OPENING NIGHT AT THE FRINGE

And we’re off. We expect unusual things at The Fringe but this puzzled me. A perfectly normal person (by Fringe standards) walked through the audience before one of the shows with a puppet dressed as a jester, shaking people’s hands with its tiny, hard fist. It was called Surefire. It had a role in the musical performance that was about to start but I didn’t understand was going on. Maybe the concept was still in development.                              

IT’S FRINGE TIME!

My favorite annual event, the St. Lou Fringe, opens tonight and runs through Sunday. I’m still the house photographer and now I’m president of the board of directors so I’ll have a busy week. We have a record 50 shows with about 100 total performances. I’m scheduled to shoot 27. I don’t know if I have it in me but I’ll sure try.

The illustration is a favorite from last year’s festival, Urinetown, which had a long run in New York and was performed here by talented high school students. Locals, come see us!                 

A LONG WAY FROM PORT

Not far from downtown is a small city block surrounded by chain link fencing and a  gate. It contains a non-descript commercial building and a scattered assortment of . . . junked military aircraft. It’s been there for years, with changing inventory. I know nothing about the owner or business, where the stuff comes from or where it goes. It’s a St. Louis mystery. 

The St. Lou Fringe Festival starts tomorrow and I’m going to be one busy photographer.             

A SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHER

I’ve been complaining about being out of local material and our days being too hot (95 F / 35 C) for me to go out walking around. Sometimes I’ll go out driving around (this is America) to see what I can shoot from or near my car. While heading down to the Paint St. Louis part of the flood wall, I met Tom Keiser. He is a fine art photographer from something like Chicago or Boston, who was in town doing a STL project. He shoots with 8 X 10 film cartridges, which require exquisite preparation of composition and exposure. You have to do this stuff right the first time. I couldn’t possibly.                  

ANOTHER TROLLEY PICTURE

I’m out of new stuff. It’s just too hot for these old bones to get back out on the street so I pulled a trolley picture from the archives. Our streetcar system was long gone when I got here for college in 1967. In the last several years, local boosters developed this trolley line from the history museum to the end of the Delmar Loop district. It was a boondoggle, way late and over-budget. It runs down the center of a busy street without the kind of appropriate stop structures you find in Europe. I thought it was shut down, but I was pleased to find it still running.                 

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG WENT THE TROLLEY

The caption is the name of a famous song from the (locally, at least) iconic movie, Meet Me In St. Louis, with Judy Garland. It takes place around the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, when we used to be somebody and had a functioning streetcar system. In recent years, a single trolley line was built from the Missouri History Museum, where I was attending an event, and west along Delmar Boulevard through the district known as The Loop. It’s called that because of the point where streetcars would loop around to return to the city center.

I’m trying out a new Blogger feature that adds Google search links to the posts.                   

THAT’S WHAT WE GOT

A view into downtown from the west. taken from the Union Station Ferris wheel. I’m low on material and STL is back in the oven. Another mid-size Midwest city. You can see the big wicket right of center.                        

ABIERTO HASTA TARDE

Sticking with Chicago for a bit until something better comes along locally. This River North bar and restaurant has a command of Spanish that only goes so far, despite the area’s large Hispanic population.                  

SUPERSTRUCTURE

What holds a Ferris wheel together through turn after turn? It better be well-engineered and the bolts better be tight. I wonder how often all of this is inspected.                    

FROM THE WHEEL

The current version of Union Station has a number of attractions, including an aquarium, a ropes course, a mirror maze, mini golf and a big Ferris wheel. (More are under construction.) Ellie loves to go up the wheel. At the top, there is a view over the reconstructed train shed and the western part of downtown.                    

LIGHT SHOW

I mentioned that we spent the night before our departure to Chicago at the Union Station Hotel. What it calls the Grand Hall has a barrel vault ceiling, elaborately restored. From 5 until 10 PM, there is a light show on the hour, lasting perhaps 5 minutes. These are but a few samples.                  

