Another Angle

Astoria, Oregon ~ June 20, 2012

. . . Just another angle on our interesting town.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Two Pilot Boats

Astoria, Oregon ~ November 26, 2012

Taken from upstairs, Doc's on 12th Street

The older pilot boat, Arrow 2 (left) doesn't get out as much as it used to. Although still plenty spry, its place has largely been taken over by the more modern and huskier Connor Foss on the right. When pulled up to a big ship, Connor looks capable enough, but she (she? Connor?) just does not have the romantic lines of the little Arrow. I suppose Arrow's era is passing. I don't know technically what Arrow lacks that Connor has, aside from youth, so if anyone can tell me, I'll be interested in finding out.

I love the look of the water. You can see how the rains have brought the mud down, and you can get a hint of some of the currents and turmoil beneath the Columbia's surface. 

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Purple on the Water Front

Astoria, Oregon ~ July 18, 2011

Can anyone tell me the name of these purple flowers? If I ever knew it, it escapes me today. (Hmmm, maybe some variety of lilac?) [Thanks to everyone who said it was a BUTTERFLY BUSH.] I've been noticing flowers and color all season, and when my photos aren't of ships, they usually include flora. I'm sure many of you will recognize the location as being right next to the interesting dumpsters on the 12th Street pier showing the Sears building in the background (right side of the photo). I think our cold, wet spring and late-blooming summer has given us gorgeous blossoms well into summer.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Yesterday's Windows

Astoria, Oregon ~ November 10, 2010

Here's the answer to yesterday's question. The windows are on the River Walk across from the river and from Doc's on 12th Street. In a way, it was a trick question, because the lighting made the whole building look very, very blue through the camera lens. I enjoy these windows in any light.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Where the Views Are

March 12, 2010

In Astoria, there are so many terrific views that nobody counts them. This resting and viewing bench is on the River Walk in front of the Wet Dog Cafe between 11th and 12th Streets. The building on the pier contains a number of shops and businesses. Downstairs is the well-known Baked Alaska Restaurant and Lounge along with a kitchen store and more. Upstairs are dentist's offices, hair dressers, lawyers (I think).

Although I took this on March 12th, the view is almost identical today, with low clouds and light fog on the river. One difference is that you'd see water on the sidewalk this morning. The summer of 2010 may come to be called, "The Summer that Never Was," although when the sun does come out it's beautiful and the air temperature delightful - unless you're one of those creatures who likes hot sun to bask in like a lizard. (Jacob, you're right. It doesn't get very cold in the winter. We get a few days of snow per year, if that. The rest of the time you can tell the season only because of the ceaseless rain.)

Next to the bench is a light post so the walk can be used at night, and one of the several interpretive signs along the river. I don't recall whether this sign is about the fishing industry, history, boats, ships, or wildlife. There are some of each.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Three Dumpsters

February 11, 2010

These three dumpsters sit at the entrance to Doc's on 12th Street. The one that looks like wood is not. It's been skillfully painted to look like wood. I believe the artist is Jo Brown, whose murals I've shown in earlier posts, and who painted an outstanding mural on the back of the Sears store across from this dumpster. To the left of the dumpster is the River Walk, and to the right is the bank of the Columbia River. The red-topped cans are for recycling.

There was a famous Astoria painted dumpster at the 6th Street Pier when I arrived here in 2001, but it's gone now. It was a fanciful painting by Diane Beeston showing sea creatures and a dancing octopus. I have a photo somewhere and will post it when I find it.

For those who asked about the rooftop garden mural, yes, it is a mural. There are a number of roof-level murals in Astoria, and I'll get their photos taken one of these days :)

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Enchanting Atmosphere on a Rainy Day

January 12, 2010

A rainy day in Astoria, Oregon. So what else is new? I thought this view from the white building on Pier 11 was especially nice, and the colors were muted and interesting. You might want to click on the photo to enlarge it. The building you see is Doc's on 12th, with Baked Alaska on the "ground" floor. The hill in the background is Tongue Point. We're looking east, up the Columbia River.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Swimming upstream or down?

I love the London Daily Photo's "London's Elephants" theme. As far as I know, Astoria has nothing quite so incongruous or unexpected on which to build a theme. I can think of anchors and salmon. I found this salmon weather vane overhanging the Columbia River on the Doc's on 12th building. As it happens, they're re-siding the facade, and the salmon got "caught" (visually) in the scaffolding. There was enough breeze blowing to cool the air and cause the metal salmon to shift directions almost as fast as a wriggling wet fish might do if it found itself out of its element (not elephant, sorry . . . see above). The real salmon are swimming upriver at the moment, and the water is full of them. As it happens, the scaffolding fits in nicely with Mellow Yellow Monday's color theme :)

Rooftops and river

I took this photo with a long lens from a friend's back deck, but if you'd like, you can imagine I was flying over Astoria like a bird. This is one of the central downtown locations. Some of the buildings have already appeared in this blog, and others will appear in time. The gray wood-shingled building with white window trim appeard in this post, while the building to the right of it can be seen here and will appear again in tomorrow's post. The Liberty Theatre, with the red tile roof, was the setting for the concert with Sergey Antonov and the post with the lighting fixture in the ceiling. The river is the Columbia, the street on the left running toward the water is 12th Street, where Sunday Market is held, and the street intersecting it is Marine Drive.

Happy Scenic Sunday, everyone.

Poppies and Baked Alaska

We've had the most stunningly gorgeous weather this week. It's been in the 70s and a little breezy. You can have it warm in the sun, cool in the shade, almost whatever you want. Mornings have been heavily overcast here on the Lower Columbia River, and then late morning through the rest of the day looks like this.

The building is "Doc's on 12th Street," and houses a number of offices and businesses. This is the back of the building, which is pretty cool, because it's as attractive as the front. Most of the bottom floor is taken up by the Baked Alaska Restaurant and Bar (a window-side restaurant and a separate and comfortable lounge with a view). I took Sue to Baked Alaska for her birthday dinner last night, and the food was as memorable and creative as it was when I first came to town. Mmmm. Baked Alaska is always a treat, and today we got poppies with the view, as well :) Summer flowers are looking good after a winter that lasted into early July.

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