Sunday, April 29, 2012

The Royal Wedding

Guess who got sent on a business trip to London!

Mr. Hunter visited a number of spots related to the April 29, 2011, wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, including a tour of Buckingham Palace to see Kate's wedding gown, veil, shoes, earrings, the Cartier "Halo" tiara, and even part of the couple's wedding cake.  (Too bad we couldn't take any pictures inside!)

Before we toured Buckingham Palace, we visited the Royal Mews, where we saw the Rolls Royce Phantom VI in which Kate Middleton rode to Westminster Abbey.


About the Rolls Royce that carried Kate Middleton to her wedding.

Some details from the Rolls Royce... the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament (when Queen Elizabeth II rides in the Rolls Royce, there's a different hood ornament that depicts St. George slaying the dragon) and the Queen's coat of arms.

   
The Goring Hotel was only a few blocks away from the palace.  Kate Middleton and her family spent the night before the royal wedding at the Goring Hotel.

The Goring Hotel 

The front of the Goring Hotel.

In the gardens of Buckingham Palace after the State Rooms tour
where we saw Kate's wedding dress.


Westminster Abbey

Happy anniversary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

The Royal Mews
The Goring Hotel
Buckingham Palace
and
Westminster Abbey
London, England
September 2011

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Best of The Mr. Hunter Wall: January - March 2011

We revisit some of our favorite posts and photos from the first months of The Mr. Hunter Wall.

Park City, Utah                                                                       

On Main Street in Park City, Utah, there's a store called Love Your Pet... the store is also home to several giant Newfoundland dogs. 
At one point some teenage boys came into the store.  Teenager-like, they were interested in the Newfies but also trying to play it cool, more unimpressed than engaged.  That is, until one of the dogs decided to shake itself and sent drool spraying all over the guys.  A total "I've been slimed" moment!  Then the boys laughed hysterically and at the same time let out a collective, "Ewwww!!" 

Continue reading Dwarfed (but not slimed) by a gigantic pooch


Finding Balance                                    


One goal for 2011: achieve more balance in my life.  For inspiration, here's what happened when Kristen decided to balance Mr. Hunter on her head. 

Continue reading Word for 2011: Balance



The Subject of a Spider Web         


A spider decided to spin its web attached to Mr. Hunter.  I had to document the moment!


Continue reading The Subject of a Spider Web




Villa del Balbianello                                                           

Mr. Hunter thinks it's fun to be held by different statues he encounters.  He met this lady when he was visiting Lake Como.


Continue reading A Mr. Hunter Tradition: To Be Held By a Statue
Paris, France                                                                        


The Maillol statues in the Jardin du Carrousel next to the Louvre have provided ample posing opportunities for Mr. H.


Continue reading To Be Held By a Statue: Jardin du Carroussel





Musée Rodin                                                                      

In the hand of one of Les Trois Ombres (The Three Shades) from Rodin's Gates of Hell.
Continue reading To Be Held By a Statue: Musée Rodin





Monterey, California                                                              

There's a story about this statue of Dennis the Menace.  A month after Mr. Hunter posed with him, the Dennis statue was stolen from the Monterey park where it lived!
Continue reading To Be Held By a Statue: Dennis the Menace



The First Flat Mr. Hunter                                                

The first Flat Mr. Hunter -- actually a set of flat Mr. Hunters -- was inspired by Allyson, one of the original Mr. H's most favorite people and a star of many a classic Mr. Hunter photograph. Allyson and her husband embarked on an around-the-world journey in 2006, and Mr. Hunter couldn't resist the chance to send some flat ambassadors along for the ride. 
Continue reading Meet Mr. Hunter Jr.

The Great Ocean Road, Australia                                      

Mr. Hunter, Jr. viewing the Twelve Apostles from the Great Ocean Road.








