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Well, well, well; welcome back to the exciting and intriguing Where & When. Did you miss us? We missed you… holidays are always the toughest days to come back from.  How about we help refocus your brain matter so the rest of your day can be a piece of cake (insert favorite flavor here _________)…

And for your pleasure, how about another piece of cake:

Nice day for a stroll, it seems.  Crazy nice, in fact.  Maybe more than crazy… maybe it was that time of the year, or maybe it was that year.  Well, don’t lose your mind trying to figure out the date; you’ll be really mad when you figure that part of it out.  But if you do… well... (yep, if you understand this one, you and I are on a wavelength that deserves much pity.)

Post your answers below in the comments and feel free to help out and discuss.  I’ll will be peeking in now and again (work work work) and offering some thoughts throughout if I can.

How about some of Dad’s stash if you are the first with the answers, and some Hansen’s Natural for the rest of us, butterfly included.  Now run along and sleuth, chop-chop! (Bonus if you know what all these awful puns are referring to… >;)

Hey, welcome back to Where & When; where you are not alone in your struggle to find the truth when you have the proof… yeah, I know, but it’s late so…

Work is getting tougher by the day, not to mention colder, so I warn you now of inconsistencies in publishing the game, but if you are really interested in hosting an episode, drop me a line along with a challenge you would like to present and we’ll hook you up with a guest spot.  These are a lot of fun and the conversation is pretty clever among our regulars, plus there’s (fictional) root beer and cream sodas, which is a plus for any endorphins!

Welp, here is the newest challenge, and I think you’ll like the drama involved in this one:

I really wish I could present a larger picture that also contained a full snap of this building.  There’s quite a bit of significance attached to it, starting with the fact that the Yankees were involved at some point.  How’s that, you ask?  You’ll have to tell me and the rest of the readers, and while you’re at it, tell us the name of the building, the address and when it was built.  Bonus if you happen to know some other significant events or nouns involved with this building.  There’s a lot to tell, so I hope you have enough time to find out and spill.  A snifter of Zuberfizz for the first with the correct answers, and a tankard of Baumeister fr the subsequent entries.  Post your answers in the comments and I will be checking in throughout the day.  Have at it! And no peeking at the photo credit; it’s okay if you come across it during your independent research, but don’t click on the link below.  >;)

[Photo Credit: Ephemeral New York]

Welcome back to another challenge with Where & When, where you follow sketchy trails to get finer details when you have the time to do so.  I have to admit, the last game was pretty interesting and generated a bit of feedback, so I’m inclined to keep that same format for the time being and hope that it will attract new players and get more people talking.  We’ve got a long, long winter ahead of us, so why not at least make it interesting?  Natch.

Oh, and speaking of sketchy, here’s an interesting sketch:

As I’ve mentioned before, this could be pictures of any type; this is probably the first time that I’ve had a drawing to use for a challenge, but the good news is the structure is still standing and in fact was landmarked within the last decade.  It is within city limits, so you don’t have to scramble too far for clues.  One last clue: there’s been a sort-of battle of wits with the community and a well-known business intent on setting up shop in the area that would likely prefer not having to deal with this structure, but is obligated to restore it under their present agreement with the owner.  They’ve done some work on it already, which is not half-bad, considering.

So as with last time, I am allowing answers to be posted in the comments so that we can generate a hearty conversation about the general area.  What I’m looking for is the name of this building (original or according to the landmark commission, which are fairly the same) and the date it was built, which I’m sure you will find if you know what the name of the building is.  An Appalachian for the first person with both answers and a Goose Island for the followers. Enjoy the game, I’ll try to hit everyone up this afternoon.  Oh, and by the way…

I’m introducing a new feature to the game that’s not necessarily part of the game, but an additional topic of discussion.  I hinted at it from the last game, but I’ve realized that time constraints have forced me to table this feature until later. However, that does not mean that you can contribute or anticipate it’s coming (the nature of my field predicts that I’ll have time in the winter season to fully introduce this part), but as a teaser, I will give you a sampling of what is in store. Again in the last game, the town that was spotlighted was Sleepy Hollow, NY, a place I am intimately familiar with.  I intend to feature places up and down the Hudson Valley (on both sides of the river, of course) to relate some interesting tidbits, history and points of interest.  Sleepy Hollow, in fact, has quite a lot of each; so much so that it would be impossible to do a quick post in just one game.  But I could highlight a particular feature and come back at another time…

