Mall Lights

Night lights on the Nicollet Mall

For Virginia as she jumps up and down on her suitcases, trying furiously to get them to close. Watch out Virginia, they may explode open in Paris!

Golden Blues

Autumn continues in November on the Nicollet Mall
-

Shooting Mode: Manual Exposure
Shutter Speed : 1/400
Aperture Value: 5.6
Metering Mode: Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed: 200
Focal Length: 70.0 mm

Newspaper

The news in print

How we used to get real news.
-

Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 140 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Nicollet Mall Girls

This is a first for me as I typically do not have portrait shots on my photo-blog. Why? I am not confident in my portrait skills.

Last Saturday I was downtown Minneapolis with 7 photographer friends shooting city scenes. As I was capturing a moment on the Nicollet Mall, I was approached by these young ladies to have me take a group photo.

Not knowing the ins and outs of portrait photography, I agreed to give it my best shot, (sorry for the pun). I hope you enjoyed your day downtown.

Street Market

Fresh home grown produce and stand on the Nicollet Mall, downtown Minneapolis.

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 200

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.

Free Parking

For two wheelers. Seen on the Nicollet Mall.

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.

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.

Go Green...

Buzz Words; Go Greener, Hybrid, Alternative fuels. Soy-based biodiesel?

New this year in Minneapolis, the hybrid-electric bus on the Nicollet Mall. "The hybrid buses deliver 22 percent better fuel mileage and produce 90 percent fewer emissions than the buses they replace". Quoted from the Metropolitan Council. An annual savings of approximately 1,965 gallons of fuel per bus.

These new hybrids cost $557,000 each, thus far, they have averaged 4.71 miles per gallon. The standard bus averages 3.86 miles per gallon.

Go Green....

<"))>< . . . >'))))))><

I Found a Hat!

Mary Tyler Moore is an icon of downtown Minneapolis on the Nicollet Mall outside the doors of Dayton's Department Store. Oops, no, Marshall Fields bought Dayton's. Wrong again, it is now Macy's that took over Marshall Fields that bought Dayton's. At any rate, this location on the Nicollet Mall will be forever etched in our minds as Dayton's.

The statue of Mary Tyler Moore outside Dayton's, oops, Macy's, is forever frozen in time tossing her hat into the air on the Mall. During the opening credits of the television series "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", Mary joyously tosses her hat into the air. The show aired in the years 1970 to 1977. See the link below for an actual photo from the show of the famous hat toss. Much has changed on the Mall since then.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MaryHat.jpg

This just in from Sally in Sydney, Australia. http://sydneynearlydailyphot.blogspot.com/ She was kind enough to give us Mary Tyler Moore's theme song! Have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql8G0Ikko5I&feature=related

Corner Stop

On the Corner of 8th Street and Nicollet Mall, you'll find a well known large retail bookstore. A perfect stop for the upcoming holiday in December.

The yellow railings will be set out later each evening on designated days to stop traffic. The traffic is stopped for the Macy's Holidazzle Parade. www.macysholidazzle.com/

Mass Transportation

Bus or Bicycle, which is better?

The bus holds more people per a given vehicular unit than a bicycle. The bus offers a relaxing ride in environmentally controlled atmosphere.
The bicycle allows you to experience the great outdoors.
The bus takes up a lot of roadway.
The bicycle takes up a lot of sidewalk space. The bus burns new and cleaner alternative fyel sources.
The bicycle burns calories, sometimes an overabundance of calories. ;)

Shopping Spree

There's a time for fun. Then there's a time to shop. Some believe fun and shopping are the same. They may be right. But I'd rather have a root canal than to simply go shopping. I'm told this shop is a popular favorite amungst serious shopers. I don't know; I like the outdoor view here. In we go empty handed, out we come with bags and packages. (lighter wallets too) :-o

Reflections on Blue

An early evening stroll down the Nicolet Mall, Downtown Minneapolis. Labor Day weekend, the Minnesota State Fair winds down. Kids are back in school. Summer is over, the mood is blue. Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend.

Nicollet Lights

This evening, we took a stroll on the Nicollet Mall on an urban trekking adventure. A great photoshoot opportunity for next Friday's 3 photos a Week submittals. no doubt I will create an album dedicated to Downtown on Webshots. Look for that in the near future.