Almost-in-the-street eats

Last year, my s-i-l and I discovered the enchanting town of Plombières-les-Bains (Plombières of the baths, referring to the thermal baths that have been there since Roman times.)  We’ve been there a number of times, generally just in time for lunch by some strange coincidence, usually at the same restaurant, Brasserie Montaigne.  On this day, however, it was closed, as were a number of shops.  There seems to be no set day that restaurants and stores are closed, although many are on Wednesday.  So we were on the hunt for another place to eat.

Just off of the main square, we found the Hotel du Commerce and although it seemed deserted, we inquired inside and found that the restaurant was open.  The owner, a droll man who enjoyed talking to us in French, English, and German (although not at one time), also served us. We sheltered under the umbrella to escape the heat and enjoyed our meal (food, so to speak, for another post) outside, just off the narrow street, the perfect place to get a shot for Challenger’s Choice on Sally’s blog today.

I’m sorry to report that this will be the last time Sally hosts the Mobile Photography Challenge. It’s been a wonderful time and I’ll miss it greatly!  Thanks, Sally for the many wonderful months and years!!

Just so you don’t think you’re being neglected, I’ll be busy and out of fast internet range for the next few days. Hope your week gets off to a great start.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Surprised by words

“Surprise” is the theme of this week’s photo challenge.  As Jen mentioned in her example, I’ve often been surprised by what appears in a macro shot, especially if it’s taken with my phone in bright sunshine!  Little critters that I didn’t even notice look like sci-fi creatures when viewed on my laptop or iPad.

I like to be surprised by wit and word play is one of the things I most enjoy.  So you might imagine the surprised happiness the name of this shop gave me when I chanced to look across a Philadelphia street and see it.

 

Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Devices Photo Challenge: Philadelphia street photography

December has five Mondays this year, which means five themes for the Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Devices Photo Challenge. On the fourth Monday, Sally lets us run wild (more or less) with the Challenger’s Choice (Pick One: Abstraction, Animals, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Objects, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel). This week, I’m choosing street photography and sharing some photos I took earlier this month while roaming the streets of Philadelphia with our younger daughter.

Don’t forget that next week will be the editing challenge. You don’t want to miss that! In the meantime, have a merry Christmas to all who celebrate Christmas and happy holidays to everyone else.

Cee’s Oddball Photo Challenge: Week 27…oddballs in Philadelphia

Oddball by the river…

Oddball on the pavement…

Oddball sucked in by the wind…

Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Devices Photo Challenge: Challenger’s Choice…French transport

For the Challenger’s Choice theme, choices include:  Abstraction, Animals, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Objects, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel.  This week’s photos are a combination of street photography and travel, the first found in a street in the old part of Beaune, France, a lovely city filled with history.  This baby isn’t nearly as old as most of the buildings, but it’s still a vintage car with attitude.

Or how about this cutie seen on the streets of Nuits St. George?

Phoneography Challenge: Street Photography

This week’s Phoneography Challenge is the photographer’s choice and my choice this week is street photography. I spent the better part of three days walking the streets of San Francisco, stopping often to take pictures while managing not to run into anyone or have anyone run into me because I stopped too abruptly, not an easy task in a city with so many people! But if I’d stopped to capture all the interesting things I saw, I’d never have gotten anywhere. Even so, I covered a lot of ground and there was so much to see.

One of the things I like about street photography is the unexpected picture, something that catches the eye because of its incongruity. In that vein, here are two disparate pictures that I like. I have no idea why the vase and arrangement in the first photo were sitting there, at the base of a light post on a busy street corner just a few blocks from our hotel. I didn’t see anyone around and they weren’t there when I returned. The second is simply one of those must-take photos. I hope you enjoy them both. They were taken with my iPad and are unedited.

Spotted in San Francisco

It’s been a very full four days and since we have to get ready to fly back to Chicago this afternoon, I don’t have much time to write.  It’s been a wonderful trip!  Yesterday I ended up spending a good part of the afternoon watching the America’s Cup with a group of New Zealanders (not a good day for them) and last night was an amazing party thrown by Oracle on Treasure Island.  But let me share a variety of shots I took while wandering through the city.  i promise more writing when we’re back home and I have more time.  So get on your walking shoes because here we go.

Breakfast–Café au lait and a chocolate croissant

Wordless Wednesday