St. Louis Daily Photo

Dogs - On The March!

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

I was amused by the reaction of some of our French friends to yesterday's post. The tone was sort of: Un défilé de chien? Incroyable. Il n'est pas possible en France! Perhaps the the difference is that America lacks France's refined sense of irony.

Under the circumstances, I thought I'd show some pics of the parade itself. The bottom photo is First Daughter and blog team member Emily with granddog Killian.

Dog Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

St. Louis loves a reason to drink in the streets in broad daylight. Thus, our raucous Mardi Gras season. It doesn't come close to New Orleans, of course, but it's quite a big party. View it with suspicion, though - it's all corporate. What started as a community festival now has dozens of sponsors trying to sell something and the event itself has the ominous web site mardigrasinc.com.

The season kicked off yesterday with an enormous dog parade in the Soulard neighborhood. I wish CDP's great dog expert, Jilly of Menton DP, could have been there. I'm sure there were thousands of people and pooches; it was awfully crowded. The day's festivities were sponsored by Purina, the animal food maker headquartered here. It was enough to leave the participants dazed and confused.

I'll be running with these pictures for a few days.

Night Game

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

The tent in yesterday's post was in a parking lot across from Busch Stadium, where the defending baseball champion Cardinals play. The ballpark had a nice glow on the quiet street so I took some snaps in that direction.

Something strange is going on in these pictures. If you look carefully at the right of the first picture and the top of the second, you'll see green dots that are the upside-down mirror image of the bright white lights of the entrance. This must be happening within the elements of the lens, a Canon EF 85mm 1:1.8 prime. If there are any techies out there who can explain it I'd love to know.

Our surprisingly big Mardi Gras season starts today with the dog parade in the Soulard neighborhood. STL DPB will be covering it. Images tomorrow.

A Horse Is A Horse, Of Course, Of Course

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Americans of a certain age will recognize those words as the opening line of the theme song from Mr. Ed, a 60s TV show about a talking horse. St. Louis, however, has different horses coming to town. This is the huge four-tower tent of a show called Cavalia, a horses-n-acrobats spectacle opening in a month and a half. I can't imagine why they put up the tent so early unless they have nothing else to do with it and want to attract attention. The theme doesn't appeal to me. When I was a kid about the only horses around were under policemen and the whole package was scary. As for acrobats, I've got as little physical grace as one could have without a diagnosable disorder, so I don't really get it.

Note the billboard in the right background of the bottom picture. The lottery jackpot is up to $325 million this weekend. Maybe that's my ticket to freedom.

Absolution

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Another building in the same district as the last few days' photos.

I like the ambiguity of the message. Forgive who, and for what? Maybe it's about the Christian and Buddhist principle of compassion. Could be about what we've allowed to happen to this part of our city. Or maybe the graffiti writer is asking for mercy as to his or her own sins.

Thursday Arch Series

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

I rarely shoot the Arch like this from the north. The light isn't as good and there are few interesting buildings to bring into the frame. This one works in a way. The tall building on the left with green glass curtainwall and brick cockscomb is the Four Seasons Hotel, perhaps the most luxurious in town. (The staff at the Ritz Carlton might disagree.) Below and around it is the Lumiere Place Casino. Hard to believe, but this area has seven major casinos, like we're Little-Las-Vegas-On-Mississippi.

We've never spent a dime in them, but we did stay one night in the Four Seasons after a big holiday party in the Lumiere complex. Pretty swanky and we had a great view of the river and the Arch. Too rich for a regular diet, though.

Power House And Moonrise 2

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Same power plant, same moonrise as yesterday's photo but a completely difference approach. The previous pic was taken from some distance away with a 24-105mm lens at 55mm and f 16. (The latter really wasn't necessary.) Today's was shot from closer in with a 100-400mm bazooka at 160mm and f 4.8. Both are HDRs.

You can see this smokestack and flag on the far right of the building in yesterday's photo. By the way, this plant is right on the Mississippi (I think they bring fuel deliveries by water) and within view of the Arch. And, of course, tomorrow being Thursday we've got the Big A itself.

Power House And Moonrise 1

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

This, ladies and gentlemen, was St. Louis' first major source of electricity, the Ashley Street Power House. It was built between 1902 and 1904 and is still in use today. It provided the juice for the 1904 World's Fair. (Did you know we had the Olympics the same year?) It's a wonderful piece of Edwardian architecture and strange enough that you might expect to see it in a Terry Gilliam movie. The rising moon looks like it was burped out of one of the smokestacks.

Another but very different view of the same objects tomorrow.

What Surplus?

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Not balance of payments. We have a big deficit there. Same for the federal budget. On the other hand, we have an enormous excess of questionable things to eat. The country has a big surplus of burgers, fries, chips, cola with high fructose corn syrup, Ding Dongs, Cap'n Crunch, corn dogs, Cheesy Poofs, chicken wings, fried pies, cheap pizza, pancakes 'n' butter, Velveeta and baloney. And you can super size that. One could go on.

