Uploads from Brian Hoffsis, with geodata

Metropolis

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:42:09 -0700

Mérida Nights

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:35:28 -0800

Above the canopy is where I like to be when traveling. Mind you, not say 100 stories above the next tallest structure, but just a head above the rest. There’s no locale that better gives a lay of the terrain yet keeps you immersed in the happenings below. I still want to inhale the aromas, take-in the song and see facial expressions of neighbors as they do their daily bidding. The experience at night is usually a whole different atmosphere from the day as well. Mérida at night, from the rooftop of my palatial hotel, glowed through the jungle vegetation. A lone yellow cat, probably alert in wait for mousy prey, rests on the wooden bridge to my room. And above my bed there is a private terrace with two round tables sheltered by two green umbrellas where I woke with the radiant morning Mexican sun and confessed to my daily journal.

The Shade Tree

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:35:58 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

www.bfhstudios.com/blog/the-shade-tree/

Forever Standing Strong

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:49:05 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Museum Day

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:52:48 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art buzzes on a rainy mid-summer morning.

www.bfhstudios.com/blog/museum-day/

Forever Indebted

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:19:55 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” - Prime Minister Winston Churchill

Temple of Knowledge

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 05:45:39 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

Among the pillars of truth, liberty and justice mill the worshipers of knowledge. Free to enter and to drink from the springs of humanity.

The Belly of Mexilio

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:10:13 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

“Now somewhere in the belly of the hotel, we were led through a mad labyrinth of narrow staircases – some no more than a foot wide – wood plank bridges, multi-leveled roof-top terraces, secret passages covered by red tile awnings and a forest of greenery to reach our room late the previous night. I don’t expect my fuzzy memory and, evidently, poor natural night-vision to aid me in my daytime escape. Further investigation revealed a full roof-top terrace over our bedroom, complete with stone tables and a white, four- column pergola that provides a home for a pillowing, purple blooming vine.

Early evidence suggests that four-legged felines outnumber people as much as three to one. The Casa Mexilio certainly looks as old as it is and probably has a catalog of stories at least as old as that. The artwork on the walls appears to be original and one can only speculate what dusty masterpieces might be occupying its dark corners. Though the doors and halls are constricting, the ceilings are high and supported by the most rustic of beams, possibly harvested by marauding conquistadors. It is colonial opulence sustained on the riches of 19th century sisal manufactures.”

Campus in Constant Flux

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 04:21:43 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

The Ohio State University has to keep the ball rolling. In the name of ambitious progression the 5th largest city in Ohio (when class is in session) creates a steamroller of downhill momentum when set into motion. A perpetual state of renovation, building, rebuilding and expansion means that the physical campus never looks the same on any two consecutive weeks.

I stumbled on this photo that I took in January of 2011. And while an overall view would appear relatively unchanged at first glance a side-by-side would tell a different story a year and a half later. Off the top of my head I know that Cunz Hall has since completed it’s total makeover. Though obscured, I too know that there is a brand new road that wouldn’t have been present in this photo. John H. Herrick Drive travels east and west just south of Lincoln Tower Park that’s at the very center of the photo. This park I fear too is not long for this world. Surly the developers are circling that vacant space as we speak. I hear that this summer Ohio Stadium has undergone some upgrades including a brand spankin new scoreboard crowning South Stands. Probably the biggest change would be the new large chiller building that is absent west of the group of buildings to the south. Don’t blink folks, those tuition increases are truly being put to visible improvements.

The Christmas Spirit

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 03:37:33 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

New York City is one of the great harbingers of the magical Christmas spirit. From the moment the Rockefeller Christmas tree is set ablaze the city swirls with a dreamy energy whisked by brisk winter winds whipping down long deep canyons of steel and stone. It spins bodies on ice skates like tops. It dances with sparkling flakes of snow, which add the final touches to remarkably unreal window displays. It infects the soul and knows no immunity.

Lobbying

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:27:58 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

Only a few years earlier the dusty and combat-hardened General entered the hotel lobby for the first time. Since so many before him had been removed of their duty the new Commander of all Union Armies went entirely unrecognized to the multitudes of distinguished guests of the Willard Hotel. It was here that the men who churned the war machine and conducted the day-to-day operations of a fractured nation frantically met and congregated.

Maybe it was this invisibility that frequently lured the General back to this very spot. Now donning the title President and only five years more the wise, possibly no man had ever risen to prominence so far and so fast. Instead of leaping into the whirl of combat as he did on his ascent, Ulysses S. Grant was now looking to flee it.

But Grant’s secret garden would soon be as short-lived as his remarkable success. Before long those interested in requesting attendance with the President and jilted by his ever growing absence discovered his private safe-haven. Once again the lobby of the Willard Hotel swarmed with the unfortunate vultures of Democracy. Forever to be know as Lobbyists Grant was unable to conquer one of the greatest foes of his Presidency.

The Grand Experiment

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:03:48 -0800

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

“The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of government, are justly considered deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”

- George Washington

The Witch, the Dwarf and the King

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 06:52:09 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

“. . . before the ground was occupied by the unique oval-based pyramid and symbol of Uxmal, it was home to a Maya witch. Distraught over being childless, she fabricated an egg from which bore a dwarf she claimed as her son. Perhaps due to his unusual conception, insecurities surrounding his stature or the stigma of being the offspring of a witch, he never quite “fit-in” with the rest of the social conventions of the contemporary Maya of Uxmal. However, his mother knew differently and foresaw that her son would someday be a great king. Eager to see the prophecy fulfilled, she convinced the dwarf to go to the Governor’s Palace and challenge the reigning king to a series feats of strength. Confident in his odds, the king obliged. To his dismay and despite his best efforts, he couldn’t best the small man in any of the challenges. Irate and embarrassed, the king then ordered the dwarf to construct a house higher than any other in the city by dawn or be executed. When the sun rose on Uxmal the next morning, there stood the Pyramid of the Magician, one of the most beautiful structures ever constructed by the Maya, in all its glory.

