BuzzStew

Stockholm, Sweden

2012-01-30T11:54:00.001-05:00

Yet another trip to Stockholm (amazing as always) this January. This was my first trip during the heart of winter and I am now well aware why vodka is so popular in this part of the world. I also included a side trip to Helsinki, Finland, which I will post pictures from in my next update. It snowed from the moment I landed and didnt let up. It was still snowing as the plane took off for JFK, and for all I know it is still snowing. It is all part of the Scandinavian experience so I went with it. Just call me Nanook.

My time in Stockholm, with only 5 to 6 hours of daylight, included a visit to the Vasamuseet, Skansen, a walking tours through Södermalm, Gamla Stan, and Norrmalm...with multiple stops to have a fika and warm up of course.

Additionally, I was directed to this amazing blog on life is Stockholm. It truly gives a great modern opinion of what it means to be a metropolitan Swede. And the writing is just dry and brilliant.

Paris, France.

2012-01-16T19:21:00.003-05:00

It has been a while. Sorry for that my loyal followers, but hopefully photos from Paris will satiate your appetite. I was lucky enough to have an extended layover in Paris this month, so I was able to put aside my jet lag, grab my camera and get out and about for a bit.

Musée des Art Décoratifs is currently showing a retrospective of John-Paul Goude. It's stunning, so if you happen to be traveling to (or living in) Paris sometime between now and March 18, 2012, then it is certainly worth checking out. One of the amazing things about this man was his ability to manipulate a photo negative by cutting it into pieces in order to stretch and alter the images appearance. like 30 years before Photoshop. One of his big muses in life was Grace Jones, so that may give some idea of what sort of visuals to expect. There was neon, there was Björk, there was a woman dressed in white who had balls on her neck and who appeared to be floating. See photo below as evidence. #totesamazeballs.

This rest of my trip was complete with a 3 hour lunch with a bottle of rosé (as one does), meandering through the winding streets, dinner in the Les Marais, drinks with friends at the Open Cafe and an invite to Victor Hugo's apartment. He was not there of course, but did you know he had a daughter named Léopoldine?

Provincetown, Massachusetts

2011-10-11T16:53:00.001-04:00

There is nothing quite like a quick Indian Summer jaunt up to Ptown now is there? The seashore here is just amazing, with sweeping dunes and bike and walking paths for miles. Ptown is of course many things to many people - gay mecca with theme weekends from Bears to Baby Dykes, sleepy off season oceanside retreat, home for arists and writers... the list is endless. The one thing I suppose everyone falls in love with when they come here though, is the landscape.

Toronto, Canada.

2011-09-19T20:49:00.001-04:00

Vibrant. Ethnic. Cultural. Urban. Friendly. Toronto.

It seems this city is rightfully a world class metropolis. Each neighbo(u)rhood is distinctly different and offers something of it's own to this lakeside city. From Chinatown and Kensington Market to the Distillery District and the Harbourfront, this city has something to offer everyone.

Budapest, Hungary.

2011-08-20T14:39:00.000-04:00

The first time I was in Budapest was in March of 2008 and even though it was cold and rainy for the 4 days I was there, I enjoyed the city tremendously. Going back now 3 and a half years later, that enjoyment is just reaffirmed. Hungary has a long and beautiful history, one that in the last century has included occupation, political strife and war. Budapest was ravaged during WWII but much of it has been rebuilt beautifully. The landmarks are amazing, Buda Castle, The Hungarian Parliament, Andrássy Avenue, Gresham Palace... Stunning. Congruently, it is also a strikingly cosmopolitan city. Wine bars, outdoor cafes and fashionable people abound. High highs and history.

Barcelona, Spain.

2011-08-10T10:02:00.003-04:00

I just find this place spectacular. It is like a living, breathing epicenter of artistic inspiration. Antoni Gaudi and Joan Miro, what more do you need? I have a guide book that describes Barcelona in this way:

'What Barcelona's got, she flaunts. And you name it, she's got it. Spain's second city is cradled between the last gasp of the Pyrenees and the shores of the Mediterranean, and is blessed with art, sun, sea, sand and sexy people in every direction.'

I couldn't say it any more succinctly. So on this trip I started at the Park Güell which was designed of course by Guadi. The views from there are quite spectacular as it is perched high above the city. Then I headed over to another high point in the city, Montjuïc. I took the cable car up to the top and walked my way down, stopping at the Mies van de Rohe designed Pavello.

Rome, Italy.

2011-08-05T15:54:00.001-04:00

So really, Rome has my heart like no other city. It just does. I mean, I love it down to the way that people grocery shop. The way every time they try and build a subway station they find a site that needs to be archeologically excavated. The way that Romans love their dogs. The way that even the most small and basic of Piazzas (Piazzi?) are beautiful. The way that wine and gelato can both be consumed before lunch. I could go on. And on. And on.

