Monday, February 18, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
New Orleans
New Orleans has a real spirit. It's the most authentic of all American cities.
- Brad Pitt, Actor & New Orleans Resident
St. Louis Cemetery #1 was opened in 1789, replacing New Orleans' older St. Peter Cemetery. The renowned Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is believed to be interred in the Glapion family crypt.
When The Saints Go Marchin' In....Louis Armstrong Park. The park, located steps from the French Quarter, was created to honor New Orleans' favorite son, the great Louis Armstrong, and to preserve the site of Congo Square.
Jackson Square has been the site of numerous movies - Angel Heart, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, King Creole - and television series like K-Ville, Treme and Memphis Beat.
Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest and most destructive Atlantic hurricane of the 2005 season. Eventually 80 % of New Orleans and large tracts of neighboring parishes became flooded. Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond at The Presbytere is a must-see exhibition on the history and science of these awesome storms – and their profound impact on our lives.
New Orleans Cocktail Walking Tour Presents "Green Fairy" at Pirate's Alley Cafe & Olde Absinthe House: 1 oz absinthe herbal liqueur, 1 oz water, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tsp egg white & 1 dash Angostura® bitters.
The definitive Dixieland sound is created when one instrument (usually the trumpet) plays the melody or a recognizable paraphrase or variation on it, and the other instruments of the "front line" improvise around that melody.
Horsepower in Royal Street. The prices at Royal Street art shops and antique stores tend to be very high - it has been listed as one of the most expensive places to shop in the world.
Mardi Gras 2013: The Ladies are ready for the Krewe of Carrollton. In 1924, a group calling itself "The Seventh District Carnival Club," presented its first parade on Mardi Gras day of that year with J.W. Fordyce as its King. Parading down Oak Street and around the Carrollton Avenue area of New Orleans, this club would continue to grow and eventually, in 1947, become known as the "Krewe of Carrollton".
....and here come the Krewe of Carrollton floats. Carrolton is the Fourth oldest Carnival parading organization, behind Rex, Proteus, and Zulu.
The parades go on when the lights go down...These are The Knights of Sparta. The Knights of Sparta originated as a bal masque organization in 1951, staging elaborate tableaus for many years at the Municipal Auditorium. In 1981, the Knights began parading in Orleans Parish.
Take a day trip to the plantations: The most noted slave who lived on Oak Alley Plantation was a field slave named Antoine. He was listed as "Antoine, 38, Creole Negro gardener/expert grafter of pecan trees", with a value of $1,000 in the inventory of the estate.
Last season Mr Torres Jr. killed 77 alligators on this beautiful cajun swamp in Louisiana. The French bag and shoe manufacturers were extremely grateful.
New Orleans is THE place for foodies with fine dining and historic cafes all around the city from the bustling French Quarter to the picture-perfect uptown Garden District. The food blends fancy French cuisine with local cooking styles to create distinctive Creole and Cajun dishes that are original to the city. New Orleans School of Cooking knows how to make Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo - get the recipe http://bit.ly/H2CfLa
The secret of the gumbo flavour is "Joe's Stuff", Original Blend Seasoning. All Natural. No Preservatives.
Oysters Rockefeller was originally created at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine's. The dish - created in 1899 - was named after John D. Rockefeller, for the intense richness of the sauce. Get the receipe http://bit.ly/ogXdoM.
The mayor of New Orleans offered his residence at the French Quarter to Napoleon in 1821 as a refuge during his exile. Napoleon never made it, but they're still serving damn good Pimm's Cups there!
Listen to the sound of New Orleans Art. The New Orleans Arts District, NOAD is located in the historic American Sector, close to the Mississippi River and the French Quarter. The renaissance of this area began with the 1984 World’s Fair, and today is a thriving neighborhood of art galleries and world-class museums, restaurants, shops and private residences.
Did you know Louisiana was the first state in the U.S. to offer sales tax refunds to international visitors? This means: International visitors to the state of Louisiana are finding a shopping paradise in Louisiana – providing a sales tax refund for international shoppers on purchases made at nearly 900 tax free stores.
