Monday, October 20, 2008

Anna's Asian House Restaurant Back Apartment


Among the vibrant features that small towns usually already have in place is the classic arrangement of "living above the store". When residential uses and commercial buildings blend and integrate, people mix easily into the pulse of activity that makes a town feel alive. When that happens orgaincally, that is to say, one building at a time, then the textures of the various generations get woven into a distinctive whole. When you see the upper Main Street commercial district, you see a place where old and new lives, and multiple ways of seeing the world, come together to create a unique street history that can only be where it uniquely is: Willits.

Circulating about town without the armor and anonymity of a car means seeing and connecting with people, not just acting out the pre-scripted advertising idea of ourselves with our "stuff" gathered from distantly programmed shopping experiences. Having said that, the irony is not lost on me that the lane running along the bottom of this picture is for the Bank of Willits drive-through teller.

11 comments:

Laurie Allee said...

Great photo and brilliant commentary. (And that great pink color!) Thanks, Elaine.

Hilda said...

That last line made this post for me! :D

I think Fifi's going to love that apartment!

Kym said...

I enjoyed this post even more than usual. Superb closing....

Saretta said...

Wow, that's hot pink!!! I so agree with your commentary. I am contemplating a post along the same lines...

Anonymous said...

I bet the paint chip was titled "Medicinal Pink"

Petrea Burchard said...

A classic USElaine photo, with your classic voice shining in your prose. Brilliant as usual. Actually, the pink is a little more brilliant than usual.

Pat said...

Pepto Bismol pink! I love houses in bright colors. Agree with your commentary, too.

Tash said...

I love the 5 adjective title & the pink - complimenting Petrea's blue - such teamwork.

Dina said...

Gee Elaine, where did you learn how to write (and think)?! Can I sign up there?

USelaine said...

Thank you all. This building is actually a darker pink than it looks in this picture. It's more fuchsia or magenta without the direct sunlight. But it sure grabbed me on this sunny day of perfectly blue sky.

I sort of got wound up on my land use development soapbox. I'm relieved you don't mind too much.

USelaine said...

Miss H - Where on earth do you find these clean music links of real recordings! I envy your resources.