Bill Cunningham - nightcaps

I like hats.  I like wearing my fedoras, like my Irish wool winter hat, like my straw hats, and like wearing caps that advertise my passions and loyalties.  And I like walking around New York.  There is no one more skilled at walking around New York with an admiring lens than the celebrity and fashion photographer for the Times - Bill Cunningham.  the editors have finally decided to let you copy the embed code for Bill's narrated photo essays.  here's a good one.

Winter fashion: Bill Cunningham On the Street

Bill Cunningham likes what he sees as he wanders on the streets of New York. What he mostly sees is women fashionably dressed - developing surprising themes. It's Quicksilver - the gray scale this holiday season. The video is HERE.

The Winter so far

The world order seems about right today, the last of January.  It's 26F in Friendship, 21 at our place overlooking the North River, 4 in Anchorage, and 23 in Beijing.   There have been a lot of below zero readings in Friendship - none in New York - and 40's in Anchorage.

There was ice in the river this morning at 8 but it's gone now as the rising tide brings sea water north.  But we've had ice most of the time - except for the sloppy thaw a couple of days ago, which Bill Cunningham records in his On The Street audio photo essay with his Boston accent and chahming eccentricity.

He ridicules the men who wear dress shoes knowing they are going to confront the ponds at every corner when a day of rain melts the snow and the drains clog with ice.  I did that.  I put on my best winter suit and wanted my shoes to match.  I couldn't find those Totes rubbers.  I was just getting a bit tired of winter and didn't want to wear boots in the overheated law school all day.  Besides they didn't match my suit and were stained anyway with fuel I'd spilled.

Finally the unlikely event of a water landing was the biggest maritime happening on the North River- as Sully Sullenberger brought an Airbus down off the ferry terminal just below the Intrepid and the pilots of New York Waterway promptly rescued the passengers who lined up on the wings (some of them knee deep in the brine)  like Londoners in a dark moment rather than New Yorkers pressing to get on the cross-town bus in the rain.

On The Street: Santa Con 2008 - 5,000 Santas in New York. Is China next?

Taisy was there - on the steps of the General Post office and all around mid-town.  With 5,000 other Santas, red, green, and all celebrating what the Chinese call 圣诞节Shengdan Jie.  In fact, since every waitress and grocery clerk in China sports a Santa cap like at this IGA in Wuhan, I think this silly celebration will soon flourish in China - where they can REALLY put together a crowd. 

Bill Cunningham was there too in Manhattan - with his usual wonderful photography.  So here it is- Bill Cunningham's audio slide show: SantaCon(vention) in New York.

How to dress in New York - Bill Cunningham `On the Street'

Bill Cunningham has a great eye: the classic way to dress in New York - in Manhattan that is when the good, cold weather arrives, is a jacket, scarf, and gloves.  And for me, of course, a hat.  Bill Cunningham sees it On The Street.