Thursday Challenge — "technology"

I'm all for technology—but this doesn't make for the nicest 

view (of daughter Kate's neighbor's terrace). 

Perhaps the folks who live here watch TV for a living!

[See more "technology" here.]

abc wednesday - K is for "kitsch"

I took this picture in Red Hook, Brooklyn.  If I lived in this house with the

picture window right on the sidewalk, I'd probably preserve my privacy

with a curtain of lush plants.  These homeowners have opted to share their

Betty Boop collection—which is entertaining if a bit bizarre.

[See more abc wednesday here.]

That's My World Tuesday

Patrick Dougherty created this nifty sculpture 
in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with 6 tons of sticks. 
Here's what he has to say about it.

Mellow Yellow Monday

Not that much time left when we

can still find fresh flowers at the

greenmarket—so I'm going to

enjoy them while I can!

[See more Mellow Yellow here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

The twins—Toler and Banks—have just

discovered our fave thing: shadows!

If they turned around they'd see their

own, but meanwhile their moms'

(my friends Katharine—who took this

shot—and Katherine, aka

Ka-THAR-ine and Ka-THER-ine)

will do.

[You can see more Shadow Shots here.]

photo Hunt — "natural"

My favorite wildflower: lily of the valley—

maybe sometime you'll be in Paris on

May Day and someone special will give

you a "brin de muguet" (i.e., a sprig of

this delicate spring blossom).

[See more from tnchick's Photo Hunt here.]

Skywatch Friday

A party on the beach on Shelter Island

(where yesterday's post was from too)—

friends and family, good music, and a

beautiful sunset to boot! Life is good.

[See more Skywatch here.]

thursday Challenge — "fun"

A costume party in a barn that's been

retrofitted as party central: dance floor

downstairs, bar up—add in some rockin'

sounds (The Lone Sharks, who else?), and

you have some major fun! I especially like

those cute cowgirls (but I would!).

[See more "fun" here at Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday - J is for "just married"

Oh, wait—there's no ring on her finger.

Okay, make that "just [about to be]

married." Since when do they take the

photos before the ceremony? Is this

something new?

[See more "J" posts (or play along yourself)

at abc wednesday, here.]

New York at Night (7)

Saw this clothing store as I was strolling

down Broadway in Soho late at night.

 I'll have to go back when they're open and

find out what's up with the hundreds

of antique sewing machines they have displayed 

from floor to 30-foot ceiling.

[This is part of That's My World. You can

see more of the world here.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

Seriously, is nothing sacred? Mellow is

not what I feel when I see this—at least

there are no golden arches to mar the

beauty of the Eternal City.

[See more Mellow (or not so) Yellow here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This little shed is near my cousin's house down

in Virginia. I've fantasized about moving in a

big brass bed, antique rug, and pretty curtains

for the little windows—and turning it into my

own cozy retreat. Guess it'll have to have

electricity too, since it seems I'm no longer

capable of living without my computer for

more than a few hours at a time. :~}

[See more Shadow Shots here .]

Weekend Reflections

Back to Venice—where a sunny day

provides a gorgeous reflection

anywhere you look! (In this case,

it's the rio San Barnaba.)

[See more Weekend Reflections here.]

Skywatch Friday

Well, the sky is only partially visible in this shot,

but it loomed large here in Brooklyn yesterday,

when a tornado tore through my block (and from

what I found when I got home, right into my

apartment!). This is my building, and one of

three trees on my street that were torn up from

the roots—each one tossed in a different direction.

Almost sorry I just missed it, as I was riding home

safe underground on the subway.

[See more Skywatch pics here.]

Thursday Challenge — "school"

I took this at the University in Padua,

which I've shown before. This young man

had just gotten his degree and (as is

the custom) was being both lauded and

completely embarrassed by his friends:

They made him strip down to his shorts

(in March!) and run between them as they

slapped his back. Then they draped him in

a laurel wreath and paraded him 

through the neighborhood.

[See more schools at Thursday Challenge, here.]

abc wednesday - I is for "icon"

I'd like to thank the good folks at

abc wednesday for providing me

with yet another opportunity to

post a shot of my beloved ET.

This one was taken BD (before

digital)—waaay BD.

[See more abc wednesday here.]

