日本銀行

Bank of Japan.

up to something dynamic and interactive, as usual

Detail of futuristic metal decorative element crowning "The Focal" building in Spring Street, Melbourne.

This decoration has fascinated me for years, and always makes me think of Art Deco flagpoles, ray guns from Marvin the Martian cartoons, and Fritz Lang's film Metropolis.

"The Focal" was built in 1996, and is a nine level mid-rise residential apartment building containing a heated indoor pool, full sized tennis court, gym, and my favourite - a communal herb garden. Most of the other commercial and residential buildings in the area are pretty boring and don't have anything like this on them to make them stand out.

@LocustGroveEstate, #Poughkeepsie, #NewYork "Royal Retreats: The Holiday Homes of Queen Victoria & The Prince" presentation by Ian Cox at Locust Grove Estate, South Road, Poughkeepsie, New York -

“Queen Victoria and Prince Albert held court at their official residences, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. However, during the early years of their marriage they yearned for private retreats where they could enjoy family life. The royal couple would go on to acquire estates at Osborne, East Cowes on the Isle of Wight and at Balmoral, Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Prince Albert would take a hand in developing suitable houses for the time they would spend in each of these special places—Osborne built between 1845-1851 and designed in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo, and Balmoral completed in 1856 in the Scots Baronial style. Both properties became central to their lives and much loved holiday homes, each providing, in different ways, much needed relief from the intense pressures of court life in and near the capital. Osborne became a monument to their marriage and Balmoral a remote and very Scottish seasonal home. The latter is still much enjoyed by the royal family today. Ian Cox's lecture will explore the history, development and significance of both of these fascinating royal residences.”

Photograph by James Russiello

#VicSocAmerica #Vsasummerschool #VSALondon #victorianny #lookingup #architourist #newyork #poughkeepsie dutchesscounty #LocustGrove #IsleofWhite #Balmoral #royalretreats #royalpalaces #lgny

Taken from the backyard

This is Zachary - he's a weimaraner.

48/365x2

It's Friday! Who can complain??

Processed with VSCO with 8 preset

Got a little bored at work yesterday... so I went to the roof... contemplated jumping off.. then started shooting... pictures that is :)

stops me

PDX photowalk 10-18-08

Palm Trees and Hotels

Giant Redwood at Inverary Bell Tower

... of the gatehouse to the ruins of Thetford Priory - the staircase long gone.

Kaleidoscope Skylight

Really. Big. Tree. (I think it's the Tulip Poplar, in the back of the garden, 20 feet around.)

Dohany St. Synagogue

this is actually very much mostly sooc

Interior of the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter

A lot of terra cotta panels on this building c.1900 - This panel must have been an uplifting experience for pupils arriving each day - I guess it would not be very PC today. Now used by the local authority as offices etc.

b l o g g e d

photo show opening tonight in San Francisco.. Details at:

Details at flickr.com/groups/hbw

深川神明宮

handheld 1/10s view from reading seat (shared with cat Woody) - with review deadline, wisdom tooth recovery and arctic temperatures outside, I spent whole day reading - though for much of the afternoon Woody had this space to himself and I was on chair to the right of frame

Fisheye of tree in Oak Park in Tampa.