The Road Is Mine

Thursday Challenge — "pink"

2012-03-08T00:01:00.003-05:00

It won't be long now! In fact, we'll probably get to
enjoy these beautiful blooms sooner than we usually
do—unless the weather changes drastically.
It's barely March, but the spring bulbs are already popping
up and the trees are in bud. And it's supposed to hit 65°F today.

abc wednesday —H is for "helpful"

2012-03-06T23:39:00.001-05:00

This is Stubby, who is always willing to assist me
when I'm at the computer. He keeps my place
in the notebook and whenever I need to turn on caps lock
(and even if I don't), he's right there with a helping paw.
It's all good—but I could do without the attitude.

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

Traveling Tuesdays

2012-03-06T00:01:00.005-05:00

See the Eiffel Tower way back there? This creature
had already been staring out over the rooftops
of Paris from Notre Dame's south tower for more
than six centuries before it was ever built—and
he's been there for more than another century since!

[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Hands Off!

2012-03-05T00:01:00.002-05:00

Stopped in at Fishs Eddy this weekend, where
they sell some really cool dishware and random
related items—and also these old forms (including one
bright yellow one) used for making kitchen gloves .

[To see more Mellow Yellow this Monday, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-03-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

The forecast for yesterday was for thunderstorms
all day—but instead we got this: 60°F and sunny.
The good folks of Park Slope, Brooklyn (and I)
were out in Prospect Park enjoying the good
weather until the shadows grew looong.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"drop"

2012-03-02T23:23:00.001-05:00

I was taking my usual early-morning
walk across the Brooklyn Bridge,
and this guy just happened to drop in.
Not sure what his job is exactly,
but it's not one for the faint of heart!

[To see more of the Saturday PhotoHunt, visit Sandi's meme.]

Skywatch Friday/Weekend Reflections

2012-03-02T00:01:00.005-05:00

Have to borrow one more from my daughter
Kate's visit last December to Vietnam
(This setting sun is reflected in the Saigon River).

[To see more Skywatch, go here.
To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

Photo Hunt—"exercise"

2012-03-01T00:01:00.003-05:00

Can't get to the gym because you're too busy taking
care of the baby? These Brooklyn moms have that one
worked out (so to speak). They just take the kids
and wheel them around Prospect Park at a quick
clip, then jump around on the benches.
See, who needs a gym?

[To see more "exercise," go here.]

abc wednesday —G is for "glasses"

2012-02-29T00:01:00.003-05:00

How can you tell it's a "spare no expense" affair?
Count the glasses! This was the fabulous Indian
wedding of friends up in Boston, where the groom's
younger brother gave a heartfelt speech that began,
"Welcome to what was supposed to be my
grad-school education." (Yes, he was kidding—I think.)

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

TravelingTuesdays

2012-02-28T00:01:00.003-05:00

One of the Gare (now Musée, of course) d'Orsay clocks, seen from
outside and in. I loved this place back in the '60s, when it was an
eery abandoned railway station, and I was thrilled when they filled
it with some of the best art in the world. But I heard recently
that you're no longer allowed to take pictures in this museum.
Maybe too many people were using flash, and ruined it
for those of us who would never. I'm just sayin'.

[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Macro Monday

2012-02-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching the Academy Awards, and
noted a serious dearth of purple sequins. A few more
feathers wouldn't have hurt either. Most of those
dresses were just a tad too classy, if you ask me.

See—this one has both!
Okay, maybe it is a bit much.
[To see more Macro Monday,
visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-02-26T00:01:00.003-05:00

This is one of the less colorful houses
on the island of Burano, near Venice—but it
does host a pretty terrific shadow. If they ever
have to take that tree down, I think they
should paint this shadow on the house first.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"loud"

2012-02-24T23:47:00.001-05:00

At first I thought it might be hard to convey
the idea of "loud" in a photo. Then I
remembered this shot of Echinacea purpurea—
another kind of loud, but I think it applies.

