Kirstin Bruner / Art Exposure @ CVS-McPherson Square through 10 Jan

I'm not too sure exactly when the trend began but, for several years now, I have taken notice of the historic images window displays at several CVS stores. In particular, at Dupont Circle West and on Capitol Hill - Eastern Market which I would report on in several blog postings.

Unlike the historic images that would remain on display for an extended period of time at the Dupont Circle and Capitol Hill stores, both which reflected on the history of the respective neighborhoods, the window exhibitions at the McPherson Square CVS Store, located at the corner of 15th and K Streets, in NW, WDC which features mixed media and more contemporary art changes very frequently.

In July, 2000, Ann Wiker created Art Exposure, Inc. as part of the revitalization efforts in Downtown Baltimore. The organization consists of displays of local artists' original artwork in lobbies of office buildings, theatres, law firms, universities, hotels, cafes and restaurants. The artwork is rotated on a four to eight week basis and is offered for sale. The program started with nine artists and five buildings (venues for displayed artwork). To date, there are over seventy artists and forty venues participating throughout Baltimore, Frederick, Annapolis, DC and Columbia.

At this time, though most are located in the Baltimore/Columbia MD area listed amongst its participating venues is the Southern Railway Building which located at the corner of 15th and K Streets in NW Washington, houses the McPherson Square CVS. Which in recent months, the window exhibitions have caught my attention.

Due, partly, to my ongoing Historic Images Window Displays at CVS Project but, also, due to the fact that it has always been my intention to exhibit my photographs in public spaces, including storefront windows. One of my projects under development is to curate a Dupont Circle, Over The Years photography exhibition for the Dupont Circle West CVS store.

However, for now, I'm almost certain that in the next few months I will be contacting Art Exposure, Inc.. Perhaps, with plans for developing future exhibitions at the Southern Railway Building - CVS Store.

Though Art Exposure exhibitions are held in the interior of the Southern Railway Building, currently on display ... at the exterior ... and in the windows of the McPherson CVS Store are the acrylic paintings of Kirstin L. Bruner. Which will be on display through 10 Janaury 2007.

Click above image, which tagged as Kirstin Bruner - Art Exposure - SRB - 1500K - WDC may also be viewed in Art Exposure - Southern Railway Building WDC and Art News 2007 photosets.

A black Cadillac DeVille with license plate "Washington DC 800-002"

Shot at 4:08 pm on New Years Day, 1 January 2007, on Pennsylvania Avenue and 4th Street, NW, this picture of a black Cadillac DeVille with the license plate "Washington DC 800-002" depicts the Presidential Motorcade transporting President George W. and First Lady Laura Bush from the Gerald Ford's 'Lay in State' Funeral at the US Capitol to the Blair House Mansion for a meeting with Mrs. Betty Ford.

Click photo to view more Motorcades 2007 photos. Or visit Gerald R. Ford 'Lay In State' US Capitol 1 Janury 2007.

Friday's Photo of the Week . 5 January 2007

CLICK PHOTO

Gerald R. Ford State Funeral (Arrival) @ the US Capitol

National Mall . 3rd Street . WDC . 30 December 2006

N E W S G A T H E R E R S

2007 Friday's Photos of the Week

Sergeant Brett Parson / MPDC's GLLU

When Parson took over the gay unit in 2001, two years after it was created, he added a heavy dose of law enforcement to what started as a community outreach program. "We are not just going to protect gay people," he told Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey. "We are going to do real police work."

Other law enforcement agencies across the country -- Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago -- have officers who deal with the gay community, but none has a separate squad like the District's. In addition to four full-time officers, there are eight auxiliary and reserve officers, including one transgender member, Tomi Finkle, a retired U.S. Capitol Police sergeant who now carries a LadySmith .45. Read more.

Sergeant Brett Parson, a Washington DC area native, is head of the DC Metropolitan Police Gay and Lesbian Unit (GLLU). In existence since June 2000, GLLU is staffed by openly gay and lesbian members of the department and their allies.

In July 2006, the GLLU was awarded the prestigious "Innovations in American Government Award" from Harvard University’s Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation for reaching out to an under-served community and creating a model for community policing. This is the second time that a District program has received this $100,000 award – last year the District’s SEED School was a prize winner.

