Welcome to the New York City section of my blog, also known as my “Amateur Learns Aperture” series, where I go outside my apartment to find things to photograph in order to learn how to use my camera.

There are several different immersive light shows in New York City right now.  I am not sure if this was always a thing, since I did not leave my apartment in many years.  Or maybe these have existed this entire time.  I love all of it.

Hero was such a great time.  This one is located under Rockefeller Center, right at the ice skating rink.  I was fortunate to catch the Northern Lights show on its last weekend.  But per their website HERE, they have a new show coming soon.

You start out by watching an introduction video and then you enter the space.  My ticket was for 7:00 on a Friday and it was not at all packed.  I had some rooms to myself as I walked through them.

There was a little cafe at the halfway point where you could buy hot chocolate and S’mores.

Then onto the star of the show – a huge cloud bed you could lay on, with a light show above you and live musicians playing tranquil music.

Departing this room, there were some flower arrangements before hitting the exit.

Afterwards, I walked around Rockefeller Center a bit.

Kate Spade taxi shoes.  Now that I like New York City, I like these shoes. Still would never wear them though.

Finally I ended up at Lincoln Center for a free show from Théâtre de la Dame de Coeur’s giant puppets, Eria and Terrenis, who did a performance to heal our planet.

On one very cold day, I headed all the way out to Flushing, Queens for Astra Lumina.

Astra Lumina is “An Enchanted Nightwalk Amongst the Stars” that takes place at the Queens Botanical Gardens.  It is just a really cool light show.

I got to Flushing a bit early and although I did have plans of things to see, it was probably the coldest day I have been outside during in all of 2024 so far, so I did not wish to do them.

I walked around a bit trying to find a place that sells iced coffee with bear shaped ice. Because why would I not forage for ICED coffee on a day like today.  I found the address of the restaurant, with a sign saying “coming soon” which makes zero sense since the internet said it was open already. Fuck the internet.

I was tempted to try this because why not, but the place was packed.

When I got inside for Astra Lumina, I was told I could go twice since it was not fully dark yet.  It was dusk.  I don’t want to go twice, I want to go home.  I am frozen.  So I sat and drank some hot chocolate to warm up while waiting for dark.

This place was really cool and it was fun using my camera when it worked!  I can now take photos on manual at night without a flash.

These balls infuriated me.  I could not capture them how they looked.  The balls were colored.  If I would set the camera to focus on one ball, it would come out correct but the others would not.  I think I like feeling stupid because that would absolutely be why I keep forcing myself forward with using a piece of technology that is smarter than me.

But then when I got home, I asked YouTube how the hell to do this and YouTube gave me some tips.  If Astra Lumina comes back (and it should, it was great!) then I am ready for it.

And speaking of learning how to use the camera, I absolutely could not figure out video on it.  So I broke my “NO PHONE” rule and took some video with my phone.  Then I went home, determined to learn how to use video.  And you know what?  I was not pushing the video button.  It was that simple.