City Stairs

City Center Escilators.

Bus Que

The Nicollet Mall.

Open to bus and taxi traffic only. Bicyclists too. A cold Saturday we see here as we pedestrians get around downtown via the skyway system. As I have said, the Nicollet Mall is closed to all vehicles except mass transportation. Yet there are the occasional wayward automobiles that turned the wrong way.

This reminds me of a story years ago in the early 1980's. I was driving with a good buddy of mine, scoping out restaurants for our prom dates. Frustrated and lost, he says take a left. I did so without question. Yep, you guessed it, right, (or left as it were) onto the Nicollet Mall. I dodged a couple busses while cruising 3 blocks down the Mall before we realized our error. I escaped the incident, ticketless.

Ah, the good 'ol days.

Green Roof

Minneapolis City Hall and Hennepin County Courthouse

Blue Posting

On the threshhold of Oz. http://northmetro.blogspot.com/2008/03/yellow-brick-stairs.html

Lyon's View

Street view down 6th Street From Lyon's Pub to Murray's and beyond.

MOA Insider

Going down, or coming up. Escalators help rest your weary feet at Mall of America, (MOA).

Criss cross of bridging corridors take shoppers through the "habitrail " maze of shops at Mall of America.

Hard Rock Minneapolis

That is one big guitar. Much too big for playing Guitar Hero. View taken from the skyway thru the dirty glass window.

2 Things Challenge - Dead / Alive

Last night we received a few more inches of snow. Spring has sprung, yet winter still lingers. I must admit, it was quite pretty outside. I grabbed my camera before the task of shovelling. Then I thought these two pics just might work for the 2 Things Challenge Dead / Alive.

Easter Egg

Our hack berry tree in our front yard fresh with last night's snow in the dead of winter. Leafless, dead, or alive? what is most interesting is the egg shaped sundog above the tree. Perfect timing for Easter and spring; the rebirth of life.

Our neighbor's cherry tree. Dead, yet alive. Soon to be ready for the new blossoms of spring. Earlier, before this miserable snow, my neighbors reported that the robins just loved these cherries. Robins already? Its not April, yet.

Skyway Bridging

Anglescape

Yet another Minneapolis skyway. This time in black and white. Linear and angular, bright and dark. Repetative geometry with appealing symmetry.

Portrait of a Watch Dog

Happy Easter! Tomorrow we celebrate Easter Sunday. I have nothing qeued for Sunday's post or for 2 Things Challenge. This has been a hectic week at work and with a family member's funeral earlier in the week.

Instead, I give you this, a portrait of a Watch Dog, our dog Winston.

Free Parking

For two wheelers. Seen on the Nicollet Mall.

Lyons on 6th

Home away from home, Lyon's Pub. Back in the day, countless hours and many pints of Guinness have been enjoyed here back at Lyon's Pub. It was like a homecoming to gather after our photoshoot for dinner and a beer. Guinness of course.

Reflective Twist

Somewhere downtown Minneapolis, shot thru the skyway window.

Hang On

Back by Nope's demand; music for your enjoyment. Seems he missed the mini concert here at the northmetro blogspot.

I queued up Pink Martini's tune, "Hang On Little Tomato" to go with this photo I took last November. I liked the colors, and oddly enough, it is similar to Pink Martini's album (CD) Hang On Little Tomato.

I like this photo, I originally called it Determination, "when times are tough, hang on tight. Courage, Hope, Perseverance. When everyone else has bailed and let go; be strong, hold on to the bitter end and make a difference".

My wife and I made it to the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul in record time to see Pink Martini in person. We were pleased to see this performance. China Forbes can really sing, just like an angel. The opening tune was their rendition of "Bolero". "Lilly" was beautifully mastered as was "Hang on Little Tomato". My personal favorite, "Una Notte a Napoli" was outstanding.

If you ever get a chance to see them in person, do it! You will not be disappointed. Better yet, buy all three of their albums...er...CD's; Sympathique, Hang On Little Tomato, and Hey Eugene.

For more information, Pink Martini

Blue Glass

Glass corridor bridge at Mall of America.

Glass skyview, Mall of America

Skyway Blues

Skyway over the mall in detail. The skyway system in Minneapolis is an elevated enclosed connecting "bridge" from one building to the next above traffic. This is a great way to get around the downtown area without stepping outside when the temperature has warmed up to -25 F, -31 C.

2 Things Challenge Sun/Shadow

This week's 2 Things Challenge is Sun/Shadow. Here we see my little dog Winston's shadow in the bright sun light. Goofy dog sat down in the snow to soak up the sun's warmth. (he is a west highland white terrier).

