One of my neighbors is an artist. One day a week ago, maybe two, she told me about her new exhibition in Fort Tilden and invited us to come. She told me the beach there is lovely and the concession stands serve good food. I thought it would make for a fun family outing. A new spot we’d never visited and a tour of the gallery. We arrived a little after 11AM and the gallery only opened at noon so we went for a walk. We ended up in the wilder section of the beach, the part with protected areas for the birds and no lifeguards.
We spent about an hour there. The girls did not want to leave at all. They got wet. We did not have a change of clothes. I saw birds that I don’t usually see in the city. Some plovers and terns. (I only know this because there was a sign telling us what kinds of birds lived there.) I think the one I managed to photograph is some sort of tern.
(The variety and quality of seashells I’ve found on NYC beaches never ceases to amaze me. When I was a kid, I used to hunt for shells each time we went to the beach. I never found much beyond mussels and small shells. Here, there are all kinds and sizes. You don’t even need to look very hard!)
(Nothing is in focus here but I just love the painterly quality. And it reminds me of Michelle’s work.)
At the gallery, I read about Michelle’s inspiration and she nailed exactly how it felt to be there. It’s in New York City but it also feels so far from the city. It was just a 30 minute car ride from home. Big city to quiet beach in so little time…
I love reading your comments! I will try to respond to every single one.