Site Visits

Mar 29

Mar 29 The Sentinel Building at 916 Kearny Street

I'd hazard to guess that the drive south along the unfortunately named Columbus Avenue is among the most dangerous in all of San Francisco. The reason why is simple. It is incredibly hard to resist not taking out the phone to capture the iconic Transamerica Pyramid views. However, the most popular image is from the intersection of Pacific and Kearny as viewers can contrast some modern buildings and the great pyramid with the Sentinel Building, a copper-clad building from nearly sixty years after American colonizers invaded and took control of the land.

Feb 26

Feb 26 Gateway Towers by I.M. Pei, Singapore

Andrew Nelson

Archive Dive

There are a few buildings I regret not getting betters photographs of while I lived in Singapore. The Gateway twin skyscrapers, designed by I.M. Pei, jumps to mind immediately. They are neither particularly tall nor centrally located. However, their mind-bending simplicity and structural engineering will never cease to capture the pedestrians' imagination as they look up at a paper-thin cliff of metal and glass rising from the ground to defy gravity and reason.

Jan 20
Jan 20 Sunset at Santa Cruz Feat President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Andrew Nelson

Site Visits

Dec 30

Dec 30 Paths: A Photo Essay of 2020

Andrew Nelson

Photography

What a horrible year. While I traveled for much of the first two months of 2020, the virus loomed over everything since before Chinese New Year, when Singapore experienced its first wave. In March, the strict lockdown caught me by surprise, as I had felt we had already weathered the virus in Asia. The lack of preparation by Europe and America was enraging. My abrupt departure in May after two months of separation from my closest friends and partner on the island was painful.

Nov 27

Nov 27 Visiting Collinsville, California

Andrew Nelson

Site Visits

Any visitors will find that the small enclave of Collinsville, California, is not much remarkable beyond the beautiful landscapes and waterside view. The town is an unincorporated community in Solano County, at the mouth of the Sacramento River. Visiting there felt intrusive. I drove past one or two “do not pass” signs, so I would not recommend you to visit. There is not much to see, anyway. The town endured significant damage from a wildfire on July 4th, 2014.

Oct 30

Oct 30 A Photo Diary from Christmas in Hạ Long Bay

Andrew Nelson

Archive Dive

There is no more calming a ride than through the tropical archipelago surrounded by emerald waters. As we float through the limestone cliffs in Hạ Long Bay, I am first struck by how uniformly tall they are. They are not looming over me like the skyscrapers on Wall Street, more like the co-ops on the Upper East Side. Bit of a niche analogy, I know. Alas. There is no moment of jaw-dropping wonder, which is perhaps what I expected. Instead, there is a humble majesty to the prancing islands, relentlessly impressive from the start.

Sep 25

Sep 25 North Ping Yuen, Like Singapore in San Francisco

Andrew Nelson

Site Visits

Aug 26

Aug 26 Your Clothes Have Been Here: Visiting the Zhongda Fabric Markets, Guangzhou China

Andrew Nelson

Archive Dive

I love markets! They are the engine of the city, where commerce and culture clash together. From Chelsea Market and Wall Street in Manhattan, to Singapore’s Tekka Market, and even in Hoi An, the best of them are a magnetic force that come to define neighborhoods and cities. In my years of traveling, I have never experienced anything like the Zhongda Fabric Market. Located on the Haixinsha island in the global city of Guangzhou, its history sets it apart from anything else. In just over thirty short years it grew from four small villages into a major hub for the multi-billion dollar international garment industry.

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