Sunday, February 28, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday



Caught these at my mom's house, where
things tend to remain reassuringly the same.
These fabric blooms (and their shadows) have
been giving her pleasure for a lot of years.

[See more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, February 27, 2010

photo Hunter — "daily"



This guy is at the subway exit every morning,
flogging this free paper (which folks tend to grab 
on the fly, with barely a "thank you").
I don't even have time to read the NY Times
online! How about you?  Do you read your local rag?

[See more takes on the "daily" theme here.]

Friday, February 26, 2010

skywatch Friday



My favorite PTDD is visible from lots
of spots in the city. Always a nice
surprise to look up and see it off
in the distance. This was shot
from lower Broadway—at least 40
(probably more like 50) blocks south.

[See more Skywatch pix here.]

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Lady Liberty



Not the first (or probably the last, to be
honest) time that I feature this beautiful lady.
But this time, she's shown from 
different vantage point: Red Hook,
Brooklyn, my new fave neighborhood.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

abc wednesday - F is for "fromage"



This is the well-stocked cheese cart at the Grand Véfour
in Paris.  It's been in business overlooking the 
Palais Royal gardens for about 225 years. I heard
that they'd lost their 3rd Michelin star a couple 
of years ago.  Don't know if they got it back, but I don't 
care.  I've been fortunate enough to eat here
twice—and I'd love to do it again (and again and again).  
 First time, we were seated at what was once 
Victor Hugo's "usual" table.  Last time, it was
Napoleon and Josephine's!

[Find more ABC Wednesday here.]

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

That's My World Tuesday



And recently my world has been all about the
snow. Took this a week ago, early in the
A.M., from my bedroom window. What melts
as soon as it hits the ground in Manhattan stays 
around for a week in Brooklyn. Was
hoping that this was the last snow 0f 2009,
but I hear we may be in for a bit more this week.

[See more of That's My World here.]

Monday, February 22, 2010

Mellow Yellow Monday



This house is here in Brooklyn.
Not exactly sure what the story is—maybe 
another sad foreclosure. But
will have to admit that this yellow 
isn't exactly "mellow!"

[See more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday



See, this is why you should always have 
camera with you. I went to an off-site
meeting recently and discovered 
this cool view out the window.

[See more Shadow Shots here .]

Saturday, February 20, 2010

photo Hunter — "cuddly"



Okay, I admit it—this is my teddy bear.
He lives happily on my comfy chaise and 
likes to cuddle with me when I
curl up with the latest page-turner.

[See more cuddly things here at PhotoHunt.]

Friday, February 19, 2010

Skywatch Friday



It was a dull gray sky behind these cranes
in Red Hook, Brooklyn, a few weeks ago.
Looked just a bit different from a mile
or two away . . . as seen last time.

[You can see some awesome Skywatch pix here.]

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Red on red in Red Hook



Red Hook is an interesting Brooklyn
neighborhood. It's remained fairly
affordable and unchanged for a long time, 
mainly because it's a major hike
(or bus ride) from the nearest subway line. 
But it's definitely on the gentry's radar—especially 
since Ikea and Fairway have moved in.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

abc wednesday - E is for "empty"



Actually, I'm sure these frames are empty on purpose.
I took this shot in Bordeaux, while I was on the 
best press trip EVER (to the Bordeaux Wine Festival, but the
city went so far above and beyond that for us lucky
journalists)!  This shot was taken in Bordeaux's Museum
of Contemporary Art, housed in an old 
wine warehouse (of course).

[See more takes on "E" here.]

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Orchard Street



This is the heart of the Lower East Side,
home to 1st-generation immigrants since the 
mid-1800s. New Yorkers have been bargain-hunting 
down here for about that long too. But see the
picture that doesn't seem to go with the others? 
 That art gallery is the face of the gentrification that's 
going on in this area. Guess it was inevitable.

[See more local color at That's My World Tuesday, here.]

Monday, February 15, 2010

mellow Yellow Monday



This is Raffetto's. It's been in business since 1906,
and more than 100 years in this little store on Houston
Street, in the Village. It's now the 3rd generation of the
family making the most amazing pasta and ravioli.
Most of their business is wholesale (to many of NYC's
best food stores and restaurants), so I'm glad 
they continue to run the shop—and I hope they're 
here for another century!

[See more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, February 14, 2010

shadow Shot Sunday



Antonio Canova was a true romantic.
This is the plaster cast for his masterpiece
"Psyche Revived By Cupid's Kiss" (which
can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
here in NYC).  There are marble versions in
the Louvre and the Hermitage.
Happy Valentine's Day!

