Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

Of all the great attraction that New York City offers, Rockefeller Center is the premiere site that keeps on attracting tourists and New Yorkers. It's absolutely awesome. I tried not to shoot the usual cliché images. I hope you like them.

During these short winter days the early morning light is just wonderful although very ephemeral. You just have to be ready to capture it. He re we have a reflection off a school building in Queens, NYC; very dramatic.

I do my best to make this blog a place to stop and take a break from the stresses of modern life. Many of these are really self imposed. Looking at this magnificent bird results in a feeling of peace. I hope you agree. All the best.

  The Dyker Height section of Brooklyn has become simply crazy. The plethora of decoration and light are simply overwhelming. Nevertheless it's fun to visit here and walk around. There are police everywhere  controlling traffic and making sure that pedestrians can safely get across the streets. There are even tour buses that bring in tourists. It's just unreal. this is just one example.

Santa Claus is coming to town. It's Christmas once more. Let me wish you all a Merry Christmas. And to my many Jewish friends I wish you a Happy Hanukkah. Love to all and thank you for visiting.

I love to photograph children, they are so free of social artifacts. This shot was just taken at a children's party at church. Just love that smile.

Winter is here and I'm not too happy about it. I just have ti bite the bullet and make the best of a nasty situation. Nevertheless it offers photo ops. I want to welcome it with this photo that has summer written all over.

Florence, Firenze, probably the most important cultural the world has ever known or will ever know. A true masterpiece. And please do not use the word renaissance, the real word is rinascimento. 

We go from food to architectural photography. This photo dates from 2010 and was shot with a Nikon D 300. I do not remember the lens but it was a medium zoom Nikkor that I would carry around. I had several so I do not recall which one. I like the symmetry of this image and it's basic simplicity.

No, it's not a food blog but I cook a lot these days so I photograph my food creations from which I derive much satisfaction. Not a food blog yet? It will probably never be but you never know. Stay tuned. Gnocchi alla sorrentina Orecchiette con cime di rapa a purè Cavolfiore affogato stile campano Pasta con mollica di pane Minestra di lenticchie e ortaggi

Madison Square Park is the most European of New York's parks. Here you either have huge parks in each borough like Central Park, Bronx Park, Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Lily Pond Park in Stated Island or basic playgrounds of sorts. There is a third category made up of medium size parks that offer more nature and more recreation but while these are nice and necessary, they are architecturally plain Janes and almost institutional in style. But Madison Square park is different. It has statues, great trees and plants and it even has a famous burgher joint. This park is in no way as glamorous as the Jardin de Luxembourg in Paris or  the Villa Borghese in Rome but it gives you a glimpse of that glory and style. But what makes it really special is that from there you can admire New York's most beautiful building, The Flat Iron. I have posted photos of this architectural treasure many times but I never get tired of photographing it. I hope you can put up with me. tired of ...

My Catahoula did too much running around doing Christmas shopping this past weekend so he's resting. A dog's life, are you kidding me!

Today as you return from buying what usually turns out to be needles items, you will need a heavy soup to restore you from the inclemency of the nasty weather. This is not really becoming a food blog but I fear that as I spend more time cooking it may become one. Stay tunes and keep visiting. In that case I will share with you my many recipes of Italian food with naturally a strong Sicilian bent. This is the best cuisine hands down. It is tasty, good for you and many dishes are very fast and simple. It's no wonder the most popular cuisine. Mangiate; mangiate bene; mangiate all'italiana.

Some go to the extreme to decorate their homes for Christmas. Their homes becomes the functional equivalents of fruit cakes. To much is just that. Actually these homes are clustered in specific areas so a there's a great deal of competition. Go figure. To each is own, they mean well and they are very good to the utility company.

In Coney Island they call this man the philosopher. Just engage him verbally and he talks and carries on, just like any pholosopher.

If you look you will find something to shoot. Thanks to smart phones this task gets easies. Just keep your eyes open.

Shot after sunset on a cloudy evening. No matter, the beauty of this city is evident no matter how poor the light.

  Classica Mafalda e mortadella Ciabattina con salame ungherese Muffulettu cunzato con formaggio e olio extra vergine d'oliva Mafalda con panelle An example of the sandwiches I make in Sicily where food is above everything 

Gnocchi alla sorrentina, una delizia

Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, close to the river in late day light in June 1975. Nikon Ftn with a Nikkor 35mm F 2.8 lens on Kodachrome II. Kodachrome 25 had been out for a year and it was an inferior film. I had a large supply of Kodachrome II that I used sparingly. 

The time I love Sicily the best is the winter when it's all green, full of wild flowers and the produce is to die for. The fact that there are very few tourists is also a plus and the summer heat is just a bad memory. These images of blades of grass were shot close to dusk on a December day in Scopello.