Cherry Blossoms

So, what has been going on with me this last month? Work, work, work. Also, the DC spring allergy season hit me so hard, I'm wondering how much more pseudoephedrine I can put into my body without testing positive for meth.

One good thing about DC in the spring? The cherry blossoms.
So. Very. Lovely. They were a gift from the Japanese government in 1912. Did you know some were planted in Manhattan, too?

I went down this past weekend, when the Park Service predicted the trees would be at their peak, but the cold nights kept them as buds, and I felt very bad for all the tourists who had traveled so far to see them. However, even the buds are gorgeous. They're a deep pink color and lovely to see.

The biggest crop of trees were planted around the gorgeous Tidal Basin.

They were even pinker in real life.

There were a few trees here and there
that were blooming among the buds.

There were also entertainments,
such as this delightful Indian dance troupe.

I went down again yesterday to see the trees in full bloom. They are really impressive.

 

Quite a difference, eh?

 

I stopped at this bridge to set down my bag and change lenses.
That was when my 55-200 mm lens almost went straight into
the drink. It slipped out of my hands and began to roll into the
Tidal Basin. I caught it just in time and all I could think was
how Kristen is always so appalled at my lack of care with my lenses.

The Jefferson Memorial is my favorite, and so beautifully situated.

Did you know this? Very cool.

I've never seen so many cameras in one place. Everywhere you
looked, people were under the canopy of blooms, snapping away
with everything from iPhones to professional cameras on tripods.

Some of the trees were still very pink
and looked gorgeous next to the fluffy, whiter trees.

This city has never looked so good!

A truly splendid sight.

This post of 100 Photos of the Day from 2012 is well worth your time. Below, a few of my favorites.

The future is now.

So, what you're saying is, I don't need to have any skills whatsoever?



Check it out. A camera that captures all the information, so you don't actually have to focus while taking a picture. You can focus later, with the camera or on your computer.

Ansel Adams would have passed out.

They're coming to get you, Barbara.

Remember when I posted about the best engagement photo ever? Here's the whole series.

These people are the bomb.

Best engagement photo ever

Obviously.

This is a great idea.

Very little continues to happen in my life since I'm devoting all my spare time to watching Shield DVDs. That statement does not even feel sad or pathetic. That's how good this show is.

This means season 5 has been concluded:


A similar pile showed up on my coffee table after a scene in an early season 6 episode. I will only say this: box of books. Cry with me now, fellow Shield fans.

Okay, that's enough of that. I want to share with you something my Dad sent me that was printed in the New York Times. (Happy Birthday, Dad!) This is a great idea for us traveling photographers. I'm heading to NYC soon, and I think I'll follow this advice.

Dear Diary:

On the way to the subway after work in late February, I found a digital camera in the snow. I brought it home and checked to see that it worked. There were tourist pictures of New York City on the camera: a gentleman smiling at Times Square, Lincoln Center, the Empire State Building, etc. And, there was a photo of the Novotel hotel sign.

On a whim, I called the Novotel and explained to a somewhat perplexed front desk employee that I might possibly have the camera of one of their guests. I persuaded them to take my telephone number in case anyone should inquire.

At 1 a.m. I got a call from a Frenchwoman, apologizing for calling at such an hour, explaining that she had lost her camera and hoped that I had it.

The next day, a grateful couple came by and retrieved their camera on the way to the airport. They were heading home to Paris. They gave me some pate de fruits from Fauchon.

Lesson learned: Take a picture of your hotel on your digital camera.

Winter Wonderland

I took an hour off this afternoon to drive up to the summit of Laurel Mountain and see a magnificent frozen wonderland. A winter lover's delight!



You can see more shots on my photo blog.

A photo every day

So James challenged me to do the photo-a-day challenge this year. The idea is both to document your year and make you a better photographer. I also like the stuff you can find out about people when they comment on their mundane photos, which is why I think more people in the family should hop on this bandwagon. There are, like, 17 people with D-40s. Let's see what you can do.

I'm posting my photos here. Thus far, they're really only documenting my wretched laziness, which is a hallmark of my January each year. Hopefully they'll get a little more interesting.

Extraordinary

James sent me the link to this photo essay. It's remarkable, both as a work of photography and as a tribute to love and letting go.

And if you have an issue with your co-workers seeing you cry, maybe don't view it at work.

Crazy magical wizardry via Photoshop

Oh, sweet fancy Moses, you must check out this Swedish dude's website. He takes photos and retouches them. That's all he does. But what he does is some sort of magical trickery that will blow your very mind. Madness!

Take a look around his site. Beware of the chopped carrots, though. Eek!

Hey, all of you people who went to Italy with me...

…and even all of those who didn’t, take a look at this. My friend Fran sent me the link. You know how people take those funky pics of themselves looking like they’re holding up the leaning Tower of Pisa? Apparently, when you snap those same pics from a different angle, it looks like a “mass-hallucination tai chi class.”

I wish I had done this when we went.

My day of fun in pictures

I had a day off today so I planned a day of fun in Pittsbugh. I started out in the Strip District where I saw some sexy hats.


There was also an amusing sign about growing older, which made me realize that I will soon be at a point where I've been driving for half my life.

I went to the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, which is like Conzatti's on steroids.

They have pretty Italian sweets...

...a magificent selection of olive oils...

...and an olive bar that would make you weep.

I ended up here, the original Primanti's.

My usual: the steak and cheese, #2 best seller. They never do tell you what the #1 best seller is...

I'm not even going to comment on the time elapse between this photo and the one before. It's appalling.

After the Strip, I headed to the shops in Shadyside. The Shadyside Curiosity Shop is wonderfully colorful. I bought an old fashioned slide puzzle. I also went to a thrift shop and found a great old faux bamboo end table. It looks hideous now, but wait till it meets up with some high-gloss white spray paint. It's gonna be fabulous.


Next I headed to one of my favorite places in the world!

Ikea is more than a store, it's an experience. Because you may be spending hours there, they have a cafe. I had never eaten there before, but this time I was a little hungry, so I thought I'd try some Swedish meatballs. What can I say? This was a mistake. They are not great, but they're better than the mac and cheese, which was just dismal. The guy covered everything with gravy, and that terrifying pile of red stuff on the edge is lingonberries, which is like Swedish cranberries. It all went in the trash. I suppose not everything about Blue Wonderland can be perfect, and the imperfection is the heinous food. But the soda was great. Their carbonation levels are perfect. I drank that right up.

After my meal misfire at Ikea, I went to a place where I knew I could get something tasty. I want to be buried in a pile of Chipotle vegetarian burritos so I can eat my way out. And the employees there are so nice, they'd call the police for you if you were to lock your keys in your trunk. And the North Fayette Police Department is really awesome at helping people out of jams like that. Or so I've heard.

Next stop: Station Square and a ride up the Mon Incline...

...to end up here, the second most beautiful place in America. Interestingly enough, I'll be seeing the most beautiful place in June.

This evening was perfection. It was nice and warm, and there was a light breeze blowing.

I had so much fun, and now I'm off to bed to dream of my birthday meal tomorrow.