EN: The Dôme de La Grave and the Pont Saint-Pierre at twilight, reflected in the calm waters of the Garonne. Toulouse, October 2025.
FR: Le Dôme de La Grave et le Pont Saint-Pierre au crépuscule, reflétés dans les eaux calmes de la Garonne. Toulouse, octobre 2025.
This morning, I stopped in front of a patisserie window in Toulouse and saw kouglof on display. Golden, dusted with sugar, crowned with almonds — it looked festive and familiar.
I was carried back to childhood memories. Growing up in Pittsburgh, my father used to bring home kugloff made by a very talented pastry chef. It was a rare treat, a cake that felt both special and comforting. I almost never see it at home anymore.
Standing in Toulouse, far from where those memories were made, the sight of kouglof reminded me of him — how food, even across cultures and continents, carries the thread of memory.
EN: At sunrise, the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques and the Dome of La Grave glow in warm light, their reflections mirrored in the still waters of the Garonne. The Pont Saint-Pierre frames the scene, a timeless view of Toulouse’s brick architecture and riverside heritage.
FR: Au lever du soleil, l’Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques et le Dôme de La Grave s’illuminent de teintes dorées, reflétées dans les eaux calmes de la Garonne. Le Pont Saint-Pierre complète ce tableau intemporel de l’architecture toulousaine en briques et du patrimoine des quais.
EN : Interior of the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse, one of the largest Romanesque churches in Europe and a major stop on the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Its vast nave, with soaring arches and frescoed ceilings, reflects the grandeur of 11th–12th century architecture.
FR : Intérieur de la basilique Saint-Sernin à Toulouse, l’une des plus grandes églises romanes d’Europe et une étape majeure sur le chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. Sa vaste nef, aux arcs élancés et aux voûtes peintes, témoigne de la grandeur de l’architecture des XIᵉ–XIIᵉ siècles.
EN: Founded in 1902, Le Bouillon Capitole is a Toulouse institution. Located on Rue de la Pomme, just steps from Place du Capitole, the restaurant continues the Parisian “bouillon” tradition of offering simple, hearty dishes at democratic prices. Its glowing façade and bustling interior have made it a landmark of conviviality for more than a century, where students, families, and visitors alike gather to share a meal.
FR : Fondé en 1902, Le Bouillon Capitole est une véritable institution toulousaine. Situé rue de la Pomme, à deux pas de la place du Capitole, il perpétue la tradition parisienne des “bouillons”, proposant une cuisine généreuse à prix accessibles. Sa façade lumineuse et son ambiance animée en font depuis plus d’un siècle un lieu emblématique de convivialité, où étudiants, familles et voyageurs se retrouvent pour partager un repas.
EN: The Pont Saint-Pierre spans the Garonne in Toulouse, linking the city center to the left bank. In the background stands the Dome of La Grave, part of the former hospital founded in the 12th century. The bridge itself, rebuilt in 1987, has become one of the city’s most photographed landmarks, especially at sunset and blue hour.
FR : Le Pont Saint-Pierre traverse la Garonne à Toulouse, reliant le centre-ville à la rive gauche. En arrière-plan s’élève le Dôme de La Grave, vestige de l’ancien hôpital fondé au XIIᵉ siècle. Le pont actuel, reconstruit en 1987, est devenu l’un des lieux les plus photographiés de la ville, notamment au coucher du soleil et à l’heure bleue.
EN: Part of a memorial complex designed by the Philadelphia firm Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson (H2L2) with landscape architect Markley Stevenson for the American Battle Monuments Commission, the cemetery was dedicated on July 18, 1956. The pool stretches toward the horizon, linking sky and sea with the final resting place of more than 9,000 American service members who died during the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy. Its still surface invites quiet reflection, a fitting symbol of remembrance in this hallowed ground overlooking Omaha Beach.
FR: Faisant partie d’un complexe commémoratif conçu par le cabinet d’architectes Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson (H2L2) de Philadelphie avec l’architecte paysagiste Markley Stevenson pour l’American Battle Monuments Commission, le cimetière a été inauguré le 18 juillet 1956. Le bassin s’étend vers l’horizon, reliant le ciel et la mer au lieu de repos de plus de 9 000 soldats américains tombés lors du Débarquement et de la bataille de Normandie. Sa surface immobile invite au recueillement, symbole approprié du souvenir dans ce lieu sacré qui surplombe Omaha Beach.
The October 2025 Harvest Moon rises over Arlington’s Marine Corps War Memorial, its glow breaking through clouds above the illuminated bronze figures of the Iwo Jima flag raising. In the distance, the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol shine in alignment — a solemn reminder of sacrifice framed against the nation’s capital.
The October 2025 Harvest Moon rises above Washington, D.C., glowing unusually large as it lifts into the pastel sky at twilight. From this vantage point, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and U.S. Capitol align in a classic view of the National Mall, with the full moon appearing oversized on the horizon — a visual effect created by atmospheric perspective at moonrise.
Beneath the towering columns of National City Christian Church, a wedding couple steps into the light. Designed by John Russell Pope, architect of the Jefferson Memorial, the neoclassical grandeur becomes a stage where history and intimacy meet.
