Seattle Daily Photo: March 2009

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The Office

Some jobs need doing, and there's only one way to get them done. How would you like to have the great outdoors for your work cubicle? This guy was sitting aloft getting his sail rigging ship shape, his shadow his only companion for the task. Our CDPB friend Marcel in Sitka would know what this is like. He and his wife built a sailboat and lived aboard her for many years before moving ashore in Alaska. I miss him and Sitka Daily Photo, and this made me think of him. More shots here.

Tomorrow marks SDP's 1000th daily post, and its also Theme Day, so hope you'll come by!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Neck and Neck

. . .but the Clipper won this race with the Washington State Ferry :-). The Victoria Clipper is a passenger ferry that can get you from Seattle to the beautiful city of Victoria, BC, Canada (see Benjamin's fantastic VDP blog for daily proof) in just 2 1/2 to 3 hours. It is not a car ferry, and most travelers don't mind at all as Victoria is a very walkable city with great public transit. One can also get to Victoria by driving aboard a BC Ferry from just below Vancouver, BC or points north (I love them, they are so grand and comfortable) and driving to Victoria after disembarking on Vancouver Island. Ferries are a pleasant way of life here on Puget Sound, but have grown much more expensive than in my college days when many of us found them to be a great place to study.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Les Seattlennes, Weekend Edition

I always love to see Eric's shots of Paris street life, especially some of his street fashion captures of "les Parisiennes" in their element. Seattle has its upscale fashionistas, as well, and I'll share some downtown shots of those sometime; but, here are a couple Seattlennes in their element walking Alki beach on the weekend and wearing some popular elements I see around town, perhaps more like a Pemco ad, a little different. The current winter-into-spring casual look here includes boots, leggings, denim skirt, black jacket, oversize bag, jeans, Vans sneakers, scarf, headband, pony tail, Michele O haircut, and, as in Paris, le chien.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Blue Glow Windows at End of Day

The back windows of the 60's era US Post Office building on 1st Ave N is picking up the evening blue glow of the surrounding sky and reflecting it back to the neighborhood. The Space Needle is peeking over the top like a curious giant. These colors look a bit Miami-ish, non?

Friday, March 27, 2009

Leaving First Hill

Crossing over the freeway on Yesler, turning attention from the noise of traffic below to the serene view out to Alki and beyond. Seattlites continue to wait to emerge from the black and white of these cold gray days into the color and warmth of spring. We seem to be teased every other day or so :-). Hope this is a great Friday and beginning of a good weekend for you. We are happy to be starting spring break tomorrow.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

A Bunch of Us Were Busy Waiting

I wonder from which direction the bus will be coming? ;^) It will pull around the corner to this multi-route stop in the Uptown neighborhood any second. Meanwhile we can enjoy the view up hill on Queen Anne Ave. N and be thankful it is dry and relatively warmer.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Dog Knows

She's listening while he sees. Here is another reason many folks step outside these days: to take a phone call. The striking black and white faced dog caught my eye as he watched me passing by Yesler Terrace on First Hill. The nation's first racially integrated public housing project is 70 years old now and home to over 1100 residents. It will be redeveloped in the next two to five years into mixed income single and multi-family housing, and current projections say it will be a convenient and well-designed urban village that will house 3000 to 5000 residents when complete. Current residents have sought provision that at least an equivalent number of of low income units will be acommodated in the building plans and that any residents wishing to stay may have the opportunity to live in the redeveloped housing.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Man Outside

A man smoking outside Seattle City Hall and an interesting alignment of building elements caught my eye. Are you a fan of contemporary architecture, or do your tastes run more toward the aesthetics of other eras? Has your city or state or country banned smoking indoors? It was always a shock to the eyes and nose when we traveled from our home in San Francisco where smoking indoors had been banned since the 80s and arrived at destinations where it was not. That has slowly changed. Even Paris has adopted a restaurant smoking ban now. Smoking in office buildings was banned in Seattle long ago, but a Washington ordinance banning smoking in restaurants and bars only took effect here in 2006. Seattle smokers seem to have adjusted to the restrictions despite the inconvenience of having to brave the elements for a smoke break outdoors in the harsher months.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Red Flowers in a Puddle

I thought we'd start the week off with an abstract. Since we have rain and snow again this morning, here are giant red metal flower sculptures known as the Magnolia Gateway reflected in a puddle in the Magnolia neighborhood. "Metal artists, Jean Whitesavage & Nick Lyle, of Whitesavage & Lyle fabricated the steel magnolia blossoms and madrona buds" in 2002. Why madrona and magnolia? Check here.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

First Day of Spring Robin

Hidden among the raindrops and buds of the tree is a robin who came to call on the first day of spring. It was like royalty with an attendant court of little roof finches flitting about nearby.

