Seattle Daily Photo: January 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

Gluten Free, Vegan Bakery Cafe

If you are looking for a local business striving to do work in an open manner that benefits its customers and community, is committed to sustainability, and wants to create a niche where everyone can eat without worry of dietary restrictions, look no further. The Flying Apron Bakery Cafe is a haven for those who are vegan or must avoid gluten and wheat products. Their bakery goods are their claim to fame, but they also serve soups and salads. For many they are an oasis of safe, wholesome eating. There are so many folks who need places like this in their lives. Many of you may be familiar with Seattle's own Gluten Free Girl who has blogged for many years, raised awareness of the need for widely available gluten free products, and has published a run-away best seller. She's taking a little rest from blogging starting this month, but I understand a new cookbook is due out very soon.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Epicenter of the Universe

The Fremont neighborhood's slogan is that it is "The Center of the Universe." It is printed on signs as one enters the free-spirited and art-filled district. The Epi Apartments (as in epicenter) is in the heart of the neighborhood. The free flowing metal sculpture that engulfs the corner tower was pretty sparkly in the sunset light. This is part of the view Rapunzel has from her own tower on the Fremont bridge :-).

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Rapunzel in Her Lonely Tower

She's not looking too pleased with the prospect of the two possible suitors ignoring her as they pass by below, but you'd expect a bit of a cranky attitude from someone whose been up in the west tower of the Fremont Bridge for so many years. She is one of two neon figures from children's stories (the other is from How the Elephant Got His Trunk) that grace the windows of the two towers. A little friend of mine who just turned four last weekend was so excited to share with me that her birthday cake was to feature Rapunzel, I just had to go over to the bridge to nab this shot for her to see. It was my fave fairy tale from my Brothers Grimm collection when I was small, too. I showed you an earlier photo I took of this whimsical urban art by neon artist Rodman Miller before here in 2007. It was removed for awhile for repairs and then reinstalled. You'll notice the video camera has been moved, too.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

35th Street Bistro Where Still Life Used To Be

As mentioned yesterday, the Still Life Coffee House closed a few years ago, and this upscale bistro took its place. It was looking mighty warm and cozy when I walked by in 32 F chill :-). As you can see from the little sign to the far left, they serve Lighthouse Coffee from a delightful local roaster in the neighborhood.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Still Life Coffee House Mural

Painted by Seattle artist Parris in 1994. The coffee house is long gone, only the mural remains to inform the interested. The Still Life was once a hub of community life for the neighborhood at 35th and Fremont. I have a friend that when we were in town for a conference tried to take me there because she had loved it so much from previous visits. Sadly we couldn't find it. But tomorrow I'll show you what is there. This mural serves as a place marker in space and time, an ode to a fine much missed establishment.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

All Gone Now

The big melt came with warmer temps and rain, allowing us once again to see the art so often underfoot as we go about Seattle's streets. I took this shot on the whimsically tiled patio of a Fremont eatery whose sign was reflected in the puddle. Here's a shot from the same patio in 2006, the first year of SDP, taken during morning hours.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Wheeeeee Redux

A repeat classic shot for you to say Happy 5th Birthday to SAM Olympic Sculpture Park. Here's a little blast from the past. I took these shots a couple weeks before the grand opening in 2007. Seattlites have not stopped enjoying this wonderful venue for one second since they took the fences down to let the public in. It's a treasure. Big doings today to celebrate. Drop by to make an artful birthday hat and try some lovely caramels and cake!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Gearing Up For Indoor Adventures

Here's a little slice of life shot for ya. Seattlites were out in force on Tuesday evening, doing some early marketing and laying in groceries for the coming snow days. What an abundance of winter color the fruits and veggies offer at this PCC Natural Market, one of Seattle's successful longtime cooperative ventures.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Snow Day Hero, Our Jolly Postman

We've always had the best mail carrier in Seattle, and today he was out there trudging through the wet powder and cold temps just as cheerfully and efficiently as any other kind of day he usually encounters. No snow day for him."Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Thanks Mr. Postman! I ventured out in snow boots with the camera and caught some of the snow day fun folks were having on the hilly streets. Adults and children all in happy spirits.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Path Through the Water

These women were out on the water when the air was 34 F. It had snowed in the morning, but not stuck to the ground near the ship canal. They are heading under the Fremont Bridge and out onto Lake Union and to Portage Bay beyond. Rowing is a hugely popular activity in Seattle, with many private and school affiliated clubs dotting the shores of our waterways. The shells glide by swiftly, gracefully and nearly soundlessly.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

We Pay Cash @ the Moulin Rouge

This guy is getting ready to purchase his order at Red Mill Burgers which takes only cash or check. The scene was so colorful I just had to snap this with my iPhone. My all around fave: the Veggie Verde Burger. Yum!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Honeycomb Mesh

Another perspective of surveying a scene from above today, but this time a warm and dry interior. I was standing in a hallway on the 3rd floor of the Seattle Central Library looking two floors down toward the living room and southeast entrance at the far left. There is nothing between the high gloss red floor and the view except a glass wall with a vertical curtain of galvanized metal hexagon mesh that has been corrugated to further strengthen it. The lack of railings and the ability to see through the materials makes for a great vantage point.

