Friday, March 15, 2013

Keep St. Louis Freaky

Peepers

There are some parts of our metropolitan area that are godawful boring. Soulless, seemingly endless suburban subdivisions. Shopping plazas off the city streets, housing the same numb franchises. Walmarts that spread to the horizon. Makes me think of Frank Zappa's Hungry Freaks

But it's not all like that. We are fortunate to have a strong undercurrent of weirdness, more visible in the city proper. This bit is a tiny, wacky park at the entrance to the riverfront trail that starts north of the Arch. It was designed by the late Bob Cassilly, founder of our very, very strange - and delightful - City Museum. Work on the site seems to have stopped after Cassilly's death but it still radiates the spirit of an artist who refused to be defined.

So much to shoot in the coming days. There are two St. Patrick's Day parades this weekend. The city's is on Saturday and it's huge. There is a smaller one, less flashy but somehow more sincere, that is always on March 17. Since that's Sunday this year I get to shoot it. It's run by an organization that calls itself The Ancient Order Of Hibernians in a neighborhood with the picturesque name of Dogtown.  Then there's a quick business trip to New Orleans on Tuesday - work in the morning but the afternoon and evening free to shoot. Whew.          

North Riverfront 3

9 comments:

Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.com said...

You certainly bring out the creative side of what people would otherwise overlook in a Midwestern city.

William Kendall said...

I had to look closely to see the snake! Excellent shots, Bob. I look forward to St. Pats.

RedPat said...

Cool! Too bad about the tagging on the mural!

Gunn said...

Hello!:)

Sunny and colorful.

I like it!

PerthDailyPhoto said...
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PerthDailyPhoto said...

Whacky and weird wins over boring an soulless every time Bob.

PerthDailyPhoto said...
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Babzy.B said...

nice compo :)

Nathalie H.D. said...

Congratulations on these 2 shots - you certainly manage to bring out the city's creative and interesting side!