Please join me in wishing Bob, our Arch Ansel at St. Louis Daily Photo a happy 2nd Blogoversary today. Be sure to check out his spectacular shots and clever, thought provoking posts. And belated 1st Blogoversary congrats to Bitingmidge of Sunshine Coast Daily Photo. Hope you are having a beautiful Sunday.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

View Finder and View

I stumbled upon a really fun interactive art installation mounted on a First Hill wall. There is quite a view of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay from this vantage point. Each of the artworks (view all at More Seattle Stuff) is by a different artist and each frames a portion of the view. Below the viewfinder is the artist's rendition of the landmark or point of interest framed in view above. This one captures Seattle's Municipal Tower (did they get a good likeness? Here is a photo I took in February). Such a fun concept, allowing visitors to play I Spy with common sights.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Sounders Flag and Colors

Yesterday was opening day for the Seattle Sounders Football Club. The occasion was marked by their flag flying from the Needle and their green and blue colors lighting up the night. Of course, not being tuned-in to the soccer scene, I was clueless. I drove through the Pioneer Square area earlier in the afternoon and noticed droves of people in bright green jackets and Occidental Square filled with people and balloons. I wondered what was up. Later I was taking some shots from First Hill and not only saw the Pioneer Square area was still full of pedestrians, but Quest Field was adorned with international flags and the green and blue flags of Seattle's new MLS soccer team with an old and beloved name, the Sounders. Later I took a walk to the park and noticed the flag atop the Needle and the green light. Seattle is a serious sports town and had a sold out crowd to embrace a new team. And they won their first match!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Rococo Dome Room

Well today we pass the walrus sentries and go inside to see the Arctic Club Hotel's historic Rococo Northern Lights Dome Room. The 4800 square foot venue can accommodate up to 400 guests and event fees during their first season last summer ranged from $2000 to $3000 depending on room configuration. The hotel staff suggested I pay it a visit and showed me the way to the third floor, but didn't mention there was anyone there. I came upon what appeared to be a soon to be wed couple, their wedding coordinator and parents sampling the menu choices for a reception. Catering fees for the tasty fare reportedly run $60 to $100 per guest. Cough, cough, wheeze. . . 'Scuze me while I sit down a second. The fees are not out of the norm for such an elegant place in any major US city, but anyone else out there imagining their kids' possible future plans then looking at their wallets and the projected economy and thinking, "I hope she shows some shots of Parsons Garden on SDP soon!" Yes, there are many very beautiful settings in Seattle to hold lovely celebrations, from the very simple ($450 to rent an enclosed garden, $300 for a park setting) to the very elegant. I'll try to feature more of them. Meanwhile, here are some detail shots at my More Seattle Stuff page.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

I Am The Walrus

Everyone I know adores the architectural ornamentation of Seattle's Arctic Club (now The Arctic Club Hotel, a 120 room beauty of a place to stay). The entrance once featured a life-sized polar bear sculpture. I have yet to find out what became of it. The third floor exterior still features 29 charming life-sized walrus heads. These originally featured genuine ivory walrus tusks. Those have since been replicated with beautiful curving terra cotta tusks created in the eastern US by one of only two remaining manufacturers of architectural terra cotta tiles and ornaments. Several photographer friends have mentioned trying to come up with a satisfying angle to capture a shot that does these beauties justice. I imagine a window in a building across the street might be a fun vantage point.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Seeing Green in the Emerald City

Seattle loves St. Patrick's day and paints 4th Avenue green for a parade on the weekend, and lots of green beer specials can be enjoyed in all corners of town. Green is a predominant color in the pillars and lamps of the Emerald city's Pike Place Market (I think it's actually Nile Green, popular in the 30s, 40s, and 50s). And that's a genuine Irishman there in the background. He's a photo enthusiast and construction business manager named Derry that I met by chance when he was staying at a hostel on holiday here last July and and exploring Seattle with his camera. Here he was taking some shots of West Seattle through the window in a PPM day stall gallery after hours. He and I and a guy named John from California ended up on a photowalk together after all three of us arrived late for a Thomas Hawk walkabout with Seattle Flickerites. We never did catch up with the large TH group who had boarded a water taxi and gone to West Seattle, but we did our own exploring downtown and on the waterfront and talked photos and gear. John departed at about 8:00 PM to drive to Mt. Rainier so he could get some sunrise shots next morning before heading back to Cali. Derry and I caught a late dinner at Kells in Post Alley (sure to be crowded tonight!) and had fun talking current events and international politics with a couple recently back from the Middle East. Afterward we were walking back through Belltown when a group of slightly inebriated 20 somethings saw our cameras and stopped us to ask Derry to take a photo of them in front of a particular shop window. He gladly agreed thinking it was a typical tourist photo request. Then all six of the men and women proceeded to drop their pants and moon the shop (apparently they were expressing a grievance of some kind). I don't know how Derry held their little point and shoot still enough to get the shot, cuz we were cracking up while this brief impromptu "shoot the moon" went on. The group calmly zipped up, took back their camera, thanked us and walked away down the sidewalk. We laughed so hard. Something about hanging out with the Irish while they're traveling seems to bring about uncommon adventures! So, happy St. Patrick's Day to those celebrating today. Hope it's a lucky day for you!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Ballard Sea Serpent & Skeletal Viking

