DC is sort of designed to make you look down. It's not like Manhattan where tourists stumble around, craning their necks to take in the skyscrapers. DC's building codes essentially prohibit the building of skyscrapers. There are a lot of big, shiny condo buildings going up, but, for the most part, DC's relatively flat. The buildings in historic areas are 3-4 stories high, and in neighborhoods like Chinatown, you're not supposed to look up. You're supposed to look at the flashing neon signs and bright colors, marvel at Ann Taylor Loft's Chinese logo, peer into the windows of posh restaurants. Eat here! Shop here! Even the bricks that pave the sidewalks have attention-grabbing Chinese designs interspersed. But if you slow down, take a deep breath, and look up once in a while, you might be surprised at how beautiful the details can be, just above your head.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Looking Up
DC is sort of designed to make you look down. It's not like Manhattan where tourists stumble around, craning their necks to take in the skyscrapers. DC's building codes essentially prohibit the building of skyscrapers. There are a lot of big, shiny condo buildings going up, but, for the most part, DC's relatively flat. The buildings in historic areas are 3-4 stories high, and in neighborhoods like Chinatown, you're not supposed to look up. You're supposed to look at the flashing neon signs and bright colors, marvel at Ann Taylor Loft's Chinese logo, peer into the windows of posh restaurants. Eat here! Shop here! Even the bricks that pave the sidewalks have attention-grabbing Chinese designs interspersed. But if you slow down, take a deep breath, and look up once in a while, you might be surprised at how beautiful the details can be, just above your head.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is worth a look up. I see that it is Eberly Sons. Are they the ones who sang "Kathy's Clown?" On second thought, I think that was the Everly Brothers.
ReplyDelete