Portugal Then and Now – Livraria Lello

December 22, 2022 / jaysurf / Leave a comment

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

December 22, 2022December 22, 2022 / jaysurf / Leave a comment

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.

New York Then and Now 2021

December 22, 2021December 22, 2022 / jaysurf / Leave a comment

Bleeker St. at the NW Corner of Bowery 1934. Cool to see the old elevated rail line in the background of the old photo. Too bad they couldn’t have saved it for another Highline.

Rome 2019 – Along the Via Sacra

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 / jaysurf / Leave a comment

Long before their occupation of Rome and eventual defeat, the Nazis had a strong presence in Italy.

After the Italian surrender and 9 month Nazi occupation, US tanks and troops pour into the Roman capital in June of 1944 at the same time allied troops were storming the beaches in Normandy far to the north.

Amsterdam November

November 18, 2019November 23, 2019 / jaysurf / Leave a comment

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.