I am a wandering city-o-phile who is pathologically incapable of staying in one place for any long period of time. Since mid 2011, I have been on a quest for the meaning of home in a world that is rapidly changing. I currently consider three cities – London, New York and Singapore – my home(s), and a few other cities, places I know I can (re-)visit if I need comfort and a familiar face.
In a past life, I was a strategic planner and cultural policy-maker, researching and applying my research to strategies and new policies to enhance a city’s livability and (place) branding through arts and culture. I continue to be fascinated by the role culture – particularly heritage, art, architecture and music – plays in defining a city (or its essence), and I am an unabashed cultural tourist.
All photography on the site is mine unless otherwise indicated.
Dream Of A City 
Thanks for reading my blog.
Incidentally, you’ve lots of great photos on your blog
Hello from New York.
Hello….
Your personal blog is really interesting and I am happy to found across it 😉
in looking for some information and references for my work in architecture.
I hope one day…I can meet you in person, in your wandering cities around the world…
Hello Kennie,
I would like to use one of your photographs in an exhibition I am curating on shophouse architecture in Singapore. The image in question is a row of shophouses on 24th Street Rangoon – assuming the resolution is good enough to blow up to the size of, say, a tea tray.
If you could get back to me, I would be grateful.
Thanks,
Julian Davison
Sure! I’ve emailed you the image.
I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award. Details at: http://ddominikwicklesromance.wordpress.com/
Your pics of the old Bela Vista in Macau really took me back. I’d stayed many times at the old hotel in the 80’s and 90’s and like everyone else I was sad to see it close. You do know, I suppose, that after the handover of Macau, and after a very expensive renovation, it became the residence of the Portuguese Consulate-General to Macau? You were indeed lucky to get a sneak peak during the workmen’s break! Thanks.
Love how you describe yourself as pathologically incapable of staying in one place too long! It just rings so true too me but I never thought about it in those terms! Also, I’m sure you know this already but you have some awesome pictures!
You certainly have a fantastic website, very informative. I quite enjoyed reading about the shophouses in old town Amoy. It is interesting how western and eastern architecture styles are mixed together. We have the same case in our shophouses over here too. Keep it up! I am an architect in Singapore.
Hi, I would like to seek your permission to use the 36 Gilstead Road House photograph for a heritage trail i am developing. That house features two sikh guard statues.
Hi, I would like to seek your premission to use the 36 Gilstead Road house for a heritage trail i am developing. It features two sikh guard statues. Let me know what you think?
Thanks 🙂
Sure thing. Sorry for the delay.
Hello. I seek your permission to use your Fusionopolis Towers photo; your photo is here:
…on our University website. Please can you email me, because I must have permission an email (otherwise they would not approve it here). Thank you for your help!
Hi Gil, I’m not sure how to email you, but you have my permission. Cheers, Kennie
Hello! This site is amazing and I think it’s great that you travel to define home!
I wanted to know if I could use this photo (https://dreamofacity.com/2012/07/03/30th-st-gotham-2012-a-d-12th-to-8th-aves/a-gotham-7) as I’m publishing a book about someone whose book was printed at that location and I’m lacking any good photos of it. If it’s okay, could you email it to me? Thanks. Ml, Sara
Sure. How do I send it to you? Sorry for the delay – I haven’t checked my blog in a few days.
It’s okay! You can email me: sararonda@emailline.net. Thanks!
Hi,
Thank you for your amazing blog! My name is Sebastian Heredia and I would like to ask for your permission to use your 2 following photos:
Currently, I am involved in a writing internship for foreign students.
This is the project’s link: http://tourist-note.com/
The idea is, on one hand, to help students with writing potential to improve their writing ability, and, on the other, to promote Japan to foreign visitors.
In writing the articles for this project, our student/writer(s) is considering to include a picture which, I understand, is under your domain. As a result, I would like to ask for your permission. Please note that the article as well as your photo has not been uploaded yet, and we will not do so unless we will obtain your approval.
Best
Sorry for the delayed response. You have my permission to use the photos. thanks for visiting the blog!!
Kennie, I am reading a book from the 1870’s about William Seward’s travels through Asia. Your photos are a great resource. William Seward was Lincoln’s Secretary of State. Best regards, Scott.
Hi Kennie,
Love your photos! I work at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and I was looking for a photo to use on our website of the Imperial Hotel. I came across yours on this entry, https://dreamofacity.com/2015/07/14/the-imperial-hotel-tokyo/, and was wondering if we could use it? We’ll of course list you as the photographer.
If you’re interested in sharing your photo with us, you can email me at apowers@architecture.org. Thank you!
Best,
Ashley Powers
Chicago Architecture Foundation
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Hi, Kennie,
Nice site! I work at a school located in Hong Kong. We have a number of teachers and community members from/affiliated with Wuhan, so during this time of Covid-19, we are doing a series of 1-min. videos called “Window on Wuhan” to inform our community about some of the more positive and interesting aspects of the city. (Sample: https://youtu.be/2BAv2F2fLkY)
We’re planning one on Hubei’s Russian tea trade that dates back to the 12th century. Wondering if we might have permission to use your photo of the red-brick former Panoff mansion (labeled US Consulate, 1905) on this page: https://dreamofacity.com/2014/09/11/a-walking-tour-of-the-hankow-bund-wuhan/. We are happy to acknowledge you in the closing credits.
Thank you,
Dede
Hi Kennie,
I’ve just messaged you via LinkedIn, but I thought to leave a message here too. I work with ArtReview magazine and we’d like to request permission to use some of the photos you took in Shanghai.
We’re about to produce a publication about the new public art site at Yangpu. It’s a guidebook of sorts to the works that can be found on the waterfront. This will include two essays and we thought your images would work really well alongside these.
Please let me know if you’re happy for us to use the images found in this link:
https://dreamofacity.com/2014/08/06/the-grand-tour-ii-5-on-the-sea-shanghai-%e4%b8%8a%e6%b5%b7/
We would of course credit any photographs we use from this link to you.
All best wishes,
Fi Churchman
Hallo Kennie,
I am Gaby froom Germany. On my internet search about Calcutta I stumbled over your website and your very detailed information of several sightseeing and walking tours. It is very interesting to see how intensive you explored Calcutta. I feel ashame about my own stay in Calcutte. 2 times I was there – each time one day. Compared what you show on your blog I really saw nearly nothing.
In the meantime I have my own blog with travel experiences about Asia http://www.unterwegs-in-asien-de
I started article about Calcutta to describe interesting to see and do there.
For some places I not have been by myself I am looking for fotos to show my readers more about Calcutta as I have seen and explored by myself.
So I would like to ask if I am allowed to use some of your fotos on my own website.
This would really help me a lot show a more detailed and interesting view of Calcutta.
it would be great to hear from you.
My article about Calcutta which is not yet completey finished you find here:
https://www.unterwegs-in-asien.de/asien-blog/indien-reiseberichte/west-bengalen-reisebericht/reise-infos-zu-calcutta
Thanks a lot and all bet wishes
Gaby from Germany