New York City: A Snap Shot View

During the summer of 2007 and the winter of 2008, I took the train up to New York City specifically to see the Poiret Exhibit at the Met and the broadway show, the Lion King at the Minskoff Theatre.

I am always struck by the size of the city and by the number of small intimate spaces tucked away in such multitude. Such a huge amount of life and activity!

But it wasn't all hoity toity museums and broadway shows. On our way to do more important things, we ducked into Katz for hot dogs and beer while everyone else was having breakfast. A completely unorthodox thing to do and something I still laugh about, but mostly because it was Nancy's idea and she's a vegetarian.

At one point, when we were out and about, someone tried to steal my purse! A guy slammed into me and swung me around as if he were being chased. I am certain it was an attempt to jostle and unbalance me but being the city girl I am at heart, I was prepared. My wallet was zipped up inside a pocket and my instinct was to immediately pull my elbow in and tightly up against my chest. "You're not getting my money!"

... and finally at the end of every bustling New York City day, I was able to relax. The first time in a small Lower East side apartment dressed up with flowers and the second in a glamorous Midtown hotel room for a relatively low price.

All photos taken by Nancy.

Gotham

Described by H&FJ as having "an honest tone that's assertive but never imposing, friendly but never folksy, confident but never aloof," Gotham is the typeface I'd like to be.

Introduced in 2000 and designed by Tobias Frere-Jones, Gotham's creation was inspired by New York City signage from the 1930s-60s when letterforms were put together out of necessity and not as a conscious art form. Most notably, the typeface was used by President Obama during the majority of his 2008 campaign for office.

It was a good choice. Distinctly American, the International Herald-Tribune called the selection a "combination of contemporary sophistication with nostalgia for America's past and a sense of duty." It was solid but not staid.

Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, identified with New Baskerville, a British typeface originally designed in 1762 and one connected with book publishers, law firms, and universities. It was studied like she was. And John McCain, a war veteran, selected Optima, the German typeface featured on Washington, D.C.'s Vietnam Memorial.

Well, this is an old topic, and many articles have been written about the Obama brand and how successful it was, but the point I'm making is that when you chose a typeface to represent your identity, it can be a very personal and far-reaching thing. So, what type would you like to be?

I Will Be Back ....

photo by Nancy ... taken in NYC a few summers ago at one of the Friends Schools in the Lower East side.