I have been in older, larger, more ornate, and far more famous cathedrals before, but I think the Suzzallo Library on the University of Washington’s campus is my favorite. Why? I’m not sure. The lack of tourists? The books instead of religious symbols? I don’t know. The place just felt very magical to me. I felt like rapping people on the back of the head and saying, “How can you study here? How can you keep your eyes on your book and not just look around this glorious space instead?”.

Posted on January 20th, 2011 under outside of ashland, places. Tags: buildings, seattle. Comments Off on Suzzallo Library

Next up on this tour of Seattle is a bit of Gerberding Hall on the University of Washington campus. I took this from the steps near the exit of the Suzzallo Library. The library is 85 years old (and one of the most amazing buildings I’ve experienced). Gerberding Hall is a bit over 60 years old.

Posted on January 19th, 2011 under outside of ashland, places. Tags: buildings, seattle. Comments Off on Gerberding Hall

Southside Tattoo is located in the spot of what was a chocolate shop called Silly Rabbit Chocolate Co.

Posted on December 23rd, 2010 under only in ashland, places. Tags: buildings, christmas, southside tattoo. Comments Off on Southside Tattoo

I took this photo of the Ashland Library the other night as I was getting gas on a rainy evening. I really need to get a tripod for Christmas to improve my night photography. Santa, are you listening?

There is a wreath hanging in each of the windows of the library this time of year.

The view from inside the library is really good. I should take a photo from the inside one of these days.

Posted on December 14th, 2010 under only in ashland, places. Tags: buildings, library, night photography. Comments: 1

The Chateaulin French Restaurant isn’t much to look at from the outside in winter or early spring, but it can be nice to look at once the ivy covering its exterior turns green. And the place can be really spectacular when the ivy changes color in fall. Next door is Martino’s and Macaroni’s, previously mentioned here.

Posted on November 15th, 2010 under only in ashland, places. Tags: autumn, buildings. Comments Off on Chateaulin in Autumn

The Historic Ashland Armory has been around for almost a hundred years. I’ve been in Ashland for 10 of those and have yet to go inside. This Friday night I plan to enter the building for the first time in order to see a Led Zeppelin cover band called Zepparella. Should be fun…

Posted on October 26th, 2010 under places. Tags: buildings, national register of historic places. Comments Off on Historic Ashland Armory

The sun was just going down when I took today’s pic. The only reason it looks so light is I left the shutter open for a full second. Unfortunately it was cloudy, so there was no sunset to view, and this would have been the perfect time and angle to see it as this is the normal sunset direction.

Today’s photo is looking down East Main Street towards downtown Ashland. Pasta Piatti, on the left, is a good restaurant. The Ashland Springs Hotel can be seen in the not-too-far distance on the right.

Posted on October 17th, 2010 under only in ashland, places. Tags: ashland springs hotel, buildings, night photography. Comments Off on Pasta Piatti

As mentioned yesterday, it took me 10 years to notice The Peerless Hotel, even though it is noted in 1,000 Places To See Before You Die.

The building, and Coke sign, were refreshed in the 1990s after seeing more than 90 years of very few changes.

Posted on September 5th, 2010 under only in ashland, places. Tags: buildings, national register of historic places, signs. Comments: 2

Last week we went to Britt Gardens (“The Britt”) to see Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion Summer Love Tour.” I had never heard of Garrison Keillor before. It was an interesting evening, but I was at least 25 years too young to fully enjoy it all (thank goodness!). This was my first Britt show in maybe three years. Last time I was front and center for Chicago which was lots of fun.

Anyway, Jacksonville is a beautiful town, perhaps the best preserved of its era in the USA (or at least the western states). I’ll have to post more from Jacksonville in the future. Jacksonville is less than 20 miles from Ashland. Pictured above is what (I’m guessing based on the writing on the brick wall) is the old Levi Strauss Building.

Posted on September 1st, 2010 under places. Tags: buildings, jacksonville, national register of historic places. Comments: 1