Sunday, October 3, 2010

Photo Safari Weekend and Two Sweet Surprises!


Before I conclude with the last installment about my visit to Yosemite National Park I'd like to catch up on a few blog winnings and surprises that have recently come my way.

Since Monday is "Mosaic Monday" on Mary's Little Red House blog, I thought I'd show my photo mosaic of some of the beautiful architectural details of The Dakota, a cooperative apartment building located at 1 West 72 Street and Central Park West, in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.  Designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh, who would later design the New York City Plaza Hotel, the Victorian Neo-Gothic styled Dakota dates back to 1884. It has been the residence of many well to do and celebrities over the years, including Leonard Bernstein, the composer and conductor, Lauren Bacall, the actress, Judy Garland, the singer and John Lennon, the Beatle who was slain outside its entrance in 1980.

I photographed The Dakota, and many other sites in the area, as part of a " Business Projects Photo Safari' workshop with a professional photographer named Miguel Gomez that I won on a give away on Rosemary's blog, NYC, Style and a little Cannoli. Thanks Rosemary! I learned so much and had a lot of fun!

To see some more photos I took that weekend, and to learn more about the workshop, please click HERE and go to my back page review blog.


I received this adorable hand made and hand embroidered sewing needle holder from Vee, from A Haven For Vee blog as a surprise give away that she had, because I was the only one to answer a question she posed in a blog post a couple of weeks ago!


Thanks Vee! I'm glad I'm an observant reader and faithful commenter for your blog, and I will always cherish my little blue bird needle holder book! Vee journals about her life in the beautiful state of Maine in an honest and down to earth way. Life has been complicated for her lately, but she always tries to keep her sense of humor as she concentrates on the simple joys of life!


Lastly, I have to thank Maria of the blog Manga Figlie, for sending me a sample of her delicious home made peach preserve! She had a give away on her blog for a couple jars of her preserve, and while I didn't win, she sent me a jar, anyway, in friendship.

 
I have been enjoying the peach preserve on my English muffins in the morning, along with the last crop of raspberries that I picked from my backyard bushes. Thanks Maria!  It is so delicious! Maria is an established freelance copy editor and a wonderful writer that journals about her Italian-American heritage and her love for cooking.

Please visit all three blogs I mentioned, as you'll enjoy each one, and please visit my review page blog to see the continuation of the fun and informational Photo Safari! Also don't forget to visit Mary for "Mosaic Monday"!

I'll continue the end of my visit to the beautiful Yosemite National Park in my next post with more photos of all the fantastic scenery, and then I'll be  back to blogging about lots of the fun things I've been doing in New York City since I returned.......there is always something fun going on!



Bookmark and Share

46 comments:

Maria M. Boyer said...

Pat:
Thanks for the shout out. I knew you'd appreciate trying the preserve. I'm sorry I didn't know about Vee's giveaway. I love to stitch, though I'm more challenged lately due to aging eyes. I'm anxious to read what she writes. But most importantly, thank you for the continued tour thru New York. I remain optimistic that someday I will live in a teeny studio in The City. A girl can dream, right? Your photos are spectacular, always ... and I look forward to what's to come.
Your virtual friend,
Maria

steviewren said...

Making a cute little needle holder is on my to do list. I've bought the felt. I just need to get around to it.

The English muffins and peach jam look yummy. I recently bought a container of raspberries and ate them on pancakes. Yum.

Jojo said...

Thank you for sharing other blogs! I tend to visit the same blog pages so I love it when I get to learn, not just about other places, but other people. Have a great week.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I always think of John Lennon's murder whenever I hear about The Dakota. I guess there will always be a pall cast over it. But you get many lovely shots and the day looks like it was beautiful. Congradulations on your wins!!! We are both winners this week, I won a $75.00 gift certificate to CSN Stores from a blog contest! I checked out the recommended blogs, there is one I'm really liking!!

Unknown said...

Hi Pat,
Beautiful mosaic as always, and I enjoy seeing New York so much. Love your wins ,and that peach jam looks amazing.
Karen

Snap said...

I love your mosaic of the Dakota ... such great architectural details. Congratulations on the give-a-ways! Aren't bloggers the greatest! :D :D

Vee said...

Oh I'm sure that the preserves are delicious because they look delicious. My embroidery up close this way is just plain scary. Ha!

Beautiful mosaic of The Dakota... You'll never run out of mosaic material living in NYC. I mean really...look what I had to resort to!

Carol said...

Such lovely gifts! The photo trip is very cool! Lucky you :) Vee made such a nice gift, and how sweet to get some preserves, looks delicious with the raspberries!

The Dakota is such a great building, love your shots!

Sheila said...

The Dakota is a wonderful building. I think the idea of doing a mosaic of just one building is great one and I'm looking forward to reading more about the photography workshop.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Pat, The architectural designs of the Dakota are gorgeous... The mosaic is fabulous... Thanks for sharing!!!

Congrats on the awards... Those peach preserves with your raspberries look wonderful... Yum...

Have a great week.
Hugs,
Betsy

Unknown said...

gorgeous photos of the dakota. it is such an amazing building. i have been enjoying your california pics...even though it is my home..it seems so much more beautiful through the eyes of your camera :)

Sarah said...

Pat, I've always felt the Dakota was a standout. It's fun to see these details through your camera lens.
Congratulations on all the wins. I've been rather lucky myself this past month. It's fun to win occasionally. ~ Sarah

Pondside said...

The Dakota is so well-known that it's almost mythical. Lovely mosaic!...and that English muffin with the preserve -mmmmmmm

Elettra said...

