Daily photographs by HANS VON RITTERN, with humorous, artistic and social commentary on life in the big city.

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Best new thing: CAMERA GLOVES !

CAMERA GLOVES !: My dear friend Nana Kuatto’s godmother Elina in Finland has made me ‘camera gloves’!
Mittens always keep your hands the warmest and nothing is warmer than 100% wool. Well,  Elina Kiviniemi has combined the two ideas and created “Camera Gloves”!
It’s freezing cold outside and you’re taking pictures. Having to take off your gloves will leave your finger frozen in minutes. No need to worry. The right hand camera glove leaves the thumb and index finger free for you to securely hold you camera while your free warm index finger snaps the picture. Leave it to the Fin’s to come up with this idea! Elina Kiviniemi has also made wool socks for President Clinton and his family and she has received a personal handwritten thank you note from Bill himself!
My picture taking this winter will be warmer thanks to Nana and Elina’s thoughtfulness and my warm “CAMERA GLOVES from FINLAND”!

If they’re good enough for the Clintons – they’re good enough for me!

Photo of the day: CONFUSED SMURF FOUND WANDERING IN TIME SQUARE

CONFUSED SMURF FOUND WANDERING IN TIMES SQUARE . . .
“Didn’t the parade used to come through Times Square? I’m confused, I’ve got to find the parade –
before the parade passes by
before it goes on, and I’m the only Smurf left
before the parade passes by.
I’ve gotta get in step while there’s still time left
I’m ready to move out in front
Life without life has no reason or rhyme left
With the rest of them
With the best of them
I wanna hold my head up high
I need to get a goal again I need to get a drive again
I wanna feel my heart coming alive again
Before the parade passes by…
Before the parade passes by
I’ve gotta go and taste Saturday’s high life !

Today’s theme song: CHER’s “Shoppin’ ”

Lyric from CHER’s  1979 album “Prisoner”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a_YSdQLHWo

I’m shoppin’, gonna buy my blues away

Shoppin’, I’m walking up  to the counter and say

I want this sweater, I sure feel better

Shoppin’, gonna take my troubles to town

Shoppin’, you don’t need money down

Charge it, wrap it, send it shoppin’
Ever since my mother took me to a big department  store

My heartbeat escalated all the  way to the second floor

I couldn’t hide my passion for the latest fashion craze

My  mama told me that’s just another phase I’m going through

Whatcha got that’s new?
Shoppin’,  gonna buy my blues away

Shoppin’, I  got bad news today

Instead of  eating ’cause my man’s cheating

Shoppin’, I’m gonna take my troubles to town

Shoppin’, while everyone else is smokin’, token’,  coken’

Well, I’ll be shoppin’, hit  it, boys
Excuse me Miss, see  that, the dress over there?

How  many colors does it come in?

Yes,  all right, no, I’d like every one

No, I’m not going to try it, I know it’ll fit
Ooh, you know what?

Let’s go up, oh, they’re having a sale

My God, I love salesNo,  I don’t have a last name
It’s  just Cher, just plain Cher

Ooh, I  like the shoes

Do you think you could wrap this thing

It’s all pink and  wrinkly it’s…

What a darling little  bag
Shoppin’, I’m gonna buy  itShoppin’,

I never try it on for  size

Shoppin, will I like it

Shoppin’, does the color match my  eyes?
Folks say I’m daring for  what I’m wearing

I’m always scaring  the people’s staring

So I’m  declaring, I’m tired of swearing

I’m just shoppin’
Shoppin’,  I’m gonna but my blues away

Shoppin’, I got bad news todayShoppin’, I’m gonna take my troubles to town

Shoppin’, don’t need money down
Shoppin’, gonna buy my blues away

Shoppin’, walking up to the counter and say

I want that sweater, I sure feel betterShoppin’, charge it, wrap it, send  it
Shoppin’, instead of  eating ’cause my man’s cheating

I’ve  been shoppin

‘While other people  may be smokin’, token’, coken’

I’ll  be shoppin’

Photo of the day: NEW YORK IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

In New York City – shopping is a sport !