To learn more about the MPDC's GLLU visit their website at www.gllu.org.

NOTE: The GLLU office is not a full service police station and does not have regular business hours. In case of an emergency, dial 9-1-1. A member of the GLLU is alway on-call and available via the On-Call Pager at 1(877) 495-5995.

Click above 3 January 2007 photo of Sergeant Brett Parson to view my MPDC 2007 project. See also MPDC 2006 or MPDC or Cop Duty 2007 or Cop Duty 2006 or Cop Duty.

WDC's 2007 Mayoral Inauguration & City Council Swearing-In

WDC's 2007 Mayoral Inauguration / City Council Swearing-In

Washington Conventer Center . NW WDC . 3 January 2007

click photo

Sam Gilliam's "Many Things" @ WCC

En route to the 2007 Mayoral Inauguration and City Council's Swearing-In at the Washington Conventer Center I'd come across an abstract piece of artwork, entitled Many Things, by Sam Gilliam amongst the center's art collection. Who I am surprised that I had never heard of but having seen Many Things and then checking the internet I certainly will delve more into Sam Gilliam and his art.

"Entering Sam Gilliam's U Street studio--so discreet that the only entrance is an unmarked loading dock off a narrow alley--is like walking into a kaleidoscope." Susan Bauer reports in an October 2005 Washingtonian article entitled Five Washington Artists.

Something tells me, that I will soon be returning to U Street.

Click 3 January 2007 photo taken by Elvert Barnes. As it represent the beginning of a newly launched Sam Gilliam Project.

Farewell to Gerald R. Ford

I began my documentation of the Gerald R. Ford State Funeral in WDC on Saturday evening, 30 December 2006, when the body arrived via Constitution Avenue for a Lay in State at the US Captiol from Saturday night until Tuesday morning. At 9:30 am, 2 January, a funeral procession would proceed along Pennsylvania Avenue and pass the White House for a State Funeral Service at the National Cathedral. I concluded my documentaion, on Tuesday afternoon, 2 Janaury 2007, on the 7th Street SW Bridge over looking Waterside Drive and the Southwest Freeway as the body was transported to Andrews Air Force Base.

To view my collection of photos visit Gerald R. Ford State Funeral / WDC which may take a few days/weeks for me to complete since I took quite a few photos over the span of 4 days. Click above photo to view Gerald R. Ford Memorial site.

Chinatown Bus ... not just for broke students, starving artists and cheap travelers, anymore!

I first heard of Chinatown Bus a couple of summers ago when photographing in Dupont Circle that an acquaintance inquiring of goings-on in NYC would ask if I had ever taken the Chinatown Bus to NYC. Replying that I had not heard of Chinatown Bus I explained that it was my practice to take AMTRAK as opposed to a bus or a plane. He then inform me that a Chinatown Bus fare from Chinatown WDC to NYC would cost about $20.

When revisiting Chinatown on 12 December 2006 I'd observe, for the first time, a group of people many with luggage waiting in line on Eye Street between 6th and 7th Streets, NW, which caused me to believe that it was the location that the Chinatown Bus must pick-up passengers.

As I had done one year before on Christmas Eve 2005 and New Years Day 2006, on New Years Day 2007 I would return to Chinatown in connection with my now ongoing Chinatown WDC project. During which time I'd observe many people, some in groups, milling about with luggage.

And as I captured pedestrians at the intersection of 7th and H Street, which is another one of my ongoing projects, I'd observe that groups of people with luggage had begun to congregate in front of a Chinese restaurant on H near 8th Street. Recording the street scape of Chinatown WDC on New Years Day 2007, I'd walk over and began taking pictures.

When a bus pulled up, I would then realize that they were waiting in line for the Chinatown Bus. Which, in a different location than 600 block of Eye Street, must be one of several WDC locations for Chinatown Bus network.

I'm not sure who Mike is but in a picture story about Chinatown Bus Mike says "I used to be able to pack my things, run out the door, and catch the next Chinatown Bus at 10 minutes before scheduled departure.

But it looks like those days may be gone. At least with respect to the weekends and major holidays. During the week, no worries. For Saturday morning travel and holidays, I recommend buying Chinatown Bus tickets ahead of time and arriving at least 20 minutes early. The word is out and people are taking the Chinatown Bus!"

