ABC Wednesday—Y is for "yellow ornament"

And also for "yuletide."  Happy holidays to
the ABC team and all its contributors!

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—X is for "Xmas"

I love to walk around my "brownstone
Brooklyn" neighborhood and see
how people have decorated for the holidays.
I like all the white lights on this house
(and even the random leftover pumpkin)!

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—W is for "waterfall"

This is Shackleton Falls, on South Georgia.
It's named for Sir Ernest Shackleton,
the Antarctic explorer.  He came
over this mountain to the whaling station
of Strömness and was able to rescue
his entire crew after they had to abandon
their ship when it was trapped in (and
ultimately destroyed by) pack ice.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—V is for "vain"

This proud chinstrap penguin seems to be
saying, "look at me. Look at me."
Actually, I think that's exactly what this
behavior means—he's lookin' for
love in all the right places.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—U is for "Uruguay"

This wonderfully wabi-sabi building is
in the Ciudad Viejo, in Montevideo.
Only got to spend a couple of days here,
but the Old City was charming, the
people too—and we ate some 
gooood food.  

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—P is for "pretty pink pigeon perch"

. . . in the piazza.  I think Venice has some
 of the most beautiful street lamps
in the world.

[To see more abc posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—O is for "opera house"

This is still one of the most beautiful buildings
in Paris, especially when it's all lit up
at night.  Since the (not at all attractive, imho)
Opéra Bastille was opened in 1989, the
19th-century Palais Garnier now hosts mostly
ballet performances.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—N is for "Netherlands"

And a pretty canal in the just-
quiet-enough district
of Jordaan, in Amsterdam.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—M is for "Monteverdi"

Claudio Monteverdi, Italian composer, string player,
and choirmaster, died in 1643, and is buried
here in the church of the Frari, in Venice.  Even now,
almost four centuries later, I've never seen his
gravesite without flowers left by a fan.

[To see more ABC photos, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—L is for "light"

I've featured this church before, but these
chandeliers just blew me away
and I thought they deserved a close-up.

[To see more ABC shots, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—K is for "kissing 9-to-5 goodbye"

                                 I'm packing up my blue pencils and retiring today!
                             Am grateful for the past 10 years
                                 at this job at Parents magazine, working with
                              some wonderful people—and I hereby
                               bequeath my greenery to the next person to
                          occupy this cozy cubicle.

                              [To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—J is for "jazz manouche"

Lunchtime gypsy jazz at the flea market:
We looked in at Chez Louisette
(popular place, where you're entertained
with old-fashioned French chansons).
Lots of fun, but a tad touristy—and I also
think the food and service are
better here at La Chope des Puces.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—I is for "inclement"

Labor Day weekend in Saratoga.
The rain kept coming down, the temperature
dropped about 20 degrees, the horses
were ankle deep in mud—but everyone seemed
to be having fun (and my $2 bet got
me $11.40 on one race!).

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

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.]

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.]

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.]

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.]

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.]

ABC Wednesday—C is for "cellist"

This one is Fabio Cavaggion.  He had a very
successful career playing in orchestras,
but decided that he could reach more people
with his music by playing in the street.
I took this shot at the same spot as the one I
posted yesterday—but this was much
later in the day and all those folks are on a 
looong line to get into the Pantheon.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—B is for "brides"

One afternoon when I was in Rome this
past May, I encountered four
bridal parties—but there were five brides!

Later that night, I passed by a 
wedding reception in full 
swing and a 6th bride—who knows 
how to party (and pose).

[To see more ABC
posts, go here.]