Who's smiling now?

Spotted on 73rd and Amsterdam via @BellaFoxx

Window to the soul

A brave warrior surveys the situation, and pauses for reflection.

Captured by umbrellarazza @SweenIT in Manhattan

20% off any purchase of any single item (in-store only)

First-time submitter Meredith sends this to us from outside a Bed, Bath & Beyond in Springfield, Pennsylvania. The second time this particular style has been captured!

Ruin

California-based reader @howardweaver sends us this one, which he spotted during a recent visit to Rome while walking between the Coliseum and the Forum. We can't remember from our Latin classes who was the Roman God of rainfall.

Loveloss

Cleveland submission via our Ohio correspondent, Julie

Broken in a lot (of places)

We pulled the car over in order to get this one yesterday morning

Vocabulazy

Quite a tragically quotidian ending for such a sartorial styling, n'est-ce pas?

Catalogued by Janet in Davis, California.

In Pixels

The BOS community grows thanks to Twitter:

RT @annaleeb: @BellaBrella Hi saw this by a derelict hospital which is being redeveloped in Northampton, England after heavy rain http://twitpic.com/d0h6m

Thanks lady!

Smells like nostalgia

As amazing as Philadelphia's fancy new solar-powered trash cans are, they're no Berry Happy Home. Therein, we applaud Strawberry Shortcake's sense of propriety and resistance to change. (Although we were sad to hear of her alleged (ahem) plastic surgery) Also, we are dying to know if this umbrella smells like, well, you know. Magic.

Great find from Courtney in Philadelphia, on 8th Street and Market!

Main exit is located right by the gift shop

We'll take a stab here.

Semi-cramped and uncomfortable after two hours of sitting, the final crescendo of group sing awakens you from your half-slumber. Moments later when the cast comes out for a final bow you are so excited to run out and use the bathroom that you leap to your feet and applaud heartily nodding enthusiastically to bring the blood rushing back to your neck and shoulders. Then the lights come on and your partner, who bought or was comped the tickets, turns and doesn't ask, but says "Wasn't that wonderful?" To which you can only agree and say it was by far the best show you've ever seen, and thank you so much for thinking of you. As you file out with the rest of the denizens you are sure that you will be the very last person to exit this theatre. Above the happy chatter and plans being made for apres-show cocktails that surround, you hear your partner's voice, asking "Can we just pop into the gift shop? Give us a chance to let the cab line die down." You mouth "Bathroom" and after waiting in line for 10 minutes, reprieve is yours and you are now thinking about that cocktail, and maybe the show wasn't THAT bad. The lobby is surprisingly empty and you find your partner waiting outside the restroom, by the water fountain with one leg propped up against the wall. A plastic bag is thrust into your hand, "Here, I didn't know what size t-shirt you were, so I bought you this souvenir. Everyone needs an umbrella."

Stymied

This may be our first observation of this particular umbrella configuration with 2x spokes, and if it was a design improvement for function it seems to have succeeded. Umbrella handle: such the attention whore.

Caution

It's a fashion emergency.

All bark

No bite

Oh bother

Funny little bear
Stick to eating the hunny
Not keeping kids dry

Step on a crack

Break your very ugly umbrella.

Seriously, I hope this one was a gift. The carnage reminds me of those tissue paper corsages I was really into making for a while. Which, incidentally, none of my recipients* were really into receiving.

New pic from a reader by way of Operation Nice. Thanks Melissa!

*mom, sister(s), neighbors, babysitter, teacher, friend(s).

Ergonomic no no

Never underestimate adequate lumbar support.

Buyer's remorse

Scene: Conference room. Day.

Take 1.

Okay people, we're not leaving until we come up with a list of suggestions for the hot new umbrella design. We need something that's really going to pop. Stand out from the others at the front of the restaurant. Or in a crowd. Opposite of black. We need something that shows our user's personality. Not cats, we've done cats. Think outside the box. Pizazz! What's hot right now? And nothing that needs licensing fees.

Scene: Conference room. Day.

Take 2.

We need a design so utterly horrifying that the user will just abandon their perfectly usable umbrella willy nilly, because you know what they WILL remember when they get back to their warm house? that it Didn't. Break. And that's what makes Repeat Customers, people, so get to thinkin'!

Fleur de list reliable

Bienvienue a Philadelphia! (gulp) How long will you be staying?

Sans Comics

We guess that someone out there didn't think this was very funny at all.

Another from our new friend Jaime in Philadelphia. Spotted on the Umbrella Boulevard of Broken Dreams -- Broad and Spring Garden

Forecast & breakfast

Sunny side up.