Seattle Daily Photo: January 2009

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Cherry VW Truck

My husband's first vehicle ever was one of these vintage double cab, split windshield VW trucks. I think he said his dad had to co-sign for it. He had a SAAB when I met him, so I don't know what became of the old odd beastie. I know he drove it from CA to work on a sheep ranch in Idaho when he was like 19. I like to think someone has fixed it up and that it is somewhere in cherry condition, like this one that Michael from Paris came across in someone's Capitol Hill driveway. I later saw it and also snapped a shot of it, cuz I hadn't realized after seeing his via the little screen on the back of his camera that it was a truck rather than a bus. "Long may you run. . ."

Friday, January 30, 2009

Not Monet's Bridge

Contemporary docks, gangways and sanitation systems were installed at Shilshole Bay Marina a couple years ago as part of the $80 million marina makeover by the Port of Seattle. There are 1411 slips, many of them occupied by a large liveaboard sailboat community. Gone is the romance of rotting wood and creaking pipes. Even the new contemporary metal gangways can look magical at sunset when the marina lights come up and color the water reflections of hundreds of masts.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Seattle Neon Against the Evening Blue

Sonic Boom plays with a Seattle aerospace theme in its logo. This is the Capitol Hill music store's neon sign seen against the blue of evening light. Seems like a contemporary homage to the west coast Googie style design of yesteryear.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Basement Windows

Looking slightly uphill along a Belltown neighborhood street, a figure is waiting at the corner ahead. This is a typical Seattle sidewalk scene on a cold day like the one yesterday that began with a light dusting of snow.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Pillars of Strength

Middle of the night view under Hwy 99 in Fremont. The structure looked so massive. This is looking down Troll Avenue N., and is the view this fellow (that I showed you in 2006) takes in while waiting to nab another unsuspecting snack or two from above.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Only the Names Have Been Changed

I was snapping away at a colorful window full of people when I saw someone I recognized walking through to a table at this establishment. I loved the colors and lines in the photo and played with Allen Chou's "Ripple Blocks" effect. I don't know if you'll like this sort of photo manipulation, but figured just this once wouldn't bother you too much. Besides protecting the innocent, the effect was fun because I love abstractions. First person to correctly guess the place in Seattle where this was taken wins a free post card of their choice of any SDP photo from 2006 to present. Have fun, and happy Lunar New Year to you all on this sunny Monday in Seattle!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Beading at Cafe Verite

Cafe Verite / Cupcake Royale was closing, and as I exited I noticed the two women on the right had divided boxes of colorful beads they were stringing into jewelry together. This was the third time in a week I had noticed folks doing some communal activity at a tea or coffee house at night besides conversing over a hot cuppa something. What sorts of things have you seen people doing together in your local establishments?

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Studying at Caffe Ladro

In this second in the "what we do together in cafes" series, here are five Seattle Pacific University students who were studying together at Caffe Ladro on Queen Anne. I tend to frequent some of the wifi equipped establishments around town that stay open later, and here closing time isn't until 11 PM. I'm in Southern California and wasn't able post until late tonight (from a very crowded coffee house in Huntington Beach where a group of six guys across from me is currently playing some handheld game together on their Blackberries/iPhones!). Hope you are having a great weekend!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Knitting at the Teacup

I spied this group of seven busy knitters as I walked past the Teacup on Queen Anne last night. It got me thinking about some of the things I've observed people doing together at coffee and tea shops besides just sipping, noshing, and talking. This is the first of three shots I'll show you of what I've seen this week. It might interest you to know the Teacup has new larger digs just catty corner from their old location near Cafe Ladro, taking over Tulley's old space across from Peet's and Starbucks. We remain highly caffeinated, but even Seattle apparently can't sustain four coffee houses at one corner!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Watching My Life Go By

Something about the light trail of this car taking the curve in the middle of the night reminded me of this great Michael Hedges album. That is the Aurora Bridge in the fog, seen from Westlake, cars occasionally flying by. The fog has been with us a week now!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Enormous Stained Glass Work

Dick Weiss, a renown Pacific Northwest stained glass artist who has been on faculty at famed Pilchuck Glass School, was commissioned to create this multistory curved art window installed at the pedestrian entrance of Seattle Center's new grass-roofed green parking structure, built as the first phase of the Bill & Milinda Gates Foundation headquarters project across from Seattle Center. The colors and workmanship on this huge work are phenomenal, and very striking at night (another view here). I learned that the green grass roof on this multistory parking structure is the largest of its kind in Seattle. The Gates Foundation campus under construction on the adjoining lot is targeting LEED Gold standard when completed in 2011.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Solid Foundation

