I prefer the, I’m currently job searching, $12 lunch special (a fresh mixed green salad and selected pizza or selected pizza with the soft serve flavor of the day).  Otherwise pies cost between $9 and $16, antipasti between $3 and $14 and with a nice selection of wines, this could be one of your more moderate dinner-out choices in the city.

So if you are not ready to get on a motorino, get yourself over to Motorino to at least experience some delicious Neapolitan style pizza.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Leslie

Motorino 349 E 12th Street  Tel (212) 777-2644

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I want to send a big thanks to my friends who came to my photo exhibit yesterday.

Thank you!

If you missed the exhibit take a moment from your day to enjoy the photos exhibited from my bicycle series.

And while in the bicycle spirit I want to share a biking article recently featured in New York Magazine, The Everything Guide to the Bike Commute, as well as information on the mural “Cycle”, installed on a scaffolding bridge on 70 East 4th Street.

“Cycle” is a collaborative effort  of Pasqualina Azzarello from Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB), Fourth Arts Block (FAB) and nearly a hundred 4th and 5th grade students from PS 364 The Earth School, located in the East Village.  The mural is beautiful and a tribute to the developing East 4th Street Cultural District, the neighborhood children and the local biking community.

Recycle-A-Bicycle is an innovative, youth training programing that partners with New York City public schools and after-school youth initiatives.  They teach young people the importance of cycling, recycling and much more.

Some of  Recycle-A-Bicycle community programs include job training, earn-a-bike for student volunteers, creating crafts from recycled bike parts and safe riding.  You can help Recycle-A-Bicycle by making a tax deductible financial donation, purchasing a recycled bicycle, donating a bike or even donating your time.

Bicycles, recycling and helping the community, I am a fan!

Leslie

I have previously written about riding a Vespa (check out the video) but lately I have been encountering a lot of questions about Vespas so I wanted to revisit this favorite topic with a new post.  I also needed a personal experience for my writing class, so here is the result of my homework…  Enjoy!

Leslie

As a regular visitor to Italy I have rented cars, traveled by bus, trains and planes but had never dared to get on a scooter until a friend in Rome gave me no choice.

In Rome, motorini (scooters) are a staple mode of transportation.  Everyone drives them, young, old, rich and poor.  They are cheap, require little gas, can be parked nearly anywhere and can be driven through Rome’s historic center, which is closed to cars without a resident pass.  Scooters are also the best way to deal with Rome’s stifling traffic and small streets.  And scooters, especially Vespas, are the epitome of Italian style and design.  Like an Armani suit, they are beautiful to look at yet exude functionality.

I always thought “Bella!” (Beautiful), as they weaved through the city’s harrowing traffic but had never considered getting on one.  No way, too dangerous.  Not to mention Roman drivers who think they are Formula One racers, smiling as they swerve millimeters from your feet.

I watched scooter drivers talk on cell phones, navigate cobblestones with one hand, and squeeze between car lanes to arrive first at a stoplight finish, magically appearing in front of all the cars.  I wondered, “Are there any rules here?”.

So when my friend Stefania proposed to pick me up in the city center on a scooter I was more than nervous.  But how could I say no?  I knew the constraints.  No cars allowed, slow public transportation, and taxis that could cost a day’s salary if caught in a Roman traffic jam.   So I took a deep breath and agreed.

I put on my helmet, two sizes too big, wobbling on my head, and realized the hardest part wasn’t being in traffic, it was getting my leg over the seat without kicking Stefy or bruising my leg on the back case.  It took a few tries.  I placed my feet on the footrests, held tight to the cold metal rail on the back of the seat, and told myself  ”You can do this!” and I did.

I quickly realized pedestrians in Rome are low men on the totem poll.  Cars and scooters have all the power and what seemed terrible from the sidewalk is not bad at all from the street.  Views of historic monuments, previously limited to the sidewalk, were amazing.  I smiled and thought, “When can we do this again?”.  I had just discovered a new vantage point for sight seeing, pictures, and an occasional video!

And although enjoyable as a passenger it’s not easy driving a scooter in Rome.  It can be dangerous and I’ve had moments of fear when I was sure a bus would flatten me because my driver felt compelled to weave through lanes into oncoming traffic, but I loved it.

Not long after in New York, I found myself faced with a long commute.  For years I had avoided New York public transportation by walking to work.  But my office was more than an hour walk so I took the plunge and bought a Vespa.

A lot of friends and strangers continue to ask me about my Vespa and how I feel about driving in New York.  New York is not completely scooter friendly but the city is making progress.  I look forward to the day when there is dedicated scooter parking, more scooters on the streets and fewer potholes, but there are now five Vespa dealers in the NY area (all listed at the end of the post) and a few scooter clubs as the NY Scooter Club, a great resource for all things scooter in New York.

So if you or someone you know is interested in a scooter feel free to share this post and visit one of the NY area dealers for more information.  And for those of you who are serious about taking the plunge take note that Vespa Brooklyn is currently offering $1,000 off all 2009 Vespa models while in stock!  Amazing!!!

So scooter away!!!

Vespa Brooklyn, 215 Park Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205  T (718) 254-0808

Vespa Soho, 13 Crosby St, New York, NY 10013-3138  T (212) 226-4410

Vespa Potamkin, 798 11th Ave, New York, NY  T (212) 708-3170

Vespa Queens, 37-43 Crescent St, Long Island City, NY 11101  T (718) 786-7772

Vespa Jersey City, 247 10th St, Jersey City, NJ 07302  T (201) 837-7252

As you may know I have just finished a photography class at PhotoManhattan.

The class will be exhibiting next week.  So come, have some wine and cheese, and view in person a few more of my amateur photos.

Thursday, October 22nd from 8:30pm – 10:30pm

PhotoManhattan 51 West 14th Street

No need to RSVP

See you there!

Leslie