An Odd Memory

 

An odd memory popped into my head yesterday.  I had just reached for a can of Coke when I had a sudden memory of the old Coca-Cola bottling plant that was located in my home town of Quincy Illinois.  I could remember seeing the conveyor belt full of bottles through the big windows in front of the building.  That memory got me to wondering if the building was still there.  I did some research and found that it was still standing and is now listed on the National Register of Historic places. Coca-Cola moved out of the building years ago but the building now houses offices.  It was good to learn that this old Art Deco style industrial building was still there.

The building was built in 1940 and the terra cotta decorations on the front and corners are still there.  In the center is the Coca-Cola emblem.

On each corner is a terra cotta inlay of a Coke bottle.  

I looked through my photos from Quincy and couldn't find any of this building so I scavenged these photos from the internet.  Older buildings are so easily destroyed these days, it was good to learn that this one still exists and is in use.  

That was a fun trip down memory lane.

Favorites from Other Places

 

I was looking through my "Favorites" photo file over last weekend and since our summer heat has constrained some of my outdoor activities, I thought I'd pick a few photos from that folder to share.  Today's selection are all from places other than Phoenix.  Above is a photo taken at Watson Lake in northern Arizona.  It's a beautiful spot with all these boulders surrounded by clear water.  I love that one, round boulder that looks like it might topple down at any moment.

This one was taken in Tucson Arizona in a historic part of town full of old, adobe houses that have been lovingly restored.  This one opens into a little courtyard where a sculpture looms in the corner.

This photo was taken in Chimayo New Mexico.  It's the church called El Santuario de Chimayo and it has become a Catholic pilgrimage site.  It sits in such a beautiful setting, I must have taken at least 20 photos of it. 

Looking at all these photos makes me want to travel somewhere.  I need to get busy planning my next trip.

Oxford Mural

 

I found this mural inside Blackwell's Book Store in Oxford back in August when I was there.  It was so well done I couldn't resit some photos even though it was in a difficult spot. It was on a wall next to a staircase leading down to the lower level.

The mural depicts historic scenes from Oxford's past.  It was created by Edward Bawden in 1979 and still looks like new.  Bawden was known for his book covers, posters and prints of historic places.  This was his last major work.  He passed away in 1989.  

Taking part in Monday Murals

When Pigs Fly

 

I was searching through some photos I took a few years ago on a drive through New Mexico when I spotted this one with a sort of mural painted on the side of the building.

I cropped the photo to get a better look and sure enough, there is a mural painted on this building with lots of southwestern animals prancing across the shop's exterior.  The shop is called "When Pigs Fly" a retail shop.  The photo was taken in 2015 in Truth or Consequences New Mexico. A quick internet search and I see that the place is permanently closed now.  Too bad, it has a great name and I like the whimsical mural.

The shop might be closed but it still makes a nice addition to Monday Murals.  

Lots of Rain and a Pleasant Surprise

 

Tuesday turned out to be another rainy day.  In fact, very rainy.  I did manage to get out around 9:30 to walk to Federal Plaza to photograph Calder's grand "Flamingo".  I think that wet pavement kind of adds to the flamingo's brilliant look.

I walked along Michigan Avenue again while it was drizzling and then stopped for a leisurely lunch. When I was done, it was pouring down rain. I walked for about two blocks and then found a cab to take me back to my hotel so I could dry off. It was really coming down.

See that building on the right, the very, very tall one?  That is the tallest building designed by a female architect and it houses the St. Regis Hotel along with condos above.  That's where I had dinner Tuesday evening.

This is a view from the table at the restaurant.  It just so happens that my friend Dave (of the Julie and Dave that I've mentioned many times on this blog) was in town for a trial.  He didn't know how his trial would turn out so we didn't plan anything ahead of time, but as things turned out, we had dinner Tuesday night at a place called Miru on the 12th floor of that very tall building. It was a Japanese restaurant and the food was excellent.

We walked along the river after dinner allowing me to snap a couple of night time photos like this one of the Wrigley Building.

This one is looking west along the river.  The dreary, rainy day ended up quite spectacular with great food and good friends. 

I fly back to Phoenix this afternoon.  It was a wonderful 5 days.