ALLEGORY OF THE RAILROADS

I’ll continue with images from our trip to Chicago until something else comes along. In its day, St. Louis Union Station was the busiest in the country. With the advent of air travel and the Interstate highways, rail travel went into great decline. Union Station became decrepit and empty. More recently, it has been gloriously transformed into a fine hotel and something of a small amusement park. This window is an allegory of the American railroads, with San Francisco on the left, St. Louis in the center and New York on the right.                      

CITY DAILY PHOTO AUGUST THEME - SWEETS

A cotton candy vendor at a St. Louis parade. Our health secretary Kennedy would tell you the spun sugar is poison. My granddaughter would tell you he’s nuts. She would be right on both counts.                       

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - CHICAGO NIGHTLIFE

Americans and maybe Canadians know the ubiquitous coffee and pastry chain, Dunkin’ Donuts. Chicago has a harder edge. This place serves local food specialties - Chicago hot dogs are a thing and they would like you to buy three - but also offer a full bar. Sounds like one of those places you would go to at three in the morning.              

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - CROWN FOUNTAIN

 

Crown Fountain is a short distance south of the Bean in Chicago’s Millennium Park. There are two 50 foot / 15.25 meter glass block towers facing each other across a black granite floor. The inner faces have LED displays with rotating faces of Chicago residents. Periodically, water streams out of the mouths for a few seconds.

I told Ellie she couldn’t get all wet because we had to get a car back to the hotel. She didn’t pay any attention. There is a very good discription of the name, design and planning process at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Fountain                      

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - EVERYBODY TAKES THIS PICTURE

Or something like it when they visit Chicago. It’s in Millennium Park, the sculpture officially called Cloud Gate but popularly known as The Bean. Ellie had never seen it, and it got a big WOW out of her.                    

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - WHO NEEDS THE TROPICS?

Playground of the rich and possibly famous, a pleasure boat harbor on Chicago’s near north frontage on Lake Michigan. We took the grandkids to the observation deck on the 94th Floor of what used to be called the Hancock Building, now just 875 North Michigan Avenue, and pointed the lens down. I don’t get this very expensive hobby. What’s it worth to putt putt around on the lake during nice weather? The boats all have to be hauled out for the winter since the costal areas of the lake freeze over.                    

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - WELL EDUCATED GRANDKIDS

All three of them, on the Michigan Avenue Bridge over the Chicago River, expressing their deepest feelings. At least we didn’t have to do any business in that building.                    

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - CHICAGO

In Chicago for a long weekend with granddaughter Ellie, meeting son Andy, wife Claire and the other two grandkids, Audrey and Josie. We took the train this time, which we haven’t done in decades. Three hours late for starters plus other issues that I’ll skip. This is a view of the Tribune Tower (as in the Chicago Tribune newspaper) from our hotel room. Lots going on.                  

NOT A CATHEDRAL

But rather a train station, or it used to be one. Now it’s the barrel vault ceiling of the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, where we are spending the night before our early train to Chicago. There is a light show in the lobby every evening. I’ll add some more detail during our ride on Friday.                        

DRAGON, DON’T EAT THE KIDS!

A Chinese dragon threatens some children at the Red Lantern Night Market. All in fun but the girl on the right looks a bit concerned.

Trip coming up, big flow of new images.                          

A TOP SALESPERSON

How could a buyer resist? This charming young woman was at a tent at the Red Lantern Night Market selling jewelry. The only jewelry I own is my wedding ring so I kept my credit card in my wallet and picked up my lens. She gave me a great deal.                   

GOOD KARMA HYDRATION

It was a typical St. Louis July evening at the Red Lantern Night Market, hot and humid. Time for some hydration with blessings. The dress suggests to me that the figure is female, not the big guy. When I zoom in on the beverage container I see lettering that says Las Vega… S? N? Either one would be interesting.                         

 

JAPANESE CUTE

 

At the Red Lantern Night Market. I don’t think there is a people on earth who do cute as intensely as the Japanese. You could leave the market with more J Cute stuff than could fit in your car (nobody goes by public transport here), and some people might eagerly do so.                             

