Pueblo Riverwalk

It turns out I really like riverwalks. Before on this here blog, I've posted about (or at least mentioned) the riverwalks in Naperville and San Antonio. Now I've got another one to add that, in my opinion, at least rivals if not surpasses them both.

The Riverwalk in Pueblo, CO is a great mix of commerce, open space, performance venues, water features, and more. While there isn't much action, esp. in the way of commerce, now that the temperatures are below freezing, it seems obvious to me that in the summer, this place would be hopping. But even now, there were quite a few souls out walking along the ample paths lining the manicured stream.

It both amazes and inspires me to see such a deliberate public space in a town like Pueblo. I give my high praise to the planners that made it so. The feel of the place, along with its functionality and its beauty guarantees that I will be back someday to enjoy it further. If you ever find yourself in Pueblo, I suggest you do too.
Wednesday January 5 2011File under: travel

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Snow Fun At All

I grew up in a place where snow wasn't a foregone conclusion every winter. In fact, I remember very few winters where there was enough snow to get out and play, sled, build snowmen, etc. Because of this, when I find myself in a situation where there is good snow on the ground. I feel like I have to get out and enjoy it.

Such is the case here in Colorado. There was a fresh blanket of snow awaiting me when I stepped off the plane coupled with single degree temperatures. The temperature has since risen enough to make for outdoor activities being reasonable. On a walk through Denver the other day, I couldn't help but stop and do a little snow construction. Not as good as that igloo on Garcelon Field back in the day*, but pretty fun.

The only downside of the whole thing was the inability to feel my fingers for a good while. Oh well. Totally worth it.
Monday January 3 2011File under: travel, USA

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Impressive Architecture

It's been a while since I've come across a building that I get down right giddy about, a building that I want to come back to again and again just to look at. Yesterday, I found one of those buildings.

I mean, look at it. It's big, it's impressive, and it's just plain awesome. Where is this Romanesque architectural spread? San Francisco, CA that's where. It's the Palace of Fine Arts which houses a theater and the Exploritorium* and is surrounded by a wonderful pond and lawns perfect for juggling.

Although I felt like a slack-jawed gawker doing it, I couldn't help but snap shot after shot. Hopefully next time I come back, all the construction will be done and I'll actually get to go inside!
Wednesday December 1 2010File under: travel, pics

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Canvas Fun 2 - Map Lines


Here are some further adventures with HTML canvas. For this one, I was trying to recreate an Indiana Jones style map to give someone a brief overview of my travels. Again, I realize this is by no means groundbreaking in terms of its display or anything, but the fact it is all done through HTML gets me pretty excited. Anyway, have a look and tell me what you think. Version #1, version #2

(As for the last adventure with canvas, I think I've isolated some of the issues, so hopefully it should load up correctly now. So go ahead and give it another look too, if you like. )
Wednesday November 24 2010File under: coding, travel

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Canvas Fun - New Kind of Slideshow

I've been playing with a new-to-me feature of HTML called canvas. It allows for new ways to draw, display pictures, do animations, etc. that HTML could never do before. Probably 95% of you will look at this and say "Big whoop. I've seen stuff like that (and better) on the web lots of times." Well, what you've probably seen before is all done in flash. The great thing about canvas is that it doesn't require external software to run. It is built into your browser. That said, it is only fancy modern browsers that support HTML 5.0 as yet. I've been told even Internet Explorer doesn't support it. So if things don't work, it might be your browser. (And I just found that it displays different in firefox than in chrome*, so consider this an alpha version.)

Anyway, you should check it out. If it works and you like it, let me know in the comments. If it doesn't work, let me know that too (and preferably what OS and browser+version you are using). I'm hoping to roll out another travel based canvas project next week.
Wednesday November 17 2010File under: travel, coding

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Me in Front of NYC Stuff


I'll admit I have a nasty habit of always mucking up an otherwise good view when it comes to picture taking. But what other way can I prove I've been somewhere? So here's me in front of a bunch of stuff in New York City.

Friday November 5 2010File under: travel, USA

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New York City Subway

Each time I ride the New York subway, I gain a little more respect for this vast vast system. At first, the grittiness and intimidatingly large stations and maps had me put off. But that grittiness and complexity are so very representational of the city that lies directly above it. And just as getting to know the city leads to more comfort with being in it, so it goes with the subway. You quickly learn that if you miss your initial transfer station, there's another route to get where you're going. You learn what time of day which trains will be packed and running behind and know which ones to take instead. You learn the pre-walk, positioning yourself in the correct car so as to most easily access the exit at your final station.