To find Chinatown Bus info for New York, Boston, Washington DC and Philadelphia visit here. To learn more about other companies that run out of Chinatown Boston/New York (and other cities as well) that provide reasonably priced, regular service visit www.chinatownbus.org. Or contact Mike by email at chinatown_bus@yahoo.com or chinatownbus@gmail.com.

Click photo to view my now ongoing Chinatown Bus project. I have feeling and, for the sake of my ongoing Chinatown Bus project, that I will soon be taking the Chinatown Bus to Baltimore, Philadephia or New York City.

For the sake of my Chinatown Bus Project!

New Years Day 2007 / WDC

Gallery Place (WMATA) Station . Lower Level

NW WDC . 1 January 2006 @ 3.32pm

New Years Day 2007 WDC

"A personal connection to Gerald R. Ford ..."

In the process of documenting the funeral procession to view the body of Gerald R. Ford, at the US Capitol, a man in a yellow jacket and his wife, both from Boston, would mention to me that the man in front of us, who was from Michigan, had a personal connection to Gerald R. Ford.

According to them, as a young boy the Michigan man suffered from a debilitaing and near fatal disease and had it not been for the efforts of Gerald R. Ford he would have died.

Just before the procession proceeded through the final check point before entering the US Capitol Building, which is when I'd turn around and head back, handing the Michigan man my card I suggested that he contact me by email ... if he wished for me to include in the caption of the photos that I took of him information pertaining to his 'personal connection to Gerald R. Ford'.

The Michigan man's connection to Gerald R. Ford is an important story to tell. And one that should be told in his own words.

Click photo to view 31 December 2006 Gerald R. Ford Procession at the US Capitol photoset. Or photos tagged as Gerald R. Ford Funeral WDC to view entire collection which includes photos from the 30 December 2006 Gerald R. Ford Arrival Procession.

SOME HANDS - Black Party Exhibit - NYC 25 March 2006

CLICK PHOTO to view VIDEO

Some Hands - Saint-At-Large Black Party 25 March 2006

11 April Nats opener vs Nets was my first time ever

When searching for images for my 2007 New Year greeting cards and 2006 In Retrospect / Year in Review Project I would upload several of my 11 April 2006 Washington Nationals (Opener) vs New York Mets Never Before Seen images. See 2003/04 holiday cards.

While I, of course, have attended and photographed a few amateur games not only was the 11 April 2006 Nats vs Nets game the first time that I'd ever photographed a magor league ballgame it, also, was the first time that I had ever attended a major league ballgame.

And as is the case with most such scenarios, my interest and fascination had more to do with photographing the game. Click photo to view 11 April 2006 Nats (Opener) vs Nets Never Before Seen 2007 images which are also included in the 11 April 2006 Nats (Opener) vs Nets photoset.

A few more photos from Lauderdale's 12th Hurricane Showdown

Having taken quite a few photos of Fort Lauderdale's 12th Annual Hurricane Showdown on Friday evening, 24 November I, therefore, will be uploading them on a periodic basis. Click photo to view ongoing photoset and click tag to view most recent postings. Read more.

29 December Friday's Photo of the Week

Nestled in the basement of 1843 14th Street in Logan North in what for several years had operated as The Cutt Barber Shop by Trina, situated between S and T Streets, NW, Som Records recently opened for business.

Specializing in used, new import and vinyl Som Records will also buy, sell and trade.

Rock, soul, funk, disco, go-go, reggae, samba, salsa, folk, blues, punk, electronica and more included Som Records' inventory.

As well as historic event posters such as this 26 March 1983 James Brown & Tyrone Davis Concert at the DAR Constitution Hall in WDC poster.

Located in the basement of 1843 14th Street, NW, Som Records is opened from 12 noon until 8 pm Monday through Saturday. Sundays, from 12 noon until 7 pm. Telephone 202-328-3345.

2006 Friday's Photos of the Week

One Night Only - Jennifer Hudson @ Hammerstein Ballroom - New Year's Eve Eve

Entertainment Architect Mark Nelson of Mark Nelson Events has this to say about DREAMGIRLS, Jennifer Hudson and the Saint-At-Large New Year's Eve Eve ONE NIGHT ONLY event:

Went to see Dreamgirls w/ Jim McGinnis & Ray Deforest on Saturday @ The Ziegfield – Yes, we paid the $25 - It was worth it!This is the movie of the year featuring the incomparable Jennifer Hudson.

