1463. I will cop to being fooled by the article at Daily Observations that I linked to yesterday (rather effusively) about the idea of a Calatrava-designed symphony hall rising in Portland.
Two things to add about that one:
- I'm hardly a biggie around here so maybe it won't matter too much, but I've got to publicly tip my hat to DO blogger Charles Noble for what has got to be the coolest, smartest, deftest foolie I've ever been snowed by. I am still impressed by the level of intellect required to mix in Santiago Calatrava, a symphony orchestra, and April Fools Day (note to self–check the date next time something like that happens). It's not often that one gets pwned but doesn't feel embarrassed by it. This, peoples, was true art.
- The joke was noticed outside of our area, by a gimlet eyed editor at the Record Searchlight, the paper of record (and perhaps of any searchlights) of the metropolis of the Shasta Cascade. Silas Lyons has his own witty commentary on Charles's joke, with a comparatively-extensive quite from my own blog. So now I'm bad, I'm regionwide.
In as much as the remark was characaterized as a "nice subtle dig" at Redding, I'd like to say at this time that no disrespect was meant toward the metropolis of the Shatsta Cascade, an area that is gorgeous and for which I wrote something of a love letter (though in my own highly-nimitable style) to in this discourse (and allied discourses).
Regrettably, my experience with Redding was limited to about 20 minutes each way to and from Sacramento on a shotgun gotta-go-gotta-go trip, each way spent on a rest break at the Shell station next to the Sundial Grill at Exit 1 on State Route 44. I was able to see the Sundial Bridge from the highway bridge over the Sacramento River as we came in. It's remarkable. And the bathroom at the Shell station was very clean. I'd recommend it to any I-5 traveller in a hurry.
By saying that a Calatrava in Redding is unexpected thing it's in the "hidden gem in an out of the way place" sort of way. All sorts of things are sometimes found in unexpected places (like red Republican voters here in Portland or culture in Salem or a coherent thought in my own blog).
All that said, I take nothing remiss at the characterization of the remark as a dig: as a native Oregonian, I understand hometown pride as well as anyone else. Because at the nut of it, I think me and Mr Lyons would agree on one point with a Calatrava in Portland:
Still, not a bad idea, eh?
On that we can completely agree.
Tags: bloggage, Redding CA, Calatrava, April Fool, ZehnKatzen, Sundial Bridge
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