[To see more that's "loud," visit Sandi's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-02-24T00:01:00.003-05:00

I'm fairly certain I couldn't live out in the country
full-time, but it sure is great to be able to escape
there for a while from time to time. This was
taken (from the car) in Virginia back in January.
[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "two"

2012-02-23T00:01:00.002-05:00

As I understand it, the job of gondoliere is
usually passed down from father to son—
but what to do when there are two?
I imagine these guys learned to share
from early on—and they still do.

[To see more on the theme, visit
the Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday —F is for "foggy"

2012-02-22T00:01:00.008-05:00

Not much of a view from (or even of)
the bridge on this morning, was there?

And yet . . . I just love the way the
cables disappear into the mist.

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

Traveling Tuesdays

2012-02-21T00:01:00.005-05:00

St. Dominic: Look—there's a bird on my head.

St. Catherine: Tell me about it!
Sorry—I couldn't help myself. Seriously,
though, why don't they put up some kind of
netting to protect these beloved saints
from Siena's flocks of dirty pigeons?

[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

2012-02-20T00:01:00.005-05:00

Not all of New York's subway stations are
dull and dingy. I hate having to ride the subway,
but I love finding beautiful tile work like this.

[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-02-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

There's nothing blooming in the botanic garden
at the moment (though with the warm winter
we've been having, I'll bet the spring bulbs
will be popping up early). But even when it is
really cold outside, you can always head indoors
to admire their excellent collection of bonsai trees.
[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

PhotoHunt — "point"

2012-02-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

The Montauk Lighthouse sits on a point
of land at the easternmost tip of Long
Island. Next stop due east: Portugal.

[To see more "points," visit the Saturday PhotoHunt.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-02-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

A bright blue backdrop for some East Side
skyscrapers and a plume of steam from a
Con Ed manhole—it's a typical NYC scene.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "love"

2012-02-16T00:01:00.003-05:00

In a photo taken last summer in one of Manhattan's
Upper East Side pocket parks, I found the
literal solution to this week's photo challenge.

[To see more "love," visit the Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday —E is for "elephant"

2012-02-15T00:01:00.004-05:00

This prodigious pachyderm, called "Gran Elefandret,"
is the work of sculptor Miguel Barcelo and will be up
(literally!) here in Union Square until the end of May.
Now, about those numbers in the background: I told
some nice tourists who were here that it's the national
debt—but I lied (sorry). I believe NYU has
finally given me the definitive answer.

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

TravelingTuesdays

2012-02-14T00:01:00.005-05:00

Apparently, the 16th/17th-century composer
still has some fans. His grave can be found
in the church of the Frari, in Venice—
the most romantic city (imho) in the world.
Happy Valentine's Day to all the romantics out there.

[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Macro Monday

2012-02-13T00:01:00.004-05:00

With just a bit more than a month until spring,
here's a little something to look forward to.

[To see more macros, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-02-12T00:01:00.005-05:00

This one should really be called
"Shadow Shot Monday to Friday,"
because we're all off to work or school.
I just couldn't resist those long shadows!

[To see more Sunday Shadows, go here.]

PhotoHunt—"heart"

2012-02-11T00:01:00.003-05:00

Hearts—right now they're everywhere.
These graphic and bling-y ones are in a little
shop in the East Village, where they sell . . .

. . . rain gear and candy. I wonder how
they came up with that particular combination.
[To see more hearts, visit the Saturday PhotoHunt.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-02-10T00:01:00.006-05:00

This rainbow (actually, I think I see two) was
captured by my daughter Lila a couple of years ago,
as she and her sister Kate were floating in a
dugout canoe on a lake in the Peruvian rain forest.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "red"

2012-02-09T00:01:00.003-05:00

I used to work right around the corner from this great place,
where you could just order a plate of black-eyed peas and
fresh tomatoes, and they had the biggest collection of
hot sauces north of New Iberia, Louisiana.
Now New York magazine tells me this:

"The grubby old Cajun spot has been redone as an elegant
candlelit restaurant-cum-lounge with a serious
New Nordic menu from Danish chef Mads Refslund."

So I know where to go for a pricey cocktail
and a $15 plate of clams. I'm sure it's delicious,
but I want my grubby old Cajun back!

