Scenes from Glacier National Park: Day 6

July 31, 2018 by ACS in Montana, Glacier National Park, Travel

The last full day of exploration of Glacier National Park with my group was centered around the Iceberg Lake hike.

At the beginning of the trail (maybe a half mile in), we noticed about a half dozen people not moving forward. Turns out they spotted a bear in the vicinity. We noticed that it was a bear mom with two cubs. A few minutes of waiting and we proceeded forward with caution. Not more than ten minutes later, we saw another bear mom with two cubs. At first, these cubs climbed a tree but then they walked down. It was unclear what was going to happen with the bear mom protecting her cubs, so our group leader told us to stay back as we let the bears have ample space to cross the trail, if they wanted. At this point, about twenty people were lined up, almost single file, waiting for this bear and her two cubs to cross the trail. We stood patiently waiting, and eventually the bears made their way down the hill.

I didn't get a good photo of this bear encounter (as I didn't have a long lens attached and I was in the back of the group), but a participant in our group captured a great photo:

Bears advancing on the Iceberg Lake trail. Photo credit: Steven Werner.

Does it look like the bears are smiling as they are coming down?

After the morning bear encounter, it was a bear-free walk for the rest of the hike.

Shortly before the trail ends at Iceberg Lake, there is a smaller lake (I believe it is unnamed) where our group decided to rest and eat our picnic lunch.

The unnamed lake near Iceberg Lake. Great spot to rest with fewer visitors compared to Iceberg Lake.

As we were eating our lunch, we noticed a couple of moose in the distance:

Just prior to arriving to Iceberg Lake, we noticed a mama moose with her calf feeding on the nearby bushes. They were so close to the trail that a ranger had to step in and ask people to stay away at least 25 yards from the animals.

A moose and her calf on the Iceberg Lake trail.

The moose walked around Iceberg Lake and even went into the water. At an elevation of 6094 feet, Iceberg Lake is surrounded by Mt. Wilbur towards the south, and Iceberg Peak and the Continental Divide to the west. I walked around the lake to capture a few photos:

A view of Iceberg Lake from an unmelted snow patch.

A vertorama (two images stitched together) of Iceberg Lake.

Detail of the rock formations in Iceberg Lake.

This guy had the right idea to bring a hammock...

After about an hour walking around the lake and relaxing, we turned around and started walking back to the trailhead. Along the way, we paused to take some photos of wildflowers:

Beautiful wildflowers on the Iceberg Lake trail.

The Glacier blog series is complete. I will probably do a wrap-up post with my favorite images in the future; doing so will also allow me to post some new images which I've had additional time to review and post-process.

If you want to see the previous Glacier National Park blog posts, the previous entries are linked below:

Day 1 (Lake McDonald and Avalanche Creek)
Day 2 (Logan Pass and St. Mary and Virginia Falls)
Day 3 (Logan Pass trail and Hidden Lake)
Day 4 (St. Mary Lake and wildflowers)
Day 5 (Grinnell Glacier hike)

Scenes from Glacier National Park: Day 5

July 24, 2018 by ACS in Glacier National Park, Montana, Travel

Day 5 at Glacier National Park began prior to 5AM to catch the sunrise over Grinnell Peak. It was a three minute hike from the Many Glacier Hotel to get to an overlook of Grinnell Peak and Swiftcurrent Lake. As the sun continued rising, it illuminated the peak and the trees in a golden glow. I post-processed the below image in Lightroom and the LAB Color Mode in Photoshop:

Sunrise over Grinnell Peak in Glacier National Park.

After breakfast, our group had reservations on a boat (actually two boats) to get closer to the Grinnell Glacier trailhead. The two historic wooden boats—Chief Two Guns on Swiftcurrent Lake and Morning Eagle on Lake Josephine—brought us to the Grinnell Glacier trailhead. The two lakes are only 0.2 miles apart. The Grinnell Glacier hike is about 7.6 miles round trip from the upper boat dock on Lake Josephine (see photo below). Otherwise, if you opt not to take the boat, the hike is 12 miles round trip beginning at the Many Glacier Hotel trailhead.

Passengers departing the Morning Eagle on their way to traverse the Grinnell Glacier trail.

The Grinnell Glacier hike saw a moderate ascent almost immediately. I captured the below photo of our group going up:

The beginning of the Grinnell Glacier hike.