As of Super Bowl XLVII, 27 of 47 Super Bowls have been played in three cities; New Orleans (ten times), the Greater Miami area (ten times), or the Greater Los Angeles area (seven times). In 2013 the grandest, most-watched single event in American sports took place here at the gigantic Mercedes Benz Superdome.
Super Bowl Sunday: When Over 100 Million People Get Together to See The World's Most Expensive TV Commercials.
Mardi Gras 2013 – been there, done that! The Grande Finale is always on Fat Tuesday with The Krewe of Zulu and The Krewe of Rex.
- Brad Pitt, Actor & New Orleans Resident
St. Louis Cemetery #1 was opened in 1789, replacing New Orleans' older St. Peter Cemetery. The renowned Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is believed to be interred in the Glapion family crypt.
When The Saints Go Marchin' In....Louis Armstrong Park. The park, located steps from the French Quarter, was created to honor New Orleans' favorite son, the great Louis Armstrong, and to preserve the site of Congo Square.
Jackson Square has been the site of numerous movies - Angel Heart, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, King Creole - and television series like K-Ville, Treme and Memphis Beat.
Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest and most destructive Atlantic hurricane of the 2005 season. Eventually 80 % of New Orleans and large tracts of neighboring parishes became flooded. Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond at The Presbytere is a must-see exhibition on the history and science of these awesome storms – and their profound impact on our lives.
New Orleans Cocktail Walking Tour Presents "Green Fairy" at Pirate's Alley Cafe & Olde Absinthe House: 1 oz absinthe herbal liqueur, 1 oz water, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tsp egg white & 1 dash Angostura® bitters.
The definitive Dixieland sound is created when one instrument (usually the trumpet) plays the melody or a recognizable paraphrase or variation on it, and the other instruments of the "front line" improvise around that melody.
Horsepower in Royal Street. The prices at Royal Street art shops and antique stores tend to be very high - it has been listed as one of the most expensive places to shop in the world.
Mardi Gras 2013: The Ladies are ready for the Krewe of Carrollton. In 1924, a group calling itself "The Seventh District Carnival Club," presented its first parade on Mardi Gras day of that year with J.W. Fordyce as its King. Parading down Oak Street and around the Carrollton Avenue area of New Orleans, this club would continue to grow and eventually, in 1947, become known as the "Krewe of Carrollton".
....and here come the Krewe of Carrollton floats. Carrolton is the Fourth oldest Carnival parading organization, behind Rex, Proteus, and Zulu.
The parades go on when the lights go down...These are The Knights of Sparta. The Knights of Sparta originated as a bal masque organization in 1951, staging elaborate tableaus for many years at the Municipal Auditorium. In 1981, the Knights began parading in Orleans Parish.
Take a day trip to the plantations: The most noted slave who lived on Oak Alley Plantation was a field slave named Antoine. He was listed as "Antoine, 38, Creole Negro gardener/expert grafter of pecan trees", with a value of $1,000 in the inventory of the estate.
Last season Mr Torres Jr. killed 77 alligators on this beautiful cajun swamp in Louisiana. The French bag and shoe manufacturers were extremely grateful.
New Orleans is THE place for foodies with fine dining and historic cafes all around the city from the bustling French Quarter to the picture-perfect uptown Garden District. The food blends fancy French cuisine with local cooking styles to create distinctive Creole and Cajun dishes that are original to the city. New Orleans School of Cooking knows how to make Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo - get the recipe http://bit.ly/H2CfLa
The secret of the gumbo flavour is "Joe's Stuff", Original Blend Seasoning. All Natural. No Preservatives.
Oysters Rockefeller was originally created at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine's. The dish - created in 1899 - was named after John D. Rockefeller, for the intense richness of the sauce. Get the receipe http://bit.ly/ogXdoM.
The mayor of New Orleans offered his residence at the French Quarter to Napoleon in 1821 as a refuge during his exile. Napoleon never made it, but they're still serving damn good Pimm's Cups there!
