My holiday resort

Ace Cafe London, that's my holiday resort to be!

Coney Island, 1951

Aerial view of parachute jump ride, beach and boardwalk at Coney Island

I wish I could turn back the time! Those were the days in Coney Island, NY...!

Photo: Margaret Bourke-White./Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Summer toy

1997 MZ Red Star

Sea Creatures Invade Coney Island At Annual Mermaid Parade

Performers march in the 2009 Mermaid Parade at Coney Island June 20, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Actor Harvey Keitel led as "King Neptune" in the parade that began in 1983 and pays homage to the former tradition of the Coney Island Mardi Gras which ran from 1903-1954 in early fall annually.


Actor Harvey Keitel leads as "King Neptune" in the 2009 Mermaid Parade at Coney Island June 20, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The parade that began in 1983 pays homage to the former tradition of the Coney Island Mardi Gras which ran from 1903-1954 in early fall annually.


Picures taken from zimbio.com

Gas

"Gas", 1940, by Edward Hopper

Back to Berta's while it was a rainy evening

Honda NT700V Deauville

Honda Deauville - the bike is named after the French seaside resort at the Atlantic coast. I really love this mi-seized touring bike which is somehow a small Honda Pan European or Kawasaki GTR. With its 680 cc V-twin engine, it just oozes low-down torque through its five-speed box and the fuel-injected, eight-valve lump puts out 64bhp at 8,000rpm and its top end is estimated at 120mph, enough to keep your licence for sure. I think it's one of the most underrated motorcycles on the market as it has a useful fairing with an adjustable screen, high bars, heated grips as an option, integrated panniers, shaft drive, a combined brake system with ABS and a large fuel tank for long distance cruising on A-roads. It offers around 200 miles between stops with an average of 45 to 50 mpg. Fact is that the Deauville is great reliable touring machine, affordable and cheap to run. Less is more. And last but not least: the bike is built in Spain, so it's a real Euro-bike.

MZ for birthday

Took me 16 years of waiting, but now I got it: 1995 MZ Silver Star :-)!

French class: SS Normandie arriving in NY harbor 1935

ETS Normandie, the most famous liner form from CGT (Compagnie Générale Transatlantique or French Line), the glamour queen of all Blue Riband liners arriving in NY harbor in 1935, see the Lower Manhattan background. The rear funnel was a dummy, placed there for aesthetic reasons - hence, no smoke. Normandie won the Riband twice, sailing from Bishop Rock to Ambrose at 29.98 knots in 1935 and 30.58 knots in 1937.

Long Beach, September 1947

Ribbon of highway passing the Signal Hill oil field near Long Beach

Those were the days in September 1947 - just incredible!

Photo: Andreas Feininger./Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

72nd St. subway station

The wind howls like a hammer,
The night blows cold and rainy,
My love she’s like some raven
At my window with a broken wing.
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - Bob Dylan

Pic and text from http://davidblaikie.ca

Guzzi Le Mans V11 Tenni

Grrr, I missed this one: 2002 Moto Guzzi Le Mans V11 Tenni

The end of SS America

The wreck of the American Star (SS America) seen in July 2004 from land side, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands.
Read more about the SS America here.

Picture taken from wikipedia.org

Happy new year!

Merry Christmas!

French shooting star

There's a new shooting star on the French movie sky: Cécile de France. In her latest movie "A secret", she plays with the French singer Patrick Bruel. Can't wait to see the screening in my local movie theater .-)!

Winter landscape, Vaud

Gootsie for Christmas

Wow, cooooool, please Santa Claus, put it under the Christmas tree!

Biggest snowstorm in 30 years hit Las Vegas!

Mindset Hybrid finally real

Finally the Swiss hybrid car "Mindset" is approved and runs. Congrats, this must be it - ecofriendly and smart. Let's hope the car makes it into production, the time is right and yes, let's say good-bye to the oil-burner.

Winter walk

Sausage and fries paradise .

It took me 6 years to get hold of this terrific book where to get the best curry wurst (sausage) and French fries in the Ruhr district region in Germany. Find out more by checking out this link: Pommesfuehrer Ruhr. Tell you, one day I'll make it there to taste all sausages and the secret tomato sauce

Sanglas 400

...that takes you anywhere!!

The Legend: Audi Rally quattro Sport

Cathedral of Brasilia

Cathedral of Brasilia designed by Oscar Niemeyer

Bernina Hospiz 1905, Graubuenden

The Bernina Hospiz close to St. Moritz in the Swiss mountains still looks the same today. What was an important travel stop in the past is now a highlight for discovering the some historic places in the Swiss mountains. Stay there, enjoy the alps, go for a walk in the nature and after a day, you become a mountaineer!

Lake Hongrins, Col des Mosses, Jura

‘A Coney Island kinda girl’

” … I have found myself sitting on the boardwalk or walking barefoot on the wet sand, where the waves break on the shore line, and poetry just ran through my veins. The fluidity from with which the thoughts and language would run through me felt like an intravenous drip of uncut magic. I’ve never really tried to decipher the mystery of the sand at Coney Island. Instead, I’ve accepted it and embraced it as part of the reason why I’ll always be a Coney Island kinda girl.” - Nikki-Jo Grossman, Coney Island Examiner.

Pic and text from http://davidblaikie.ca

After the rain

I love the public bath called "Unteren Letten" where you can jump into the river Limmat. I met with Michael, we had a swim and went for the river bar to sip some beers and suddenly, there was a heavy summer rain which lasted just minutes. The evening light after the rain mixed with the falling night and it looked just gorgeous.

Montrex Jazz Festival 2008