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —D is for "dinosaur"

2012-02-07T23:35:00.001-05:00

Stegosauros, to be exact. This mama and her baby
can be found at the Museum of Natural History.
In a word: Wow. (This is my 6th D post for
ABC Wednesday, and I can hardly believe
I haven't shown you this before.)
To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

Traveling Tuesdays/Our World

2012-02-07T00:01:00.003-05:00

This pretty little balcony sits behind one of
the jewelry shops on Florence's Ponte Vecchio.
To me, it's begging for a table and a
couple of chairs, where the folks who
work in that shop can take a break.

Here's a long shot, taken in
another, greener season.
[To see more of our world, go here;
for more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

2012-02-06T00:01:00.003-05:00

Came across these folks about a week ago. They were
marching across the Brooklyn Bridge in force to
protest a recent decision by the NYC Board of Education:
As of Feb. 12, the city will no longer rent space in
public schools for groups without a church building to
worship. I'm not invested in this situation emotionally or
politically, but I thought the city schools were
hurting financially, so why turn down a source of revenue?

At least these protesters were treated
with more respect by the police than some
others have been recently. The cops preceded
them across the bridge and moved the
rest of us aside so they could pass.
[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-02-05T00:01:00.003-05:00

Had to choose this out-of-season
shot of my daughter Kate—because I
like the shadows, but also because today
is her birthday. Happy b-day, Katie!
[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"flat"

2012-02-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

In the church of Santa Croce, in Florence,
gravestones are set flat in the floor. In
some parts of the church, they're
cheek by jowl (so to speak), and hard to
avoid—but I still can't bring myself to walk
over them. Not because it's creepy; it just
doesn't seem fittin' somehow.

[To see more of the Saturday
Photo Hunt, visit Sandi's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-02-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

Makes for a fairly dramatic photo,
with a yellow sky and dark clouds
hanging over Queens—but this kind
of weather makes me feel a bit broody.
Is your mood affected by the weather?
[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "one"

2012-02-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

This lone white carrot caught my eye
at our local greenmarket. (Have you ever
had white carrots? They're delicious!)
[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —C is for "cabin"

2012-02-01T00:01:00.004-05:00

It's out in the country, covered with clinging
vines, and on the verge of collapsing—
but (maybe because I live in a big city)
I think there's something charming
(or at least photogenic) about it.
(To see more abc wednesday, go here.]

Traveling Tuesdays

2012-01-31T00:01:00.002-05:00

Our host, Sandi, talked about her upcoming
trip to Italy last week. I keep going back too,
Sandi—this shot was taken the only time I've
been to Rome in the sizzling summertime.

[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Macro Monday

2012-01-30T00:01:00.003-05:00

I've photographed these bright red berries
in several seasons, but I like them
best like this, against the snow.

[To see more Macro Monday, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-01-28T23:47:00.001-05:00

Back in the day, every other store in the East Village
was a head shop. It's still the go-to neighborhood if you
want to get painted or pierced, but I guess the rents
are still quasi-affordable because there are also plenty of
interesting little stores, like this jewelry shop on 9th Street.

[To see more shadow shots, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"fluffy"

2012-01-28T00:01:00.005-05:00

I've always thought that if I ever got up the
nerve to go skydiving, I'd like to jump
into a big pile of fluffy clouds like this.

[To see more of the Saturday Photo Hunt, go here.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-01-27T00:01:00.003-05:00

Looking at this shot, it almost seems as though
the bird paused in mid-flight to pose for me
against the backdrop of this brilliant blue sky.
But no seagull was ever that cooperative!
I guess I just got lucky.

[To see more Skywatch, go here .]

Thursday Challenge — "new"

2012-01-26T00:01:00.004-05:00

These hands belong to my daughter Lila—and Lila's
friend's daughter, Fiona, who recently turned a year old.
But this was taken when Fiona was brand new.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —B is for "ballerina"

2012-01-25T00:01:00.010-05:00

And she's on the Brooklyn Bridge!
I encountered this beautiful blonde
ballerina dressed in blue as I was crossing the
bridge one morning a few months ago on my way
to the office (bureau, in French). Naturally,
my first thought was "ABC Wednesday."

