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What about those balcony things?  Don't you overlook the high line when you're out on them? They seem like a bit of clever advertising...

Dec 14, 15 11:12 pm  · 
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Hi TC! Just kicked off a project for Q1 today at work. Supposed to be some snow overnight.

Saw De La Soul with Big Poo this weekend.

I have read limited Ballard.

TTFN...

Dec 15, 15 12:55 am  · 
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Miles, nice to hear you like the Whitney. I have to admit the High Line is gorgeous and wonderful in every way; it's hard for me to admit that, because I'm still (and eternally) pissed off at DSR for demolishing the Folk Art Museum, but the High Line is really, really good.

I just hope DSR doesn't win the Pritzker.

 

Big Poo is a band name, I'm guessing? Or is that a typo, Nam?

Dec 15, 15 9:23 am  · 
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Seems like half of the High Line is covered with construction scaffold.

Ballard was just an apocalyptic writer for me until I read Empire of the Sun. Then he was an apocalyptic writer, but it all made sense.

Dec 15, 15 10:16 am  · 
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3tk

Love the Whitney - there was some strange issue with connecting it to the HL, though the friends of the HL have walkout access.  My biggest issue with the HL is in the detailing - some areas just look like they were drawn to make it look a certain way w/o consideration for construction/maintenance/performance - I'm assuming phase three is a temporary installation given how poor it is.  The simple things like where lighting and outlets go could have made it so much better (especially given the cost).  The amount of maintenance is pretty amazing - too bad the rest of the parks in town don't have the same.

Dec 15, 15 10:39 am  · 
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Donna actually yes and yes. Is name of a rapper but also should be spelled Big Pooh (of former Little Brother fame).

We had like 5-8 inches this AM. I need to get me a all wheel drive vehicle... Drive was quite interesting.

Dec 15, 15 10:42 am  · 
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archiwutm8

get a Subaru WRX.

Dec 15, 15 10:58 am  · 
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3tk, it does seem the Hig Line only looks as good as it does because of a vast army of maintenance elves that come out after dark. Probably unpaid slave labor elves, in fact.

Dec 15, 15 11:08 am  · 
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curtkram

i just got a jeep renegade about 5 months ago.  then it got totalled out in an accident, so i got another one last weekend.  i haven't had a chance to try it out in denver snow, but i would recommend it.  it appears to have higher ground clearance than a subaru wrx, so if nothing else that might come in handy.

Dec 15, 15 11:14 am  · 
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JLC-1

Nam, look for clearance, sometimes the plows make big mounds on the intersections and no matter how many wheels are driving you get stuck, floating on snow.  I had to ram through on my neighborhood stop light this morning, and I drive a mazda 3, with very little clearance, but I like the front wheel drive better than the all wheel, it keeps pulling. And tires, studless winter tires make a world of difference. Friendly advice from up the mountains

Dec 15, 15 11:15 am  · 
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When I was in the Pacific Northwest this past fall I rented a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk for the week and absolutely loved it. It was too early in the season to encounter any snow, but I was able to romp around a bit on some dirt logging roads in the Oregon Cascades. It's the exact model I plan on buying once I move out there.

It gets decent gas mileage for a small SUV, and the V6 version has plenty of pickup. Apparently there have been some reliability problems with the transmission on the 4-cylinder version, but I haven't heard of any such issues with the V6.

Dec 15, 15 11:31 am  · 
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archiwutm8

I need a new car soon-ish, me and the partner are planning to do a Nordic/Northern Europe trip. any suggestions?

Dec 15, 15 11:36 am  · 
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Thanks for advice all. Definitely need snow tires, right now just have "all season" and looking at something with some clearance like a Jeep Renegade/Patriot or maybe Subaru Crosstrek or Outback. Although part of me feels like getting a Subaru is a total stereotype of a Coloradan.

Dec 15, 15 11:36 am  · 
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I'd avoid the Patriot. I think it uses the same V6 as the old Jeep Liberty, and it was notorious for being an underpowered gas guzzler.

