abc wednesday —G is for "glasses"

How can you tell it's a "spare no expense" affair?
Count the glasses!  This was the fabulous Indian
wedding of friends up in Boston, where the groom's
younger brother gave a heartfelt speech that began,
"Welcome to what was supposed to be my
grad-school education." (Yes, he was kidding—I think.)


[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

TravelingTuesdays

One of the Gare (now Musée, of course) d'Orsay clocks, seen from 
outside and in.  I loved this place back in the '60s, when it was an 
eery abandoned railway station, and I was thrilled when they filled 
it with some of the best art in the world.  But I heard recently 
that you're no longer allowed to take pictures in this museum.  
Maybe too many people were using flash, and ruined it
for those of us who would never.  I'm just sayin'.


[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Macro Monday

I just finished watching the Academy Awards, and
noted a serious dearth of purple sequins. A few more 
feathers wouldn't have hurt either.  Most of those
dresses were just a tad too classy, if you ask me.

See—this one has both!
Okay, maybe it is a bit much.
[To see more Macro Monday,
visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This is one of the less colorful houses
on the island of Burano, near Venice—but it
does host a pretty terrific shadow.  If they ever
have to take that tree down, I think they
 should paint this shadow on the house first.


[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"loud"

At first I thought it might be hard to convey
the idea of "loud" in a photo.  Then I
remembered this shot of Echinacea purpurea—
another kind of loud, but I think it applies.


[To see more that's "loud," visit Sandi's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

I'm fairly certain I couldn't live out in the country
full-time, but it sure is great to be able to escape
there for a while from time to time.  This was
taken (from the car) in Virginia back in January.
[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "two"

As I understand it, the job of gondoliere is
usually passed down from father to son—
but what to do when there are two?
I imagine these guys learned to share
 from early on—and they still do.


[To see more on the theme, visit 
the Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday —F is for "foggy"

Not much of a view from (or even of) 
the bridge on this morning, was there?

And yet . . . I just love the way the 
cables disappear into the mist.


[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

Traveling Tuesdays

St. Dominic:  Look—there's a bird on my head.

St. Catherine:  Tell me about it!
Sorry—I couldn't help myself.  Seriously,
though, why don't they put up some kind of
netting to protect these beloved saints
from Siena's flocks of dirty pigeons?


[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

Not all of New York's subway stations are
dull and dingy.  I hate having to ride the subway,
 but I love finding beautiful tile work like this.


[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

There's nothing blooming in the botanic garden
at the moment (though with the warm winter
we've been having, I'll bet the spring bulbs
will be popping up early). But even when it is
really cold outside, you can always head indoors
to admire their excellent collection of bonsai trees.
[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

PhotoHunt — "point"

The Montauk Lighthouse sits on a point
of land at the easternmost tip of Long
Island.  Next stop due east: Portugal.


[To see more "points," visit the Saturday PhotoHunt.]

Skywatch Friday

A bright blue backdrop for some East Side
skyscrapers and a plume of steam from a
Con Ed manhole—it's a typical NYC scene.


[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "love"

In a photo taken last summer in one of Manhattan's
Upper East Side pocket parks, I found the
literal solution to this week's photo challenge.


[To see more "love," visit the Thursday Photo Challenge.]

abc wednesday —E is for "elephant"

This prodigious pachyderm, called "Gran Elefandret,"
 is the work of sculptor Miguel Barcelo and will be up
(literally!) here in Union Square until the end of May.
Now, about those numbers in the background: I told
some nice tourists who were here that it's the national
debt—but I lied (sorry). I believe NYU has
finally given me the definitive answer. 


[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

TravelingTuesdays

Apparently, the 16th/17th-century composer
still has some fans. His grave can be found
in the church of the Frari, in Venice—
the most romantic city (imho) in the world.
Happy Valentine's Day to all the romantics out there.


[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Macro Monday

With just a bit more than a month until spring,
here's a little something to look forward to.


[To see more macros, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This one should really be called
"Shadow Shot Monday to Friday,"
because we're all off to work or school.
I just couldn't resist those long shadows!


[To see more Sunday Shadows, go here.]

PhotoHunt—"heart"

Hearts—right now they're everywhere.
These graphic and bling-y ones are in a little
shop in the East Village, where they sell . . .

. . . rain gear and candy. I wonder how
they came up with that particular combination.
[To see more hearts, visit the Saturday PhotoHunt.]

Skywatch Friday

This rainbow (actually, I think I see two) was 
captured by my daughter Lila a couple of years ago, 
as she and her sister Kate were floating  in a 
dugout canoe on a lake in the Peruvian rain forest.


[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "red"

I used to work right around the corner from this great place,
where you could just order a plate of black-eyed peas and
fresh tomatoes, and they had the biggest collection of
hot sauces north of New Iberia, Louisiana. 
Now New York magazine tells me this:

"The grubby old Cajun spot has been redone as an elegant
candlelit restaurant-cum-lounge with a serious
New Nordic menu from Danish chef Mads Refslund."

So I know where to go for a pricey cocktail
and a $15 plate of clams.  I'm sure it's delicious,
but I want my grubby old Cajun back!


[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —D is for "dinosaur"

Stegosauros, to be exact.  This mama and her baby 
can be found at the Museum of Natural History. 
In a word: Wow. (This is my 6th D post for  
ABC Wednesday, and I can hardly believe 
I haven't shown you this before.) 
To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]

Traveling Tuesdays/Our World

This pretty little balcony sits behind one of
the jewelry shops on Florence's Ponte Vecchio.
To me, it's begging for a table and a
couple of chairs, where the folks who 
work in that shop can take a break.

Here's a long shot, taken in
another, greener season.
[To see more of our world, go here;
for more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

Came across these folks about a week ago. They were
marching across the Brooklyn Bridge in force to
protest a recent decision by the NYC Board of Education:
As of Feb. 12, the city will no longer rent space in
public schools for groups without a church building to
worship. I'm not invested in this situation emotionally or
politically, but I thought the city schools were
hurting financially, so why turn down a source of revenue? 

At least these protesters were treated
with more respect by the police than some
others have been recently. The cops preceded
them across the bridge and moved the
rest of us aside so they could pass.
[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Had to choose this out-of-season
shot of my daughter Kate—because I
like the shadows, but also because today
is her birthday. Happy b-day, Katie!  
[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"flat"

In the church of Santa Croce, in Florence,
gravestones are set flat in the floor.  In
some parts of the church, they're
cheek by jowl (so to speak), and hard to
avoid—but I still can't bring myself to walk
over them.  Not because it's creepy; it just
doesn't seem fittin' somehow.


[To see more of the Saturday 
Photo Hunt, visit Sandi's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

Makes for a fairly dramatic photo,
with a yellow sky and dark clouds
hanging over Queens—but this kind
of weather makes me feel a bit broody.
Is your mood affected by the weather?
[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "one"

This lone white carrot caught my eye
at our local greenmarket.  (Have you ever
had white carrots? They're delicious!)
[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

abc wednesday —C is for "cabin"

It's out in the country, covered with clinging
vines, and on the verge of collapsing—
but (maybe because I live in a big city)
I think there's something charming
 (or at least photogenic) about it.
(To see more abc wednesday, go here.]