It's no big secret that I love my city. I do. It's the biggest small town in America and I like it. But today? Well, today I fell a little more in love with it. See, a couple months ago the City opened a new park/art exhibit/playground called Citygarden and I went there today. Holy smokes, is it fantastic. I was amazed by the size of it, how beautiful it was, that there were actually people congregated somewhere downtown on a Saturday, and by the amount of fun everyone was having. Projects like this are supposed to bring communities closer together and this one certainly does.
Described in the brochure as, "a project of the City of Saint Louis funded by Gateway Foundation, (Citygarden) has carved out three acres in the heart of downtown and transformed them into an exhilarating urban oasis featuring modern and contemporary sculptures, lush landscape, reflecting pools, a cafe and playful spray plaza. You won't find walls or fences, admission fees or do not touch signs, because at Citygarden you are always free."
And the motto? "FREE TO EXPLORE. FREE TO PLAY. FREE TO FEEL INSPIRED." Snap.
By the time I left the garden, I was soaked from playing in the fountains and my face hurt from laughing so hard with the kids. I also left with twelvety-thousand pictures which I narrowed down to the best forty-two and made this slide show for you. Yeah, just for you so you should watch it and tell me nice things about my camera work.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
25 comments:
Hahahha, it is not wrong to want to make out with a city, that's how I felt in 2000 when my city had the Olympics, Citygarden looks awesome especially the bunnies and the fountains, you have mad camera skillz and of course you should buy the wellies, because you should buy everything possible in leopard print.
*phew!*
Those photos are great! And St Louis looks amazing! They've done a seriously good job with their project, it makes me want to go there and sit on the giant bunnies and play in the water jets (those babies near the end of the slideshow actually made my uterus twitch)
And yes! You should get those wellies, they look super cute with your dungarees ;)
Ps: These are the wellies I want:
http://www.mr-shoes.co.uk/womens/productdetail.aspx?id=4391&cid=194&catid=35
... now I just need the boyfriend to go with them :P
Of course you should get the wellies, they are cute!! Looks like you had a blast.
What a fantastic project, and well done. It reminds me a LOT of Millennium Park in Chicago. When I was there I took a million pictures of babies in the fountains, too! Also, your overalls are adorable. I don't know what wellies are, but I defer to the judgment of the three ladies commenting before me.
What a beautiful place! I don't there is anything wrong with making out with a city as good as yours. :)
Cheers!
-Sandy (The Village Idiot.)
I thought those photos were fantastic! Some of them really were taken at the perfect moment, I thought. It really looks like a great place to hang out- I'm for anything that can bring that many people together in a positive way.
I think you should get them.
Awesome photo shoot!!!!
BTW, they call me city so making out should be just fine.
Oh yeah, buy the boots although I am picturing a totally different outfit:)
My first visit here, and I was expecting some hip urban irony. Instead, I was entranced by your hot summer day pictures. You make me love your city and I've never been there. They should put your pics on their public relations site.
what a great thing to have in your city! And I think there was a lady Olympic archer that was in love with her bow and named it, and then she fell in love with the golden gate bridge (and then became horrible at archery) and then she fell in love with the Eiffel Tower- who is a woman- and they had a wedding ceremony....
anyway, wanting to make-out with your city seems pretty tame in comparison.
and buy the wellies. everyone should own something fun to go around in the rain with :)
I still think St Louis is the most boring place in America, but you are slowly changing my mind. I would bet anything, though, that you could have fun anywhere... so I take that into consideration.
Either way, I bet my boss $100 that the Royals would win 80 games this year. I know you have a fitted Pujols shirt (note: awesome! Especially in the Show Me State) but that you don't like baseball. Can you at least post something about the OTHER team out there? What is going on with them?
That park looks like a giant grown-up playground - of course you'd want to make out with your city if it's full of pure win like this! Although I have to say that the best part about these excellent photos was... your fantastic overalls. If everyone in St Louis wears groovy gear like that, I'm on the next plane there :)
I love your city too- though I don't think I've made out with it yet in as much as I let it give me a quick kiss (no tongue) and a boob squeeze.
Buy the wellies- how cute and fun would those be the next time it rains?
Girl Int: OMG! Those wellies are excellent! You get yours, and I'll get mine . . .
SOAT: Glad to see you back on the web! You make laugh, hard.
Mike: The Royals? Who are they? I wasn't aware Missouri was governed by a monarchy. ;)
Whiskeygirl: So you got as far with my city as I got with you?
Great pictures! Looks like so much fun! Yes to the Wellies.
WOW How cool is that? Excuse the pun!
Looks FUN FUN FUN. Are those water fountain ponds meant to be swam in? I'll bring my suit the next time I'm in town!
- Jennifer
"the biggest small town in America"
Now that's where I get stuck. I don't know what a small town is in America, nor do I know what a large village is, or a small city, or a large hamlet. I can't work out how big your small town is. Arrrgh.
First...you take great pictures! Second...that little baby girl is so cute I might have taken her (well maybe). Third...I love the gardens and agree it's a great place.
I just knew the police would be involved.
Great pics! I have only been a few times and it was winter. And, lacking all the pizazz of these photos for sure.
What great pictures! I love your sculpture park and you in your jaunty cap ;)
It makes me wish I lived in a bigger city.
BTW - Not to rain a staph infection on your parade, but don't go dippin your cute little blue toes in that water if you have an open sore. There's a lotta wet diapers up in there. Just sayin.
The wellies should do the trick.
It's been a while since I've been to down town STL on a weekend, but it sure could have used something like this to breathe a little life into it. Good to see the city bigwigs are willing to try ideas other than gambling to revitalize it.
Would it be wrong to make out with those wellies?! 'Cuz those are beauties!!
Fun photography project, Gwen. I smiled the whole way through. Bravo!! :-)
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