Thursday, March 31, 2011

Eat mi, drink mi, bun mi

This tiny, popular lunch spot on the University of Minnesota campus packs them in with people on the left waiting to pay and people on the right waiting for their food. I was squeezed at a small table between the two lines. Good pork sandwich!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Flood stage

It's been worse in past years and it might have been worse this year, but it won't be (knock on wood). Just upstream from downtown St. Paul, the river is lapping ever so slightly at this guy's feet.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Ice-free river

At the end of Summit Avenue in St. Paul, an overlook on the bluff gives a great view of the changing river. Here at the end of March, after a flirt with spring and a return to winter, we can see that the river is completely open. Yahoo!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Read a book

Back to the Rondo library on University Avenue where the quiet corner fireplace surround implores you to "spin a yarn," "express yourself," and "open your mind" among other bits of advice. See a close-up of the fireplace here.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Enjoying a meal

I'm not sure I've seen bliss in the eyes of a squirrel before.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Dancing for spring

We're a little ahead of May Day but I ran across this photo I took of some Morris dancers last year and thought it wouldn't hurt to summon some spring karma.

Friday, March 25, 2011

VĂ„lkommen

It's time to take our minds off the sorry state of affairs that is the prolonged winter weather and imagine ourselves in mid-summer. Just outside of the Twin Cities in Lindstrom this water tower standing over the town makes me smile and reminds me that warm days are indeed ahead.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

It's not over yet

I don't know what these dogs in my neighborhood think, but the rest of us are pretty sick of winter. Hey, it is now officially spring so, give up, Mother Nature.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Fishy art

Somebody along Grand Avenue made good use of bits of this and that.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

A river runs

I have it on a reliable source that the Sunrise River - about an hour out of the Twin Cities - is now fully thawed and running wild. Even in January this spunky little stream managed to keep moving! More from the Sunrise here.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Multicolored fun

The Lego store at the Mall of America continues to fascinate. What I could make with all those little colored pieces!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Beautiful spring

Isn't spring in Minnesota lovely? Just waiting for those crocus to appear.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Herb Brooks

The coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that beat the U.S.S.R. in one of the most exciting games in Olympic history is commemorated by this victory statue in downtown St. Paul.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Snoozing

Even covered in snow (but not for long, we hope) the benches in Loring Park appeal to nappers.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Pinocchio

I wonder how many people will be spending St. Pat's day with this view from a public toilet stall.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Woodstock on Grand Avenue

He's on one of the many Snoopy statues that dotted St. Paul a few summers back. This one ended up on the front lawn of a veterinarian's clinic.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Columnar trees

More columns. This time on a former Christian Scientist church turned River of Life church. But mostly I like the way the trees and their shadows on a late afternoon mimic the facade of the building.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Serious melting ahead

It may finally be on its way, though the melting could cause trouble for more than a few households this year.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Church of England

Every time I walk by this Presbyterian church on Summit Avenue I feel like I could be in some village in rural England.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Ramaley's

You can tell from the sign that Ramaley's has been around for a while. I've been noticing how many liquor stores around town have not updated their signs in decades. It's been so long they're starting to look cool again.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Mrs Frosty

How about those olive eyes? Good choice since coal is pretty tough to come by these days.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Column obsession

I'm getting a little obsessed with all the columns that I've started to notice in my neighborhood. This is an interesting mismatch on the front porch of a very large house off Summit. Remember where this started? And where it went to from there?

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Weisman

I think the Weisman, the modern art museum on the University of Minnesota campus, is looking a little worse for the wear. Maybe that's why it's closed until the fall. You can't miss it though as you drive along the river road.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Angel in my neighborhood

She stands on the grounds of a church on Summit Avenue. So strong and so proud.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Cracking 6PM

There may still be feet (!) of snow but the sun now sets after 6 PM. And when we spring ahead to daylight saving time very soon - next weekend, I think - it'll be even better. If only that shift in daylight hours really was an additional hour tacked onto the day. We need it to get this snow melting faster.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Ready for a dip?

I don't know when these people are going to be able to enjoy their new pool. There's so much snow you can barely see the house from the street. I sure hope they made the right decision.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Concrete column

Yesterday's photo of the graceful columns at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul contrasts (favorably or unfavorably, your call) with this one in the Macalester College chapel just a few miles up Grand Avenue.
More Macalester art here.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Ionic? Corinthian? Doric?

The Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul has one of the most beautiful interiors in the Twin Cities. The former court house and post office hosts a lot of civic events like the governor's inauguration and a popular St. Pat's day celebration. But what kind of columns are they?

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Wood sculpture

Waiting for the wood stove or maybe just there to catch your eye while on a walk in the woods. This photo is dedicated to a good friend who celebrates a milestone birthday today.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Red light district

On a recent foggy day down by the river, an approaching train stopped the traffic. You couldn't really miss the signals.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March theme day: Favorite part of town

It has to be along the Mississippi no matter what part of the city. Here it has turned east to flow past downtown St. Paul before it curves south again heading to the gulf (of Mexico, duh!). Of course, the river doesn't look like this on March 1. See what it does look like at other times of year.

This is part of the City Daily Photo theme day for March 2011. Thumbnails of other posts from around the world are here.