[Leica] An interesting street

[kanner at acm.org (Herbert Kanner)]

California Avenue in Palo Alto California is a street about which I have 
been considering doing a short photo-essay for some time. It is about two 
miles southwest of downtown Palo Alto. While there are a number of shopping 
centers of greater or lesser proportions in a number of neighborhoods, this 
street is sort of a "people" street, having almost every amenity that a 
neighborhood would want, from restaurants with outdoor tables, an art 
gallery (where I first met Bob Adler), a bakery, a grocery, and even a bank. 
Also, the street has a "Farmer's Market" every Sunday morning. The street 
also boasts of the presence of Keeble and Schuchat,  their prices impel me 
to refer to them by a different name.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003116.jpg.html

Because of an unbelievable bureaucratic cock-up, one day every shade tree on 
the street was felled. The popular outrage caused rapid replanting of treats 
that might shade the grandchildren of current occupants. You can seen in the 
photograph, that room for growth has been allowed.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003030.jpg.html

Additionally, the city fathers sweetened the pot by planting some native 
California vegetation--

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003079.jpg.html
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003073.jpg.html and perhaps
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003021.jpg.html .

Also, to further placate the residents, some art work was commissioned--

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003027.jpg.html
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003028.jpg.html
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003034.jpg.html

There was a very nice fountain at one end of this street. But two many times 
impractical jokers added detergent (to make it foam) and blue dye (to make 
it more spectacular) to the water, so the city fathers let it go dry. Now 
it's just an eyesore.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003029.jpg.html

The restaurants make it much of a people's street.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003080.jpg.html
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003070.jpg.html

Finally there is the Farmer's Market on Sunday morning.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003102.jpg.html
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003100.jpg.html

Of course, in a Farmer's Market, people must graze on their purchases:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003092.jpg.html

or, at tables, an amenity which appears to be unique to this Farmer's Market.
 

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/herbk1/L1003105.jpg.html

C&C welcome.

Herb


Herbert Kanner
kanner at acm.org
650-326-8204

Question authority and the authorities will question you.