New York Soul-Manhattan. What was and is.

Original unique black and white photographs of Manhattan, which look spectacular on canvas.

Night Life–Second Place
In the mid 1980s, Cafe Pacifico was located at 78th and Columbus Avenue on the West Side of Manhattan. Offering a pasta menu, with loud danceable music to dine by, the Cafe Pacifico drew huge crowds. Diners, who snagged hard to get reservations, waited at the bar sipping Pink Pacificos up to one and a half hours before being seated.

Pacifico opened on New Year’s Eve with an oasis theme. Interior lighting was deep royal blue, with model Cadillacs hanging form the ceiling. Life size fiberglass camels, palm trees and zebra stripe upholstery completed the effect. For Valentine’s Day, waiters and waitresses wore Marilyn Monroe wigs.

A huge Oscar like statue stood in front of a female torso, which appeared to have spread its legs. The display caused a women’s group to threaten the cafe with a brick through the window.
Night Life gricketts.com gricketts Gary Ricketts New York New York City Building Restaurant Tree Car Automobile black and white Manhattan Fine Art awning Door Window Mannequin Smugmug Capturing History Throught Photography City Photography by Gary Ricketts winner fine art photography
Ghost Walk–Frist Place
The Bethesda Terrace Arcade is the underground passageway to and from Central Park's Bethesda Terrace. The main feature of the Arcade is the Minton tile Ceiling. It is the only known example of Minton encaustic ceramic tiles used in a suspended ceiling. The Arcade was designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould. The ceiling is made up of 15,876 elaborately pattered encaustic tiles, which were handmade by Minton and Company—a leading 19th century manufacturer in Stokes-on-Trent, England. Completed in 1869, the Arcade was completely restored in early 2007.

In January 2009, four vandals were caught defacing the restored Arcade with spray paint graffiti requiring a reported $100,000 to repair the damage.
Ghost Walk Arch Central Park Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City Steps Winner Photography by Gary Ricketts Fine Art Photography Black and White interior design NY nyc httpsphotographybygaryricketts.com Unique Wall Art BW
Cloud City—First Place
A thick January morning fog covers the west side of Manhattan. From an apartment window, 51 stories up, one can see the taxis, with other vehicles, creep along Amsterdam Avenue heading uptown.

In 1808, John Randall, Jr. laid out the plans for New York City's street system. He designed a gridiron system of north-south avenues crossed at right angles by east-west streets. His gridiron spanned the area of east Houston Street to 155th Street. This system is still in use today.
Cloud City Building Clouds Fog Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City Smugmug Taxi Winner black and white Capturing History Throught Photography Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography black and whire
All Night Every Night—The Flame No Longer Burns (First Place)
Manhattan diners, what some New Yorkers call their kitchen, are found on almost every block in the city. Every New Yorker has his or her favorite—some more than one. New York diners have multipage menus with a large selection of entrées and side dishes. And, if you can't find it on the menu—most will fix it for you anyway. Whether you're craving breakfast, lunch, brunch, supper, dinner, or just dessert the diner is the place to go.

Unfortunately, New York’s diners are an endangered species as more and more of them close. Some believe it is because New Yorkers are experiencing a food culture change where people seek new and high-end restaurant food.

However, diners closing their doors for good appears to be about rent costs and not cuisine. New York diners are simply getting priced out of the market. Diners can’t pay higher rents and make a profit.

Sad, but true, the reality of the New York real estate market is that when landlords raise rents, someone is always willing to pay the higher price.
All Night Every Automobile Bicycle black and white Building Car Diner Gary Ricketts Glass gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City Sign Smugmug Street Sign Traffic Light Window Food Capturing History Throught Photography City Winner Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography
Catching Some Rays
Some of the wrought-iron ladder fire escapes attached to the side of New York City buildings have seen and heard over a century of laughter, tears, and song.

In 1860 following several fatalities, the city issued strict codes requiring every building with more than eight families above the first floor to have wrought-iron fire escapes.

Early on the fire escape became an apartment’s porch adored with plants, chairs and tables. It also offered a respite from the oppressive summer heat.

Although many late nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings still exist in New York City, each new real estate deal replaces them with glass towers, reaching into the clouds.

Soon, the picturesque fire escape will have gone the way of the windmill and railroad depot: a memory for some, just a photograph for others.
Catching Some Rays Building Fire Escape Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City Photography by Gary Ricketts Window NY nyc Fine Art Photography interior design httpsphotographybygaryricketts.com Unique Wall Art Street Photography Cityscape Smugmug
Adult Toy Shop—The Village 1980s
The Pink Pussy Cat boutique opened its Manhattan downtown doors in the West Village in 1972. The sales staff, all female, helps customers select from a wide variety of toys. Yes, it is still in business.
Adult Toy Shop Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Smugmug black and white Building New York New York City Manhattan Car Automobile Sign Night Capturing History Throught Photography City Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography
Bridge For Sale?—First Place
May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was dedicated by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. It took 14 years and 27 fatalities to build the pedestrian bridge over the East River to connect the cities of Brooklyn and New York.

Upon completion, the Brooklyn Bridge was at that time the largest suspension bridge ever built. John Roebling, who designed the bridge, pioneered the design and construction of suspension bridges, and is credited with a major innovation in suspension bridge technology. In his bridge designs, he added a web truss at each end of the roadway, which significantly stabilized the structure. Previous suspension bridges often failed in strong winds or when under heavy load.

George C. Parker, who is known as America’s Greatest Con Man, sold the Brooklyn Bridge twice a week for 30 years. Police often had to stop the “new owners” for putting up toll booths on the bridge.
Bridge For Sale Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City River black and white Water Building Clouds Smugmug Capturing History Throught Photography City Photography by Gary Ricketts winner Brooklyn fine art photography
Sidewalk ATM
This newsstand at Columbus Circle, with its ornate tapered roof, was used in a scene by Woody Allen in Bullets Over Broadway. Of the 1,500 newsstands in New York City in 1940, only 276 remained in 2022.

