inSPIREd Sunday

Saint Peter's basilica in Rome is so
over-the-top that you almost
don't know where to look—I actually like
the lack of stained glass in those
 high demi-lune windows that let the
clear light illuminate all that
ornate embellishment.

[To see more churches from around
the world, go here.  Also linking
back to Shadow Shot Sunday.]

The Weekend in Black and White

My hometown can be difficult sometimes—
overcrowded subways, high prices,
ridiculous traffic.  But then there's this.

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

Skywatch Friday

Looks like I played with the color in
this photo—but I didn't touch it.
It was taken through the window of a
bus as I was riding through the
streets of Paris.  Guess the bus windows
were probably tinted, though.

[To see more Skywatch shots, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"warm" (#2)

It's supposed to warm up around here in the
next few days, but the chilly rain
lately has had me thinking about this.

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

ABC Wednesday—P is for "people"

and also for "pink."  All these folks were at the
botanic garden this past weekend —and
this was shortly before closing time.  One of my
kids remarked that Brooklyn is getting
to be a bit too popular.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

'Burning Heart'

That's the well-chosen name of this two-tone
Darwin hybrid tulip—just one of
dozens of tulips in bloom right now at
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (aka my 'backyard'.)

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

la libreria

This charming bookstore with
the pretty blue doorway
is in the neighborhood of
Trastevere, in Rome.

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

inSPIREd Sunday

Light and shadow in a quiet corner
of Saint Peter's basilica.

[To see more churches from around
the world, go here.  Also linking back
to Shadow Shot Sunday.]

The Weekend in Black and White

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
You know the answer to that one.  And
when you get there, you can
admire the beautiful lamps on the façade.

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

Weekend Reflections

Let's raise a glass to Rome—
 the Eternal City is 2,770 years old today.
Buon Compleanno, Roma!

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

Thursday Challenge—"warm"

We've had a bit of a preview lately, 
but it won't be long before
every day is warm enough for this.

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

ABC Wednesday—O is for "over home"

The house on the left was my maternal
grandparents'; the one on the right
was my great-grandparents' (and where my
grandmother grew up).  It was always
referred to as "over home"—as in "Where are
you going?"  Oh, I'm just going over home."

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Overnight sensation

This dogwood tree is right outside my
apartment.  On Saturday morning,
it was covered with tight little buds—but 
when I woke up on Easter Sunday, 
I found this!

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

The Easter Bunny was here

Hope you had a lovely Easter or Passover
—or just a sunny Sunday.  It went
up to around 83°F (28°C) here in NYC.

[Linking back to Monday Mellow Yellows.]

inSPIREd Sunday

Happy Easter from the Minor Basilica
of San Lorenzo in Lucina, in Rome.
There's been a church on this site since the
5th century, and the current building
dates from the 17th century.
Like many Roman churches, the location
(set cheek by jowl with other buildings)
and fairly simple façade belie
the splendor within.

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

The Weekend in Black and White

This mosaic floor is in the Vatican Museum,
where thousands walk across it every day.
 It does look like it's seen better days—and it has
(worse ones too)!  I was told that it's
actually an ancient Roman floor. 

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

Weekend Reflections

Here's the beautiful Ponte Sant' Angelo
reflected in the Tiber, with the
dome of Saint Peter's beyond and Castel
Sant' Angelo on the right.
(And I apologize for the gigantic billboard
 in the center.  I guess they'll pay
for the reno of the building by enveloping
it in advertising in the meantime.)

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

Thursday Challenge—"shadow #2"

Somewhere in Rome on a sunny
winter day . . .

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

ABC Wednesday—N is for "narcissus"

The show is just beginning.
In the next month or so, there will
be lots and lots of these, plus tulips, lilacs, 
hyacinths . . . and the flowering
trees have already begun to burst into bloom.
Don't you love spring?

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

On the street where you live . . .

If you're Melania and Barron Trump, that is.
The side entrance of Trump Tower is
just up this street.  Is it wrong of me to be 
annoyed/sad/angry that this is even necessary?

[Linking back to Our World Tuesday.]

Coming soon

They've wrapped the entire façade of
this building on 57th Street so
we can all see what the finished product
will look like.  I'm thinking it
probably won't be purple though.

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

inSPIREd Sunday

This is the 16th-century church of
San Salvatore in Lauro,
in Rome.   They wouldn't let me climb
on this beautiful altar, but of course
I wasn't wearing a clerical collar.

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

The Weekend in Black and White

My daughter Kate (that's her in the picture)
and I both loved the umbrella pines
in Rome's Borghese Gardens when we 
were there in February.

[To see more b/w shots, visit Dragonstar's meme.
Also linking back to Shadow Shot Sunday.]

Skywatch Friday

Who recognizes this famous place?
Hint: It's in Rome.

[To see more Skywatch pics, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"shadow"

Les françaises (of any age) are always
très très chic!  This little one in
Saint-Emilion was having fun being
chased by her own shadow.

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

ABC Wednesday—M is for "Mary"

. . . and also for museum (the Vatican).
This piece of furniture—oversized
desk, armoire, cabinet?—dominates the 
room, which is saying something, 
considering the ornate gilded ceiling and 
the beautifully frescoed walls.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

nothing lasts forever

Recently, two of my favorite cousins came
to visit and they brought me
these beautiful tulips to welcome spring.

Oh well, they were lovely 
while they lasted.

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

in the Vatican Museum

One of my favorite rooms in the Vatican Museum
is the gallery of maps.  It was commissioned
in 1580 by Pope Gregory XIII, and it took the artist
(Ignazio Danti) three years to complete.
Unfortunately, the last time I was there (in February),
the museum was more crowded than I've
ever seen it—even in July—and this was the only
picture I even tried to take.

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

inSPIREd Sunday

A detail in Santa Maria in Trastevere,
in Rome.  This is one of the oldest
churches in the city, rebuilt and renovated
many times over the course of
the centuries—but there's been a house
of worship on this site since the
early 2nd century.  All I could discover about
the beautiful organ is that it was
donated by Cardinal Altemps at the end
of the 16th century.

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

A tasty bite

This was part of a most amazing multi-course
meal that my daughter Katie treated me
to when we were in Rome in February.  Between
each of the courses they would bring us
some yummy little something.  (This one featured
raspberry & pistachio, and I'm not sure what
was inside but it was delicious.) 
The chef came out for an intro when we had just 
started our dinner; if he'd shown up 
near the end, I would have hugged him!

[Linking back to Beverly's Pink Saturday.]