That's My World Tuesday

Central Park is definitely part of my world. 

 But I took this shot when we were still suffering

through the hottest summer on record. 

 This doesn't look quite as inviting this week—now 

that the weather has changed.

{See more of the world here.}

mellow Yellow Monday

There's a fun flea market that takes place

every weekend in Brooklyn. On Sunday,

it's held in a former bank building—these

vendors have set up down in the bank's

windlowless vault.

[See more Mellow Yellow here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Welcome to the 'burbs. While walking

in my mom's neighborhood (where I

grew up), I came upon this house

that was engulfed in shadows!

[See more Sunday shadows here.]

photo Hunter — "anniversary"

This sculpture by Fritz Koenig came through

the collapse of the Trade Centers relatively intact, 

and was placed here in Battery Park

exactly six months later.  Found this in Wikipedia: 

 “The Sphere” is 25 feet high and cast in 52 bronze 

segments . . . It was meant to symbolize world peace 

through world trade, and was placed at the center of a ring 

of fountains and other decorative touches designed 

by Trade Center architect Minoru Yamasaki to mimic the

 Grand Mosque of Mecca, Masjid al-Haram, in 

which The Sphere stood at the place of the Kaaba."

Pretty ironic.

[See more on the "anniversary" theme here.]

Skywatch Friday

I usually get back to Brooklyn after work

and don't linger in the city. But if I hadn't been out 

with a friend the other night I would have 

missed this sight—from a couple of miles uptown, 

we could see these two blue beams shining up into the 

night sky from the site of the Trade Towers 

and this shot was taken by City Hall, 

about six blocks from Ground Zero.

[See more Skywatch shots here.]

Thursday Challenge — "music"

That's right—it's the fabulously

talented Lone Sharks! Hey,

did you really think I'd choose

anything other than my baby bro's

band for this particular challenge?

{You can hear them play in this

other "music" challenge.}

[See more music here.]

abc wednesday - H is for "hands"

Whenever I look at a piece of art—painting,

sculpture, photograph, whatever—if there

are hands in it, that's where my eye is drawn.

And when you take a LOT of photos, it's nice

sometimes to focus in for a change.

[See more "H" photos here at abc wednesday.]

That's My World Tuesday

Well, I guess it's official: Labor Day

weekend has come and gone, and

the students in NYC start back to

school tomorrow—so it's definitely

the end of summer. Big sigh.

[See more of the world here.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

Welcome to Broadway! Like most people who

live in New York, I hardly ever make it to 

the theater—but the show I'd love to see right now

is the one just down the street: Billy Elliot.

[See more Mellow Yellow here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This shot was taken by my daughter Lila,

on Fire Island (where there are no cars and, 

therefore, lots of bikes). When I remarked that 

this would be perfect for Shadow Shot Sunday, she 

said, "That's what I thought when I took it, 

and I don't even have a blog—see 

what you've done to me!"

[See more shadow shots here.]

photo Hunter — "hot"

What's hot? Well, aside from Johnny Depp

and Javier Bardem, I'd have to say that Rome

in July is right up there. We had to admire

the dome of St. Peter's through a haze of

heat—but we were saved by gelato, lots and

lots and lots of gelato.

[See more of what's hot here.]

Skywatch Friday

This is the (relatively) new New York Times 

building. I don't even have time to read The Times

online, but my mother reads it cover to cover 

every day—and does the crossword puzzle too.

Maybe that's why she's still sharp as a tack at the age of 90!

[See more Skywatch here.]

thursday Challenge — "technology"

My kids like to point out how technologically challenged

I am. But not for nuthin' (as we say in Brooklyn), I

actually do know how to use all these things (and more).

Don't know about you, but I just seem to accumulate

more and more cameras and computers and drives and

ipods—and chargers, chargers, chargers!

[See more "technology" here.]

abc wednesday - G is for "Ganesh"

In the Hindu pantheon, Ganesh is a particular favorite

of mine. First of all, he is the Patron of Letters (and

I work in publishing).  He is also revered as the

Remover of Obstacles, and I can use all the help I

can get!  I found these two representations, classic and

 kitschy, at my fave store, ABC Carpet and Home

(where they have—obviously—everything).

[See more interpretations of the letter G here.]