The Bronx Zoo

2011-07-11T17:13:00.002-04:00

Living in NY for most of my life, but only having been to the Bronx Zoo on an Elementary School field trip like 30 years ago, I thought it high time that I make a return visit. So earlier this Summer I set out, Nikon in hand, on a trip that would bring me to all corners of the wildlife globe. Giraffe and Gorillas and Bears, oh my! Over 4,000 species of animal are represented in both indoor and outdoor exhibits. If you live in the NYC area you may recall a scandal or two involving the Zoo, including Ota Benga and the now legendary Cobra escapee and Twitter star named Mia. It is the largest metroplitan zoo in the US, and being right in NYC, there are bound to animals that would rather hit a local food truck or have rooftop drinks at The Gansevoort.

Los Angeles.

2011-06-23T17:58:00.000-04:00

I went to LA a few weeks ago specifically to see Kylie Minogue at the Hollywood Bowl. Say what you will, but I would and have flown further to see her. Anyway, I made a weekend out of it and did all sorts of stuff. I have been to LA more times then I can count, and even lived there for a year when I was younger so its not really new to me, but like any most cities the evolving culture and and people draw me in because there is always something new and fresh to see and do. This trip included the Getty in Bel Air, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Santa Monica, Hollywood, the Museum of Jurassic Technology, Griffith Observatory, and dinner at Church & State (next to Molly Ringwald!) I have been to the Getty before but it is extremely impressive this time of year, so I will be doing a post of photos dedicated solely to it, in the next few days.

Sydney, Bondi and the Blue Mountains, Australia.

2011-06-22T15:34:00.001-04:00

Sydney. What can I say, really? It's worth every second of the time it takes to get there, and it is filled with people who maintain a feisty and artistic spirit, an amazing harbo(u)r and vibrant neighborhoods. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Darling Harbour, the Sydney Opera House, views of the Harbour Bridge from the Rocks, and dinner at Orto in Surry Hills are all musts while you're visiting. Bondi beach is just a bus ride from the city and offers up a fierce bit of ocean beach that brings in the surfers and serious swimmer. Out of the city and up into the Blue Mountains lay the the Three Sisters, and amazing rock formation that jut out in a valley full of waterfalls and eucalyptus trees. Sydney and it's surrounding area is, as my friends David and Melissa taught me, BONZA!

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2011-05-02T17:36:00.002-04:00

Rio de Janiero is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I hope you'll be able to see why through these photos that I took on my most recent trip there. It is an amazing mashup of ocean, mountains, jungle and urban inhabitants, that come together to make a steamy and stylish metropolis that is on one hand, grounded in rich Brazilian traditon and culture, and on the other hand moving quickly toward the future.

Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan

2011-04-04T06:25:00.000-04:00

Harajuku is an area of Tokyo know for its street life and fashion sensibility. Here are some images from my jaunt around this area of town. Gwen Stefani of course immortalized Harajuku Girls in music, but there is no way you could label any of these people into one set fashion ideology or music iconography. Their style and use of clothing to express themselves is truly awesome.

Magic Gardens, Philadelphia

2011-03-26T22:25:00.000-04:00

The Magic Gardens in Philadelphia are not your average kind of gardens. There are no herbs or vegetables of flowers planted here. Instead, it is a beautiful showcase of the mosaic art of Isaiah Zagar. Imprinted throughout the gardens are quotes from other artist, poems, and sculptures from around the world. If/When you get to Philadelphia, head straight down to South Street and see this place for yourself. Oh, and yes, that is indeed me in one of the pics ;-) Oops I almost forgot to mention that all of these photos were taken with my iPhone 4, as I forgot my Nikon at home. Not so bad, huh?

The U.S. Virgin Islands, Post 2: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

2011-03-19T19:16:00.000-04:00

So after sunbathing, hiking, snorkeling and eating our way across St. John, we took the ferry back over to St. Thomas and spent the day sightseeing around Charlotte Amalie, the capital. Beautiful little city flanked by mountains to one side and crystal blue waters on the other. Sadly those crystal blue waters are home to insanely large crusie ships, which bring in insanely large numbers of stupid people. Good for the infrastucture but bad for my nerves.

The U.S. Virgin Islands, Post 1: St. John

2011-03-15T17:15:00.003-04:00

So the final stop on the Swedish American tour were the islands of St. Thomas and St. John in the US Virgin Islands. We flew down from NY, landed on St. Thomas picked up a Jeep and immediately went to the ferry dock and crossed the channel to St. John. I first went to St. John when I was in High School on a class trip. We camped and snorkeled and did general teenager things, all under the guise of learning about the delicate Eco system that exists both on the island itself, and the amazing coral reefs that surround its coasts. At the time I wasn't sure how much I was learning, but now I look back and see what an indelible learning experience it was for me. This time was spent doing much of the same things as I did on my first visit, we spent a few days exploring Cruz Bay, Coral Bay, Cinnamon Bay, the ruins at the Annaberg Sugar Plantation, eating seafood at every stop. Then we went back to St. Thomas for a great day in Charlotte Amalie, photos of which I will dedicate an upcoming post to. Sadly, my Nikon was a bit too expensive to dunk into the ocean willy nilly to photograph the amazing underwater life, so you will have to just enjoy the view above water.

