life:

On the afternoon of April 30, 2012, steelworkers placed the first column on the 100th floor at One World Trade Center (still called, by some, the “Freedom Tower”) and New York City will again have a new tallest building on its skyline. But no matter how much higher One World Trade climbs, however, and whatever skyscrapers follow in the years and decades to come, there will always be one building in New York City that looms larger, and is looked on more fondly, than any other.

The Empire State Building opened for business on May 1, 1931, in the midst of the Great Depression, with New York governor Al Smith’s grandchildren cutting the ceremonial ribbon that introduced the 102-story masterpiece to the world. For four decades, it was the tallest building on the planet, before it was finally surpassed in 1972 by the World Trade Center towers anchoring lower Manhattan three miles south. Today, long after it lost the title as the tallest building in the world, and at a time when taller structures (everywhere, but especially in Asia) are rising at a dizzying clip, the ESB nevertheless still stands alone — literally and figuratively — on the Manhattan skyline.

Read more about the history of the Empire State Building here.

this is the first time an article about a building has made me tear up! great piece on the ESB.

theatlantic:

One more shot of the Space Shuttle Discovery over DC. This one is awfully close.

[via Katy Daily]

awesome!

peergettyimages:

Michael Duva captures the expressions of man’s best friend.

DOGS!

peergettyimages:

TEQUILA SHOTS!  Images by Sam Diephuis.

this is relevant to both my work & home life

life:

Home? Oh yeah, it’ll cost you $3 million.

The ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz are on display at New York’s Plaza Athenee. A women’s size 5, the shoes will go up for auction on Dec. 16, and are expected to fetch $2 to $3 million.

(see more — LIFE Follows the Yellow Brick Road)

not to be a debbie downer or anything, but for being pretty much THE MOST ICONIC SHOES OF ALL TIME - they are kinda REALLY fugly.

couldn’t they have gotten some custom louboutins or something for ms. garland to wear?

life:

Report: FBI Probing Scarlett Johansson Nude Photo Leak — Nude photos of the actress from her cell phone were reportedly leaked to the Internet Wednesday, prompting her to contact the FBI about a hacker ring believed to be targeting female celebrities.

While these photos aren’t nearly as racy as the leaked photo… (c’mon, we’re keeping this tumblr PG!)  You cannot deny ScarJo is one of the hottest stars to come out of Hollywood since Lana Turner. Don’t believe it? Click on: Scarlett Johansson at her Hottest.

dear celebrities/politicians/anyone slightly famous/EVERYONE:

STOP TAKING NAKED PICTURES OF YOURSELF AND SENDING THEM TO PEOPLE!

sincerely, 
g&g

ps - any hot men who would like to send me naked photos of themselves are exempt from this message. please proceed. 

brooklyntheory:

Never Forget, NYC