For a local Omaha perspective, look here: http://www.dshawnphotography.com/Occupy_Omaha.html
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Occupy Chicago!
I'm not gonna say much here -- the photos say it all ...
For a local Omaha perspective, look here: http://www.dshawnphotography.com/Occupy_Omaha.html
For a local Omaha perspective, look here: http://www.dshawnphotography.com/Occupy_Omaha.html
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Midtown Crossing at Twilight ...
Midtown Crossing is a "Mixed Use" development just west of Turner Park, between Dodge and Farnam west to 33rd., where it abuts the Mutual Of Omaha campus. Yes, one of Mutual's development subsidiaries was and is the driving force behind Midtown Crossing.
We strolled through Midtown Crossing in the daytime as we explored roughly a mile-long stretch of Farnam Street. You can Read All About It HERE if you have not already done so.
It was a dark and stormy night! (With appropriate apologies to Washington Irving and, of course, to Snoopy.) :) I found myself having a free Saturday, which lately has been a rare occurrence.
It was also a game night!
This means that crowds will be down in the Omaha area, with tens of thousands making the trek down the pike to Lincoln to attend services of Nebraska's State Religion. :) (Free pizza, huh?)
I was hoping for a bit more of a night-time look and feel to the photos. It *WAS* getting dark, really. :)
What I ended up getting were shots which looked almost day-lit, with a bit more light from the illuminated windows.
Several of the shops were attractively lit, making conditions right for mixed-light photography.
I just wish these *LOOKED* a little darker! :)
Midtown Cinema, one of the few theaters at which adult beverages are served, was a ghost town. The combination of the driving rain and the live action in Lincoln sure appeared to be taking its toll on the activity in this district!
Ingredient Restaurant, a regional casual Contemporary American chain, which offers customers countless options and (>>SHOCK!<<) discourages tipping was also mostly empty.
Let's face it! Game night during football season is a no-winner for local restaurateurs!
Most of the dining options of Midtown Crossing are of the "Contemporary American" ilk, and there is somewhat of a shakeout in progress. Midtown Crossing, like a number of the areas I've reported on about the Omaha area, is mostly free of the usual-suspect downscale fast food chains and formula restaurants. Refreshing, isn't it! :)
Cantina Laredo (uh-huh, it's a chain, but not one of the usual suspects) appears to be about the only Non-Contemporary-American joint around her.
As with the others, very sparse crowd this evening!
Loft 610 - Contemporary American. Take a good look at it!
You won't see this one very much longer. Loft 610 closed just a few days before this was taken. It's planned that it will either re-open as an upscale Italian place called Portovino, or else another branch of that great Contemporary American institution, For Lease.
I do wish them success. I would really hate to see this one be yet another well-intended restaurant to go under. :(
The Grey Plume - Contemporary American.
Contemporary American intended with a green footprint. Locally-owned and operated and uses locally-produced ingredients whenever possible. Recently scaled back hours of operation. It appeared to be relatively busy on this otherwise very slow Saturday evening. (I'm very sure non-local folks don't understand the "very slow Saturday" comments.) :)
Glo - a cocktail lounge and martini bar...
... above Delice and next door to the Cinema.
Crave!
Omaha branch of a regional chain of {sigh!} Contemporary American restaurants.
Midtown Crossing does have more than Contemporary American restaurants.
There are a number of retailers in here.
Such as Republic Of Couture, the Omaha branch of the quasi-upscale chain.
Prairie Life Fitness ...
... Gotta work off all of that Contemporary American chow, huh? :)
Although the building is brand spankin' new, the traditional neighborhood grocer is alive and well in Midtown Crossing, holding down the fort at 33rd. and Dodge!
Wohlner's, a long-lived independent grocer of the Dundee area, has taken up residence in Midtown Crossing.
As we've seen in a few of these walk-throughs, the widely-reported death of the independent purveyor of provisions is premature and exaggerated. Although several former merchants are known as "the last independent grocer in Omaha", examples such as Wohlner's and Louis' in Beautiful Downtown Benson are examples of continuing life.
Although most of the living quarters in Midtown Crossing are (reportedly slow-filling) condominiums (there's that word again) and rental units, there is one hotel.
Element By Westin, a "green and healthy" upscale hotel shares the southeast corner of 33rd. and Dodge with Wohlner's.
I hope you've enjoyed this somewhat wet twilight journey. I just wish the photos were a bit darker. Oh well, so it goes (and so do I)! :) Now let's head on over to Amerisports and do the game! :)
We strolled through Midtown Crossing in the daytime as we explored roughly a mile-long stretch of Farnam Street. You can Read All About It HERE if you have not already done so.
It was a dark and stormy night! (With appropriate apologies to Washington Irving and, of course, to Snoopy.) :) I found myself having a free Saturday, which lately has been a rare occurrence.
It was also a game night!
This means that crowds will be down in the Omaha area, with tens of thousands making the trek down the pike to Lincoln to attend services of Nebraska's State Religion. :) (Free pizza, huh?)
