November Theme Day - Blue

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis on the banks of the Mississippi River. Now playing, Jane Eyre, The Home Place, and coming soon, A Christmas Carol. Almost similar in color to IKEA.

Boston (MA), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Arlington (VA), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Portland (OR), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Arradon, France - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Stockholm, Sweden - Singapore, Singapore - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Toulouse, France - The Hague, Netherlands - Moscow, Russia - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Stayton (OR), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Detroit (MI), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Greenville (SC), USA - Hyde, UK - Radonvilliers, France - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Saarbrücken, Germany - New Orleans (LA), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Forks (WA), USA - Wichita (Ks), USA - Barton (VT), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Joplin (MO), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Inverness (IL), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand - Toruń, Poland - North Bay (ON), Canada - Le Guilvinec, France - Chateaubriant, France - London, England - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Sydney, Australia - Austin (TX), USA - Mumbai, India - Boston (MA), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Paderborn, Germany - Montréal (QC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Orlando (FL), USA - Grenoble, France - Cheltenham, UK - Forks (WA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - London, UK - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Belgrade, Serbia - Paris, France - Shanghai, China - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Montpellier, France - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Auckland, New Zealand - Evry, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Oslo, Norway - Minneapolis (MN), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Trujillo, Peru - Trujillo, Peru - Melbourne (VIC), Australia - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Durban, South Africa - Brussels, Belgium - Anderson (SC), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Wellington, New Zealand - Prague, Czech Republic - Saigon, Vietnam - Ystad, Sweden - Miami (FL), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Hong Kong, China - Melbourne, Australia - Baziège, France - Greensboro (NC), USA

Separation Anxiety

Who are these stickmen with no hands or feet, and why is his head detached?

Happy Halloween, take care driving tonight, many children are out having great fun Trick or Treating.

Halloween Pumpkin Bash

Smashing Pumpkins

Pumpkin Meteor?

The teenagers were out early this year, making their rounds of mischeif before Halloween. Pumpkins seem to be an easy target they enjoy. I can't help but to savor the aroma from these smashed pumpkins when walking past. That, and the scorched pumpkin aroma from a candle in a jackolantern. The beauty and aroma of Autum, is there a better season?

Fast Food Wars

No golden arches here, and looking almost classy. New, bright, and colorful, this teenager hangout, Arby's, may be the reason, Ronald McDonald decided to demolish his old restaurant across the highway. and build a new one. Soon to open in mcDecember.

McDonald's may have their Big Mac, Hamburgler, Grimmace, and Mayor McCheese, Arby's has their Giant Roast Beef Sandwich. Who's "cuisine" will reign supreme?

http://northmetro.blogspot.com/2007/09/wheres-ronald-mcdonald.html

Brew Time

Town Hall Brewery, a brew pub in the 7 corners area of Minneapolis. Located just up the street from Grandma's Saloon on Washington Avenue.

Fire Safety

Fire Hydrant outside Mill City in Minneapolis.

No Yellow Flowers, but still Green

Last June I posted a photo of a new strip mall being built; I had asked you to enjoy the little yellow flowers before they were gone. I do hope you enjoyed them.

The yellow flowers are now gone, but the project remains incomplete. Nothing has been done since June. Fine by me, they must have overbuilt and too quickly at that. Sometimes the price of progress< (as with taxes) is too high. We shall keep watch on this lot and see what is to come. Until then, stay tuned...

http://northmetro.blogspot.com/2007/06/62407.html

Over the River...

...and thru the woods,

to Grandma's Saloon we go!

Located on Washington Avenue in Minneapolis, Wes Bank's 7 corners. Dining, and drinks, 3 levels of food and fun! Happy Hour Time!

Tequila Sunrise

"Its another tequila sunrise,this old world

Still looks the same,

Another frame, mm..."

Just another work day, same routine as usual. Come into the office, sit in my chair and power up the PC; wait for the log in and the inevitable seven emails that await me.

The office is unusually quiet, not a sound, nobody discussing the previous evening's events. Surprise, eight emails. It is time to get a cup of coffee before answering the emails.

Not sure why, but I decided to bring my camera to the breakroom. Glad I did, after enjoying the first sip, I noticed the spectacular sunrise out our breakroom windows.

I power-gnaushed down that mug of coffee, and another while enjoying the sunrise. Email will have to wait. What a great start to the day! Those eight emails didn't seem so important anymore after witnessing this Tequila Sunrise. I ignored them, only to answer them at 10:30.

Some days you need to treat yourself; this old world, things are the same, a different frame.

As seen in the street

Orange Bubblewrap; is it concave, or is it convex?

This is actually a new rubberized mat that is on nearly every sidewalk corner ramp in our part of town. I believe these mats are to aide wheelchairs in navigating the ramp to gain access to the sidewalk.


Back on 10/7/07, Twin Cities Daily Photo uploaded a perfect circle, an interesting photo of a manhole cover in a cobble stone street. I was inspired to submit a similar photo. This one is seen outside the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

Joe's Basement

or, better known as Buca di Beppo; a ristorante of southern Italian cuisine. The franchise started in 1993 in a Minneapolis basement apartment, not seen here. This photo was taken of the Maple Grove location.

Your best bet is to dine with a group of people, dinner is served family style. I recommend the Chicken Saltimbocca, Chicken with Lemon, Penne Arrabbiata, garlic mashed potatoes, house chianti, and of course, Tiramisu for dessert.