The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow includes references to quite a few real places and people from Washington Irving’s time; the church, the bridge, Van Tassel and so on.  The route that Ichabod Crane traveled on during his ride with the Great Pumpkin, er, the Headless Horseman, is highlighted as a walking tour through the Tarrytowns (Tarrytown and North Tarrytown as it were) along present-day Broadway, which also includes a few other historic markers and locations related to the American Revolution and Hollywood royalty.  Then there’s also the waterfront, which also features interesting stories of it’s own.  I’ll get to all of these stories over time, but if you have any particular stories relating to those points of interest, feel free to share them below.  There will be more of these types of stories in the future. Talk with you all soon!

[Photo Credit: Pardon Me For Asking]

Welcome one and all to the latest episode of Where & When; the Banter’s unique version of Lost & Found where you get lost in thought and find a drink at the end of the road. I like that better than any that involves mittens or Mittens or… you get the picture.

Speaking of getting the picture, get a load of this:

Hmm, what does that look like? Looks pretty old. Yet, I’ll bet some may have see that during an off day or may have caught a glimpse of it it during a commute. I have to tell you, the date was not attached to this, but a reference implied that this depicts an earlier version of the structure that exists today, which apparently is a restored version of this. It could depict the year that this structure became part of local and eventually national folklore. Still too hard to tell? I’m sure you’ll get it before Congress gets it </political sarcasm>…

For all newcomers to this game, the object is simple: use your detective skills to determine the location and the date of the picture, using visual and written clues that are either in the picture or hinted by me (or others). Display how you tracked down the answers when you respond and you might win.  A guess is okay, but “showing your math” will garner more credit. Using the internet is okay as well, but don’t click on the photo credit for the answer.

An Old Fashioned Glass of Old Town  for the first person to decipher my nonsense correctly, and a Moxie for those who follow.  As a treat, I’m going to let you post your answers in the comments today, as it is a special day, plus it might get you accustomed to a new feature of this post starting next week.  Don’t worry, you’ll appreciate what I add to it as much as you appreciate what is already here.  Comment away, if need be I will confirm the answer later this afternoon.  Feel free to discuss whatever comes to mind. Good luck!

[Photo Credit: The Historical Society, Inc.]

Hi there, welcome back to another fun round of Where & When, the game that’s all over the map and you have to invest a certain amount of time trying to decide where and when the heck you are (kind of like Doctor Who I imagine…), then reach for that drafty bottle as opposed to a brass ring.  Sounds easy enough, but looks aren’t everything, so use whatever tools are available to find out the truth, if you can handle it.

Speaking of looks, let’s look at our latest challenge:

A nice, hi-res photo to ponder.  Also ponder this: The pic was taken at a moment where there was a proposal to bring the good folks of Brooklyn and Manhattan together and create some more space for people to eventually pay exorbitant rent for.  This idea was eventually made a reality to a much smaller scale; bonus if you know how this was accomplished.

A quaich full of Chautauqua for the first person with the correct answers, and a cold can of Zevia for those who follow suit.  As always, explain how you found the answers, and don’t click on the photo credit link for answers, though if you arrive to a similar place via another route, it is fair game (but you must show your math).  Send your answers to cixposse at gmail dot com and we’ll discuss the answers and winners after 4pm today, as I’m still trying to figure out when’s a good deadline.  Tell your friends and family, your co-workers, your next door neighbors and total strangers to come visit the site and play.  And all you lurkers, well as one of you did prove, anything’s possible; even winning! Enjoy yourselves and see you at the final bell!

[Photo credit: NYC Past]

Welcome back, and sorry for the lateness.  When you end up working for an obsessive-compulsive movie director, you get a good idea of how little time you have for yourself.  But we are back with a new challenge, one that even has me a little uncertain:

Another commuters’ special; those who drive a lot throughout the city will instantly know where this is, but you might have a little problem pinpointing when it was taken; I know I have.  So for when, I will accept a good guess within a certain range, provided that you explain what led you to your conclusion.  And, as usual, give us a breakdown of your research.  Send your answers to cixposse at gmail dot com and the first person with the right answers will be bestowed a bottle of Bulldog, while subsequent right answers will receive a spritzing of Spring Grove.

