TO GREAT HEIGHTS

All photos from Washington Heights by Mary Sargent

As a HUGE fan of NYC, and after spending over a decade there, I would say theres no place like home and that being my little hood of Washington Heights. Located in 'way' uptown Manhattan, "Wash Heights" as it is more popularly known, consists mostly by people of the Dominican Republic. I immediately fell in love with the culture and its beautiful people upon moving there back in 2005. On days off from work downtown, I loved just walking around eating up the local fare...La Nueva Espana was far my favorite restaurant...and loved the pizza at Amore's...Besides day to day life, I shot many of my photos there...and had so many models come up...for most their first time experiencing that part of the city...I miss its energy, the youth and the old souls, the reggaeton, the fresh fades, the dealers, the hustle. It was my main inspiration for my new series of photos called La Isla. It was about beauty, about the diamonds in the rough, about faraway places with a heart of a home. Thus in summary this is what Wash Heights was to me.

After moving to Dallas, and trying to start a new life, putting the past behind me, and looking towards the future, these colorful images of life in the Heights began to fade...Just recently I came across a blog that celebrated New York at its core: its streets. This blog was a tour of the places I've been, some places I shouldn't have and streets that have no name...but numbers! It was a walking tour of the streets of Manhattan by Mary Sargent. Such a great idea I thought. Perfect for a recent transplant like myself and great for those who forget to "Stop and smell the roses..." With this diary of daily ventures, I figured I'd just walk along with her...to experience that particular village all over again. See for yourself where you called home. newyorkphotoblog.blogspot.com