Yes, I'm a True Museum Nerd

 

I started my Monday experience back at the Art Institute.  There was one wing I hadn't visited and that member's hour was pulling me to go while it was quiet.  I was only there about an hour and a half and I truly enjoyed browsing the art so peacefully.  

After that, I headed north on a long walk up Michigan Avenue.

I stopped to visit Columbus Plaza where I lived all those years ago.  (26 years ago to be exact) There are an amazing amount of new buildings surrounding "my building".  I'm sure the view from my old apartment must be completely different now.

I managed to walk all the way down to the Water Tower before my legs were telling me it was time to go.

My friends I had dinner with on Saturday told me that the new hot spot in town is called the West Loop.  That's an area that was kind of rough when I was living in Chicago.  I looked up a restaurant, made a reservation and had dinner there.  It truly is a "hopping" area.  Lots of restaurants and shops and lots of people out and about.

I was seated next to a window and this was the view as the sun was going down.  (Those two red arrows are reflections from inside the restaurant.)  I liked how the buildings were glowing from the setting sun.

Saturday Recap and Sunday Rain

 

Late Saturday evening I took a stroll around the loop looking for some old favorites.  I got to Daley Plaza to see the giant Picasso sculpture.

Just across the street I visited the Joan Miro sculpture.  Those stained glass windows along the wall of the Chicago Temple were nice to see too.

After that, I took a taxi up to Lincoln Park to have dinner with some friends.  They had chosen a wonderful French restaurant called Mon Ami Gabi.  The food was superb.

Sunday morning I woke up to rain.  Such a difference from Saturday's sunny skies.

I went back to the Art Institute to continue my strolls through the galleries. I learned on Saturday that members get in to the museum one hour earlier than the scheduled opening time.  What a blessing that is especially on a rainy day.  For one whole hour, the galleries were quiet making it easy to snap a few photos of some of my favorites.  Things like Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. Strolling through room after room of wonderful impressionist paintings was pure joy.

After that, I headed over to the modern wing which turned out to be another wise move. Not as many people tour that side of the museum so I still had some quiet galleries.  That gave me the freedom to enjoy Picasso's Nude Under a Pine Tree along with a bevy of other famous artists.  It seemed like there was some important work around every corner.  After that it was lunch time so I decided to head back to the hotel.  As I made my way back through the impressionist's gallery, I realized how lucky I was to see those paintings before the crowds arrived.  The galleries were almost shoulder to shoulder when I left.

Later in the afternoon, I walked over to the Chicago Cultural Center to see the Tiffany dome that I had somehow never seen before. 

That was well worth the walk.  Not only did I get to see the beautiful dome, there was also a concert going on underneath the dome.  Music and beautiful surroundings, what a great combination.

Art and the City

 

I started my day with a short stroll though Millennium Park where I caught one of the monoliths that make up the Crown Fountain.  

And of course, I had to walk past "The Bean".  I've got lots of photos of Anish Kapoor's masterpiece so I only snapped two or three this time.

And then it was over to the Art Museum where I visited the Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit that will be ending tomorrow.  I've been to the O'Keeffe museum in Santa Fe many times but these were paintings I had never seen before.  Many of them I never would have attributed to her. It was an amazing exhibit.

I'll have to do a post about the exhibit later when I get home. There is so much to tell.

After lunch, I walked down to the Fine Arts Building where I rode on the hand operated elevator.  The nice man operating the elevator took me up to the 10th floor to see the Art Nouveau murals on that floor.  

On the walk back toward the hotel, I peeked in the windows of the Auditorium at Roosevelt University.  I snapped this photo of the beautiful stained glass above the doors. There were a whole row of these doors but I only captured these two.

This last shot is my own little artsy shot that I took on my way back to the hotel.  I decided to capture "the el" rolling past this reddish building.

Chicago....At Last

 

This was one of my first views of beautiful Chicago.  We swung across the lake and over the city as we made our way to the airport.

No problems on the flight.  We left about 15 minutes late but landed 15 minutes early.

However, that was the end of the good travel karma.  

