Thursday Challenge—"tranquil"

Sunset over Loon Lake, in Maine.
I took this picture 40 years ago, when 
I was on my way home from my 
honeymoon (so TBT too)—and it was 
very tranquil here, at least until 
the loons started calling each other.

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

Thursday Challenge—"seat (2)"

This shot was taken in November and it was
a bit chilly for café sitting.  I do see two
small glasses on a table, though, so apparently 
a couple of people had parked themselves on 
these cold metal chairs and enjoyed a nip.

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

Thursday Challenge—"happy"

And why shouldn't they be happy?
They're young, beautiful, in love, and (here's the
icing on the gâteau) they live in Paris!
I met them at a (now) über-trendy rooftop bar
where my friend and I were the oldest
people there by 30 or 40 years. We don't care
so much about that and had a great time
chatting with Sarah and Frédéric.  In my experience,
the young people who are really worth getting
to know are usually the ones who think you are too.

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

Thursday Photo Challenge: "Happy"

Why is this woman so happy?  Well, let's see:
She's in Paris, enjoying a gorgeous spring day in
the Luxembourg Gardens—and she's savoring a Ladurée
macaron (caramel au beurre salé, the best flavor, IMHO).
Happy? Actually, this looks more like sheer bliss to me!
[For more happiness, go here, to today's Thursday Challenge.]

Thursday Challenge — "movement"

A tad bizarre—but that's what I like about it.
I was trying to sneak a picture of my
daughter Lila, but she just wouldn't stand still!
[See more "movement" here.]

Thursday Challenge — "golden"

This is the beautiful scala d'oro (golden staircase) in the 

Palazzo Ducale, in Venice.  It was begun in the middle of the 

16th century, and used only by magistrates and very

 important people.  I happened to meet the Venetian who was

 given the job of re-gilding this staircase (and all the rest 

of the doge's palace).  It's an "inside job" though, because two 

of his ancestors were those same magistrates who were

allowed to use this very special staircase.

[To see more gold, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "beverage"

This is the wine we drank with our 3-star 

lunch at the Grand Véfour, in Paris. It's a lovely 2000

Coteaux de Languedoc Chateau de Lascaux—at

49 euros, the 2nd-least-expensive white on their list. 

I'm hardly an oenophile, but the sommelier

heartily approved of our choice.

(And btw, you can get a 2009 bottle online

for $12.95.)

[See how others interpreted this theme here.]

Thursday Challenge: Work

This is what I look at while I'm working:

a 2009 calendar retrofitted for 2010,

our prez back when, Shell Sherree's

fab art, my gorgeous girls, Paris, and Venice 

(including Pierre from Venice

Daily Photo's wonderful shot of the

Rialto Market after hours). What's on

your office wall?

[See more of this Thursday Challenge here.]

Thursday Challenge: Water

These little girls are playing at the edge of

the East River, at a wonderful new(ish) park

situated between the Brooklyn and Manhattan

Bridges, in DUMBO.  It really wasn't that long

ago that this neighborhood was a wasteland.

Now the joint is jumpin'—with galleries and

stores and parks and restaurants and,

 of course, expensive real estate 

( this place is in DUMBO, btw).

[See more Thursday Challenge shots here.]

Face It

Want to play with your face?

Go to photofunia.com and insert a current

(or not so—in my case, this shot dates 
back to the dawn of photography) photo of your

mug into one of more than 150 effects.

Loads of fun for the whole family!

[If you want to see how others met the

"Thursday Challenge: Face," or play

along yourself, go here.]