Monday, January 09, 2012

Sidewalk Seating

Saw this charming metal bench gracing the sidewalk outside a shoe boutique. Although it was nippy and wet outside, it still had appeal enough to beckon me in for a look at all its French curves.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Rainy Night Airport

Dropping off and picking up people at Sea-Tac airport is really simple. I find it to be a very user friendly place and enjoy flying from here. We are looking down from a skybridge onto the curve of the Arrivals curb in front of the terminal. The misty-moisty late night drizzle made the light and colors run on the shiny pavement. Hey, did you know our airport is actually run by the Port of Seattle?! Air ships, sea ships, Amazon.com ships. . . we're all about shipping! :-)

Saturday, January 07, 2012

5 O'Clock Sky

We were walking rapidly along on First Hill looking southwest over downtown Seattle when I glimpsed this little bit of the urban skyline and snapped it with my iPhone. A friend from out of town was performing nearby, and we were scuttling so just paused to record the lovely silhouettes against that bright sky. That is the distinctive pointy roof of Smith Tower to the far left, then the Municipal tower, a crane, Columbia Tower and assorted high rises to the right.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Winter Color

A friend at work celebrates Epiphany and Russian Christmas on January 6th and 7th, so when I noticed this colorful store, bright against the blue sky with its Christmas display I thought I'd post the shot. Steffe in Haninge, Sweden dropped me a note to say he owns the candle set you see at center. But this store is not in Sweden. It is in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, famous for its pride in Nordic heritage. The store specializes in goods and foods from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland, thus the display of flags from those countries. Truth be told, I'm saving up all the sunlight and color I can to get me through the abundant January gray sky moments. So enjoy the color, sunlight and shadows :-).

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Contemporary Conversation

Okay, so they are sticking with their New Year's resolution, out there getting exercise together. Used to be you and your friend or partner would step out for a walk together or go for a bite to eat and enjoy talking in depth about all manner of things with each other. These days. . .not so much. This photo illustrates a current common mode of togetherness I've observed in all kinds of settings. Adults side by side but with divided interests, concentrating on a smart phone screen and oblivious to the landscape they're passing through and perhaps each other. It seems to be a mutially agreeable way to be together. Any sociologists out there tracking these trends?

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Creative Change

I recently attended photographer Chuck Pefley's open studio. He is known to many of you from the photoblog he published, One A Day, Mostly Seattle. But, it wasn't his photography I went to see. This past year Chuck has re-channeled his artistic energies and retooled his studio to concentrate on glass work. He has been studying new techniques at Pratt and is making stunning lampwork beads which he offers for sale at his Pike Place Market stall and through his Etsy shop online (you can take a look at his wares by clicking on the link in my sidebar to the right or this link to his new bead blog, Torch & Glass, here). In this shot you see him working with a torch, mandrel, and some custom tools to craft colorful molten glass into very lovely jewelry.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

One Party's Over, Another's Just Beginning

There is seemingly no one in the Space Needle, the site of Seattle's hottest New Years Eve ticket night before last. All the festive decorations are put away, and even the sky has turned gray and rainy (although the light spill often makes it look chocolate in photos). It is back to normal for another year, but it won't be quite a normal year for the Space Needle. A year-long celebration is just gearing up. There will be some big doings to celebrate it's 50th anniversary. Lots of transformation is going on below at Seattle Center. There was disappointment that a ginormous Ferris wheel (think similar scale to the London Eye) was not able to be installed as planned. Last night it was just as well because it was so windy it probably would not have been able to operate anyway. I'm surprised this shot came out as clear as it did given the cold gusts that pummeled me. I just had a mini tripod with me and the wind was shaking the camera so badly I called it quits pretty quickly. You can see what I mean below :-).

Monday, January 02, 2012

The Pike Brewing Company

Seattle's own Pike Brewing Company is the proud little brewery that could. Founded by the Finkel family, then sold, then purchased back, the Finkel's clearly have a long passion for great food and beverage. They've been instrumental in helping foster American tastes for fine European style brews. They care not only about beer's thirst quenching qualities but how specific brews can be paired with wonderful foods. The company has a brewery which you can tour, as well as a pub and restaurant, an event center, store, and brewing museum. They love educating people about beer and encouraging home brewers. It's a micro brew lover's paradise. You can take a virtual tour of the brewery here. They are also known for the great graphics of their distinctive labels and the clever names they come up with for their traditional brews. I took these logo shots during a late night amble down Post Alley where they are located. Below are just two of their creative Seattle brewed offerings. . .which might you be tempted to try?

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Theme Day: Best Shot of 2011

As we always do on January 1 each year, City Daily Photo Bloggers share with you our best shots from the previous year. Here is a photo from last February taken in the Wallingford neighborhood on a cold winter day when it was hailing. The cheerful lighted neon of the historic art deco era 45th Guild Theater could get anyone out of a blue funk :-). I didn't spend much time thinking about which photo to choose, so you might like to see the 50 Best of Set picked by a computer algorithm as my "most interesting" shots of the year. Just click the page tab named Most Intertesting Shots 2011 above on the bar. And to see all your fave City Daily Photo Blogger's, click here to view thumbnails for each participant's Best Shot from 2011.

. . .and

I took this shot of the Space Needle fireworks display last night from my street in Seattle. Wishing you a wonderful year ahead.

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