Wednesday, May 31, 2017

ABC Wednesday—U is for Uffizi


In the same gallery at the Uffizi as Botticelli's
original Birth of Venus is this "hands on"
version for the visually impaired.  I've never seen
anything like this before—have you?

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

a cup o' giovanni

Tuesday

I don't drink espresso, but if I did . . .
these were for sale at the
market in the Campo de' Fiore,
in Rome.

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

Monday, May 29, 2017

the blue hour


My favorite time of day, and it
was
extra special on this early evening up
on the Capitoline Hill.  I'm leaving
today—'til next time, Roma!


[Linking back to Blue Monday.]

Sunday, May 28, 2017

inSPIREd Sunday


Here's the church of Sant' Agnese in Agone,
in the Piazza Navona; its main
architect was Borromini, arch-rival of
Bernini, who created the Four Rivers fountain
(built around an obelisk brought to Rome
by the emperor Caracalla) directly in front of the church.  
It's said that Bernini sculpted his figure depicting
the Nile with its head covered, as though
 hiding from Borromini's looming church façade,
but in fact the fountain predates the
façade by quite a few years.

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

Saturday, May 27, 2017

The Weekend in Black and White


Part of a structure that's thousands of 

years old set against one that's
not yet 100 years old (and 

that vehicle that I probably should have
photoshopped out)—this is Rome.

[To see more b/w images, visit
Dragonstar's meme.]

Friday, May 26, 2017

Rome in the rain


I was here in Rome once in November,
when the weather was a bit,
shall we say, dramatic here on the
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele.  I'm posting
this
 ahead and hoping that it's
bright
 and sunny while I'm here now.
(Either way, it's beautiful!)

[Linking back to Weekend Reflections
and Skywatch Friday.]

Thursday, May 25, 2017

signs, signs


And today we're headed to Rome.
This sign is in the Capitoline Museum,

in Rome, and has been around
for a few millennia.  I don't read Latin,
but can make out a few words:
pontifical, senate, kings, first (and I'll
guess that "Ti Clau Aug" is Tiberius
Claudius Caesar Augustus).

[To see more signs, go here.]
 

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

ABC Wednesday—T is for "tapestry"


This is a very small part of a very large
tapestry, which you can see if you
visit the Palazzo Vecchio, in Florence.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

deliziosa!


On to Florence today and I'm looking
forward to a meal at Osteria De' Benci—maybe
starting with a lovely tomato bruschetta,
followed by their famous spaghetti dell'ubriacone
(i.e., drunken spaghetti, so-called
because they marinate it in red wine).

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

Monday, May 22, 2017

Burano blues


Murano glass vases have been set in
a niche on Burano.  I love the
very fresh flowers and the way the
water of the canal is reflected
on the wall.

[Linking back to Blue Monday at
Magical Mystery Teacher.]

Sunday, May 21, 2017

inSPIREd Sunday


Seen from the Doge's Palace, this
is one of the domes of the
basilica San Marco.  Would love to
see what's inside those domes,
but not in the summer—it must be very
hot under all that lead.


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

Saturday, May 20, 2017

The Weekend in Black and White


Making the trip back to Venice from the
colorful island of Burano, with
the sun sparkling on the lagoon and the
campanile of San Marco standing
sentry in the distance—so beautiful!

[To see more b/w images, visit
Dragonstar's meme.]

Friday, May 19, 2017

Weekend Reflections


Guess where I'm going tonight! 
It's the first stop on a little
Italian pilgrimage that I hope will be
all about fun, food, and friends. 
Have scheduled blog posts and hope
you'll come by while I'm away.

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

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Thursday Challenge—"fun"


I know not everyone thinks
this is fun—but I do!
How about you?

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

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

ABC Wednesday—S is for "skyline"


. . . and I think I can brag that ours

 is one of the world's best!
I took this shot of midtown Manhattan
 (with a looong lens) from a friend's
terrace in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

hangin' in


When most of the tulips in the garden
were fading fast, some cultivars
were still going strong—
including these
ruffly red and cream beauties.


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

Monday, May 15, 2017

bluebells


Last weekend in the garden, the bluebell wood
was in bloom—and also wisteria,
azaleas, and tree peonies.  I hardly knew where 
to look (and point my camera) first.

[Linking back to Blue Monday at
Magical Mystery Teacher.]

Sunday, May 14, 2017

inSPIREd Sunday


Another image from the church of
Sant'Ignazio di Loyola, in Rome, one of
those churches you don't really see
until you're right in front of it.  Then you
go in and find this—and it isn't
even the main altar.

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

Saturday, May 13, 2017

The Weekend in Black and White


If you go to Venice, you should pass by
the Fortuny shop late at night,
when the whole place is pitch black—
except for their beautiful silk
lamps, which they leave on all night.

[To see more b/w images, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Friday, May 12, 2017

Skywatch Friday


This is Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch at Grand Army Plaza,
just a block from my house.  It was built to
honor the Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
Some pretty famous folks were involved in the
 design and building of this monument—check it out here.

[To see more Skywatch pics, go here.]



Thursday, May 11, 2017

Thursday Challenge—"close" (#2)


Up close and personal with the tree
peonies
 in bloom now at the botanic garden.
They blow me away every year!

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

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

ABC Wednesday—R is for "Rome"


The Eternal City: the view 
from the top of the Spanish Steps.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

where's the fire?


I don't know, but I really hope it wasn't serious,
 
considering how long it was taking 
these fire trucks to get through the midtown 
Manhattan traffic.

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

Monday, May 8, 2017

Love Graffiti Crew


It's come up on this blog before—
as much 
as I hate no-talent tagging, I love 
graffiti art.  This falls somewhere in the
middle, I think, but I do like it a lot;
it's colorful and clever and has a 
great sense of humor.

[Linking back to Monday Mural 
at Oakland Daily Photo.]

Sunday, May 7, 2017

inSPIREd Sunday


This beautiful model was the creation of a
Neapolitan cabinetmaker, Vincenzo
Pandolfi.  He began work on it in 1977 and 
finished 28 years later, shortly before
he died at the age of 98.  It's on display in
the church of Sant' Ignace di Loyola, in Rome.

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




Saturday, May 6, 2017

The Weekend in Black and White


Is it just me, or does anyone else see
the face of Chewbacca in this tree?

[To see more b/w images,
visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Friday, May 5, 2017

Weekend Reflections


Up on the white marble roof of the beautiful
Oslo Opera House:  Love this place, 

but if I'm ever up there again I'll try not to trip 
and fall flat on my face (minor 
vacation miracle: nothing was broken).

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

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Thursday Challenge—"close"


I happened by as they were planting
these hydrangeas one morning,
 and I decided to go back for a close-up.


 They're decorating a planter between
two rows of benches (with
dividers so you can't stretch out on
them) on Third Avenue.


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

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

ABC Wednesday—Q is for "quaint"


 . . . and also for "queen."  This is part of 
Marie-Antoinette's Petit Hameau, her little
escape from the rigors of being royalty.
(Don't blame her a bit—seriously, who would

want to live in the palace at Versailles?)

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

nesting


Doesn't this robin have a well-decorated
home?  She'd probably like it if all
the people who've come to the garden
 to
admire her pretty tree would just go

home and leave her to sit on her nest in peace.

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

Monday, May 1, 2017

Monday Mellow Yellows


This past weekend was the Sakura Matsuri
cherry-blossom festival at the local
botanic garden.  Every year they put out
these Smiley Face chairs for
kids, and adults usually appropriate them.
(They either bought new chairs this
year or painted shades on all the old ones.)

[To see more Mellow Yellows, go here.]