From the Archives: Milano

This summer I've been scanning in negatives like a mad man, hence all of the stuff from the archives. I was only in Milano for a day in 2002, but man was it awesome! Anyway, these were all taken with a disposable camera, so the focus and color aren't the best...

Here's a pic of the Dolomites from the train as you leave the tunnel from Switzerland:


Here's a statue of Da Vinci in the Piazza della Scala in front of La Scala opera house:


Behind Da Vinci is the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II:


Which is an incredible enclosed mall (the architect fell to his death from a balcony here on opening night, d'oh!):


The Duomo is probably one of the most amazing churches I've seen:




The incredible Stazione Centrale on the way back to Geneva:


I was on a whirlwind tour conducted by the little old aunt of one of the girls I was traveling with, so I didn't get nearly enough pics. Other highlights that I saw: Castello Sforzesco, the Mercato di Viale Papiniano which was filled with punks, an a half dozen old churches.

Cedar-Riverside, Mpls (III)

Here's some more stickers and stuff from Cedar-Riverside...

This was on the side of the Wienery:


Oooh, a sticker from Robots Will Kill:


And Dick Ripple, who is apparently a Shark Week watcher:


The dumpster next to Palmer's Bar:


Broken billboard with lots of garbage behind it, next to the Red Sea:

From the Archives: Fremont, Seattle

Fremont is a pretty interesting neighborhood, kinda hip and artsy, but very yuppy. A lot of the restaurants and bars attract that whole 35 trying to be 25 crowd. One sign of the areas mixed signals is that they have outdoor summer movies, but they charge admission. Also, the Redhook Brewery moved out and Google and Adobe moved in, which really hurts their cool cred.

But, there is a statue of Lenin (Lenin had a lot of good observations, BTW) rescued from Slovakia:


And a cast aluminum sculpture of people waiting for a defunct light-rail line (what people there wouldn't give to have light-rail back in Seattle, good planning City) that locals like to dress up (I hear that the sculpture has been moved while the road is reconfigured, though):


And a huge rocket:


And a troll that lives under a bridge:


And walking down under the Aurora Bridge from the troll is pretty cool:


And for all of my complaints about Fremont, the signs of intelligent life are obvious:


So there is a sampling of Fremont, Seattle. Some not that great but whimsical and beloved public art, cool location right on the water, a neat public market, art snob yuppies who think they're cool, yuppy tech employees who think they're cool, some random college kids, and a really big bridge.

i've been there

The pics from my San Francisco post a while ago can now be found on the Guardian's I've Been There website. Check it out!

Around 26th and Lyndale, Mpls (II)

I found some pretty cool stuff around 26th and Lyndale today, above average I would say...


'i wish i could respect things' - me too...


someone went giant sticker crazy...


i don't think this phone is supposed to be yellow...



'kiss my fist' - that's pretty hardcore girls, nice!


if only i had enough dollars to get what i want politically...

Cedar-Riverside, Mpls (II)

More from Cedar-Riverside...once one of the main landing points for Scandinavian immigrants, a mini Haight-Ashbury in the 60s and 70s, now the main landing point for East African immigrants...

OK, what's the deal with this? City workers find a broken access panel on a street light and fix it with duct tape? And when that doesn't work, tie it up with a wire? Nice:


One of the many interesting doorways:


I love the 400 Bar! Saw the Walkmen there not too long ago, they rocked as usual! It'll be a sad day when I drive down Cedar and don't see this sign:


While my dad was in college he lived above the infamous Cesar's Bar, which is now the Red Sea (you can see some glimpses of the awesome architecture in the neighborhood):



My mom tells me it was a real crap hole back then, well ma here's the door to the upstairs apartments today:


Words of wisdom from the staff at the Hard Times, one of my favorite lunch spots:

Dinkytown, Mpls

The neighborhood that spreads out from the main entrance to the U of MN, Dinkytown really means a lot to me. I worked on the East Bank for a couple of years and ate lunch somewhere in the area almost everyday and would go to Cheapo every other week or so (it has since been replaced by a big chain that I won't name here). My mom and her sisters also grew up very near by and so I've known the area as long as I can remember.


In case you are completely ignorant of Mpls history, Bob Dylan wrote the song about this 4th Street. He was at the U for a year, but lived in the area for a little while before heading off for the Village. My dad always said he knew a bar owner in Duluth who fired a young Dylan because he was "absolutely terrible."


It's so awesome to see The Varsity re-opened, it gives me hope...


This was one of the most tagged doors I have ever seen...


The Hair Shaft? Well, at least its upstairs. Lots of Dinkytown businesses are upstairs.


I loved this half-assed attempt to advertise the fax at a copy shop...


The Dinkydale Mall is like this old London arcade, pretty cool...


Mmm, Annie's. Decent burgers and good malts. Has been here as long as I can remember. Mpls natives might remember that there was once one in Uptown, too...


Kinda wondering why this old gas range is in the alley behind the Loring's kitchen...


I died a little inside when, on this 95 degree day (yes it gets that hot in Minnesota), I headed to the Purple Onion for an iced coffee, only to find it closed with the big chains moving in! Screw "progress" and screw you developers! But, my anger subsided when, with a little research, I learned that they have found a new home! Unfortunately it is in a new overpriced apartment complex and will have none of the old atmosphere...

Milwaukee Ave, Mpls

Milwaukee Ave is a very cool little slice of history in Seward. Built as housing for railroad workers, mostly Scandinavians, the houses all have a similar mail-order design. The area was almost leveled by the city in the 70s, but was saved by preservationist residents.


The original houses all have a bit of Tudor style decoration:



I thought it was classic that the house below had the traditional red "Post" box. Is this a Minnesota thing or can you see it elsewere (Chicago and Seattle don't count as they have just as many scandinavians)? You probably have to blow this one up to see what I'm talking about...


On a lot of these houses they had to strip off the original brick and then use reclaimed industrial brick:

B-Girl Be Summit

B-Girl Be is goin on, so I had to take some pics of the great pieces goin up! This first one (26th and Lyndale on the side of the laundromat) had a lot goin on: no war, skulls, a voice bubble with "wife!"




While I was there I had to see what was new around Robot Love:




Over at Intermedia they were still working. OMFG these girls rock! Artists I saw working include Siloette and Shiro...




See, this is the kinda stuff that makes Mpls unbeatable in the summer (humidity and all)!