Happy New Year!

Astoria, Oregon ~ December 31, 2013
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Drive-by Astoria #1: The Corner at 8th and Commercial

Astoria, Oregon ~ September 16, 2012

Yesterday was sunny and beautiful, and for a change I was a passenger with her camera out. Some of the shots I got were kind of fun. The perspective was different, the angles unpredictable, and the composition could either be nice or insane. When I looked at the photos, I realized this is how many of us see our town. As of today, I think I'll do a short series of "Drive-by Astoria" photos. It might also be fun for those who haven't been here for awhile to feel like they're really back for a visit.

Here we are coming up 8th Street from Marine Drive, turning left onto Commercial. Looking west you can see the post office steps on the right and the Clatsop County Courthouse on the left.

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Christmas Day on Commercial Street

Astoria, Oregon ~ December 25, 2011

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Rain on Fall Leaves

Astoria, Oregon ~ November 15, 2011

Fall is not only in the air, it's also on the ground at the post office. Although this photo could be anywhere, for me it feels like Astoria - our own brand of damp leaves, the grass still living and green in November, and the pebbled wet sidewalks. . . .

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Purple Rhodies at the Post Office

Astoria, Oregon ~ June 13, 2011

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Oil Cover

Astoria, Oregon ~ March 12, 2011

Can anyone tell me about this metal cover on Commercial Street? I know that many older houses in Astoria were heated by oil, and some probably still are. Is this where oil is delivered for heating for one or more of the buildings on Commercial? And what's with the pipe draining onto the street?

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Purple Azaleas at the Post Office

Astoria, Oregon ~ March 18, 2011

Last year I posted this photo of the same bush in full flower on February 28th! I've been watching it this year, and the blossoms only came out in the last few days. I seem to remember that last year was filled with flowers and they were out early. This is just the beginning. Soon Astoria will be filled with flowers again.

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Posey Reed

Astoria, Oregon ~ March 12, 2011

Among the newer businesses in town is Posey Reed, selling antiques and collectibles on Commercial Street. Note the spring flowers. Yes, it is finally happening!

See Weekend Reflections from around the world.

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BIG Rig at the Post Office

December 13, 2010

At the end of each day, one of us stops by the back dock at the post office to deliver the bags of orders we've packed up that day. It must be due to the heavy volume of Christmas mail, but today the truck picking up looked enormous. I asked the driver how he could possibly make the turn onto 8th Street, because I really couldn't imagine it. He said it was tight, but it wasn't all that bad. (I really can't imagine how it's done.) The truck collects from a number of local-area post offices before heading pack to Portland. He said the bad stop was Seaside, where if there are any cars parked on either side of the street, it simply can't be done. I've forgotten what the Seaside post office dock looks like, but I believe him.

In 2009, I showed a photo of a truck hauling logs making the turn at the corner of 8th and Commercial. The truck you see here will have to turn right onto two-lane 8th Street, and immediately make the insane left turn onto two-lane Commercial. Before I knew the drill, I was once or twice one of those cars that had to back up so the truck could turn.

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Downtown Astoria

Astoria, Oregon ~ December 8, 2010

Nobody I know calls it "Main Street," but that's what this street would have been named in many, many towns in the U.S. In Astoria, there is a naming system starting with A near the water and running through the alphabet. Numbered streets go the other direction. Aptly named Commercial Street (technically, "Commercial Avenue," but I gave up on the "Avenue" vs "Street" convention), Commercial and 12th is one of the main downtown intersection in Astoria, although there are a few other busy intersections that rate stoplights.

I initially took this photo for someone who wanted to see downtown Astoria dressed for Christmas. You can see a few of the decorations here, and I'll show more as the weeks go on. Notice the blue sky. It's just a teaser between downpours, and a very welcome one, too. I don't know any town that shimmers quite like Astoria in the sunlight between rains.

