Living in Manhattan - My Second Year

At the end of 2014, I was still settling into this big little urban island and wrote about a lot of the things that impacted me after living in NYC for a year.  However, after a second year of living here and getting used to all of the not-so-awesome parts, I've started to appreciate the benefits and bonuses that make this a really desirable place to stay beyond a short visit.  Here are a few of the ways that New York City, but particularly Manhattan, has spoiled me as a resident:

A photo posted by Anne Ruthmann (@anneruthmann) on Sep 8, 2015 at 2:59pm PDT

1. 24 Hour Delivery For Just About Anything
3am craving for ice cream and don't want to get out of your PJs?  Seamless Delivery.  Staying home sick and need someone to go grocery and toilet paper shopping for you?  Instacart Delivery.  Found a couch on craigslist but don't have a car?  Uship Delivery.  Don't feel like waking up early and standing in line for a cronut or SNL tickets?  TaskRabbit.  NYC is a city full of people who don't have cars and whose kitchens rarely do more than chill wine and leftovers- so delivery services are abundant for just about anything you need.

2. Top Chefs in Every Food Category
This city is a foodie's paradise.  From awesomely cheap street food to five star over-the-top meals, there's no shortage of amazing chefs and restaurants in this city.  People don't consider service jobs to be a career choice in other parts of the country or world, but here, you may get poached and recruited to be a star bartender or barista if you make a point of going above and beyond in your service.  I know bartenders whose salaries make people wish they'd never taken out a student loan.

A photo posted by Anne Ruthmann (@anneruthmann) on Oct 18, 2014 at 8:55pm PDT

3. Everyone Comes to NYC
If there's a major art exhibit, concert series, musical act, film, or international figure, they will find their way to NYC at some point.  When the Pope came to visit the United States, he came to NYC.  If there's an international traveling act and they only plan one show in the United States, it's probably happening in NYC.  It sounds a bit over-zealous to say EVERYONE comes here, but it's rare that an act will stop somewhere else and not come to NYC. All the entertainment you could want is just a subway or taxi ride away.

4. Independent Film & Music
One of the things that was hard to find in other cities I've lived in was a movie theatre that would host something other than a major film with a large financial backing and broad commercial appeal.  I used to drive an hour out of town to get to the closest movie house that would host a documentary that was traveling the festival circuit.  Now I have several movie theaters within a few blocks walk that host not only independent film and music, but also have really awesome director Q&A nights.  I've been able to speak with Ethan Hawke, Mike Meyers, and Kristin Wiig about their latest films simply because they were actually attending their own screening down the street from me.

A photo posted by Anne Ruthmann (@anneruthmann) on Mar 15, 2015 at 5:30pm PDT

5. Free Art & Culture Events
Free Summer Concert Series, Free Movies on the Piers, Free Festivals in the Park, Free Public Swimming Pools, Free Ferry Rides, Free Promotional Food Giveaways, Free Samples, Free Tickets to TV Shows, Free Museum Talks & Demonstrations... and the list goes on.  With so many free events that happen every day in this city, it's not a question of what's happening, it's a question of which happening to choose, and it kind of makes up for how expensive it can be to live here.

Deutsches Haus | 8th St. & University Place, Greenwich Village, NYC

It's not often I feel compelled to do a photo study on a building I haven't been hired to photograph, but after walking by the Deutsches Haus several times, it compelled me to return with my camera in hand, specifically for the direct morning light on its East facades.  NYU has recently invested in deep cleaning many of the building exteriors around Washington Square and this building is one which can easily attract the black grit of the city into its many different textures, so I felt especially lucky to capture it in such pristine condition.

It's such a unique design among the other buildings in the neighborhood, which also means that it gets plenty of attention on its own, but I wanted to document some of the specific details that make it a truly hand-crafted work of love.  In order to highlight the dimension and detail on the arts & crafts style tile work, I knew I needed direct lighting at such an angle that the depth of details could be highlighted without too many shadows or reflective obstructions.  It took about 40 minutes after my arrival for the sun to move into a position that allowed the tile color and dimension to really stand out beautifully against the stucco walls.











I especially loved this dream-catcher style motif surrounding this door as it makes me wonder if the resident or former tenant had a special connection to Native American culture.


