Showing posts with label public. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public. Show all posts

Sunday, December 5, 2010

It Isn't X-Mas Until They Light the Liberty Pole

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In Rochestarian tradition, they lit the Liberty Pole for x-mas.  If you are like me, you ask "what does a pole have to do with liberty?"  Apparently, during the American Revolution cities that supported the cause would erect a wooden pole in their main squares.  Before this pole, there were two wooden ones at this site.  Here is a link to an overly exaggerated history: http://www.thelibertypole.org/history/history.htm

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Here comes the tuba!


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Festivities inside the warm Sibley Department Store Building


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COUNTDOWN TO LIGHTING THE LIBERTY POLE!


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TA-DA!


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Megan and I's first Liberty Pole lighting together


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The snow looks like stars


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The parade to Manhattan Square Park


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Rochester Mayor (Lieutenant Governor Elect of New York State) Bob Duffy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Duffy_(politician)) with Megan's friend Erica and her son Noah.  It's really nice to talk with a mayor of a city and he thanks you for moving to his town.  Well, you are welcome.  


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Western New York is a lot like western Michigan.  I forgot what it was like to never see the snow stop falling...


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Megan and I looking for the perfect Christmas Wreath for our little home at the Public Market


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MEGAN FOUND IT!


Other than a couple of job interviews and finding out Megan is directly related to William the Conqueror, that's about it.  Now to watch the Bills...

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Jumping the Shark

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It's 80. It's 40. It's 80. It's 40. Welcome to Spring in the Midwest. Look at all these unemployed/underemployed people enjoying the nice weather on a weekday...

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View of downtown from Lincoln Park

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As much as I talk about hating public art in America, every so often I find a gem that I kind of like. This is near the zoo in Lincoln Park and Lake Shore Drive

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Ol' St. Mike's. I have to practice taking architecture pictures before the honeymoon

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The fella I'm named after (The guy standing, not the one being stood on).

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How close to a Robin can I get before he flies away. About 2 1/2 feet...

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What a weird thing to do to a home. This is a facade-ectomy. They preserved the original home on the site (good). Reused it with new construction (understandable). But, there's a huge gap between the original front and the new house which appears to be a patio or something (strange).

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City horses

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Aqua building

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These signs are getting more and more elaborate and militant.

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If I ever have a home, you can expect to be welcomed by something like this when you visit...

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Oh accountant humor. Marylin's last day is tomorrow and she's making everyone jealous...

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

German Christmas Village Santa Train Party Christmas Explosion


Downtown Chicago. The tree (or hundreds of little trees making a large one) in Daley Plaza with the skyscraper church in the background.


Kristkindlmarkt (aka German Christmas Village) in Daley Plaza


Even Jesus had a booth at the German x-mas village...


Someday, I will have a mantle over the fireplace that looks like this...


Pretty trees


Governor Blagojevich's home, which is down the street from ours. There are several news vans and a helicopter here at all times. I'm still trying to figure out how what he did is worse than any other politician. I mean, people and corporations don't give millions of dollars ($1 billion alone between Barrack Obama and John McCain) to politicians because of their "ideals" or they are "good people." They give money because they expect something in return. Ask Dick Cheney about Haliburton. Is it because he got caught and swears? I'm not a supporter or a fan of Blago, but I still don't see what the big fuss is all about.


SANTA TRAIN! Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Train! Megan and I took this to Katherine's X-mas party. My favorite is the CTA employee dressed as an elf giving out candy canes. She said this is her eighth year doing this.


Even the seats!












My "White Elephant" or "Yankee Gift Exchange" present was a frog shower cap. It goes nicely with my x-mas sweater!


Katherine and another couple at Katherine's party


Katherine was very proud of her real tree with bubbler lights. And, for you Michiganders, she did get them from Bonner's in Frankenmuth...


Megan and I checked out a few places this weekend. Here's one with a view of Soldier Field.


Now, imagine this as my home with socks and art supplies on the floor. Oh, look how well that 1999 iMac looks shoved in the corner...




A view of the Clark House (I think that's what it's called), which is the oldest home in Chicago.


Look at all the trains. There are a couple of "El" lines and freight trains in this area. The South Loop is an old train yard area. Lots of tracks remain and the train companies still own the land. But recently, they have begun to lease the "air rights" over the rails for 99 years to developers to put up buildings. The area north of Grant Park is the same way. There's a whole underground city and infrastructure around there.


Here's the view from the new Museum Park building overlooking Grant Park. Not bad. I mean, I'd expect more from a place that ranges between $1.6 - $2 million...


Here's my wife, Ann Fairbanks, deciding whether or not this property would be a good investment. "It would be nice for events..."


It's snowing like crazy out there. First, it snowed. Then in was nice and warm and melted the snow. Then, it got cold and hell and froze all the melted snow and iced everything up. Now, there's all of this. I'm so glad I don't drive...

I hope everyone is doing as well as I am these days. Lots of x-mas parties lately and a ton more to come. I think I have three more this week, one was today, and a few last week. Then there's x-mas itself... Busy...

xoxo,

Mike

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