Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
The view of Elliott Bay and Puget Sound tonight at dusk included a freighter waiting to load at the grain elevator, a ferry, lights from the docks off Magnolia, and the Olympic range blanketed in clouds.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Countless students, faculty and staff have entered these doors (full view here) of the former Education Hall, now named Miller Hall on the University of Washington campus. This was the entrance to UW's former Administration Building when it was built in 1922, and still houses space for the Educational Psychology and Curriculum & Instruction divisions. I love the beautiful patina of the quarter sawn oak of the doors, the elaborate Gothic Revival style mill work, and the real leaded glass transom. Autumn is just around the corner. You can feel the change in the air here. So many people will be going back to school soon. I wonder if they will be so caught up in their studies that they won't notice the lovely details as they pass through these doors.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
It's overcast here and showers predicted for tomorrow and Saturday's start of the long Labor Day weekend featuring Bumbershoot, Seattle's enormous 3 day music and arts festival at Seattle Center. People will wring as much fun out of these last few days of summer as they can, despite the weather. I'm showing you this photo of folks enjoying a sail on Lake Union because the mast top of this catamaran with rainbow colored sail is actually pointing directly at Seattle's most famous houseboat (beige in color). You still have a chance to clinch the deal and own this piece of movie lore, as it is still for sale for $2,500,000. Come on, you know you want that lake view! ;^)
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
After yesterday's matched pair I thought you might like to see this one. These are siblings and they are a bit unusual to see here in Seattle in that they are wolf-dogs, according to their owner. We do see lots of variations of breeds with Alaskan heritage like sled dogs, huskies, and malamutes, which these resemble. So, these pups don't seem out of the ordinary and blend in despite their rarity. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, "GO DAWGS!"
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Sometimes going down Seattle's streets I spot something so fun I have to stop and find a place to park and nab the shot. A lot of times that happens when I don't happen to have the camera with me. This time I did and can show you these Stella scooters with opposing color schemes. I suspect they belong to a couple, but never spied the owners. They appear to be new Stella's, one with white wall tires, a front rack and a shiny bumper sticker on both rear wheel covers, the other with fancy tire treads. I wonder if the owners bought one in avocado and one in tangerine and switched out the wheel covers and headlight panels themselves or if they can be purchased this way? If only this were a night shot, I could have titled it "Stellas by Starlight." :-)
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
A couple years ago I stumbled upon a party taking place in a small shop celebrating its grand opening on upper Queen Anne Ave. A DJ had his turntables set up in the window and was spinning music for a crowd of people within. The shop was Bouncing Wall, a retail boutique and gallery for many local artists, designers, and craftspeople to showcase their work. I've since been in several times, finding useful and unique gift items, and beautiful pieces I could not resist. This was the scene in the shop the other night when an artist's reception was going on, and that's the owner, Kim, smiling behind the counter.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
At just about anytime on a beautiful sunny day or a ho hum gray one, hundreds of people walk, run, ride, or skate the roughly 3 mile circumference of Seattle's popular Green Lake. They walk pets, push prams, listen to music, chat with a buddy, watch the boat or paddle surfing action on the water, or just enjoy a solitary stroll. The path and recreation areas all around the lake are well used. Here's a "Bob Shot" I took for you CDPB old timers. -) I was testing the burst mode on a little pocket camera. Have a relaxing Sunday!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Yesterday morning I met a friend for a 6:00 AM walk, and this is the sky that greeted us! These colors are straight out of the camera with no fiddling at all. If you would like to see one of my favorite Seattle area photographers' spectacular shot of the Space Needle at just about the same moment as this, click here. Ervin Vice's work is amazing, so be sure to look through his photostream. You will find no end of amazing shots, like this one.