Angkor Wat, Cambodia                                                     

Another high point in MHJ's travels with Allyson...
Continue reading Mr. Hunter, Jr. Hangs Out at Angkor Wat





The Thinker                                                                           

Mr. Hunter has encountered several versions of The Thinker.
Continue reading Series: The Thinker








Lake Geneva, Switzerland                                                     

Where was Mr. Hunter when he posed in the window of a castle? 
On the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) in Switzerland, at the Chateau de Chillon. 
Continue reading Where in the World Is Mr. Hunter? (Medieval Edition)



Celebrities: Mark Zuckerberg                                           

I met my friend Molly for dinner recently.  When I showed up at the restaurant, I noticed Mark Zuckerberg sitting at a table in the front window.  
As tempting as it was to try for a Mr. Hunter picture with Mr. Facebook, I could not bring myself to interrupt his dinner.  So when Molly got there, she posed with Mr. Hunter, with Mr. Zuckerberg conveniently situated in the background. 
Continue reading Celebrities in the Background: Mark Zuckerberg

The Painted Plate                                                                 

This painted wooden plate was the source of a custody battle! 
Continue reading Disputed Objects: The Painted Plate



The Leaning Tower of Pisa                                                   

Continue reading Flat Mr. Hunter Aligns Himself with the Leaning Tower of Pisa 

Maui, Hawai'i                                                                           


Where was Mr. Hunter when he felt the urge to sway his hips?  At the Hula Grill on Ka'anapali Beach, when he was visiting the island of Maui.

Continue reading Where in the World Is Mr. Hunter? (Hula Edition)


Kent, Connecticut                                                                

Mr. Hunter and his friends were hanging out in Kent, Connecticut when they encountered these sculptures in the courtyard at Kent Town Center.  
As you can see, Mr. H felt a strong affinity with the stone statues.

Turns out these pieces were part of an official outdoor exhibition at Eckert Fine Art.
The artist is Boaz Vaadia.

Continue reading Mr. Hunter on Exhibit


Connecticut Sculpture Safari                                               


Mr. Hunter spotted these tremendous metal sculptures on their way into Kent, Connecticut.  Naturally we had to stop so that Mr. H could pose with a few of them.   
These pieces are by a sculptor named Denis CurtissIf you happen to be driving through Cornwall Bridge, keep an eye out for the yard with these (and many more) bronze beasties.   Continue reading Connecticut Sculpture Safari
Rome, Italy                                                                          


In 2008, the real Mr. Hunter visited Italy for the first time.First stop: Rome 
Continue reading Postcards from Ancient Rome 
Mr. Hunter has no hands to put into the Mouth of Truthbut he's a big fan of Roman Holiday. 
Continue reading Bocca Della Verita
Where was Mr. Hunter when the extraordinary faces on this fountain caught his eye?  In the Piazza della Rotonda beside the Pantheon, in Rome, Italy! 
Continue reading Where in the World Is Mr. Hunter? The Answer

I love this.  I love this a lot.  After visiting the Pantheon, we wandered down a pedestrian street and came across a life-size wooden Pinocchio figure sitting on a bench.  This Pinocchio is a mascot for a little toy shop called Bartolucci.  Beside the bench was an open store front where a wood carver was busy making another Pinocchio. Well.  All those woodworking tools.  Mr. Hunter.  How could I not ask Mr. Woodworker to pose with my wooden friend? Continue reading The Wood Carver
World Series Trophy                                                           


Mr. Hunter and I could not pass up an opportunity to pose with the World Series trophy, currently in the proud possession of the San Francisco Giants! 
Continue reading Go Giants!





