Thursday, January 24, 2013

Contemporary Conversation

This is typical of groups of friends out doing things together. They are interacting, yet multitasking on their mobile devices at the same time. "It's a typical situation in these typical times. . ." :-) How we talk to each other today.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday #12

Shape, line, shadow, light, reflection, transparency, intersections

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Floral Mural

When it's winter in Seattle and the gray just won't quit, I will take vivid color wherever I can find it. I can find no information on this floral tile mural and its companion piece (not shown). Both consist of 12 square tiles with sumptuous realistic floral designs and are affixed to the exterior aggregate walls of a building near the sports stadiums. If you have any information on these or the artist that created them, please share it in the comments section.

Monday, January 21, 2013

University & 5th in January

20th Century design in the 21st Century on a gray winter day at Rainier Square. See yesterday's post for more information on this downtown Seattle scene.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

. . . And Day

Rainier Square in the heart of downtown Seattle features two buildings catty-corner from each other that were both designed by native son, architect Minoru Yamasaki: the 1963 IBM Building which features these six globed lighting fixtures all about the public access area, and the Rainier Tower across the street with its inverted pedestal (curve seen in the background). These lighting fixture scream 1960s design to me, yet reminded me of the Pioneer Square globes of yesteryear in yesterday's shot. Tomorrow I will show you a shot of the whole street scene.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Night. . .

Here are our own golden globed cast iron beauties pictured here as night descends. These distinctive cluster street lamps grace Pioneer Square and illuminate the street with charm and period details from the late 1800s. They are one of Seattle's early expressions of civic pride. The first street lights in this area of Seattle were powered by coal gas. I can't find specific information on these lovely street lamps' history or designer, but I do love them.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Here Boy! Here!

Only it won't be here anymore. . . I took this shot some time ago inside Easy Street Records, a place you could see, touch and experience music. Love that cover art. How long since you've bought something because the cover art drew you in? Oh, I forgot. . .I may be one of the few folks who still "buys" music :-). And I've bought a lot of it since moving to Seattle at Easy Street Records. It's one of those places where you can discover amazing new music or find old faves. They also featured in-store concerts with great artists. So it was a real let down to drive past the revolving sign last week and see the notice that their last in-store concert would be tonight, Jan 18, yet great to see it would be Yo La Tengo. Check out this video. They will close of their Uptown/Lower Queen Anne storefront. It's because of the landlord's change in rent, I heard. Life is always full of moving on. They will hold a sale of inventory, auction off a zillion cool artifacts like the signed Eddie Vedder Into the Wild poster below and the neon sign above and their revolving sign outside, and will become a stand alone business at their West Seattle location. Very sad for me, but I'll travel the distance, as will thousands of other Seattlites. Easy Street is one of the wonderful things that makes Seattle SEATTLE.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Great Wheel on the Pier

The Great Wheel peeks over one of the Seattle waterfront's most popular restaurants, The Crab Pot on pier 57, a place famous for Pacific Northwest seafood and where they mound heaps of crab legs and corn on the cob onto the middle of one's table, give you a bib and pair of metal crackers and let you have at the feast. It's chilly in the 40s with partly sunny days this week and The Seattle Great Wheel is casting a watery reflection.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday #11

Driven to Abstraction #11 by Seattle Daily Photo

Reflections on my way up the Central Library elevator blend with geometric patterns and colors to create an interesting abstract.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Are Your Lights Still Up?

The historic cast iron pergola in Pioneer Square was still festooned with ribbons and garlands when I went by a week after Christmas. Most folks in my neighborhood have removed their decorations by now, but even this week there are still a few twinkling LEDs about. Are your lights still up? :-)

Monday, January 14, 2013

Emerge: an ode to dedication

In 2007 fire gutted the historic Metropole building built by Seattle pioneer Henry Yesler. For years bare plywood surrounded the site. Artist Jeff Jacobson decided to do something to liven up the eyesore and involve the community. This enormous and colorful mural is the result. You can read about the project here. I like the salmon in the sea swimming deep (see detail below).

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Pedicab at Rest

It's good to rest on Sundays :-). The big game was on in Atlanta today, so Seattle pedicab drivers didn't have much to do. A heartbreaking 32 seconds brought the Falcons a last minute victory after the Seahawks had mounted such a great comeback. An exciting game to be sure, but Seattlites are understandably feeling a bit blue.

Playing a bit of catch up on photos today. I was unexpectedly out of town for a few days with little ability to post. Didjamissme? :-)

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Dewpoint

Today might not be a day you want to run barefoot in the grass. It's rather wet! Still our winter skies, but a bit of sun peeking though the bare trees at Big Howe Park.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Peaceful Reflection

Mud Hens bobbing about on the cloudy sky surface of Greenlake.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Not So Mundane

I love it when something utilitarian is given a little thoughtful creativity. This ATM machine has a subtle pattern of trees layered behind it. The initials in the heart on the tree just above the right hand window stand for the neighborhood in which I spotted this fun find: Queen Anne Hill.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Driven To Abstraction Wednesday #10

A downtown building's dark vents add a rhythmic accent to the pattern of windows and walls.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Gray Kinda Day

Low clouds and light rain, it's the story of our lives today. Open that Gothic novel and hunker down by the fire with a cat or two strewn about. It's not lifting anytime soon.

Monday, January 07, 2013

The Party's Over Again

Every Seattlite with a camera has some variation of this shot: Needle Above the Grassblades. Here, it's shining but the Christmas and New Year's festivities are over, the tree lights are down, and the Needle is back to normal. I loved the incandescent blue with moody clouds above those glowing yellow and golden blades and the silver shingles of the EMP.

Wishing those celebrating Orthodox Christmas today a beautiful holiday filled with joy!