"Dakota" is a great and beautiful palace, congratulations for the gifts you received (if you send me your address on my email I can send a few postcards from Calabria) was also good breakfast

Shirleyanne said...

A beautifully made needle case Pat. The jam also looks a worthy present. Very kind blogger friends!
As ever, I love your collage of photos. Well put together! Brilliant!

Pupottina said...

it's a beautiful weekend!

Old Kitty said...

I love your photography course results!!! I forgot to mention too your closeup of food shots were lovely!!! I'm just in AWE!!!!

And these giveaways gifts are beautiful!! Look at that amazing needle holder - how pretty! And that yummy jar of peach preserve!! It's making me so hungry just looking at your brekkie!

What a fantastic weekend!! Thanks for sharing, take care
x

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful photos and congrats on your winnings. The jam does look delicious!

A Bit of the Blarney said...

Really grand pictures. The details are indeed beautiful...Wishing you a grand day! Cathy

Anonymous said...

Pat,

I always enjoy your photo's!

The Dakota is also
bitter-sweet,the architectural designs is like no other,such beauty,and too we do think of the murder of John Lennon!

-Jo
-LazyonLoblolly

Sue said...

Pat, Through your eyes, we always get to see things that we otherwise may not have had the opportunity to enjoy and learn from. You have such a gift!
hugs, Sue

Grace said...

OOh that preserve sounds like heaven. I always love your photos. Have a wonderful week look forward to your next photo collage. Grace xoxox

Tracy said...

Sooo many goodies today, Pat... Super views. And that needle case is so sweet. And that jam is gorgeous...mmm... Enjoy! Happy Week, my friend :o) ((HUGS))

Claudia said...

What a sweet post. You have reaped some beenfits on thoughtful commenting. The Dakota remains a stately building once thought to be in the outerboroughs or - the Dakotas - because it was so far uptown.

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

Such a beautiful building...your photos are magnificent!!!

Lisa said...

How very creative and wonderful. Lovely mosaic

Willow said...

Yes, you have been busy since you returned from CA! As I was driving through Napa and Mendocino last weekend, I thought of your visit there last month.

Judy said...

Great Monday mosaic...and lovely gifties you received! Peaches and raspberries just make the perfect pair. I'm sorry that the peach season is about over...and our raspberry bushes are ready to retire for the season as well.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I love this mosaic! I've never thought about doing one with the details of a beautiful building! I should try to make one of the Biltmore estate! Love your sweet gift from Vee! She's so thoughtful! Enjoy your day! ♥

Linda said...

You got some great prizes there from some very nice bloggers! I enjoy reading your posts and I will go over and visit the blogs you recommend! Thanks!!

nycstylelittlecannoli said...

Pat: What a great post and gorgeous shots of the day! So glad you were able to come and that you learned some new photography skills! It was a great day and really alot of fun! I am hoping to have a new giveaway shortly of a great Marc Jacobs tote bag from his new shop Bookmarc! Be sure to enter!! Have a wonderful week!!

Donna said...

I love The Dakota mosaic, Pat! It's a gorgeous building.

Great winnings ~ that peach jam looks yummy!

Hugs,
Donna

Unknown said...

Hi Pat,
Congratulations on your prizes! You certainly do a great job with your blog.

I remember passing the Dakota House on a bus tour in NYC...the building is beautiful!

:) Diane

Unknown said...

Terrazzo Floor polishingrefers to a grout less floor that has one-seventh cement and two-seventh coarse sand and four-seventh marble chips.

diane b said...

So many surprises it must feel like Christmas. Thanks for the interesting links.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

And we'll be right here with you to experience the fun, living vicariously through you, if only for a brief time!

La Petite Gallery said...

Dear Pat,
You really earned those awards.
I think you are one of the best bloggers out there. Your posts are always so interesting,
I love them.

yvonne

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

The name The Dakota will always be etched in my mind from the day that John Lennon was shot in front of it. What a beautiful building and so sad that it has that memory linked to it.

What lovely gifts! There are so many wonderfully talented people out there in blog land. The hand-stitched needle holder is wonderful and the jam looks delicious! Lucky you!

CatHerder said...

Pat..did you ever think of being a tour guide????!!

Friko said...

you are a busy lady and you have a very beautiful blog. I love the mosaic; excellent shots!

GailO said...

I'm so glad that you won the Photo Safari Weekend Pat...not because your photos need help but because you would appreciate it and use it more than anyone else I know. The photos here and in your back pages are fantastic...what a wonderful way to spend a gorgeous day.

Thanks too for introducing me to two new to me, interesting blogs...

Beverly said...

As soon as I read The Dakota, I thought of John Lennon. He really had a brilliant mind.

Jeanne brought my husband some of her homemade cherry and some of her plum preserves. He is enjoying them, too. It was so sweet of Maria to share with you.

annie said...

Hi Pat,
The needle case is so cute!
The jam just made me hungry for some as it looks so delicious.
I will have to go see those other blogs now.
Hope your day is going beautifully.

Trotter said...

Hi Pat! I love the Dakota!! The rest, I don't look at... my diet would be ruined... ;))

Blogtrotter Two just left Sardinia 2009, but it couldn’t make it without showing you the incredible Porto Cervo and its yachts... Enjoy and have a great week!

Mary said...

Oh Pat what a wonderful mosaic! It's such a beautiful building, isn't it? And you certainly won some terrific gifts, too. My mouth is watering at that jam... :)

Anonymous said...

Great photos of the Dakota building.

What lovely post you have! The peach jam looked delish and the needlebook was so cute.