Washington, D.C.

2011-03-04T12:01:00.001-05:00

And even further south along our tour was our next stop, Washington, DC. I love this city for its vibrant mix of politics, design, art and culture. Each time I go to DC, I fall in love with it a little bit more. There is always something I havent seen in Washington, and because it is the epicenter of U.S. politics, it always feels current and inspiring.

Baltimore, Maryland / Bawlmer, Hon.

2011-03-03T20:28:00.007-05:00

Next up on the eastern seaboard tour was Baltimore, Maryland. A city of many hats, Baltimore offers us such delights as John Waters, The Peabody Conservatory of Music, The Visonary Art Museum, Johns Hopkins University, Bertha's Mussels, The Inner Harbour, Donna's, Maryland King Crabs, and Tori Amos. It's a city of comical absurdity, important U.S. history, and modern culture. Here are some of the visual highlights from this visit.

Philadelphia, Pennslyvania

2011-02-21T20:58:00.001-05:00

So my friend Fredrik who lives in Stockholm, has come state side for a few weeks to visit me in NY. We thought it'd be fun to try and squeeze in a bit more of the eastern seaboard to broaden his American experience (even though he has been to the US before, he has yet to see it Sean style!) Then we got really over zealous and planned a few days in the USVI to get some sun on his pasty Swedish skin. I of course, only signed on to that last bit because of the fruity rum drinks with little umbrellas. We started our tour in a Philadelphia, here are some of the visuals that Philly offered up.

Antwerp, Belgium

2011-02-02T16:23:00.001-05:00

On a Layover in Brussels last month, I decided to take the train out to Antwerp. I have been all over the city of Brussels as well as Bruges, so it seemed fitting that I expand my travels a bit further into Flanders and go to Antwerp. It was kind of a crappy day, filled with cold weather and rain showers so it was not a photographers dream, but I managed to snap a few pictures to give you an idea of what the city has to offer visually. The good part about the bad weather is that I will now have to go back and see it when the sun is shining!

Zurich, Switzerland

2011-01-26T14:25:00.004-05:00

So I has been just about 2 months (!) since my last update, and I know you are all going through withdrawls so I thought it best to throw you a bone and post something. Sarcasm, kids. But seriously, I have been stockpiling photos so updates should be more frequent. So, I am in Switzerland on a layover, and as I walked around Zurich this afternoon/evening I listened (repeatedly) to the fabulous new Adele cd, 21. There is something about her voice that suits this city well and its strong ability to seem sleepy and vibrant at the same time.

HELSINKI

2010-11-28T15:58:00.001-05:00

Here are just a few photos from my recent jaunt to Helsinki Finland. A beautiful city that I would like to spend more time in. I wasn't able to see enough of the city so I would love to go and spend more time exploring and to see some of the surrounding areas. I was able to get in the top sights in the downtown area though, and I highly reccomend that if you have the chance to stop here on your way to somewhere else that you extend your connection to stay overnight, or if you want to see the best of the Baltics, Helsinki is great city to start in.

ICELAND, Post #2 Gullfoss, Thingvellir, Geysir, and the Blue Lagoon.

2010-11-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

Gullfoss, Thingvellir, Geysir, and the Blue lagoon were the next and final stops for me in Iceland. The first three, are part of what in the Icelandic tourist market, is called the Golden Cirlce. Generally it is just several of the top attractions in Iceland that happen to be all within an easy day tour of the capital city. I jumped on a bus with a chatty Norwegian couple (with an even chattier young son), an elderly American couple, and a German man and set out to see what lay beyond Reykjavik.

ICELAND, Post #1 Reykjavik

2010-11-06T06:55:00.001-04:00

I have always wanted to go to Iceland, and now I have. Back in High School my friend Paulette told me that her mother had stopped there on her way to Germany, and I couldn't believe that I knew someone, who was related to someone, that had been to Iceland. It mattered little to me that her mother most likely didn't get off the plane during her stopover. So I started my trip in Reykjavik, the capital city with a population of 120,000. To me it was perfect, a compact and cosmopolitan place that was as much a small fishing village, as it was a hip nordic city with bars and restaraunts for every kind of traveler. All the photos in this post are from Reykjavik, I hope you can get a little taste of what it has to offer. From the capital I set out on the popular 'Golden Circle' tour that includes three of the major attractions within an easy drive from the city. First stop was Thingvellir National Park, the home of Icelands first Parliment. Next up was Gullfoss, the beautiful waterfall. Then finally on to Geysir, the mother of all geysers. I also went to the Blue Lagoon, which of course you cannot miss. I will have photos from each place in future posts. My visit was way too short and there are so many things that I still want to do and see, so I am already planning a trip back. Anyone want to come?

