Wednesday, June 30, 2010

abc wednesday - X is for "Xeriscaping"



. . . which is a method of landscaping that uses 
drought-resistant plants in order to
conserve water. That doesn't mean just
cactus, though—this lavender that's making 
my bedroom so fragrant right
now came from a Xeriscape garden.

[See how others interpreted X here.]

Monday, June 28, 2010

Ruby Tuesday



As I may have mentioned— :~} —you won't
catch me forking over any euros to ride in
a gondola. But that doesn't mean I don't
appreciate their beauty!

[You can find more touches of red at
the Ruby Tuesday meme, here.]

Mellow Yellow Monday



This building is on Manhattan's Upper West
Side; it's about two blocks from Central Park—
which is why I can't see why someone
hasn't grabbed this cool kite and run with it
right to the Sheep Meadow.

[You can see more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday



Here's the Colosseum, in Rome.
Even 2,274 years later (!), can't you just
see the gladiators down here waiting to
face their fate?

[See more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, June 26, 2010

photo Hunter — "purple"



If I have to choose, I think maybe the purple
flowers are my favorites. How about you?

[You can see more purple here at tnchick's PhotoHunt.]

Friday, June 25, 2010

Skywatch Friday



Have to say that I'm sometimes
(pleasantly) surprised by what my
point-and-shoot camera can do
(even without a tripod)!

[See more Skywatch pics here.]

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Thursday Challenge: Soft



I was going through my photo archives
looking for shots of big fluffy clouds—then 
I remembered what it feels like
to touch a horse's muzzle. C'mon, you
know you want to reach right out 
and pet that velvety nose!

[You'll find more softness here.]

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

abc wednesday - W is for "window box"



I pull out my camera whenever I see a window box, 
and I saw these in Cannaregio, in Venice. They 
may be my favorites—because they're so lush and 
gorgeous and because my friend Shell Sherree turned them
into something even better.  Thanks, Shell!

[You can find others' interpretations of W here.]

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Marry Me!



Came across this romantic scene as I was crossing the
Brooklyn Bridge one evening. I was SO sorry I 
couldn't hang around until Paula got there. The fellow 
here on the phone is clearly the one in all those 
photos (he's probably talking with his fiancĂ©e-to-be). 
 And I'll bet that when she arrived, she did say yes!
{And I hope he didn't do what this other romantic fellow 
did a few months back.}

[See more of the world here.]

Monday, June 21, 2010

mellow Yellow Monday



I just hope that whoever is in this ambulance
doesn't wind up on the island in the
background—that's San Michele, Venice's
cemetery island.

[You can see more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday



I've encountered this group of obsessive
exercisers a few times while walking
(fast, but still walking) across the Brooklyn
Bridge. They jog across the bridge and stop
at each pier for some extra torture. I really
do admire their stamina (and their willingness
to put up with their gung-ho trainer). 
 Hey, I guess I'm just not a joiner.

[You can see more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, June 19, 2010

photo Hunter — "six "



This part of the gondola is called the fero
(iron). It sits at the bow, whose shape mimics the 
curve of the Grand Canal. At the top is a
stylized doge's cap. The six "teeth" below that
represent the six sestieri (from "sesto," which
also means six) of Venice: Castello, San Marco,
Canareggio, Santa Croce, San Polo, and Dorsoduro.
(Or at least that's what I've been told.)

[See more interpretations of the theme "six" here
at tnchick's Photo Hunter blog.]

Friday, June 18, 2010

Skywatch Friday



Do you recognize this? It's the Vendome
Column, the first thing you see when you exit 
the Ritz Hotel, in Paris. It was originally
erected by the little guy with the big ego—no, 
not Sarkozy, Napoleon—and modeled
after Trajan's column, to celebrate the
victory of Austerlitz.

[See more Skywatch photos here.]

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday Challenge: Metallic



This soon-to-be completed 76-story
Frank Gehry building on Spruce Street, in the 
financial district, will be New York's 
tallest residential tower. It's clad in 18-gauge
stainless steel and the shallow setbacks make it appear
to ripple in the sunlight—pretty cool.

[You can see more Thursday Challenge
photos here.]

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

abc wednesday - V is for "Vatican"



Always impossible to see this place 
without hordes of people.

It may take a minute to download,

but totally worth it because you can use your
mouse to move around the room, and zoom in to see 
the details—AND you have the place all to yourself!
While you're there, check out the figure of King Minos 
(the guy who's having a painful problem
with a big snake) in the lower right corner of the
Last Judgment —it's Michelangelo's caricature of his 
enemy Biagio da Cesena, the Vatican official
who declared Last Judgment "unfit for sacred walls." As if!