Sunday, January 06, 2013

Nord Alley

Alaskan artist, skateboarder and carpenter Matt Yoder's work is on display in Nord Alley. About 1/4 way down the alley is a painting Matt did on two snow boards. I understand he is devoted to skateboarding and also uses skateboards in some of his art work.

Nord Alley is one of four alleyways in the Pioneer Square neighborhood that offers regular gallery space, art walks, community events and film / sport viewing (like the live large screen of the Tour du France). It's looking rather empty here, but is often filled with people for Thursday night art walks and the like. I LOVE the suspended lights!

Saturday, January 05, 2013

Eagle Eyed

Detail of 1940 Tlingit-carved replacement totem pole that stands in Seattle's Pioneer Square district. The original 60 foot Alaskan pole was erected in Seattle's Pioneer Place after being chopped down and stolen by a group of Seattle businessmen from a Tlingit village on Tongass island in 1899 when the village inhabitants were away fishing. The pole was badly burned by arson in 1938. The Tlingits had long ago asked for return of the pole or for payment to the family from whose home it had been removed. The people responsible for the theft were charged, but never never tried or fined, and eventually (after being wined and dined in Seattle), a new Alaska official dismissed charges. The Tlingits had asked for $20,000 for the stolen pole, but they never got it and finally accepted $500 from the Seattle Post Intelligencer newspaper, after which Tlingit artists magnanimously agreed to carve this replica using the charred pieces of the original as a guide. If you compare photos of the original with the 1940 figures, however, there are design differences that make me wonder. The original eagle's face featured a more realistic curved beak, not as stylized as the replica, and a differently shaped mouth with less recessed teeth, from what I can make out from ancient tiny photos. The brows were painted a light color or white on the original, making it look a lot more like a bald eagle.

Friday, January 04, 2013

Happy Pedaler

I got to take a photowalk in the Pioneer Square area with Wayne of Miandering in Lotus Land who was down from Vancouver, BC. We could hear the roar of Seahawks fans at the nearby stadium as the game was about to end last Sunday. This pedicab driver appeared to be biding his time to be at the ready to pick up passengers when it ended. His colorful "Sully" bike helmet cover was fun to see and those gloves were protecting him from the icy cold. It's funny that while trying to photograph this colorful character in action I also unintentionally captured a photo of another of Seattle's historic street clocks. What's even stranger is that it originally stood at the same intersection as the clock in yesterday's photo (see them in this historic photo here). This one is the Earl Layman Street Clock (behind our colorful driver) and since 1984 has stood outside what is now the former storefront of Elliott Bay Book Company. The old EBPC headquarters has remained empty since the famed bookseller moved to its successful new digs on Capitol Hill two years ago. The 1907 clock remains on 1st Ave at S Main and seems kind of lonely. It originally stood in front of Young's Credit Jewelers at 4th and Pike. I hope it gets a nice business to keep it company soon.

Thursday, January 03, 2013

New Home for Historic Carroll's Clock

From 1913 to 2008 the Carroll's Fine Jewelry store public clock stood in front of the family business at 4th Avenue and Pike in downtown Seattle. Perhaps the prettiest and most ornate of Seattle's historic street clocks, it has in recent years been relocated twice and had its inner workings and pendulum stolen at Christmas in 2009. The clock was commissioned by jewelry store owner Thomas Carroll and built by Seattle jewler and clockmaker Joseph Mayer. Mr. Carroll would wind the mechanical clock each Monday morning. The family wanted to find a great home for the beautiful clock when it closed the business, and so donated it to the Museum of History and Industry. It was moved to MOHI's Montlake location in 2008. Thieves gutted the mechanical workings at Christmas 2009, leaving the clock faces reading ten minutes to eleven. The repairs and replacement of the mechanism were estimated at $11,000. The clock was insured with a deductible of $2,500. Steampunk, a rather hip organization of Victorian era aficionados, helped raise the restoration funds and then some. Now repaired and keeping good time, the 20 foot high two ton beauty has been installed at the northwest corner of MOHI's brand new digs, the former Naval Reserve Armory building in Lake Union Park. I was very pleased to see it there at last weekend's grand opening. Below is a more detailed photo I took of the marvelous clock in 2007 at it's original home on 4th and Pike. For wonderful and detailed information on all of Seattle's historic clocks, please check out Seattle Clock Walk.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Driven to Abstraction Wednesday #9

1201 Third Ave is reflected and fractured in black granite tiles. This third tallest building in Seattle just sold for $548.8 million. That's $499/square foot, about $50 a square foot cheaper than some newer construction. If names of buildings and sports venues didn't change every few years with the whims of ownership and marketing, this building might be known to you as the Washington Mutual Tower. It was built in 1988 and commands an amazing view of Elliott Bay. WaMu, its original occupant, is no more. Perhaps it will be rechristened for it's new owner as the MetLife Tower soon?

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Best Shot of the Year 2012

Noodling the Needle by Seattle Daily Photo

As has been a tradition with City Daily Photo Blogs for many years, I'm posting my best shot I captured and shared on SDP in the last year as my New Year's Day 2013 post. I took this last February and I hope you like it. Seattlites are always trying to capture some new perspective or aspect of one of the world's most photographed icons, and I was rather pleased with this discovery as I was looking more closely at a nearby sculpture I'd seen a million times and chanced to glance this new-to-me view. Best wishes to everyone for a beautiful new year ahead!

To see other City Daily Photo Blogs' best of 2012 shots, please go here. (Thank you Gerald!) And if you are A CDPBlogger and want to add your Best of 2012 shot, please join in!

Noodling the Needle: Shot through the red noodley sculpture (Olympic Iliad by Alexander Liberman, installed 1984) near the entrance to the Space Needle at sundown on a chilly but sunny first of February.

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