The Ruins of Bannerman's Island

Quite how unlucky can one building be? Abandoned, neglected and decaying, at first sight you may think that Bannerman’s Castle is located in Europe, perhaps a Scottish remnant from the days of the lairds or a site in Ireland forsaken by retreating British aristocrats. Yet the Castle, sitting blithely upon Pollepel Island is only 50 miles north of New York City, on the Hudson River. Its history is a long and strange catalogue of disaster. Image Credit Flickr User gsz

Image Credit Flickr User kilgub

Image Credit Flickr User dbfoto

Bizarrely, it isn’t even a castle. What you can see here are the remains of an abandoned military surplus warehouse.

The fact that it was built in the style of a castle says much for the eccentricities, not to mention wealth, of its builder, Francis Bannerman VI (seen left).

Yet from the moment it was built the castle was, so many maintained, doomed.

What was designed to be a testament to and record of the wealth and power of a single interview was to befall no less than four disasters. In little more than a century it would fall in to complete ruin.

PomPom Mirror: Seeing is Believing

PomPom Mirror by Daniel Rozin is very clever art but despite that it does exactly what it says on the metaphorical tin. It features a synchronized array of 928 spherical faux fur puffs. Organized into a three-dimensional grid of beige and black, the sculpture is controlled by hundreds of motors that build silhouettes of viewers using computer-vision.   Just watch it – huge fun to experience in a gallery I would imagine.  I would venture to guess that it was a massive pain to construct – I wonder how many times Rozin thought why did I think of this? to himself.

Harry Grows Up

Harry isn’t the first heartbroken New Yorker to take to the bottle but the difference here is that he is only eighteen months old. When Harry’s babysitter leaves, will he ever find love again and mend that broken heart? You can find out by watching Harry Grows Up, a very sweet comedy short directed by Mark Nickelsburg and starring (I am guessing here, as they share the same last name) his very adorable son Lucas as the lovelorn Harry.

How Do You Know When You’re in Love?

That’s the million dollar question – the ten million dollar question probably being what am I going to do about it?  However, for now let’s start with the first question.  The Atlantic went out on the streets of New York and asked its denizens to ponder that age old question.  Out of the mouths of babes, perhaps, come the most amusing but the wisdom of the older New Yorkers shine through (there’s a little cynicism, of course, thrown in for good measure).

The Beatles - Animated History of a Rock Band

If you are a fan of The Beatles then you will absolutely adore this – guaranteed. As a standalone piece of animation it gives us a glimpse in to the career of (possibly) the best rock band in history. We see stylised versions of Liverpool, London and New York as the Fab Four take us on a Magical Mystery Tour all of their own.

In fact, this was almost inspirational piece of animation was created by Pete Candeland of Passion Pictures. It was used for the intro of The Beatles: Rock Band game, which was launched in September 2009. I have absolutely no idea how the game fared in the marketplace but if it was a complete flop then it was worth it just for these 2:36 of complete bliss. This animation works wonderfully well independent of the game.

Hard Day’s Night, Paperback Writer, Here Comes The Sun and I Am The Walrus all feature in this wonderful animated medley. It's just a joy to watch!

Here is the shorter but equally lovely outro.

Eternal Flame Falls

At the base of a waterfall deep in the forests of the state of New York an eternal flame burns. A small grotto between the layers of shale protects this everlasting fire. Although it glows brightly throughout the year it radiates light and warmth more on Midsummer’s Night than on any other time on the calendar. Then, it is said that the fair folk…

The Manhattan Project – Time Lapse

Hold on to your hats for a whistle stop tour of Manhattan.  Cameron Michael lugged 120-130 pounds of gear around all of Manhattan in order to bring you this astonishing footage.  Not all of it, strictly speaking, was legally done but I am sure you will turn a blind eye once you have sat through this amazing piece of work!

What I particularly like about this stop motion piece is the camera work, strictly speaking the way that the camera pans while the stop motion is actually happening.  This is a fairly new technique and has not been attempted successfully (let alone brilliantly!) by many people.  Here it is seamless. Just awesome work!

A Lovesong

Do you like a little modernist poetry with your morning coffee? Then take a look at A Lovesong, directed by Laura Scrivano and starring Daniel Henshall. Taking TS Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock as its starting point, this short features a solitary man wandering the streets of New York, a mass of indecision.  It is the first film in The Passion series and bodes very well for what will come in the future.

Sunday Short Movie: Pizza Verdi Starring Norm Lewis

An apparently everyday pizza delivery spirals into an edgy game of cat-and-mouse. Giuseppe Verdi provides the soundtrack for this quintessential New York tale. This is something that you must really not stop watching until the denouement as otherwise you will just not get it!

Pizza Verdi was written and directed by Gary Nadeau and stars Marie Zamora and Norm Lewis. In case you are wondering the song Caro Nome is from the opera Rigoletto. Ms Zamora does not simply mime the song either – she actually sings it! This reminds me a little of the old Roald Dahl TV series Tales of the Unexpected where we were consistently reminded to never judge a book by its cover!

Watch 1 World Trade Center Rise Over Three Years in this Amazing Time-Lapse

Benjamin Rosamond must be a very patient man. He began this time-lapse in February 2011 and completed it in 2014. It shows the tallest building in the western hemisphere, 1 World Trade Center as it slowly but surely comes to dominate the Lower Manhattan Skyline. If you can draw your eyes away from it, you can also see the construction of the Barclays Center Arena in the lower right corner. Shot in the golden hour, this is renaissance in motion.

