A Beach With a View

Photo 322: Happy Memorial Day! I would post some holiday-ish/theme-related pictures if I could, but I left my laptop at home in NYC, and I'm still in FL enjoying a sunny weekend with my honey. Fortunately, I stole his computer to at least keep up on my posting.

I call this Beach With a View - the lonesome cloud framed by a sandy archway. hahaha Can ya tell I'm falling short on title creativity? I swear I didn't photochop this cloud into the picture, altered it in any way or cleaned up the shot. All I did was crop a bit more, and sharpened the photo a tad. The colors were shot as is... and what a "cute" moment this was. lol Brandon just rolled his eyes at me and kept on walking down the boardwalk. I still think it's cute. Sue me, I'm a girl... :P

A Palm Tells a Story

Photo 320 - 321: After leaving Reno, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale for Memorial Day Weekend to spend some quality time with my honey. We drove down to Hallandale Beach to catch some live music at night, and Pedro of course was not far behind. The sun was almost done shining it's happy rays on us, and I got some great evening shots of some very pretty palm trees and white sandy beaches. Doesn't it make you want to just watch a sunset? Sigh... can I transfer the weather and the FL beaches to NYC? I'm getting spoiled down here...

There's a Lake... What???

Photo 317 - 319: As I'm driving down south to see what this "Lake Tahoe" nonsense is about, I see little areas to pull over all over the place, but I kept on driving... and then this view opened up (first picture). I couldn't believe it, so I did a slightly legal U-turn, and shot a picture of this breathtaking view. The great thing about this area is that there are many landmark signs, so it's not that difficult to get that panoramic shot even if it means climbing some rocks or in my case, balancing on some very unsteady boulders to get that perfect picture.

Lake Tahoe Adventures

Photo 316: I was in Reno/Carson City for work at the beginning of this week, and since I had some spare time after the training, I drove down to Lake Tahoe. This is what I encountered on my way down there. The scenery is so beautiful, and it reminds me a little bit of Austrian countryside. I never expected to see this driving down I-395. Wow...

Flatiron

Photo 313 - 315: Walking around the Flatiron District on a beautiful summer day is really a highlight of NYC. You see beautiful parks, amazing buildings, and can get a little shopping in while you're out enjoying the sunshine. I'm off to Reno, NV, tomorrow, and going to be traveling all week, so wish me luck! I'm off photo hunting. ;)

Who Flips for Flops?

Photo 311 - 312: I've decided to take the token flip flop shot at every beach that I go to... So next is Miami, then FLL, then ... hm... Vietnam? lol Yeah, yeah I know. I first said I'm going to Thailand, but I honestly value country stability, so I've changed the travel plans, and it's off to Thailand and Cambodia for two weeks. YEAH!

Beach Bum Relaxin'

Photo 309 - 310: Who loves the sunshine, the waves and the beach? Who is still in the water taking pictures even if there is a thunderstorm looming? Smart - perhaps not. Amazing photos - absolutely!

Time for FLL

Photo 306 - 308: It's rainy, it's cloudy and still a bit cold outside, so who wants to be sitting on one of these beach chairs? ME! I do get to go down to Miami for work tomorrow, but still... sigh! Summer needs to get here now. Or I just convince my boss that I need to work remotely with my laptop and cell phone in hand.

Sunshine

Photo 305: Who doesn't love sunshine? After a week of freezing temperatures in NYC (yes I said FREEZING) I flew down to Florida to catch some rays and get some much-needed hugs and love. After an eight-hour travel "mishap" where I had to deal with 2.5 hours in a cab to go to the airport (regular travel time is 40 min.), an hour delay before we boarded (a given since it was the JFK airport), two MORE hours on a parked plan AT the gate without any lights on, and then another half an hour taxiing on the runway to take off... I finally arrived at Brandon's house at 1 in the a.m. Can you say long?? At least I got some beach time in the next day... I needed the sunshine!

What Happened to Summer?

Photo 304: Now that the air has turned fall-ish again (what???), and I'm wondering if we skipped ahead to NOVEMBER, I also realize that this is the time where the air is crisp, and so are the pictures. My company just moved to midtown Manhattan, and this (see below) is what I get to walk by every morning. It's quite the atmosphere change, from a busy beehive of disgruntled New Yorkers shoving aside tourists in Grand Central to a more relaxed Park Avenue-ish area where you can find the cutest little Italian wine bar just around the corner right across from a vegetarian Indian restaurant. It's crazy, it's loud, it's wonderful -- all wrapped up into one beautiful adventure.