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Clatsop County Courthouse

July 13, 2010

The Clatsop Country Courthouse is directly across the street from the Astoria Post Office, and takes up the block bounded by Commercial Street, 8th Street, Duane Avenue, and 7th Street at the west end of downtown Astoria. I've shown the courthouse from several angles; this is the main front entrance. I've also shown the post office in many guises. Click on the keywords beneath to check out other posts featuring these buildings. Clatsop County is named after the Clatsop Indians.

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Spots of Light

A few days ago, we were walking to meet someone for dinner, and I noticed spots of light playing on the side of the Osburn-O'Brien building at the corner of 14th and Commercial Streets. It was so cool, I had to stop and take a picture. However, we were running late due to something that had gone wrong with my accounting software, and my companion was saying, "Come on, we're late." I'm probably saying, "This will just take a second. Look at that light!" My question is, has that happened to you? Have you ever had the compulsion to take that one important photo despite running late? Or does someone ask you to wait while they take "just one more picture"?

Actually, I'm lucky. I can remember my mom wanting to pull over and take pictures on our vacations, and my dad was not interested in stopping. Lee and I both enjoy taking photos, and he's always willing to pull the car over, stop on our walks, or drive to someplace especially photogenic. However, this time we were late, and I was the compulsive with the camera. I expect the theme is universal. Have you been there?

Notes on buildings: The building on the corner was the scene for this post. The reflections are from the Astor Hotel across the street, and the building in the distance is this one, which used to be the food Co-op (moved to a new building), and has just become home of Deja Vu, a charity thrift shop. The link shows its old location, which I found to be especially nice to photograph, so I'm glad I took the pix while they were still at that address. (Or maybe Deja Vu has expanded? I'll check it out.)

A further note: For those of you who have been following Lee's Amizade Adventure, although the trip is over, the blog lives on. Check out its new incarnation.

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Happy First Birthday, AODP!

I knew that if I kept at it, it had to happen. Today is Astoria, Oregon, Daily Photo's first birthday! Yes! I started my posts with this photo of the Astoria welcome sign at the east end of town near Safeway, and today I'm posting the "Welcome to Downtown Astoria" painted sign where you approach the old downtown area at 15th Street. Beneath the sign it says, "National Register Historic District." Marine Drive is on the right, and Commercial Street is on the left. Here you enter Astoria's one-way grid, so all traffic on the right is going west, and all traffic on the left is going east.

Beyond the grass is 15th Street, and the cream-colored building in the center is Area Properties, a business that Lee built with his nephew, Larry. Larry has moved on to other things and Lee has retired. Barbann and her daughter Meagan own it now. You can't see it very well in this pic, but on the right of the photo among the small roofs is my business, Tapir and Friends Animal Store. Lee and I didn't meet this way, but it's a small town and we happened to end up with our businesses facing each other.

Here's the back side of the sign. Just beyond the point of the traffic island, the lanes converge and the one-way grid ends. You're looking at the river on the left, but it's hard to recognize it.

There's still so much to see, I feel as if I've barely touched the surface of this incredible area. Not only are there many, many parts of the town still to photograph, but the nearby outlying areas are a wealth of interest and beauty as well. In yesterday's comments, Costas asked how many such beautiful places I was still hiding. The answer is, "Lots."

In the last few days, Astoria, Oregon, Daily Photo has gained its 700th fan on Facebook, and today the blog appears in Elleda Rhiannon Wilson's "In One Ear" column in the The Daily Astorian. It's been fun receiving your comments and letters. I want to thank every one of you for your interest and kind thoughts.

