In which The Gay Recluse does some investigative reporting and follows up with a complaint.
As we’ve documented many times, thick black smoke — a function of improperly maintained or outdated boiler systems — is pretty much a constant of life in Washington Heights. (No coincidence, asthma rates are pretty much through the roof.) Although [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of morning photograph: March 21, 2008, 5:15pm-ish.
Notes: This is the view of the George Washington Bridge from the north, in the remotest and most abandoned part of Manhattan. We see the pilings of an old pier and — most [...]

In which The Gay Recluse photographs birds.

Hmm…what kind of bird is this? (We need to do some homework.)

Hi everyone! What kind of birds are you? You kind of look like seagulls. (Omg! Is that an insult!?)

Sometimes you just want to be left alone.

In which The Gay Recluse rather quickly gets lung cancer.
Time and date of morning photograph: March 21, 2008, 7:54am.

Time and date of evening photograph: March 21, 2008, 7:34pm

The oily black smoke of 100-year-old boilers disperses daily across the rooftops in Washington Heights, heedless of those who suffer from pneumonia, asthma and tuberculosis. Officials and [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and date of photograph: March 21, 2008, 7:54am.
Notes: The blue sky, almost completely windswept.

“I, too am obsessed with the George Washington Bridge, and have been ever since as stoned youths me and my friends cavorted in the park on the New Jersey [...]

In which The Gay Recluse promotes remembrance of things past.
Today we received this letter from reader Steve in Manhattan:
I, too am obsessed with the George Washington Bridge, and have been ever since as stoned youths me and my friends cavorted in the park on the New Jersey side that is directly below the place where [...]

In which The Gay Recluse rather quickly gets lung cancer.
Time and Date of morning photograph: March 20, 2008, 6:54am.
Notes: One benefit of living in Washington Heights is that it’s truly like the 19th century, not only in the architectural grandeur that splays across the rooftops, but the daily emissions of 100-year-old boilers in apartment [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of morning photograph: March 20, 2008, 6:54am.
Notes: Seriously, don’t these clouds look a little “Poltergeisty”?

Time and Date of evening photograph: March 20, 2008, 6:54pm.
Notes: We appreciate the black smoke, which is so good for our asthma.

“The George Washington Bridge over [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of photograph: March 19, 2008, 6:54am.
Notes: A gray morning, but the cats are up. (There’s no going back to sleep.)

“The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables and steel beams, [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of photograph: March 18, 2008, 6:48am.
Notes: It was early, but the blue and orange — i.e., together — was the best part of the day.

“The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made [...]

In which The Gay Recluse photographs birds.

Mary-Kate and Ashley? Elliot and Silda? Tristan and Isolde? You decide. (Our Jonathan Livingston Seagull moment for the day.)

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of photograph: March 13, 2008, 7:38am.
Notes: The cloud bank this morning looked like a mountain range.

“The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables and steel beams, it gleams in the [...]

In which The Gay Recluse photographs birds.

Some days we want to photograph the George Washington Bridge. Today we went for the seagulls.

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of photograph: March 1, 2008, 5:58pm.
Notes: A panoramic view of the pre-war ruins of Washington Heights and the post-war ruins of New Jersey.

“The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of photograph: February 28, 2008, 7:56am.
Notes: The sky is starting to seem spring-like, but it was actually close to minus-fifty.

“It was to be encased in granite but because of the Depression was never done and the structure remained as it [...]

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with The George Washington Bridge.
Time and Date of photograph: February 26, 2008, 7:56am.
Notes: The morning light — not unlike our mood — is not so much blue as tinged with blue.

“The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of [...]

In which The Gay Recluse ponders a photograph of the George Washington Bridge and provides an interesting (and possibly depressing) fact.
Date of photograph: February 24, 2008
Notes: We were rushing out to buy donuts and didn’t notice the reflection of the window to the right. (Oh well.)

Interesting (and Possibly Depressing) Fact: The George Washington Bridge opened [...]