I was hoping for a bit more of a night-time look and feel to the photos. It *WAS* getting dark, really. :)
What I ended up getting were shots which looked almost day-lit, with a bit more light from the illuminated windows.
Several of the shops were attractively lit, making conditions right for mixed-light photography.
I just wish these *LOOKED* a little darker! :)
Midtown Cinema, one of the few theaters at which adult beverages are served, was a ghost town. The combination of the driving rain and the live action in Lincoln sure appeared to be taking its toll on the activity in this district!
Ingredient Restaurant, a regional casual Contemporary American chain, which offers customers countless options and (>>SHOCK!<<) discourages tipping was also mostly empty.
Let's face it! Game night during football season is a no-winner for local restaurateurs!
Most of the dining options of Midtown Crossing are of the "Contemporary American" ilk, and there is somewhat of a shakeout in progress. Midtown Crossing, like a number of the areas I've reported on about the Omaha area, is mostly free of the usual-suspect downscale fast food chains and formula restaurants. Refreshing, isn't it! :)
Cantina Laredo (uh-huh, it's a chain, but not one of the usual suspects) appears to be about the only Non-Contemporary-American joint around her.
As with the others, very sparse crowd this evening!
Loft 610 - Contemporary American. Take a good look at it!
You won't see this one very much longer. Loft 610 closed just a few days before this was taken. It's planned that it will either re-open as an upscale Italian place called Portovino, or else another branch of that great Contemporary American institution, For Lease.
I do wish them success. I would really hate to see this one be yet another well-intended restaurant to go under. :(
The Grey Plume - Contemporary American.
Contemporary American intended with a green footprint. Locally-owned and operated and uses locally-produced ingredients whenever possible. Recently scaled back hours of operation. It appeared to be relatively busy on this otherwise very slow Saturday evening. (I'm very sure non-local folks don't understand the "very slow Saturday" comments.) :)
Glo - a cocktail lounge and martini bar...
... above Delice and next door to the Cinema.
Crave!
Omaha branch of a regional chain of {sigh!} Contemporary American restaurants.
Midtown Crossing does have more than Contemporary American restaurants.
There are a number of retailers in here.
Such as Republic Of Couture, the Omaha branch of the quasi-upscale chain.
Prairie Life Fitness ...
... Gotta work off all of that Contemporary American chow, huh? :)
Although the building is brand spankin' new, the traditional neighborhood grocer is alive and well in Midtown Crossing, holding down the fort at 33rd. and Dodge!
Wohlner's, a long-lived independent grocer of the Dundee area, has taken up residence in Midtown Crossing.
As we've seen in a few of these walk-throughs, the widely-reported death of the independent purveyor of provisions is premature and exaggerated. Although several former merchants are known as "the last independent grocer in Omaha", examples such as Wohlner's and Louis' in Beautiful Downtown Benson are examples of continuing life.
Although most of the living quarters in Midtown Crossing are (reportedly slow-filling) condominiums (there's that word again) and rental units, there is one hotel.
Element By Westin, a "green and healthy" upscale hotel shares the southeast corner of 33rd. and Dodge with Wohlner's.
I hope you've enjoyed this somewhat wet twilight journey. I just wish the photos were a bit darker. Oh well, so it goes (and so do I)! :) Now let's head on over to Amerisports and do the game! :)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
If you're bored and need a laugh ...
Surf here: www.bluntcard.com
I'll very seldom simply post a link, or blatantly plug web sites, but this one had me laughing so hard I literally hurt!
Cards for all occasions. Can't think of the perfect thing to say? :)
Caution, considerable adult language is used frequently on these cards! Surf at your own risk! :)
Sunday, October 09, 2011
The Great Flood - An Epilogue ...
This is what things looked like two months ago - early August ...
... and this is what it looks like now, early October.
The Great Grey-Green Greasy Missouri River has pulled back, dropping from a height of 36 feet in July to a more or less normal stage of 19 and some feet as of this writing.
The clean-up begins ...
I believe the correct technical term for what the river left behind is "muck". Yes, it is, look it up. :) This is the ongoing effort at the Ameristar Casino to restore the north parking lots to a usable state.
Notice the high water marks on the lamp posts, indicating the crest of the flooding some weeks ago.
The clean-up of parking lots really does not show the depth of the impact to human life! Hundreds were forced from their homes by the rising and sustained water, and thousands upon thousands of lives were disrupted.
... and this is what it looks like now, early October.
The Great Grey-Green Greasy Missouri River has pulled back, dropping from a height of 36 feet in July to a more or less normal stage of 19 and some feet as of this writing.
The clean-up begins ...
I believe the correct technical term for what the river left behind is "muck". Yes, it is, look it up. :) This is the ongoing effort at the Ameristar Casino to restore the north parking lots to a usable state.
Notice the high water marks on the lamp posts, indicating the crest of the flooding some weeks ago.
The clean-up of parking lots really does not show the depth of the impact to human life! Hundreds were forced from their homes by the rising and sustained water, and thousands upon thousands of lives were disrupted.