Trick or Treat!

My daughter Katie and her friends had their
usual pre-Halloween pumpkin-carving party.
After last year, Kate decided to keep things
more simple—that's hers on the left.

[Hey, Orange You Glad It's Friday?  I am!]

Thursday Challenge—"money"

My father had this bracelet made for my mother about 
60 years ago, and she recently gave it to me.   

The coins are all from the early 20th century—from 
places in Asia.  Some of the names have changed:  Ceylon to 
Sri Lanka, Kwang Tung Province to Guangdong, in China.

Some of the coins feature a portrait of 

Queen Victoria and some her grandson, George V.

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

ABC Wednesday—P is for "Paris"

It's pretty much impossible to choose one
image that represents all that Paris is.  I wouldn't
even try.  So I've randomly chosen this
elegant Haussmannian building near the Pantheon,
with its signature wrought-iron balconies 
and red clay chimney pots.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

les lunettes rouges

When I was about her age, I was already wearing
glasses too.  Mine were definitely not as chic 
as these red tortoiseshell specs.  But it figures—
after all, I'm not a French girl.

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

bee-licious!

This apricot tart caught my eye in a shop
on rue Mouffetard, one of Paris's
famous market streets.  Apparently, I'm not
the only one who thought it looked tasty.

[Linking back to Mandarin Orange Monday and Macro Monday.]

sombras de domingo

Yes, I did walk around Paris looking for shadows.  
Thanks to the sunny weather, I found plenty—these were 
at Lusofolie's, a space in the Viaduc des Arts
(see the post from day before yesterday) 
that's dedicated to Portuguese culture.
(I guess some Portuguese wine is enjoyed here too.)

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Bon Marché

The apartment I stayed in last month 
in Paris was right across the street from the
Bon Marché department store, and I loved the
neon elements in their window displays.  No French
fashions were purchased, but we did visit
their fabulous food emporium for some baguettes,
butter, and cheese.  When in Rome Paris . . .

[Today is Pink Saturday. To see more, visit Beverly's meme.]

on the mend

This shop, called Artefact, specializes in
making and repairing architectural models.
It's one of the places along the Viaduc des Arts,
a very, very successful rehab of a railroad
viaduct.  The top became the Promenade Plantée
(which inspired NYC's High Line), and the
vaults below were divided into 64 spaces and given
glass walls front and back.  Artists and artisans
work there now, creating porcelain and
parasols, leather goods, furniture, fine art, and more.

[Linking back to Weekend Reflections
and to The Weekend in Black and White.]
 

Thursday Challenge—"home"

When my kids and I first moved into our Brooklyn 
apartment, I gave them the master bedroom to share
and took a much smaller room.  They've now
moved out and I've moved into the master—but I love
this cozy, quiet room and still sleep here
sometimes.  It's especially nice in summer to wake
up to a cool breeze coming in through the wide-open window.

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

ABC Wednesday—O is for "opera"

I'm pretty sure I used "opera" for O in the
last round.  But that was the Metropolitan Opera
in NYC.  This is the Hungarian State Opera House,
 in Budapest.  This extravaganza of gilt and
red velvet was completed in 1884.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Afternoon break

I spotted the aftermath of a little Paris
pick-me-up.  Naturally, the waiter was in no
hurry to clear things away and pick up
the check—these folks could have occupied
that table until closing time, I bet.

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

père et fils

On a sunny Sunday in September, 
what could be more fun than
going to the Jardin du Luxembourg
with your papa and sailing your
boat in the pond?

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

Shadow Shot Sunday

It's almost rush hour at the Nyugati
(i.e., Western) Railway Terminal in Budapest.
This beautiful structure was built in the 1870s
by Gustave Eiffel's company—and Eiffel's
hand is evident here, I think (more than 
a decade before he built his famous tower).

[To see more Sunday Shadows, go here.]

ladies on the metro

I liked the expression on these ladies'
faces just as much as I liked the
ones on the people in the ad above them.
So I tried to be sneaky with my phone in the
Budapest metro—however, I don't think 
I fooled the woman on the right. 