When you see shots of Seattle's most recognizable landmark this is not normally the part that is featured. With our fog the past number of nights even the base of the Space Needle has been hard to see. I feel like our nation has been in a similar fog. It is built on some strong features that we've allowed to become obscured. My hope is not in our 44th president, but in the renewal of principles he speaks of honoring and the sleeping giant he has helped to awaken and inspire: the better selves of the American people. He appeals to our decency and has given us renewed energy to work hard to restore some basic tenants of a 233 year old democratic republic that have been obscured for a time. I think we as a nation are looking to become our better selves, more of what the promise of this nation encompasses. We have this chance to try to right some major wrongs and strengthen the foundation of a government of, by, and for the people. Starting with the Justice Department's abolishing torture as a state sanctioned practice and shutting down the last administration's end run around basic legal and human rights called Guantanamo, and continuing to lift the fog in every other area of government, policy, and corporate accountability that has been obscured from the light of constitutional law and human decency. Wish us luck and join in our genuine excitement today as we turn a page in history together. We have this moment to change ourselves and become more worthy of the sacrifices and toil of the generations who have gone before us, and more worthy of the friendship and good will of other nations and people around the world. In the words of a brassy 70s funk band from V-Town, "We Can Make It If We Try." Happy Inauguration Day America!

Monday, January 19, 2009

A Way Through the Darkness

To this nation you were like a voice in the wilderness crying, "Make the paths straight," a light refusing to be put out by the darkness, a tree planted by the water of life and unmoved by adversity, the stature of your silhouette still looms in our dark landscape showing a way down the road of peace and reconciliation. Thank you for going ahead of us Dr. King. May we all get there with you.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Seattle Celebration Cookies

Seattle is gearing up for literally thousands of parties this coming Tuesday, and specialty food suppliers have been getting ready for months. Little Rae's Bakery has followed up its special November election day cookies which featured the likenesses of McCain and Obama with their inauguration celebration offering, " The First Family" shortbread cookies. They seem huge at 4 inches. The president, first lady, daughters and as yet unknown new family dog are pictured in red and blue food coloring. The label reads, "Have a great 4 years!"

Saturday, January 17, 2009

I Know We Can Make It

I was going home one night in mid December past a house that in past years has offered very creative and large lighted Christmas decorations ( the year before it had been "Fa la la la la la la la la" on colorful stacked blocks about as tall as a house). This is what I saw and I only had my cell phone camera at the time. I intended to go back with the real camera and get some decent shots to show you, but we had all that snow and then we were out of town, more snow, yadda yadda. . . I was hoping it was still up when I went back in the fog last night with the real camera and tripod and it was. The home owner has mounted the 3' high letters (made of polyester batting, 3 types of Christmas lights, and some shiny embellishments) on flexible metal fencing grid and hung it from a tree at an angle facing traffic. It lights up the whole street. I'm betting there's a party there next Tuesday night ;^) .

Update: Although folks are probably more likely to crank up the Goo Goo Dolls' "Better Days" as inauguration day gets closer, here are the lyrics to the Pointer Sisters huge hit song Yes We Can from many, many moons ago. Perhaps they will serve to inspire US folks considering following through on the president elect's request that Americans spend a few hours volunteering time and service in their communities on this Monday's national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday:

Now's the time for all good men
to get together with one another.
We got to iron out our problems
and iron out our quarrels
and try to live as brothers.
And try to find a piece of land
without stepping on one another.
And do respect the women of the world.
Remember you all have mothers.
We got to make this land a better land
than the world in which we live.
And we got to help each man be a better man
with the kindness that we give.
I know we can make it.
I know darn well we can work it out.
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we?
If we wanna get together we can work it out.

And we gotta take care of all the children,
the little children of the world.
'cause they're our strongest hope for the future,
the little bitty boys and girls.