The Storm King 15

2010-10-26T02:31:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are unaware of its existence (I was too, until the day I went) The Storm King Art Center lies in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York State. Essentially a large sculpture garden, Storm King has works by major artists like Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Alice Aycock, Roy Lichtenstein and Maya Lin, among many others. I went on an amazing Autumn day, perhaps the most amazing of the season so far. The grounds have been carved from the landscape to collaborate with the pieces themselves, and the result is a stunning combination of art and nature. If you get the chance to visit this extraordinary place, I hope that you will take it. Until then, here are my photos.

Sardinia, Post 4 - The Nuraghi

2010-09-30T23:57:00.002-04:00

There are something like 8,000 Nuraghic villages on Sardinia, and that is only the ones that have been excavated. These photos are just a sample of what you can find on the island if you have a fetish for ruins. Most of the Nuraghi date back at least 3,500 years. And I thought Cloris Leachman was old. I traveled down to the largest excavated village in the town of Su Nuraxi, where along with the village there is also a museum dedicated to that specific site and the man who pioneered the dig. It just seemed amazing to me that with all the unexcavated areas of the island, that under any hill that I saw there could have been village dating back to... well, a really long time ago.

Sardinia, Post 3 - Grotta di Nettuno, Alghero, Sassari and Tharros.

2010-09-23T21:55:00.001-04:00

From San Pasquale, I headed to the western shore of the island, stopping at Capo Caccia and Grotta di Nettuno.

From There, I headed a bit south to the Charming seaside town/tourist mecca of Alghero. It was here, I found my first beloved granita of the trip. The first time I had one was with my Mother, Sister and Aunt on the Island of Panerea (where the maternal side of my family hails from) and I have had a love affair with it ever since. I usually always choose the coffee granita. This one in Alghero was perfect. I should have asked for two.

Then it was on to Sassari, Sardinia's second largest city. Sassari seemed the most authentic urban place on the Island. It has a long history of art and cultural and has been ruled over by everyone under the sun, but now it is a city that feels as though it isn't really trying to please anyone, it is just being what it is. Lovely at times, a bit worn at others.

From there it was down to Tharros, the ancient Phoenician city at the tip of an isthmus to the west of Oristano.

The drive back up to Alghero from here along the coast line, provided some of the most beautiful views of the trip.

Sardinia, Post 2 - Capo Testa.

2010-09-21T15:53:00.000-04:00

Capo Testa is a rocky promontory (where, alledgedly, ancient Romans quarried granite) that offers amazing coves for swimming, beautiful rocks and boulders for traversing and wonderful scenery for viewing. Corsica looms in the distance as sailboats and yatchs make thier way throught the 11 mile stretch between France and Italy. Undoubtedly, it would have been lovely to have been sipping a Prosecco on the deck of one of those yachts, but we all can't be Donatella Versace can we? The rest of us have to contend with climbing the rocks like monkeys. Lucky little monkeys, at that.

Sardinia, Post 1.

2010-09-20T17:35:00.002-04:00

So I wasn't sure quite how to approach this, as I took almost 800 photos of my trip to Sardinia. I decided that the easiest way for me to post some pics was to first give you a general photo overview from the places on the island that I traveled to and then with each subsequent post, give more detail on those individual places/regions that I saw. Also to help, I thought I would give you a google map to give you an idea of the geography that was covered, Its at the very bottom of this post. I will link in more info on each place as I post on them to give a more in depth idea on the sights.

The small village of San Pasquale where I stayed.

One of the many inlets of Capo Testa

Castelsardo

Capo Caccia and the opening to Neptune's Grotto

Sassari

The Naval Museum on Isola Maddalena

Inside the Nuraghi village in Su Nuraxi

Oristano

Do I really need to tell you what these are?

A view from Isola Caprera

View Sardinia in a larger map

The Stockholm Archipelago

2010-09-08T12:45:00.002-04:00

Before I head off to the Italian island of Sardinia, I thought it would be appropriate to share with you the images of some of the Swedish islands I visited on my last trip there. The Stockholm Archipelago has something like 24,000 islands that make it up, which seemed impossible to me until I was on a ferry boat sailing through them. Once you are among them they become inumerable. It seems that some Swedes take to summering on these islands in small little cottages that seem more fitting in Tolkien's Shire then they do in the waters off the Baltic Sea. I set out on a ferry boat from Stavnas and my first stop was the island of Sandhamn. After a lovely walk across the island, it was on to Grinda, Vaxholm and then back to Stockholm. I made a map of my journey here.

Stockholm Dressed In Flowers, 2.

