Day 29: Stanford Memorial Church - Stanford, CA

Eric Fredericks • Monday July 30, 2007

I feel like this complete photo series has been tainted! Okay, not completely, but I actually had full intentions of selecting Palo Alto as my #2 photo city all along. However, I visited Palo Alto and Stanford a few weeks ago and suspected that they are actually two separate jurisdictions. Tonight, my search confirmed this. In fact, Stanford is not even a city, it’s a census designated place and is part of unincorporated Santa Clara County.

Well, that doesn’t change the fact that this is one of my favorite photos. At full size, it looks much better than this reduced version. What is impressive about this photo to me is the circumstance in which I shot it. I was riding a bike at the time with a group of planners. We paused for a moment at this location and I quickly turned around and snapped the photo. I don’t even think I really aimed. I think it turned out quite nice all considering. Pictured is the absolutely stunning Memorial Church on the campus of Stanford University.

The entire Stanford campus is amazingly beautiful and extremely bike/ped friendly. I’ve had the opportunity to visit Stanford and the adjacent City of Palo Alto several times and they are two of my favorite places in the world.

Palo Alto is definitely a place I’d consider living. Unless you’re Steve Jobs, however, it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to buy a house there. In addition, the diversity of Palo Alto is not the greatest and many of the commercial establishments cater to the wealthy and students with high-income families. That aside, it’s such a gorgeous city (sans El Camino Real!).

I really feel that Palo Alto got slighted, but was I planning to include another photo of Downtown Palo Alto anyway, and I’ve included it after the jump. You can also view my other photos of Palo Alto and Stanford in the photo gallery. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

Category: Great Places •• Region: San Jose •• comments [2]

Day 27: A Pocket Park - Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Eric Fredericks • Saturday July 28, 2007

This photo is of a pocket park in central Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

Unfortunately, I do not have time to post more today due to some prior obligations. Check back on this article, because there’s more to come tomorrow. Sorry!

This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

 

Category: Great Places •• Region: Monterey Bay •• comments

Day 26: Pier 39 - San Francisco, CA

Eric Fredericks • Friday July 27, 2007

The countdown to the top ranked photo continues with #5 today: Pier 39 in San Francisco. As I mentioned yesterday, San Francisco is one of my top two favorite cities.

Generally, I’m not a big fan of uber touristy areas, but there’s just something about this photo. I think it’s the ice cream cone man in the corner that I really like. The pedestrian traffic is impressive at Pier 39, and I believe that it is the top tourist attraction in San Francisco. With a city as beautiful as San Francisco is, that’s saying something!

San Francisco is so beautiful, and I’ve taken more photos of it there than any place on earth perhaps, so I’ve decided to include an honorable mention photo. This photo is taken on Columbus Avenue in North Beach, looking back toward the Transamerica Pyramid. You can view it after the jump. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

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Day 23: Central Library - Los Angeles, CA

Eric Fredericks • Tuesday July 24, 2007

Today’s journey is 2,776 miles —from the largest city (New York) to the second largest city, Los Angeles, California. Again, Los Angeles is not one of the cities normally associated with walkability, and I think that’s unfair.

This photo is of the Los Angeles Central Library in Downtown. As demonstrated in this photo, it’s quite a beautiful building (this looks much better as the full screen version). Some colleagues asked me if I would take a photo of this building shortly before heading in for dinner at McCormick and Schmick’s. I think it turned out well. I was actually on crutches at the time I shot this photo, but thankfully there were several escalators to help me get up the steep hills downtown. I’m actually standing next to the US Bank Tower, the tallest building west of the Mississippi and famously blown up by aliens in Independence Day.

There are many fantastic things happening in Downtown LA, and I will share them with you… on another day in a longer article. Until then, you’ll just have to trust me that LA has one of the best public transit systems in the country AND has many great things to walk to. Just be prepared to walk farther than you would in most cities.

This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

 

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Day 22: Times Square - New York, NY

Eric Fredericks • Monday July 23, 2007

I’m sure that many people around the world recognize the place I shot this photo. For those that don’t, the location is Times Square in New York City. Times Square may be the most recognizable urban neighborhood in the country.

I shot this photo right around New Year’s 2003. While it looks like I shot this photo at night, I believe it was mid-afternoon. It was quite a dreary day! I will admit that I do kind of enjoy days like that sometimes. It really makes me appreciate the spicy Korean dish I had just a few minutes after taking this photo.