I wonder what's inside. Maybe nothing. Couldn't tell if this building was abandoned or not.

This was found on an empty stretch of North Broadway in the quiet of Stupid Bowl Sunday. Dinner at Aya Sofia was terrific and we certainly recommend it. And I hear New York won the game. Olivier is happy, although I bet he was up most of the night in front of a television.

Sans Égale

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

A little digital razzmatazz on a picture of a derelict warehouse. It's not far north of the Arch, where the Laclede's Landing entertainment district yields yields to the old industrial barrens along what's called the North Riverfront. If you were to look at it in person you'd find it's not nearly this bright.

LAST CALL FOR THE STUPID BOWL PARTY: haven't heard from any enlightened spirits about joining our annual outing and boycott. Our attitude toward the event is well-expressed in Joe Nocera's column in yesterday's New York Times. If anyone has a last-minute impulse, meet us about 6:30 at the Turkish restaurant Aya Sophia on Chippewa, just inside the city limits and near Ted Drewes. I don't think we need a reservation.

Forest Park In A Warm WInter

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

It's been a freakishly warm winter in much of the U.S. Many days have felt more like spring. My wife's daffodils are 3 or 4 cm tall and they shouldn't do that until April. There is plenty of time for things to change but I hear that at the present pace this will be the warmest winter since records have been kept in this country.

Forest Park, our great green space, can take on a silver-white gleam in hard cold. Not this year. It looks more like the springtime described in e. e. cummings' poem In Just as mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful. No one really expects that to last, though.

Bikers For America

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

There were an awful lot of motorcycles at the veterans parade last weekend. Nearly all of them were Harley Davidsons, machines that have become a cult in this country. Think back to Peter Fonda in Easy Rider. There seems to be a certain style that goes with riding one, albeit with variations. Almost all the drivers wore black leather outer clothing. Some were well tailored and clean cut. Others looked tattered and tough, favoring bandanas tied around their heads and lots of facial hair.

Speaking of the Fonda family, look closely at the bottom picture. The patch on the rider's right hip says "Jane Fonda American Traitor Bitch." Sheesh, let it go. The Vietnam War was more than 40 years ago. And, um, people can sincerely hold different viewpoints, right?

Apologies for not leaving any comments yesterday. Long day at work (they all are) and then spent the evening doing something different. I am a participant in a long-term study of personality and its effects on aging at the psychology department at Washington University, one of the country's most prestigious centers of higher education. (Recall that I went to that other university across town.) Every year or two they have me over for three hours of interviews and testing. I hope I skew the bell shaped curve.

Thursday Arch Series

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Another one from the veterans welcome home parade. I tried putting a little fill flash on the people in the foreground shadows. However, I forgot that the word on the back of the officer's jacket is reflectorized. You really can't tell in daylight. So watch out. No lawlessness or disorder allowed on Market Street. Flag waving is okay.

City Daily Monthly Theme Day: Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Hmm. What kind of animal would you associate with St. Louis? A baseball cardinal or football ram? Perhaps the pigeons in Kiener Plaza or a weasel sucking up real estate redevelopment tax credits.

For us locals the choice is clear: the Anheuser-Busch team of huge Clydesdale horses pulling an old-fasioned Budweiser beer wagon. They have been around for many decades and appear at all sorts of public events. And they're always accompanied by a dalmatian sitting by the wagon drivers. What's more, they seem to have a broad sense of humor and enjoy a good horse laugh.

The first three pictures could have been exposed better. Wicked backlight.

You can view the animal traits of all the City Daily Photo members participating in theme day by clicking here.

Paint It...What?

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

No patriotic parade is complete without a marching band. But look carefully at the flip-chart sheet music of the horn player above. It's the Rolling Stones Paint It Black, not exactly flag waving and not at all marchable unless you try to force a square peg into a round hole. Sheesh, that song was popular when I was in high school. The tempo is much too fast for marching and, anyway, the Stones' original version, although in 4/4 time, is built on bars made of four fast doublets (listen to Charley Watts rhythm on the drums). The trombonists would trip on their slides. However, by the time the band was stepping down Market Street it was John Philip Sousa all the way. That was just right.

I think I'm going to do theme day for a change tomorrow with an animal shot from the parade.

NOTE TO LOCAL READERS: it's only a few days until our national festival of beer, guacamole dip and giant screen televisions. Oh, and some event in which behemoths repeatedly damage one another's brains. For 25 or 30 years Mrs. C and I have had our own private Stupid Bowl party. We are horrified by the way American football destroys players' bodies and minds for the sake of money and spectacle. We always go out to dinner during the game. If the restaurant is open, you can have your pick of tables and most attentive service. Any like-minded St. Louisans who might care to join us can email me. We have a few choices in under consideration.

Paul Says Welcome Home, Too

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Paul Pagano is a St. Louis institution. He's 88 or 89 now and goes by the nickname Father Time. STL DPB has featured him before (check out the sign on his back in the second photo.) I have memories of Paul driving around downtown at public events, particularly opening day of the baseball season, in an old bus completely covered with red, white and blue patriotic slogans. He had a loudspeaker on top blaring Kate Smith singing God Bless America.

