52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 35: "fresh start"

I gave up caffeine many, many years ago.
So this is what I look forward to when the
alarm goes off at the crack of dawn: a big
glass of water with slices of fresh Meyer lemon.
Now that's a fresh way to start the day!

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 34: "favorite photo taken in 2014"

Choosing one photo out of thousands (yes,
thousands) is not so easy.  But if I must, it has to
be this serendipitous shot taken with my iPhone last
January: a foggy Brooklyn Bridge sunrise.

Happy Holidays, everyone!
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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 33: "sweets of the season"

I wasn't sure what I was going to
post for this one; then a gingerbread house
was delivered to our office—perfect!

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 32: "red"

Happy Holidays from NYC!
These ornaments are huge, and they put them here every year—
I've always wondered where they store them the other 11 months.
(Your first thought when you live in a typical NY apartment!)

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 31: This makes me happy

I may wish I'd saved this image in a few weeks,
but getting the tree up (this is last year's)
does make me happy—and when my
 kids come over and help me with it, that
makes me very happy (hint, hint)!

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 30: "look down"

This past September when I was in Paris, 
I went up to Montmartre and shot this vertiginous
view from the top of the rue Drevet stairs.

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 29: "vintage architecture"

Old buildings it is, and here's my favorite:
This is the portico of the Pantheon in Rome. It was
rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in 126 AD, but
the original structure is exactly 2000 years old!

And it still has the world's largest
unreinforced concrete dome.

To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 28: mirror reflection

This is one of my favorite Thai restaurants
in NYC.  I think I like it as much
for the clever décor as I do for the food.

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 27: "steamy, warm drinks"

Lovely memory:  a chilly morning,
café au lait, and a croissant to share 
with my daughter Lila on 
the heated terrace of a Paris cafe.

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Weekend Reflections

In a Budapest café . . .

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 26:
"Point the camera up and shoot"

Last month when I was in Budapest, I came
across this staircase and did just that.
It's a bit vertiginous, but I like it.

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The 52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 25: "numbers"

The original debt clock was installed in Times Square 
back in 1989 and this improved version was moved 
here to 44th St. in 2004.  By the way, from Sept. 2000
to July 2002, there were no numbers here because the debt
went down and the clock wasn't designed to run backward. 

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The 52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 24: "orange"

Last month I saw this elegant-looking older gentleman
strolling through the Parc des Buttes Chaumont,
in Paris.  I just had to take a picture of him
in his beautiful orange robe (and I thought his
accessories were well-chosen too)!

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 23: landscape

In New York's Hudson Valley, at
Storm King Art Center, in Mountainville, 
you can visit Maya Lin's "Storm King Wavefield."
It covers 11 acres, with seven rows of rolling
peaks that were inspired by ocean waves but also
echo the hills and mountains around them.
(Credit for this shot goes to my daughter Lila.)

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The 52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 22: "star"

This one is on permanent display at New York's
Museum of Natural History.  It's the
Star of India, a 563-carat star sapphire that was
donated to the museum by J.P. Morgan. 
It was stolen in 1964 (at which time it was uninsured
and "protected" by an alarm with a dead battery!).
The thief was caught and the gem recovered—
and I assume they've taken better care of it since then.

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 21: My wish that came true

This was a very recent wish: to make it from
Paris to Budapest (where friends were
waiting with tickets to the opera) despite
the Air France pilots' strike.  We had to jump
through a few bureaucratic hoops, but we got there
—and it was spectacular!

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 19: "Capture a photo of a dog walker"

I encountered this guy walking his dogs in 
Brooklyn's Prospect Park, and my first thought 
was "the Hound of the Baskervilles times 5"!

But then the kids (and my daughter Katie)
came to pet them, and I saw just how sweet
and well-behaved these big pups actually are.

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Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 18: "the sign says"

It's pretty clear what this sign says, but
I have to wonder why it doesn't say "OUI"
instead—because this sign is in Paris ...

