The Newtown Pentacle

Altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi

Next stop, Willoughby

with 2 comments

Friday

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Finally, I had made it to Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan.

Planes, automobiles, ferries, subways, and now trains. It had been a busy day for me since waking up at one in the morning back in Pittsburgh.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

One entered Grand Central, which is always a rush, and proceeded to the tickets counter to purchase a fare card for a Cold Spring bound Metro North train. The wide angle 16mm lens was still affixed to the camera.

Luckily, I didn’t have long to wait as far as boarding the train, and clicked out a few photos while crossing the great lobby.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

My energy was really starting to lag. The lifestyle I’m living in Pittsburgh these days is built around ‘early to rise and early to bed’ logic. Most nights I’m snoring by 11 p.m., and am awake again by 6 a.m. My night owl ways, as lived back in NYC, don’t fit in with the rhythm of life in Pittsburgh.

Luckily, the train was beginning boarding, so I just needed to find a seat and then relax for a little over an hour until reaching my destination.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

I made it, and settled into a seat. I was trying out a $15 camera gizmo on the way up north, a large silicone lens baffle which promised to cancel out window reflections when used properly.

The thing worked, sort of, but it wasn’t any sort of major improvement over my home made baffles made from the kind of foam you stuff in around a window based air conditioner. It was only $15, though.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The ride north was uneventful, except for when that wagyu burger from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal produced a massively sulfurous fart, which emerged unbidden into the train car. Sorry, everyone.

I texted my buddy, letting him know I was heading towards him.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The LIC/North Brooklyn real estate frenzy is happening in the South Bronx too. I know… as a child you said to your parents ‘mommy, I want to live in the South Bronx, please.’ Sigh…

Back next week from a visit to the greatest city in the history of mankind.


“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle

Buy a book!

In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.

Written by Mitch Waxman

June 20, 2025 at 11:00 am

2 Responses

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  1. If you had only eaten a wagyu before those cugines were chasing you.

    georgetheatheist . . . go away's avatar

    georgetheatheist . . . go away

    June 21, 2025 at 5:20 am

  2. […] Chronicles of June 3rd’s adventures started with ‘Homeboy,’ followed by ‘Puddle People,’ ‘Working the Harbor,’ ‘Surf and Turf,’ and ‘Next stop, Willoughby.’ […]


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