New York is a fantastic city. Despite the sometimes nasty weather, I think I would love to live there if I could afford it. I’ve stayed in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan before and I loved each place I stayed. They are all uniquely different. If you’ve never been to some of the other boroughs, you will probably be surprised to find that the density is similar to what you’ll see in some other cities. Meaning that it’s not all really dense like Manhattan.

You’ve probably heard the phrase eyes on the street —generally meaning that in more dense places it is less likely for their to be crime since more people can see the activities on the street, and therefore it feels safer. Well, Manhattan takes that to the extreme. There are eyes all over the streets 24 hours a day. I felt incredibly safe the last time I visited, and NYC is now one of the safest cities in the country. Quite a change since the late 80s-early 90s. You can view more of my photos of New York in the photo gallery.

This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

 

Category: Great Places •• Region: New York City •• comments

Day 21: Main Street - Park City, UT

Eric Fredericks • Sunday July 22, 2007

We’re now into my Top 10 photos of this series. Today, I’m taking you to one of the hidden gems of America – Park City, Utah.

Park City is probably best known in recent times as the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. However, it’s definitely one of my favorite walkable communities in America. Its location is picturesque—located in the Rocky Mountains just 30 miles from Salt Lake City. While the surrounding area is still heavily focused on the automobile (it’s a mostly rural area), you can tell that they are really trying to create a unique place where you might least expect it.

Park City has some great design standards that seem to incorporate a Wild West type of feel. The building setbacks from the street are generally just a few feet, giving it that old small town character.

Main Street, where I shot this photo, is one of my favorite streets in the country. This photo does not do it justice, but I thought the mountains in the background of this photo gives a little hint of just how amazing the setting is. The street has a funky, eclectic feel to it and has a seemingly endless row of restaurants, stores, bars, cafés—you name it. There are many public art pieces, paseos, and pocket parks that host small performances. There is even a bike trail that parallels Main Street and runs along a creek.

All in all, if you’re traveling through Utah on I-80 or near the Salt Lake area, you MUST see Park City. I planned to spend just a short time there, but ended up staying for several hours! Be sure to check out the additional photos I shot in the Park City photo gallery (make sure you visit the last few pages of photos to see more of Main Street).

This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

 

Category: Great Places •• Region: Utah •• comments

Day 20: Santana Row - San Jose, CA

Eric Fredericks • Saturday July 21, 2007

After a few days in Big Ten country, we head back to Beckhamland. Actually, San Jose is in Northern California, quite a bit north of Los Angeles. Although, San Jose has a couple of big things in common with Los Angeles—freeways and wide streets.

Hope is not all lost in San Jose, there are some great sites to see in downtown and some other areas. One of those areas is located across from a shopping mall and near a major freeway interchange. Santana Row, where I shot this photo, is a former strip shopping mall turned into a European-style village—with chain stores. While I’m not a fan of chain stores or non-walkable areas, Santana Row is beautiful and much better than your typical alternative.

You may recognize this photo from the front page of the website. It’s also been used in some smaller publications. I’m a huge sucker for palm trees with lights around them. I have more photos of San Jose and Santana Row on display in the photo gallery.

This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

 

Category: Great Places •• Region: San Jose •• comments [1]

Day 18: Short North - Columbus, OH

Eric Fredericks • Thursday July 19, 2007

Columbus is my second favorite city in the Midwest, behind the obvious pick of Chicago. Columbus has an incredible energy, and my prediction is that within 10 years, people will be talking about Columbus all over the country. The Short North has a lot to do with the success of Columbus, and that’s where I shot this photo.

The Short North is my favorite arts district in the country. It is right on the edge of Downtown Columbus and the Arena District. Sure, it does not have the big name museums like other large cities, but the indie scene here is quite fun. Several shops are transformed into art galleries and join the many existing galleries for the hugely popular Gallery Hop on the first Saturday of the month (Sacramento has the formidable Second Saturday, but Columbus’s is much better).

The nightlife is great as well. There are several fantastic restaurants, bars, and clubs. This is definitely the must see spot of Columbus, along with the German Village. There are many photos of both places in the Columbus Photo Gallery.

One more great thing about the Short North are the large murals you’ll see walking along High Street. I’ve included a photo of one of my favorites as an “honorable mention.” It’s an interesting twist on Grant Wood’s American Gothic. You can view this photo after the jump. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

 

Category: Great Places •• Region: Columbus OH •• comments [1]

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