I will be busy again, so I don’t know how often I can check in; that said, if I don’t reveal the answer by 6pm, feel free to do so in the comments and I will update you all with the winners.  So have a good run around the loop and we’ll talk later!

Hello again, welcome back to Where & When; trying to keep your minds sharp and, well, distracted from the obvious.  It’s getting a bit chilly outside, so we’ll try to keep the gears burning and get you thinking hard about this newest challenge:

This one looks like it could be easy or tough.  The important thing is to search the whole picture for clues, which will make it really easy once you find one.  In fact, I hope I haven’t made it too easy.  Your job today is to find out where this was taken and give us a good idea when.  It doesn’t actually have to be exact, but if any clues give you an indication, you’ll get credit for being closest to it.  Bonus if you have an idea what this area looks like today. Send your answers to cixposse at gmail dot com; post on the thread to let me know you sent an answer and I’ll verify.

Do not click on the photo credit for your answer, but you are allowed to use the internet for research; if you find the same exact picture, detail your activities that brought you to it (show your math!) Guesses are okay, but more credit will be given to those who can show a path of progression to their answers.

A Big Ol’ Bundaberg for the first person with the right answers, and an Old Fashioned Killebrew for the rest.  I’ll be busy today, but I’ll check in whenever I can and post an answer at or after 4pm today (don’t be discouraged if you find you’ve run out of time; I tend to come in pretty late.)  Have fun!

[Photo Credit: Queens Gazette; courtesy of Newtown Historical Society & Q Gardens Gallery]

Welcome back for another round of Where & When, the geography detective game that’s keeping your brain warm for the impending Hot Stove season. Or at least that’s the intention; the more you play this, the more exercise your mind gets and hey, the smarter you become! Plus, you get to brag to your buddies that you know something about the city that they probably don’t; if nothing else, it cuts down your chances of getting mugged >;)

Speaking of challenges, here is the latest:

This place was within the five boroughs until recently. It had been around for quite a long time, and unfortunately it was in this condition for a considerably long time as well.  If you know what the name of this building is and where it’s located, then tell us also when it was built, when it first opened for business and when it was closed for good. Bonus if you find a picture of when it was pristine and intact.

Send your best guesses to cixposse at gmail dot com.  Alert me on the thread that you’ve sent in your guess and I will verify; as per rules of the game, do not click on the photo credit to find the answer. You’re welcome to discuss any aspects of the challenge, including your tracking methods or knowledge of the general area, without giving away the answer (so be discreet if you can).  Above competition, this is also a general place to discuss what you know or learned, so feel free to discuss either.  I’ll try to get back with the answer in the evening around six EST.

A Sea Dog for you if you can find all the answers requested first, and a Jones for those who follow.  Don’t burst a vessel over this, since I’m asking for a lot of specific info it might take some time to track it all down.  Take your time and have fun!

[Photo Credit: Nathan Kensinger ]

Welcome back! Some of you may be enjoying a day off, so maybe you have a little time to play today’s game. For the initiate or curious, this is a detective game with the objective of determining where the picture was taken and when it was taken; sometimes with added bonuses if you know some history about the area where it was taken.  Most of the pictures are historic, some are closer to contemporary.

Take this picture for example:

Some commuters have seen this structure and wondered what it was, some may have thought it was nothing of import.  But in reality, this building and a few similar to it are actually very important.  Do you know why?  Perhaps finding the answer to Where will explain.  If you know that answer, then you’ll probably know When another important structure that it compliments was built as well.  Bonus if you know the street associated with this picture.

As usual, do not click on the photo credit, but if you happen to come across it in your sleuthing then it’s open game.  Send your answers to cixposse at gmail dot com; feel free to discuss without revealing the answer.

