The Weekend in Black and White

This past Monday, I showed you some very
colorful glass from the Chihuly Museum 
in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Almost all of the
pieces there are über-colorful.  Then there was this
one done entirely in clear and white glass—
and for me it really stood out.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Good Morning

When I fly within the U.S., I like to be 
on the first flight in the morning.  That way, 
obviously, I'm not waiting for the plane 
to get there (late) from someplace 
else—and as a bonus I'm often treated to 
a beautiful sunrise like this one.

[It's Skywatch Friday. To see more, go here.
Also linking back to Orange You Glad It's Friday.]

Thursday Challenge—"lights"

In the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere,
in Rome, this child's mother gave him 
a coin and told him he could light one candle.
He did put the coin in the offering box, but
he definitely did not stop at one candle.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

ABC Wednesday—C is for "crypt"

. . . and also for cobwebs.

I've bemoaned the sorry state of some
of Père Lachaise's grave sites before.  On my
last visit, I found the door to this crypt open,
as if maybe someone might be ready to do
some serious cleaning.  Have to admit, though—
it makes a better picture with the cobwebs.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

His own private (?) gym

[To see more Wordless Wednesday
posts, go here and here.]

Sunset Persian Wall

 That's the title of this incredible work
of glass sculpture, seen at the
(Dale) Chihuli Museum in St. Petersburg
(in Florida).  It's almost overwhelming—
and they don't care how many photos you take,
just so you Don't Touch!!

[Linking back to Monday Mellow Yellows,
 Mandarin Orange Monday and Weekend Reflections.]

Palm/Sunday

My friends tell me that when a shopping mall
is built in Florida, the developers don't
plant little trees and wait for them to grow.
Instead, one day there's no vegetation
at all and the next day there's this.

[It's Shadow Shot Sunday. To see more, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

This diamond (part of an exhibit at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art that I showed you
 on Tuesday) is actually quite new—made by Cartier
 in 2013.  Its name, the Star of Golconda, alludes to a
kingdom in India from which the Koh-i-noor
and Hope diamonds came.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

At the Left Bank end of the Pont des Arts
is the Institut de France, which houses five
academies—the most famous of which
is the Académie française, the official authority
on the French language.  Their rulings are
advisory only, however; if they had the final say, it
probably wouldn't be "supercool" to faire du
"shopping" or visit le "snack bar" or walk le "red carpet."

[To see more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.]

Thursday Challenge—"trees"

This photo of a banyan tree—in St. Petersburg—is
a nice souvenir of my New Year's trip to Florida.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

ABC Wednesday—B is for "Batman on the Brooklyn Bridge"

No, it was not Halloween.
No, it was not a photo shoot.
No, Robin wasn't there.
I have no explanation for Batman's presence
on the Brooklyn Bridge on that random
Friday in September—except to say "Hey, this
is New York Gotham City!"

[To see more ABC posts that feature the letter B, go here.]

the maharajah's jewels

I visited the Met(ropolitan Museum of Art)
on Saturday and enjoyed an exhibit of Indian jewels.  
Believe it or not, this circa 1800 gold and ruby bracelet,
from Varanasi, was meant to be worn by a man
(and this was long before the term "metrosexual" existed).

[Linking back to Ruby Tuesday and also to Our World Tuesday.]

Blue Monday

A couple of pelicans canoodling on a dock
down in Cortez, in southwest Florida.

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

inSPIREd Sunday Shadows

A detail in the relatively new (early 20th century)
church of Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts.
This is very much a neighborhood church, located
off the beaten tourist path in the 12th arrondissement.

[Linking back to inSPIREd Sunday and Shadow Shot Sunday.] 

The Weekend in Black and White

Hot-weather haze on a glassy lake 

and moss dripping from a live oak tree—

this must be the Deep South.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

Now here's a reflection I could probably
 learn to live with—as my friends do at their
beautiful home in sunny Florida.
{Thanks again, guys!}

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

Thursday Challenge—"red"

Spotted in Budapest last September—this
work, called "Still Life With (removable) Bacon,"
by the Hungarian artist Franyo Aatoth
(btw, Aatoth is his first name; in Hungary
names are said last first).

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

ABC Wednesday—A is for "Pont Alexandre III"

I don't know if it's the most beautiful bridge 
in Paris (though many would say it is), but to me
 this highly decorated Beaux Arts–style bridge is the 
most photogenic—by day or (especially) by night.

[This is the start of Round 16 (!) of ABC Wednesday.
To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Greasy goodness

[It's Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday.
To see more, visit Sue's meme at Image-in-ing.]

a different reality

I may have returned to the reality of the 
polar vortex, but I still have the memory
of this hot yellow hibiscus from my
recent getaway to warmer climes.

[Linking back to Monday Mellow Yellows
and to Macro Monday.]

inSPIREd Sunday

Unlock this door and enter the 17th-century church
of Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes, in Paris.
(Marie de Medicis laid the cornerstone in 1613.)
Next time, maybe I'll be able to go inside, see chapel
altars by Bernini, and visit the crypt to see the heads of
priests killed there during the French Revolution.

[To see more churches from around the world, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

In Budapest, the good stuff—
still warm from the oven.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

A midnight sky in south Florida:
moon and stars and (ever-present) contrails.

Here's what that moon looked like
when the clouds moved away.

[To see more Skywatch pics, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"toys"

I saw these bouncy thingies for sale at the
Saturday market in Sarasota.  And they really get
around:  I saw the same little toys for sale
last September at a street market in Budapest.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

ABC Wednesday—Z is for "zombie love"

I cannot tell a lie—I've been planning this ABC post 
since I saw this couple on the subway last Halloween.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Beautiful bougainvillea

I just got back from visiting friends who have
moved to Sarasota, Florida.  This huge hedge
grows beside their driveway.  Day before
yesterday, the temp down there was 83°F (28°C)
and I was swimming laps in their pool;
what we have here in NYC today is cooold and snow—
what a difference a day (and 1,000 miles) makes!

[Linking back to Ruby Tuesday and to Our World Tuesday.]

somewhere in Brooklyn

Back home—I was riding through
Brooklyn on a train when I spotted a 
colorful (but well-camouflaged on 
this particular day) building.

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

And one last look at this . . .

Because on Wednesday, they'll be turning
off the lights on this beautiful tree.
Then they take it down and eventually about
3 tons of mulch will be donated to the Boy Scouts.
(Not sure I get the connection, but
I'm glad they recycle the tree.)

[It's Shadow Shot Sunday. To see more, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

I posted this shot (borrowed from
my daughter Lila) before I left
NYC for my mini tropical getaway—so
I hope that only gentle breezes (and not this)
is what I'm enjoying here right now.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

The three kings are coming

I'm taking the opportunity to put up
one more holiday picture—of sparkly baubles
at Bloomingdale's (reflecting quite a few of me, I see).
Twelfth night is next Tuesday, and in my mind 
that signals the official end of the season (though
I have no immediate plans to take down my tree!). 

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

A good start

Not a bad way to begin the new year:
body surfing in the Gulf of Mexico (especially
when the folks back home are having
"overcoat" weather)!

[Linking back to Share the Joy.]