After about fifteen or twenty minutes of ascent, one was treated to beautiful views. Note the boat ramp in the center of the frame and the bridge in the lower right that was near the beginning of the Grinnell Glacier trail:

About 3/4 of the way to the Grinnell Glacier, one will come across a waterfall. Those that aren't afraid of the slippery rocks can veery toward the left and get little exposure to the waters. Others, perhaps afraid of heights, braced for a little cooling off, as seen in the below two photos. This portion of the hike is one of the congested spots.

Walking through a small waterfall on the Grinnell Glacier hike.

Made it! A waterproof jacket and quick-drying pants are helpful.

Another thirty more minutes and you come across the Grinnell Glacier and Upper Grinnell Lake. Our group spent about an hour here, capturing photos and walking on the edge of the lake.

Final destination: Grinnell Glacier and Upper Grinnell Lake.

On the way back, the sun was high up in the sky, which made the deep ceruleans/turquoise colors of Grinnell Lake incredible to behold. The turquoise color of Grinnell Lake in Glacier National Park is a result of "glacial milk," a suspension of fine particles of limestone (calcium carbonate) ground by glacial movement from the Grinnell Glacier over a limestone bed. In the photo below, you can make out the stream of glacial waters entering the lake near the bottom right corner. I hadn't seen colors like this since my trip to New Zealand.

On the way back, you're also afforded spectacular views of all three lakes: Grinnell Lake, Lake Josephine, and Swiftcurrent Lake:

A view of Grinnell Lake, Lake Josephine, and Swiftcurrent Lake from the Grinnell Glacier trail.

At around 3:45PM, the Morning Eagle was on its way to pick up passengers on Lake Josephine. Our boat would arrive thirty minutes later.

The Morning Eagle arriving to dock at Lake Josephine.

Aboard the Chief Two Guns, I ended the afternoon by taking photos of the renowned Many Glacier Hotel.

Many Glacier Hotel as seen from aboard the Chief Two Guns.

If you enjoyed this post, please see my earlier entries from my visit to Glacier National Park:

Scenes from Glacier National Park: Day 4

July 23, 2018 by ACS in Montana, Glacier National Park, Travel

On Day 4 at Glacier National Park, the wake-up call was in the early morning hours (around 5AM) to photograph the sunrise over St. Mary Lake. We were treated to a calm morning with relatively cloud-free skies.

Sunrise over St. Mary Lake. Wild Goose Island is visible at the center of the lake.

After coming back to our hotel for breakfast, we packed up our bags and continued on our way toward the iconic Many Glacier Hotel, the largest hotel in Glacier National Park.

Along the way, we stopped in a massive flower field to take a few photos. My identification of wildflowers is non-existent, so I am relying on this website to help identify flowers (you can narrow your search by location, elevation, flower color, and flower shape).

Bigleaf lupine in a flower field at Glacier National Park.

There's a metaphor embedded in the image below. Dare to be different, perhaps? Don't be afraid to stand out?

A lone blanket flower is seen among the lupines. Source.

A photo for scale and density of these wildflowers:

An RV on its way to Many Glacier region of Glacier National Park.

After a great dinner inside the Ptarmigan Dining Room (dinner menu here) of Many Glacier Hotel, we had the evening to relax. I took some time to edit photos from the past couple of days and then stepped out on the balcony to catch the fleeting light.

Last light over Swiftcurrent Lake and Mount Grinnell.

See my prior blog posts from Glacier National Park below:

Scenes from Glacier National Park: Day 3

July 22, 2018 by ACS in Travel, Montana, Glacier National Park

The highlight of the third day in Glacier National Park was driving over the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Logan Pass trailhead. From this location, it was a moderate hike to the top overlooking Hidden Lake and Bearhat Mountain. The view from the top was incredible.

View of Hidden Lake and Bearhat Mountain.

At this location, we spent an hour walking around and taking photographs. Someone on the ledge had powerful binoculars and spotted a mountain goat about a mile away (maybe the distance was shorter, but the goat appeared as a tiny white speck). I zoomed in with my telephoto lens as the mountain goat began its descent:

We spent about thirty to forty five minutes paying attention to the mountain goat. Some visitors were trying to "will" the mountain goat to come closer to our vantage point. Eventually, everyone got their wish:

After a long wait, everyone's favorite mountain goat makes its appearance above Hidden Lake.

The mountain goat found something interesting near these rocks.