Last year I noticed that the Ballard sea serpent sculpture was missing from the Shilshole Bay Marina jetty. The kind folks at My Ballard inquired and found out it was just removed for maintenance. It's back, and if you look closely you'll see it is following a skeleton holding a sword, a sea gull perched on its skull. Tales of sea serpent sightings in Puget Sound and Lake Washington reportedly go back to native tales from the 1700s. In the early days of Ballard as a seafaring community stories of a serpent spawned a fun carved log sculpture version of the beast's lengthy body being held on the beach (better photo of it here thanks to Anon) and shows the good humor of Ballardites from earliest days.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Compline

Every Sunday night at 9:30 for the past 50 years the office of Compline has been publicly celebrated at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and broadcast live on KING FM, Seattle's classical music station. (Podcasts are here.) The Compline Coir of fifteen men sings the prayer service which includes music from many periods and styles, including plainsong. The half hour observance is free and open to the public, and is sometimes followed by an organ recital. It is a Seattle tradition that has inspired similar public Compline choral observances all over the USA. People from all walks of life attend and are welcomed, whether people of faith or secular, whether neighbors from Capitol Hill where St. Mark's is located, or university and high school students from all over town who pack this service. The atmosphere is hushed and peaceful, yet a blend of extremely casual "come as you are, sit anywhere, even the floor, lie down if you'd like," and the most reverent and contemplative of observances. During this christian season of Lent, the services are especially well-attended. Here you see a portion of the choir which has just assembled at the back of the cathedral. I took this with my iPhone around a pillar just as their entry processional ended and they were placing their music on the stands. The lines on the floor are part of a labyrinth and the shadow on the wall is cast by one of the round art deco pendent chandeliers.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Beach Path

Sunny day to enjoy a walk on the beach yesterday. This curvy path out to the Sound looked inviting. We have a new rain storm in today, so the snow-capped Olympic mountains in the distance will probably get more of a dusting.

Four of my fave City Daily Photo Bloggers are celebrating significant anniversaries this week: Eric of Paris Daily Photo, the very first of our circle of dialy photo blogs, is celebrating four years of bringing us his unique and wonderful scenes of Paris. And Bibi of A Yankee In Belgrade, Benjamin of Victoria Daily Photo, and Elaine of Willits Daily Photo each are marking one year of daily posts. I invite you to explore their wonderful sites.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Pond at Golden Gardens

A cyclist pauses on the beach path between the pond at Golden Gardens and Puget Sound to take in the view on a sunny day. We both watched a flock of Wigeons flying about raucously in a mating display. The ducks were not impressed :-).

Thursday, March 12, 2009

History In Relief

My fellow Seattle photoblogger, Maya of One Day At A Time, featured several shots of the old Chamber of Commerce Building a few months ago. They really caught my eye. I had gone past the building dozens of times yet not "seen" it until her great captures brought it to life for me. Here is a detail of one of the high relief sculptures depicting Seattle's history. Native peoples of the Suquamish or Duamish tribes are featured in this arched scene along with a carved totem pole. More shots here.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Downtown Uphill View

Seattle's tallest building, the contemporary black Columbia Center, and its second tallest building, the rosie curved top Municipal Tower, seem to be peering down the stairs at us on a blue sky but cold day. I get a little workout just getting around hilly downtown, but can you imagine last Sunday when 1500 firefighters from all over the USA lined up to participate in the 2009 Firefighter Stairclimb competition to the top of Columbia Tower to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Montana firefighter Kory Burgess of Lolo broke the record with an amazing 10 minutes 55.75 seconds ascent of 69 flights of stairs, 1311 steps in all, in full gear and breathing apparatus.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Blue Bridge

Seattle's own "blue highway" is this suspended glass walkway in City Hall which leads from the City Council's chambers to their offices. I took a little inspiration from Eric at PDP and shifted my point of view a little. Don't fall off, now! :-) If this gives you vertigo, a tamer view is here.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Grids & Reflections

Here is a Monday abstraction to start off the work week. . .bleary eyed as we all surely are in the US from arising earlier. The colors and shapes of building and sky reflections in the multifacited Central Seattle Public Library captured my attention, especially the grid upon grid of waving colors in the lower left. I've shown this library to you here eight times in the last three years, including my very first post in 2006. I haven't featured the library since October of 2007 so here is a ninth view along with the previous ones (click # to view): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Which is your fave? Hope you are having a good Monday!