[It's Pink Saturday. To see more, visit Beverly's meme.]

columns of clouds

One morning recently, this was my view
of the Manhattan Bridge and the sky over the city
(from the Brooklyn Bridge). And, I swear,
this photo is entirely un-edited!

[Linking back to Skywatch Friday and
to The Weekend in Black and White.]

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.]

ABC Wednesday—N is for "Notre Dame"

I know—this picture is such a cliché.  But
you know what my favorite part* of
this huge church is?  Those little red doors
on either side, right at the roofline.
I would love to know what's behind them.

*Okay, my second favorite. First are the bells;
I don't like the climb but I love to
be right next to the belfry when they toll.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

At the Sunday Market

For me, that amount of paprika would 
be enough to last several lifetimes.
But in Hungary, where I took this shot, it's
probably just a few months' worth.

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

méz élado*

* which means (I hope) "honey for sale" in Hungarian.
When I got to Budapest last month, they had
closed a main thoroughfare (their "Champs Elysées")
and there were lots of artisanal foods and
handmade artifacts for sale—plus, for some reason,
brand new buses and garbage trucks on display.

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

Shadow Shot Dimanche

Protective Sunday shadows on
the Île Saint-Louis.
Wish I lived behind those grilles!

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.

a bunch of bikes

Guess which one caught my eye. . . .

[To see more Pink Saturday posts,
visit Beverly's meme.]

Mystery Woman

Among all the hundreds of people
in the Gare de Lyon, my eyes (and camera)
were drawn to this woman.  Don't know if she's
famous, but she looks like she should be.
(Or maybe, to paraphrase, Michael Jackson 
is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.)

[Linking back to Weekend Reflections,
 The Weekend in Black and White, and Podcast.] 

Thursday Challenge—"shiny"

This was found on the same street I showed
you on Monday.  Someone has definitely been
 taking care of the shiny brass door knocker . . .

though the door frame could
use a bit of tending to.

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

ABC Wednesday—M is for "Montmartre"

Even on a random Tuesday in September, the crowds
descend on Montmartre.  Well, it was a gorgeous day.  
But we discovered this little park (named for a
highly decorated WWII resistance fighter) not far off
the beaten path.  It has an even better view of
Sacré Coeur and aside from us there were only
young locals there—who have managed
to leave their mark behind this little waterfall.

[To see more ABC posts for the letter M, go here.]

vintage vehicle

I went by the Gare de Lyon recently and
found some beautiful old cars on display out front.
My favorite was this 1937 Renault Celtaquatre.
It has a classy two-tone chassis and
 matching Michelin tires . . .

and the trunk actually is one!

[It's Ruby Tuesday. To see more, go here.]

a special street

It's in Paris, near the Place de la Bastille—and filled
with colorful houses, some with trompe-l'oeil effects.
I was taken there by my dear friend Genie,
who does the great Paris blog Paris and Beyond.
Merci, Genie!

As you probably guessed, the kitty
 has a victim in his sights—and
in my version of the story, the little
bird gets away every time.

[To see more Mandarin Orange Monday
 posts, visit Lori K's meme.]

inSPIREd Sunday

This is the basilica of St. Stephen (Szent István, 975–1038),
named for the the first king of Hungary.
The church itself is not very ancient—it was completed
in 1905. It's one of the two tallest buildings in
Budapest and one of the three largest churches in Hungary.

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

The Weekend in Black and White

Most of the crypts in Père Lachaise
Cemetery are stone or metal, so this one
made of glass stands out—especially when
the sunlight hits it a certain way.

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

Weekend Reflections

A rather modern-looking stained-glass window
is reflected in this clock in the church
of St. Pierre de Montmartre.

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

Thursday Challenge—"together"

Seen in Montmartre recently:
side by side, my hometown and my 
once-upon-a-time and
would-be-again (I hope) home.
For me, they absolutely go together.

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

ABC Wednesday—L is for "lovers"

... and also for "long lens," without which I would
not have been able to capture this shot.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]