"In Washington, the first thing people tell you what their job is. In Los Angeles you learn their star sign. In Houston you're told how rich they are. And in New York, they tell you what their rent is." -- S. Hoogart -- SO TRUE! lol

Looking Back to NOLA

Photo 301 - 303: Here are a few more shots from my NOLA visit. One thing is for certain, I have to go buy a gorilla tripod for my mini trips. That would have helped me out a lot during my last vacation. I even looked at them at B&H Photo (any photographer's gear mecca), but didn't buy one... don't as me why.

Nothing much else to report today, but that I'm planning on some "sexier" photos soon i.e. NYC at night, perhaps a model shoot or even some Miami at night photographs. Now THAT'S a great idea... For now, take a look back at what New Orleans has to offer -- a lot of history.

Happy Mother's Day

Extra: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Here's to a mom who fills my life with laughter, brings jokes and humor to every occassion, dances along when we're doing the Thanksgiving Tango, and hands out hugs like it's going out of style. Here's to a mom who loves me no matter what and always knows when something is wrong... or right, and a woman who taught me how to be a woman. I couldn't have asked for a better "adopted" mommy, and I will always cherish the love and support you've given me. I love you...

The Big Easy

Photo 300: I debated, and debated, and debated what my 300th picture should be, and picked this one from my trip to New Orleans a few months ago. I've been wanting to post it, and I wandered around NYC today to get my newest photograph, but nothing struck me quite like this one from the Big Easy. This was the first time I've been back post-Katrina, and it was eye-opening and a bit sad to see that this once gorgeous area hasn't yet recovered fully. The French Quarter has been cleaned up of course, but I remember the surrounding areas to be lush, and beautiful, but after taking a drive to the countryside, it wasn't like that anymore. More to come from this trip, but it's my 300th picture, people!

My Nirvana

Photo 299: Almost there... almost there... Here's my idea of heaven, plain and simple. I think at this point I've gotten that message across, but sigh... I dream about tranquil waters, billowing sails and sunshine on my face. It's also the last Egypt picture, so enjoy a final image of an amazing adventure.

Window Into the Sky

Photo 297-298: As my long list of Egypt photographs are now coming to an end, and I am nearing the 300 mark, I'm pumped. I can't believe I'm almost done with this photo venture. I'm pretty close to my 365 number, of course a bit behind, but the Egypt adventure helped. I've got some FLL time coming up, and of course I wandered around NYC yesterday during lunch and took a few shots, so let's see. I've got Long Island, NY, and Reno, Nev., (anyone know what's there?), coming up for a businnes trip in May, and then I go to Arlington, Tx., and San Antonio in June, so I should be able to get some more great shots before my deadline is here and gone. Cross your fingers for me!

Meanwhile, this is the Alabster Mosque with its beautiful spires and delicately crafted windows overlooking the Cairo skyline from the Citadel.

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky." - Rumi

"I was a tiny bug. Now a mountain. I was left behind. Now honored at the head. You healed my wounded hunger and anger, and made me a poet who sings about joy." - Rumi

Something Blue... or Pick a Color

Photo 292 - 296: Strolling around the streets of Aswan or taking a nap on a cruise balcony gives you such a different view of the world around you. All week I kept tripping over everything - my own two feet, a curb, a chair - but only (!!!) because I kept looking UP to see what the next shot was going to be. Some believe I have a crooked walk (:P), but I like to think that it keeps me "falling" into places I would not otherwise see. lol I survived a boat, a camel, a cab ride and a train without major injury, and captured these images early at the crack of dawn, at high noon, and as the sun was going down - all with vibrant colors at the core.

Regular Programming Con't...

Photo 287 - 291: Not much to say today, but here's a few more from Egypt. I'm almost done going through all of them, and then I'll have to come up with some more photo opps. Perhaps some more FLL? There's a lighthouse or two I want to explore, and some more bridge and sunset pictures that beg to be taken. For now though, who can imagine walking around these ruins and being emersed in history? I CAN!

A Weekend and a Wedding

Photo 286: We interrupt the scheduled programming to bring you this image of upstate New York... I went to a beautiful wedding this weekend, and despite a two-hour delay due to a bus getting lost with 30 wedding guests, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the weather was perfect, and the bride even prettier. The great thing about there being a delay though was the beautiful sunset! THIS was the backdrop not only to the ceremony, but the pictures the bride and groom took afterwards. It couldn't have been any more amazing...