As you can see in tile detail, due to the deep relief and age of the glazes, some of the tiles are coming apart and would be very difficult to replicate with the same glazes originally used.  I'm just happy that I'm able to document it as it is right now, before further damage can occur.


I love that each entrance maintains a separate design that still flows with the entire building design.


I found it especially interesting how the ironwork contrasted to the other elements of the building.


The architect and designer created just enough unique elements between different sections of the building so as to delineate each vertical section of windows as a unique set from the adjacent columns of windows, emphasizing a row-house arrangement on the interior while retaining a sense of grand cohesion on the exterior.  I especially like how the rooftops are different shapes and create an outline for each column of windows intending to represent which windows belong to the same or different units.


Even here, where there is structural symmetry, the exterior design clearly defines that these are to be regarded as uniquely separate spaces.


This particular skylight section almost suggests that there should be a bell tower here, as if it were a Spanish mission.


At the far end, it feels almost Italian with the crest relief and faux balconies under windows.


If you're interested in learning more about this building's past and its current occupants, I found a great lecture on the history as well as a link to public events sponsored by the NYU Deutsches Haus:

Video Lecture on the History of Deutsches Haus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS5MTahTknk&feature=youtu.be

Public Events at the Deutsches Haus:
http://deutscheshaus.as.nyu.edu/page/events



Historical Note: these images were taken on August 1, 2014 and are not altered beyond exposure and white balance adjustment in order to preserve historic archival integrity.  If you would like to use or license copies of these images, please contact Anne Ruthmann Photography directly for more information.

Living in Manhattan - My First Year in NYC

We did it.  We survived our first year in Manhattan and learned a lot along the way.  In many ways it feels like one year of living and working in Manhattan is like a lifetime in other cities.  So many things can happen in just one day, plus the city is in a constant state of change, so there are new experiences to be had even if you walk the same streets every day.  It's hard to know where to start with what I've experienced over the last year of living in this city, so I'll just go with what comes to mind after meeting over 200 residents living and working with me in this little overpopulated island of people... (all photos are from my personal instagram feed)

1. Manhattan Can Make A Millionaire Feel Broke

Overheard at a party, "... they aren't hedge fund rich, they're just lawyers and doctors."  Professions that would likely score you a mansion with a nice plot of land in the rest of the country can score you a cozy 500sq.ft. studio apartment in your favorite neighborhood of Manhattan.  I've met CEOs and CFOs of major companies looking to rent out their space in Manhattan while they travel because they'd like someone else to pay the rent so they can enjoy a little more vacation cash.  In a way, it's also a bit leveling in the playing field.  What neighborhood you found an apartment in and if you got a deal on rent is often a topic of discussion as you get to know people here.  It's not as taboo as other parts of the country because it can occasionally take people 6 months to a year just to find an affordable place to live.  The people who get shy to share are the ones who are paying under market rate for their place because they know jealousy will ensue.  To emphasize his rent-control deal without revealing numbers, one guy said, "if I told you what I was paying in rent, you'd punch me in the face."  I bring this up because EVERYONE feels like it's very expensive to live here because they KNOW they can get more for their money elsewhere, no matter what end of the income spectrum they happen to fall on, but they continue to stay, pay, and make sacrifices because they love this place and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

2. Manhattan is Designed for Short Skinny People

As a tall and large-framed female, I am very aware of how much larger I am compared to the intended comfortable consumer of this crowded city.  I would estimate that you might feel quite comfortable with only 2sq.ft. of personal space around you if you were a 5'5" 130lb person.  At my height and size, that leaves me with little more than 3-4" of space on any side of me, which becomes a blessing in a crowded commuter train where everyone is just attempting not to sweat on each other.  However when you're having dinner, those few inches of space are crucial to being able to move your arms for things like cutting your food or grabbing a glass of wine on your table without elbowing a diner sitting at the table next to you.  I'm quite certain the maximum occupancy and fire codes for Manhattan buildings are based on a completely different standard than the rest of the country.  While there are certainly exceptional places that provide a comfortable sense of personal space for even an NFL player, there are enough places that are not designed with this in mind to remind me every day that that the average New Yorker is more petite than the Midwestern types.

