Author Archives: sm103085

The sun rising on the Flatiron Building Photo: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

Every day I pass the Flatiron Building on 5^thAve and Broadway on my way to Baruch and wonder why so many people are taking pictures of it. Sure the shape of the building is unusual, but so is nearly every other building in Manhattan. I decided to look at this building through the lens of a camera and see if it was any more captivating. Next, I went on a mission to learn about the history of the Flatiron Building and possibly understand the reason it is so fascinating to onlookers.

Angling

From the Ground Up Photo: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

Before doing any research, I analyzed the building. I noticed that unlike any surrounding buildings, it is the only building that occupies an entire block. It spans from East 23^rd Street back to East 22^nd Street. My immediate thought after this observation was that this building had to be of importance in order to own it’s own block, especially in this crowded city. I proceeded to join the rest of the people behind a camera and snapped some more photos, gaining a new insight on this mysterious building with each changing angle.

It’s a Flat Iron!

The flat iron at night Photo: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

Architect D.H. Burnham built the Flatiron Building, originally called the Fuller Building, in 1902 as a functioning office building. The building took its name from the triangular lot on which it was built – the Flatiron block, so called because it was shaped like a clothing iron. According to The Arts & Events section of nymag.com, “Skeptics vowed it would never withstand the notoriously windy corner where Fifth Ave. and Broadway cross paths. In the end, the 3,680-ton steel structure—one of the earliest of its kind—proved them wrong and its success became a catalyst for further development and uptown expansion.” The Flatiron Building was one of New York City’s first skyscrapers and it has withstood the test of time. Now, this mere 285-foot tall building would be the laughing stock of the skyscrapers of the 21^st century, but it remains a historical part of this great city.

Salt-Water Exotics

Blue Tang and Clown Fish swim one above the other in their new home, inside of our home. Photo Credit: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

The ocean and all the creatures that inhabit it have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. Water makes up 70 percent of the surface of the earth and is home to an unimaginable amount of sea animals. Marine biologists have discovered over 20,000 species of fish, but I don’t believe they are even close to identifying every single sea creature.

Brother Leon getting up close and personal. Photo Credit: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

My brother Leon shared the same interest in the water creatures of the world so he decided to build a salt-water fish tank. He started off with the more common fish, such as clown fish and blue and yellow tang (more familiarly, the cast of “Finding Nemo”). The tank was a wonderful addition to our house and it captivated the attention of everyone who came to visit.

Color Me Coral

Different species of coral add color and life to the tank. Photo Credit: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

Aside from the billions of fish that live in the ocean, there are also thousands of species of coral that coexist with them. I never knew that coral existed before my brother began to place them in his tank, and I was definitely not aware that they were living. Sometimes at night I would sit up and watch the tank, the way the fish knew where to go when the lights went out and how the coral glowed and swayed with the movement of the water. This tank was like nothing I had ever seen, it was almost as if a little piece of the ocean was in our home.

Fuzzy      

The dangerous dwarf lionfish turns his back on us in search of some mischief to get into. Photo Credit: Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung

My brother was so thrilled by the way his tank turned out that he decided to start another tank. In this second tank there was less “colorful” fish, but they were just as exotic. One of my favorite fish in this tank was a dwarf lionfish that we named fuzzy. This warm and cuddly name did not match his venomous persona, for this particular species has is poisonous and has fin spines that can produce painful puncture wounds. Fuzzy was very mysterious but was aggressive at the same time. Feeding time was just about the only time he came out and the process was very scrupulous. He was fed a baby fish by tongs and when he grabbed it, I could feel the tongs snap. Fuzzy required the most attention and he helped expand my fascination of sea life even further.