Seattle Daily Photo: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

A Glacier Carved This Graceful Slope. . .

How do I have a clue this is so? Well, turn 180 degrees with me via the picture below and you will see the talisman it left behind in this street scene in the Wedgwood neighborhood.

No, that's not human landscaping in front of of two houses on this otherwise ordinary residential street in the Wedgwood neighborhood. That is Big Rock (called Wedgwood Rock by geologists), the second largest glacial erratic in Washington (the largest is in Coupeville on Widbey Island). It was left behind by Vashon Glacier thousands of years ago. The area around it was forested when it was a well known landmark to the native people. It stands 9 feet tall and over 75 feet in circumference. Boy Scouts, rock climbers and even famous mountaineers such as Jim Whittaker practiced their technical skills here decades ago; but, there has been a city ordinance against climbing on it since 1970. I was glad the woman in the blue coat walked by to help you get a sense of its scale. And yes, that is ice on the road and snow was falling when I shot this. For more photos from several angles around this rock, see my More Seattle Stuff page.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Farewell Guitar Emporium

Filled with gorgeous instruments from local luthiers and high end makers from Canada and the US, looking in the windows of the Guitar Emporium on Ballard Ave was always a pleasure. The Emporium was a fixture in its distinctive building for 21 years. Now viewing and purchasing of their delectable instruments will have to be done on line as the shop is shut with a notice in the window from the owner to look for them as a business in cyber space now.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Souvenir Has Closed

Over the years my favorite shopfront on historic Ballard Ave has been the unmarked entryway to Curtis Steiner's "Souvenir" shop. Steiner is a local artist who has not only sold his one of a kind cards from this location for a decade but delighted the neighborhood with his interesting window displays featuring some of the unique art objects he has collected and sells. Take this Schroeder-like "baby grand" piano with a carved and painted bust of. . . well, it's not Beethoven with those glassy eyes. Yesterday when I walked by their were pieces of not-so-artfully arranged furniture in the windows. Sigh. I hope Steiner opens another venue for his delights. And what made me even sadder was another favorite store I loved to browse, the Guitar Emporium, has also recently closed. A sign in the window says the high-end and custom acoustic instrument business is going on line. I will try to post a photo I took there tomorrow. Things are always changing for businesses, especially in this economy and in that neighborhood which, over the past ten years, has seen a lot of retail change and rising rents and condo conversions. Farewell fave, wonderful shops, and good luck in whatever new incarnation and location you may find yourselves.

This part (hopefully) won't change. This terrazzo and tile entryway with "Frank's" written in the stone will remain as a reminder of the creative charm that can live through decades of changes.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Snow, But Nothing's Sticking

It's cold enough to tempt anyone into Murphy's Irish Pub for something warming during the light snowfall. But wait, that red hand is saying, "don't cross." :-).

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Empty Outside Seating

Patrons at the Kuan Yin Teahouse in the Wallingford neighborhood chose inside over outdoor seats while light hail fell and collected on the sidewalk.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Welcome Lilly Marie

While surveying the offerings at Trophy Cupcakes, this little tasty grouping seemed to sum up my joy at hearing the news of the safe delivery of our family's newest member, born to my niece in California at around 3 AM.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Mid Century Round

Perhaps many cities boast buildings in the round, and Seattle has a few examples. None so prominent, though, as the twin towers of the Westin Hotel. Here the original south tower is framed in the view. The 40 story cylindrical building opened in 1969 as the Washington Plaza Hotel. The elevated monorail tracks from the 1962 World's Fair passed right by it. Its twin (out of view here) wasn't built until 1988. I remember always passing the Capitol Records building in LA when I was a kid and thinking how cool it was that the architecture echoed the shape of record albums. What round buildings does your city have?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Downtown Moment

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no downloading, personal or commercial use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

Busy 3rd Ave downtown during the 3-6 PM buses only use time on this street. I can see seven buses and a taxi, and pedestrians making there way across crosswalks at four intersections. There is a sky bridge which also crosses the avenue

Update: Wow, over 60 illegal downloads of this image! What's the big draw? Please consider this a friendly cease and desist notice regarding NO DOWNLOADING of these copyrighted images for any reason. I appreciate your cooperation.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

UW Rowers on Lake Union

Is it just me or does 2 Union Square (furthest tall building on the right) look like a harmonica in this shot? :-)
I love seeing rowers out practicing, and these UW women were cutting a line across the lake super fast. This one is dedicated to Becky in Bozeman who knows these waters well. :-)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Snug Home Sweet Floating Home

The red canoe tied snugly against a red motor boat caught my eye in the floating home community of Tenas Chuck in the Eastlake neighborhood along Lake Union. A well tended container garden graces the houseboat's walkway. Happy Valentine's Day to you :-).

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Sunday Bridges #19: Sky Bridge

This pedestrian bridge linking a large cinema complex, office buildings shops and restaurants was very busy on a rainy Saturday afternoon in the Eastside community of Bellevue. The bridge not only makes for safer and more convenient passage across the street, it allows one to go from one indoor space to another without feeling any rain drops. In two weeks (Feb 24-27) Bellevue will host Wintergrass, an indoor weekend-long Northwest acoustic music and bluegrass festival with performances and workshops that attract musicians and acoustic music aficionados from around the nation.

