Lone Ranger

Very nice! Love the pics of the restored mill buildings. It's been way too long since I saw a good set of photos taken around the city. Thanks! I still can't believe how wrong I was in my initial opinions of the Waterplace buildings. I expected that they would be hideous when completed. And for that matter, I also thought I would love Westin II. Wrong on both counts, and badly so!

Gusterfell's 2nd picture offers a perfect example of the point I made earlier:

Wonderful! Thankyou, Garris!

Grassy knoll? Hmm ...

And that too reminds me, I didn't imagine that the Waterplace towers were going to make much of a difference to the skyline. At the time they were announced, I was a bit disappointed. I would have preferred one 400-footer to two 200-footers. But they do make a difference, and a significant difference at that, adding depth and infill from nearly all viewing angles. Meaning, in other words, rather than try to alter our skyline dramatically, they help out the skyline we already have, which is a cute little skyline IMHO. All in all, I'm very pleased with their impact. And if they're going to light their buildings at night, so much the better.

Isn't that first picture interesting? I love the way the photographer draws out the best of GTech to establish a kinship with the river. Really a fascinating picture. I've already said this once today, but I have no problem saying it again: score one for GTech. Also, your own photos (so good to see!) remind me, I really love the brilliant balustrade lighting on the Renaissance. I first saw it a few weeks ago, driving back from ... from ... I can't remember now. But I drove by on the highway at night and was pleasantly surprised to see that building all lit up. Gone is the concern that, despite the renovations, the Temple could still be taken for a derelict at night. I think they've found a very nice solution there. In a word, the building has a definite presence now. I must say -- again, reminded by your photos -- that my opinion about the new Westin tower isn't quite settled yet. Of course to be fair we have to reserve judgment until the building is fully complete. During the daylight hours, I think I'm not going to be impressed by it. But mostly I'm curious/excited/nervous to see what their nighttime lighting scheme is going to look like. That tower ... is ... going to have a substantial impact on our skyline. Coming from the East Bay today, I drove through the city headed west on 195 and saw (as Garris was the first to point out) that, from certain viewpoints, the new Westin appears to form a Big Three with Superman and Hospital Trust. So yeah. Fingers crossed that they get their lighting right. Going into the Navy, sir. Seemed fitting for a boy from The Ocean State.

Details aside, this is obviously a great list to be on.

We know. All I know is, I leave for Basic exactly one (1) month from now, and at that point I'll spend the period of the next two (2) months worrying about whatever I'm told to worry about. Which means that exactly three (3) months from now I'm going to be very interested in the goings-on of our fair city, having been deprived of news for two (2!) months straight, and I'm going to be awfully disappointed if our shutterbugs here (ahem, that would be you, Cotuit, and Gusterfell) give me no eye-candy to appease my appetite. So you keep that in mind, mister.

And since I um, wasn't yet born at the time that photo was taken, I too have never seen that building in its construction phase. Pretty cool, Garris -- not quite as cool as you posting a few of your own pictures, but still pretty cool all the same.

Absolutely perfect weather for ultimate frisbee.

Random question: does anybody have any idea, or can anybody make a rough guess as to, how many square miles the Providence urban area comprises? From Wikipedia:

See, now that lot is perfect for an ambitious mixed-use project of 30 stories or more (and maybe some adventurous architecture). I'd really be disappointed with anything shorter than 40 floors. Retail on ground, perhaps service-oriented (coughgrocerycough) as it would be in easy walking distance of 110, Avalon, Waterplace, Capitol Cove, the RISD students dormed in 15 West, and hopefully its own residential units, not to mention that its proximity to the train station might prove valuable to commuters; a good deal of parking would complete the base of the tower; and then in the tower proper, maybe 10 or 15 stories of offices; on top of that, a floor containing a separate entrance for the residential units in the upper tower and perhaps a couple of spa or gym type amenities for residents only; and finally, starting no lower than the 15th floor, condo residences, which would have utterly spectacular views (over the 13-story Citizens building) down the Providence River and out into the bay, of the East Side, of the statehouse and its estate, of Waterplace Park, of the Financial District and the skyline, of RW National Memorial and Kennedy Plaza and City Hall, the works. All of this would be pedestrian-oriented and would, of course, incorporate seamlessly with Waterplace Park. Don't rain on my parade. A boy can dream.

It's wrong, but it's funny. Even better, I'll equivocate: it's very clever.

Today should be a wild day in Newport. On the one hand, traffic will suck. On the other, it will be nice to see (finally) a few bodies in Newport. This year has been a dud so far. What I want to know is, where are all the cruise ships this year?

All good news then. Thank you much. I was hoping to see something about this in the newspaper today, but if it's there, I didn't see it.