Brick and Steel

Photo 49-51: Wandering around Raleigh the other weekend, really gave me an appreciation for the simple things again. It has an all American hometown feel with flags flying on the front porches of Victorian-style houses, Harley-driving men zipping down the highway with the wind wipping at the tassles of their motorcycles, and old Baptist Church choirs singing their hearts out on Sunday mornings as the sun is just coming up. Little bakeries open only for a few hours in the morning, and if you want to grab brunch on a Saturday, you better get there early, otherwise the "French" bistro is closed again if you come too late. As we were driving down the street to grab said brunch, I saw hometown diners bustiling with activity, children dressed in their soccer uniforms, and remembered my time in Columbia, Mo. At that time I was the one running into the diner, grabbing a cup of coffee, and rushing to the soccer fields outside Jefferson City to coach six-year olds how to pass and dribble in a line. It still brings a smile to my face. But, as with everything, Raleigh is also trying to distinguish itself from its Southern past, stripping old tobacco warehouses bare, and remodeling them into modern, steel-enforced apartment buildings with abstract art hanging on brick walls, and modern contemporary furniture strategically placed to create a more "zen" environment.