2010-08-23T21:53:00.002-04:00

All of the flowers shown in these photographs were taken on Djurgården, a park on a large island in the center of Stockholm close to all the main Museums. The Boat Photograph was taken on a small beach on Lake Mälaren, not far from downtown. The other photographs are from all around the city, the Hot Air Balloons were for the annual Stockholm Culture Festival.

Stockholm Dressed In Flowers

2010-08-20T23:23:00.002-04:00

I went back to Stockholm this summer for a quick visit. The summer there is wonderful, the weather lovely, and the flowers in full bloom. I went to the Botanical Gardens, where I took most of these flower shots. The rest are from around the city parks.

Staten Island: Snug Harbor, the Boat Graveyard and the Conference House

2010-07-12T22:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I went to Staten Island. On purpose. It has a bad rap I think, but there are indeed some pretty amazing places that are certainly worth your attention. I started at Snug Harbor, once a community for retired Seamen, but is now a Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. Its quite charming and reminds me much of Governor's Island. Sadly the outdoor maze was closed, but the rest of the grounds were open and provided a lovely few hours of meandering.

The next stop was less organized than the last. The entrance way into the Arthur Kill Ship Graveyard (if you could call it an entrance) is through a ramshackle old cemetery on the side of the road and down into what is clearly a toxic waste filled swamp.

Next up on the south shore of the island, the Conference House. Some pretty cool history, so you should certainly click the link and read about it. There is a small road that leads down to a pavillion overlooking the water. The view, New Jersey.

Madrid and the Matterhorn

2010-06-30T19:33:00.002-04:00

I went to Madrid for the first time last month, and sadly I wasn't able to get out and see the city the way that I wanted too and take some proper photos due to a wicked bad head cold. But not to worry though because I get to go again a few times in July, so I promise there will be a proper Madrid posting or two. The photos below are just of the very quick walk around the city that I was able to get in while my DayQuil was still working. Like I said, some time within the next month I will have a post a proper group of pics from Madrid but for now, I hope you enjoy these.

Also, I was able to get a great shot of the Matterhorn on my way back from Milan last week. Anyone been skiing in the Alps? One day, I will do that :)

Images of Pride

2010-06-27T20:28:00.005-04:00

Today was the Pride Parade in NYC. I hope that if you were in town and felt like showing your pride (or your support for someone who is, or who should be, prideful) that you found your way down to the festivities and had a gay old time. I love the mix of people, from every walk of life, who come to celebrate together. It is always inspiring. I took about 500 photos today, focusing mainly on the faces of the people marching and celebrating. To me they are the faces of acceptance and love. I think these faces are beautiful.

The Mermaid Parade

2010-06-21T23:29:00.004-04:00

Some photos from The Coney Island Mermaid Parade in Brooklyn this past weekend. A good time seemed to have been had by all. This years Grand Marshalls were Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. Apparently it started in 1983 as a celebration of the summer season. I can think of little that should be celebrated more! Read more about it here.

Narita-san Shinshō-ji Temple, Japan

2010-06-10T19:36:00.000-04:00

Narita-san Shinshō-ji Temple is a Shingon Buddhist Temple located in Narita village, Japan. I had a layover there last month and the weather was perfect for a stroll through the amazing landscape and the photo opportunities were plentiful. Narita-san Shinshō-ji means 'Narita Mountain New Victory Temple' or so Wikipedia says, and was founded in 940. It remains one of the more important temples in the region.

Lisbon in Black and White

2010-06-02T20:03:00.000-04:00

And now for the Black and Whites. I will forever be inspired by architecture, people, scenery and culture. Lisbon has no shortage of beautiful examples of all of these. What Lisbon Inspired in me regarding color, it also did regarding colors absence.

Lisbon In Color, Post 3

2010-06-02T19:44:00.002-04:00

More color photos from Lisbon. The building facades and tile work are just unreal. I love how some of the buildings just really owned it, like those homeowners at Christmas who just go all out with the outdoor lights. I also loved how many designs tried to experiment and be new and modern, placed right next to one that was worn or old world.

I love that southern European countries have a love affair with earthen colors that look the most beautiful when struck with sunlight.

Lisbon In Color, Post 2

2010-05-26T18:17:00.003-04:00

This second post on Lisbon consists of more of the amazing color that inspired me. From the town of Belem with its Modern Art Museum and Imposing Monastery, to the streets of Chiado, Alfama and Barrio Alto, it seemed that everywhere I looked there was a burst of color that some other cities in Europe don't seem to contain. The first photo is of the Mosterio dos Jeronimos in Belem, just outside Lisbon.

Lisbon In Color, Post 1

2010-05-24T17:30:00.003-04:00

Ok so this will be a multi part mega post. I took so many photos from Lisbon due to the combination of being totally inspired by my new Nikon D90, and the beauty of the city, its people, architechure and geography. I spent 5 days walking up and down the endless hills and wanting to steal all the beautiful tiles that I saw. Many of the buildings here are adorned with handmade tiles and I was really inspired by the the amazing colors they contained and so I took more color photos than usual because I wanted to show the city in the same vibrant way. This first photgraph is looking down from the top of Calçada de Santana toward Rossio.