[See more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, February 13, 2010

photo Hunter — "broken"



Was leaving my building to go to work
one day, and I got here to the front
door about 20 seconds after it just kind of 
spontaneously . . . exploded!
I'd like to thank my own good timing and 
whoever invented tempered glass!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Skywatch Friday



The light poles seemed just a bit redundant
at this moment. (I do love that "hand of God"
kind of light, don't you?)

[You'll find some great Skywatch pix here.]

Thursday, February 11, 2010

It snowed yesterday . . .



. . . and it's supposed to keep on snowing overnight.
I took all these shots on my block, three on my
way to work (where it seemed to be just me and
the dog walkers) and one on the way home.  It's
probably the last big snow (I hope) of the 
season, but it IS pretty, I admit.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

abc wednesday - D is for "discarded"



Aaaawww—too bad.  When I'm feeling down, I can
get an instant lift just by wearing something red, and 
there are little touches of crimson scattered
around my house—a teakettle, a candle 
lamp, a spray of winterberries . . .
Maybe this sofa proved to be too much of a good thing. 
 I hope they didn't replace it with something gunmetal gray.

[See more abc Wednesday "D" pix here.]

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

That's My World Tuesday




A while ago, I showed you this, but I obviously
had no idea what it really meant. (There was no sign on
 it as there are on the two I saw recently—
near the UN and down on the Lower East Side.)
So clearly that was neither art nor vandalism, but 
some poor soul who got very unlucky
while riding their bike in Manhattan traffic
(and maybe wasn't wearing the requisite helmet).
Either way, I feel bad.

[Find more photos from That's My World Tuesday here.]

Monday, February 8, 2010

Mellow Yellow Monday



Saw this sign in my neighborhood and was
struck by a couple of things:  What happened
to the missing letter 'I's?  And why the random
use of . . . what?  Is that Korean?  I mean, this
is Brooklyn, not Queens.  Bizarre.

[You can see more Mellow Yellow here.]

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday




These adorned the table at Le Boeuf
à la Mode, where I've enjoyed several

great meals compliments of good (and
generous) friends who live right around
the corner (with this amazing view).
If you're looking for real French food on
the Upper East Side, this is the place.
And I'd like to offer this bouquet of
roses to my friend Lily Hydrangea,
whose birthday this is—Happy Birthday,
dear blogpal!

[And you can see more Shadow Shots here.]

Saturday, February 6, 2010

photo Hunter — "average"



So is this the average cost of a 3-tiered cake?
Some 20 years ago, I had such a cake custom
made for a party I had for my parents' 
50th anniversary—mine was both tasteful and
tasty, and it cost exactly a tenth of this ugly 
concoction.  $650?  Seriously??  
That's 470 euros . . . 737 Australian dollars . . .
58,551 Japanese yen . . . 64,703 Albanian
leke . . . or 12,002,250 Vietnam dong!!
I don't think so.

[Find more "average" photos here.]

Friday, February 5, 2010

Skywatch Friday



Well, this beautiful ship has certainly been 
around.  I guess the Peking will
remain moored here at South Street
Seaport from now on, but I'd love 
to see her under full sail!

[See more Skywatch here.]

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Bull!



This massive beast now resides in front
of 26 Broadway (where I worked 30 years
ago).   Do you suppose that if I rubbed
a certain part of his anatomy, then the
funds that used to be in my 401k 
would magically reappear?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

abc wednesday - C is for "columns"



Here are Bernini's, set like elegant
parentheses around St. Peter's
Square, in Rome. I think they're
wonderfully photogenic.

[See more ABC Wednesday pix here.]

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

security




They don't take a lot of chances in this neck
of our woods. Took these two shots on
Martin Luther King Day, when pretty much
no one was at work down here in the
Financial District.  Even so, just try to get
anywhere near the Stock Exchange in a vehicle. Don't 
actually know what's on the streets where
they've put up these barriers—but I'll just trust their 
judgement and figure better safe than sorry.

[Find more shots from That's My World Tuesday here.]

Monday, February 1, 2010

mellow Yellow Monday



This is Astor Wine and Spirits. If there's
something you've tasted in Europe and you'd 
like to enjoy here—let's say, for
example, Pineau des Charentes (a fave
from France) or Aperol (essential for
concocting the quintessential Venetian spritz)—
I promise you can find it in this well-stocked emporium.

[See more mellow yellow here.]