New York Looks Amazing This Summer

Colby Moore has created something very special here – he has captured the sights and sounds of New York in this visually amazing and truly cinematic short film.  It is almost as if, amongst all the humanity and the never ending movement, that the city is waiting for something to happen.  The music, Black Vortex from Kevin MacLeod adds to this sense of expectation.  If you aren’t going to be in New York this summer, this is the next best thing.

The Roving Typist

Many writers choose to self-publish these days and although CD Hermelin is no exception he has taken it to a certain extreme.  He sits in public spaces with an old typewriter and waits for people to approach him, writing any stories for them that take their fancy.  It’s an unusual career path but one which gives both Mr Hermelin and his readers great satisfaction.  Mark Cersosimo has created this very tender portrait of a very gentle man.

Forever Brooklyn

It takes a real talent to capture the essence of a place and I do believe that director and editor Francesco Paciocco has succeeded here with his home town of Brooklyn.

The film, in sumptuous black and white, takes us on a tour of the borough and the result is a wonderful and celebratory – it makes me want to get on a plane and head there right now!

It’s Time by Meedon

Ever wanted to, metaphorically, flap your winds and fly the nest? Then, this is for you. Or perhaps it should really be for all the patient parents out there who are waiting for that moment to come so that they themselves may once more stretch their own wings.  I am going to stop there before we get in to a paradox (or something else I wouldn’t understand).   Let's just say, if this is you right here right now, you will know when it's time.

This is a lovely tune by Meedon, a singer based in New York.  What she says on her Facebook page is very honest: “I tinker on the piano, guitar, clarinet, & sax...sing, write, play, & record everything myself. I’m a work in progress... & love & music saved me”. The ampersandissimo is not mine, hence the quotation marks.

Meedon, you may still consider yourself a work in progress, but this is a song perfectly formed.  Bravo.

The video was directed by Giada Strinati and Valentina Delmiglio through HOWOW Studio. Bravo #2.

Tulips: Not Only from Amsterdam

When it's Spring again I'll bring again Tulips from Amsterdam – so goes the old song.  Tulips and the Netherlands seem to be forever inextricably bound, yet neither the plant or its cultivation originated there. It’s native range encompasses Turkey, Israel, Palestine, North Africa, and Iran all the way to the Northwest of China.  Today, however, the flower is a truly global species and each spring the fields of numerous countries explode in a riot of colors.

Image Credit Flickr User Ennor

So, sit back and take in the glorious sight of tulips: from single flowers to meadows seemingly overflowing with them, the tulip is, quite simply, a thing of exquisite beauty. Fill your heart with spring!

One World Trade Center Nears Completion

On July 4 2004 the symbolic cornerstone of One World Trade Center was laid.  Due to various disputes over financing, design and safety work was delayed until 2006.  Since then New Yorkers have watched as the building grew.  Now, as One World Trade Center nears completion, we bring you these remarkable photographs, all taken within the last month.

March 29 2013 Image Credit Flickr User Simon Collison

5 Beekman Street: Manhattan’s Financial District’s Hidden History

When it was built in 1881-83, 5 Beekman Street was the first high rise building in New York.  Things have changed on the street outside but 5 Beekman has been closed for many years, frozen in time.  It is set now to become a luxury hotel which will open in late 2014. So, here’s an opportunity to see 5 Beekman before it is restored - a slice of Manhattan's hidden history.  To keep up to date and learn more, go to the official website.

The building was originally called the Kelly Building, named after the drygoods retailer and banker Eugene Kelly, a first generation Irish immigrant who funded its construction.  Kelly was a man of immense wealth, he had a fortune of over $600 million dollars.  As you can see from the pictures, the building was opulent to say the least – it cost $400,000 to build.

Bennett School for Girls: College which Taught America's Privileged Set for Demolition

The founders of the Bennett School for Girls were decidedly aspirational.  Founded in 1890 it was soon attracting the daughters of a number of prominent American families. Yet while some educational institutions persevere and thrive for sometimes hundreds of years, the fate of the Bennett School and its grandiose buildings was somewhat different. Now it faces imminent demolition: yet how opulent times once were.

Image Credit Flickr User Stephenbley

To say the school has changed since its heyday is something of an understatement. Take a look at this remarkable series of then and now photographs.

The Guardian

Nora is the last Guardian Angel on earth.  It is a lonely job and one which is fraught with problems as she comes to grips with both her gift and vocation. Yet Nora is biding her time – she knows that at some point in her life those who she is destined to guard will cross her path.

This short film written and directed by Joseph Marconi manages to combine melancholy with sweetness and fantasy with naturalism in a compelling way. It tells a very simple story but I was gripped throughout.  It is beautifully, almost languidly shot and although it is bittersweet in some ways it has romance at its very heart.

Prometheus Engineer Steals the Show at New York Comic Con

Regulars at New York Comic Con, the largest pop culture event on the East Coast of the US, are used to people turning up in costume. So used, in fact, that eyelids are rarely batted. This year, however, one gentleman turned up with hardly any clothes on. Wait, they’re used to that, too.

Image Courtesy of Humans of New York

However, this particular costume (if it can be called that) consisted of a few clever prosthetics, lots of makeup and a loincloth. The fact that the gentleman involved had also spent about ten decades in the gym certainly helped give everyone the impression that he was, indeed, one of The Engineers from the Ridley Scott movie Prometheus.