FLOYD BENNETT FIELD

2010-05-09T23:26:00.002-04:00

Some shots from Floyd Bennett Field that I took today. It seems to have gone from New York City's first Municipal Airport to a semi unkempt yet interesting part of the National Park Service. From a rec center to a community garden, people seem to have made the most of it. The defunct hangars were crazy spooky and frighteningly accessible.

The Florida Keys - Post 3

2010-04-14T19:36:00.005-04:00

The drive south continued from Marathon and over the Seven Mile Bridge to Bahia Honda State Park and then a stop at Baby's Coffee before the entering Key West proper. A drive up (down) crowded Duval Street led to the hotel. We left the car, checked in and hit the town. We arrived in the late afternoon so we watched the sunset, hit Mangoes for dinner and then a drag show at a place that shall remain nameless due to its really lackluster ability to find drag preformers who could lipsync, much less wear heels. There were a few stand outs, but mostly my dad could have done drag better, and for those of you who know my dad, you know just how ridiculous that sounds. I may have gotten drunk this night. Maybe.

Day two in Key West led us to Ernest Hemingway's home, the Key West Lighthouse, shopping up and down Duval Street, The Little White House , some lunch at Willie T's , dinner at Sarabeth's, and drinks at Boubon Street Pub, where the picture of the rubber ducks came from.

One of the more amazing Key West moments is the sunset. I mean seriously. Every day people head down, grab a drink and sit and watch the sky light up with the most amazing colors. Certainly one of the better ones I have seen.

The last day involved the drive back to Miami to catch a flight home, but not before stopping to play some miniatur golf at Boondocks. I lost but the Tigers Blood Sno-Cone totally kicked ass.

The Florida Keys - Post 2

2010-04-08T19:46:00.000-04:00

Next up, down Highway 1 was Crane Point in Marathon. It's a beautiful nature center with trails detailing the local flora and fauna as well as the building shown below, which was owned by George Adderley, a Bahamian immigrant who originally lived on the property. I arrived just in time to hop on a guided tour led by the lovely couple, Dinata and Andy. We traveresed the property in a elongated golf cart while Dinata gave insightful information interjected with bouts of humor by her husband Andy. There were Butterflies, Strangler Trees and even a snake, which much to my revulsion, Dinata tried to wrangle.

The drive continued to Seven Mile Bridge. There are actually two bridges here. The original railroad bridge built by Heny Flagler was damaged in a hurricane in 1935. It was then repaired and made into an automobile bridge, then again damaged by another hurricane in 1960. It has since reopened as a pedestrian connecter to Pigeon Key. The newer, bigger automobile bridge was built in 1978 and strectches the full 7 miles from Knights Key to Little Duck Key, and has remained free of hurricane damage thus far. It totals about 2 miles in distance on the pedestrian bridge to Pigeon Key, and yes I walked it... and back. The pics are below, and I think you will agree, it was well worth the blister and leg cramp.

Once on Pigeon Key, you get the feeling that you have entered the compound occupied by The Others on Lost. Slightly clinical and disurbing, but tropical, beautiful and isolated.

The next stop was at The Turtle Hospital. Anyone who knows me, knows that the way to my heart is through a Sea Turtle (well, Elephants, good music, and pasta work too). Sadly for me, since it is a working hospital, tours are at set times and are heavily booked on weekends, so I didn't get a chance to actually take the tour and see the Turtles, but I did get to snap the adorable ambulance below (thankfully it was not away on a Sea Turtle emergency). Next time. I mean it!

Check back for the final installment, KEY WEST!

The Florida Keys - Post 1

2010-04-06T19:41:00.003-04:00

This past weekend called for a little birthday trip, so I headed down to the land of The African Queen, Bogart and Bacall, Seven Mile Bridge and Ernest Hemmingway. Thats right, after landing in Miami and picking up the rental car (Monty became his name), I drove the Florida Keys. Coral Castle was the first stop. Super bizarre, diminutive, Latvian immigrant Ed Leedskalnin reportedly created this 'castle' for his 16 year old love out of carved coral formed limestone. Creepy, actually.

Next stop was the Seashell Beach Resort on Grassy Key, just north of Marathon. Resort is a STRONG claim, but it had an amazing waterfront area with a dock and beautiful rockers to sit and watch the ocean ebb and flow. Blue Moons on the dock at night are a strong reccomendation. There are only 10 rooms, and it is really quaint and lovely place. Dinner this night was at a yummy seafood place called The Island Fish Company. The Cocktails were better then the food (and on a personal note, people should really avoid letting their children run through a restaurant as though they were carrying the Olympic Torch) but the alfresco dinning on the water was well worth a few sub par calamari.

Stay tuned for more photos from this trip over the next few days!

