THERE OUGHTA BE AN ORDINANCE...

And there is...click on the title above. Thanks to Steve Wilke-Shapiro for the link!

Louis Reed campaign signs pasted to boarded up buildings in north St. Louis. Once Reed was elected someone went back and pasted over Thank You sticker's instead of removing them.

Is it just me who finds it ironic that the new President of the Board of Alderman has allowed these signs to remain posted? Isn't there a time stamp on these signs?

Location: Maffit and Vandeventer.


Grand Ave.
Another location of Grand. There's more, these are just the ones I photographed.

CITY ORDINANCE 59267

Oh for crying out loud, did this ordinance really need a graphic?
Whilst driving by I wondered if I really saw what I thought I saw which was an actual item leaving the back door of the dog. I backed up. Yep, there it was exiting the pup and....Oh no you didn't!

I like to imagine the conversation that went on with the person who got this gig:
Boss: We need a graphic to go with this ordinance.
McJob: OK, let me read it...Say what?
(riotous laughter) Are you serious?
Boss: Just do it already.
McJob: Er...how graphic do you want this?
Boss: Do I have to spell it out for you?

State Rep Mike Daus relayed a hilarious story about this sign. He said he was at a meeting where alderman Joe Vollmer said a graphic was needed because dogs can't read.

FIVE CORNER INTERSECTION

I'm queer for five corner intersections.

Except in San Francisco where driving is madness and trying to find a parking spot will drive a nervous woman to drink. I once borrowed a friend's Monticello to drive around in SF. It was a V8 sedan with a hood as large as my bedroom. Driving up those hills and stopping at a stop light I couldn't see over the hood. I had to lean out the window to watch lights change.

ART DECO FOUR FAMILY

An Art Deco masterpiece, this four family near Potomac and Brannon has a magnificent black vitrolite facade. Love the landscaping.



'Diamond' vitrolite



Stained glass tulips on each door.

Certainly not the original screen doors. They were probably wood and matched the door behind.

This is one of the few buildings I've met that has face brick on all walls (as does its garage below)

Painted black to match the vitrolite!

Wormed brick.

The matching garage

A PERFECT BRICK ARCH

Ah.
This is what I'm talking about.

This four family is on my block and was rehabbed by the delightful Codd Brothers. (Bill, please note I didn't say Cobb) It retains the original doors (even though they've been painted) but check out that perfect arch! Click on the photo to enlarge and feast your eyes on the fabulous ornamental terra cotta that rides the arch and enjoy the perfectly placed and bolted stars.

I get to look at this daily. Eat your heart out.

What was the builder thinking?

I guess the person who rehabbed the front of this building tried to make it attractive. All I see is hideous colors and effed up doors. For someone as short as I am, I would never be able to see out the peep hole...if there is one.

But check out the wonderful quoin brick corners on the building. Just hold something up to the screen to obscure the porch.

The horror.

Friend Bruk

On the coldest winter days a bundle of warmth with cold fingers arrives at my door to help me move stuff around. She hauls boxes to the car, debris to the alley, chases hangers, helps clean, gives advice, runs seams and has worked in my yard.

But these things aren't what make her invaluable.
It's that she's so worthy of love.

The front room of Bruk's home with her shine to music.


Here's Bruk in her studio


Some of the shirts:

Uniform shirt for Bruk's band MAIDRITE

Vintage 40's cotton patch

Her Rodeo Revival label

CLICK ON THE POST TITLE TO VISIT BRUK'S BLOG.

SCORCHED & CHISELED BRICK

Of course it's not scorched and the dark areas of these bricks were probably caused by pollution but it's late and my creativity at naming bricks at this hour has waned.
Check out the phenomenal dimension to these bricks:


Losing mortar


Because Cena never knows what I'm talking about when I say face brick.
It's on the front of the building and faces the street, see?

Poor terra cotta pyramid details are succumbing to weather erosion.

MY QUEST FOR THE PERFECT ARTS & CRAFTS BUNGALOW

I'm on a bit of a quest, the perfect Arts and Crafts bungalow for relocation.
These photos are from the 4100 block of Utah. I've been watching this block for some time: all single family homes and quick access to McDonald Park.

First choice, right across from McDonald Park:



Love this:

INDUSTRIAL BUILDING MID TOWN

I don't want to believe that was the original design. Bricked up arched windows?
I simply must ask Dave Lewis 'sup with this...

Dave responds:
Prolly not windows, since they would be almost in the parapet wall. More likely a design element that reduces the weight of the wall that hangs beyond the part of the wall that's supported all the way down. It reduces the weight on the lintel over the openings. It looks like a column was added (new brick) somewhere along the way.

GEOMETRIC BRICK!

Here's a recent score that I came across while motoring through an industrial area just north of Manchester. Check out how the mortar mix slipped into the small edges of the brick. I love that.

This photo is of the sill of the building where soot and dirt has gathered and defined the design:

ASH PITS

We (as every house in the city) had an ash pit on the back lot of our house at 3964 McDonald. They were used to burn household rubbish and garbage.

Once that was outlawed (along with burning leaves which was tragic, the smell was wonderful and announced autumn) People took sledge hammers to the pits and opened the side facing the alley. The resulting platform became a staging area for aluminum trash cans.

The cans (subjected to rats ad other vermin) were replaced by the dumpsters in the late 70's.

I do encourage everyone to have the experience of smelling burning leaves, just a couple.


Here's Beau, hot on the trail of a scent:

BLACK IS GETTING BLACKER

Did you hear about Blacker than Black on NPR?
If not, click on the title above.

Presenting glazed matte black brick.
This makes life even more supreme!