Oprah has said that listening to her sing is a religious experience. People talk about seeing Janis Joplin @ Woodstock, Streisand in Central Park, Lady Bunny @ Wigstock, Judy Garland @ Carnegie Hall, Bette Midler @ Radio City, Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston @ the Pier Dance ...

Yes, that's a crazy round-up, I agree - But big moments none the less - This is another good one - Not to be missed!

The Saint-At-Large Staff has gone to extreme measures to produce this legendary night of Supreme entertainment when Jennifer Hudson, star of Dreamgirls makes her NYC solo concert debut.

One Night Only - Dreamgirls (the underground clubmix) Jennifer Hudson Live in Concert @ 11:15 sharp.

Junior Vasquez spins his exclusive remixes from the Dreamgirls soundtrack w/ Lights by Guy Smith & spectacular videos & & live performances thru-out the night by: Kevin Aviance, Milan of Dalipstikz, Kim Aviance, Supreme Runway & Vogue segments produced by Mother Juan Aviance - Starring ErickaToure Aviance, Linda James & John Aviance.

1st Tier of VIP: Sold Out. 2nd Tier Mezzanine: $100 Advance. Tix $90 ($10 more @ the door if available).

Hammerstein Ballroom
311 West 34th Street
New Years Eve Eve - Saturday, 30 December 2006
10pm until 4am.

Tix @ Nasty Pig - 265A West 19th Street. The producers & Henry Krieger will be in attendance! Part of proceeds go to The Hinton Battle Laboratory Theatre. Brought to you in Dance Surround by The Saint @ Large. Buy Online (klik)

Route 235 in Southern MD: A road, NOT, so less traveled.

For several years, now, I've had more than a passing interest in traffic and highway photography. See my recent South Capitol Street Rush Hour project.

When visiting my family in Southern Maryland on Christmas Eve 2006 and as is the case with most places that I visit I would engage in traffic and highway photography. Once back in DC, wanting to post an entry pertaining to the traffic gridlock that I always encounter when visiting Southern Maryland I'd search the internet for Traffic Route 235 Southern Maryland and would come across a 12 September 1997 article, by Maryland Senator Roy P. Dyson, entitled "Roads Less Traveled" in Southern Maryland".

Unfortunately, the traffic in Southern Maryland is not unlike the traffic in Washington DC. Or, most places throughout the nation.

My St. Peter's Episcopal Church / Chelsea NYC photo at Wikimedia

This photo of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, under reconstruction, was taken over Memorial Day Weekend 1992 from the living room window of Lothar Wullert's 5th floor apartment/loft.

Located in the 300 block of West 20th Street in Chelsea, NYC, and situated directly across the street from St. Peter's Episcopal Church it is at Lothar's apartment that will often stay when visiting NYC.

See photo at Wikimedia's New York City places of worship.

Starbucks in Chinatown

It was on New Years Day 2006, that I began my now ongoing Starbucks Chinatown project. Not unlike my Starbucks Dupont Circle North project, when passing through the Chinatown area it has become my practice to, consentually but candidly, capture folks sitting at tables in the windows of Starbucks, located at the corner of 7th and H Street, in Chinatown.

Click photo to view Starbucks - Chinatown - WDC ongoing photo project.

Merry Christmas 2006

Looking for something new? Try Cowgirl Creamery!

I first reported on Cowgirl Creamery at Penn Quarter in September 2006 and wish now to attention to the artisan cheese shop in the launching of my new year's affirmation.

Though still contemplating a 2007 theme my 2006 mantra was "Out With the Old and In With New!" while New Beginnings was launched on 1 January 2005.

It is in the spirit of the New Year, 2007, that I wish to shed light on Cowgirl Creamery's Online Store.

Looking to try something new? Browse Cowgirl Creamery's Library of Cheese. Or create a custom cheese collection by calling 866.433.7834. Or visit Cowgirl Creamery at 919 F Street, NW, in the Penn Quarter area of Washington DC.

Click photo to access my ongoing Cowgirl Creamery/Penn Quarter photoset.