Florida Lighthouse and Sailing

Photo 357 - 358: Last time I was in Florida, Brandon and I visited a beautiful private lighthouse. We missed the tour, but Pedro's telephoto lens still was able to get up close and personal. It's only the second lighthouse I've posted during the project timeframe. SO I'm pumped!

Ciao Beach Amore!

Photo 323 - 324: I'm back in NYC missing FL already. Here are a few night shots we captured strolling around on Hallandale Beach. And let me just add that if I EVER tell anyone that carrying around a tripod is too much work... hit me. Seriously! This was another instance where I really should have had my nifty - yes I said nifty - tripod with me, because finding a flat and stable surface on a beach that lets you capture the perfect shot isn't always the easiest thing to do. Hm... reminds me of my aggravation at Luxor Temple in Egypt. No tripod either! I sense a trend here. lol

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...

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!

Is It Summer Yet?

Photo 220-221: It flurried this morning, and all I want is some sunshine. I had it a few days ago, so here are a few more, to make everyone jealous with me ;) * collective sigh *

Florida Ain't So Bad ...

Photo 215 - 219: I've been on the road for work for the last week, acting as field director at spring training camps for a video interview shoot with some pretty cool baseball players. I roamed around baseball fields in Arizona and Florida with all-day, entire field access, and gave Pedro a workout all the while soaking up the sun. I had to deal with F-16s doing a training run over my interview site, got hit by a baseball! and told numerous maintenance guys to stop mowing/blowing/and sweeping the facility because of noise distractions. My crew was amazing, absolutely hilarious and dealt with every pitfall, delay and "wind annoyance" with ease and banter. We all "nibbled like deer" on our power bars, and wolfed down burgers and fries at night like grizzlies. lol Inside joke, but funny story for a later day!

After three days, I was prepped and ready to go back home, but I was informed by my airline and a few of my family members and friends, that Florida and Arizona are a thousand times better than the "storm of the Century" the East Coast was experiencing. This time the storm did NOT miss New York, but hit it dead on... and I couldn't get back, so I got rerouted to sunshine, beautiful water and an unexpected twist of events that promises to be one amazing/beautiful/crazy adventure. <3 So, here are a few pictures of my idea of perfection. :) Along with a pelican that wanted to make me his friend, and a sunset that I won't ever forget.

P.S. Baseball pics, Chinese New Year Parade and NYC pics to follow. I haven't even attempted to photochop anything yet.

Change of Scenery

Photo 154-156: It's cold with snow fast approaching, so I wanted to post a little South American cheer today. I miss my beautiful blue waves, white sandy beaches and little boutique hotel rooms overlooking both.

"Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience."

Some Sand, and Good 'Ole Memories of Days Gone By

Photo 6: It's beach time, baby. Part of the reason I love "my" area of Brooklyn so much is its close proximity to the beach. Granted, it's not Miami, Buzios or Phuket, BUT it's some sand, some bluish water, and lots of sunshine. In my opinion you can't beat that. I still remember the first time I sat on a NY beach (about five years ago), in complete awe that not only had I just moved to NYC and lived to tell about it personally and professionally, but the beach bum in me actually got to sit her tushy on some sand, and I was STILL in NY. As a bonified New Yorker, I now giggle at that girl and how it never crossed my mind that there might be a beach around here somewhere since it's by the water. lol At the time, all I knew of New York was skyscrapers, taxi cabs, rushing around for EVERYTHING, and the endless noise... which in combination nearly scared me back to Missouri. Oh yeah, and some pretty amazing sushi that went beyond California rolls. Aaahhh... the memories.

Here comes the sun...

Photo 1: I am starting out with a photo of me on Ipanema Beach in Brazil!.... and a separate photo of the beautiful, rain-covered Ipanema beach behind me. This is one of my favorite places on earth filled with a passion for life that fills the soul, a craving for music that seeps into every word and movement and of course... caipirinhas. What else do you need?

And here is the same image (minus me) of the amazing thunderstorm moving in and over the beach. The thunderstorm didn't seem to drive anyone to relative safety and shelter (as you can see), but just made beach goers scramble a bit tighter under their bright umbrellas. Nothing and no one was going to interrupt a day of celebration in Rio de Janeiro.