RED LANTERN NIGHT MARKET

There is an event in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood that’s been going on for two or three years called the Red Lantern Night Market. We hadn’t heard about it before but it was featured in the local newspaper and our public radio station (we just increased our contribution, for reasons Americans will understand). All of our East Asian communities came together for a party in a narrow street lined with tents of vendors and throngs of visitors. There was a lion dance and lots more.                  

A STAR IS BORN

 

St. Louis has lots of theater companies. Perhaps the most notable is the St. Louis Repertory Theater, that has been around for decades. They have a summer program for kids called Camp Rep. Granddaughter Ellie finished her session yesterday with the big group show. She says she wants to be an actress. We wish her fulfillment for her dreams but she has lots of other talents.                      

FROM AN AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER

Ever heard of a car manufacturer named Viosin? They made airplanes in France from 1905 to 1946. The company dabbled in automobiles and created this model in 1936. Its lines reflect the company’s main business. That hood ornament, however, could tear someone open.     

ALFA PREDATOR

Another from the Roaring exhibition. This is a 1930 Alfa Romeo racing car. Depending on the engine option, it was capable of 103-110 mph / 168-177 kph. No roll bar or seat belts, let alone air bags. Why bother with headlights? I wonder about the injury or fatality rate of the drivers.               

FINE ART AND A 1928 CITRÖEN

I’m sticking with some of the wonderful cars at the art museum’s Roaring show until something better comes along. This is a 1928 Citroën, repainted by the contemporary Dutch artist, Bernadette Ramaekers. It is said to be in the style of Sonia Delaunay. Some of the visitors around me pronouced the name of the make as sih-TRONE. We don’t have umlauts in English. 

FILLES DE LA RÉVOLUTION

 

I don’t think these people are genuine daughters of the revolution, nor do I believe those beverages are rose de Provence. The outfits are un peu stereotypical. Nevertheless, as I have noted, St. Louis loves an excuse to drink in public and what could be a better end to the party than a decapitation (even if fake)?                   

ALLONS ENFANTS!

Happy Bastille Day to our French Friends! St. Louis was founded by French explorers and one of our historic neighborhoods, Soulard, was established by a French couple of the same name. It has an annual tongue-in-cheek celebration of the event with Louis and Marie Antoinette being chased by the mob very slowly through the district, stopping at the several bars. It ends with a mock execution.

Note the sign in the upper left. Some of the mob rode through the streets on golf carts.          

ROARING

Yesterday, we went to a show at the Saint Louis Art Museum called Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France, 1918–1939. There was a stunning combination of cars and clothing. This is a 1939 Buggati, a wedding present for the Shah of Iran and his Egyptian bride for their nuptials in Cairo (hence the Arabic numerals). The reflections on the fenders are from the skylights in the ceiling.

And happy birthday to Mrs. C (b. 1944 and going strong).

                     

THE LONELINESS OF THE CARNEY

The people who work the carnivals must have a lonely existence. Rootless, traveling from town to town, probably without family. They can’t make much money and it’s seasonal work. If there are no customers at the game they are running, there is little to do but stare through the night at the bright colored lights. Or maybe notice a photographer.                         

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Most of us have those “Hey, mister, take my/our picture!” moments.These kids at the carnival were Webster Groves High School students. Well, they aren’t all white. Very clean cut. If you went 5 or 10 miles west, similar kids’ clothes, or at least the shoes, would be a couple of notches more expensive. 5 or 10 miles northeast and the look would be - what’s the right word these days? - urban.                         

PINK SNEAKERS

When I was a kid (50s-60s), sneakers were Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars in black or white. That’s it. By 1989, my then 9 year-old son became the fashion sensation of Paris by wearing Chucks in mismatched colors, one red, one green. (Yes, we were there on the bicentennial, and it was really weird watching the festivities on TV in our hotel). Now, anything goes. When I go to the gym the footwear has more colors than the spectrum of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine.                   