Pebble Beach                                                                       


Maybe agreeing to a round of golf at Pebble Beach wasn't the best idea...Continue reading Teeing Up








Maui, Hawai'i                                                                           


Mr. Hunter found a heart made of stones while vacationing in Maui.Continue reading Hugs and Kisses from Mr. Hunter



The Travelocity Gnome                                                         

Mr. Hunter happened to be at work the day that the official Travelocity gnome visited.Continue reading Meeting Up with the Travelocity Gnome






The Arctic Circle                                                             


Flat Mr. Hunter represents at the Arctic Circle in Sweden.  He was on his first journey with Gaylon. 
Continue reading Flat Mr. Hunter at the Arctic Circle




Disney's California Adventure                                          


An utterly satisfactory moment for Mr. Hunter.  We ran into Mr. and Mrs. Incredible outside the Animation Station at Disney's California Adventure. 
Continue reading The Incredibles






Disneyland                                                                           
Mr. Hunter appreciates a corny pun now and then.  Here he is shopping in Adventureland -- at the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost, I believe. 
Continue reading Shrunken Ned





Mr. Hunter found this punny hat at the Autopia Winner's Circle shop in Tomorrowland. 
Continue reading Caution A-Head






The Human Pyramid                                                              
Jeremy sounded doubtful when Amy came up with the idea of a human pyramid.  I think he was afraid that he might crush them.  But they all survived.

Continue reading The Human Pyramid




All Smiles                                                                   
Mr. Hunter was all smiles when he posed with this peaceful Buddha on Mitzi's desk. 
Continue reading All Smiles








iPhone                                                                       
Mr. Hunter saw double when he posed with Grace right after she'd snapped his picture with her iPhone. 
Continue reading Seeing Double







Monterey Bay Aquarium                                                        
At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, you can climb into a section underneath one of the displays and watch the sea creatures swim past. 
In these photos, Mr. Hunter and a blissed-out Kerry smile and say "Hello" to a ray as it glides along above them. 
Continue reading The Ray




California Redwoods                                                
When you go wandering in a redwood forest, you might encounter a banana slug or two. 
Continue reading Slugworth!  



Hall of Fame                                                                
I love this photo something fierce!
I stopped by the Y! offices in Manhattan to say hello, and Richard and Jim came up with this delicious and gentle moment. 
Continue reading Hall of Fame: Richard and Jim 
Huw always comes up with notable Mr. Hunter poses.
Continue reading Hall of Fame: Hulk Hands








Playing foosball with his good friend Allyson.  In addition to being the inspiration for the original Flat Mr. Hunter, Allyson has posed for many classic photos with the real Mr. H. 
Continue reading Hall of Fame: Playing Foosball with Allyson




Mr. Hunter witnessed a few Project Runway breakouts over the years.  Whenever Gabriel was involved in the discussion, things could get dramatic. 
Continue reading Hall of Fame: PR Breakout




I'm not even sure what to say about this shot of Mr. Hunter and Mike, except that I have always loved it!  This was taken on a volunteer day, when a group of us from work helped tend to some young redwood trees. 
Continue reading Hall of Fame: Mike




Amey thought that Mr. Hunter might want to practice some yoga with her, so they both inverted themselves for a bit of headstand. 
Continue reading Hall of Fame: Headstanding with Amey 





Such a tender moment between Mr. Hunter and Peter! 
Continue reading Hall of Fame: A Kiss From Peter






Italy                                                                        

I'm pretty shy, but traveling with Mr. Hunter sometimes inspires me to break out of my shell and ask people to pose with him.  Most often I'll ask people who've become part of the journey somehow -- they work at a pleasing restaurant or at our hotel, we've had an interesting conversation, or maybe they've become temporary traveling companions on a bus or a train.   
Here are the people I asked to pose with Mr. Hunter in Rome. 
Continue reading People I Have Asked: Rome, Italy 

On the train from Rome to Florence, our seatmates were two teenagers from California (brother and sister) who'd had to leave their parents in Rome.  Their father had been hospitalized the night before (possibly for appendicitis, although I don't think the diagnosis had been settled at this point.)  The father was apparently okay, but the doctors had kept him in hospital for observation.  So the parents sent the kids on ahead to the hotel they'd booked in Florence.
Continue reading People I Have Asked: On the Train to Florence