Dec 15, 15 11:43 am  · 
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Good to know!

Dec 15, 15 11:46 am  · 
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JeromeS

Architects love jeeps- who knew!

Just bought one myself as a restoration project - 1982 Cherokee, Man-sized

Dec 15, 15 11:47 am  · 
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I think we're drawn to vehicles that are distinctive in appearance, like Jeep, Volvo, Saab (RIP), etc. When you look at most Jeep models, there's no mistaking it for a Nissan or a Ford.

Top Gear did a great tribute to Saab, and noted how popular they were with architects. Now that Saab is no more, I guess we had to move on to other makes.

If money, fuel economy, and reliability were no objects I'd buy a Range Rover in a heartbeat. I absolutely love their design; I just wish they had Toyota's reliability.

Dec 15, 15 11:53 am  · 
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I find some of the H/L detailing to be superb. For example, the way pavers were cast to extrude out of the walk and into benches.

Also the stacked wood seating detailed to show stacks of end grain, making it appear like solid stacks of lumber. Unfortunately it wasn't carried out consistently - it's missing from the amphitheater.

Nam - I'm hoping the 5-8" you're talking about is not the Big Pooh.

Dec 15, 15 12:02 pm  · 
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JLC-1

I drove a 1986 Saab until the front left wheel fell off, then I moved to a 2006 until the factory closed, one of the biggest f*ups in car manufacturing, Swedish should have chosen Saab over Volvo, but hey, it's politics!

Dec 15, 15 12:17 pm  · 
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JeromeS

^^I think we're drawn to vehicles that are distinctive...

I have been working on rebuilding the door panels and have them nearly complete. However, before I re-assemble the doors and gaskets, I should clean/eliminate any surface rust.  In order to protect the clean metal, I have to research the primer I want to use.  In order to determine that, I have to decide what type of paint, before that I need to determine what my final finish is, including budget, etc.

I talk about all this with my wife.  She says "why are you thinking so much?"

Because, I... am... ARCHITECT!

Dec 15, 15 12:33 pm  · 
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I love the Jeep Cherokee, but if I move to Bainbridge Island I may be legally required to own a Volvo.

Dec 15, 15 12:59 pm  · 
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tduds

I think we're drawn to vehicles that are distinctive in appearance

As someone who just spent 3 months hunting down the perfect Volvo wagon, I would agree.

Dec 15, 15 1:31 pm  · 
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mightyaa

lol... I had a Saab too; 9-3 Viggen.  Was great in the snow.   For the snow commute this morning, my wife drove us in her Acura MDX (she loves them and is on her 3rd).  My snow beater is a '80 International Harvester Scout II...

Dec 15, 15 1:48 pm  · 
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JeromeS

Nice on the Scout!

Dec 15, 15 1:50 pm  · 
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Carrera

The High Line is attached to Diane Von Furstenberg’s flagship store and doesn’t have a door to get into the store from the HL…and she donated $20 million to the HL…the HL feels like a street but is protected as a park, otherwise it would become a street.

Agree Miles on the HL & Whitney detailing, my favorite HL detail was this one where a sheet of fresh water washes over the granite pavers…just enough to cool your feet and not come over the soles of your shoes….brilliant detail.

Dec 15, 15 2:18 pm  · 
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Mr_Wiggin

Nam, there's a reason people drive Subaru's in snow country, and it isn't (generally) to blend in.  As soon as I moved back to the PNW after living in California, I bought a used Forester, never regretted the decision.  Unmatched when it came to driving on ice covered roads, even the bald tires I inherited on it didn't do much to effect it's handling on snow and ice.  Perfect for ski trips and camping, comfortable on the long treks across Montana I used to do in the summer.  Living in Texas I no longer had a reason for the AWD, but if I somehow end up back home in the northwest, I'll probably get another Suby.

