One Booches, hold the cars

It's not often you see Booche's without any cars parked in front of it.  This was taken a few years ago during that fortuitous juncture between the end of spring semester and the beginning of summer school. 

Seize the night

This address on Locust Street has been reiterated in several different guises during my personal tenure in Columbia.  The first I remember was Mom's Tattoo, probably one of the earlier tattoo parlors in downtown Columbia.  Prior to that it was, at some point, a location for Acorn Books.  A few years ago it was Carpe Diem, a kind of latter day salon for gatherings and ideas.  It currently houses a Polish restaurant, by all accounts serving simple and delicious food.  I think that when I photographed it on this particular night, Carpe Diem had just about seized its last day in this location. 

Niedermeyer in snow

I think I was initially attracted by the graceful curve of the stairway to the old Niedermeyer Hotel.  The interplay between the rigid linearity of the iron handrail and the delicate, playful curvature of the concrete forms flanking the edges was something that demanded my attention.  I've tried to photograph this stairway before, but was unable to do it any justice until it was nearly covered in snow. 

The Bull Pen

The pink neon of the Bull Pen Cafe reflected in the driver's side window of my 1974 Dodge Dart.  I sold the car back in 2002, and I think the Bull Pen closed in 2003 or so.  Connection?  I doubt it.  But they did serve an amazing breakfast.

College Avenue Car Wash on a quiet night

No waiting at the car wash...