Oh Lolly, Lolly

Lollipops are ust kind of joyous.  Reminders of summer days skipping around the backyard with one of these massive rainbow ones...

Beach Haven, New Jersey, USA

Chillin With My Gnomie

Lawn gnomes always make me smile.  When I was little, David the Gnome was one of my favourite TV shows, and ever since then, I have gotten a silly grin on my face every time I've seen one of these cute, squat little guys in someone's lawn.  So imagine my delight when I arrived at my grandparents' beach house to see that they had decorated their rocky yard and porch with some little gnomes!

Beach Haven, New Jersey, USA

Crumbling

Here's another older photograph, this time from Slovakia.  When I was in Bratislava, most of the old city had a wonderful elegance about it, and the outskirts of the city were generally comprised of Communist era block buildings.  Both parts were pretty and fascinating in their own right, but it was this street that took my breath away.  All of the buildings were crumbling, bullets were lodged in the walls, and it looked as if there had been no attempt whatsoever to rebuild anything.  A reminder of Bratislava's war-ridden past. 

Bratislava, Slovakia

Like this?  Take a look at Beautiful Disaster for some destroyed fashion, rather than a destroyed building.

Express Yourself

Loveliest wall art that I have ever seen.  It was on a little back alleyway near the castle, and was the only graffiti in English I saw on my trip to Slovakia.  Which makes sense, since a good number of people there did not speak English.  The couple of Slovakian phrases I taught myself on the plane turned out to come in handy more often than expected.  Anyways, this phrase, and the little heart, evoke so much hope.  Especially their placement on the crumbling wall.  It reminds me that even in times of turmoil, art can still make us feel better.  There is always something lovely in the world, and that something lovely might just be you.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Like this?  Indulge yourself in a little Fairy Tale.

Blossom

 

No, not the Powerpuff girl, but a flowering tree.  These are such a perfect indication that spring has sprung, and this tree in Paris proved no exception.  The pink was such a delicate shade, and the ground below was covered in petals.  Ah, delight.

Paris, France

Like this?  Take a look at some Dutch cherry blossoms in Spring.

Je Chuchote Votre Nom

I loved this statue in the Jardin du Luxembourg.  It was so evocative to me, I just kept thinking about what on earth the sculptor was trying to say, and came up with a million different answers and interpretations, which made me know that it was a good statue.  The woman could be asking for anything- life, love, a helping hand... it doesn't really matter.  I imagined the response to come out in a whisper.  Je chuchote votre nom, I whisper your name.

Paris, France

Like this?  Try taking a look at Contemplation.

Le Tour Eiffel

My night photography skills, at their best, would be graciously described as dodgy.  So, when this photograph turned out as well as it did, I was incredibly pleased.  The Eiffel Tower must be one of the most frequently photographed structures in the world.  I've seen images of it everywhere.  It's just so distinctive, and so indicative of France, and Paris specifically, that everyone who wants to appear classy by allying themselves with French culture seems to have images of it all over their home.  I am one of those people who loves the Eiffel Tower for everything it is, and stands for.  Je l'adore.

Paris, France

Like this?  Take a look at another famous Paris sight in Love is Just a Game.

Make a Wish

I realized that, given the number of photographs I had taken in Paris... I had posted very few.  So, I invite you to enjoy a couple more photos from my trip to good old Paris!  This one enchanted me so very much.  This little girl in the Jardin du Luxembourg was just gazing into the water, for a couple of minutes.  She seemed entranced by the subtle movements of the koi in the pond.  It's so easy to forget how fascinating the world was to us when we were children.  This is why, every once in a while, we must take a step back and remember that our world is lovely.  Lovelier than we think it is.

Paris, France

Like this?  Take a look at another little French girl in Le Fille et Son Scooter.

Purple Clusters

Purple was my favourite colour for a very long time.  Now I would say that it's probbly more of a burgundy red, but the shade has a special place in my heart.  So, when I see unusual looking flowers like this in a splendid gradient of purple and pink, I have to take some photographs of them.  This was the best of the lot, and my final photograph from New Canaan.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this? Take a look at My High Horse for a sky that decided to appear purple.

Profiled Roses

Way too many of the posts on this blog are devoted to roses, really. If it ever starts to get obnoxious... please tell me.  I don't want to bore you.  I don't think that I could ever get bored with roses, however, which is why they keep popping up here.  All colors of roses make me happy: pink, red, orange, white black.  If there is a rose in my day, it is a great day.  Danny has taken to buying me a deep red rose when I've had a bad day, or sometimes just because, and I find it to be the most charming thing in the world.  He's so fantastic, I don't know what I've ever done to deserve his wonderfulness, or to view the beauty of a rose in bloom.  Our world is so lovely, it amazes me sometimes.  

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Take a look at another pink rose in Pink Is Pretty.

Ooh Beads!

One of my favourite movies as a kid was Disney's Cinderella.  I watched it far too many times, and sang the songs from it constantly.  Driving my mother crazy was, in retrospect, apparently a preferred pastime of mine.  I digress.  In the film, Cinderella has many little friends who happen to be these charming mice.  The two main ones are named Jacques and Gus Gus.  Aw.  In one scene, the two of them find a bunch of pearls, and I cannot remember which one of them says it, but in a high, squeaky, shaky, excited mouse voice, whichever one it is screams "ooooooooh, beads!!"

