Monday, 7 August 2017
Stair landing, Tate Britain, London, recently.
As a distraction, I’m working my way through Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series. I am not getting a strong Irish flavor, which is okay, although I was hoping at least for some slang. Of course, I’m only on the second volume, so maybe it’s coming….
Saturday, 5 August 2017
During our boat tour focused on the architecture along the Chicago River a month ago, we passed several bascule bridges. This one carried two sets of rails, but is now…offline. Bascule bridges have a big counterweight, and on this one it sits/hangs above the tracks when the bridge is down.
The first bridge across the Chicago River was a pedestrian bridge in approximately this location.
Thursday, 3 August 2017
From February….
Before Selma had the Edmund Pettus bridge across the Alabama River, there was a bridge here. The bridge tender/toll collector and his family lived in this small house on the Selma end of the bridge. He was on duty 24/7, and had to manually/mechanically rotate the north span to let large vessels pass.
Wednesday, 26 July 2017
This building faces the Parnell Monument that’s at the north end of O’Connell Street in Dublin. This location is at some remove from where sea-shells might be found (unless in a restaurant?), so who and why. The many cobwebs indicate it’s been there a while, undisturbed, even though it’s approximately at eye-level along a busy street.
Saturday, 1 July 2017
Down in the museum zone, we did the big one, aka the Field Museum, first. Love the building.
At some point, we adjourned toward another museum, walking by these gorgeous not-quite-chives(?), which flanked an artificial waterfall feature with a big fake hoppy-amphibian at the top, perched on a sign that read amphibian. [Very Froooogy.]
In Museum number two, we found these just inside the door, which we were told is nicknamed rainbow lobby, confusing morning visitors who do not have the benefit/cue of the product of the afternoon sun.
All this is by a big lake, but not the Big Lake. Birds and sailboats and yachts all came by us as we sat in the shade recharging from hours on our feet in galleries. Also, we learned by watching that this is where bridal couples come for photos with the Chicago skyline as a backdrop. A bit windy, but perfect light.
One bride we walked by had a gorgeous bride-dress and veil, and we saw peeking below the hem new, bright-white Converse footwear.
Thursday, 29 June 2017
I jokingly said this street art was Abe and Mr. Sweater. Turns out it is something like Abe and the Common Man. Common Man being white guy in cable-knit sweater. Nothing against white guys or sweaters. But.
We took a fantastic architectural boat tour, and this was across from our dock. The somewhat unexpected rooftop open-air circular temple can be rented for special occasions.
Our boat went out to the lock that prevents the Chicago River from dumping into the lake—its natural flow—but did not leave the river. Such a great view west of the skyline.
The grass-edged landform to the right was where the Euro-Americans first settled here. They heard the Indians saying something that they distorted into “Chicago” thinking that was the name of the spot. Turns out the Indians were commenting on the marshy vegetation—stinking onions. Or so our wonderful guide said.
Even more than the building in the previous shot, this one was designed with a plain façade meant to reflect what was around it.
This one, on the other hand, has a stylized map of the rivers. That red “bench” feature way up there indicates the location of this building, a “you are here” marker.
Spotted on our way back from deep-dish pizza engorgement….
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Sometimes urban infrastructure is in your face. Or above your head. Hanging out.
In our hundred-year-old apartment, things are far more genteel. This view is through the dining room and across the library and through the living room to the fireplace. BIG! To the right from the library is a balcony over the front door of the building, and to the right of the living room is a sun room.
And this is the entry hall. The entry. Only.
Lovely!
Thursday, 1 June 2017
The story I heard about Ohio’s dome-less capital is that the state ordered then couldn’t pay for its dome, which then was sold to Georgia. Certainly, this building looks like it’s missing verticality.
I didn’t set out to have an Ohio theme today, but that’s what I have the best pictures of. Busy day, with lots going on.
I can also mention that somewhere on US2, the “new” car hit 10K miles. It was 7:54am, and the temperature outside was 51°F and the average gas consumption for all those miles clocked in at 58.0 mpg. That wasn’t all the fuel; we also plugged in for an electric boost for quite a few of those miles.
Near Parkersburg WV are several bridges across the Ohio River. This is a newish one.
This one’s a bit older; the vehicle bridge is closer to me, and the railroad bridge is behind it.
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
Coffee-sipping view. Accuracy underway.
This dates to 1835, and honors the emancipation of slaves in 1834, erected by MP Charles Buxton. The fountain inside doesn’t seem to function any longer.
We spent our energy today on Art, presented first at Tate Britain, then at Tate Modern.
This neon installation by Cerith Wyn Evans, and commissioned for this space this year. It’s called “Forms in Space…by Light (in Time).” Wyn Evans says it addresses flows of energy….
View from below of one section of “Forms….”
Detail of “elbow” of Henry Moore’s “Recumbent Figure,” 1938. It’s of Green Hornton stone, which to me is shades of brown.
This is the lace collar of “Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman,” by Cornelius Johnson, 1629. I admire the skill it takes to make this detail seem so real.
Ditto—so real-looking. Cabbages are part of Nathaniel Bacon’s ~1620–1625 “Cookmaid with Still Life of Vegetables and Fruit.”
Compelling face by Arthur Hacker, 1892, “The Annunciation.”
We took a vessel like the blue-and-white one up-river to the Tate Modern.
En route, we saw Big Ben tower from a vantage point we’ve never enjoyed before.
Wouldn’t you know that I’d find architecture-like modern art compelling? For shame, I didn’t note the artist/title/date.
We headed back toward our bags, stashed at last night’s hotel, along Fleet Street, then Strand. I assume this was a wedding photo, but it could be a fashion shoot.
We found Trafalgar Square busy with tourists and people just off work. More bride-outfits. In the central background is St Martin-in-the-Fields, which in the 1500s was in the fields between London and Westminster; however, much of this building dates to the early 1700s. It is the parish church of the Royals and Number 10 Downing.
Great light on the Edwardian Admiralty Arch. Note flag at half mast (squint), honoring the dead in Manchester.
Monday, 22 May 2017
We had a last drive across the countryside in eastern Ireland, first Northern then Republic. AVS on this truck stands for Ace Vegetable Suppliers. The left promotional phrase is: Suppliers of the best quality chipping potatoes. I was ready to leave chipped potatoes behind (for a while only; potatoes are sacred food to me). And, in the process, leaving Guinness. Sigh.
Along our drive we saw this pedestrian bridge just before we crossed the vehicle bridge…our last crossing of the Boyne.
Once on the ground in GB, we took the train into London from the airport and unwound for a bit, deciding to eat our evening meal in a “good” place. Turns out we went for super-fine. We picked three courses and we were presented with seven different food offerings, several with multiple tastes. This was the palate cleanser after the main course. It had a soft cucumber sorbet (I think) on the bottom, with gin and tonic foam on top. I don’t know what kind of leaf decorated it.
I even splurged and had a glass of Moscato with dessert. Yum. Yup, we changed our dining style!
We walked down to pay homage to the Thames after we ate, and to let our courses and not-courses settle.
We caught the 9pm ringing of Big Ben, as it turned out. This was a few minutes later, after we’d admired the river and communed with a perfect light breeze.
These are the towers of Westminster Abbey. They seem creamier/lighter-colored than I remember, but that’s probably just my lousy memory. [I have spared you many photos of the upper bits of buildings silhouetted against the sky; I’ve been rather obsessed with them this trip.]