PENCELAND.com - City Life

City Life

I was raised in a small town in Idaho (which accounts for my trusting nature and wholesome, "small-town" values) but I've spent most of my life in or near large cities. Since 1973 I have lived in greater Boston, and prior to that I lived in Seattle. I find cities stimulating, challenging, rewarding, and a never-ending source of things I love including knowledge, culture, and rich social opportunities. I strive for a sense of urban self-sufficiency and I am what you would call a real city aficionado.
This page started out as a section on my Favorites page, which is why it consists mostly of links. Most of these sites have photos of city life, including buildings and other structures.

Favorite cities

Here are some of the cities I have lived in or just spent time in that I really enjoy. You can see aerial photos of some of these cities at Aerial photos

Boston

My Boston page
City map

Washington, DC (see government links on the Favorites page)

City of Washington, DC
City map
A View on Cities - Washington
Washington DC photos – Elliott Teel Photography
Washington, DC--Stock Photos – by Ken Stanley
George Washington University (GW) – my son's school
Some aerial views
     View 1 – the White House and the Ellipse
     View 2 – showing the proximity of GW to the White House
     View 3 – showing the proximity of GW to the Kennedy Center and Watergate complex
Virtual Tour
Sightseeing map – click on the Bird's Eye view
National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
Free Large Photos: Washington, DC
TrafficLand.com – Live Traffic Cams

New York City

My NYC section
City map

San Francisco

City of San Francisco
City map
A View on Cities - San Francisco
     San Francisco Buildings – photos & stats of individual buildings
Dan Heller's Photos of San Francisco
S.F.Heart
Scenic San Francisco – Pictures, Panoramas
San Francisco Victorian Home Walk
Ken Adelman's coastal aerial views
Photos from Free Large Photos: Aerial Views
     A view including the Golden Gate Bridge and part of the Bay Bridge
     Downtown, with Golden Gate Park and the Presidio in background
     Downtown and a portion of the Bay Bridge
     Golden Gate Park
     Golden Gate Park
     Golden Gate Bridge and Marin County
     Marin County
Some S.F. photos from a 2005 trip

Seattle

My Seattle section
City map

Toronto

City of Toronto
City map
CN Tower
Toronto Attractions
Toronto photos
Torontowide.com
Worldisround.com - A weekend in Toronto

Chicago

City of Chicago
City map
A View on Cities - Chicago – many photos and descriptions of the city and its buildings
     Chicago Buildings – photos & stats of individual buildings
You know you're from Chicago when... – from an email

Atlanta

City of Atlanta
City map
Atlanta Magazine
Atlanta Photos by Consultwebs

Los Angeles

City of Los Angeles
City map
Architectural Photo Galleries – downtown 1818-1939, the historic core
Los Angeles Photos and Pictures
Downtown Los Angeles Walking Tour – USC Department of Geography

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Skyscrapers and other urban structures

Here are some links relating to my fascination with mankind's great architectural and engineering achievements, especially tall buildings.

The History of Skyscrapers

Building BIG – from PBS

The World's Best Skylines

How Skyscrapers Work

Skyscraper Picture Collection – from many cities and countries

galinsky – people enjoying buildings worldwide

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Great Buildings Online

Great Structures of the World

Glass, Steel, and Stone – architecture of the world

How Skyscrapers Work – from HowStuffWorks.com

Hong Kong - The City of Nights (Lights)

World City Photos

The Skyscraper Web Ring

Great Buildings and Structures

The Skyscraper Museum

SkyscraperPage.com

Tallest Buildings in the United States

Skyscrapers.com – the most extensive skyscraper resource on the web

The High-Rise Pages – your online guide to the tallest buildings in the world!

structurae: International Database and Gallery of Structures

Skyscrapers Collection – stats for North American metro areas

World's Tallest Buildings

Federation of High-Rise Websites

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New York City

I have always been a fan of The Big Apple, the ultimate American urban experience. I used to work for a company in Boston that had an office in Manhattan located at the intersection of Broadway, 5th Avenue, and 23rd St. (Madison Square), which is also the location of the visually delightful Flatiron Building (see Google Maps Street View ¹). When I went to New York on business I would stay in a company-owned, mid-town condo, and I always found it exhilarating to get up in the morning and walk down 5th Avenue past the Empire State Building to the office.