We got to make this land a better land
than the world in which we live.
And we got to help each man be a better man
with the kindness that we give.
I know we can make it.
I know darn well we can work it out.
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
yes we can can, why can't we?
If we wanna, yes we can can.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Crossroads

A major freeway carves its way north and south through downtown Seattle, dividing it from Capitol Hill to the east. These cross streets, Boren and Pine, create a giant floating X over I-5 and keep the neighborhoods connected via surface streets. Many a Capitol Hill resident walks this route from their downtown job or the bus terminal to their apartment on CH. Maybe you see a place you lived or went to school or commuted through in this view over the ridge toward the Cascades?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Street Lamp Detail Abstract

It is gray and overcast and, although warmer, not warm. We were looking for a bit of light on Madison and ended up noticing design details of the downtown lamposts. Thought you might like a midweek abstract of sorts.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Decision Reached

Seattlites learned yesterday that a consensus decision has finally been reached after years of contention. The double deck Alaskan Way Viaduct that runs along Seattle's downtown waterfront will be replaced by a bored tunnel (rather than the lidded trench version of a tunnel voters previously rejected or a new double deck structure or a broad boulevard scheme such as San Francisco adopted after an earthquake similarly damaged the Embarcadero double deck freeway there). See my post about this from last year. See a video illustration of the tunnel plan here. I will be interested to see how public reaction plays out. I would imagine such a project might be in the spirit of the in-coming president's advocacy of basic public infrastructure projects as a means of generating jobs and economic recovery. Funding will be a huge hurtle to overcome. OK, pretend you are a planner, visionary or designer, get out your visual eraser and try to picture what this scene could be minus that huge raised artery. What sorts of spaces and businesses would you allow to be developed along the stunning Seattle waterfront?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Chinese Ceiling

Looking up again! At the top of historic Smith Tower is a room with a view much in demand for small celebrations. Most people focus on the 360 degree take of the Seattle skyline from the midst of it. But if one looks UP, this is what you'll see: An intricate and beautiful enameled ceiling between hand carved box beams. I'm told the building's owner traded shotguns and typewriters (the Mr. Smith of Smith-Corona Typewriter fame) with the empress of China for the ornately carved furniture pieces, ceilings, woodwork and art and screens that give this room its name: the Chinese Room. Does your city feature an interesting ceiling that's caught your eye?

Monday, January 12, 2009

Green Glass Above

One of the fun things about going out shooting with a friend instead of by yourself is that they draw your attention to things they notice and you perhaps missed or saw in a different or less important way. Michael looked up as we were exiting the Conservatory and I got to see something I would have completely missed had he not said something. Green is my fave color, and I love the art glass in this portico roof.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Conservatory Condensation

Steamy warm inside, cold outside the plant Conservatory at Volunteer Park. I hope the rest of you in the northern hemisphere are bundled up and coping well with winter!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

A Secure Business In Seattle

Tres Seattle, non? Home Espresso Repair may never lack for business in this town. Since 1986 it has been housed in a small shop in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood, a very old building that must pre-date the paved intersection, as it juts out almost to the curb. Patrons can consolidate errands by picking up fresh roasted beans with their finished repair or new espresso maker. Me, I'm still doing the pour-it-yourself Melitta drip thing with French roast fair trade beans and don't have an espresso maker myself. You?

Friday, January 09, 2009

This is NOT Paris :-)

Yes, that is Cafe Ladro in the background, so you are surely in Seattle and not the 9e. I thought I would treat regular City Daily Photo Blog readers who visit Paris Daily Photo to a photo of someone they will recognize from Eric's picnic photos and comments box. Michael was visiting on holiday and we got to meet for lunch and a photowalk on Capitol Hill. I hope to feature a few of his local shots for you soon. Today is apparently Michael's 15 min of fame day in the blogosphere, as I just went to Eric's site to get a link address and see that his shot today is dedicated to Michael as well! The vibes are working, but apparently Seattle sent all its snow and cold air to Paris with Michael when he left.

One of the nicest things all of us in the CDPB community have remarked on is getting to meet each other in our travels near and far. Here is my "in person" list of of special folks I've met so far through Seattle Daily Photo: Michael, Katie, Meead, Kateny, Benjamin, and near miss Bob. . .sigh. Can you believe my fellow Seattlist, Chuck, and I have yet to meet? Have to rectify that soon! And, I'll be in SoCal at the end of the month and maybe get to see some CDPB folks there, too. It's a small world, much more fun than any Disney ride ;^).

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Colorful Character: Seattle's Scarfman

I was going for an archetypal Americana scene being played out perfectly in the window of Jim's Barber Shop on 15th Ave NE, when out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a colorful living garden gnome in bright orange hat entering stage left. When I looked up from the view finder I realized it was none other than skirt-clad Scarfman , the ubiquitous street performance artist for whom all of Seattle is an unihibited dance stage. He was moving really fast and I saw not a trace of his bright trademark scarves trailing behind, just a moving blur of bright colors. Does your city have it's characters and ambassadors of good will?

