ASSIGNMENT #11: RUDY'S IN NYC

 Ha! Yes.
I am still committed to finishing my 30 assignments -and- I have just finished the ELEVENTH one. 
It took me a while to get to this because...
I was hand-printing, matting and choosing framing to submit for my first solo photography show!
AND I GOT IT!
The show: TRANSGENDER BEAUTIFUL opens September 8th (reception 6-8pm) and runs through October 1st at.... SOHO PHOTO GALLERY (sohophoto.com) in NYC. You can check the work and it's positive message on the TRANSGENDER BEAUTIFUL page on my site (look above).

So this wonderful experience has been consuming me as an artist and person for the last couple of months. On my last trip to NYC, to submit to the gallery's booking review, I got out with my camera -- THIS TIME COLOR AND DIGITAL! (Always up for trying new things and learning, yes?)

My assignment:
To go to Rudy's, an old bar in midtown Manhattan that serves free hot dogs with every drink ordered. (If you want one.) It was once an old speakeasy and in it's own story, tells of Al Capone showing up there in the old days. Interesting, right? Right.

I went on a Monday evening at around 6pm. The place was packed. I couldn't find a seat to save my life. I wandered back and forth for a bit hoping someone would get up and leave -or- that I would magically see an open seat. Finally, I noticed an open space between two stools at the back, way at the end of the bar. Perfect.
I was to document what happened there for an hour or more. (Too fun.)
I met some wonderful NYers and did, indeed get a free hot dog. (Spicy!) Two Puerto Rican New Yorkers were excited to tell me of the upcoming Puerto Rican parade the following weekend and others chimed in with fun and good comments. A very local place. A very local feel. A lot of regulars and people that live nearby. Wonderful. I recommend getting the seat at the end of the bar and trying to figure out the modern jukebox, lovingly called "the DJ" by the locals. 
Here are six of my favorite picks from Rudy's (Please note....the Yankee's game was on):
Hope to see everyone I met at the opening in September!