Portugal Then and Now – Livraria Lello

One of my favorite things in the world is a good bookstore or library. This beautiful bookstore in Porto, Portugal was an inspiration to J. K. Rowling for the moving staircases in Hogwarts.

The Livraria Lello & Irmão, commonly known in English as the Lello Bookstore, is a bookstore located in the civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória, in the northern Portuguese municipality of Porto.

Along with Bertrand in Lisbon, it is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal and frequently rated among the top bookstores in the world (placing third in lists by guidebook publisher Lonely Planet and The Guardian).

Post COVID New York

Great to be back out in the world again! Here are some before and after finds from Brooklyn and Manhattan this past Fall.

The Roman Catholic parish of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, was established in 1863. F.J. Berlenbach, Jr., designed the Lombardian Romanesque basilica in 1870.

The Austin organ now in the Church of the Annunciation was originally built in 1912 for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Morristown, N.J. In 1930, St. Peter’s installed a new Skinner organ (Op. 836), and the Austin organ was acquired by Annunciation Church.

Amsterdam November

Found a few new before and after photos this week in Amsterdam. This is a target rich city as so little has changed on the streets over the past century.

Beschrijving Hartenstraat 19-21, Amsterdam – 1893
Beschrijving Van Baerlestraat 98, Amsterdam – 1894
Beschrijving Leprozengracht, Amsterdam gezien naar de Mozes en Aäronkerk. Na demping in 1882 werd dit het Waterlooplein – 1862 to 1882