To see other kinds of bridges around the world, check out Louis le Vache's Sunday Bridges Series here. San Francisco Bay Daily Photo: Sunday Bridges XXXXVII/Weekend Reflections

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Wind Starting to Stir

The reflection of the lights from Eastlake and Capitol Hill start to erase when a breeze disturbs the smooth surface like an Etch A Sketch being shaken . Saint Mark's Cathedral sits aglow on top of Capitol Hill.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Night in the City Looks Pretty to Me

The south shore of Lake Union and the downtown skyline as seen in a long exposure from across the still lake on a February evening. The building lights cast their glow on the water.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Amgen @ Twilight

This is the Amgen Helix Project Research and Development Facility lit up at twilight on the shores of Elliott Bay, as viewed through the double helix-shaped pedestrian bridge that spans a heavily utilized railroad corridor. The bridge allows people access to the waterfront pedestrian paths and bicycle trail without having to cross the rail yards. The biotech firm completed phase one of this construction in 2004 and was to have doubled the size of this facility by last year, but those plans were put on hold in 2007. About 750 people work here

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Hôtel de Ville, Seattle

Back in 2006 I shared with you a photo of Seattle City Hall looking down from Smith Tower. I revisited this scene again with a better camera and like this perspective of seeing it as if it were an architect's model. There is so much to love about City Hall's architecture. It is a pleasure to visit inside and out. I've shown you several photos of the exterior and interiors, and it is always a captivating place for me. Details about City Hall are here.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Newer High Rises

I thought that shimmering glass looked like an architectural waterfall in the midst of the dull surfaces. Photographers are going to have fun with that one. . .as I went by the other night (sans camera) I could see the Space Needle's distorted reflection. Have to go back and check that out soon.

Monday, February 07, 2011

Walkin' Their Baby Back Home

This family was walking past the Bistro as they left Post Alley on a rainy, quiet winter night. The tiny little miss looked so cute in her layers of warm gear.

Sunday, February 06, 2011

To Your Health

Whoever rode this fixie through hilly Seattle to their workout at the gym must be pretty fit! :-) This is a night shot I took with my iPhone of a bike parked in the passageway that leads to the Ballard Health Club. I was passing by when the lighted arrow caught my eye. It points to the club's entrance. I liked all the colors in this covered alleyway.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Heart of Amazon

Amazon.com's new campus in the Cascade neighborhood is not all cubes and office towers. I found this deserted outdoor gathering area on a weekend, but imagine this former alleyway will attract many workers to come out from behind the glass into the outdoors on fine days. I understand that this spring another phase of the multi-block project will be completed and more Amazon.com employees will move into their new offices. Another giant, Microsoft, has leased four floors of the nearby newly completed Terry/Westlake building. Along with people moving into new work space, businesses catering to them and the neighborhood are moving in as well. In the brick Terry Building left in place among the bright new office blocks as an historic homage to the neighborhood's light industry roots, Seattle's much loved restaurateur, Chef Tom Douglas, has now built Brave Horse Tavern and Ting Momo Tibetan dumpling house in the Terry Building. Still to come this spring will be a fine Italian pasta restaurant, Cuoco. Last month Douglas opened his Westlake edition of Serious Pie in the neighborhood, as well, along with a commercial pastry kitchen that will prepare treats for several locations.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Porthole on the Red Floor

I love looking down hallways on the 3rd floor of Seattle's Central Library. All the walls, floors and ceilings are high gloss red. . .except that pink wall on the right. It has a porthole window which overlooks the bright banana-slug-yellow escalator.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Fortune Cookie Heart

Someone with a hot glue gun and a lot of patience made a huge heart out of fortune cookies and suspended it in a downtown shop window in front of a board full of beautiful lucky money bags. It is Lunar New Year, Heart Health Awareness Month, and Valentine's Day is coming. I wonder what your fortune will read? :-) Happy New Year!

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Lunar New Year

Seattle's International District hosted festivities on Saturday including a lion and dragon dance under the Chinese gate and a children's costume parade. You can see the dragon has climbed the utility pole and won't come down :-) (there are several of these imposing red dragons throughout the International District). The year 4709 begins tomorrow, opening the year of the rabbit. Wishing you love and luck in what I hope is a very happy New Year for everyone.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Theme Day: Fountains & Letterpress DCFC

Passing a shop window I spied this beautiful two color poster for a past Death Cab for Cutie concert. I have long admired letterpress prints. An artist named Tim printed this, and I'm sorry to say I could not make out his last name, but very much admire his work. Since I had alluded to some DCFC lyrics in yesterday's post, I thought you might enjoy this follow up.

Update: gosh, I've been so busy I forgot it was the first of the month and a CDPB theme day! The theme is fountains, and the top photo above is titled "Make It a Double." The drinking fountain near the oft photographed sculpture in Kerry Park is a popular stop not only with neighbors out for a run, but for their pooches, too. There is usually a water bowl just next to the fountain for the canine crowd. To see how others interpreted the theme, probably with far grander fountains of all types :-), click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

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