Thursday Challenge—"remembrances (2)"

I'll never forget what it's like to get up at
dawn in Venice—to see the rising sun
reflecting off the palatial homes on the Grand Canal
and experience the city without the
hordes of tourists.  Takes my breath away.

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

ABC Wednesday—H is for "hungry?"

My travel buddy Blanche Dubois always
leaves room for the sweet stuff—
this time it was tiramisu, panna cotta
with caramel, and profiteroles.
(She had plenty of help polishing it all off.)

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

red balloon

I tried to make up a story about this little
girl and her mom, and speculate
about where they were headed at 8:30 a.m.
last Thursday.  School hasn't started
here yet, but even so maybe they were going to
meet her new (kindergarten?) teacher.

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

the blue hour

My favorite time of day—and the party
was just getting started on a
Friday night in Wildwood, on the
Jersey shore.

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

inSPIREd Sunday

Here's simple side altar in the basilica of
San Miniato al Monte, which has sat
on a hilltop overlooking Florence since 1018.
It's well worth climbing the hill
to visit this beautiful Romanesque church
(and its equally beautiful cemetery,
if you're into that sort of thing).

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

The Weekend in Black and White

Coming home to Brooklyn—over the

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

For 17 years, this was the longest suspension

bridge in the world (and it's still the

longest in the Americas).

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

Weekend Reflections

It's a double reflection, really—the sun
reflecting off the water and the
reflection of the family in the wet sand.

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

C'est moi (sometimes, when I'm lucky)

The marquee of the Palace Theater, in
October 2015—when I got to see
this fabulous show for the second time
(and gratis both times to boot).
A very good memory!

[Linking back to the Thursday Photo
Challenge and to Signs, Signs.]

ABC Wednesday—G is for "geese"

This gaggle of geese was rather "large and
in charge" in the city garden
in Bordeaux.  Locals were just walking
through the flock, but I opted to
give them a very wide berth. (Once you've
been bitten by a goose, you tend
to be wary.  Just saying'.)

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

in the wrong spot

Parisian pigeons on a wire that stretches 

across the rue Montmartre.

If they flew one street over to the right, to 

the market street of rue Montorgeuil, 

they'd find some yummy things including snails at

l'Escargot Montorgeuil (founded in 1832)

and the original baba au rum at Stohrer, Paris's

oldest patisserie (there since 1730).

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

Cimetière de Passy

Judging by the vines growing over the door
of this crypt in the Passy Cemetery,
 in Paris, I'm going to say that it hasn't
been opened in a very long time.

[Linking back to Blue Monday
and Macro Monday.]

inSPIREd Sunday

I believe I've shown a few side chapels
and details of this church—
Sant'Andrea della Valle, in Rome.
Here's the beautiful main altar (and a
bit of the ornate organ too).

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

The Weekend in Black and White

I followed this trio of nuns as they
strolled (almost) in unison
through always bustling Piazza Navona, in Rome. 

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

sunset

I'm back in Cape May for the weekend
and hoping to enjoy more
sensational sunsets like this one.

[Linking back to Skywatch Friday and to
Orange You Glad It's Friday at
Life's Sweets and Spices.]

Nevins Street

Recently saw this helpful (note the braille)
sign in the subway, and have been
looking for others like it.  Haven't spotted
any yet, but it does look very old.
Maybe they've mostly been removed.

[Linking back to sign, signs.]

ABC Wednesday—F is for "fig tart"

I saw these fabulous figgy things at a patisserie
near the Marché d'Aligre, in Paris.
If they're still making them the next time I'm
there, I'm going to eat one instead
of taking a picture!

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

No, no, no!

I'll go zip-lining above a 100-foot-deep
chasm in the South American cloud
forest and I'll ride the hairiest roller coaster
you can find.  But I will not roll around
Rome on one of these.  (Just being a
pedestrian is tough enough!)

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

Rise Above

This is the work of Shepard Fairey, the artist
who created the Obama "Hope" poster.
His intention was to make a positive image for
the people passing by this East Village
corner (at 1st Ave. & 11th St.), especially the
kids coming and going from the
local elementary school. (His model is his
own daughter, when she was three.)

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

a quiet spot

I love all the bright colors in Santa Croce
 in Florence, but I also think that this
light-filled corridor outside the sacristy is one 
of the most beautiful parts of this church.

[Linking back to inSPIREd Sunday
and Shadow Shot Sunday.]

Pink Saturday

Peonies and hydrangeas were on display
this past May in the aptly
named Campo de' Fiori, in Rome.

[Linking back to Pink Saturday
at How Sweet the Sound.]

Weekend Reflections

Kind of hard to tell, but this entire image is a 
reflection—a Venice hotel seen in 
the window of an art gallery.

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

Thursday Challenge—"remembrances"

When my mom's house was destroyed by
Hurricane Sandy, we put what was
salvageable in storage—and finally cleaned
out the unit recently.  One treasure
I found in a trunk: my well-loved Raggedy Ann, 
purchased by my dad the day I was born.

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

ABC Wednesday—E is for "empty"

It is possible to enjoy the Piazza di Spagna
and the Spanish Steps and view of
Trinita dei Monti up above without the
hordes that are usually found there.  All you
have to do is get up at dawn.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

la bicicletta

Marking the entrance to a Roman jewelry
shop with a French name—I've
lost count of the number of shops I've seen
around the world with a red bike
by their front door.  Well, it does grab
your attention.

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

teen idol

Here's a blast from my preteen past:
Bobby Rydell, larger than life on a
wall at the Wildwoods boardwalk.  The
song I remember him best for is "Wild One."

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

whose foot?

This gold reliquary, in the church of
San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, in Rome,
holds the foot of Mary Magdalene . . .

or so they claim.  I guess you
just have to take it on faith.

[Linking back to inSPIREd Sunday
and Shadow Shot Sunday.]

The Weekend in Black and White

Do you know what place this is?
Two hints:  It's in Rome and it's very
old.  Hey, that really narrows it
down, doesn't it?

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

Weekend Reflections

Here's one of the mirrored doors of Caffè Florian,
in Venice, reflecting the outdoor tables
in the Piazza San Marco.  Florian was the world's first
coffee bar—and Casanova was a regular.

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

signs, signs

The city of Rome has made it
abundantly clear:
Don't even think about parking here (and if
you do, don't expect to find your vehicle
still here when you return).

[To see more signs, go here.] 

ABC Wednesday—D is for "delicious"

Saw these gorgeous green-and-purple artichokes
for sale at the market in Campo de' Fiori.
Then we had them for lunch at Il Giardino Romano,
a restaurant in Rome's ex-ghetto that is
justifiably famous for their carciofi alla Giuda.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

life is just a bowl of . . .

yummy Rainier cherries. They're very expensive,
 and available here for a short time only each summer. 
What a beautiful splurge!

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