Winnipeg/Portland/San Francisco/Los Angeles(/Culver City)/Winnipeg
2025-05-24
Earlier this month, I went on a train trip with some friends. We met up in Portland, and then took the train down to LA, stopping in SF along the way. There are also a few photos I took while walking to meet another friend the day before my trip and some photos I took while still sorting through trip photos
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- a nuthatch in a tree
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- #animals/bird/Nuthatch #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/tree
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- a squirrel in a tree
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- #animals/mammal/squirrel/American Red #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/tree
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- a pigeon perched on a roof
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- #animals/bird/pigeon #architecture/roof #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights
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- a disco ball made of round metal discs on poles
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- #object/ball/disco #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Shemanski #reflection #sculpture/Ivan McLean/Disco Ball
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- a yellow and grey bird
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- #animals/brid/vireo #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Lawnsdale Square
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- a spiky seed casting a shadow
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/seed #plants/tree/Sweetgum/American #shadow
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- a small pink flower getting ready to bloom
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #unknown/flower/maybe-a-geranium
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- pink and white flowers
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea
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- a red flower
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea
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- a tree reflected in a building
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- #architecture/building/skyscraper #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/tree #reflection
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- the patterned roof of a parking garage
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- #architecture/building/garage/parking #material/concrete #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #shapes/square
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- the patterned roof of a parking garage
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- #architecture/building/garage/parking #material/concrete #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #shapes/square
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- moss growing on a sone
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- #material/stone #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #plants/moss
This photo tricked me when I was reviewing it even though I specifically remembered taking it. I knew it was the shadows of a grating on the beams of a bridge and not the gratings themselves but it still reads as a grating to me. But because shadows defuse and there's a noticeable texture on the steel beams, the photo reads (to me at least) as a grainy photo. So it came doubly as a surprise when there was a crisp watermark right in the middle of the photo. The 'Carnegie' mark on the steel (also visible top right) looks like it's on sky not solid. Maybe it's just me
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- the grating of a bridge casting a shadow on the beams underneath
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Hawthorne #material/metal/grating #optical illusion #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #shadow
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- lichen growing on a stone
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #plants/lichen
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- lichen growing on a stone
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- #material/stone #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #plants/lichen #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- a spider on a web on a railing
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- #animals/arachnid/spider #architecture/railing #architecture/web/spider #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #unknown/spider/portland river railing #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- waves on a river
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette #water/waves
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- a spider web by a river
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- #architecture/railing #architecture/web/spider #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- the metal grating of a bridge
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Hawthorne #material/metal/grating #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- the metal grating of a bridge
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Hawthorne #camera/blur #material/metal/grating #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- the metal grating of a bridge
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Hawthorne #camera/blur #material/metal/grating #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- the metal grating of a bridge
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Hawthorne #material/metal/grating #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- the metal grating of a bridge
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Hawthorne #material/metal/grating #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- a wooden structure built on a stone path on a river
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- #material/stone #material/wood #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- the sun reflecting on a river
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- #camera/blur #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #reflection #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- a hawk in a clear sky
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- #animals/bird/hawk #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #unknown/bird/hawk/portland
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- a hawk in a clear sky
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- #animals/bird/hawk #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #unknown/bird/hawk/portland
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- a bright pink car with license plate vvvv, a pink v with heels on the hood, and #vaginamobile on the front window to make it legible to a car's rearview mirror
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #text/sign #vehicles/car/#vaginamobile
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- a side view of a pink car with vagina beauty pagent 2024 written on its side and festooned with sponsor logos
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #text/sign #vehicles/car/#vaginamobile
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- red flowers
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea
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- an open sign reflected in a ceiling
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #reflection #text/sign
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- a walk light at an angle
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- #architecture/light/street/walk #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- a walk light
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- #architecture/light/street/walk #place/USA/Oregon/Portland
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- yellow and red flowers
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #unknown/flower/portland good yellow and also red
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- an orange flower
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/forb/Calendula #plants/part/flower
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- a hole in a bush
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- #hole #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea
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- a hole in a bush
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- #hole #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea
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- pink flowers
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea #shadow
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- pink flowers
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/part/flower #plants/shrub/Azalea #shadow
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- a duck
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- #animals/bird/duck/Mallard #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral
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- wooden poles
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- #architecture/pole #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral
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- rusty metal
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- #decay/rust #hole #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral
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- a dandelion at the base of a tree
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #plants/forb/dandelion #plants/grass #plants/tree
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- a dog swimming in a river
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- #actions/swimming #animals/mammal/dog #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- the sun shining through trees
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #plants/tree #sky/sun/set
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- the sun behind leaves
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #plants/tree #silhouette #sky/sun/set
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- the sun behind leaves
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #plants/tree #silhouette #sky/sun/set
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- the sun behind leaves
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #plants/tree #silhouette #sky/sun/set
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- a tall tree
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Cathedral #plants/tree
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- sunlight on a chain-link fence
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- #architecture/fence/chain-link #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #shadow
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- a pink flower
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/forb/Anemone #plants/part/flower
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- a face drawn on a cleat by the river. Also the word beans
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- #drawing/graffiti #object/cleat #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #text/graffiti
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- spray from a fountain
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #water/surface/artificial/fountain
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- a small orange flower
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #plants/part/flower #unknown/flower/small orange
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- a pink and white flower
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland/parks/Waterfront #plants/forb/Iris #plants/part/flower
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- pink flowers with black veins
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/forb/Geranium/Cranesbill/Oregon #plants/part/flower
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- a water lily
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/forb/lotus #plants/part/flower #water/surface/still/pond
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- a lily pad bud
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- #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/forb/lotus #plants/part/flower/bud #water/surface/still/pond
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- a damselfly on a lilypad
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- #animals/insect/damselfly #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #plants/forb/lotus #water/surface/still/pond
this worm has been here at least 3 years now. long live the worm
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- a worm drawn on the base of a bridge
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- #architecture/bridge/Portland/Marquam #drawing/graffiti #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #water/surface/flowing/river/Willamette
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- a pigeon using a water fountain
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- #animals/bird/pigeon/Rock #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #water/surface/artificial/fountain/drinking
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- a neon restrooms sign reflected on a marble wall
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- #architecture/building/station/Union (Portland) #material/stone/marble #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #reflection #text/sign/neon
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- a window reflected in a marble wall
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- #architecture/building/station/Union (Portland) #architecture/window #material/stone/marble #place/USA/Oregon/Portland #reflection
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- looking out the window of a train
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- #architecture/window #camera/blur/motion #place/USA/Oregon #vehicles/train
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- water spraying from a fountain
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #water/surface/artificial/fountain
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- water spraying from a fountain
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #water/surface/artificial/fountain
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- water spraying from a fountain and forming a rainbow
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #sky/rainbow #water/surface/artificial/fountain
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- a ridged concrete wall
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- #architecture/wall #material/concrete #place/USA/California/San Francisco
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- a sparrow on a branch
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- #animals/bird/Sparrow #place/USA/California/San Francisco #plants/tree
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- a sparrow on a branch
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- #animals/bird/Sparrow #place/USA/California/San Francisco #plants/tree
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- pink flowers
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #plants/forb/Anemone #plants/part/flower
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- an orange flower
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #plants/part/flower #unknown/flower/sf orange
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- angled balconies
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- #architecture/balcony #architecture/building/hotel #place/USA/California/San Francisco
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- angled balconies
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- #architecture/balcony #architecture/building/hotel #place/USA/California/San Francisco
San Francisco is beautiful, but god is it also a hellscape. Beautiful weather. Beautiful temperature. But basically every ad (and there were so many ads) were website tools or AI bullshit and self-driving cars everywhere
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- a bus stop ad: Stop Hiring Humans (To Do Manual Outbound). Hire Ava the AI BDR
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #text/ad
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- grass growing on a pole
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- #architecture/pole #place/USA/California/San Francisco #plants/grass #water/surface/still/bay/San Francisco
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- a large grating on a pier
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- #material/metal/grating #place/USA/California/San Francisco
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- the water behind a railing
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- #architecture/railing #place/USA/California/San Francisco #water/surface/still/bay/San Francisco
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- a bird flying
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- #actions/flying #animals/bird/cormorant #place/USA/California/San Francisco #water/surface/still/bay/San Francisco
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- a pigoen on a pier
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- #animals/bird/pigeon #architecture/pier #place/USA/California/San Francisco
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- an unreadable exit sign
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- #architecture/building/hotel #place/USA/California/San Francisco #text/sign/exit
Ruth Asawa's wire sculptures were so fun to photograph because they cast such interesting shadows but also my photos mostly didn't turn out. I leave this in mostly to say if you find yourself in SF while the Ruth Asawa retrospective is open at the museum you owe it to yourself to see it
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- metal wire sculptures
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- #architecture/building/museum/SFMOMA #camera/selfie/shadow #material/metal/wire #place/USA/California/San Francisco #sculpture/Ruth Asawa