Of course, it was a photo shoot—
would love to know the backstory.
[To see more abc wednesday, go here.]

The Mario Boat

2012-01-24T00:01:00.004-05:00

This is an In Memoriam of sorts, as I heard
via Karen at The Venice Experience that this floating
Venetian greenmarket near campo San Barnaba
closed up shop for good this past December.
So sad—I still remember the unique experience
of getting veggies from a boat when I
first went to Venice, many many years ago
(and repeated lots of times since then).

[To see more of Our World Tuesday, go here.
And to see more Traveling Tuesdays, visit Sandi's meme.]

Macro Monday

2012-01-23T00:01:00.002-05:00

In the garden in the snow, I found
this intrepid little hanger-on—pale
and frozen, but still beautiful, I think.

[To see more Macro Monday,
visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-01-22T00:01:00.002-05:00

Took advantage of time off on MLK Jr. Day
to spend a few hours in the Museum of Modern Art
—I always like this part of the museum that
features wonderfully designed objects of all kinds,
including this chaise that also throws some sharp shadows.

[To see more shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"bliss"

2012-01-20T23:38:00.001-05:00

"Bliss" could be lots of things (starting and ending
with chocolate, of course). In this case, bliss is a
beautiful baby boy (featured here just about a year ago)
all bundled up with his mama—can't you just
see it in their matching sweet smiles?
{The picture was taken by this baby's
biggest fan, my daughter Lila.}

[To see more "bliss," visit the Saturday PhotoHunt.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-01-20T00:01:00.005-05:00

My daughter Kate called me one evening to ask
if I could see the sunset. She had an unobstructed view
from where she was, far downtown—and I had to run
all the way to the other end of my office to catch
just this glimpse. But I could imagine how glorious
it must have been if you could see the whole thing.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "toys"

2012-01-19T00:01:00.012-05:00

Here where I work we all have toys (check out the
dinosaur in the background). We were especially
excited when we got this swell remote-control
flying shark to play with (though it was not easy
to maneuver!)—and had lots of fun sending it into the
conference room while a meeting was taking place. :~}

[To see more toys, visit the Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday —A is for "angel"

2012-01-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

I posted my first ABC Wednesday shot back
in April 2009. Two and a half years and
157 ABCs later, here we go again!
This angel lives on the beautiful
Ponte Sant'Angelo, in Rome.

[To see more abc wednesday, go here.]

That's Our World

2012-01-16T23:26:00.000-05:00

It's a New York bargain!
But only if you consider 50%
off $900+ a bargain. I stopped
into the Manolo sale yesterday, and
there were quite a few women buying.
As gorgeous as the shoes are
(and this was the most over-the-top
design I saw), I still managed to resist.

[To see more of our world, go here.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

2012-01-16T00:01:00.005-05:00

This was taken by my daughter Kate, on her
recent voyage to Vietnam. It's Hanoi, where
there are many many many motor scooters and
not a single traffic sign, signal, or, apparently, law.
According to Katie, I'd never be able to cross
the street (and since I can barely cross the street even
in Rome, I'm sure she's right about that).

[To see more Mellow Yellow Monday, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-01-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

What a treat it is for me to leave the
24/7 insanity of NYC and spend a
few restful days in this place
[insert deep breath here].

(To see more shadow shots, go here.)

Saturday Photo Hunt

2012-01-14T00:01:00.006-05:00

The category for this Photo Hunt is "circular,"
and this gorgeous circular staircase (designed in
1932 by Giuseppe Momo) can be found in the
Vatican Museum. Actually, the stairs form a double
helix, with one leading up and the other down.
Wonder what the folks at the Vatican thought 21 years
later when Crick and Watson discovered the double helical
DNA strand and that formation came to represent life itself.