It took over an hour to get our checked luggage.  We started our wait at one carousel and then we were asked to move to another carousel where we waited and waited and then were told to go back the other carousel.  Finally the correct luggage arrived.  

Then there was the taxi ride into the city.  I was delayed enough that we hit rush hour traffic.  That ride took another 45 minutes.  Finally I was greeted by a long line of people waiting to check in.  

By the time I got to my room, I was exhausted.  However, I did manage to go out for a short walk.  I'm staying at the Palmer House, a Historic Hotel that I've always wanted to stay at.  It is such a gorgeous (and huge) place.  

After the walk, I decided to have a glass of wine and a bit to eat before retreating to my room for an early night.  The lobby bar (in the photo above) was way too noisy so I found a quieter place call Potter's.  It's named for Potter Palmer, the hotel's founder.  

My plan for Saturday is to go to the Art Institute of Chicago.  I haven't been in years and it's one of my favorite Art Museums.  

Sticking With the Theme

 

I mentioned early last week that I have been sorting through my photo archives to do some organizing.  That is how I found this photo taken 10 years ago when I visited the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose California.  I found this painted utility box near the museum campus.

I like that the artist picked up the theme of the museum when painting this box. It's covered with an array of ancient Egyptian symbols.  It's amazing what you can find when you sort through old photos.

Taking part in Monday Murals!

Pointing My Camera at Plants

 

I have a few more photos pulled from my archives today.  Above is a date palm laden with fruit in the khalal-stage of maturity.  I learned that the fruit of date palms go through four phases of maturity, Kimri, Khalal, Rutab and Tamar.  This photo was taken in Tucson several years ago.

I photographed the big patch of black-eyed Susans when I was in Oregon in 2022.  I can't help but smile when I come across a sunny group of flowers like this.

I took this photo when I was in Santa Fe last year.  I think this might be a flowering plum tree.  It was too pretty to pass up.

This one was taken in Oklahoma City just two months ago.  I saw hydrangea plants blooming all over the city center.  Since I never see them here, they were a treat for my eyes.

It was ten years ago when I was in San Jose California to go to the Egyptian Museum there.  That's where I saw an abundance of papyrus plants growing all over the grounds of the museum.  They fit perfectly into the Egyptian atmosphere.

Plucked From the Archives

 

I have a few more photos I found while organizing my photo files over last weekend.  Above is a scene from the historic neighborhood in downtown Tucson.  This was taken sometime before 2011.  I know that because when I bought my first MacBook laptop on July 20, 2011, the Apple tech guys transferred all my photos and documents from my old Dell laptop to the new one.  In the process, almost all of the photos lost their metadata and they all now have a date of 7/20/11.  This photo made me think I was exploring an old ghost town but this building is actually in downtown Tucson.  It's been spruced up and restored these days however, I really like the old and crumbling look it had back then.

This photo was also taken sometime before 2011.  I was wandering around the old historic part of Tucson when I spotted these fellows gathered in an alley.  It turns out they are characters in a historic reenactment that takes place at the site of the old Spanish settlement in downtown Tucson.  I just thought this photo was fun because of these men in period dress standing under a modern surveillance camera with a modern parking garage in the background.  I wrote a post about the historic reenactment here.

This last one is a photo of a plant that was also taken in that same downtown Tucson area.  It struck me at the time as very exotic looking.  I had no idea what it was but, my trusty iPhone now says that it is a Ricinus.  If any of you know it by a different name, let me know.  

I don't know about you, but I love sorting through old photos.  They bring back so many memories. 

Pretty Things

 

I'm in the mood for something pretty to post today so I pulled together some pretty blooms I photographed when I was in California two weeks ago.  This first one is a bird of paradise. These plants are all over the coastal areas in California.  I love their exotic blooms.

I found this one growing in front of some shops in Laguna Beach.  I love the color.  According to my iPhone, this is a type of purslane.  Whatever it is, these pretty blooms made me stop for a closer look.

This huge dinner-plate sized hibiscus bloom was located in a very small pocket garden in the business district of Laguna Beach. I love hibiscus blooms so I had to stop to admire this one.

This last one is a colorful leaf that had fallen from a tree and was resting gently on top of a hedge.  

It's always nice to have something pretty to look at.