Chinatown sights

On a trip to Bowery yesterday to see the works of the late Canadian artist David Askevold at the Canada gallery (will be posting soon), I happened to chance upon some very Chinatown moments. Some pictures below...

Tell me the last time you saw oranges so fresh that the leaves were attached on (unless of course, you are one of those compulsive 'farmers' market' shoppers). These looked super artificial. I had to touch them to make sure they were real. The vendor was not too happy that I did not translate my silly move to verify their authenticity into an actual sale.

Chinatown buildings present a curious array of little shack like holdups wedged between 1930’s art deco lots. The Empire State building is visible in the far end of the picture. The day was a mixture of clouds, humidity and effects spilling over from being the warmest February day ever in New York.

Yes, that is an actual cobbler working away. Think the last time I saw one of these vanishing species in today's instafix world was back when in we were in India. You can wait here until your footwear is repaired. I noticed that the line in front of this mobile shoe fix store numbered three ladies deep in various stages of footwear undress.

This tree looked like a stick figure singing a paean to the lords telling them to take it easy on mortals here on this year of the rat - which has not begun too well (atleast economy wise - which happens to be one of the mainstay's of Chinatown's anywhere)...

Leather chairs for sale: This one was reduced from 38 dollars to 8 dollars. Apparently all that talk about inflation after the record interest rate cuts over last week has not touched this corner of Chrystie and Canal streets.

This is part of an arch that marks the Manhattan bridge exit. Not too sure how many drivers actually notice these columns as they continue their mad rush over the East river from Breukelen to the island of Manahatta.

Yes, that is an actual storefront. Piet Mondrian would have been impressed.