Long Point Inner Bay

Long Point extends 40km into Lake Ontario. The inner bay formed between Long Point (along the top) and Turkey Point (in the foreground) freezes solidly enough most years to allow safe carriage of pedestrians and vehicles. The reports out recently show an ice depth of 12 to 16 inches depending on location. This makes for reliable ice fishing for lake perch and pike, if you can stand the cold.

The seams visible from the air are pressure cracks, and occur on any large body of ice.

Delta Domestic BusinessElite

Delta is really making an effort to win the Seattle market. They are the only carrier to offer a truly premium seat to any domestic destination, in this case New York. They charge perhaps $400 more for this nonstop over their competitors, and do not freely upgrade elites. The care and attention to the service, and the underlying quality, was refreshing compared to standard domestic first class.

Aeromexico's 787s

Aeromexico currently leases three 787-8 Dreamliners from ILFC, each of which were delivered in the latter half of 2013.  This is N961AM, serial 115, on its way to Mexico City.

Silent Conversation, Part One

Delta's flagship Sky Club in JFK's terminal 4 is spectacular and worth a visit. There's an open-air terrace, a stylish bar, and plenty of seating.

The art that was commissioned for this space is also distinctive. This is Silent Conversation, Part One, by an uncredited artist. It's crafted out of panels of Boeing's aircraft aluminum intended for 747s. The Dr Seuss quote is legible, but the Descartes one isn't quite, so I'll transcribe it:

the reading of all good books
is like conversation
with the finest men
of the past centuries.

High Line

The High Line is a sort of sanitized version of an abandoned rail line, with daily closures after dark, a surprising density of park wardens patrolling it, and careful (and expensive) landscaping and art.  A stroll along its 1.5-mile length is quite recommended.

Chelsea Market Christmas

An extravagant display of Christmas lights adorns the Chelsea Market, and a pair of girls plays among them as others peruse the shops and restaurants on the ground floor.

Nick Walker's Street Art

At first glance I thought this stencil art might be a Banksy. Further research led to discovering it is Ratatouille by Nick Walker, a street artist from Bristol who has been active since the early 1990s.

Well Worn Door, Little W 12th St

I found this well worn door to be quite attractive on Little W 12th St in the Meatpacking District. It's the entry to Revel, an expensive bar with mixed reviews.

Zabar's

A long row of specialists cuts lox and other cuts of smoked salmon at Zabar's of the Upper West Side. It's an impressive Jewish deli, and is conveniently open on Saturdays. The bakery stocks an excellent "signature sourdough" rye.

145th St

145th St is the original northern terminus of the the IRT, the first subway line in New York City. The trains now continue well north of here, past the northern tip of Manhattan and on into the Bronx.

Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen

Best friends Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen bow at the conclusion of a Broadway staging of Waiting for Godot, in the Cort Theatre. The play is absurdist nonsense, but the acting was superb.

Bulk Shipping, Mississippi River

Barges push coal, grain, and gravel up and down the Mississippi.  This is the Arkansas/Mississippi border, which is defined by treaty to be the middle of the river's channel ... as it was in 1836.

As the course of the Mississippi changes dramatically even within a single season, the state border is quite different than what you see here. There are plenty of comical examples of oxbow lakes and isolated farms belonging to the state on the other side of the river. 

SeaTac Airport South Terminal

Delta is making a serious effort attacking the Seattle market, with expanded flights to places like Los Angeles, London, and Shanghai. They've also improved the terminal area, with this stylish seating area in the south terminal.

United seems to be happy to be giving up in Seattle (as an example, flights to Los Angeles are now exclusively regional jets, and the Tokyo flight just ended).  The only other significant competitor is Alaska.

Machu Picchu After Dark

William Cordova, Machu Picchu After Dark, a stack of perhaps 200 discarded hi-fi speakers from the 1970s and 1980s.

Gloria Petyarre - Leaves

Some Australian aborigine art is simplistic or garish, and some is profound. Gloria Petyarre's Leaves are a series of beautiful abstract paintings. This example from 2002 is similar to one from 1999 that won her the Wynne Prize. It's a stretch to call this a landscape painting (per the prize rules) but it's exquisite nonetheless.

Great Blue Heron

This Great Blue Heron is not going to have much luck fishing on the edge of a municipal swimming pool that's been closed for the winter. It seems to just be passing the time in the rain.