Pagano often walked around at occasions like the German street festival seen in the link above, covered with signs. I never saw the man without a smile on his face. It's been a while since I've spotted him and I wondered how he was doing. He may be a bit more frail now but the attitude is unchanged.

Below, a family welcomes its sailor back.

Welcome Home

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Something unusual happened downtown yesterday, a parade. Parades are commonplace, but this was the first and so far only ceremony welcoming home our men and women in uniform now that our national adventure in Iraq is over. Whatever you think of President Bush's eruption into the land where there were no WMDs (and it leaves me shaking my head), Americans appreciate the risks and effort undertaken by our armed forces. What a difference from when I was a young man and our soldiers came home from Vietnam to be met with scorn.

Two guys dreamed this up over coffee just a few weeks ago. They started a Facebook page. Money and help poured in. Even MSNBC, the cable channel for left wing political rant in this country (you know, the one we watch - none of that Rupert Murdoch claptrap in this house) urged everyone to turn out. Thousands of people lined Market Street for the event. We will have more scenes over the next few days. Good video from NBC News here.

Who's In Charge

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Another shot from the Park Pacific of a notable downtown building, this time City Hall. Unfortunately, it was taken through a window, not from the rooftop terrace. The building has considerable architectural interest. Its inspiration was Paris' Hôtel de Ville, although ours is rather less grand. (The two cities are easily distinguished.) The interior is impressive, especially the rotunda. Really need to go shoot there some time but the building is only open on weekdays. That's hard for my overloaded schedule.

Below is Mayor Francis Slay. He's been running the show for eleven years and is likely to get another term. I've taken his photo on a number of occasions but I think he's still a little puzzled about who this older guy is in the suit with the big camera. He's always gracious and well-respected in most quarters. (He's a politician - can't please everybody.)

The Courts

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Another view from the rooftop terrace at the Park Pacific apartments. These are places lawyers hang out so beware. Center-left is the Egypto-Babbylonio-Neoclassic confection known as the Civil Courts Building. It contains Missouri state courts. On the right is the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse, the seat of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Eagleton was a senator some decades back. It may surprise you to learn that this is the largest single courts building in the country. In any event, I try to avoid both of them.

Below is another shot from the party at Park Pacific, a couple who appear to be having a good time. Turns out the young lady and I have only one degree of separation, as they say, a common client. We knew of each other but had never met. These small-town happenstances occur in St. Louis all the time.

Not Exactly The Thursday Arch Series

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Well, it's Thursday and I needed something with the Arch at least in it. Plus I want to run with the Park Pacific shots for a bit. The top photo is a view from the 23rd floor rooftop of the apartment building looking east. Our firm is in the office tower on the left - well, sort of tower. There aren't any buildings in St. Louis taller than the Arch. I can see that the lights are still on in my partner's office. That woman works a lot of hours.

The bottom picture is one of the guests at the party in a model apartment. Nice kitchen build out, as you can see. He seems to be enjoying himself but how come they gave him twice as much champagne as me?

Party At The Park Pacific

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Had some fun last night. I was invited to a reception at the downtown Park Pacific apartments, maybe because I've worked downtown for ages and maybe also because of this blog. It was built in the 1920s as the headquarters of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Those of you with literary interests would recognize it as the building where the father worked in St. Louisan Jonathan Franzen's bestseller The Corrections. It's been beautifully restored into rental apartments. The party promoted this building and downtown living in general.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, including two of the bartenders, above. The choice of wine to sample was a very serious decision, as you can tell from the couple below.

More of this over the next few days.

River Navigation

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

The water level in the Mississippi is low at this time of year, so the barge pilots must be extra cautious. There are five bridges across the river at or near downtown, with a sixth under construction, all throwing concrete and steel obstacles in the way of maritime traffic. Fog makes the task even more difficult.

There is a museum at the first lock and dam at Alton, Illinois, just north of us. (It's so flat south of here all the way to New Orleans that none are needed.) One of the exhibits is a video game in which you are the pilot, trying to maneuver your towboat and a chain of barges several city blocks long into a lock. I run the thing into the ground every time.

Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Foggy, cold, damp, miserable day yesterday. Everything your eyes observed was soft, including the angular statue of King Louis IX of France, St. Louis, in front of the art museum.

Made-U-Look

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Did I? What did you see?

From the Mississippi floodwall. By the way, the figure in yesterday's post was watching the icy water skiing in the river on New Year's Day.

Watching And Waiting

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Crowe) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

They also serve who only stand and wait.

- John Milton, On His Blindness, 1655

A woman stands on the cobblestone levee by the Mississippi River on a cold January day. What is she watching or expecting to happen? I know, but I think it's more interesting if you use your imagination. Anyone who comments could give us his or her guess.

The family went to the theater Friday night (Sunday In The Park With George) so I was unable to leave many comments on my friends' blogs.