[To see more of the Photo Hunt, visit Sandi's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

2012-01-13T00:01:00.002-05:00

Uh-oh—I think I see some weather up ahead.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying this gorgeous Idaho
countryside while the sun still shines.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "best of 2011 (part 2)"

2012-01-12T00:01:00.006-05:00

Since Dale has given us a second shot at
"Best of 2011," I'm taking the opportunity on
this dark, dreary winter day to repost
this photo (the category was "spring") as
something to look forward to in a few months.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —Z is for "zecchino"

2012-01-10T23:35:00.001-05:00

aka sequin. In Italian, zecchino means "coin"—
I borrowed this bit of info from Wikipedia:

"Coins known as sequins were used for centuries throughout the
Mediterranean. In the cultures where these sequins
circulated, the custom of stitching sequins and similar coins to
women's clothing originally arose as a way to display (and store)
the family's wealth. This ancient custom led to the
use of sequined fabric in modern fashion."

Now I like a bit of bling as much as the next girl, but I
think I'll keep the few coins I have in the bank, thank you.

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

That's Our World

2012-01-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

At the very front of the triangular Flatiron Building
is a space that's used for art installations.
This is "Hypergraphia: The Cup Drawings," by
Gwyneth Leach. Glad I passed by while it was still up.

[To see more of our world, go here.]

Blue Monday

2012-01-09T00:01:00.002-05:00

In case you were thinking that this is
just graffiti, think again. This is the work
of the street artist Swoon, who has
her own Wikipedia page.

[To see more Blue Monday shots, visit Smiling Sally's meme.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-01-08T00:01:00.002-05:00

Yikes!—where's the bug spray?
This cool (or creepy—your choice)) model of
an anapheles mosquito has been on display
at the Museum of Natural History since 1917.

[To see more shadows, go here.]

The Horse Whisperer

2012-01-07T00:01:00.002-05:00

. . . and this former champion show horse is all ears!

Skywatch Friday

2012-01-06T00:01:00.002-05:00

Took this shot of the sun setting behind the Blue Ridge
Mountains as I was getting on a plane in southwest Virginia.
(This is why you should always have your camera handy.)

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "best of 2011"

2012-01-05T00:01:00.004-05:00

My best Thursday Photo Challenge shot of 2011? Hard
to choose, but I have to pick this one. The category
was "windows," and it gave me the chance to post
this beauty—from the Ste. Chapelle, in Paris.

[To see more of this Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —Y is for "yellow peppers"

2012-01-04T00:01:00.004-05:00

Even Fairway itself admits that they were a bit
nuts to open a store in industrial Red Hook,
Brooklyn. But if you can get there (and it's
worth it, trust me), you don't have to carry
your bounty home yourself because they'll
deliver. Or as they say, "You shop. We schlep."

[To see more abc wednesday, go here.]

That's Our World

2012-01-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

Normally, my world is the concrete streets of
Manhattan—but today it's Virginia horse country.
Can you see that these beautiful horses
are growing their winter coats?

[To see more of our world, go here.]

Blue Monday

2012-01-02T00:01:00.004-05:00

This little bird was not watching
me take his picture—he had his eye on
the cat, who was playing it cool nearby.

[To see more Blue Monday posts, visit Sally's meme.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Yes, I've posted similar shots on this blog—but
perhaps not always while the plane was still in
motion. I'd like to think that this shot is a metaphor
for the year ahead: here's to moving forward.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T00:01:00.004-05:00

Hope your New Year's Eve celebration
includes festive hats—and also good food, good
friends, and all the Champagne you can handle.
And, of course, I wish you all the best in 2012!

Skywatch Friday

2011-12-30T00:01:00.004-05:00

I'm headed down to Virginia to celebrate
the New Year with friends and family.
No, I'm not going by train, but this made
me think of childhood trips down there by car (before
they built the Interstate!). One time we had to stop at a
railroad crossing while a freight train passed by—
and passed by and passed by. We counted
hundreds of cars on that one train!

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "light"

2011-12-29T00:01:00.003-05:00

I was happy to see a continuation of last week's
challenge. There's no lack of light here in
NYC, and even more so at this time of year.
Frankly, I wish they'd leave these lights (on
3rd Ave., near where I work) on all year long!

[To see more of this challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —X marks the spot

2011-12-28T00:01:00.004-05:00

In this case, a window in a building in Soho
where graffiti artists from around the world were
invited to come and do their thing. See here.