Wandering around town with a camera gives me an excuse to walk that extra distance to check something out, or to put on my shoes when I might stay hunkered down in front of the computer. It gives me a reason to put words to those things I look at in the course of a day, week, year. It fills a creative niche and makes me happy. And last, but clearly not least, I've made a number of very interesting and wonderful friends through this blog who all have something in common: even with different visions, we share a way of looking thoughtfully through a lens and sharing our perceptions of the world. What more can I ask? I'm up for another year of exploring. Want to enjoy it with me? I hope so.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Purple Cow: The Toy Store with the Great Name, Bright Colors, and Friendly People

It's a treat to visit Purple Cow Toys at the corner of Commercial and 14th Streets. There's always something bright and cheerful in the window, and you never know what will be happening when you go inside.

Today Katie introduced me to Flat Stanley, who is visiting from New York State and plans to tour Astoria before returning home. Meanwhile, I'm sure Stanley is having fun with the plastic animals, plush Folkmanis puppets, Medieval plastic knights and ladies, plenty of animals, trucks, and unusual toys he's never dreamed of.

Behind the counter you can't miss the poem for which the store was named. I always smile when I hear it, because at some point in my younger life, it was one of my favorites. The original "Purple Cow" poem was written by Gelett Burgess in 1895.

The store Purple Cow, a much-loved fixture of downtown Astoria, and is owned by Katie Murray and Bill Colwill. You can contact the store at (503) 325-2996.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Astoria Coffehouse

August 29, 2007

Astoria Coffeehouse on 11th Street between Marine Drive and Commercial is one of my favorite places to go for a good cup, good eats, nice folks, and pleasant ambiance. It's not on the water, but only a block and a half from it. You can see passing ships from the sidewalk tables on a gorgeous day like this day in August 2007, or on a day like yesterday. It's also only about three very short blocks away from where I spend most of my time.

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Christmas Eve in Astoria

With bright blue skies, cold air, and wind chill (but no snow or rain), I took a look at how some of the downtown businesses had decorated for Christmas.

Here's the tree inside Wells Fargo Bank.

The Astoria High School Band Boosters were raising funds playing music in the shelter of the Liberty Theatre's entranceway.

Gold baubles decorate a wreath in the office of the Liberty Theatre.

The street light outside of Lucy's Books on 12th Street.

T. Paul's Urban Cafe. By the way, the living trees with lights are a year-around feature I always enjoy.

Celebrate a Finnish Christmas at Finn Ware. (You knew we had to have a Finnish store with so many Finns as founding fathers and mothers.)

I especially like Santa's old-world look and gentle expression at Bellisima Salon.

Outside of Adagio, a horse masquerades as a reindeer.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What can they be thinking? It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet when this reindeer scene was installed (don't get me wrong, I like reindeer). Maybe next year, they'll get the decorations up on the 4th of July - or just leave them up all year.

This traffic island at 15th Street welcomes people coming into town from the east (coming towards us) on Highway 30 and lets them know they're entering a National Register Historic District. There's an artistic welcome sign behind the reindeer and facing the other direction, which I'll save for another post. We're seeing it now from the downtown side. The island is the dividing point for Commercial Street (going our direction on the right) and Marine Drive (coming towards us from Portland and pionts east) on the left.

Whatever you're doing, whether celebrating Thanksgiving or not, celebrating some other holiday, or having a normal Thursday around the world, I hope your day is happy. Don't mind my snippy comment too much, OK? I just wish they'd wait till after Thanksgiving to start in with the Christmas mood. Isn't timeliness kind of special? I remember I anticipated my mom beginning to take the Christmas decorations down from the high shelf in the bedroom and transform the house into a magical wonderland. It was a special time, and maybe more-so because it was of short duration. Here in Astoria, there is a manger scene at the other end of town already and rainproof candy canes along Commercial Street. Call me Scrooge. I like turkeys in their season, and I like the winter holidays in their own time.

The Liberty Theatre, Sunday Market

I took this photo at last week's Sunday Market. Today looks to be another clear day, if getting colder. (October 11th will be the last outdoor Sunday Market of the year; I wonder if part of it will move indoors, as it did last year?) Here you can also see a bus dressed like a street car that runs part of the week. I'm not sure what days, but certainly on Sundays and probably when the cruise ships are in. You get a small glimpse of the east end of Commercial Street. Two blocks down the way it merges with Marine Drive. Sunday Market takes up three blocks and two parking lots. The Liberty is at about the halfway point.

