Dias Y Flores Community Garden

The Dias y Flores Community Garden is named after a song by Silvio Rodriquez (also the name of the album, his first, in 1975.) A bold choice of name for a garden, when you take into account the times and the context.

Bikapalloza - The Gardens of the East Village - August 10, 2013

Using the New York Bike Share was a lot of fun - my first time.  It's been a long time since I've been on a bike and I don't think I've ever ridden in the city.  Having bike lanes makes it a real pleasure, something I'd like to try again.

I did a lot of preparation for the event and created color coded maps to show Bike Pickup locations, Drop-off locations, walking maps and riding maps, since the plan was to walk and ride.

Color Coded Maps - Exquisitely Planned Down to the Last Detail

The great plan fell apart almost immediately.  What I realized was this wasn't a one day idea.  We could spend the whole summer sketching the gardens.  There are so many of them, and they're all interesting, different and beautiful in their own way.  We lingered, and spent too much time.  To even try to accomplish everything in my crazy plan would have turned the event into a forced march rather than the pleasure sketch crawl I think we all love.

The 11th Street Garden

Our first stop was the 11th Street Garden, which looked like it was lovely -  but was locked.  We setup in the street, looking in through the fence and sketched the gardens from the outside.  It might not be a general rule, but it seems that the gardens don't really open until around noon.

The Ost Cafe

On the way to the Dias y Flores Garden on 13th Street we stopped at the Ost Cafe on 12th and Avenue A for a quick Coffee / Expresso.  We got window seats.  The windows were open so it was like sitting outside.  Great coffee, great atmosphere.  We all sat there sketching.  The clientele was my subject matter.  I did several, but this woman sitting on a stool was the one I like best.

We made it to Dias y Flores and discovered something interesting.

  The people in the gardens were as interesting as the gardens themselves.  Here Jason and Richard are chatting with two of the locals.

The Dias y Flores Garden

The garden and the people who care for the garden became sketching subjects.

By this time everyone was starving and we decided to head over for Indian Food.  Richard remembered to photograph the garden sign, .... and I remembered to photograph Richard.

We might have had the most perfect weather of the summer for this event.

What if it Rains on Bikeapalloza?

The Rainy Day Back-up Plan

The Weather Report indicates we should have a nice day for Bikeapalloza! - but, who knows?

In case we get a rainy day - here's the back-up plan:
Let's meet at 10 AM at the Whole Foods located a 4 Union Square (that's the south side of 14th Street between Broadway and University).  They have a restaurant on the second floor that overlooks Union Square Park.  If it's raining let's meet there.

To check either call Mark 973-809-9128 or Richard 917-224-8373

NYC Urban Sketchers August 10, 2013

        It's Bikeapalloza !!!        

Exploring the Gardens of the East Village by Bike 

Please Note:  

If bike riding isn't your thing, no problem.  

The area we're going to cover can easily be walked

NYC New Bike Share Program

We'll use the new Bike Share which should be fun.  

1)  We'll start at 10 AM getting our bikes at Lafayette St & E 8 St  (if all bikes are taken, which is unlikely there are other pick-up sites at Cooper Square & E 7 St) An all day pass will cost $9.95 plus tax and the bikes are usable for 30 minutes at a time.  You will need a credit card.

2)  First Stop the 11th Street Community Garden between 1st Ave and Ave A for a quick sketch and then on to return the bikes at 13th and Avenue A. 

The Gardens of the East Village

3)  We walk to the second stop the Dias y Flores Garden on 13th Between A & B. When done we pick up bikes again at 14th St. and Ave B.

4)  We ride E 2 St & Avenue C and park our bikes walking to All People's Garden at on 3rd St between Ave C-D, then around the corner to Parque de Tranquilidad, El Jardin Del Paraiso and the Secret Garden.

5)  We pick up bikes again at E 5 St & Avenue C and travel crosstown for some interesting lunch. We ride to E 4 St & 2 Ave which is near the NY Theater Workshop, park our bikes and walk two blocks to Indian Restaurant row on Sixth St between 1st and 2nd Ave.  Malai Marke 318 E 6th St ((212) 777-7729) is highly recommended by Chowhound.  (Other food ideas will be happily entertained.)

6)  If, after lunch we have any "sketch" left in us, we'll pick up bikes again at - E 7 St & Avenue A and we''l ride through Tompkins Park, up Ave B to 12th street to check out the Children's Garden.  

7)  We finish by returning the bikes to the Union Square area where three bike racks are available:  University Pl & E 14 St or Broadway & E 14 St or E 17 St & Broadway.

*   As you can see this is finely choreographed event, but it will be easy to catch-up with us if you're late.  

If you can't find us call 

          Mark - 973-809-9128 or 

          Richard - 917-224-8373

Coming NYC Urban Sketch Events for August

8/17 - Double Header Day:

•  AM - 10 AM - Ferry to Red Hook - We explore Red Hook, taking the Ferry from lower Manhattan


• PM - 4:30 PM. Brooklyn Sketchwalk. In coordination with eL Paper Magazine and the Open Source Gallery, New  York Urban Sketchers will be conducting a Sketch Walk.  This is a special project Richard Alomar has been developing.  He'll have details to share in the next week or two. 




• 8/24 - Riding and Sketching the East River - Using the day pass we'll zigzag back and forth across the East River sketching the sites at the various locations

• 8/31 - The Chinese Scholar Garden at the Staten Island Botanical Garden - using the Staten Island Ferry we'll explore this beautiful site in Snug Harbor.

Goodbye General Washington.

An overcast then rainy morning was fitting weather to start a sketch crawl at Fraunces' Tavern.
It was there, on the second floor, as described on the brass plaque securely fastened to the wall with bolts and steel channel, that Washington bid farewell to his troops. An end to battle, fought mostly at a disadvantage in numbers and in adverse weather.

"[w]ith a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable." G. Washington, December 4, 1783.

Fraunces Tavern...cars included

Trinity Church from Wall Street

Federal Hall-Statue of Washington

Sunday August 4, 2013 - In East Rutherford, NJ

I wasn't able to go sketching with the group on Saturday and was looking for a way to log some sketch-time.  I was in East Rutherford on Sunday returning from running an errand and  was hoping something would catch my eye.  The late morning sun was caught on a patch of the shaded side of a building.

By the time I had the drawing blocked in the patch of sunlight was gone and I only had the memory in my mind's eye.  For me, the whole attraction was that tiny sliver of light that was there for a few minutes.

Sketching on the East End

Susan and I had to be out on the east end of Long Island today to pick up paintings from an art show we were in, so we decided to go sketching out there.

We started off at a farm in Water Mill. I sketched the flower field and then part of the farm stand. It rained on and off so my two sketches were done from inside Susan's van.

Then we drove out to Montauk. We found a spot on Star Island where we could park and see a fishing trawler at the dock. It was still raining.

Finally the sun came out. We found out that there was a shark fishing tournament going on nearby...so we went to find it. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the actual sharks that were caught for the tournament because we didn't have enough time, but we had fun sketching this replica on the dock.