Listen to the sound of New Orleans Art. The New Orleans Arts District, NOAD is located in the historic American Sector, close to the Mississippi River and the French Quarter. The renaissance of this area began with the 1984 World’s Fair, and today is a thriving neighborhood of art galleries and world-class museums, restaurants, shops and private residences.
Did you know Louisiana was the first state in the U.S. to offer sales tax refunds to international visitors? This means: International visitors to the state of Louisiana are finding a shopping paradise in Louisiana – providing a sales tax refund for international shoppers on purchases made at nearly 900 tax free stores.
As of Super Bowl XLVII, 27 of 47 Super Bowls have been played in three cities; New Orleans (ten times), the Greater Miami area (ten times), or the Greater Los Angeles area (seven times). In 2013 the grandest, most-watched single event in American sports took place here at the gigantic Mercedes Benz Superdome.
Super Bowl Sunday: When Over 100 Million People Get Together to See The World's Most Expensive TV Commercials.
Mardi Gras 2013 – been there, done that! The Grande Finale is always on Fat Tuesday with The Krewe of Zulu and The Krewe of Rex.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Venezia
The "Ponte Chiodo" (Nail Bridge) in Cannaregio is unique as it is the only bridge in Venice that has no parapet.
Piazza San Marco, Venice. It is one of the few great urban spaces in Europe where human voices prevail over the sounds of motorized traffic.
Cruising on Canal Grande, Venice
Buon Natale da Venezia! Ponte di Rialto is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.
Craftsmanship At Its Best: Gondolas are handmade using 8 different types of wood (fir, oak, cherry, walnut, elm, mahogany, larch and lime) and composed of 280 pieces.
United Colors of Burano. Two stories are attributed to how the city obtained its name: One is that it was initially founded by the Buriana family, and another is that the first settlers of Burano came from the small island of Buranello.
The Master of Murano needs only 4 minutes...
...to make a perfect glass horse.
Christmas spirit in a Venetian cloister. Hotel Abbazia has transformed the ancient refectory of the Discalced Carmelite Brothers into a cozy lounge area.
Smoggy Sunday on Canal Grande. It's 3,800 m long, 30–90 m wide, with an average depth of five meters.
Piazza San Marco, Venice. It is one of the few great urban spaces in Europe where human voices prevail over the sounds of motorized traffic.
Cruising on Canal Grande, Venice
Buon Natale da Venezia! Ponte di Rialto is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.
Craftsmanship At Its Best: Gondolas are handmade using 8 different types of wood (fir, oak, cherry, walnut, elm, mahogany, larch and lime) and composed of 280 pieces.
United Colors of Burano. Two stories are attributed to how the city obtained its name: One is that it was initially founded by the Buriana family, and another is that the first settlers of Burano came from the small island of Buranello.
The Master of Murano needs only 4 minutes...
...to make a perfect glass horse.
Christmas spirit in a Venetian cloister. Hotel Abbazia has transformed the ancient refectory of the Discalced Carmelite Brothers into a cozy lounge area.
Smoggy Sunday on Canal Grande. It's 3,800 m long, 30–90 m wide, with an average depth of five meters.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Firenze
 |
Holy
night, silent night at the Uffizi Gallery. The Uffizi was designed by
Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de'Medici to house the Granducal
Magistratures of Tuscany.
(A few more words about Giorgio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Vasari) |
 |
| Rudolf is on strike. |
 |
An
optical illusion at Piazza del Duomo, Florence. Santa Maria del Fiore
Cathedral is the fourth church of Europe by size, its length is 153 m
and its height is 116 m.
|
 |
| The Laurentian Library (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana) by Michelangelo is accessed from the side of the church in the cloisters. |
 |
Ponte
Vecchio by night. Butchers initially occupied the shops of the
bridge; the present tenants are jewellers, art dealers and souvenir
sellers.
|
 |
| Officina di Santa Maria Novella. |
 |
| Last minute Christmas shopping. |
 |
| Legend has it that good luck will come to those who place a coin on the muzzle of Florence's wild-boar "Porcellino" and let it fall into the underlying grate. |
 |
Something
red, hot and Italian for Xmas:
Bruschetta http://bit.ly/MCKzbD |
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