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 17: recycled/repurposed

Part of a big El Anatsui exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum
last year, this is called "Drainpipe" and was specifically
tailored to the space it occupied (as it is wherever
it's installed).  These are tin-can lids strung
together with copper wire. (There was another huge
work there that Anatsui made using bottle caps.)
Beats adding at all to the landfill, doesn't it?

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 16: somewhere you visited

This is Quito, Ecuador—my daughter Katie
and I overnighted here on our way
to and from the Galapagos.
Lovely city, great food, but the altitude
takes its toll: At 9,350 feet, you get
only 60% of the oxygen you'd breathe in
at sea level (where I live).  My legs felt like
they each weighed about 50 pounds!

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 15: street corner

Well, this is the Venice version.
There are no traffic lights, of course—so where
there's a blind corner, they mount a mirror.
(I'm sure it happens sometimes,
but I've never seen a boat accident here.)

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project. visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 14: "stairs"

My favorite time of year in my Brooklyn brownstone
neighborhood is probably spring—specifically, those few
weeks when the flowering trees burst into bloom—
then leave their blossoms absolutely everywhere.

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 13: summertime refreshments

July in Paris and not an ice cube in sight!
We stopped at a bar in Montmartre to escape the heat.
He ordered a beer; I asked for a citron pressé— i.e., lemonade.
Here's what I got: freshly squeezed lemon juice,
sugar, and cold water . . . and not one single chemical.
That alone was refreshing enough (even without ice cubes)!

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 12: Happiness is ...

For me, happiness is being in my 
favorite place in the world—where
I was last November when I took this shot
(and where I will be again in September—yay!).

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The 52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 11:
The honey of the fields—what's in bloom?

Well, last month down in the Virginia delta, it was weeds.
But I was glad the owners of the field behind this house
chose not to mow—whatever their motivation
(or lack thereof)—because all those yellow flowers
looked so pretty, especially to a city girl like me.

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 10—"at the water's edge"

I haven't made it to the beach yet this summer,
but this is the next best thing: It's Brooklyn Bridge Park,
with an awesome view of the bridge and lower
Manhattan across the East River (to which
these kids are completely oblivious).

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 9—sitting by the window

My cat Buddy loved to sit by this window,
where he could watch the birds and
munch on the pansies (his 2nd-favorite
 snack; first was potato chips).

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 8: "In flight"

I caught these fishing buddies (well, actually, they
were probably rivals after the same fish) looking for
lunch in the Galapagos.  The pelican had just
missed a catch and was taking off again to give it
another try.  The frigate bird was looking for his own
catch or one he could steal from another bird
(because they do that all the time).

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 7: powder blue

I'm borrowing this photo from my peripatetic
daughter Kate, who just spent two weeks 
in Alaska.  In theory, I guess the sky should be 
"sky blue," but when I saw this photo, I thought,
 "There's your powder blue."  BTW, that snow-capped
peak at the far right?  That's Mt. McKinley.

{Thanks for letting me "borrow" your beautiful image, Katie!}

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 6: busy street

This should be easy for me—I live in NYC.
And—not for nuthin' (as we say here)—I took this 
shot of traffic zipping up 8th Avenue at around 2 AM!

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.] 

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 5:  The light arrived
and opened like a rose garden

I took Pablo Neruda's inspiration (via Bella)
somewhat literally.  This photo captures the light
filtered through the wisteria leaves that frame 
the entrance to my favorite rose garden.

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 4: "lucky charm"

I used to wear this around my neck all the time.
Inside the tiny silver box I placed a sanskrit prayer:
Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu,
which means "May all beings everywhere be
happy and free and may the thoughts, words, and 
actions of my own life contribute in some way to that 
happiness and that freedom for everyone."
Unfortunately, I lost this amulet a couple of years 
ago—but the prayer/thought is still out there
 (and I hope whoever found my little charm appreciates it).

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 3: sugar

Trust the French to take something as simple 
as berries and glam them up with meringue 
and pistachios and a dusting of . . . sugar! 