After photographing the mountain goat, it was time to start trekking back to the trailhead (the trailhead further down to Hidden Lake was closed by park rangers due to bear sightings in the vicinity). Along the way, two more mountain goats appeared, this time a mother mountain goat with a baby mountain goat (a baby mountain goat is called a kid):

A mother mountain goat (a nanny) and her baby goat (a kid).

Approaching the beginning of the Logan Pass trailhead, it was clear there was something happening in the distance. A lot of people were looking out into the meadow about two hundred yards away from the trailhead. There was a grizzly bear in the vicinity! I captured the below photo with my telephoto lens at maximum focal length (400mm):

As I and dozens of other visitors continued down the path toward the trailhead (Logan Pass Visitor Center), the grizzly bear was on the move. There were two rangers eyeing the situation. Eventually, one ranger blocked visitors from continuing down the path from the north and the other ranger blocked the path from the south, giving the grizzly approximately three hundred yards of space to cross the trail. I captured the below photo about a minute before the grizzly crossed the trail:

Grizzly Bear sighting at the Logan Pass trailhead in Glacier National Park.

It was a safe grizzly encounter and the rangers at Glacier National Park did a great job keeping people safe and letting the grizzly bear pass through without any issues.

After lunch at Logan Pass, we got back in our vehicles and drove back to St. Mary Lodge. After dinner, we departed for an evening photo session with nearby waterfalls.

The sun peeking through at Glacier National Park.

The final destination of the evening was near the Rising Sun campground to capture the sunset over St. Mary Lake. I spent a few minutes walking about, marveling at the beauty around me,

We spent about forty five minutes setting up tripods, talking long exposures, and capturing the sunset. At the end of the evening, the sun illuminated the clouds and made for a spectacular light show. Below is my initial edit of the scene as it unfolded:

Sunset over St. Mary Lake at Glacier National Park. Note the crescent moon in the upper left corner.

My earlier recaps from Glacier National Park:

Day 1
Day 2

Scenes from Glacier National Park: Day 1

July 17, 2018 by ACS in Glacier National Park, Montana, Travel

I am currently in Glacier National Park in Montana, visiting this park for the first time. The cell service and Wi-Fi here are spotty or non-existent, but I will try to provide some updates from my trip on this blog.

Today (Day 1): I drove up from the Flathead Valley region toward the West entrance of Glacier National Park. I took an afternoon hike toward Avalanche Lake (about 4.5 miles roundtrip), which I completed in about two hours.

In the evening, the group with which I am traveling stopped near the Avalanche lake trail to capture some long exposure images of Avalanche Creek.

Avalanche Creek in Glacier National Park.

Wildflowers growing near Avalanche Creek.

After dinner at Lake McDonald lodge, I captured a couple of images of the evening light and the lodge:

Home for the night: Lake McDonald Lodge.

Evening light at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.

More photos to come from Glacier National Park as I edit them while on the road.

Scenes from a Brief Stopover in Ogunquit, Maine

July 13, 2018 by ACS in Maine, Travel

Departing from Kennebunkport, the next stop on the road trip to Maine was Ogunquit. This small town is known for its beaches and seascape views.

Ogunquit (pronounced "Oh-gun-kwit") means "beautiful place by the sea" in the indigenous Abenaki (Native American) language. A few photos from this sea-side town are below.

Walking in Ogunquit. The main beach on the Atlantic Ocean is beyond the tree line; here, people are enjoying the little cove next to Beach Street.

View of the cove across the Beach Street bridge (far right).

Ice cream stores are very popular in the summer time in Maine.

Rose Cove Restaurant in Ogunquit, ME. This is where I had lunch. Recommended lunch meal: fish tacos.

The Bread & Roses Bakery in downtown Ogunquit. Recommended stop for tasty treats and/or coffee.

Marginal Way

If you make your way to Ogunquit, ME, then Marginal Way is a must-see destination. Marginal Way is one of New England's only paved (and public) shoreline footpaths. It spans a little more than a mile long, connecting Ogunquit Beach to Perkins Cove to the south. Incredible sea views abound on this stroll. There are multiple entrances to the Marginal Way path, including one that leads to a "secret" beach. The land for Marginal Way was donated to the town of Oqunquit in 1925 and a non-profit organization was set up in 2010 to protect Marginal Way for future generations to enjoy.

A view from Marginal Way in Ogunquit, ME.

Paddleboarders enjoying the Atlantic Ocean in Ogunquit Beach.

If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of central Ogunquit Beach, head about a half mile on Marginal Way to discover this "secret" beach.

