Category Archives: l’histoire

the navy yard

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The Navy Yard in Philadelphia is known to most locally as the headquarters for Urban Outfitters. Every time I visit the URBN campus, I find myself intrigued by the worn and retired ships that rest there. On my last trip (an overcast day with hints of sunshine) I drove off the designated path and took some photos. I learned it was our country’s first naval shipyard, with it’s beginnings in 1776. It has been inactive since 1995, but a few navy offices still remain. There is something beautiful about the shabby state of the vessels, don’t you think?  The shades of grey and aged salmon color are a lovely combination in my opinion…you have to use your imagination  a bit, but they can inspire! 

la madeleine

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Prominently situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, L’église de la Madeleine (or simply, la Madeleine) has always fascinated me. So, I just had to do some research…maybe you are curious too? It is a Catholic church, but was originally intended to be a temple celebrating the glory of Napoleon’s army. After the fall of his empire, King Louis XVIII declared that the structure be a church, dedicated to Mary Magdalene. I have never been inside, but have always admired it for it’s architectural beauty.

 

the dogs of cheverny

 

 

Cheverny-dogs

 

I was reminded of the beautiful hunting dogs of Cheverny thanks to Kasia's recent trip to the Loire Valley. When I visited with my brother in 2006, I was really amazed by how regal they were…but of course they are, right? I believe there are about seventy…we got lucky and caught them at nap time. I couldn't stop photographing them, so beautiful. I love the one sitting up, looking towards the setting sun…

 

celebrating the louvre

 

 

Louvre

On this day in history, 1793, the Louvre was first opened as a public museum. Building began in 1546, on the site of an old 12th century fortress (which you can still see remains of in the crypt). It served as a palace for monarchy, from the reign of King Francis I, all the way to Louis XIV, before he moved his court to Versailles. The museum houses nearly 35,000 objects and is the world's most visited. It is such an amazing structure, and continues to impress with it's beauty, inside and out. 

image courtesy of Alexandra Sklar, Bancroft & Ivy 


sunday exploration

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Sunday is our day to explore. We choose a few open houses to see, usually the older the better. Last time we saw a farm built in 1795, complete with smokehouse (above). Many homes were part of the underground railroad, and we’ve seen secret doors, and have stood in a deep cellar where men, women and children would have sought shelter on their way to freedom…it was quite moving. We’ve learned so much about the history of our area, and continue to be amazed by the privilege of getting such a personal look into homes that could very well be museums.