CRICKET SKILLS

There was a group of young South Asian men at one of the arcade games at the carnival. Off to the right of the frame were shelves of empty glass beer bottles, spaced somewhat apart. Players got three baseballs for their money and were awarded a prize if they could break one or more bottles. This contestant broke one. I showed him this picture and told him he was the best fast bowler in Webster Groves.             

I WANTED TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE

Brassy color, harsh lights and dark skies made me wonder what one of the carnival images would look like in black and white. I think it’s interesting.                  

SOME OF THESE ACTUALLY WORKED OUT

Despite my camera technical problems, some of the July 4 fireworks photos worked out pretty well. There are lots of references online about how to shoot fireworks but the general idea is to shoot in raw, manual focus a little back from infinity, low ISO, f8 or 11-ish, and use bulb shutter control to open the lens as the pop starts and close it as the lights fade. I had to turn off the camera manually but I got lucky.                       

SERENDIPITY

I figured out what was wrong with my camera settings. Many Fujifilm cameras like mine have all sorts of retro manual controls. They can give the photographer complete conmand of the details but they can be complicated. Turned out that there was a dial set one place off that I couldn’t see in the dark. But exposure and focus mistakes can lead to interesting results. This looks organic to me, like some kind of spore.                   

BOOM

In addition to the carnival, Webster Groves has its own Fourth of July fireworks show. There is a recipe for photographing fireworks but my camera was giving me a hard time. The Bulb shutter speed setting wouldn’t work and kept setting the time for 30 seconds. I had to turn the camera off manually but still got a couple of usable shots.                   

EMPTY CALORIES

But oh so good. Don’t tell our Health Secretary Kennedy, who will tell anyone who will listen to him (which no one should - he’s a wacko), that sugar is poison. But my father, who spent his career in the sugar industry, would say it’s all just fine. This is, of course, a snack stand at Webster Grove’s Fourth of July carnival.                      

CARNIVAL

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, Independence Day, the American national holiday. Although there is much to mourn this year, celebrations take place across the country. I live in Webster Groves, one of St. Louis’ older (by our standards), inner suburbs. It is a vibrant community with a big holiday carnival. Not in the New Orleans / Rio sense, but more like what they call a fun fair in Britain and Ireland. It opened last night, a don’t-miss for our granddaughter. 

There are lots more pictures from the Pride Fest parade at https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobcrowe/albums/72177720327261352, and I’ll probably have more still in the album.                 

McPRIDE

McDonald’s employees in the Pride Fest parade. No Ronald, though. That may be a trademark too far. The two characters here are occasionally seen in promotional materials and are called, I think, The Hamburglar and Grimace.                                        

CITY DAILY PHOTO JULY THEME - BUBBLES

Who doesn’t like a big blow of bubbles? This small truck comes to all sorts of outdoor events in St. Louis. Kids love it. I love it. City Daily Photo members around the world show us ephemeral spheres at https://citydailyphoto.org/category/theme-days/ .                     

PRIDE FEST

It was going on around the world (even in Budapest!). This weekend, our brothers and sisters of all persuasions threw themselves a party, including here in St. Louis . Now, this photographer is as straight as the shortest distance between two points, but I believe that all of us are simply what we are.                    

ALL FLIGHTS CANCELED

This is just behind the view in yesterday’s picture. The river is high for this time of year. A heliport on a barge sits in the Mississippi. You can take a sightseeing flight around the Arch and the city. The helicopter must have fled to safety before the big storms blew through, which you can now see moving out. No more flights today.                        

SO HOT IT BUCKLED THE PAVEMENT

Everyone here knows that the eastern half of the U.S. has been in the oven for the last week. It has buckled the pavement is some places. This is the street under the Arch along the Mississippi, which was perfectly flat. The city has patched the biggest gaps. It would look more dramatic with sharper shadows but some big thunderstorms just rolled through, dramatically dropping the temperature.