Classic Lotus

On a recent walk around Beaver Lake I saw this classic Lotus racer parked in the lot.  A nice piece of work,

totally selfish but nice...

Very simple controls and dials but does the job well.  Notice that the steering wheel is on the right for British drivers.

Beads and Beyond

Beads and Beyond, a store that specializes in beads and buttons, is located on Wall Street in Asheville.

I'm not sure of the significance of this cart but it probably draws some shoppers into the store.

Laughing Seed Cafe

The entrance door for Laughing Seed Cafe, an excellent vegetarian restaurant in Asheville.

Beaver Lake Yacht Club

The first day of spring, upper 60's and a perfect day to take the boat out on the lake. 

The skippers had a good day on the lake.

La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia, the Church of the Holy Family, designed by Antonio Gaudi has been under construction since 1882. While he was alive Gaudi was asked about the anticipated long construction period and was reputed to answer "My client is not in a hurry." This masterpiece is replete with symbolism as evidenced by these columns articulated as trees holding up the roof.  This building has come to symbolize Barcelona and one can spend hours here looking at the construction and the history of Gaudi in the museum on site.  Gaudi was buried on the site.  See the following link http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/docs_instit/images.htm

Salvador Dali Museum, Figueres

About 1 1/2 hours by train from Barcelona is the Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres, Catalunya.  The museum was designed by Dali and is a treat for your eyes.  From the eggs on the exterior of the building to the atrium inside and shown above. See the following link http://www.virtourist.com/europe/figueres/02.htm

Another view of the atrium showing the cadillac which has models/statues of Dali and his muse in the rear seat.

Sitges Building

Sitges is approximately 35 kilometers south of Barcelona with a population of 20,000 people.  This interesting Spanish style "Flatiron" building is known as the Bartomeu Carbonelli i Musson House, built in 1913, and was designed by the Catalan architect Ignasi Mas i Morell.  Sitges is sometimes referred to as the St Tropez of Spain and has the prices and crowds of that resort.  However it is worth a visit for the beaches and the interesting architecture on the narrow streets.

La Rambla, BCN

La Rambla runs from the Christopher Columbus monument at the port to Plaza Catalunya.  Actually a collection of shorter streets, it is also called Las Ramblas and home to tourist stalls, art displays, people watching and many street performers like the duo above.  To see more performers follow the link 

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlos_lorenzo/sets/72057594081574926/

Palau de la Generalitat, Barcelona

Five years ago my wife and I visited Barcelona and several other cities in the area.  It was a feast of Catalan food, art and architecture.  This week I will be showing several places that we visited during this memorable trip.  We were treated to a special tour of the Palau de la Generalitat (Palace of the Provincial Government) which was constructed between the 15th and mid-17th Centuries and represents the physical manifestation of democracy in Catalunya after the death of Francisco Franco and the 1977 Spanish General Election. The interior of the Palace is constructed in the Gothic Style - a contrast to the Neoclassical exterior.

A close-up of Saint George killing the dragon in the courtyard.  Notice the gargoyles on the building.

Urban Mural on Wall Street

This art wall is located between Wall Street and Patton Avenue in Asheville and provides a respite from the grey skies thst were present today.  Not sure of the history behind this mural but it appears that it is the work of several artists. See the following link for more on Wall Street http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=833&type_id=0

A detail of the mural illustrating white water canoeing - one of the activities available nearby.

Gallery Minerva

Novel signage for Gallery Minerva in downtown Asheville.   See the following link http://www.galleryminerva.com/#intro

Guns and Roses

Guns and Roses was created by Stefan Steebo Bonitz and is one of his many funky pieces.  For more on Steebo and his art see http://steebo.com/  Oh, and if you would like to purchase this piece of art it can be had for $35,000 plus installation. 

Small Cottage

Another post on interesting small houses in Asheville.  This one is located adjacent to a "larger" house but has its own street address.  I think I could live there ... if I got rid of a LOT of my stuff.

Church Street Office

Many of the old houses like this one in downtown Asheville have been remodeled for office use. This house serves as the offices for Architectural Design Studio and is probably just as interesting on the interior as it is on the exterior.

Pioneer Building

The Pioneer Building is located on Broadway Street just a couple of blocks from the downtown area.  Designed in an arts and crafts style it is home to retail, a coffee shop, offices and condos on the upper floors adjacent to the Montford Historical District.

A view of the rear of the building showing the different materials in this interesting multi-use building.

Spring is Coming

Every year at this time I get anxious for Spring.  Winter has been going on for too long and I am ready for grilling and fresh garden tomatoes.  Anytime now.....

Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

The days are short

The sun a spark,

Hung thin between

The dark and dark.

January

by John Updike

City Market Kansas City

City Market in Kansas City is open year round and also encompasses restaurants and a museum as well as other retail establisments.  In existence since 1857 it is adjacent to downtown condos and nearby offices.  it also has a small Vietnamese restaurant that has excellent food.  Fo more information see the following link http://www.thecitymarket.org/

Hi Hat Coffee

Hi Hat Coffee Shop is unique in several ways.  It's another reuse of a former gas station, it's extremely small and you can see another state from its front door.  Hi Hat sits on the west side of State Line Road in Westwood Hills, Kansas and the state of Missouri is on the opposite side of the street.  Delicious coffee and muffins and yes, it does have a small (unisex) restroom. 

Narrow Building

This building on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville is no longer a "10c shoeshine" establishment but it still remains an interesting narrow establishment.  It is approximately 10 feet wide - about the width of an alley in the city. I wonder what business occupied this space before the shoeshine.  Its small size reminds me of the many small specialized shops that are numerous in the Gothic District of Barcelona.