Visited Fire Island yesterday. Located off of Long Island, Fire Island is a well known, diverse vacation destination for locals and is particularly attractive for its no cars policy. Its possible to walk the whole island by foot if you wanted to. I however just went to a section called Sailor's Haven to see the Sunken Forest, a small (1.5 mi) 250 yr old maritime forest located between the bay side and ocean side of the island. It's nestled in btwn dunes which is said to give it a sunken appearance (although that was not my experience I didn't ever feel I was below sea level).
I missed the ferry to Sailor's Haven so I had to take the ferry to Cherry Grove instead and then walk about a mile down beach.
The beach was pretty empty. Which was nice. Its rare to feel a sense of space so near the city. I was really relishing the feeling of solitude.
My version of beach strolling. Notice the full covering of feet with socks. I'm not a big fan of sand. Why go to the beach then? I'm not sure. It always seems like a good idea, like, oh its summer I should go to the beach. Then I get to the beach and think, why am I here?
Someone's driftwood sculpture.
Arrive at Sunken Forest. It looks like the coast of California almost.
Apparently there is alot of deer on the island. How did they get there in the first place is what I want to know. Do deer swim?
Having grown up in Pennsylvania, I'm used to seeing white tail deer. I'm not, however, used to getting this close to them! It always freaks me out when wild animals don't run away when you get up close to them. If they don't run away it usually means they have rabies. This deer could care less about my presence.
Being able to be so close, I noticed how bug ridden and mangy it was. Look at those ears! I don't know if those are sores, or bites or what. (here's the answer). It was totally freaking me out though.
It had bugs all over its face and body too. Poor deer. I always thought of them as beautiful, graceful creatures.
Leaving. Bye Fire Island.
I now know why they recommend bug repellent when visiting forest. I got feasted on! On the ferry back it looked like I had chicken pox from all the red bites on my arms, legs and neck. yuck.
ah, Film Forum. I love that they screen retrospectives. Recently it was Nicholas Ray, one of my favorite directors. Although I have to give credit to MOMA for introducing me to the great director, I saw In a Lonely Place there when I was in art school and was immediately blown away. This time I went to see Bigger Than Life starring James Mason. Mason's Ed Avery is a hard working school teacher holding down two jobs to make ends meet. Suddenly he's hit with a heart affliction and given a pending death sentence by the doctors, unless, unless he takes this new controversial drug called Cortisone. It comes with severe side effects, and he's warned by his wary doctors to not abuse it. He dismisses them, anxious to get on with his life. At first things go swimmingly well and he's bursting with energy. manically so. Then he starts ranting. and raving. and becoming increasingly crazier. The (frustratingly) submissive wife stands by wringing her hands, desperate that no one find out how out of control her dear, perfect, 1950's husband really is. She hopes if she just closes her eyes and ignores it, it will all go away. Wrong! Instead his downward descent just spirals faster until he decides his child must be sacrificed because he is evil. He locks the wife in a closet while he ascends the stairs, knife in hand, to kill his only child. But! It all ends happily, because that's what the 50's were about. or were they? Nick Ray calls it like he sees it (which is why I admire his work so) exposing the false pretense that apparently so many people lived under at that time. Filmed in 1956, it has painfully outmoded social mores which at points are quite comical, and other times quite frustrating to watch. I think the main theme of the movie is denial. on various levels. 
Finally enjoying some nice weather here in the city! I took a ferry ride over to Governor's Island to check out a recent art exhibit over there and just generally enjoy the sun in a somewhat less crowded area. G.I. always reminds me of Maryland for some reason I can't put my finger on. Something to do with it being an abandoned military base I suppose. I kinda feel like I'm in the suburbs when I go there. There's lawns of grass to be walked upon, trees, hammocks to lay in, and small abandoned homes give it that extra creepy feel. I was thinking how easy it would be to squat in one of those houses and seriously contemplated the logistics of it for a minute. Its tempting–the ferry is free I would ride that to and fro the city and after dusk ferry service stops and I would presumably be the only person on the island. Ah, a girl can dream. Who knows what's really going on over there after nightfall. I'm sure G.I. has a secret life all its own. The city just recently bought the island and I think they have plans for making it a park. I think they are very very slowly making progress twds getting people over there but they still have far to go as far as making it aesthetically pleasing or interesting. I know half the island is under historic preservation for military forts and such, but the rest is not. perhaps all that housing will be torn down?
