Mercy

I'm really happy I took this photo as some more local history has bit the dust. This mural is now sitting in pieces at the base of the former Salvation Army store building. I spoke recently with someone working for the architecture company creating the complex at this location, and only the facade is being kept. This mural was on the back wall, facing the SkyTrain station (from where I took this picture).

Fiery

A couple more cars from the Show & Shine (perhaps I'll move on tomorrow; however, I love all of these cars!). The paint jobs on these two were stellar, and I love the happy face balloon just hanging out there. Seeing these two little cars with their fiery flame paint job sure made me smile!

Woodie

Early in the morning well be startin' out
Some honeys will be coming along
Were loading up our woody
With our boards inside
And headin' out singing our song
-Beach Boys, "Surfin' Safari"

Another great car from the Show & Shine show yesterday. The sign in the front window says, "Look and Touch. I don't give a S**t", a nice change from many of the other cars with their "Do Not Touch" signs on them.

Crayola Cars

The annual Show & Shine was held today. Columbia Street was shut down to moving traffic, and filled with stationary classic and collector cars from way back when until less way back when. Last night was the temporary drive in - an inflatable screen was installed in the parking lot on the quay, and showed, naturally, "American Graffiti".

Haus

I have always loved this trompe-l'oeil on the side of this restaurant. Someday I will have to dine here and find out if the food is just as charming.

Succulent

According to the New Westminster Parks & Rec website, in 1956 a sunken rose garden was planted in Queen's Park. The garden follows the formal pattern of a Shakespearean garden, and contains 1100 hybrid and floribunda roses. In 1981, the garden was dedicated to Mr Herb House, a prominent New Westminster resident who served the community in many ways for over 50 years.

Lacey

According to the New West Parks & Rec website, Irving House (built at the time by Captain William Irving, a shipping magnate) was once described like this in the "British Columbian" newspaper, April 1865:

"…the handsomest, the best and most home-like house of which British Columbia can yet boast..."

It's now a museum showing off what was once the best in Victorian and colonial British architecture of that era.