Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Photography: Looking Through Windows

Now before you get the wrong idea from this post title, no, I am not a peeping tom.

I swear.

However, I do love windows and noticing how they're all so completely unique in their shape, size, and style. And being someone who lives in a city, it's interesting to see the vast diversity of windows.

As I've shared in many of my urban photography posts, what I love about cities is how gritty they can be. And to me, that grittiness is what makes city living so appealing. I don't like being surrounded by locations where everything is so obviously new, homogenized and pristine.

Because it lacks character.

I like a city that looks as though it's been aged; carrying with it glimpses of the past that peek through the architecture as if to say, "Hey...remember me? I'm old, but still beautiful!"

I'm sure you've all heard the expression: shabby chic, which is a style of interior decoration that uses furnishings that are or appear to be pleasantly old and slightly worn.

Well, I've decided to create a style for why I find city life so appealing. It's called: "gritty chic."

I took these photographs over the past two weeks, all of which were taken from a distance using my camera on manual mode to get a closeup view. I also tried to capture various highlights and shadows.

Please enjoy, looking through windows...

Have a grrrrreat weekend, everyone!

Friday, January 24, 2020

Today, For Your Entertainment: A Cow Joke

Joke:

What do you call a herd of masturbating cows?

Beef Strokin' Off

Wishing you a humorous weekend, y'all!
X

Monday, January 13, 2020

The Beauty Of Winter And Feeling Schmaltzy

Winter always makes me feel so schmaltzy.

For those of you who have no idea what that word means, here is a definition:

schmaltzy (adjective) : Yiddish word pertaining to--affectionate, corny, dewy-eyed, dreamy, gushy, idealistic, impressionable, loving, mawkish, moonstruck, nostalgic, romantic, saccharine, sappy.

Yup, that pretty much defines how I feel about winter.

And to give you an example, one day last week I went for a long walk after I had my lunch. It was a day that most people would have found depressing because the sky was cloudy and gray, the air was windy and cold, and most of the trees and bushes were bald. Call me crazy, but I love how nature looks during the winter months--temporarily barren and void of bright colors. In winter, nature seems to turn various shades of sepia. In winter, nature seems to speak the word, "Hush."

Midway through my walk, I sat down on a park bench and allowed myself to drink in the beauty of winter. And as I sat there in silence; looking all around me, my heart began to swell with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for this season.

And yes, I got all schmaltzy and cried.

Tears of joy.

Please enjoy winter, as I see it and feel it.

Beautiful...

And what better way to end my walk that day, than to encounter one of my favorite wild, furry, and adorable creatures...

Have a faaaantastic week, everyone!

Monday, January 06, 2020

My First Job At The Golden Arches

I was about 15-years old when I got my first job. It was at a McDonald's that was in Hatboro, PA., not far from where my family lived in Warminster.

When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to get a job and earn my own money. I wanted to work. I also couldn't wait to get my driver's license so that I could drive myself around. I didn't like relying on my parents to take me places. Even as a kid, I was very independent.

My father didn't want me to start working until I got older because he didn't want anyone to think that he couldn't support his family and that I had to work. Isn't that silly? Especially considering that my father had his own real-estate business and did well. My family wasn't dripping rich by any means, however, we never went without. Still, my Dad was a typical Italian father in the 1960's, who had a lot of pride in how he was perceived as a man who could take care of his wife and children. He was a very generous man. And not only to us, but to anyone who needed help.

Eventually though, he gave in and allowed me to get a job. Much of that was due to my mother who convinced my Dad, by telling him that I would learn to be a responsible person.

God love my mother!

The photo you see below looks almost identical to the McDonald's I worked. Back then, they still contained golden arches as part of their construction...

As I recall, I worked anywhere from 4-8 hours a week on the weekends. It wasn't much, but at least I was making my own money. I made about $1.35 per hour.

The job I was assigned to was a hamburger bun toaster. This is what the bun toasting machine looked like...

Looking back, I think it's both precognitive and hysterical that I was assigned to be a bun toaster, considering that I find BUNS the most attractive part of a man. 😋

Anyway...

Here are some photographs of McDonald's vintage menu's (get a load of the prices!)...

Some of McDonald's menu evolution's:

The Big Mac

The BIG Meal

The Quarter Pounder

Without a doubt, my favorite fast-food French fries are from McDonald's. To me, they are the "perfect" French fry...

My other favorite McDonald's food is their Hot Apple Pie. But you have to be very careful when you first bite into these because they are VERY hot. We're talking LAVA hot!...

As an employee of McDonald's, we were permitted to have a free meal whenever we worked. And you better believe I always ordered a Hot Apple Pie for dessert.

I don't know why I'm sharing these last few photographs with you because although I loved working at McDonald's and enjoyed their food, I was (and still am) TOTALLY freaked out by their mascot, Ronald McDonald.

OH...MY...GOD...I hate clowns!!!

Here is a Ronald McDonald push-button phone I found online. I would sooner use a carrier pigeon than use this phone to talk to someone...

Front view

Rear view

And last but not least, a headshot of Ronald McDonald himself.

Could you just die?

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

----------------------------------------

This clip is a (1969) commercial that ran on television when I was a kid. Hearing it again instantly brought back memories. I love this commercial because it reminds me of the finale in a hokey Broadway musical...

Wishing you a BIG-MAC of a week, y'all!

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

I Admit It, I Have A HUGE Girl Crush On Italian Actress: Monica Bellucci

The first time I ever saw Monica Bellucci was in the movie, Malena, in which she literally took my breath away.

As you all have previous read on my blog, I love anything Italian--the food, the wine, the music, the passion, and most of all....I find Italian people (both men and women) so incredibly attractive.

Malena synopsis:

In 1941, Renato was 13 years old and although the world was at war, nothing ever happened in his sleepy village in Sicily. Until the day he discovered something that would change his life forever... Malena, the beautiful young war widow who was the obsession of every man and the envy of every woman. Because of her, Renato will come to learn all of life's lessons and find himself in places he never could have imagined.

The cinematography in the film is exquisite. And the music score goes right to your heart.

Here are six pictures from the film...

I love how she goes through several different physical transitions in the film, all of which are beautiful...

After seeing the above photos, is it any surprise that Monica began her career as a model? Even today, with all her work as a film actress, she still (at 55 years old) is offered modeling work with many top International brands.

Over the past year, I watched several of her interviews. And what impressed me the most, was not how beautiful and sexy she is, but how down-to-earth and natural she is. And she's very smart. You can tell, just by the way she speaks. Which by the way, she speaks FIVE languages.

Here are some photographs of her modeling work...

At any age, Monica Bellucci is...bella donna!

A beautiful woman!

I leave you with a clip from one of her commercials for Dolce & Gabbana Martini Gold. I have no idea what anyone is saying because they're speaking Italian, however I could care less because the commercial is a stunning piece of art. Enjoy!

Have a beautiful New Year, everyone!
Salute!

*Monica Bellucci Filmography

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