Flowers are plentiful on Marginal Way. Gorgeous.

Perkins Cove and Perkins Cove Drawbridge

From center of town, I drove a few miles south toward a picturesque area of town nestled on Perkins Cove. Here, there are quaint shops and a wonderful drawbridge with amazing views in both directions.

View from Perkins Cove drawbridge toward Ogunquit (looking Northwest).

View from Perkins Cove drawbridge toward Perkins Cove/Atlantic Ocean (Southeast)

Quaint storefronts in the Sandy Cove part of Ogunquit, Maine.

Ending the photo set with a mystery: what is the inspiration/clue behind this CONFIDENCE sign? Is it in reference to someone or some event?

If You Go

If you decide to visit Ogunquit, ME, I recommend parking your car away from the beach (there is $20 parking there and it's cheaper in the center of town; one example: the large lot at Blacksmiths Mall antique store charges only $5 for all-day parking) and walking your way around this town. Walking from center of town to the beach to Marginal Way shouldn't take more than two hours round trip (about three miles), even if you make a few stops along the way.

As for dining options: Amore for breakfast, La Orilla Tapas or Rose Cove for lunch, and Backyard or Bread & Roses Bakery for snacks or coffee.

The Charm of Kennebunkport, Maine

July 12, 2018 by ACS in Maine, Travel

During my visit to the Boston area last month, I had the opportunity to take a road trip to Maine. I did some research on towns worthy of a day trip, and settled on visiting Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, and York. In this post, I share some photos from Kennebunkport, the town farthest north of the three.

Dock Square and Western Avenue

Western Avenue (Maine State Route 9) is the main road in the center of Kennebunkport. The majority of activity in Kennebunkport is in Dock Square, a colorful jumble of onetime fishing shacks that now house galleries, stores, and restaurants.

A beautiful display of flowers in the Kennebunkport town center.

Flowers growing inside these ship-shaped "pots" adorn Western Avenue (Dock Square) of Kennebunkport.

Cruising in style in Kennebunkport, ME. I did not catch the license plate of this vehicle, so am uncertain whether this is a local or a tourist.

One of my favorite images I captured in Kennebunkport is below. This lady was cruising through town on the bike, either making a selfie video or "Facetiming" with friends or family:

Morning bike ride and views in Kennebunkport, ME.

The gorgeous Kennebunkport Inn in the center of town. I would stay here or at least grab a drink in their outside patio.

Outdoor patio of the Kennebunkport Inn looks incredibly inviting.

Cape Porpoise Pier

Departing from Dock Square of Kennebunkport, I continued driving toward Cape Porpoise Pier. From here, one could see the Goat Island Lighthouse in the distance.

Cape Porpoise Pier in Kennebunkport, ME.

Old boats at the edge of Cape Porpoise Pier.

If You Go

If you decide to visit Kennebunkport, ME, I recommend doing a loop around this town. Beginning on Western Avenue and explore Dock Square. Stop by Mornings in Paris for coffee and Rococo Ice Cream (6 Spring Street) for ice cream if you are visiting Kennebunkport in the summertime afternoon. Continue toward Cape Porpoise Pier to take in the views of the Goat Island Lighthouse. Continue the loop toward Blowing Cave Park (there is ample street parking here) to take in views of the George H.W. Bush Compound (summer home) in the distance. Finish your loop back through center of town and check out Snug Harbor Farm on your way back (separate post forthcoming).

Suggested itinerary through Kennebunkport, ME.

If you've ever been to Kennebunkport, which spots were your favorite and why?

Visiting the Rosecliff Mansion in Newport, RI

July 11, 2018 by ACS in Travel, Museums, Rhode Island

I visited Newport, RI in June 2018 and along the way stopped in two of the Gilded Age mansions: The Elms and Rosecliff. I chose these two mansions as I had visited The Marble House and the Breakers about seven or eight years ago and wanted to see a different set of the Gilded Age mansions. This post focuses on the Rosecliff Mansion, which is one of the smallest of the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, RI.

The exterior of Rosecliff from the backyard.

History of the Rosecliff Mansion

Rosecliff was built by Theresa ("Tessie") Fair Oelrichs, a silver heiress from Nevada, whose father James Graham Fair was one of the four partners in the Comstock Lode. Tessie was the wife of Hermann Oelrichs, American agent for Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship line. She and her husband, together with her sister, Virginia Fair, bought the land in 1891 from the estate of George Bancroft and commissioned the architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White [1] to design a summer home suitable for entertaining on a grand scale.