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Against the Wind

. . .and the no jaywalking rule, too; but, who's gonna stop a miss on a mission to get from point a to point b as quickly as possible in this cold wind. I was lucky to capture one Chuck in focus! Happy Epiphany and Orthodox Christmas to all those celebrating!

I was standing at the park at downtown's Westlake Center where thousands of Seattlites gathered over the weekend (photo here) to protest the escalation of bombings and violence in Gaza which has now taken more than 500 civilian lives, many of them families with children, and has left the already desperately poor population trembling with fear and without basic supplies. The watching world is crying out for this to stop as similar vigils were held all over the globe.

Sorry for the late posting: my DSL modem died Sunday and I'm posting this from the library after work after many tries last night through various other means :-).

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Cloche Clad

First off, big thanks to Shawn for the great images he treated us to this past week. I hope you will be inspired to keep up with his work. I love visiting his Flickr stream regularly, and there is a direct link to it in the sidebar and by clicking here. You barely got a taste, so be sure to check out the vast wealth of images there. Thanks a bunch, Shawn! That was awesome. And thanks to regular viewers for your feedback on his shots. I'm glad folks enjoyed these two weeks of guest photographers. Thanks to Zolt for the idea!

I got the great treat of meeting Michael, whom some of you know from Eric's Paris Daily Photo community. He popped in here to say hi this past week and you may have noticed his comments. We took a photo walk around Capitol Hill when he visited. I was on my way back to my car when I came across this kind of Hopperesqe scene. I loved the woman in the window's hat and skirt.

Monday, January 05, 2009

Have A Seat

Before anything else, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has left me comments and made me feel welcome in the last week. Kim is very lucky to have such a supportive group of people at her site. I am a common lurker (actually, I see every post she puts up via her RSS feed) but seldom comment. I think you all have inspired me to visit the site and comment more.

I put a vote to my friends as to which photo I should present on my final day here at Seattle Daily Photo. I really wanted to give you all something fresh and new, but the weather around here has been nothing but depressing and gray (well, until it started snowing again this afternoon). So, I give you this one; the orange chair. I vividly remember walking past this Pioneer Square alley in the rain and doing a double take. I considered just how wet my camera would get, and then decided it wouldn't matter anyway. There was no way I was going to pass this photo opportunity. The whole scene looked so perfect and manufactured, but I really think someone was just throwing out an old chair. I snapped 3 shots, looked at my wet (and getting wetter) camera, and decided to throw it back into my bag before doing it any real harm.

Once again, thank you all for being so awesome this week!

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Single File

I finally finished a roll of black and white film that has been in a camera I carry around from time to time; my Lomo LC-A+. This picture instantly reminded me of the day I spent a late afternoon at Gasworks Park. The weather was calm and so I wandered down to the water's edge, where I captured this photo. I really do love little time capsules like this, found on an old roll of film.

Saturday, January 03, 2009

A Sound Garden

A little bit of Seattle history for you today. This art installation, located on the grounds of the NOAA research center in Magnuson Park, is (as far as I know) where Soundgarden got their name. The sounds it makes when the wind is blowing is very eerie and strange, but amazingly beautiful. It was near freezing today with the wind chill, so I figured it would be a good day to experience it.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Perspective

I had really high hopes to take all new pictures for my guest stint here, but the weather has really not been cooperating. I have been inside all day watching it rain and rain and rain. So, you will have to suffer through yet another favorite of mine from my back catalog. This was taken from the Yesler bridge over I-5 looking north. One of my earliest inspirations as I was getting into Flickr was a similar shot by photographer Puja. This was my tribute to that amazing photo.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Theme Day: Best Photo of the Year 2008

It's me, Kim, popping back in for just today for City Daily Photo Blogger's first of the month theme day. Our wonderful guest photographer Shawn will be with you again tomorrow and through next Monday. There are 151 of us participating in this Best of 2008 theme, click here to view thumbnails for all participants of the best of CDPB 2008 around the globe. This photo of houseboats and liveaboards, Sleepy in Seattle, taken in October seemed to resonate the most with SDP visitors. However, here are a few more best SDP shots to take you down memory lane 2008. Happy 2009, and my very best wishes for your good health, security, and happiness in this new year.