[To see more ABC Wednesday, go here.]

That's Our World

2011-12-27T00:01:00.002-05:00

These young men are from the Lubavitch Hasidic sect of
Judaism, which has its headquarters in the Crown Heights
neighborhood of Brooklyn, not that far from where I live.
They are sent out to talk to less conservative Jews
on the street, apparently to make them aware
of the joy of returning to more traditional practices.
Don't know how successful they are, but they seem happy.
[To see more of our world, go here.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

2011-12-26T00:01:00.002-05:00

I saw these adorable hats at the holiday
market in Union Square (just one of many
around the city). Was kind of tempted by
the penguin number, but then
I regained my sanity and walked on.

[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.]

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T00:01:00.007-05:00

Hope you're having a lovely holiday,
filled with family and friends and good cheer.

[Today is also Shadow Shot Sunday. To see more, go here.]

Ho! Ho! Ho!

2011-12-24T00:01:00.004-05:00

Back to my fave store for a little photo op
with Santa (and I'm pretty sure they managed
to locate the real Father Christmas).
If you're a believer like me, I hope you
get everything on your wish list!

Skywatch/Reflections

2011-12-23T00:01:00.004-05:00

Another one "borrowed" from my daughter Kate:
a glorious sunset, with the sun reflected on
the waters of the South China Sea (insert sigh here),
somewhere between Vietnam and Singapore.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.
To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

Thursday Challenge — "light"

2011-12-22T00:01:00.004-05:00

Well, 'tis the season—so the light I
choose this week is this fabulous modern
chandelier in one of last year's holiday
windows at ABC Carpet and Home.
(I could literally live in that place!)

[To see more of this challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —W is for "waterfall"

2011-12-21T00:01:00.006-05:00

This is a little pocket park near where I work.
You can pull up a chair and enjoy this
waterfall while you eat your lunch. But you're
not supposed to do what I did (surreptitiously,
with my cell phone): There's a sign placed very
prominently at the entrance that says
"Photography strictly forbidden." Really?

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

That's Our World

2011-12-20T00:01:00.004-05:00

Now here's something you hardly
ever see in Manhattan: a phone booth with
a phone that actually appears to be intact!

[To see more of our world, go here.]

Blue Monday

2011-12-18T23:54:00.002-05:00

I'm really enjoying the holiday windows all around
town. This is Fishs Eddy, who are on board with
the 99% (as are most of us around here—still).

[To see more Blue Monday posts, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-12-18T00:01:00.005-05:00

These folks are in line for fresh fish at our local
greenmarket—and it's well worth queuing up for.
Do you have a great farmers' market in your
neighborhood? If so, you're lucky!

[To see more Sunday Shadows, go here.]

New York at Night (16)

2011-12-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

Yikes! I need to get out there
and take some pictures.
Meanwhile, here's one from
the other evening from my office: my
favorite NYC building, taken at
my favorite time of day—l'heure bleu.

Skywatch Friday

2011-12-16T00:01:00.004-05:00

Last week I sang the praises of the window seat.
Well, here's a window shot of the night sky and
bright lights of Manhattan. The dark rectangle
in the middle is Central Park. (We were soon to
come in for a landing and yes, the camera was
supposed to be turned off—but come on!)

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "shoes"

2011-12-15T00:01:00.004-05:00

These fabulous shoes were made by Signor Albion,
cobbler extraordinaire, in Florence, Italy
(where they know something about shoemaking).

And this is Sr. Albion (shot by
my daughter Lila 12 years ago).

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —V is for "Vietnam"

2011-12-14T00:01:00.022-05:00

My daughter Katie headed off yet again—this time
to Vietnam. This is the Mekong Delta. All the images
of this place in my head are from newscasts of the war years
(and movies), so it's especially nice to see this peaceful shot.

[To see more abc wednesday, go here.]