The commission for Rosecliff occurred in 1899, in which principal architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles. After Rosecliff was completed in 1902, at a reported cost of $2.5 million, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted opulent parties and displays of entertainment here, including a fairy tale dinner and a party featuring famed magician Harry Houdini.

Rosecliff is now preserved through the generosity of its last private owners, Mr. and Mrs. J. Edgar Monroe, of New Orleans. They gave the house, its furnishings, and an endowment to the Newport Preservation Society in 1971.

Interior Views of Rosecliff

The grand staircase in Rosecliff. Note how the architectural design of the top of the staircase resembles a heart.

Another view of the grand staircase at Rosecliff.

"The Sea Monster" depicted in one of the framed photos.

Detail from one of the windows at Rosecliff.

Books and candles on an elegant marble table.

Bohemian Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement and Oscar Wilde’s Newport

During my visit to Rosecliff, there was a special exhibition on Bohemian Beauty and Oscar Wilde's visit to Newport, RI. This exhibition celebrates the ideas embodied by the artists, poets, and thinkers popular during the Aesthetic Movement (1870-1890), an important era of artistic experimentation in the United States and abroad. The exhibition features a selection of furniture, ceramics, wallpaper, glass, silver, paintings, and costumes illuminating the tenets of this “art for art’s sake” movement personified by its most influential impresario Oscar Wilde.

As for Oscar Wilde's visit to Newport, the Preservation Society of Newport County provides an overview:

“In 1882 a 27-year old Oscar Wilde embarked on an 11-month tour of North America “to teach U.S. citizens the value of a good tea service and a well-hung picture in the family foyer.” He was sent to America to embody “fleshly poet” Reginald Bunthorne from the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera “Patience.” Producer Richard D’Oyly Carte organized the visit to promote the play which was about to make its American debut. Instead, Wilde commenced playing himself. Upon disembarking at New York harbor, he purportedly told customs officials he had “nothing to declare except his genius.”

At the time of his tour Wilde was a proponent of the Aesthetic Movement in Britain (1870-90) but it would be another eight years before he published his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray and even longer before he produced a series of “devastatingly witty plays” that culminated in his most enduring artistic achievement in 1895, “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Bohemian Beauty explores the message of aestheticism that Wilde brought to the New England seaside town. He was invited by Rhode Island native Julia Ward Howe to speak at the Newport Casino on July 15, 1882 to lecture on “The practical application of the principles of the aesthetic theory to exterior and interior house decoration with observations upon dress and personal ornaments.””

— http://www.newportmansions.org/exhibitions/current-exhibition/bohemian-beauty/oscar-wilde-in-newport

One of the ceramic pieces at the Bohemian Beauty exhibition at Rosecliff. — One of the ceramic pieces at the *Bohemian Beauty* exhibition at Rosecliff.

The Bohemian Beauty exhibition runs through November 4, 2018 at Rosecliff.

Rosecliff in Popular Culture

The ballroom of the Rosecliff Mansion was used to film scenes for the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby, as well as other films such as High Society, 27 Dresses, True Lies, and Amistad.

If You Go

Rosecliff is one of the Newport mansions that's open year-round. Confirm the schedule here.

I would recommend purchasing a ticket to Rosecliff with another Newport mansion, as you'll save some money doing so. Since most of the Newport mansions are within walking distance on Bellevue Avenue and don't take more than a couple of hours to explore, it's a good idea to see two mansions in a single day.

Location:
548 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI 02840

Notes

[1] The McKim of McKim, Mead, and White is the architect behind The Boston Public Library.

Visiting the Spectacular Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

July 06, 2018 by ACS in Travel, South Carolina

I spent four days at Myrtle Beach with my parents over the Independence Day holiday (July 4th). The time near and in the ocean was fantastic (great weather, warm water temperatures, and not as crowded as some beaches I've been to in the past). On our last day, we made our way south to visit Brookgreen Gardens.

I hadn't heard of Brookgreen Gardens before--the place was recommended to us by my parents' neighbors, who frequent the Myrtle Beach area twice a year. Brookgreen Gardens is a massive property on 9,127 acres; it consists of a wildlife park, beautiful gardens, and an awe-inspiring collection of sculpture. To put simply, Brookgreen Gardens is a botanical garden within which you may find wildlife and a spectacular art display.