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Diving Into Daylight Savings Time

Did you remember to "spring ahead" into Daylight Savings Time? All but two states in the USA took the plunge at 2:00 this morning. Last night we had rain, hail, thunder and lightning, and snow! I sure wish congress would move daylight savings time back to its original parameters instead of the early start and late end dates practiced in recent years. After a lifetime of that rhythm, it's hard to adjust to starting before spring is even here. This is the neon clock and diver on the Olympic Athletic Club in the Ballard neighborhood, where you can take a plunge or get in a workout 24/7 and save a little daylight for other things. Hope you got to sleep in and are having a great Sunday!

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Deco Terra Cotta Icing

The beautiful terra cotta at the top of the old 1933 Federal Office Building reminds me of icing dripping down the sides of a tiered cake. This gorgeous brick 9 story building takes up a city block bounded by 1st Avene, Western Avenue, Marion Street, and Madison Street. I love seeing it from the water, still as impressive today as it was when it first graced the much lower city skyline. So, anyone else doing their federal income taxes this weekend? :-)

Friday, March 06, 2009

Banana Slug Slimes Municipal Court

This is a detail of the front (west elevation) of Seattle's Municipal Court building. It sits just east of City Hall and North of the County Jail. The color panels remind me of the color of banana slugs, and since the water pool was dry, the traces of puddles looked like the slime left behind. I can hear a collective "Ew!" now. Well, let me redeem myself by pointing out that reflected in the window are portions of Smith Tower and City Hall. More shots here. Happy Friday everyone! MB of Small City Scenes in Stanwood up north of here says she's already got snow, and Seattle is expecting snow this weekend, so we Pacific Northwesters are in solidarity with you on the US east coast. Keep warm and look for crocus! :-)

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Hinger Bread Men?

Right side up or upside down
I'm the tastiest treat in town
Try to catch me if you can
But you can't catch me
I'm the "hinge"r bread man!

These were tucked away on a back corner gate in the Madrona neighborhood and the cleverness of the metal artist who created them made me smile. That rusty patina does suggest a mix of ginger and cinnamon. Yum! But don't break your teeth on these :-)

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Beacon Bluff P-Patch

It was a sunny day yesterday with light showers in the evening. Did it get any of you thinking of that seed catalog and what you'll be planting for your kitchen garden? I came across the steepest Seattle P-Patch location I've seen yet, a terraced slope between 14th and 15th Avenues S with fifteen 10' x10' plots. This community garden has the added bonus of mountain views of both the Olympic and the Cascade ranges. There is usually a waiting list for a P-Patch plot in one of the 55 community gardens. The first P-Patches began in the 1970s and more are being developed by neighbors around town all the time, so if you'd like information on where you might get those lovely lettuces, potatoes, carrots and beans going, click here.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

So Dang CUTE

I saw this vintage Vespa Primavera red and white two-tone with padlocked front wheel parked in front of Juniper, a fun boutique on E Spring St. This might be the perfect economy ride for the student with rain gear.

Monday, March 02, 2009

Make Your Own Sushine

An overcast and rainy sky didn't deminish the sunny patch in front of St. Clouds restaurant on 34th Ave. Their long window box full of cheery yellow primroses made the streetscape seem a little brighter. Spring is just around the corner (or fall in the SoHem). Hope you are having a good start to the work week

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Theme Day: Glass

Glass is the City Daily Photo Bloggers' choice for March's theme day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants around the globe. The Pacific Northwest is known for its excellent glass artistry, but I thought of a humble but popular little product that is widely adored in these parts. Seattle's own "glassybaby" studio in the Madrona neighborhood produces these useful, strong and beautiful creations with a purpose: to "lift bad moods and loneliness. . .a metaphor to symbolize hope. . ." Their designer, Lee Rhodes, is a three time cancer survivor and donates 10% of specific colors' sales through her goodwill program to benefit local and national organizations contributing to cancer patient care and cancer research. People use glassybabies for drinking glasses and vases, but my favorite use is as a small tea light votive. When several are lit in a grouping, it is very peaceful and lovely. I dedicate this post to Jim and fam in Chico with love and candles dancing brightly with prayers for healing and restored full health.

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