Dec 15, 15 3:27 pm  · 
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Subarus are excellent cars. My husband has a WRX and it's his favorite car in a lifetime of driving dozens and dozens of cars. We had an Outback as our "baby car" and I loved it, it stuck to the road like no other AWD I've ever had.

I've said it here before: I'll never not drive a Miata, but if money was no object I'd buy a 1970s Landcruiser FJ to restore fully - for icy days only.

Dec 15, 15 4:10 pm  · 
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archiwutm8

I'm a huge JDM fan, massive fan of majority of Japanese cars. I would love to get a Mitsubishi Evo or a Nissan GTR... ..time to get a new car.

Dec 16, 15 4:35 am  · 
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Finally some movement at NYSED after weeks of limbo: They lost my first request to transfer my ARE scores to Ohio, and when I sent my second request (this time via overnight delivery with a tracking number), it was being passed around like a broken toy between three different departments who all thought it was either some other department's or NCARB's job to handle it. I finally got in touch with a supervisor this morning who was able to track it down and agree to personally handle it, so I'm feeling slightly more optimistic that Ohio will get my credentials sometime this year. Still waiting for NCARB to transmit my IDP record, but I've been assured that it's in the pipeline.

Starting to think more seriously about moving to Seattle as soon as possible rather than waiting until the end of April. The earliest realistic date would probably be the end of January or whenever I get my tax refund.

Pros:

  • Arrive in Seattle much sooner, as I feel like I'm stuck in a ditch here in Cincinnati career-wise. (I've literally done nothing but draft wall sections every day for the past five months.)
  • It would mean applying to jobs out there as a local candidate, and being able to come in for interviews and start work on much shorter notice.
  • More time and flexibility to find a permanent housing situation.
  • Lower upfront expense.

Cons:

  • It would mean putting all my stuff into storage, breaking my lease, and finding temporary housing and living out of a suitcase for a while. I'd have to fly back to Cincinnati at some future date to move my stuff.
  • Leaving my current job here without having one lined up out there would be like jumping off a cliff without a parachute, although I may be able to work remotely for a while. (My current employer technically has a new Seattle office, although I don't think it's much more than a desk and a telephone at this point.)
  • I'd have to live without a car out there for a while.
  • Higher overall expense.
Dec 16, 15 11:05 am  · 
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Carrera

^ I’m sure it will all work out….

Dec 16, 15 11:46 am  · 
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Parachutes only exist in your imagination. And living without a car sounds really good to me.

Dec 16, 15 11:47 am  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Can you work it so you can help launch your current employer's Seattle office? 

Dec 16, 15 11:47 am  · 
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I'd be open to the possibility, but there's some additional factors involved that I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing here.

Dec 16, 15 11:53 am  · 
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archiwutm8

Come London, we have a shit load of positions open for senior and mid level architects.

Dec 16, 15 12:36 pm  · 
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I've been to London a couple times and absolutely love it, and I've even considered the possibility of moving there, but the housing prices there make NYC look like a bargain. And unless some kind of reciprocity agreement is established between RIBA and NCARB, I'd pretty much have to start over from scratch with the professional registration process.

Dec 16, 15 1:28 pm  · 
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archiwutm8

Housing isn't that bad unless you want to live 30minutes away from Central London, if you earn a decent wage you'd make it. We literally have so many posts open and no skilled force to fill them up and its the same in all AEC industry. There are so many American architects working here too but I'm not too sure how it all works out with the RIBA.

I get several calls everyday asking me to come in for interviews all and the salary is quite respectable considering my age.

Dec 16, 15 1:53 pm  · 
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If Grimshaw wants to hire me as a PA on their new Euston Station project, I'd consider it. Otherwise I think I'd rather be someplace where I have some giant douglas-fir trees outside my bedroom window and some snowcapped mountains within an hour's drive. Always happy to visit London on vacation, though... I still keep my Oyster card in my wallet.