A bit of history: Brookgreen Gardens was founded by Archer Milton Huntington, stepson of the railroad magnate Collis Potter Huntington, and his wife Anna Hyatt Huntington to feature sculptures by Anna (a talented artist) and her sister Harriet Randolph Hyatt Mayor, along with other American sculptors. Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington first visited the property in 1929 and were captivated by it and the surrounding area, purchasing the 9000+ acres. In 1932, Brookgreen Gardens was opened to the public. Brookgreen Gardens was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Below are a selection of photos I captured at Brookgreen Gardens.

Live Oak Allée. In the background: Edward Francis McCartan's statue of Dionysus. — Live Oak Allée. In the background: Edward Francis McCartan's statue of *Dionysus.*

Native orchids growing at Brookgreen Gardens.

About 1445 works of American figurative sculpture are displayed at the Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington Sculpture Garden at Brookgreen Gardens. Overall, there are over 2,000 works of sculpture at Brookgreen Gardens, when including certain sculptures that are located indoors.

Fighting Stallions by Anna Hyatt Huntington — *Fighting Stallions* by Anna Hyatt Huntington

The Brown Sculpture Court, seen below, is reminiscent of the Moorish architectural designs and reminded me of the interior courtyard of the Alhambra.

Walking the labyrinth:

In addition to the beautiful sculpture, there are plaques with various poems throughout the gardens. Depicted in this section of the Brookgreen Gardens is "The Snare":

Brookgreen Gardens is a spectacular destination and a must-see stop if you're in the Myrtle Beach area. If you get a chance to go on the hourly guided tour, I highly recommend doing so, as you will get an excellent history lesson of the grounds as well as highlights of the top ten to fifteen sculptures within the gardens.

###

Brookgreen Gardens
1931 Brookgreen Drive
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Off US Highway 17 Bypass, between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island
phone: 843-235-6000

Visiting the WeWork Office in Tel Aviv, Israel

August 02, 2015 by ACS in Travel, Israel

During my trip to Israel, I had a chance to visit the WeWork office in central Tel Aviv, Israel.

WeWork is a startup founded in NYC, whose business model is to provide shared office space to small companies and technology startups. The most recent investment rounds value the company at $10 billion. I think the business model is fantastic: bringing like-minded entrepreneur types into one co-working space. The Tel Aviv office features three floors of office space, a living room with a kitchen (with free beer!), and a large shared working area with a number of computers for use.

I took some photographs during my visit, which appear below.

There is something like WeWork in Atlanta with the Atlanta Tech Village (whose monthly pitch events I attend), but it would be cool to see WeWork expand to other parts of Atlanta.

The "Read Everywhere" Campaign at The New York Public Library

July 19, 2015 by ACS in Travel, New York City, Books

This week, I was in New York City for a brief business trip.

On the first evening of my stay in the City, I took a three hour walk around Midtown Manhattan. One of my favorite stops along the walk was the outdoor exhibit at The New York Public Library.

This summer, The New York Public Library has a very cool campaign called "I Read Everywhere" (hashtag: #ireadeverywhere on Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter). From the promotional for the read everywhere movement:

This summer, The New York Public Library is celebrating the excitement and personal joy of reading with the hashtag #ireadeverywhere. We are asking all of you to join authors, librarians and other readers from all over the world to share your favorite — and unusual — reading spots, along with the hashtag and our handle @nypl, all in an effort to inspire others to pick up a book (or an e-reader) and start their own adventures.

I took a few photos of the outside of the NYPL:

The famous NYPL lion with the "Read Everywhere" advestisement.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to go into the library on this particular visit (as I arrived to the library at its closing time of 7PM). I did take a few photos of the beautiful outdoor library room:

The outdoor library room featured carts for a "book swap"—leave one book for others, take one home.

Finally, there was a giant board where people left notes on what they are reading this summer:

Here's a selection of notable books profiled in the photo above (outside of the popular The Song of Ice and Fire series, which is mentioned numerous times):

The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates (not mentioned on the board: Coates's latest book, released in July 2015, Between the World and Me).
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (one of my all-time favorite books)
This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz (I really recommend this selection!)
Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (another favorite classic of mine)
Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson
Walkable City by Jeff Speck (I hadn't heard of this book before, but I've added it to my reading list).
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (probably not recommended for light summer reading!)

Based on the press release, the outdoor reading room just ended on July 17. However, reading never stops. I hope you can find some of these book recommendations helpful. Happy reading!