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Monthly Art Walks are favorite community events in many Seattle neighborhoods. Last night I strolled Upper Queen Anne's Third Thursday art walk and ended up here at Eat Local. This shop opened last year and features chef-prepared meals made with locally grown ingredients. Busy people short on meal prep time can eat healthy, delicious food at home and know where, how, and by whom their food was grown. It was fun to explore their cases of scads of appetizing sounding recipes which come in single, double and larger multiple portions, frozen and ready to take home. They even have children's favorite foods as well as specialty items, fresh cheeses, wines, coffee beans, and baked goods. Outside several artists and craftspeople had booths set up in the parking area, a musician was serenading people on the front steps, and within upstairs was an artist's reception, while downstairs there were beautiful posters and handmade cards. This was just one of the shops participating in Art Walk.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
It seems to me the heart of musicians' work is playing together, listening to each other, listening to oneself and adding that offering into the mix. Each member influencing and influenced by the others. When the hard work to bring a composite vision together becomes tight, it's an incredible experience to be part of or witness. When you lose a longtime and admired partner, friend, and collaborator, an essential part of who you are leaves the stage when they do. Those left behind may morph and change and grow, but are never the entity they were or would become with that person's unique gift in the mix. My own saxophonist husband had to unexpectedly bow out last year, and so the news of 17 year veteran DMB saxophonist LeRoi Moore's passing on Tuesday made me think of him, his family and band mates with a lot of sadness and great sympathy. DMB figures large here in Seattle, and LeRoi Moore is such an integral part of the music that touches millions of ears and moves countless people like me to sing out loud in the car or dance while we clean house. DMB is touring California just now and, as is their tradition, will play the (Columbia) Gorge in George, WA over Labor Day weekend, with Flecktones saxophonist Jeff Coffin sitting in. I am wishing them all well. I offer this photo I took of a local player this summer as a tribute to a fine working musician who brought a lot of joy to our ears.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
You are viewing a long wooden bench and ornamental grass planting at the newly opened University of Washington Research complex, built by Vulcan (Paul Allen) as part of the core biomed industries area envisioned for the Cascade neighborhood in South Lake Union. I took quite a few photos of construction in progress a year or two ago, so it was a treat to see the exterior design elements in their finished form. This is actually a test shot I took with a new pocket camera I had just purchased at a camera store across the street. I saw some BMX riders coming out of this courtyard area, and went to take a look at where they might be doing tricks. Seems security personnel shooed them off, but didn't mind me taking photos. I'll be back with my "real" camera and tripod. . .this place is beautifully designed.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
As a counterpoint to yesterday's photo, I was reminded of this display across town in the Greenwood neighborhood. This is the storefront of Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., a supposed space travel outfitter (to see the whole storefront click my More Seattle Stuff page). In reality it is a front for a very successful writing workshop program for students called 826 Seattle, (started at 826 Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District). One of my neighbors is on staff there, and its a wonderfully creative community resource that people can volunteer with. But really, doesn't this manikin look fabulous in her flame retardant quilted gown and sun flare goggles? Perhaps she knows Mr. NASA. :-)
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Saw this NASA space suit in a Cascade neighborhood window yesterday. . .then noticed the Space Age icon of Seattle superimposing itself on the scene. These things will happen. . . or maybe it was just the effect of the humid breeze wafting inland from Hempfest over at Myrtle Edwards Park? ;^) My stats data indicates a lot of you take a peek at SDP during your lunch or coffee break at work, so if you have a little time to space out further and you enjoy chess, check out the quick little chess widget in the sidebar. Hope you enjoy !.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Pike Place Public Market is 101 years old today. Click here for information on the long history of this Seattle treasure. For detailed views, click the mosaic, then click the number of any of the 36 individual images.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
