What else is there to say - it's summer in Cleveland, time to get out and enjoy it (and for me, take photos!)

 

Two quick shots from the Warehouse District - anyone know what's up with the Perry-Payne cornice? Standard maintenance or are we looking at the Bulkley Building's western twin?:

 

 

Of course, summer means it's time for the Solstice party at the Cleveland Museum of Art - en route:

 

 

 

 

Tickets sell out quickly - apparently this year, they didn't even get to the point of releasing any to the general public. I know some people were grumbling but a museum membership gets you so many perks (in addition to discounted Solstice pricing), it's totally worth it. It's such a great event and they really outdid themselves this year.

 

 

Early in the evening, DJ King Britt did a set with a live vocalist... different but set a cool mood for the crowd in the atrium.

 

Part of the fun is the people watching - a lot of interesting (for better or worse) ensembles to be seen:

 

 

 

One of the more put-together couples:

 

 

It's not all about the party scene, there's culture to be enjoyed - Apollo, attributed to Praxiteles http://www.clevelandart.org/art/2004.30.a

 

Sometimes, the party scene meshes quite well with the culture  :drunk:

 

It's a tradition for us to check out the Faberge collection:

 

Not sure if this was new to the exhibit or I just hadn't noticed - it's a jade stamp brush; no licking stamps for the Russian Tsars!

 

And of course, the Imperial Red Cross egg - one of two in the world:

 

Alright, out of the galleries and into the atrium - overhead cameras projected these graphic patterns on the floor which would 'follow' people around or leave trails as they walked:

 

 

Back out onto the south terrace where the party was starting to really pick up - really cool projections on the building facade:

 

At this point, DJ King Britt took the stage and quite frankly I was too busy dancing to take any more photos. If you haven't been to the museum in the last few years, GO. If you aren't a member - consider joining (yes, I am a member and no, I am not a compensated spokesperson - it's just worth it):

 

Although it's not an event exclusive to summer months, Walnut Wednesdays really get hopping with the warmer weather. For those who aren't familiar, it's a food truck round up at Perk Park, located between Walnut and Chester, west of East 12th street.

 

 

 

A quick shot of the progress of the Ivory (formerly Truman Building) rehab:

 

One new happening this summer - one I never thought I'd live to see, the Supreme Court's ruling overturning same-sex marriage bans. Let's just say there may be another unexpected happening for some of us this summer  :-) There was a small rally at City Hall to celebrate:

 

 

 

Senator Sherrod Brown and Connie Schultz (Pulitzer Prize winner) making remarks:

 

The flags were at half-staff when this was taken in honor of the victims of the Charleston church shootings:

 

I was fortunate to get a tour of the Hilton hotel, currently under construction. Many thanks to the anonymous donors who made it possible. All views are from the 16th floor; my apologies for some reflections and less than sharp images - my lenses from 2008 which have traveled quite a bit were showing their wear - this would be their last outing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This image is the first I took with the new lense - so far so good:

 

Just some shots of familiar places to see how the new lense works:

 

 

 

The Azure sky lounge at the 9 is a good spot to try out new equipment (talking cameras people, get your mind out of the gutter!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this year I went on a cruise on the Goodtime III but the weather wasn't ideal so I decided to make a return trip on a day the weather was more conducive - but at noon, the sun isn't the most forgiving when shooting to the south so who knows, I may make another tour (a three hour tour - work with me, people). I love that the views from this are some of the best, but some show where there's still a lot of work to be done - and hopefully it happens in a way that respects the existing built environment and history:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed!

 

great set, mayday

Did the Truman building tree jump across the street to the JHB building?? 

Awesome photos. Thanks MayDay!

Great set! I am really liking the Flats East Bank apartment building and the steps down to the river.

Those shots with the cargo boats in view with the skyline are awesome.  Also, what's the "Grand Caribe?"

So, so awesome.  Such great detail.  I spent like 3 mins staring at each pic.

^^ http://www.blountsmallshipadventures.com/where-we-go/2015-gaw-gc/?view=itinerary

 

Sail across four Great Lakes – Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario – on this classic American adventure! Embark at Chicago’s Navy Pier, and explore Michigan’s charming small towns, including Victorian-era Mackinac Island. Enjoy an onboard cooking demonstration in Cleveland, OH, and learn about the history of Lake Erie from a local expert. Marvel at the lowering of the ship’s retractable pilot house on the Welland and Erie Canals, then explore some of New York’s most scenic locales, including Rochester, Sylvan Beach, and Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sail through New York Harbor and admire the Statue of Liberty, then disembark in picturesque Warren, RI.

 

16 days, 15 nights - $4,999-6,999

Thanks everyone!

 

Those shots with the cargo boats in view with the skyline are awesome.  Also, what's the "Grand Caribe?"

 

*EDIT* buckeye1 beat me to it - The Grand Caribe is an 88-passenger ship that apparently goes anywhere and everywhere - no idea they had a stop in Cleveland. I'm not much for the idea of a 'bucket list' but I do think one of their tours on the Great Lakes would be amazing:

http://www.blountsmallshipadventures.com/only-blount/amazing-ships/grande-caribe/

Wow! Great pics!

I am so pumped for that boardwalk

What area is that basketball court located in?

The basketball court shots are of the Sherwin-Williams campus between Tower City Center and the Federal Courthouse Tower.

Wait, Shooters is still there!??!  I thought it would've changed to something else by now...like Melt @ The River.  Mmmm...Melt.

 

Nice photos.

Maybe someday this will be the scene along more of the Cuyahoga, perhaps as far upriver as the Lorain Carnegie bridge or maybe even to West 3rd? That may be pushing it, but if someone would have told me in the 1970s that the river north of the Detroit-Superior bridge would look like this, I wouldn't have believed them....

 

Love the shot of the Port of Cleveland, with three ships at once!  That Cleveland-Europe Express Liner Service idea is genius, it's great having a busy port again.

There's been four ships in port this week -- not including the big freighters going up the river to the steel mills or the aggregates companies.

I believe the ship on the far right is the Spliethoff ship that's part of the Cleveland - Europe Express. It's hard to tell which one though, perhaps the Floragracht?

 

 

 

 

Nice crisp shots with the new lens! I'm looking forward to seeing more. As others have posted, great shots of the Port of Cleveland.

 

About a year ago right before the GG, UOer winterton (i went back and looked, btw is he still on here?) posted about the falling facade pieces from JHB

The missing pieces here are what fell and arethe reason for the current sidewalk scaffolding. Ouch.

Great pics!

 

 

 

 

 

About a year ago right before the GG, UOer winterton (i went back and looked, btw is he still on here?)....

 

 

 

Have't seen him on here in a while. I believe he moved to Detroit

 

 

 

^Oh

 

 

probably more like a western twin. This netting has been on there since probably summer 2013 (iirc). It does seem that perhaps some was removed from the lower row recently, but im not sure. To me, these prolonged net coverings are uncalled for. Fix the problem. Its not like the Bulkley or the Perry-PAyne are abandoned or something.