LINKS: Spires, Safes and a Tall Chinese Woman

FIRST OFF ON THIS TUESDAY, I want to wish my great aunt a happy 87th birthday. Auntie L is a proud native Washingtonian (once the grand marshal in the Palisades July Fourth parade), and has the accent -- and stories -- to prove it.

GREAT NEWS for fans of Chicago’s skyline. Santiago Calatrava’s Fordham Spire, which would be the tallest free-standing structure in North America, got the green light late last week from Chicago’s planning board. Next up, the City Council.

But A Daily Dose of Architecture notes that another highly anticipated Chicago structure, Skidmore Owings Merrill’s 7 South Dearborn is having financing trouble. Getting approval for the Fordham Spire might be one thing. Financing the future lakeshore landmark is another.
>> “Chicago Biz” [A Daily Does of Architecture]

MOST PEOPLE in Washington are quite aware of the jumbo slice litter that can scar the streetscape of 18th Street NW in Adams Morgan. What about 18th Street down the hill near R Street? Apparently, safes either fall from the sky (Wile E. Coyote-style) or are dumped carelessly on the curb by insensitive residents of Corcoran House (my theory). You know who you are.
>> “Safe on the Sidewalk” [How Now Brown Pau]

I KNOW ST. PATRICK'S DAY is long since dead and gone, but I just stumbled upon Tom's "Suck of the Irish" post at Unrequited Narcissism. It's a must read in advance of next year's beer-swilling nonsense.
>> "Suck of the Irish" [Unrequited Narcissism]

IT’S SUCH A SHAME. When I was in New York on vacation staying in the general vicinity of Gramercy Park and Madison Square, Shake Shack in Madison Square was still closed for the season. Well, it opened up on Monday. Blast! Next time.
>> “Shake Shack Open, Line-Free” [The Eater]

ATTENTION MATTWDC. If you read my blog, please know I read and enjoy your blog. Others do too. You say:

I've been kind of bored with blogging lately and not really convinced that I have anything of much value to add to the conversation. Maybe it's that this blog has never had much of a focus, or maybe that I'm not much of a thinker or writer.

You describe yourself as a faceless bureaucrat living in Ward 3. Sometimes, it’s the faceless bureaucrats who are the more sane and thoughtful people living among us. I hope you continue writing.
>> “Monday, March 20, 2006” [MattWDC]

SHANGHAIIST RELAYS some Reuters photos of the world’s tallest woman, who lives in Anhui Province. Yao Defen is nearly 8 feet tall. Sadly, it looks likes she’s been tricked into performing in traveling circuses.

During her national tours, she fell several times during the performances, and injured several parts of her body. Her boss, a person identified only as Mr. Qui, refused her request to be taken to a hospital and forced her to continue the performing.

Sad, but not all that surprising.
>> “Yao Defen, the Tallest Woman in the World” [Shanghaiist]
>> More Photos [JSChina]