A frosty mug from The Pop Shoppe if you come up with the answer first.  A can of Virgil’s for our honorary mentions who follow.  Have a good one, I’ll see you later this evening! [Photo credit: Hobo Matt]

Welcome back to Where & When, the game in which you try to figure out where and when the heck this picture was taken.  It is getting a little harder to find challenges that aren’t obvious or harder to look for on the net, but I try. I’m also open to suggestions, so if you have a challenge of your own you would like your fellow Banterers to play, send me a high res pic with notes and I’ll try to slide it into the queue.

Meanwhile, here is today’s challenge:

I’m not sure if this is a photo or a realistic painting.  I did have to erase some info from the pic, so if the clouds look a little funny, it’s my fault.  What I’m looking for here is when this bridge was built and one of two names it went by.

Hint: This bridge was replaced by another bridge.  Bonus if you know the name of the new bridge and when it replaced this one.

Send your answers to cixposse at gmail dot com and feel free to discuss your thoughts on the thread (no spoilers!).  If you come across the actual site, don’t post it, but you can use it with your answer as long as you give a thorough response.

A Route 66 for the first person with the right answers, and cream sodas for the rest.  Enjoy, I’ll try to get back to you in the evening!

[Photo Credit: Atlas Obscura]

Welcome back! While you’re checking out the post season action, you can still enjoy a challenge or two of your own with the latest round of Where & When. As you know, the object is to determine where and when the picture was taken, drawn, etc. Without further ado, I give you this:

Sometimes they’re hard, sometimes they’re easy. But at least they are engaging. This one should be an easy one for the internet savvy or hardcore New Yawka from back in the day. I know that one of these features was very familiar to me growing up in the Hudson Valley, which is certainly not where this is.

Have a go at it; but since this is relatively easy, let’s try something a little different: Post your answer on the thread and any finite info you might have about this location relative to the date the picture was taken versus another period of time when the scene was or is significantly different in some way. Or, you can talk about an interesting personal experience you had there. The most interesting answer (by acclamation) will get the root beer this time, with all others with a correct answer and interesting stories or info getting cream sodas. Let’s see how this works out, and above all have fun. See you in the afternoon!

Welcome back to another edition of Where & When, where we try hard not to peek at the photo credits while sleuthing for the answer to the $64 questions about New York City, past or present.  Speaking of which, I’m presently trying to bring some of these challenges to the present, but it’s not an easy thing to present.  Instead, I drag you back into a familiar era (a present for you already!) and present you with this:

Maybe some of you are familiar with this place, which still stands as it did over a hundred years ago and is surprisingly still in use, but for a lot of commercial urban crap. If you were to go there today, the remnants of this building, which served a long-defunct train line that is now used mainly by Amtrak and Conrail (clue!), are still visible.  Regarding the picture, it was taken 22 years before the train line it served closed.

So you know how this goes; you try to figure out where and when this was taken, and perhaps flash a little knowledge such as who designed the building or what was the name of the train line and where did it begin and end, or even what significant features of today are missing from the picture… or the name of a store that presently occupies the building?

Send your answers to cixposse at gmail dot com (Doggone spambots) First one to get it right gets a root beer, those following suit get a cream soda. I’ll check in with you later in the day and post the answer here and in the latest thread at or after 6pm (or earlier if you figure it out sooner).  Have fun!

Welcome back to Where & When, where we use our fine detective skills to figure out where and when a given picture was taken, and then we settle into general satisfaction, swapping of tales and quaffing of root beers and cream sodas.

Here is today’s challenge:

This one shouldn’t be too tough. Some may see a similar view on a regular basis. So, tell us the location depicted, including the structure, which should also give you a notion when the picture was taken. Bonus if you can list any other features in the picture (relative to the year).

Send your complete answers to cixposse@gmail.com. I will try to reveal the answer later in the day here and in the most current thread. Stories and descriptions of neighborhoods are especially encouraged, so share away and good luck!

Welcome back to Where & When; to make up for my error from Monday, I’m presenting an extra challenge this week. Today’s game is hosted by RIYank who writes:

Let’s change decades for this one.
There are obvious visual clues for the approximate year, and also a kind of conceptual clue.
I don’t think it’s too hard to get the approximate location, but see how precise you can be.
I’ll release a clue later in the day.