Early Morning Freight

An early morning in Hopkins; the railroad engineers ready the engine for a pickup.

I was not prepared for a black and white photo for B & W Saturdays. Instead, I chose this colorful photo I took on Friday morning on my way into the office. A quick stop in at the Coffee Depot, then a walk up the bike path toward these three engines. They had just entered the cab when I shot the three necessary photos for HDR.

Yellow Brick Stairs

This doesn't look like Kansas, Toto!

Stairway down from Gaviidae Common, downtown Minneapolis.

But it looks more like something Deney Terrio dreamed up.

Sidewalk Hydrant

As seen on the Nicollet Mall from the skyway above. This photo is from a photo shoot I was on with 13 other fellow photographers for our Tips From The Top Floor Minnesota Get Together (TFTTF MN TGT #3).

Our venue, the skyway system of downtown Minneapolis. Six times building security asked us to either please leave the premisis, stop taking photos, or both. We complied spending more time in the skyways.

I had a great time meeting fellow photo enthusiests and spending the afternoon with eachother. I am looking forward to future photoshoots. Until then, enjoy my version of the Minneapolis skyways.

Little Yellow Bell

Lunch at the Lone Spur Grill on Cedar Lake Road in Hopkins, MN. Fabulous TexMex food and southwestern decor. This little bell was above our table.

Baseball at the Mall

Baseball season is almost upon us! A few weeks from now the we'll have the first pitch at the home opener. A sure sign of spring.

Home Plate

Mall of America, (MOA) in Bloomington, MN, the site of our old beloved Met Stadium. Long gone and now a shopper's mecca; here we have a tribute to the exact spot where home plate at the old Met Stadium used to be. This is down in the theme park area that used to be known as Camp Snoopy.

Lone Red Bleacher Seat

520 feet away from the home plate and high above on the back wall near the flume is the lone bleacher seat. The lone bleacher seat marks the spot that the Minnesota Twin's Harmon Killebrew hit his longest home run, 520 feet.

Miss Burger

Another fast food burger chain but perhaps not as famous as the Golden Arches. What is better about Wendy's is their malt simply called the Frosty. Chocolate and vanilla, excellent malts. The best in the fast food industry. Well, maybe Dairy Queen has the upper hand in the malt department. Yet at Wendy's, you will find none of that yogurt simulated food product that McDonalds tries to pass off as a malt. And yes, they too have a drive thru for your burger and Frosty convenience.

Giant Blue Corkscrew

All we need now is a giant bottle of red wine.

When the world seems to shine

Like you've had too much wine

That's amore

Lone Oak

Broadway Pizza

Lately I've been feeling a bit blue. The cold weather and anticipation of the spring thaw has me down with a bad case of spring fever. That and this nonesense of year-long ongoing political hot air. (Imagine, being elected into a position and not doing that job for nearly a year like the Presidential wannabees) The only saving thought is this is preseason baseball.

At month's end, baseball will be in full swing! And what better place to enjoy those games on the TV than at a bar/grill with multiple TV's playing baseball. Broadway Pizza is it. Great pizza pie, fine refreshments, and baseball on TV. I'll have another Guinness if you please!

Regal Theater

Now showing at The Regal movie Theater in Brooklyn Center...and on 20 screens!

Townhomes Rising

Construction workers busy working on the new townhome development. This is just to the north of the existing townhomes and the plethora of Signs I submitted last November. And located just south of Super Target and the Arby's "restaurant" seen here; Arby's

Fire Safety

Fire Department Connections

A classic beauty in hopkins. Not the prettiest feature on an architecturally pleasing building. Not pretty on any building for that matter. But pretty cool in ther own right. We typically are impressed by the pretty facads and beautiful lighting in our downtown areas and we overlook the simple functional features. Look around, and see what the mechanical and electrical engineers have designed. sometimes form over function and vice versa.

(Yes, this building is this putrid pinkish color as shown)

Somewhere in Minneapolis, if my memory serves me correctly, on Portland Ave. just south of Washington Ave. Not sure if this is operational any longer.

Bark has Bite

Old gnarled oak tree growing near a sidewalk on our daily walks. This photo was taken by Mrs. Dusty Lens. Full credit goes to her for today's posting.

2 Things Challenge, Old and New

OLD

My first SLR camera, a canon AE1 Program, a gift from my folks back in 1984.

NEW
My second SLR camera, a Digital Canon Rebel XTI 400D.

And true to form the lens has dust on it, quite typical to have a dusty lens. just my interpretation of Old and New in keeping with a photography theme.

Feathered Ice

Feather duster on Lake of the Isles.