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- metal wire sculptures
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- #architecture/building/museum/SFMOMA #camera/selfie/shadow #material/metal/wire #place/USA/California/San Francisco #sculpture/Ruth Asawa
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- metal wire sculptures
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- #architecture/building/museum/SFMOMA #camera/selfie/shadow #material/metal/wire #place/USA/California/San Francisco #sculpture/Ruth Asawa
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- metal wire and glass sculptures
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- #architecture/building/museum/SFMOMA #camera/selfie/shadow #material/glass/stained #material/metal/wire #place/USA/California/San Francisco #sculpture/Ruth Asawa
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- the run reflecting on the bay
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- #place/USA/California/San Francisco #reflection #water/surface/still/bay/San Francisco
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- a tower at sunset
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- #architecture/building/tower/Coit #place/USA/California/San Francisco #silhouette
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- a car driving parallel to a train
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- #camera/blur/motion #geogrophy/field/farming #place/USA/California #vehicles/car
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- a car driving parallel to a train
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- #camera/blur/motion #geogrophy/field/farming #place/USA/California #vehicles/car
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- concrete beams
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- #architecture/balcony #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #material/concrete #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- a skylight
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #architecture/window/skylight #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- an elevator visible through a skylight
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #architecture/elevator #architecture/window/skylight #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- a large concrete pillar in a building
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #architecture/stairs/spiral #material/concrete #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- a concrete pillar in a building
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #material/concrete #place/USA/California/Los Angeles #shadow
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- concrete
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #material/concrete #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- concrete
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #material/concrete #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- a large gold orb at the tip of a movie theatre
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- #architecture/building/theatre/movie/Culver #object/orb #place/USA/California/Culver City
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- a person standing on a motorcycle
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- #people/stranger #place/USA/California/Culver City #vehicles/motorcycle
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- angled windows on a building
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- #architecture/building #architecture/window #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- the patterned wall of a parking garage
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- #architecture/building/garage/parking #architecture/cladding #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- a bird's nest in a sign
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- #architecture/building/garage/parking #architecture/nest/bird #place/USA/California/Los Angeles #text/sign #words/so
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- a walk sign
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- #architecture/light/street/walk #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
Okay, let me explain. When in LA, me and my friends specifically decided to stay at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel because Fredric Jameson found it to be a sort of unnavigable post-modern maze. How did we find it? Well, the architecture is kind of incredible (there would be more photos if a security guard hadn't told me I could only take photos with a phone) and it is clear they've made it some changes to make it a little easier to navigate, but it is at its heart a bizarre space. There are long sight lines but never directly across the building and most of what you see are balconies you'd have to indirectly reach with a walkway—at almost no point is it possible to make from A to B without first stopping by at C. When traveling to the rooms themselves (which is further warped by glass elevators that switch from inside to outside the building), the four identical towers (distinguished now by a colour and shape that appears regularly but never prominently. We were in green square, which you might have been able to gleam from the green numbers and the green light on the elevator but you probably won't have noticed until you go back because the overwhelming sensation of the Bonaventure is concrete and glass circles) continue the theme by hiding rooms around a concrete pillar. You can't see from A to B but there are always at least two ways to reach it. And with that, you enter the room itself. The room too is filled with odd angles (though as much with sharp corners as gentle curves. The cutout partially visible in the roof here is nature's favourite shape, the heptagon). All of this is to say, what were we greeted with when we got to our room? Two rooms with matching TVs, stands, and perched remotes such as to strongly imply a floor-to-ceiling mirror instead of a passageway. Don't worry, I did make my friends do the Duck Soup mirror thing
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- a space between rooms of a hotel suite that looks like a mirror
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #object/television #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
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- a space between rooms of a hotel suite that looks like a mirror
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #object/television #place/USA/California/Los Angeles
Truly, my only real complaint about this bizarre hotel is that the angle of the hallway outside the full bathroom was angled such that the full-size mirror on the wall couldn't reflect the 90º mirrors within the bathroom. Foreseeing this complaint, the staff at the Westin Bonaventure positioned the makeup mirror on a telescoping arm so you could at least take a picture of yourself taking a picture of yourself taking a picture of yourself
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- a selfie in a mirror as viewed from that same mirror
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- #architecture/building/hotel/Bonaventure #camera/selfie #object/camera #object/mirror #place/USA/California/Los Angeles #reflection
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- a tree full of white flowers
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- #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/part/flower #plants/tree/Crab Apple
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- pink flowers
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- #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/part/flower #plants/tree/Crab Apple
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- small green flowers
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- #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/forb/spurge/Mediterranean #plants/part/flower
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- white flowers
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- #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/part/flower #plants/tree/Crab Apple
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- white flowers
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- #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/part/flower #plants/tree/Crab Apple
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- a metal plate on a building painted to match the brick and concrete around it
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- white flowers
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- #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/River Heights #plants/part/flower #plants/tree/Crab Apple
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- a brick wall
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- #material/brick #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/Exchange District
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- a brick wall
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- #material/brick #place/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/Exchange District #shadow