Stockholm, Sweden - Post 3

2010-03-25T14:16:00.002-04:00

As far as music goes, Sweden has been really good to the world. Robyn, The Knife, Lykke Li, Erik Hassle, Peter Bjorn & John, Koop, Kleerup, Sally Shapiro, Axwell, Roxette, Ace of Base... ABBA! I mean seriously, the list is endless. Some of my favorite artists are on this list, and so I was well aware of the contribution that Stockholm has made to the music world long before I went. What I was unaware of was how inspired I would by the visuals that Stockholm gives off as well. It's extremely beautiful in the most cosmopolitan of ways, and yet still maintains its sense of history and heritage. It combines modern, retro, and classic together in a clean space surrounded by nature. Everywhere you look there is some sort of art installation, from the subway stations to public spaces, it seems that Stockholmers love to be surrounded by beauty. I don't blame them.

Stockholm, Sweden - Post 2

2010-03-24T12:08:00.000-04:00

This city had no shortage of amazing things to photograph.

Stockholm, Sweden - Post 1

2010-03-23T18:19:00.001-04:00

I flew to Stockholm this past weekend (via Helsinki on Finnair, which explains the first two photos) to visit my friend Fredrik. I cannot believe that I waited this long to go and see for myself what a beautiful city it is. Made up of 14 islands, Stockholm is the capital city of Sweden and its largest city. It was founded around 1250 and is constantly rated as one of the top cities in the world to live. Fredrik was my tour guide and we went to the Moderna Museet to see an exhibit by American artist Lee Lozano, as well as Skogskyrkogården, (an achitechurally beautiful cemetery where many famous Swedes, including Greta Garbo, are buried), and City Hall. We walked through Gamla Stan, shopped at the Galleria, went for a 'fika' at Cafe Rival (you ABBA fans should like this) and spent the mornings eating such a well balanced and delicious breakfast that I wasn't even really hungry until dinner time. Fredrik also walked me through this years Melodifestivalen so I am now totally up to date on Eurovision for 2010. Anyway, enough with the chatter - you came to see photos right? Well, I took a lot, so I will break this up into a few posts, so please come back and see the updates!

Lady GaGa - Telephone

2010-03-11T21:43:00.003-05:00

Here it is. What do you think, does it live up to the hype? I think it is kind of epic. The cinematography is genius, Beyonce is looking great, and Jonas Akerlund just gets better.

San Francisco, California

2010-01-18T21:29:00.001-05:00

So I am back home today from San Francisco. I flew out on Friday, and spent a long weekend walking, eating, shopping, walking, picture taking, drinking, walking, and generally having a fabulous time. The Castro, Haight Ashbury, Fishermans Wharf, Golden Gate Park, Sutro Heights Park, Union Square, Coit Tower, Cable Cars/BART/Muni, SOMA, North Beach, Embarcadero, and The Presidio... I did it all. Here are the pics. I hope you like them.

MISSOURI

2010-01-02T18:46:00.003-05:00

The day after Christmas, I flew into Springfield Missouri and spent the afternoon checking it out. Then I drove through Jefferson City to Columbia, staying overnight and touring the campus of Mizzou and seeing the sights of the city. From there is was on to St. Louis to visit with two very cute dogs (and their owners of course)!

Brugge, Belgium

2009-12-21T18:16:00.000-05:00

Last week saw a wicked cold snap and a snow storm in Belguim but still I decided to press on with my plan of visiting Brugge, while on a layover in Brussels. The snow stopped falling by the time I had hopped on the train at Centraal Station. The train ride was just under an hour and the views of the snow covered fields helped make it seem even less. We arrived at Brugge station and headed into the Central Market where vendors galore were selling handmade scarfs, hats, Christmas trinkets, waffels, glühwein, cheese, and beer all under the stunning and imposing architechure of the Bell Tower. Even though it was bitterly cold, I manged to stay warm with the help of frequent stops for Glühwein. Anyway, enough of my yammering... here are the pics!

Montserrat, Spain

2009-12-12T10:30:00.003-05:00

There are some times in my job that I literally feel like a ping pong ball being volleyed back and forth across an ocean, and it it seems like an endless struggle with time zones, jet lag, irate passengers, holidays spent alone, turbulence, etc. One of the quick fix remedies for that feeling is a wonderful layover in which I am slapped with the reality that, at times, my job is pretty fucking cool. I was just given one of those layovers, 48 hours in Barcelona. I have been to Barcelona before many times and have posted some other photos on here, but this time I left the city and headed north, well northwest if you want to be technical, to Montserrat. It lies about 50 KMs from Barcelona, and the abridged vesion of the story is that in an ancient village on top of the mountain an image of the Virgin Mary was found in cave after some locals had experienced visions that they believed were signs from God. That statue, the 'Black Madonna' is on display at a Monestary perched on the side of the mountain, but you can also go further up the mountain to see the ruins of the village and the cave itself. Dont worry if the Catholic part doesn't interest you because the cable car that whisks you up to the top, and the view looking down over surrounding Catalonia is worth your 22 Euros, and then some.