Dec 16, 15 3:29 pm  · 
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JLC-1

I'm with you David, I moved to Europe in 2007 to work on "world class" projects, clients were Saudis, Germans, Russians, speculating like crazy, enormous master plans, villas, hotels, marinas, etc. all the bling you can imagine....until 2008 came around and all went to the toilet; then I came back to the beautiful mountains of Colorado and never looked back. I'm happy looking at ski runs from my desk.

Dec 16, 15 4:05 pm  · 
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Last year I briefly worked for a firm that did tons of uber-luxury residential work in NYC. I loved the rigor of the design work, but it seemed like every single person involved with those projects was a complete sociopath. Imagine a room full of Donald Trumps as your client. I pretty much decided then that I'd much rather go back to higher ed, civic, and nonprofit projects. I'd love to do something like a visitor center at a national park someday.

Now that I follow a bunch of Seattle-area media outlets on social media, I'm seeing photos from all the ski resorts in the Cascades as they open for the season. I've never gone skiing before, but I want to take some lessons as soon as I can. I imagine it involves lots of sitting around in front of a big stone fireplace in a lodge while sipping a glass of scotch. I think I'd be pretty good at that.

Dec 16, 15 4:18 pm  · 
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archiwutm8

Sure the city isn't for everyone, but for me it's the opposite. I absolutely love the anonymity I get whilst in the city, strange I know. Born and bred in a mega urban has shaped me to love everything that it gives me, I'm absolutely fascinated in mega urbans and the cracks of it. Everytime I leave to go to a quieter place with trees and stuff, I like it for a moment but then it irks me that eyes are upon me.

Dec 16, 15 5:30 pm  · 
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I lived in NYC for five years, Chicago for 11 years, and Los Angeles for almost a year, so I definitely appreciate the big city life. NYC and London in particular have that electric vibe that only a major global city can have, and it's like a drug to me. But the long-term exposure was killing me, and the burnout was getting more severe the older I got. Seattle appeals to me because it's a big enough city where I can fade into the crowd and take advantage of cultural amenities if I want, but it's also small enough that I can get outside the city on weekends without having to drive through a hundred miles of sprawl. Cincinnati, by contrast, feels like a much smaller city than its population numbers would indicate. You can't take a shit here without everybody in town knowing what color it was.

Dec 16, 15 5:49 pm  · 
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snooker-doodle-dandy

archiwutm8

Do they hire old men....I'm tired of working for myself? Thinking seriously about  hanging up the T-Square and becoming a  wanderer....Have Brain Will Travel.

Dec 16, 15 6:40 pm  · 
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Bump to move the troll down the page.

Dec 16, 15 8:56 pm  · 
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archiwutm8

Old man? Depends but senior level roles are in serious need of skills at the moment even if you want to be a BIM person which is the most needed at the moment due to the 2016 mandate which requires all government projects over 2million (I'm not 100% sure on the figure) to be BIM compliant in a few days. Every firm now is panicking and on a hiring spree offering ridiculous wages to anyone that understands anything about BIM workflows. This includes engineers, architects, surveyors and almost every other profession in our field.

Dec 17, 15 2:10 am  · 
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This morning I have the Star Wars cantina scene song stuck in my head. Thanks, NPR!

Dec 17, 15 8:35 am  · 
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National Propaganda Radio.

As Carlin said, why let others decide what you are going to listen to?

Dec 17, 15 9:28 am  · 
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mightyaa

Damn you Donna!  Now that theme is in my head.. :P

Dec 17, 15 10:24 am  · 
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.....and it had exited mine, but now that I clicked on this thread again, it's back. Sorry, everyone!

You guys I'm really giggling over how everyone is losing their shit over that Mark Foster Gage "proposal". It's hilarious.

Dec 17, 15 11:04 am  · 
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curtkram

we should all be waiting in line at the theater.  would be a much better use of time compared to showing up to work.

Dec 17, 15 11:53 am  · 
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^ My thoughts exactly.

Dec 17, 15 12:05 pm  · 
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