The Liberty is one of Astoria's prize features, and it's gone through major renovation inside and out in the last seven or eight years. I featured the inside in this post and this one. You can see the outside of the building, or mainly the top, in this post. It's the large mass of building at the center right of the photo.

The Liberty Theatre was built in 1925 in a Mediterranean exterior, and is said to have some of the best acoustics around. Even music groups from Portland enjoy coming to play here. The inside is adorned with painted panels of Venice, carrying out the Mediterranean theme. Originally used for vaudeville and silent movies, it now hosts live music, dance, graduations, and I even went to an art appraisal event there. Now that it's been refurbished, it sees a lot of use.

Art Deco? Art Nouveau? Definitely imaginative . . .

I think this is one of Astoria, Oregon's, most imaginative downtown buildings. It's hard for me to say whether it's more Art Deco or Art Nouveau, or a combination of the two. In any event, it's unique. I don't know the date it was built, but my guess is, around 1923. It's in the area that burned in the 1922 fire, and the style fits with the period of re-building.

The location is the corner of 13th Street and Exchange. In fact, this building and the small parking lot next to it take up the entire length of 13th Street (see the photo below). The most coveted locations for small businesses are a block and a half away on Commercial Street, so at the moment, this charming building sits empty.

This is the entirety of 13th Street. Or at least I think so. If you go just to the right outside this photo there's a narrow passage for foot and bike traffic that goes for one block, connecting Duane and Commercial, and may qualify as an extension of 13th Street. I'll save that photo for another day. Because of the disagreement between Shively and McClure in the 1800s, 12th and 13th Streets do not fall into a regular pattern in the city grid, as they would if it had all been gridded by one person or on one system. Thirteenth Street became a strange anomaly in the grid because of it.

I took this photo on a recent bright, clear day. Today it's overcast and, thankfully, cooler.

Windows of the lovely Astor Hotel

Does anyone know the style of these delightful windows?

They can be seen on the Duane Avenue and 14th Street sides of the Astor Hotel in Astoria, Oregon. The building was constructed after the 1922 fire burned down its predecessor. I wouldn't know what to call the style. I called the building Art Deco based on various features and the look of its Commercial Street side opposite (shown here). If anyone can help me out with the style, I'd be very interested in what you have to say. I love architecture and styles, but this one isn't 100% in my vocabulary. One author called it "Gothic," and I didn't see that at all on the other side of the building, but these windows bear a hint of Gothic, if only a hint. As to the old hotel itself, several comments from the last post are worth printing here. Some were made on Blogger, and some on the Facebook page for this blog. By the way, I left two small heads at the bottom of the photo for scale and reference. I tried cropping, but I kinda like them there.

Branden Wilson: Don't forget that the top few floors are not even original. They were an afterthought built on years later . . .

Julie Winlund Evans: The bus depot was on the ground floor and I can remember watching the wooden 'dock' rot away over the years as the blackberry briars took over.

Kurt Hanson: I remember the ballroom, it was totally awesome and the little cafe on the corner where the toy store is/was? I also remember the bus depot - I can,t remember what year that was late 60's?

Lee Spangler: What is also cool is what is left of the interior of the main floor. We'll sneak in next weekend.

So, perhaps we'll have additional photos coming up. There's also a comic and game store on the corner of Commercial and 14th with a sign worthy of a photo. I'll see what I can do with that one some time!

There's a bit of sky here, and I like taking part in Skywatch Friday, but I have to admit that the photo was taken last Sunday when the sky was blue and the weather was glorious. That was just before the heatwave. Now the heat has been followed by the marine layer's inevitable clouds, and today so far it's completely overcast. It rained last night, it's cool today, and I'm not complaining!