I spotted this new action figure at Archie McPhee's novelty shop, right up there with Moses' and Einstein's. Who in the world is J.P. Patches, you ask? There are few people in Seattle as beloved as this clown. 50 years ago he began broadcasting live children's programming on local TV. The program went off the air in 1981, yet J.P. (Chris Wedes) since then until now at age 80 continues to delight his Patches Pals with regular personal appearances at Children's Hospital, fairs, community events, and parties. I understand that Wedes has been undergoing treatment for blood cancer while still cheering on hospitalized children facing their own challenges. Tomorrow in Fremont from 1-3 PM, his many Patches Pals, including Governor Chris Gregoire, will gather to honor him on the plaza near the landmark interactive sculpture, "Waiting for the Interurban." There artist Kevin Pettelle will unveil his brand new fun sculpture, "Late for the Interurban," depicting J.P. Patches and his sidekick Gertrude in a slapstick run for the streetcar. Read more here and here to see the many reasons Seattle loves J.P. Patches. Oh, and I saw a J.P. bobble head at Archie McPhee's too ;^). Better get there before they run out!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
West Seattle's northwest facing view properties along Alki Avenue used to be mostly one and two story single family cottage affairs with a lot of thrifty northwest beachcomber charm; but, in recent decades, a large section near Alki point has been developed into multistory condominium and apartment buildings. There are a few hold outs dwarfed between the larger structures. Here are two of them that you won't miss in the mix because their owner seems to have a love of bright color and a very green thumb. They are known locally as the Flower Houses and are enjoyed by all who pass by.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
This was the high summer scene at Alki Bakery this morning, a favorite early morning haunt of ours in West Seattle. There are still two and a half weeks before school starts again, so this part of Alki Avenue and the path along the beach will become crowded later today with folks out enjoying the sunshine and looking for a bit of relief from the 90 F heat.
Let's all beat the heat and head down under to Auckland, New Zealand where it is winter and where Lachezar, a CDPB photographer I greatly admire, is celebrating the 2nd Blogoversary of Auckland Daily Photo. Big congratulations!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
We noticed this huge advertising prop at dinner last night at Tacqueria Guaymas in Fremont. It reminded us of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's billboard in the Great Gatsby, updated with a postmodern third eye, a clock. Also reminded us that the 5 day weather forecast predicts more sunny blue skies and temps in the 80s F. Yippee!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
If you come to Seattle you will miss something essential about this city if you do not get out on the water during your stay. There are so many ways to enjoy the sights from Seattle's lakes and Puget Sound, from small paddle boats to large ferries and everything in between. If the thought of large bodies of water or bobbing about in small boats scares you or makes you feel queasy, trust me, just down a Dramamine 15 minutes before you board and pick a large sturdy vessel. You won't regret it. Dining near or on the water is no problem. You can tie up at a restaurant dock for brunch, grab a quick lunch aboard a ferry, or take an elegant dinner cruise like those offered during summer months aboard the Royal Argosy, seen in the foreground here. Just get out there!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
With so many of their facades made of glass and steel, someone has got to get up there to help those high rise buildings in yesterday's photo keep their shimmer. This is one job you will not find me applying for! I spotted these pros suspended high on the west face of WaMu Center, which I showed you awhile back, here, and which you can spot as the silvery building to the right in yesterday's photo, between the glass domed building shaped like R2D2 and the dark angular one dubbed "Darth Vader" by locals. Hope you are having a great start to the work week!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Even on a stormy summer day like yesterday the sun can come through at the end to throw a little shimmer on the downtown buildings. I was walking down a steep street on the southeast of Queen Anne looking southwest when I took in this view.