3. A Couch in Manhattan Is Free Hotel Room for Friends & Family

When the alternative is paying $300 - $400 a night for a hotel room, the couch in your living room is suddenly an amazing option for anyone interested in visiting you.  I knew people would want to visit, and we certainly did our share of encouraging people to visit, but we almost needed to create a separate visitor calendar for our couches just to make sure we could accommodate our visitors.  Once you move here, you become a destination trip for friends and family who want to visit for a long weekend or more.  Hosting guests in Manhattan teaches you exactly how to sleep 6 people comfortably in a one bedroom apartment with two couches, and it gives you reason to do all the touristy things you rarely make time for otherwise.

4. Manhattan was Made for Walking

Before moving to Manhattan, a mile seemed like a long walk.  I now think nothing of walking 15-20 minutes or 20 "short blocks" to my destination.  I probably walk 3-4 miles a day when I'm on assignment shooting different properties around me.  Depending on your destination, walking may even be faster than taking a taxi, bus, or the subway.  When friends and family visit, we usually take them on a tour of the neighborhood which can easily turn into four hours of walking around outside and stopping various places.  Then, like clockwork, they end up crashing in a 45-90minute nap in the middle of the day.  If they stay overnight, their hips usually hurt the second day from all the walking the first day.  While there is accessibility for those who are handicap, it's rare to see anyone in a wheelchair on the subway, but I frequently see 90+ year seniors almost doubled over in half walking around without a cane.  These lifelong New Yorkers are inspiring with their elderly mobility.  This city is best experienced on foot any day of the year and you can easily miss a lot of the random cool things around you when you're flying by on a bike, in a taxi, or underground.

5. Manhattan Is The Loudest City On Earth

Aside from the public health issue of not having enough oxygen-producing plants to compensate for the 8 million people living here, there's also the public health issue of protecting your hearing.  That blasting fire truck siren may be an annoyance in your apartment building at night, but when it approaches and whizzes by you on the street merely 5 feet away, the decibels of that siren are at the threshold of auditory pain.  The trains pulling in and out of the subway as they squeal and rattle by can also be seriously ear-drum piercing.  Talking to someone in a crowded NYC restaurant or bar is easily the same loudness required by an opera singer projecting to a crowded ampitheatre.  If you think New Yorkers are stubborn and loud, it's more likely that they are just deaf and used to louder environments.  (Caveat: I haven't been to Mumbai or Beijing - but I imagine they'd be equally as loud.)

There are many more things I've learned since living in Manhattan, but those are the ones you should definitely know if you plan to move here too.  New Yorkers learn to tolerate a lot of things that might bother people who aren't from the city, either out of necessity or because life is simply less stressful when you aren't bothered by everything.  I've learned which people sitting and begging on the street are neighborhood regulars and perfectly sane people versus the ones who may need to be avoided.  Also, for the amount of people and the diversity we have in this city, it's actually quite safe, and I've gone an entire year without being a witness to a single crime, theft, or assault (knock on wood.)  That doesn't mean I completely let my guard down or stay out really late, but I'm more relaxed walking around than I was when I first moved here.  Of course there are a lot of bonuses to living here that I haven't shared, but I'll save those for another post ( now available: Living in Manhattan - My Second Year).  ;-)

Private Outdoor Event Spaces in New York City

When most people think of outdoor events in New York City, they think of Central Park, Battery Gardens, and Fort Tyron.  While public places are nice and easy to access, some of the most amazing outdoor venues are actually hidden inside buildings and are much more favorable for private events.  Here are some of my favorite lesser-known outdoor venues in Manhattan that provide an amazing event experience with full service and event planning.  BONUS: Since these are all walking distance to my home office, contact me for a special photography offer when booking your event in any of these locations.  (Note: photos are referenced from each venue's website.)


Gilligan's at Soho Grand
310 West Broadway / Soho
60 - 300 Guests
Special Bonus: Pet friendly



The Bowery Hotel
335 Bowery / Lower East Side
75 - 600 Guests
Special Bonus: Fireplace & heated outdoor garden

Isola Garden & Patio at The Mondarin
9 Crosby St / Soho
55-175 Guests
Special Bonus: Year-round glass conservatory garden



Studio Urban Garden at The James
27 Grand Street / Soho
10-75 Guests
Special Bonus: David Burke menu