Guggenheim

 The Guggenheim Museum.

Knox Building 2026

I don’t often draw the same building twice, here’s one. I first drew the Knox Building in 2015 through the window of the fifth floor of the Mid-Manhattan Library. Since then, they’ve renovated the building and added a roof deck that provides a great view of it. I’ve developed my skills a little bit. I’m going to draw it again in another eleven years, and it’s going to look amazing.

It was built in 1901 by Edward Knox for the Know Hat Company. The architect was John H. Duncan, who also designed Grant’s Tomb and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza. It’s now owned by HSBC, which incorporated it into a 29-story glass tower.

 

Paul's Daughter

 

This is one of the oldest restaurants on the Coney Island boardwalk, known for its clam strips and lobster rolls. It was opened in 1962 by Greek immigrants Gregory Bitetzakis and Paul Georgoulakos. Originally called Gregory and Paul’s, it changed its name when Paul’s daughter, Tina, took over the business. It was almost evicted at the end of the 2011 season, along with a bunch of other Coney Island mainstays, but subsequently was asked to stay.

The fiberglass figures on the roof are Mana and Papa Burger, 1960s-era mascots for the A&W restaurant chain. Apparently there were other A&W Burger Family characters, including Baby Burger, Teen Burger, Grandma Burger, Uncle Burger, Buddy Burger and the Sirloin Baby Burger Twins. I’m not sure when or why they landed on the roof of this restaurant, or why the rest of the Burger Family didn’t make it to Coney Island.

I'd forgotten that I've drawn them before. This is from 2009!

Cyclone

 

We made an end of summer trip to Coney Island last weekend. My kids did not want to ride the Cyclone, but I still drew it. Built in 1927, it’s one of the last surviving wooden roller coasters. It covers 2,640 feet of track in one minute and fifty seconds. In the 1970s, it was almost demolished to make room for an expansion of the New York Aquarium, but that plan was thwarted and now it’s both a New York City Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Pineapple Street

 

This wood-frame, Federal-style house is on Pineapple Street in Brooklyn Heights. It is semi-famous because Truman Capote referred to it in his 1959 essay, “Brooklyn Heights: A Personal Memoir,” where he describes “A silvery gray, shingle-wood Colonial shaded by trees robustly leafed, it was built in 1790, the home of a sea captain.” It was in fact built around 1822, and was originally a smaller structure. Originally it was only three windows wide, and was extensively expanded and rebuilt in later years.

Eastwood Arch

Eastwood Arch in Prospect Park. Built in 1867-68, it is, along with Endale Arch, the oldest arch in the park.

Carlos

 Life drawing from last Saturday. Model was Carlos.