Posted on 2 Comments on Big Sur in Flames

Big Sur in Flames

Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn is one of the beautiful properties under threat from the wildfires raging along the central California coast. According to this article, the inn was evacuated on Sunday, and the fire was so close that a burning log rolled into one of the rustic cabins, although it was quickly extinguished by fire fighters.

Loyal readers of this blog will remember Deetjen’s. That’s the place where Martine and I stayed during our trip to California in 2004. It was my second time at Deetjen’s and Martine’s first. The reason it was so special (besides the obvious — that Deetjen’s is a gorgeous, laid-back inn in a stunningly beautiful location) was revealed in this blog post. (Check item number 5.)


One of the beds in the room where we stayed. (Photo courtesy JLT on Flickr.)

I hope they get the fires out soon, and I hope Deetjen’s and other places in Big Sur, such as the Henry Miller Library, along the coast are saved.

Posted on 1 Comment on Happy Birthday… Via Giulia!

Happy Birthday… Via Giulia!

Via Giulia, one of my favorite streets in Rome, turns 500 this year.

via giulia, rome (May, 2006)

According to this New York Times article, via Giulia is named after Pope Julius II, who commissioned the street as part of a plan to square off the streets around the Vatican. That’s fairly odd, as it’s not all that close to Chez Pope; in fact it’s on the other side of the Tiber river.

Mind you, it’s not that far either. In fact, I took this photo on the morning Martine and I walked from our apartment on Campo dei Fiori to the Vatican, by way of Via Giulia. Its north-west terminus is about half a kilometer from the Piazza San Pietro.

So happy birthday Via Giulia. At 500 you’re older than any city in North America, but by Roman standards you’re still a spring chicken.

Posted on 1 Comment on Monsieur Québec!

Monsieur Québec!

Happy St-Jean Baptiste day!

I took this photo during the St-Jean Baptiste Day parade some time in the early 90s – possibly 1990 – and it had languished in my archives of transparencies for many years. I found it about eight months ago, and promptly scanned it. I’ve been waiting since then, for the fête nationale, as that’s such a perfect time to show it on the Monday Morning Photo Blog.

Happy St-Jean!

This photo was taken during the period – unfortunately very brief – when I was doing “street photography” and not feeling all self conscious and/or cynical about it. I wish that phase had lasted. A few other nice shots from that era include “Bud” and “Street Sleeper.”

Oh well. That was then. Strangely, the fact that photography is now so much easier and accessible makes it seem less interesting to me.

But hey! Happy St-Jean!