BLOOMINGDALE’S Friday’s hours:

7:00AM – 10:00PM
Saturday, November 24
9:00AM – 10:00PM
Sunday, November 25
10:00AM – 9:00PM
Monday, November 26
9:00AM – 10:00PM
Tuesday, November 27
9:00AM – 10:00PM
Wednesday, November 28
9:00AM – 10:00PM

MACY’S HERALD SQUARE STORE HOURS
Friday, November 23: 12:00AM – 10:00PM
Saturday, November 24: 7:00AM – 11:00PM
Sunday, November 25: 10:00AM – 10:00PM
Monday, November 26: 9:00AM – 9:30PM
Tuesday, November 27: 9:00AM – 9:30PM
Wednesday, November 28: 9:00AM – 11:00PM

SAKS FIFTH AVENUEMon-Sat 10 am – 8 pmSun 12 pm – 7 pm

LORD & TAYLOR
Mon – Sat: 10am – 9pm
Sunday 11am – 8pm
BERGDORF GOODMAN
Holiday hours begin November 26: Monday to Friday open 10am until 9pm. Saturday until 8. Sunday 11am until 7pm

Photo of the day: YMCANDY MAN

YMCANDY MAN: Young man, there’s no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, ’cause you’re in a new town
there’s no need to be unhappy.
But I can take a rainbow,
wrap it in a sigh,
soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie.
I’m the Candy Man, the Candy Man!
I mix it all with dough and make the world taste good.
Young man, there’s a place you can go.
I said, young man, when you’re short on your dough.
You can bake there, and I’m sure you will find,
many ways to have a good time.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

Photo of the day: JESUS IS KING AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

JESUS IS KING AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER: I am born and raised in this city. Walking past construction sites is a part of the fabric of life here. At first you gaze down into the big hole, then as the months pass, you start to gaze up as the construction rises in front of you.  First the beams rise to the sky, then followed by the mortar and brick – nowadays that step is mostly skipped in favor of quickly just putting up sheets of glass.
Wooden walls or chain link fences keep us safely separated from the site. The temporary ‘wall’ surrounding the site becomes a form of city art. Posters advertising the latest show, cable TV shows, spiritualists, party, politician or artist. They get torn, sometimes artfully so or get glued or stapled over, layer by layer, a sort of record of time. That is usually collaged with a colorful array of graffiti, some of it the usual street gang type (kING63) or profound messages or rather naughty ones. But never have I looked up and have seen the graffiti on the building itself – and on top of that – a religious message.
At the World Trade Center construction site, along Church Street, as building #3 rises, look high up at the buildings cement core and you first think the spray paint markings in safety day glow orange would naturally be some sort of construction markings of distance or height. The answer is no. If you look closely, it is a message declaring “Jesus is King.”
I have never, ever seen a construction site graffitied by it’s workers much less religious graffiti. I am equally astounded it is allowed by the site – apparently so . . . Merry (early) Christmas 🙂

Photo of the day: ‘ONE OF US’ WAS MURDERED IN SUNNYSIDE

Councilman Jimmy Van Brammer speaks to the gatherered community honoring Lou as bereaved family members listen on.

SUNNYSIDE MURDER: Lou Rispoli and his partner of 31 years Danyal Lawson were married at Queens Borough Hall on July 24, 2011, the first day that same-sex marriages became legal in New York State. On Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 2:05 A.M. he told his partner he was going out to get some milk. At approximately 2:15 A.M., at the corner of 42nd Street & 43rd Ave. Louis Rispoli was assaulted by 3 male white suspects in their early 20’s who brutally bashed his head in with an unknown blunt object . . . five days later Louis died of his injuries.  The suspects fled in a grey sports car and have not been caught.
On Saturday November 16, at 4:00 P.M., my mother and I along with our councilman Jimmy Van Brammer and several hundred residents of Woodside and Sunnyside, Queens gathered and marched to protest the senseless violence and to pay tribute to this beloved member of our community. Danyal’s and Louis’ family members were all present to see this outpouring of concern and love.
Crimestoppers will pay up to $22,000 for information leading to the arrest & indictment and the NYPD will pay $10,000 for the arrest & conviction of the persons responsible for this crime. Please call Crimestoppers at 1(800)577-TIPS.
DANYAL WALKING HOME WITH HIS LOVED ONES AFTER THE RALLY

DANYAL WALKING HOME WITH HIS LOVED ONES AFTER THE RALLY