Filler Perspective: Empire State Plaza

That's right.  I'm way too busy to actually write a blog post, so here's some easy and effortless filler instead:

I was just looking back through my iPhoto albums and I came upon one from 2008, just after I moved to Albany.  It was from September of that year, and with fall returning after a brief winter and summer, I thought it was appropriate. 

Here are some views of Empire State Plaza and Downtown Albany.

The Cultural Education Center, home of the New York State Office of Cultural Education, New York State Museum, New York State Library and New York State Archives.  The Pedestrian Perspective has 'perceived' the trip there in a prior post.

The Corning Tower.  My ex and I were scared shitless when we went to the observation deck on the 42nd floor and received an ID'ing, eye scan, metal detector and interview at the security desk on the concourse level.  Perfectly understandable for the tallest building in New York State outside of New York City, but still frightening nonetheless. 

My favorite picture out of the bunch.  With the exception of the UFO in the background, it has the most human scale of all the shots.

Stonehenge.  No, really.

I've always thought that the Agency Towers were modeled on Easter Island.  The shapes of the buildings look quite a bit like that.

A column of the Cultural Education Center, looking out over downtown.

Downtown Albany, with Madison Avenue in the foreground.

Downtown.  The silverish building in front is the Times Union Center.  The building with the red roof behind it is the somewhat recently built New York State Office of the State Comptroller.

Foliage.  From behind the Cultural Education Center.

The most elegant possible shot of Empire State Plaza.  Except for possibly the gardens, which I hope to visit next time, and soon.  This staircase doubles as an amphitheater for summer concerts.

To be honest, I really do enjoy walking down to the Plaza, sitting in the gardens, looking out over the city by The Egg, ducking into the cramped and hidden corners of the Cultural Education Center.  We will get into the history of the Plaza after we get through the nearly doomed history of the Albany Highway System. 

....when I finally get to it that is.  I actually have the second blog entirely completed.  The problem is that I got the path of the highway wrong.  Soooo I just need to re-write the ENTIRE thing.  

Hope you enjoyed our trip to the Plaza!  I know I sure did.