Party Politics

I didn't think this was possible, but Seattle is more fired up about Obama than Brooklyn. You might recall that I just drove across the country, and of all the places I've seen, I would venture to say that Seattle is actually the most fired-up. I think it must come from the sense that we're in somewhat of a swing state; the Republican candidate for governor is doing well in the polls, and it would not be hard to imagine Washington going for McCain if he hadn't become so diabolically grumpy. I don't think there's any question that Obama will win here—but you get more of a feeling that people have had to work hard for it over this long election season.

Consequently, election night is going to be nuts – there are a bunch of different parties around town, and a lot of them look fun. Current polling, however, suggests we have found our winner:

It's at the War Room, which occupies this beautiful building on Pike Street…

…and it's hosted by General Bonkers' own Kerri Harrop (aka Cherry Canoe). Miss Canoe is to party-throwing as Barack Obama is to campaigning. She is also really…really obsessed with Tom Brokaw. This magical combination means that nerds like myself will not want for news coverage, and good-time party folks like myself will enjoy a good-time party.

There is no cover. (Also, among other perks, Skillet Street Food will be parked outside all night. I mentioned their bacon jam in a post way back in March and I'm excited to meet it again.)

Here are all the details, see you there:

(Design obsessives may also be interested to know that Shepard Fairey did the posters and flyers, and the identity for the club itself.)

The Unseen Hand

.Emily found this great British Vogue photography book in Bozeman, Montana. It discusses the process of how the magazine has worked with photographers over the years, and features a bunch of outtakes, contact sheets, re-touching notes, correspondence, etc.

Here are some highlights (click to enlarge).

Michael Cooper, 1965

Helmut Newton, 1966

A 22 year-old David Bailey's first contribution to Vogue, 1960. The letter is an interesting read: "In return for this guarantee, it is understood you will do no editorial work for either Harpers Bazaar or the Queen."

Norman Parkinson, 1958 and 1960.

John Deakin, 1952. ("I am very worried about John Deakin at the moment, since he is obviously a very sick man, and should not really be working at all. As you know, he has noone to look after him, and in his present condition he is finding it extremely difficult to wash, shave, etc., and I think that the whole business is beginning to get him down.")

Ellen Von Unwerth, 1991. (Really classic and beautiful compared to some of her later work—this reminds me of a higher contrast Peter Lindbergh.)

Unknown, 1974. (Looks a little like later Sam Haskins, or Jeanloup Sieff in color.)

Guy Bourdin, 1971 and 1970.

Just Jaeckin, 1967.

Bob Richardson, 1966.

Don Honeyman, 1952.

Horst, 1949.

Guy Bourdin, 1977. (I would not be surprised if this shoot was the inspiration for the current Versace campaign by Mario Testino, below.)

The Magical Fruit

I'm a sucker for old-west typography and I like beans a real lot, so this can is doing it for me.

New Acquisitions, part 4: Bismarck

There's a chance we just missed the cool part of Bismarck, North Dakota, since we just cruised through it real quick-like, but I gotta say it seemed pretty lame at first glance. They do have Taco del Mar though and there was a great thrift store downtown:

Tough record but somehow it makes sense to find it in North Dakota. It's for trade if anyone needs it. Here's a sample:
Don Randi The Fox mp3 (produced by David Axelrod)

I predict that upon seeing this, Chad will say "that will either be the best record you own, or the worst record you own," and I agree. (I still haven't listened to most of my finds because everything's in boxes, including turntables.)

Weird and freaky, had to get it. I think it's a polka record but the dude was clearly a perv.

I calculated a small chance that the elderly woman at the counter might refuse to sell this to me.

This has the theme from Downhill Racer, which is not an easy soundtrack to find. It's weird how much Downhill Racer has come up on this blog, it's not even that great a movie. Aesthetically cool though.

This guy looks like Robin Williams but he has made some good records and this one might be good too, we'll see.

Never heard of it but I'm a sucker for soundtracks of any kind.

One cool thing about this record is that the basketball has the texture of a real basketball…it's pretty exciting.
David Shire Books & Basketball mp3

This is a CD actually. Still catching up from the entire decade I didn't really listen to any new rock music. This is kind of a mellow one for Mudhoney.
Mudhoney In My Finest Suit mp3

And finally:

First Rays

One of the first things we did when we got to Seattle was head for Ray's Boathouse.

The clams are right and the view is amazing.

When it's cold out, you can still sit on the deck, because they provide blankets.

This is Ray and his wife.
It's weird as heck to be back in Seattle and it's going to take awhile to get settled. We've been in limbo for a really long time, and that is going to continue for a bit – we're living with my mom until mid-January when our tenants are out and we can move into our own place. But man, the natural beauty here is undeniable, and I'm psyched to get to know the city again.

New Acquisitions, part 3: Fargo

Couldn't pass this up for $2.82.

The drummer's name is Marty McFunky and there are some cover tunes with possibility.

Wow. I had to have this.

Dope style, and I'm a fan of Kristofferson productions.

Produced by Danny Kortchmar. We'll see.

Some really good early Pink Floyd, when they were "The Pink Floyd." This is for trade if anyone needs it.

Not sure but the price was right. Could be good.

Ditto this. It's always worth picking up the local stuff when there are cover songs that might be good, and your net loss if not is forty-seven cents.

So yeah, a weird little haul in Fargo, North Dakota. I've got a bunch more to post from Bismarck, Bozeman, Missoula, Moscow and Palouse, and not just records…but I'm going to space it out a little (and hopefully be able to add audio where it's worthwhile).

Sorry for the erratic and lurching posting schedule of late – we've had much less web access than expected, so I'm going to be catching up on all the end-of-road posts and then hopefully get back on schedge.

Always liked to hear about the old timers.

I didn't take many pictures in or around Moscow, because I know I'll be back there a lot and I figure I might as well spread it out. Moscow is across the Idaho-Washington border from Pullman, and the general region in which they sit is called the Palouse – it's often called the most fertile farmland in the entire country. When we headed out for Seattle, Emily and I drove through a bunch of small towns around there.

My great-great-grandpa homesteaded near the actual town of Palouse, just across the Washington border, in the early 1870s. Their homestead is not far from Emily's parents' farm – something neither of us realized for quite awhile after we met.

National Geographic did a story on the Palouse in the early '80s. This is an aerial photo of Frieze church and cemetery, where some of my relatives are. It's way out on a dirt road. I always forget how to find it.

My grandpa's mom died when he was 8, and his dad died four years later. He and his brother John ended up raising themselves, living in a little cabin down the road from the church. It's still there – it's the little building you see on the right in the photo above.

The whole region is really cool – there's a big mix of old and new.

One of the major reasons I'm excited to be back in the Northwest is to be closer to my family and history, and I'm excited to go back to the Palouse and explore. I was glad to get that little review/preview before heading West into the sunset on the last day of our trip.