What a difference one city block can make. Alive with activity every day, Gurley Street is the heart of the city. Walk one block to Goodwin and you're in a quieter world. So it was as I strolled toward the Square. When the drug store is closed of a Sunday, the little shopping center tends to be dead. But not this particular week -- behold the tents and buzz that signify Event. Enough so that I'll do a separate post one of these days.
The big news on Goodwin is that the Fremont Plaza is getting a major make-over. I'll be curious to see what sort of butterfly emerges from the cocooning I saw Sunday.
This quasi-Mediterranean-style structure holds a particular fascination for me because I watched it under construction. Wasn't particularly prepossessing at that time; I called it the Imposing Cardboard Edifice. Reason? Underneath that stucco are walls of made of particle board, a building material I simply can't believe in. Maybe I'm just old fashioned in my preference for brick, stone or plain ordinary concrete block.
In short, I have more faith in the construction of this little building that now houses El Gato Azul. For years, this small concrete block structure sat next the creek -- an obvious prime location just waiting for a restaurant with outdoor patio -- and remained a square white blockhouse with few interesting features until the Blue Cat arrived. Now I can enjoy the rooftop garden in summer.
As I was about to cross the creek, this old-timer passed me and I snapped a picture of his highly decorated walking cane. He's one of the town's fixtures.
Next -- a store at the Old Fire House Plaza dedicated to pampered pets. Even a new local dog magazine! I wonder how these enterprises will fare in the current economy.
Right next door are the new premises for Ian Russell's gallery -- and the
digital photography services that Rich will soon offer; I presume that the windows below will give visitors to the Old Firehouse Plaza a good idea of what's going on once work is finished and the curtains are down.
Look what I saw when I turned around to face the street! Remember the rickshaw? It was my luck Sunday to see it in action, operated by neither a studly young hunk as in Scottsdale nor a bent immigrant as I predicted. He seems to be enjoying his scene thus far.
Nearing the Square, I was reminded that blackout curtains in the south windows of the Galloping Goose result in the
best reflections I have found in any shops downtown. I couldn't resist taking one more picture; when I turned back toward the street, there below was the corner that's obviously a branch of the local Republican party, to judge from the signs. Note that a realtor's stake is up; so much for that touted
multi-function condo building announced with great fanfare a year or so ago.
A final Goodwin Street sight. As a one-time smoker, my sympathies are with the outcast.
That is what artist Tony Reynolds calls these small, scenic sculptures that may include tiny houses, trees, a dog and even skyscrapers. They are currently part of the featured show at the Arts Prescott Co-op on Whiskey Row, through February 14.
It's difficult to see in this photograph, but there's a tiny, lost little cottage amongst those looming condo or office towers. But my favorite is below -- what sheer chutzpah to envision a tornado made of clay, but there it is, with Dorothy's house blowing away and little Toto left quite by himself in those flat fields of Kansas.
Much better studio photographs of these and other works by Tony are on display at his web site; he also writes two blogs, one at his web site and a new one at the Daily Courier. As a strong advocate for public art, he has done a terrific job of photographing outdoor art around the Prescott area for his blog; be sure to to view all the pages of this collection -- he's been all over the place!
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