In the age of mechanical reproductions, one keeps finding evidence of decay as well as creation, depending on which side of the spectrum one sees the world from. New York offers an unusual way of seeing, where the spectrum sometimes reveals all of its sides, like the way spirits move in between reality’s frames at twilight. The centers never hold, and reveal themselves as never having been capable of holding, so that all they come to serve is as very useful bookmarks.

Photography is a very fitting bookmark for realities, and New York City has never had a shortage of photographers. When Diane Arbus was learning, she had examples in Bill Brandt and Paul Strand, introduced through none other than Steiglitz himself and his famous gallery, and she found herself earning her position in very good company.

Her legacy suggests that she herself left doors to many rooms open, so more good company could join, creating an aesthetic that reveals photography’s domain as less objective than its optimistic beginnings suggested. However, perhaps even the first artists holding a camera themselves suspected that this was no tool for capturing reality as it is. Art has never been successful in holding up a mirror to nature, because nature herself is always in the process of creating and destroying, and it all depends on the position of the one holding the lever at the end of the day.

Or in Arbus’ case, the button on the camera that snaps the capture. Her view of the world was a decidedly dark one, and it’s impossible to see her works without seeing a particular point of view.

The view of the city from a New York boutique hotel always holds the possibility for multiple framings, and sometimes it is dependent on the weather, the relationship with one’s loved ones, or the way the moment speaks from instant to instant. Capturing the greater picture is perhaps a hopeless task, and trying is to walk the hills of Sisyphus, but documenting the evolution of a point of view is when seeing turns slowly but surely into art.

The stock market is rising, consumer confidence is up and New York art is hot. Affordable Art Fair (AAF), New York’s place to discover and buy works of art from today’s newest talent and known name and featured artists will be having it’s spring time sale May 6th through the 9th, 2010. Affordable Art Fair is located on 7 West 34th Street, near 5th Avenue. All works will range in price from up to $100 to $10,000. The fair is not just for the art connoisseur, but for anyone who appreciate art and the first time buyer.

If you’re staying at a hotel near 34th Street and 5th Avenue in May, come on by. This year, the Affordable Art Fair will host more than 70 established galleries from the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, and other countries. On May 5th, you’ll have the opportunity for a Private Viewing party, be the first to choose from the works of art available for sale, while enjoying entertainment and complimentary drinks. Plus, this year will be the first ‘I Love Brooklyn’ party, on May 6th, from 6pm to 9pm, which Brooklyn galleries and the arts community come to Manhattan for a party featuring Brooklyn art, music, and drinks; $25 per person or $45 for two. Tickets bought at the door will cost $30 per person; Brooklyn residents receive a $5 discount with proof of residency. There will be a children’s program, a Foto Focus walking tour, print making classes, sculptor classes.

The Affordable Art Fair is the worlds equivalent of a designer sample sale, but significantly less snobby than the other competing fine art fairs like the Armory Show. AAF has lectures and workshops catering to the first-time buyers and to budding collectors. Advance tickets can be purchased online: General admission $20; students/seniors $15; children under 12 are free; on May 9th, which is Mothers Day, mothers get in free! Hours vary per day, so check at this website for the schedule.

Most people who visit Singapore will notice that there is an awfully substantial array of vegetarian options in almost any restaurant. There are also quite a number that cater to vegetarian diners exclusively. It becomes quite clear pretty quickly that there are some pretty heavenly options, too, and the spices are enough to convince anyone that meat’s not necessary to make this a meal, at least not for today.

It seems a little against the laws of nature, in some places, to go on vacation and eat more healthy. However, there are vegetarian options that are high in fat and cholesterol, but you do have to really try. With so much fantastic food, it’s hard not to wonder where the tradition of vegetarian eating came from. In English-speaking countries, the history of vegetarianism is often linked to England in the 19th century. Although there certainly were some very influential thinkers here, Swedenborgians and naturists, tuned into spiritual principles from a mix of pagan and Christian traditions, it’s real roots are much, much older.

The practices of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism can all carry traces of vegetarian philosophical principles, and it’s pretty deeply entwined with the roots of these spiritual systems and practices. Some of the most reasonable explanations come from Hinduism, with the practice of ahimsa , or non-violence. Here, it’s a matter of moral choice to live in a manner that does the least harm to other sentient beings.

In traditions where reincarnation is a part of the belief system, there is often a vegetarian tendency, as people are often reborn as animals, in which case the dietary practice actually has a component of self-preservation. At the root here is the idea that everything that is, is a reflection of consciousness, so the way we eat directly affects the quality of that consciousness. This is, of course, a necessarily simplistic way of beginning to talk about these theories, and there are many more, all of them fascinating, and worth investigating through a more splendid way than thought: eating great food.