For being such a vast system, it strikes me by how inexpensive it is. It's a one-far system, rather than tiered by distance (like D.C. or Tokyo). Just $2.25 gets you underground or there are all sorts of passes and extra deals for multi-riders. If you had just a day in NYC and only $2.25 to spend, seeing the city's underground might not be a bad option.

Of how many cities can one say that every one of its residents has a shared bit of culture? In New York, people don't not use the subway. It's not really an option. That culture—knowledge, etiquette, opinions—creates a bond between New Yorkers, one that I can't say I've seen in cities like Seattle or Denver. This wide usage also makes for trains full of everyone imaginable, from $900 suits to children in soccer outfits, the nanny with a double stroller to the guy just looking for a warm place to sleep.

I could go on and on about the variation in the modernity from one line to the next, the lonely one-line station vs. the mega transfer ones, the lore associated with the A-train for example, or anecdotes about the random people I see down there, but the only way to really understand is to get to know it yourself. A city's public transit says a lot about the city itself, and it is one of my favorite ways to get to know it.
Tuesday November 2 2010File under: travel, transportation

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Thoughts on Pay Phones

As most of you know, I'm one of those stubborn holdouts that refuses to get a cell-phone*. This makes for some tricky planning in today's "I'll call you with the details 15 minutes beforehand" social culture, esp. when travelling. Because of this, I find myself using pay phones now and again, enough to start to notice a few things.

For one, finding a pay phone is hard. There are occasions where I've spent almost half an hour looking for the nearest pay phone. And presumably because of the reduced use, many of them are in disrepair. So even if you find one, there's no guarantee that it will work.

Secondly, you probably didn't notice, but the price of pay phones is no longer a quarter. Occasionally you see a $.35 one, but most of the pay phones these days are $.50 for local calls. Long distance, of course, is much higher. (And long distance is usually what I need because a person's phone number no longer relates to where they are, what with cellphones, etc.)

Pleasantly, though, I've found New York City to buck both of these trends. Public phones are plentiful and [mostly] functional and, to my utter surprise, only a quarter for local calls. In one of the most expensive cities in the world, who would have thought pay phones would be so cheap. As silly as this sounds, this little fact boosts my opinion of NY more than I should probably admit.     I <3 NY (pay phones!)
Friday October 29 2010File under: travel, USA

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Autumn in New York

If I was to ever write a list of 1001 things that someone should do or see before they die, one of the first things I would add is Autumn leaves in someplace like New England. In its peak and the right place, you are just surrounded by the beautiful colors. It's not often that I have this feeling of being so engulfed by such an incredible phenomenon.

Luckily, this trip has taken me exactly along the path of the changing season, it seems. It was in the parks and along the streets of Toronto. The drive from Toronto to Montreal was possibly the most epic I've ever seen...until the drive from Montreal to NYC. Now, as I meander around Manhattan and Brooklyn, while peak leaf-peeping has come and gone, there are still some truly awe-inspiring vistas.

Wednesday October 27 2010File under: travel, USA

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Flying Karamazov Brothers in NYC

Being in New York means seeing a show, right? Actually, let me rephrase that: being in New York means seeing a show.* And while I would go see the Flying Karamazov Brothers any time I could, seeing them on stage in New York was really a treat. To further sweeten the treat, I got to hang out with the gang before the show, watch them warm up, and even toss a few clubs around with them, all a real treat for a geek juggler like myself.

The new show at the Minetta Lane Theatre, which used to be called 4-Play but is now just called Flying Karamazov Brothers, was great. Lots of music, juggling, juggling while playing music, playing music through juggling, and some unexpected hilarious comedy. It's my hope that the show catches on and gets big not only so the group flourishes, but because the more people that see this hilarity the better. To that end, go see the show! It's reasonably priced, a totally great experience, and unlike anything else you'll see here in New York.

Also, it is worth pointing out that Steve and Amiel, who stood in for some travelling members of the group, did a spectacular job on stage. So not only did I get to see a great show, hang with the gang, and be inspired by some creative juggling, I got to see 2 friends hit the big time! Chalk one up for New York!
Sunday October 24 2010File under: juggling, travel

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