These are brief visions of New York City as I saw them in August 2008. I had spent about five days visiting my brother and his fiancé, Gretchen. They live on Roosevelt Island, which is on the other side of Manhattan (separated by the East River). Time there was nice. They have a little dog named Olive that likes to wake everyone up at 5 AM. For me, dogs seem to resemble humans most of the time. Why is it so strange that this dog looked like Sally Field?
New York is a bull whip of a town. I have been lucky as to have visited the city on numerous occasion as a musician but this time it was as a tourist. My brother (who was on vacation from his general law practice internship) and I got the chance to go to our usual watering holes (central park; McSorley's, etc..) but we also went to the Museum of Natural History. There, we did Very Important Things like calculate our relative weight on planets like Mercury and Saturn.
From Roosevelt Island, we can see the United Nations. This is inspiring for me.
*****On Roosevelt Island*****
Taken from when Dustin and I were out walking the dog. It was an overcast August day and we were going to go out on the town.
*****Pre-historic Shark*****
Nightmarish models in the Museum of Natural History. My brother and I paid for general entrance and were later disappointed in the fact we could not enter the "Horses" exhibit. WTF?!?
*****McSorley's Pub*****
The oldest tavern in America. Whenever I see my brother in NYC (which is about once or twice a year) we go to this bar. There are pictures and news articles inside that date from the 1860s. There is a picture of Woody Guthrie that hangs in McSorley's -- he is playing guitar inside of McSorley's back in the '40s with a small crowd of gentlemen gathered 'round. There are only two options of drink at this bar -- 'dark' or 'light' (dark or light beer). I have always gotten the dark and I usually order some crackers and cheese too. The style of the pub is very communal -- it is always crowded inside as such that you are forced to sit with strangers. Strangers become long-lost friends within minutes and you become amazed on our ability of interconnectivity.
*****Dustin*****
My brother in Central Park. I am very proud of him and I love him very much. He is just about finished with law school at New York Law School.
Every Friday night in Albuquerque Hector Pimentel plays at the Hilton. Lately he has offered time for my uncle Jim to play as well. I think this is a great outlet for my uncle and I am so glad he is doing it. He used to be more nervous when it came to playing out in front of people but watching him perform made me so proud. 
Harry is playing the Requinta -- a smaller guitar tuned with the sixth string at an A so it has a higher-tuned tone as a whole. Hector (pictured right) is a very impressive guitar player as well as showman. There were, however, very cheesy moments in his set when he and Harry performed a soupy instrumental cover of "Dust in the Wind." After the night was over, Jim, Hector, Carol (Hector's wife) and I all went to the Frontier restaurant down by UNM. It is a 24 hour diner located in Albuquerque. 
Here is the first of several photos I took while on a break working for my uncle. This is a paint gun I used while painting and priming cabinets.
This is a giant bookshelf we were building for a rich Astrophysicist. It is hard to believe, but this bookshelf will fit in the client's home.
Here was a bicycle in DJ John's shop (where my uncle worked). It is a vintage bicycle from the 50s (or so it appears). I figured I would take some snapshots during lunch break.
Taken from when Dustin and I were out walking the dog. It was an overcast August day and we were going to go out on the town.
Nightmarish models in the Museum of Natural History. My brother and I paid for general entrance and were later disappointed in the fact we could not enter the "Horses" exhibit. WTF?!?
The oldest tavern in America. Whenever I see my brother in NYC (which is about once or twice a year) we go to this bar. There are pictures and news articles inside that date from the 1860s. There is a picture of Woody Guthrie that hangs in McSorley's -- he is playing guitar inside of McSorley's back in the '40s with a small crowd of gentlemen gathered 'round. There are only two options of drink at this bar -- 'dark' or 'light' (dark or light beer). I have always gotten the dark and I usually order some crackers and cheese too. The style of the pub is very communal -- it is always crowded inside as such that you are forced to sit with strangers. Strangers become long-lost friends within minutes and you become amazed on our ability of interconnectivity. 
