Category: Americas

Sinister Reflections

Played with mirrored surfaces at the Guthrie on my walk to meet a friend to go for a walk. The repetition of the George Bernard Shaw panel took me to a sinister place where a pacifist playwright was transformed into a Dear Leader.

Five Watt Earworm

Stopped at Five Watt Coffee for a cuppa. “California Dreamin” was playing in the background and inevitably became an earworm. On the way out, a red elevator lobby demanded my attention.

Chairs in a Park

On our walk: the Fairfield Chair Company had set up a pop-up showroom in Gold Medal Park for some interior decorators.

Red Cedar State Trail

Fall colors were starting to come in as we cycled the lovely Red Cedar Trail, starting in Menominee, Wisconsin.

Thompson Center

Flew to Chicago, walked, flew home. My “find” was the Thompson Center in the Loop, a postmodern building, with a huge atrium, a teardown candidate. Later, at the Chicago Architecture Center saw inspiring winning entries for a competition to transform and

Tallest Buildings

Cycled downtown to pick up meds. Before cycling back, looked up at the Foshay Tower (1929) framed by buildings of the IDS Center (1972). The Foshay was the tallest building in Minneapolis at 447 ft (607 ft including the antenna mast) until the IDS Tower (792 ft) was built.

Cycling Walker, Minnesota

Earlier this month, we drove Up North for a few days of cycling. Giant Muskie, Garrison on Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota. At Garrison, on Mille Lacs Lake, we turned left at the Giant Muskie without stopping. Another 80 miles to our destination, Walker, Minnesota. The absurdity of the muskie promoted an earworm. As we approached…… Continue reading Cycling Walker, Minnesota

Projecting Calm

On my cycle ride: bollards projecting calm. Presumably originally installed to protect a ramp for launching small boats from barges, it’s now purely aesthetic. This section of the Mississippi is now closed to barge traffic.

Rock Island Bridge

Did a long cycle ride to beyond southeast St. Paul. Our turnaround point was the Rock Island Swing Bridge that now ends in the middle of the Mississippi, forming a pier. The swing portion has been removed to economically streamline barge traffic.