That's Our World

2011-12-13T00:01:00.005-05:00

The next stop is . . . the North Pole!
Last Saturday was New York's annual
Santa Con—essentially a bar crawl (though
they say it's not) and more fun than a
barrel of elves. This gift-wrapped Santa had
speakers hidden in that box and was playing
"All I Want For Christmas Is You."
(Sorry for the fuzzy foto—cell phone, moving train.)

[To see more of our wonderful world, go here.]

Blue Monday/Monday Doorways

2011-12-12T00:01:00.005-05:00

I recently featured another beautiful
old blue door. Just wanted to say that
if I can't have that one in Venice,
I'll very happily take this one in Paris!

[To see more Blue Monday, visit Smiling Sally;
to see more Monday Doorways, go chez Louis la Vache.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-12-11T00:01:00.003-05:00

I found this guy hanging around the Museum
of Natural History. It's a Japanese spider
crab (Macrocheira kampferi), which can be
13 feet (4 meters) from the tip of one
outstretched leg to another. Pretty impressive—
and it throws a mean shadow too!

[To see more Sunday shadows, go to Tracy's great meme.]

I f

New York at Night (15)

2011-12-10T00:35:00.001-05:00

Not a lot of front yards in Manhattan—
around here, we deck the fire escape!

Skywatch Friday

2011-12-08T23:59:00.002-05:00

Why I always want a window seat:
That's where I get to see (among other
very cool things) the sun vanishing
over the horizon at 30,000 feet up.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "communication"

2011-12-08T00:01:00.004-05:00

This one is compliments of my daughter Kate
(though I did lend her my favorite camera),
taken when she was up in the Arctic.
This is a special kind of communication, because
not everyone can "talk" with walruses as this
fellow apparently can—and (so Katie claims) did!

[To see more Thursday Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —U is for "ugly"

2011-12-07T00:01:00.007-05:00

I'm a cat lover, but this just has to be
the ugliest puss in ~~Monteriggione Tuscany~~
~~Ital~~y ~~Europ~~e ~~the northern hemisphere~~ the world!

[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

the autumn leaves

2011-12-06T00:01:00.003-05:00

Took a walk last week in the Botanic Garden
(where there were still some roses in bloom!).
A lot of the leaves were hanging on too, but they've
turned all shades of yellow, orange, and (my fave) red.

[It's Ruby Tuesday. To see more, go here.]

Balaenoptera musculus

2011-12-05T00:01:00.003-05:00

aka the great blue whale, which can be 100 feet
long and weigh as much as 200 tons!
This one lives at the Museum of Natural History,
of course—one of my favorite places in NYC.

[To see more blue things, visit Sally's meme.]

Shadow Shot Sunday/Sunday Bridges

2011-12-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Came into this conference room for a meeting the other
day, but I had to run back to my desk and grab my
camera (my colleagues are used to this by now).
That's the 59th Street Bridge out there,
which you can see better here.

[To see more Sunday Shadows, go here.
To see more Sunday Bridges, visit Louis la Vache.]

Say Cheese!

2011-12-03T03:36:00.000-05:00

There are enterprising folks selling all manner of
things on the street in Soho. This guy had some
kind of Polaroid-type camera and was able to take a
picture and develop it very quickly. I watched him
for about 20 minutes while I waited for someone,
and in that time he made at least $50. Hmmmm . . .

Sunset in Suburbia

2011-12-02T00:01:00.006-05:00

A gorgeous Long Island sunset—I took
this shot from my mom's kitchen window,
in the house I grew up in.

[It's Skywatch Friday. To see more, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "door"

2011-11-30T22:40:00.000-05:00

Someday I'm going to have a door
this color—and if I'm lucky, it'll be
in Venice like this one is.

[To see more doors, visit the
Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday — T is for "Thanksgiving"

2011-11-29T23:42:00.001-05:00

I was so busy enjoying our recent Thanksgiving
dinner that I forgot to take any pictures—until we'd
had our fill of turkey, stuffing, sweet (and not) potatoes,
veggies, and my daughter Lila's delicious apple pie à la mode
(we only just stopped ourselves from licking our plates clean).
This has to be my fave meal of the year! How was yours?

Well, I did take a shot of the pie
before we devoured it.
[To see more abc wednesday, go here.]