The Columbus Circle newsstand’s ATM, candy, soda, magazines, newspapers, and lottery ticket sales came to an end in December of 2011 when the parks and recreation department refused to renew the lease.

The newsstand was replaced by a rental office for a bicycle rental company, Bike and Roll. The lease agreement requires Bike and Roll to pay the city a fee of $30,000 or 10.5 percent of gross revenues per year. The former newsstand operator, born in Bangladesh, paid the city $120,000 in 2010. 
Sidewalk ATM Building Central Park Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Lamp Post Manhattan New York New York City Night Smugmug Tree black and white Capturing History Throught Photography Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography
Hudson Night—Third Place
New York City has served cruise passengers longer than any other city in the United States, starting in the 1930’s when Mayor LaGuardia built piers on the Hudson River along Manhattan’s West Side.

Cruise ships, including the Queen Mary II, regularly embark and debark passengers from Piers 88, 90, and 92 at the New York City Passenger Ship Terminal on the West Side of Manhattan.

In 2004, New York City invested $200 million in capital improvements at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal to secure its position as a first-class passenger cruise terminal. With upgrades to the docking facilities and a $4 million dollar investment in passenger boarding bridges, Pier 88 and Pier 90 are able to serve the world’s largest passenger ships.

Since1984, the United States Navy has docked an aircraft carrier and other ships at the west docks during the week-long Fleet Week. During the week, demonstrations and tours are open to the public. It is estimated 4,500 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen participate in the various activities.

During World War II, 16,683 GI’s boarded the Queen Mary in July, 1943 as they headed to the European Theater of Operations.
Hudson Night Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com black and white City Smugmug Winner Capturing History Throught Photography Manhattan New York New York City Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography
Give My Regards to Broadway—Third Place 2015
The Producers, Mel Brooks’ hit musical, ended its six-year New York run after 2,502 performances on April 22, 2007. The show is responsible for creating the era of Premium Tickets where theater goers paid as much as $480 for the best seat in the house. Now all Broadway shows include with their ticket sales Premium Tickets, where the price is anywhere from $100 to $250 more than regular price tickets.

The New York theater district was not always located in the area known today as Times Square. During the 1870’s the Union Square area in Southern Manhattan near Broadway and 14th Street was the main theater district. At the beginning of the 20th century, the city boasted thirty-three theaters, but there was demand for more as the population moved north.

In 1904, subway service began. Eleven lines converged at 42nd Street and Broadway’s Times Square became the obvious choice for a new theater district. It made it possible for New Yorkers to easily and quickly get to the theater and back home.

As of late 2016, there were forty-one legitimate theaters in Times Square.
Give Regards Broadway Automobile black and white Building Car Door Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Lamp Post Manhattan New York New York City Night Sign Smugmug Taxi Theater Times Square Trash Can Winner Capturing History Throught Photography City Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography
Shubert Alley
Broadway and Off-Broadway refers to the number of seats in the theater, not the theater's location.

Broadway theaters must have 500 or more seats.

Off-Broadway theaters must have 100 to 499 seats, and Off-Off-Broadway theaters have 99 seats or less.

Schubert Alley connects 44th and 45th streets between 8th Avenue and Broadway. Schubert alley is home to the famous Schubert Theater, site of the long running play "A Chorus Line"
Shubert Alley Building Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City Night Sign Smugmug Street Scene Times Square Window black and white Capturing History Throught Photography Photography by Gary Ricketts fine art photography
Sunday Night In Times Square
Until 1904, when the New York Times Newspaper moved its headquarters to 42nd street just off Broadway, the area was known as Longacre Square. Longacre Square in New York City was named after Longacre Square in London, England. In both cites it was the carriage trade center where carriages were built and repaired.

When the New York Times building opened in Longacre Square, it was the second tallest building in the city: 25 floors. To commemorate the new Times building Adolph Ochs, the Times owner, started a fireworks display on the roof of the building at midnight each New Year’s Eve. Wanting to draw more attention to the newly named Times Square, Ochs decided a more spectacular display was needed.

The result was a lighted ball dropped down a flagpole at midnight. The first ball descended from a flag pole in 1907. Made of iron and wood it was five feet in diameter, weighed 700 pounds, and lighted with one hundred 25 watt light bulbs. It was lowered one second after midnight.

The ball dropped on New Year’s Eve 2022 was twelve feet in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds, and lighted with 32,256 LED lights. 
Sunday Night Times Square Building Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Manhattan New York New York City Sign Times Square City Smugmug Photography by Gary Ricketts Black and Whire Fine Art Photography black and white
No Walking
In 2019, 52,696 New Yorkers went to work by riding a bicycle, a number that grew substantially during the 2020 pandemic, 793,000 adult New Yorkers regularly ride a bicycle resulting in 490,000 trips per day.

Not everyone owns their own bicycle. Citi Bike is a company with 27,000 bicycles available for rent. Throughout the city are blue bicycles locked on bicycle racks called a station. New Yorkers download an app to become a Citi Bike member at a monthly, daily, or per ride charge. Using the app, the member uses a code to unlock a bicycle from the station dock. The bicycle can be returned to any one of the over 1,700 stations in the city. Citi Bike continues to grow with plans for 40,000 bicycles by the end of 2024.  
Walking Gary Ricketts gricketts gricketts.com Photography by Gary Ricketts Manhattan New York New York City Street Scene Black and Whire Fine Art Photography Street Photography Automobile Car Bicycle black and white

New York Soul-Manhattan. What was and is.

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