(Photo taken looking south and west from 9th Ave. and Stewart St. And yes, I know the photo quality is grainy … I’m still figuring out the new camera.)

(Photo taken looking north from 5th Ave. and Olive Way.)

What it actually said: Place du Mistral

What it was: A placard on a window ledge in the Mistral Kitchen restaurant (2020 Westlake Avenue, Seattle), which is near the U.S. Federal Courthouse — so my “mistrial” brain fart wasn’t completely illogical.

And check out the entrance to Mistral Kitchen:

I love how the granite walls and industrial metal door and sign are softened by the plants.

City Centre, 5th Avenue & Pike Street:

Banana Republic store (foreground; former Coliseum Theatre), 5th Avenue & Pike Street:

Rainier Square, 5th Avenue & University Street:

Cobb Building (foreground; once comprising medical, dental, and other offices, converted several years ago to upscale apartments), 4th Avenue & University Street:

Smith Tower (white building), 2nd Avenue & Yesler Way:

Union Station (middle foreground), 4th Avenue & Jackson Street:

(5407/5409 22nd Ave. NW)

You can read more about the project here, here, and here.

and took some test shots around Ballard this afternoon. As you’ll see, I need to spend some more quality time with this camera. Some of the shots are a bit blurry. That might be because I was juggling an umbrella as well as the camera, or because I was more focused on being damp and cold than on taking pictures, or because I need to increase the image stabilization option.

From the Ballard Farmers Market:

I took these pictures from the same spot, using the zoom feature for the second one (obviously).

As a follow up to this post, here’s an exterior shot of the new Jhanjay Vegetarian Thai restaurant:

And here’s a shot of the beautiful cherry blossom light fixture in Moshi Moshi Sushi (taken from outside of the restaurant):

And, just for the heck of it, a cabbage in a bicycle basket:

Here’s the brand new QFC grocery store on 24th Ave. NW, just north of NW Market St.:

I love the functional art — the rain gutters drain into a glass bowl supported by two metal hands, then the water zig-zags onto two big glass leaves, then into a huge spoon, and finally into a ceramic pot.

Check out My Ballard for an interesting article about the artists who designed the art for this store.

Farther south and east in Ballard, here’s what the Kolstrand Building looks like at the moment (see also this post):

And finally, a reminder that spring is on its way and will be here … eventually:

I love the look of a sleek, modern building placed on top of an existing vintage building. And I love that at least part of the original building – or even just its facade – was preserved. (The “About” page on the Trace Lofts Web site mentions the “87-year history.” If that refers to the age of the original structure, then it was built circa 1922.)