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June 6, 2013 by tomdalzell

Quirky Through Windows

rear-window-5

Who isn’t curious when they walk at night, glancing through windows into lit houses?  Early in this project it was suggested – and you know who you are – that I include glimpses of private lives through windows.  It seemed like a bad idea, but I ran it by Quirky Berkeley’s  Ethics and Governance department.  They concurred.  Bad idea.

But – that said – there are situations in which that which is seen through windows is placed there to be seen through windows.  Nothing wrong with that, is there?  And, to be sure, I am not talking about shampoo and conditioner bottles stacked on a window ledge of a bathroom window facing the street.  Cathy believes that there is a special place in hell for people who do that.  I sometimes will take a photo of a cluster of bathroom products facing the street to see her hyperventilate when I show it.

Anyways, what we have here is a collection of photos of quirky material culture presented to the world through windows.

First, the now-obsolete typewriter as metaphorical prisoner:

1835 University

1835 University

2362 San Pablo 4

2362 San Pablo

Again, through bars, but with the cheering message that “there is no place like here:”

1523 4th

1523 4th

IMG_2529

And – now – a properly dressed window, Molly B’s.  Always great windows.  You remember when you see these windows that it is an art, and you see how it is that Andy Warhol could have started his career dressing windows.

2112 Vine

2112 Vine

And a stunner on San Pablo:

1212 San Pablo

1212 San Pablo

Then, a window with historical and contemporary memorabilia and artifacts based on racial stereotyping:

1711 Blake

1711 Blake

And then, happy clams:

1029 Pardee

1029 Pardee

The Happy Clams are a “geezer punk” band.  Interested?  Read more about them.  Their singer Paul Pot lives here.  Cool curtains.

Art presented to the street through windows:

2850 Webster

2850 Webster

1301 Berkeley Way

1301 Berkeley Way

1301 Berkeley Way

1301 Berkeley Way

3010 Tremont

3010 Tremont

747 Bancroft

747 Bancroft

747 Bancroft

747 Bancroft

747 Bancroft

747 Bancroft

1314 Harmon

1314 Harmon

1823 Addison 2

1832 Addison

You’re right.  I can’t resist.  Who could?  In 1957 Philadelphia DJ Hy Lit, a childhood god of mine, launched the Rays’ doo-wop hit “Silhouettes” with near-constant airplay on WIBG.  A direct hit in the apropos department for those scoring at home.

2324 Grant

2324 Grant

 

2425 Oregon

2425 Oregon

And a modest collection, parameters not clear:

7th and Pardee

7th and Pardee

By far the most common window display?  If you discount signs expressing support for  political and social causes of the ages and du jour, the most common display is –  bottles.  Blue glass bottles at that.   Lots of them:

2001 Francisco

2001 Francisco

2125 Essex

2125 Essex

1654 9th

1654 9th

1654 9th

1654 9th

1430 Stannage

1430 Stannage

2411 7th

2411 7th

1707 Allison

1707 Allison

1518 Walnut

1518 Walnut

2726 King

2726 King

1712 Blake

1712 Blake

2131 Derby

2131 Derby

2223 Derby

2223 Derby

2717 Benvenue

2717 Benvenue

How about those bottles?  If I can track down anything other than a very obnoxious version of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, an intrinsically obnoxious song, I will post it.  Until then, my friend says – this page is done.

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Here you will find photos of the oddball, whimsical, eccentric, and the near-rhyme quirky material culture of Berkeley.
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