I want to thank regular visitors to SDP for their patience recently while we were away, and I will try to catch up on my visits to the other CDPBlogs. I had intermittent luck in finding internet cafes to upload posts and hadn't the time to mass upload scheduled ones. I couldn't pack the camera to take vacation shots for you either, so you'll have to take my word for it how I got a tan along the way. I dipped my toes in the ocean at Huntington Beach and fell asleep in the warm sun, rode one too many roller coasters with shrieking kids, enjoyed my mother-in-law's hospitality and toured her workplace in Irvine, visited good friends in San Diego and saw CCT's production of a new musical called "Alice" that I swear you will see on Broadway, it was THAT good. We took the trolley from Old Town SD to cross the border and eat tacos in Tijuana, drove to the furthest eastern point of California's Mojave Desert and floated my mother's ashes to rest in front of her home on the Colorado River, and enjoyed a lovely time of remembrance with her many friends before flying home. Many thanks to you all again for your kind expressions of sympathy!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
These colorful umbrellas at Sabra sandwich shop are meant to shield patrons from the summer sun, but serve double duty today as we have had a summer storm move in and showers will be coming. Would it surprise you to know that Seattle's annual rainfall is actually less than New York City's, Chicago's or Miami's? That's because, like Paris, when it rains here it's usually only intermittent showers. That's why many Seattlites forgo toting an umbrella, employing just a hood or hat in all but a downpour. Seattle does tend to have more cloudy days than most US cities, though; an average of 225 days a year. A lot of those are only partly cloudy days in which we enjoy sun breaks. Then there was last spring's lingering gray wintriness. . .which we completely forgot about during July's 20 straight days of beautiful blue skies!
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
It's 08-08-08 and this is the view through the railroad bridge arch from Commodore Park in the Magnolia neighborhood on a fine summer day in Seattle. The point of land visible is at the mouth of Salmon Bay inlet where boats can enter the ship canal from Puget Sound and venture through the nearby locks and on to Lakes Union and Washington. I've shown you this amazing draw bridge in the down position at sunset with a train rumbling along. To see it up, visit my More Seattle Stuff page.
Update 8-12: Thanks to Seattle Guide Greg for adding this information in the comments:
Built by the Great Northern and known to BNSF and rail buffs as Bridge Number 4. Cost was more than 1 million dollars to build. The 500 ton concrete counterweight is used to lift the 200 foot Bascule span. The counterweight has space inside so old rails used as additional weight in the winter to counter the absorption of rain by the ties. In the summer months the weights are removed.
Other than a major upgrade in 1992 that replace the old hand levers and footpedals, wiring and gears and signals(that cost more than the bridge itself did) it remains largely unchanged.
At more than 95 years old, it still averages more than 30 trains a day, or more than 250 lifts a month.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
A summer evening out in downtown Seattle is reflected in a building's glass facade. Warm breezes, good company, and the bustle of life in motion.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Like many cities in the USA, Seattle has been trying to reduce refuse and waste of natural resources through its commercial and residential recycling programs. This summer's hot topics have been more proactive, such as avoiding bottled water in favor of using drinking fountains and bringing one's own cloth grocery bags for marketing. Proposed for next year is a small fee per bag charge for a store's paper or plastic. Tell me this: why do I keep forgetting my bags at home like this woman? ;^).
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
These guys have a survivalist system that seems to work for them, camped in a rather idyllic little meadow surrounded by freeway on and off ramps and a chain link fence in the Northgate area. They stow their back packs near the tree and use the running water at the gas station across the off ramp for drinking and cleaning up. I've seen the police roust people in this area before, but it's usually occupied.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
As we were leaving a friend's place, the differing types of light from the windows of a neighboring home caught my eye and made me think of a Joni Mitchell lyric from "A Case of You." Just had to grab the camera and snap it.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
The lighted symbol of Seattle at 45 has only about a half life of the light industry brick building pictured on this summer evening.
Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.
Can you imagine a large fuel station with a prime location at a busy intersection not far from freeway on ramps that would dare to sell only biodiesel? That is exactly what opened just a month ago at the corner of Westlake Avenue and Valley Street. Rather than the customary colorful flowers in pots and landscaping one sees at some gas stations, it looked to me like this one is adorned with raised garden beds of green veggies! Propel is a Seattle-based company and has made a major investment in opening this unique station in the rapidly transforming South Lake Union area. For another pic, see my More Seattle Stuff page.