With many iterations, the legend of Pyramid of the Magician is obviously fanciful and enigmatic if not down right bizarre. Dating at least as far back as the Spanish conquest, the story’s origins are as mysterious as its meaning. There appears to be no evidence to support any of its claims. In fact, archaeological excavations show the Pyramid was built over a long period of time in five separate phases. The tale is neither a parable nor an allegory. It simply is.”

Sidecar

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 06:52:10 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

“The beautification projects, some of which we witnessed on our drive in, were numerous and even ambitious considering the size of the settlement. Our small-statured host explained that the newly laid cobblestone streets below our feet were in-between phases, awaiting setting with large quantities of the local red clay, and advised us to watch our steps. Tired from the specifics my eyes wandered down to the lapel of his embroidered uniform where, just above the seal on his badge, read “Polícia Touristica de Izamal.”

America’s Archival Jewel

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 07:16:47 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

The Sanctum of Liberty

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:49:33 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

As we approached Capitol Hill the early morning sun was now blocked by the massive US Capitol Building and its facade was taking shape. For the twenty five minutes we walked along Pennsylvania Avenue, the building was prominent on the horizon at the end of the avenue yet hidden in a wash of light. I felt relieved to finally look directly at the structure, now high overhead, free from a direct view of the sun. Back-lit, the white marble dome obstructed the rays of light now casting a perfect yellow dome-shaped silhouette against the deep blue sky. I first admired the immense scale of the structure. But it was the color that soon consumed my thoughts. Where do they get such white marble? And how do they keep it so bright? Other structures, similar in style and age, that I’ve seen in Europe, seem in constant need of deep cleansing. Their surfaces are stained black from centuries of bombardment from soot and pollutants.

I had thought I had been on a tour of the Capitol Building on a school trip. Though once I entered the remarkable rotunda I was sure I had not. The coffered dome floats high overhead, higher than I anticipated. Lifted like the lid of a jar, it is separated from its rotunda by a ring of light-flooding windows. In the bath of morning light diffused from above, the detailed textures of the white marble and brush strokes of the artwork were now visible when they were not outside. The wedding cake-like layers tell the surprisingly comprehensive history of the nation.

Down below it would never be apparent how early in the morning it was. The floor of the rotunda buzzed with tourists. They huddled, snapped photos and darted about like perfectly synchronized schools of fish. All of this was quite dangerous and the risk of collisions seemed inevitable as all had their heads tilted back and their eyes intently affixed to the lofty dome. I was surprised to not find the hoards of field-tripping children that I expected. Adults, some with children, were in their stead. They were from all walks of life and impressively quiet in the cacophonous space. In the absence of rambunctious screams I heard the murmur of some half-a-dozen languages whispered in restrained respect. The air of the womb over our heads was still and warm. And all in attendance stretched to breath it.

Under Swelling Stone

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 06:53:41 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

It’s difficult to capture the loft of the vaults of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Great Hall. The beautiful use of the round Romanesque arch produces a kind of bubbling effect to the space. It always reminded me of the architecture of the Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum. And maybe rightfully so as each structure has a central nave with three vaulted ceilings and two flanking aisles with three barrel vaults (I found this awesome reconstruction today). All that remains of the Basilica of Maxentius are the three barrel vaults of one aisle. It’s possible that stepping into the Met is the closest we can get to strolling through that largest structure to grace the Forum. Of course minus the giant golden god statues.

Freshly Cut

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:13:42 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

Sun Sets on Doc's

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:09:05 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

Sunrise? Sunset? I’ve always wondered if it’s possible to differentiate the two in a still photo from an unidentifiable location. My novice on the subject leaves me to believe there would be no difference – at least to someone like me. However, I’m sure there is some natural science expert who can make the distinction in the atmospheric differences in subtle hues, cloud density and environmental clues within the mise-en-scène. The atmosphere would be much cooler on sunrise than on sunset possibly contributing to such subtleties. Though as the recent “super moon” teaches us the naked eye truly can’t tell a significant difference in a 15% larger moon. Only when the moon is at the horizon can measurable size be determined. But that’s for another day. I can unequivocally assure that this is a sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

The Edison and Ford Winter Estate

nobody@flickr.com (Brian Hoffsis) — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:20:47 -0700

Brian Hoffsis posted a photo:

When Thomas Edison first visited Fort Myers Florida it must have looked vastly different than today. No nondescript urban sprawl, no budget motels and no 2 for 1 T-shirt shops. In fact little existed in the area aside from the abandoned fort of the city’s namesake. So it’s pretty remarkable that someone of Mr. Edison and Mr. Ford’s celebrity decided to develop their winter estate there and lovingly groom and maintain it for more than half a century. By the time Mina Edison deeded the property to the city in 1947 there’s little doubt that the landscape had independently evolved outside the estate.

All of this is, of course, fortunate for us as there’s now a definitive “there’s nothing like this” space in an otherwise unremarkable city that’s squeezed between Gulf, river and swamp. Not only is the estate a perfect slice of solitude for an afternoon stroll it is more importantly a historical time-capsule. Historians and environmentalists will revel in the ability to view the natural landscape along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River manicured as it was more than a century ago and science and technology buffs will geek-out on seeing the museum quality preservation of one of the world’s greatest scientists and inventors’ workshops and personal living space.