Rome 2

2009-12-09T01:51:00.001-05:00

My love affair continues. Here are some new photos from my trip to Italy last week. I put an on my iPod with a playist of the Italian pop trifecta of Eros Ramazotti, Elisa and Tiziano Ferro and headed down to Castel Sant Angelo. For those of you who need more incentive then the view and the history that this structure affords... there is also a bar at the top! It was a blustery and rainy day (so blustery that my umbrella became a causuality), but just as I got to the terrace the rain subsided and the sun poked her head out to shine over the Tiber.

New York City 2: Williamsburg

2009-11-27T21:53:00.000-05:00

I crossed the Bridge for a walk around Williamsburg Brooklyn. Spent a few hours in the afternoon, had a coffee at Verb and strolled along Bedford Avenue before walking down to the Brooklyn Brewery (It was closed, sadly) and then walked down along the East River, before heading back over.

New York City

2009-11-15T23:29:00.000-05:00

I try and take advantage of NYC as best I can. I have lived in many wonderful places, and may again at some point live away from this amazing city, so I try and get out and really enjoy it. Here are just a few random shots of Gotham, but not to worry there will certainly be more of NYC to come.

Telephone

2009-11-13T16:44:00.000-05:00

Another leak from Gaga. This is apparently the second single to be released from 'The Fame Monster'. kinda hot, I think... oh right, and it features Beyonce!

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance Music Video

2009-11-10T23:19:00.009-05:00

Ridiculous. Brilliant. Insane. Lady Gaga has landed, and given us an epic video that has actually gotten me interested in music videos again. Debate looms as to whether or not she is the 'New Madonna'. I have yet to jump on one side of that debate, but one thing is for sure: Bad Romance has tipped the scales a bit. She has changed the game since her release last year and it is clear she will keep changing it with the release of 'The Fame Monster' on 11/23. Pop music is going to get really interesting as a result, and I cant wait to listen.

ROME

2009-11-05T19:07:00.004-05:00

Rome. There are many things I could write about regarding my love of this city, but I would be a fool to attempt to compete with people who have already awarded the world with far better love letters than I could ever dream of writing. There are many reasons why this city is special to me and why it makes me long to return to it even before I have left. I suspect that you may have gathered already that I would prefer to explain things as I see them with pictures, so here are some that I have taken over the years.

Feel free to let me know what you think of these photos, send this link to Twitter/Digg/FaceBook/your friends and family, etcetera, share a link that others might like or just share a story about this city or any other that inspires you.

Wave Hill

2009-10-24T20:01:00.000-04:00

I found myself at Wave Hill up in the Bronx today. Rainy it was, but beautiful still. Wave Hill is an estate that sits on 28 acres of land over looking the Palisades and the Hudson River, just off the Henry Hudson Parkway. The estate has a long history of owners (including summer rentals by both future President Theodore Roosevelt and his family in 1870, and Mark Twain in 1901) but is now owned by the City of New York and operates as a Public (botanical?) Garden. If you are getting married in the NY area in the Summer months this might be an amazing spot to do it, but I suspect there is a long waiting list as even today, a rainy day in October, there was a wedding being set up for the evening. Seeing as how the weather was not ideal for stunning vistas of the river, I decided instead to photograph some of the more intimate details of the grounds. I hope you like the photos, and I hope you go and visit for yourselves.

10 from Thailand

2009-10-22T22:22:00.000-04:00

These pics are from 2005. I went to Thailand in October of that year, and four years later it thrills me still to have gone. I felt so welcomed there, and the Thai people could not have been more beautiful, spiritually and physically. I am lucky to have been there once, and I hope I am lucky enough to go again. I travelled from Bangkok south to Chumpon, ferried over to Ko Tao and Ko Samui, then Ferried Back to Surat Thani and back up north to Bangkok. These are 10 pics from along that journey.

Paris in the Fall

2009-10-21T21:38:00.000-04:00

September in Paris. I have had the luxury of seeing this city during every season, and each one has its own merits that make a a visit memorable. I haven't been flying much lately so I thought it would be the perfect time to debut these pics. Now I know that there are many Francophiles out there and I am feeling generous, so the first person to guess the precise location of each one will get a printed 4x6 copy :) Some are easier than others, no? Happy guessing! Send your submissions to SeanJFK@aol.com

Apples, Pumpkins and a very large Duck.

2009-10-19T12:55:00.001-04:00

I went apple picking a few weeks ago out in Water Mill, on the south fork of Long Island at Seven Ponds Orchard. Who knew there were so many kinds of apples? It was a cute place with lots of 'pick your own' things, a corn maze, hayrides and a little playground for the tots.

On they drive out east, in the town of Flanders you pass the duck pictured above.