Main Bridge Span Demolition: East 78th Street

Main Bridge Span Demolition: East 78th Street from teresa kruszewski on Vimeo.

In the overnight hours of July 30-31, a team of 26 men removed the 70 year old footbridge at East 78th Street. The FDR Drive was shut down from 2:00am-7:00am. During that period the bridge was lifted in 2 sections by one crane.

These men worked with such precision and sense of timing, a perfectly choreographed dance.

I had the privilege to work with this team, photographing the total demolition. This movie has been created from 1000 still images.

Thank you to all the men and women who participated in this historic event including Ferreira Construction Co., INC, The NYC DOT and the neighbors at East 78th Street.

Celebrating 5 Years

Thank you to all clients and friends of 51art for an amazing five years! On New Years Eve sitting along the East River,  a wonderful idea came to me.  This moment would define my new goals for 2011; two projects centering around the activities of the Upper East Side. Both based in photography; both based in community. -The first is 51art flavor, an online-magazine which brings together food, wine, art, photography-the “flavors” of the neighborhood.  There is so much creative energy in this part of town.  My goal is to bring it together here.  Bernadette who is interning this summer, will be writing fabulous articles about her discoveries.  Check back monthly for updates! -The second is a project which documents life on and along the East River.  Most recently I’ve had the privilege of working with the men and women who are rebuilding the East 78th Street footbridge.  Rain, snow, heat, these folks are out there everyday making it happen. I continue to photograph the work of some of the most talented interior designers here in New York City.  Their designs inspire and transform.  Truly amazing. I have also expanded my photography to portraits and headshots.   Clients include actors, musicians, singers, dancers, business owners and more. And when there is down time, I work on my fine art b&w’s where this journey began. Each day for me is full of joy, of passion, of creativity.  I can’t imagine life any other way. And could not do it without you. Thank you so much! Hold true to your passions and great things will come. -teresa adventure is life, live it!®

When Does Old Really Become Unfashionable?

(I wrote this originally on November 3, 2004 when I was on vacation having some time to “smell the roses”. This week I feel some deja vu moments in respect to this piece and wanted to share it with you. I hope you enjoy the read. Until next time!
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it!)

-It may be living in a house over 100 years old that has got me thinking about this.
-It may be that every day there is such a rush to get through it that we miss the sweet and wonderful things.
-It may be that taking a few days away from it all has brought me to this thought.

One morning a little over a month ago, I went through the process of making a pot of coffee. I filled the glass carafe of my coffee maker with cold tap water measuring out 6 cups and then poured it into the reservoir. I ground the beans and placed them in the paper lined filter. The button was then switched to “on”, glowing a lovely shade of red and at that point I knew it was safe to walk away. In a matter of minutes I would have a piping hot cup of coffee, or so I thought.

Because of the slight slope to my house and the coffee maker being at least 10 years old, the combination had my 6 cups of Joe all over the floor. After coffee cleanup and great disappointment, the coffee maker was quickly tossed into the trash without any regrets.  You see I don’t drink coffee every day, for me it is an activity that defines an occasion or a special moment that is shared with friends. So when I make it at home it is purely for relaxation, when time has the ability to stand still and the sweet things in life can be enjoyed. However, on this particular day that was not the case.

Being at home this week, I decided to go to Starbucks and buy some new coffee beans. I needed to decide between three bean types Mild, Smooth or Bold. Knowing this was special coffee I wanted to ensure I chose the most appealing for my senses. It turned out that the Espresso beans, also defined as Smooth was the right fit for my mood. Not until I returned home and entered my kitchen did I realize this was not going to work (based on the lack of coffee pot…) Do I return the coffee or treat myself to some new, slick technology in the world of coffee creation? Of course the answer was the latter and off I went to the store.

Standing there in the midst of all the sleek body types made of glass and steel, plastic and chrome, ones that will brew a cup at time or a pot for 20, those that have timers for almost anything, those that will wash your dog, was one pot different from the rest. I approached hesitantly not certain whether to consider it, since all this pot wanted to do was make coffee.

Its simple styling of stainless steel was what I remembered from childhood. Coffee then was a beverage to have at the end of a meal, not an outing; it was chock full of caffeine and served with milk or cream. Latte’s and Cappuccino’s and Mocha Java’s were not part of the coffee culture in that day. Could this simple pot compete with the coffee standards of today? This was not a COFFEE MACHINE, but a Coffee Percolator.

I stood there thinking back to when this was the only coffee pot in our house. This didn’t require special filters, a manual to read through each time a cup was desired or rearranging the household to make it fit. All I needed was the ability to understand the simplicity of the process. Before I knew it, the Percolator was in my bag and I was off for home.

I opened the box. I found a pot and a plug. Could this be it?

The Espresso beans were ground to a smooth powder and placed into the basket. The pot was filled with cold water and the centerpiece dropped in. The lid was quickly snapped down so that the brewing process could begin. The sounds were reminiscent of long ago as the water pulsed through the pot. This is how mom and dad had made their coffee. Seems appropriate. As the liquid continued to boil, steam rose out from the spout. I knew that in a moment when I had a sip of that first cup all of my 5 senses would be satisfied.

The pot quieted, it was time to pour. My favorite black mug had a splash of creamer already in the bottom, so as the rich Espresso entered the cup, the two liquids swirled together creating an artistic display. Could this cup live up to my taste expectation? Such pressure for this simple pot to endure….

Mmmmm. Perfection!