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 2: "criss-cross"

I made this cross-stitch sampler for my mother-in-law
—the only Italian mama I ever knew who didn't
much care whether you ate or not—
more than 30 years ago.  She lived with us for a
year and a half before she died and the thing she liked
best about it was that she didn't have to cook!
(Now it's in my kitchen—which is appropriate, 
because I've become a reluctant cook too.)

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 1 (of Year 4!): fire

I found this young woman twirling a couple of
flaming batons in Campo Santo Stefano, in Venice.
Very dramatic!  (But I did notice that her
clothing was sleeveless and fit close to her body—
she was taking no chances with a stray spark.)

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 52: clouds

I thought I was going to have to use a photo
from the archives—then yesterday afternoon
I saw this out my office window.
Can't believe we've arrived at #52 already.  It's 
been fun (and inspiring)—thanks, Bella!

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 51: petals

Very soon, we'll be able to enjoy this—
which will be followed by ...

this.  But that's the nature of ... nature, right?

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visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 50: a day in my life

4/1/14: (decaf) coffee and computer; stretching and ab exercises;
subway; morning walk over Brooklyn Bridge (nicely empty);
my office (okay, cubicle); healthy lunch; film shoot on 43rd Street
(much ado about nothing); evening walk home over Brooklyn Bridge
(tourist central at this hour); dinner options (?) at the supermarket; bad photo
of rat on subway platform (it was literally inches away from me
 before I stomped my foot and sent it scurrying—eek!);
got over rat episode and made nice dinner salad; finally,
full circle back to the computer to sip wine and make this collage.

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 49: An old film photo

A lot of old family photos were destroyed when my
mom's house was flooded during Hurricane Sandy.
Fortunately I had already scanned some of
my favorites, including this one of my mom and me.
She was 29—and was flirting shamelessly with
the photographer (my dad).  My mother recently
celebrated her 94th birthday—and she's still cute, btw.

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The Prompt for Week 48: a present someone gave you

Turns out my birthday is the same day as Bella's daughter's,
but the most photogenic present I got this year was
a $100-dollar bill from my 94-year-old mother
(don't get me wrong; it was much appreciated).
However, last year I received a package out of the blue
from a distant cousin—and in it was this absolutely
beautiful cut-glass bowl that had originally belonged
to my beloved grandmother, Miss Lucy.  And may I just
say again, "Thank you very, very much, cousin Betty!"

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

There are shops all along rue de Seine,
in Saint Germain des Prés, that are filled
with curiosities and collectibles.
This one even includes me (twice).
But mostly I wanted to have a photo with a 
reflection and a circle today, because it's 3.14—Pi Day! 

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

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 47: a place I'd show you in my town

Aside from all the things there are to see in Manhattan,
I'm pretty proud of my own borough, Brooklyn.
I would definitely take you for a stroll through my
"backyard," the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Maybe you'll come when the Bluebell Wood (all 
40,000+ bulbs) is in full fabulous bloom!

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, go here.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 46: How I Start My Day

I love my commute over the Brooklyn Bridge, but
have had to miss it time and again this winter
because of snow and bitter cold.  On this recent
morning, though, heavy fog and a temp in the 30s didn't
keep the usual crew of walkers and runners away.
(And we were well rewarded, don't you think?)

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 45: where people gather

People gather in Paris's Jardin du Luxembourg
year-round—but when I took this shot in
November, we had to keep moving to stay warm.
Come back here in a few months and you
might be hard-pressed to find an empty seat.

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 44: mint

When Lady Liberty was first dedicated
in 1886, she was a coppery hue,
something like an old penny.  I think
she probably looks even lovelier now that
she has aged to a pretty minty color.
What do you think?

[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 43: hearts

And a Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

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52 Photos Project

The prompt for Week 42: crooked line

Not sure if that fence in Prospect Park
was in a straight line before this
snowstorm—but it
for sure wasn't after it.

[To see more of the 52 Photos
Challenge, visit Bella's meme.]