[See more of ABC Wednesday here.]

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

New York Then and Now




It's the graceful 40-story Municipal Bldg.,
right by the Brooklyn Bridge. The older
photo was taken in 1904, during its construction. 
Unfortunately, the Verizon building now obscures the
view of this one when you're crossing
from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Oh well.

[This is part of "That's My World" Tuesday.
See more of the world here.]

Monday, June 14, 2010

Mellow Yellow Monday



Here are two bottles of the good stuff for
toasting the 2nd anniversary (!) of this blog—and 
all the wonderful people who visit (you know who you are).
Some of you I've met in person, some are still 
virtual pals—but I consider all of you true friends!
(As always, a special shout-out to "mon capitain," 
Eric from Paris Daily Photo, who started 
it all and inspired SO many daily photo bloggers.)

[You can see more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday



This is Burano, off Venice—land 
of saturated colors . . . and 
 hi-def shadows!

[See more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Photo Hunter — "bubbles"



Another beautiful child captured by
my camera—found this little girl
amusing herself with bubbles in
Prospect Park when I was there last
summer celebrating my own
"little girl's" 30th birthday. 

[You can see more "bubbles" here.]

Friday, June 11, 2010

Skywatch Friday



I think it's time for another sunset. I caught this
one as the sun went down over the Piankatank
River, at the home of friends down in the
Virginia delta—one of the most beautiful
spots in the whole country!

[See more Skywatch here.]

Thursday, June 10, 2010

thursday Challenge: Urban



Since I live in New York City, I had plenty
of choices for this challenge. It was kind
of difficult to pick just one—but I 
hope this covers it.

[See how others answered this photo challenge here.]

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

abc wednesday - U is for "university"



This is the university in Padua, the second
oldest in Italy. It was founded in 1222 and
Galileo taught geometry, mechanics, and
astronomy here from 1592 to 1610.
Seriously—can you imagine studying
astronomy with Galileo?

[See more abc wednesday here.]

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Ruby Tuesday



This is Tony Rosenthal's steel
sculpture "5 in 1," which represents the 5 
boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn,
Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
Check out this link to see what it looked like 
in its prime and why it doesn't still 
look quite that pristine and shiny. 
 I also learned that graffiti has been a big 
problem—which is a bit surprising when you 
consider that this thing is in front of 1 Police Plaza!

[See more from around the globe at
That's My World, here.]

Monday, June 7, 2010

Mellow Yellow Monday



Didn't come to swim myself (just for
a walk on the pier), but I'm glad to see that 
the lifeguard has a bright yellow
surfboard in case he has to rescue someone. 
 No MP3 player though.
Believe it or not, last year a lifeguard
at one of the Brooklyn beaches was
caught all plugged in while he was on duty—
one day after someone drowned in a riptide!

[You can see more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, June 6, 2010

shadow Shot Sunday



I guess this would have to be one of my
all-time favorite shadows—shot from the
campanile in Piazza San Marco, of course
(preferably like this, at high noon, when
the bells are ringing and the shadow falls
across the Procuratie Vecchie, which have
been here since the 12th century).

[See more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Photo Hunter — "sparkles"



I was once lucky enough to stay for a few days at a
house up above this river in Idaho. When the sun shone 
on the cool, clear water, it positively sparkled.
There was a lovely spot set up down on the bank where 
you could sit and meditate on this beautiful
scene—if you could stop worrying about one of 
the local bears joining you, that is!

[See more "sparkles" at TNChick's place here.]

Friday, June 4, 2010

Skywatch Friday



The other morning, as I was walking across the
Brooklyn Bridge on my way to work, this police
helicopter kept circling the bridge the whole
time—around and around and around—and I have 
to say it made me a little nervous! After
all, the BB is a pretty high-profile NYC landmark.
I won't stop walking across it though (also have
to ride the subway, and, frankly, I worry 
about that sometimes, too).

[See more Skywatch here.]

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Thursday Challenge: Family



I watched this family of snow monkeys
for a long time. The little one was being 
total pest—and if he was looking for
attention from his elders, he definitely got it.
 Looks like he knows he's in trouble now!

[See how others interpreted this challenge here.]

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

abc wednesday - T is for "time"



The owner of this shop was NOT thrilled
to see me taking a picture of his nifty
clocks. He'd probably be even less
thrilled to find me sharing it here.
So I'm putting all you clock designers
(and I just know you're out there) on
the honor system—no "borrowing," okay?

[See more "T" posts here.]

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Getting Ready to Run



This group of folks met with a trainer
on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, 
did a few "pushups," and set off
across the bridge at a jog.  Good for
them—but you really can't take pictures
while you're jogging, so count me out.

[See more of That's My World here.]