I've always enjoyed the Space Needle. I even have the World's Fair decanter! 

Seattle is gorgeous, but even Marilyn Monroe wore diamonds. Every city need some bling; something that's just cool for it's own sake. That is actually does something is irrelevant. The Space Needle excels at being a Space Needle.




I'm not sure what a space needle is for. I know you can ride to the top and have a ham and cheese omlet – but don't- have the omelet that is, trust me. The view is pretty good, stick with that, but it's not motivation enough for a building a full blown space needle. Building something real tall and spacy just works on it's own. If its over the top, well, of course it is – that's the idea. It's reaching for the stars. Who can doubt it? Those who lack vision, who don't seek discovery, or reach not to touch the hand of their creator!




I was certain that Portland didn't have big pointy landmarks (Effelneedles?). Although one was proposed a couple years ago called the SM-Art Tower ( I perfer Twistlandia). So, I was surprised to learn that we do have one! It was right under my nose, actually overhead, the whole time! In truth it's not all that pointy, but it does look like something Abbott & Costello would fly to Mars in. Leave it to those Life Magazine photographers, one of them almost had me signing up for the Hells Angels a few months ago after I saw this slideshow. Now Life photographer  N. R. Farbman has revealed the Oregon City Town Elevator to be the chic mid-century marvel it is! Wow. Farbman photographed Paris fashion, NFL football, The JFK campaign, and primative tribesmen. One wonders what he thought of Oregon City's new elevator...no matter, he brought his A game. And he took lots of photos*. Gotta love that 50's milieu. Extra credit for spotting the "mini me" elevator.

*The photos have vaporized. Hopefully they will reappear. Sorry about that.