Back in April of 2007, I posted a daytime photo from this very location. I never thought it would make for a night time location to take a photo from. After looking at the results, I'm more than pleased with the results. The downtown you are looking at is St Paul. Not sure if you can make it out, but if you follow the street, across the bridge, you'll see a small white pointed dome, that is our State Capital Building. These green stairs are on the bluff of the West Side neighborhood.
I didn't take too many Christmas themed photos this year. I was rather busy this last month of 2007. I do have one final Christmas photo to post. When we were putting lights on the Christmas tree, my cat named Ruby, felt he could use the heat of the lights to warm himself. I had plugged the lights into the socket to test them out, set them on the floor and left the room for about a minute. When I returned, the lights had a new occupancy. I even had move the cat off of the lights, but he insisted on using the lights to keep warm. I did see it as a goof photo opportunity, grabbed the camera and here is the result.
Born in St Paul, Minnesota, best selling author, Vince Flynn was at the Mall Of America to promote his new book 'Protect And Defend'. He first was interviewed on KFAN at the Mall Of America rotunda during the Dan Barreiro show that was there for the book signing. Once his radio interview was over, he then signed books to everyone in line starting at 6:30. When the radio show ended, I left the area and did some Christmas shopping as this event happened mid December. I passed by the area a few more times to see if Vince Flynn was still there signing books, sure enough he was. When I left, the line was snaked around a few times and then it shot down the hallway as far as I could see. Come 9:30, I pass by the area once again and I watched the last person in line get their book personally signed. I was amazed, he signed a book for everyone. Plus, there was a stack of about 50 books that were to be signed and sold at the local book store.
More of the large bulbs that are hanging in the air at the Mall Of America. I really liked this one because of the squares of grass in the shot with the color red.
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, every year for as long as I can remember, this 3M building in Maplewood has always displayed this light pattern to resemble a tree for the holidays. It's become a Twin Cities tradition that I look forward to each year. I've always wondered who is responsible for making sure the correct lights are on or off. Perhaps that task falls on the shoulders of who works in the room?
Yesterday I heard the term "Christmas Eve Eve" said on the radio. I had never heard this term before and just find it kind of odd. I understand why it was said, but in all honesty, shouldn't we really refer it simply as December 23?
Classic Brass Inc performed at the Mall Of America on December 12. They are a quintet of various brass instruments and played traditional Christmas melodies that evening. I've always enjoyed this kind of music since I was very young when I would see some of the members of Classic Brass Inc perform in the Minnesota Brass Drum and Beauty Corps. If you are able to see CBI perform someday, put in a request for the song "The Saints’ Hallelujah". I've heard them play it twice now and it's become one of my favorites. It's a great mix of two songs you're familiar with, a jazzy Saints Go Marching crossed with a traditional choir sound of Hallelujah.
These larger than life Christmas bulbs are hanging in the air at the Mall Of America in Bloomington. There are many more of them on display at various locations through out the mall. With the pattern of the ceiling, this location was my favorite in the large shopping complex.
I've always gotten a laugh out of the meter parking enforcement laws in St Paul. I took this photo along Kellogg Avenue in downtown. My car was the only vehicle that was parked along side the road on a Saturday afternoon. Do they really enforce the metered parking on a street that doesn't need to be enforced on a Saturday?