Send guesses to:

whereandwhen.riyank@spamgourmet.com

Good luck!

[Photo Credit: Ephemeral New York]

Today’s gem is a little a little difficult to date, so I’ll be lenient with the exact date unless you can figure out the hint.
Hint: This picture was taken two years after one of the buildings in this picture was built.

A root beer to you if you get the location depicted and the date. Bonus if you know the nickname of a certain feature within this picture. Feel free to discuss as much as you want on the thread about it without directly revealing the answer (which will be published at or after 6pm tonight). Hey, I’m still trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t, so bear with me >;)

Answers, challenge submissions and suggestions can be sent to cixposse@gmail.com. As usual, do not use the photo credit link in researching your answer. Have fun!

{photo credit: Shorpy Historical Photo Archive}

Our last game worked out pretty well, with Banter regular rbj winning a root beer for being the first with the full correct answer. To make this even more fun, I’ll be tallying winners throughout the month and posting the leaders on the last post of the month. Thus, one correct answer = 1 root beer, and subsequent correct answers in each game will receive an honorable mention = 1 cream soda >;)

Here is today’s challenge:

Hint: This picture was taken when one of the clues in this picture was in its second year of operation.

The first player with the complete answer of Where the picture was taken and When (what year; exactly or closest to it) wins a root beer >;)

You may submit your complete answer to me at cixposse@gmail.com

The deadline for answering will be midnight EST tonight, and the answer and winner will be posted tomorrow morning at or after 9am EST. No peeking at the photo credit. Good luck!

[Photo Credit: Shorpy Historical Photo Archive]

Welcome to the first official edition of Where & When, wherein you the player try to solve the mystery of where and when a given picture is taken. Because of the success and fun of the Geography Quiz post, it’s been decided to post subsequent games semi-regularly on Mondays and Thursdays. I had a list of rules and regulations sketched out and all, but I’ve decided to kinda let things fall into place by themselves and answer any specific questions you may have as we go along. If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to post a comment. Above all, have fun!

Our first challenge comes from Banter regular RIYank who, I must say, gave me the inspiration to make this game, so it’s only right that he leads off:

“I don’t know if this one is easy or not. I would find it quite confusing, though there is definitely enough information in it for you to figure out the location and the approximate year. I’m tempted to say more, but I’m afraid extra commentary would make it too easy.

A Klein bottle full of Brett Gardner’s Famous Imaginary Root Beer to the winner!” – RIYank

My only current requests are that you answer the question fully: Where is the location and When was the picture taken. Also, although you are allowed to use the internet, in the interest of fairness please refrain from using the photo credit for your research. The link is for copyright purposes and may reveal the answer to the challenge, which would basically negate the purpose and spirit of the game altogether. Be sure to credit the sources you do use while answering the question; be it a web page, a book, personal experience, whatever. Feel free to share any trivia or personal experience you may have related to the location depicted, and again, have fun.

The answers will be posted at or after 6pm the next day, so that our friends overseas or on night shift duties can also play.

Have at it!

[Photo Via: Ephemeral New York]

A week or two ago, Alex posted a link with a picture from a site which had an interesting picture. It was suggested in the comments that I might be able to solve the mystery of which Hudson River-crossing bridge was featured in the process of being built a fairly long time ago, owing that I grew up in the Hudson Valley I suppose. After some quick research, triangulation, divination, a helpful clue from RIYank and a toss of the quarter, I surmised that it was the George Washington Bridge. It was a fun bit of detective work, and going off of a suggestion in the comments I asked our Fearless Leader what he thought of the idea to presenting similar challenges as a new feature on the Banter. His response: “You’re hired.”

Wait, what?

With that in mind, let me present to you a geographic puzzle and see who among you can correctly identify the location and date of this picture. This one should be fairly easy for some of you as you may recognize a thing or two in it. If you can identify the main street and the structure it leads to, plus the year the photo depicts, you win the Internet for a week. Feel free to utilize the vast repository of cyber-knowledge that is currently at your fingertips for help while I figure out how to turn this into a regular feature (I’m open to suggestions, but not hypnosis).

Photo credited to the book New York Then & Now from the website Ephemeral New York.