I thought of that moment when I saw this lovely box full of beads in an antique store window.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this? Take a look at A Little Something Special.

Watch for that Crime

I can guarantee you that when a burgler breaks into your house, it SHALL be through a perfectly square window.  This burglar shall also be male.  This is decidedly so.  His entire outfit shall consist of one black bodysuit.  Preferably, this bodysuit will have a turtleneck, and reach to his wrists and his ankles.  He may even sport some dashing white gloves.  But, the one thing that I do know for certain about this burglar- he will be FRENCH.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, French.  This is signified by his classy little beret- which is of course, black to match his outfit.  If you see someone in your house who is not dressed in this exact way, or does not have a very obvious French accent, carry on.  They could not possibly be a burglar.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Take a look at When You Wish Upon a Star.

Victorian Wonderland

This is not the same victorian house from the previous post... it is one I found to be even more lovely.  There were hedges all around it, hiding it from the outside world but for one gate, that allowed entry.  Through this gate you can see the steps and the door of the house- all lovely shades of pale yellow, coral, and forest green.  I just feel as if I'm disappearing into Wonderland, just like Alice down the rabbit hole, as I stare at this photograph.  I wonder if you will feel the same way.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Try out World of Pure Imagination for another Alice in Wonderland-esque effect.

Veranda Cafe

This is the front porch of a gorgeous victorian house in New Canaan.  I really hope that they use this space- if I had this in my yard, I would be there ten hours a day, sipping green tea with just some William Shakespeare and Chopin to keep me company.  Preferably, I'd be wearing one of my many sundresses, a silk scarf, and Ray Ban sunglasses.  Oh, and pearls.  Simple pearls.  However, judging from the flower arrangement that occupies the majority of the table, I would assume that this is mostly just a decoration.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Take a look at Courtyard.

Daily Stroll

I encountered this elderly man in the centre of town.  He was walking very slowly, but didn't actually seem to be having a great deal of difficulty, despite his decision to utilize a cane.  Perhaps it was more of a prop, an indication of his personality and social status rather than an instrument to help him walk.  In any case, he was glancing around at everything, taking in the cloudy day, smiling to himself as he strolled.  I was thoroughly charmed.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Try looking at The Artist.

New England

Having lived in actual England, I can now understand why New England, in the United States, bears its name.  The architecture attempts to copy England, and it generally fails, but still looks rather lovely.  There is also an air of aristocracy about much of New England- like the class divisions present in English society exist in a similar structured manner here in the USA.  These divisions definitely do exist, but in New England, there seems to be a drive to show that they are old money, as it were.  Now, I don't mean that this is a bad thing at all.  As a matter of fact, I kind of like it.  I'm not a rich person at all, but seeing places filled with those who have lots of money and class is rather pleasant.  New Canaan seems to epitomize this rather well.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Try looking at In Bruges, I used a similar trick there...

Post Boxes

This was such a neat post office. I found myself having to pay my electricity bill, and entered the little old post office in the center of town.  No one else was there, which gave me ample time to look at the multiple different styles of old post boxes present in the building.  I just think they look lovely- they almost hark back to a time when the mail was delivered by horse.  Well, they aren't that old, but they sure look cool.

New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Like this?  Take a look at Window Shopping.

Berries of Blue

I somehow keep finding myself taking photographs at the Union Square Greenmarket.  It's probably because I walk through it a few times a week, but it also might be because the place is just inspiring.  Union Square Park is lovely anyway, but fill it with fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, meats, wines and flowers, and it becomes a place of magic that tourists never think of when they visit New York City.  This city is so comfy, I associate it with tiny coffee shops with thick velvet curtains, farmers markets. tiny theatres and parks full of flowers, rather than the hustle and bustle of the traffic in the Lincoln Tunnel, or the lights in Times Square.  I just wish that everyone who visited this city took the time to go other places than just the "tourist area" in central Manhattan... and maybe eat some blueberries.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Like this?  Take a bite into some Budding Berries.

Tales from the Bard

I have this awesome collection of a bunch of Shakespeare's plays in a 1950's Pelican Shakespeare edition that I received from my Grammy when my grandparents were moving two years ago.  When I moved to Brooklyn, they came along with me, and I use them all the time for reference, some fun reading, or when I want to find a new monologue.  Not that I don't have a Complete Works of William Shakespeare, I do, but lugging around that beast of a volume is ridiculous if I own the individual copy of the play.  So, these get lots of love.  And they are rather pretty too!  I love the cover art so much.

Lock it Up

Who knew that a bike lock could look so lovely?  These things are all over the city, saving people's bicycles from being taken away, or taken apart while they go about their business.  I've never thought extensivesly about bike locks.  They are one of those more simplistic things that you use if you need to, and they rest of the time, mostly take for granted.  This one in Chelsea had the sun glinting off of it, and fashionable women walking past- it caught my attention.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Like this?  Take a look at The Adventure.