Spied on Tejon and Platte on Saturday: bicyclist with a be-goggled little buddy on board. Cute! I like the Colorado flag socks too.
More from the San Clemente pier. The long haired guy was typing poems for tips on an old manual typewriter. I didn't have a single dollar on me (my last buck had just gone into the parking meter) so I sneaked a photo from far away and felt a little bit guilty since I had no way to tip him. I suppose he gets his picture taken a lot, though.
Every now and then I see this guy walking or riding his palomino across Academy Boulevard at Maizeland Road. I frequent that particular intersection because my studio is half a block north of this spot. There is a small pocket of unincorporated city nearby, which is weird but kind of cool too, since unincorporated areas are zoned for horses. I cannot describe for you how busy this intersection is -- with the turn lanes it's 9 or 10 lanes across. However, the horse is always completely unfazed by all the traffic and noise. No doubt they were headed to Palmer Park (directly behind me) for a ride. On the other end of the park there are stables, by the way. Colorado Springs may be perpetually expanding, but we still retain our western and horsey roots.
This picture is a little soft because I was shooting it through the bottom part of my car windshield. The curve of the glass made it impossible for me to get a sharp photo but I was just glad to get something. Whenever I see this guy and his horse, I never seem to have a camera handy, so blurry or not, this was a win!
Today was Valentine's Day, and while running errands I spied this couple perusing the flower selection at Safeway. They really put some thought into coordinating their outfits. Cute!
Today was on the warm and sunny side, which means the LARPing crowd was in their usual Saturday spot doing battle in Palmer Park. I've posted about them before (HERE). Palmer Park is around the corner from my studio and I love to see them out there doing their thing.
More stylish people in and around London, from our trip there in May of last year. Apologies for any slightly blurry shots -- I acquired a new camera only days before our vacation and I hadn't quite gotten the hang of it yet. Leicas are very different from the Nikons I've been using for decades! I thought the woman in the shot above (taken at Kew Gardens) was sooooo European. Many other well dressed folk to come.
In a nice little moment captured by Pat, this Metro Mobility driver got out of his bus to shovel his elderly passenger's sidewalk so she wouldn't slip and fall. What a great guy. That's my kind of hero!
Driving through downtown this afternoon I saw this guy in front of the Albany, and he was so interesting I had to drive around the block and find him again so I could get a picture. I took this through my windshield, so if it looks a little blurry, that's why. He was probably in the middle of a drug deal but hey, that outfit is supa fly. 😉
This guy can almost always be found in the median at the intersection of Uintah and Cascade, dancing while holding up a sign. I've noticed him there many times over the last few months (he's kind of hard to miss). Although it doesn't look like it in this photo, that's actually a busy intersection with queues of cars perpetually waiting for the light to change color, so I just assumed the sign had something to do with panhandling, since he always has a captive audience. But while getting this photo ready to post, I could see that it actually reads "Dancing to make you smile while you wait awhile - 4 years sober." Hm. Part of me says, "Good for you, buddy!" And the cynic in me thanks fat chance, he just takes the handouts he receives and gets loaded. Who knows? At any rate, he's one of the more eccentric characters to land downtown lately.
A statue in front of the Pikes Peak Center honoring beloved Colorado Springs resident Fannie Mae Duncan, who was the proprietor of the Cotton Club, as well as an activist and philanthropist. She deserves the honor! If you'd like to know more about this fascinating, trailblazing woman, please click HERE to read the Wiki on her.
I went gallery hopping with a couple of friends on First Friday, and ran into this stylish lady at our first stop. Her name is Ethne (I hope I didn't murder that) and she told me the story behind her cool glasses: she had a friend in high school who later became an artist, and he had a great sense of style, as many artists do. She remembered particularly an outfit he once wore in the 1970s, which included a snazzy houndstooth jacket and these very glasses. When he passed away, his partner gifted Ethne with both the jacket and the glasses as a memento of her old friend. She told me that she gets comments all the time when she wears these frames. They are really cool, don't you agree? Thanks for the photo and the story, Ethne!
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. Yes, that is an emu. This lady is named Billie Sue, and her emu is called Dennis. (Dennis! Gaaah! So cute!) They've become minor celebrities of sorts in Manitou. I've had a friend or two post pictures of Dennis on Facebook and I wondered who the big bird belonged to. Now I know! She told me that he's two and-a-half years old and she's had him since he was a chick. I've never met an emu before. He was extremely mellow. And very, very big, with rather prehistoric looking, three toed feet. He likes to be petted in a particular spot on his side. Oh and Dennis is very attached to his human. People, this is why I will not eat an animal. You think birds don't feel love and affection? Think again. Just look at how he hugs her back with his long neck when she hugs him. It's adorable!
The perfect outfit to wear while walking your pet emu on a 90°+ degree day in Manitou Springs. Cute! (Stay tuned for more on this fun lady and her unorthodox pet tomorrow.)
This woman was a standout at the supermarket last weekend. She had a cool style, but more than that she had presence!
I was driving north on Nevada Avenue yesterday when I saw this cyclist with an interesting mission, so I sped up and pulled my car over several blocks up, then got ready to fire off a few frames when he caught up and passed me. I think he must be part of THIS organization, and what a worthy cause! If you look at their routes, there's one that goes right smack through Colorado Springs. There is a page on their site where you can make a donation.
I really have no idea what is going on in this picture. Last Thursday I had a personal errand on Weber Street, and afterward I came across a large number of young people (I assume CC students) wearing kooky costumes and running around in groups, seemingly at random. It was very odd. I managed to capture these two groups running toward each other from opposite sides of Uintah Street. It definitely looked like everyone was having a blast!
I often see these LARPers in Palmer Park on Saturdays when the weather is nice, and it always looks like they're having a great time engaging in this unconventional hobby. A while back I made a mental note to stop, introduce myself and ask for a few pictures the next time I saw them, had a few spare minutes, and had a camera handy. That day was today. I chatted with them a bit and stuck around just long enough to feel satisfied that I had gotten some decent pictures, then left them to their role playing. What fun. I think LARPing requires a nearly complete abandonment of inhibition, and I admire anyone who doesn't give a second thought to that! I told them I'd be back someday with a longer lens and a little more time on my hands. Until then, enjoy these fun pictures I got during my brief encounter with them today.
If you want to see interestingly dressed people, just go to any art opening! Here's a shot from December 2nd at the Kreuser Gallery. It was a chilly evening and this colorful sweater dress was perfect for both the occasion and the weather.
