Third Places

Amazing Street Reclamation in Wodonga, Victoria

May 12, 2008

David Engwicht is truly a magician, as this excellent Streetfilm by Clarence Eckerson Jr. demonstrates. If you’re never seen him speak before—he’s quite good and very entertaining. I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like him and probably never will again. In a good way! Wodonga, Victoria in Australia, is just across the Murray River from [...]

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Day 25: Millennium Park’s Crown Fountain – Chicago, IL

July 26, 2007

Chicago is right up there with San Francisco as my two favorite cities in the US. And it’s not just because I grew up in Illinois and am a die-hard Chicago sports fan. Chicago is a major, world-class city right in the heart of the Midwest. There is almost nothing Midwest about the city, except [...]

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Day 11: Centennial Olympic Park – Atlanta, GA

July 12, 2007

Today, we head to the South to the land synonymous with sprawl—Atlanta, Georgia. I shot this photo in Centennial Olympic Park last year. I love fountains and water features, and I found this one enjoyable—even on a blustery and chilly day. Overall, while the park has some great features, I feel pales in comparison to [...]

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Day 10: Dodge Fountain – Detroit, MI

July 11, 2007

In keeping with the Midwestern theme, today we visit Detroit. Yes, Detroit. Probably not a place you’d expect to be high on the walkability radar—and you’re right about that—-but there are a few things worth seeing. Pictured here is the Dodge Fountain in Hart Plaza downtown. The angle is a bit tricky on this fountain. [...]

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What is a Walkable Neighborhood: The Epiphany

February 16, 2007

When Eric invited me to become part of the Walkable Neighborhood network, I was honored, and when he asked me to write some articles, I was, again, honored. Then I sat down at the computer and … nothing. I was haunted by the same question, “what is a walkable neighborhood?” Of course there are the [...]

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Photos from the 2006 Chalk It Up Festival in Midtown Sacramento

September 6, 2006

Each year, Sacramento hosts a Chalk It Up festival over Labor Day weekend in Midtown’s Fremont Park. The festival is located in my neighborhood, and sounds of the local musicians naturally lure you out of your dwelling to check out the fine artwork from local artists. The artwork was simply amazing again this year, and I shot several photos. I caught one of the local artists, Dawn Pederson, in action. She has produced some of the most beautiful drawings at the festival the last couple of years. She is pictured in the photo below.

More photos and comments after the jump. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

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Video: The Sacramento Farmers Market Revisited

August 13, 2006

Today, I went to one of the Sacramento Farmers Markets located under the Capital City Freeway in Downtown Sacramento (at roughly 6th and W for the townies). This time, I came equipped with my new camera and shot the video above. It is much better quality and much longer than the previous video. I had previously written about this particular farmers market and the importance of farmers markets in general. However, since the Sacramento Farmers Market is one of the most popular search terms for my site, I feel that I should provide a little more information for our guests. So, here is the information on each of the 12 Sacramento Farmers Markets:

1.
EVERY SATURDAY
8:00 AM – Noon
Sunrise Mall
Sunrise Blvd.
(Behind Sears Auto)
Open All Year

2.
EVERY SATURDAY
8:00 AM – Noon
Country Club Plaza
Watt and El Camino
(Butano Dr. Parking Lot)
Open All Year

3.
EVERY SUNDAY
8:00 AM – Noon
State Parking Lot
8th and W Streets
(Under Freeway)
Open All Year >>Continue Reading This Article>>

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The Things You See in a Walkable Community

October 11, 2005

I ran across a ridiculously interesting site this morning via the Sac Top 25. Another blogger from Sacramento has reportedly quit his day job to become a beggar and see how much money he can really make in one day. He usually goes out begging dressed in different costumes, some of them are hilarious. I [...]

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The Sacramento Farmers Market

August 22, 2005

Sunday mornings in downtown Sacramento underneath the Capital City Freeway, you can find a parking lot bustling with vendors and people. The Sacramento Farmers Market is a great place to get fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, olive oil, fish, pasteries, you name it… for dirt cheap. You can also find me and my girlfriend.

I’d encourage communities to start a farmers market (the Sacramento area has at least 12). They usually provide fresh, high-quality food at low prices. They also support local farmers and other businesses. Plus, they can provide a coveted third place (first being home, second being work) where people can congregate, socialize, and get to know their surrounding neighborhood. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

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