Bicycle races are coming your way

Bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle

I want to ride my bike

I want to ride my bicycle

I want to ride it where I like

Bicycles parked outside Mill City, just behind the farmer's market. A lovely day for a bicycle ride, a lovely day for a bicycle race.

Alternative Transporters

Modified two wheelers, but, not a bicycle. These alternative modes of transportation devices were located in the oold Mill City ruins museum.

Groups of these transporters are seen riding the St. Anthony Heritage Trail, on the Stone Arch Bridge, in front of the Guthrie Theater, and even over by Nyes Polonaise Room! These devices really get around town.

Grasping the Obvious

Sometimes I wonder why our city officials need to post such signs in some areas, but not others.

I am not sure how someone would dive into this pond with the tangle of growth along the shore. I am also not sure why someone would want to swim in a matt of green gew covering the pond's surface.

I would also assume skating to be out of the question as there is open water, as we can plainly see. Yes, it will freeze over during our winter. But how will a person get onto this pond, let alone change their boots to skates in this tangle of growth along the shoe of this pond?

Sunny and Bright

In the neighborhood of Mill city, the Guthrie Theater, and the Mississippi River. I wonder who's moving in; I can't say I am a little envious. We enjoy this part of town.

It's been cloudy and raining for a week and a half. I needed this sunny pic fix.

Electrifying

Powerlines, seldom looked upon as a thing of beauty. Most of the time we scorn the little black wires and power poles that line our cities. They ruin our view, cluttering our photos with unwanted blemishes.

But a necessity we use everyday, sometimes too much. Without it, how would we view our City Daily Photos, email family and friends, or worse yet, how would we brew coffee? Oh, the horror!

Sometimes, these powerlines can make for artsy photos.

Sprained Finger

We went for a walk before the forcasted rains of the day. We usually start out heading for one of my favorite coffee shops. This day, we took the long route, delaying my caffiene fix for the day.

Four miles into our walk, and feeling light headed for lack of coffee, we needed to cross a four lane highway to get to my favored coffee shop. With sore feet, we approached this traffic signal light at the intersection. I can see my favorite coffee shop across the intersection.

That is when it happened; while pushing this button repeatedly in hopes of quickening the change in traffic flow to our favor, I strained my finger. Nothing serious mind you, I survived, the coffee was hot, and delicious, well worth the walk and sprained finger. All set and done, we walked a good 6 miles this day. I did manage to get some strange looks from the occupants in the vehicles as they watched my take this photo.

Remember, safety first when crossing busy roads.

Interstate 35W - Closed

A strange sight to see crossing over Interstate 35W in Minneapolis, and not hear the roar of constant traffic. Up ahead, the freeway is fenced off where the bridge crossing the Mississippi River collapsed.

Ottobre - At the Guthrie Theater

Act 1 Scene 1; Approaching the Guthrie Theater from Gold Medal Park. The lawns are marvelously manicured. On our way to the Mill City Museum farmer's Market.

Act 2 Scene 1; autum takes over. An explosion of color wafts over Gold Medal Park complementing the deep blue of the Guthrie Theater.

Ora del pranzo

Lunch hour at Trattoria Michelangelo - Fine Italian Dining. One of the restaurants my co-workers and I have in our lunch hour rotation for our pasta fix.

Autum Impressions

Nearly like a painting with a palette of dabbled color by Claude Monet. Almost, nature is reality, Monet was perfection.

Smoke Out

Smoke 'em while you got 'em. But I am not a smoker. Something that is legal to purchase is now illegal to enjoy. Soon businesses like this will close. But where will the tax money come from?

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety". - Benjamin Franklin

"A government that is big enough to give you all that you want is big enough to take it all away". - Barry Goldwater

Big Gulp

O'zapft is! (It is tapped!)

Oktoberfest is all but over, except for this 2 Liters of Granite City Oktoberfest beer. And that will go quickly!

Outdoor Seating

Reservations not required on Main Street, Hopkins.

Queued On the Tarmac

Flaps - check, running gear - check.

Last minute pre-flight check before heading south; this is a suncountry midmorning flight ready to depart for Florida.

Buon viaggio!

Christmas in October?

A trip to the malls for a few items needed for the autum season. Everywhere we went, all the name brand stores already have their Christmas displays up and Christmas items ready for sale.


Is it really necessary to celebrate Christmas for 3 full months? For Pete's sake, we haven't celebrated Halloween or Thanksgiving yet. They must be trolling for cash early. Can we celebrate one holiday at a time, and in order, please? Sheesh!

Leaf Awnings

Natural awnings canopy the north side of the sidewalk along Main Street. On the south side, th little trees will need decades of growth to catch up.

Main Streets

Great food here at this Bar and Grill. Burgers are second to none. Live music, karaoke, (which I do not partake in).

Symphony of Little Bells

In five minutes, the little bells will ring to strike the hour of 6 pm on Main Street in downtown Hopkins. just enought tim to make it to Main Street Bar and Grill for happy hour.

Dualing Cranes

Which crane will complete the job first? New construction south of Southdale Mall in Edina. More office or retail space, or is it a condiminium? We wait with anticipation.

The falls

The fall at Anoka Electric dam. From the pier, a pretty good fishing spot too. The Rum River continues on a short distance before running into the Mississippi River.

Autum Gold

Autum has arrived with a brilliant palette of vibrant colors; the best time of year.

Stately trees line the entrance to a business complex near my office in the circle tour named Opus Center. it is a miriade of one way confusing circles. The scenes are wonderful, almost making the morning trek into the office worthwhile.