Arches of Princeton

Rockefeller College, Princeton University. This student residence has its own dining, study and other facilities, to encourage a sense of community. I'm signing off for a week and half to see family. Be well, see you soon!

Chubby critter

A pudgy groundhog (or woodchuck) prepares for winter. Leaves are fading - I love their crunch underfoot.

Something different

Sorry for the night shots! Returned to our theatre Tuesday for something different: the funny, singing, strumming Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Where else can you hear Handel, The Clash and Lady Gaga in one concert?:) They play prestigious Carnegie Hall tonight.

Here, their rendition of Ennio Morricone's classic Western movie score, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"...

London-themed day

Sunday in London, our pre-Princeton haunt, courtesy of Mr. L (a rare co-contributor:), who is there for work.

(via an oldie-but-goodie 2008 model iPhone)

The play's the thing

McCarter Theatre, our Tony-award winning theater, about a month ago on a warm day. The left photo is from this weekend - Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Pierce were appearing in "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," which ran an extra week. I got last-minute tickets (30 seconds before curtain) and enjoyed the fun. The play moves to New York next.

Trainspotting

Pausing for a 1920s train, on my way to a friend's art festival. I'd just crossed state borders from Lambertville, west of Princeton, to New Hope, Pennsylvania. This area is a local favorite, just a 20-30 minute drive away.

Morning near the woods

A giant fungi under a hornet's nest. I tried to keep my distance, but was captivated by the wavy patterns.

Morven

It's been rainy since yesterday, so here's a sunny one from the archives. The 1750s Morven estate has been inhabited by a Princeton University founder and Declaration of Independence signer, British troops, and five state governors. Today, it enjoys a peaceful life as a museum.

Picasso peeking

Picasso's "Head of a Woman" keeps an eye out near the train station. The sculpture was actually a collaboration between Picasso and Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar. The leaves are thinking of turning.

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(Untold stories: The sculpture belongs to the John Putnam collection, in memory of a Princeton student who was a fighter pilot in WWII, including over Normandy beaches on D-Day 1944, and who died just 6 weeks after D-Day in an accident in England, age 23. The sculpture collection is credited to an "anonymous donor" - in reality, it was Putnam's younger brother, Peter, a physicist who inspired great devotion and died a janitor).

Weekend explorations turned bust

{19th century American facade and street lamp, New York Metropolitan Museum of Art} 

Somehow, I forgot my camera during my New York weekend (arg) and my phone photos were a bust. To make up for it, here are stragglers from prior NY weekends - hopefully I'll get it together next time!

Bethesda Terrace angel fountain, Central Park...

And 16th century German armor, Met Museum (kids love this one).

Friday indulgence

{See Godzilla? Hint: It's atop a light} 

Small World cafe (in fun "Lomo effect") roasts its own coffee, hosts art shows and serves addictive chocolate chip cookies.
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Cafe-ish news: 60 years ago this week, tea rationing ended in Britain - enjoy a cuppa!

Little bandit

{Reaaaching for acorns}

A feisty raccoon braves daylight to feast on acorns. Autumn hasn't quite arrived, it was a sultry 80°F/27°C yesterday - t-shirt weather!

Tracing history: Former US capital

{FitzRandolph Gate and Nassau Hall, Princeton University}

Nassau Hall, built 1754, is a quiet academic building today, but was once a Revolutionary War battle site. Behind the right of the gate...

A reminder that Nassau Hall was also the capitol building in 1783, when Princeton was capital of a new nation. (I guess things were less sleepy then!) 

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P.S. Campus lore: Students walking through FitzRandolph gate won't graduate, eek.

Tracing history: War route

On Quaker Road at high noon: "Route of Washington's march by night from Trenton to Princeton and victory January 3, 1777." The battlefield is beyond the trees. A Quaker site was also founded here in the 1690s. 

October theme day: Silhouettes

Silhouette "self-portrait" with my giant tote bag, near the Institute for Advanced Study (Einstein's old haunt). With pine cones on the ground, it's beginning to look like autumn - a lovely season.

~See more CDPB Theme Day entries here.~