A Snow Filled Ceres Street
This is hands down one of my favorite views in Portsmouth. The Decks, the stairways on Ceres Street, The Tugboats and a freighter. It doesn’t get much better than this (except during the summers when the hanging garden is in bloom and all of The Decks are open).
Ceres Street is one of my favorite spots in Portsmouth – the tall brick buildings line the waterfront and mark the distinction between the historic downtown and its historic working waterfront roots. The buildings lining this street largely served as warehouses back in Portsmouth’s early heydays when tall ships could have been seen lining the spots where the tugboats now dock. The Black Trumpet is one of the celebrated restaurant options in this neighborhood and I’ve always loved the appeal of its facade, as well as its intimate setting and interior.
One of my favorite parts of Portsmouth is the area near the waterfront along Ceres Street, which runs parallel to Market Street, with its intensely tall buildings (as felt from Ceres Street) that seem to make a person feel more connected with the abutting waterfront. In this photo, taken from one end of the area, The Oar House is featured with its maroon street front entrance.
I recently had the opportunity to visit a friend’s place on Ceres Street along the waterfront (a beautiful industrial loft at 111 Market Street), and enjoyed this gorgeous vista from a new vantage point. Despite no dramatic lighting, the scene is still a memorable one thanks to the four tugboats, the new Memorial Bridge, and the coating of snow along the Maine waterfront.
A glimpse of one of the most historic areas of Portsmouth, once rich with merchant traffic loading and unloading along the shoreline.
Ceres Street is a beautiful little alleyway tucked between the Piscataqua River and Market Street, at the back of the rowhouses that line the street. Centuries ago, the storefronts served as a way for shipping merchants to bring their goods directly into the buildings and warehouses…and now the buildings are occupied by people, retailers, restaurants, etc. I love the brick feel and the narrow atmosphere.
I’m always afraid to overdo any particular subject here at The Daily Portsmouth. Sometimes, I can’t help myself…in the late afternoon recently I had the chance to stroll down Ceres Street and the lighting was just awesome. It’s been an appropriate amount of time since the last tugboat photo – so even though I overdo the tugs (nobody seems to mind too much), I thought I’d share a new take on the workers. The Moran Towing tugboats are serious pieces of machinery, and they’ve gotten busy again with the arrival of fall and freighters unloading sand and salt. I love the grittiness of the shot and the textures that seem to pop off of the frame, highlighting the ruggedness of the vessel. I think it’s a nice change from the usual sunset/waterfront shots that usually feature them.
More shots from the vista of the 100 Club balcony…enjoy!
Also check out a recent post from one of the photographers I most admire in the business today, Vincent Laforet, formerly of the New York Times, and now recognized for his expertise in the HD DSLR video world: VINCENT | LAFORET.
Earlier this week, the weather was pretty darn hot – and the mornings were ridiculously foggy. I’ve always loved these stairwells on the back of the Ceres Street rowhouses, and the thick misty fog only added to the aura they bring to the streetscape. The brick walkways and leading lines are cool, and my favorite part might be the flower petals that have fallen from the hanging plant that are strewn around the watermark.
Come visit tomorrow for some shots I snapped from the 100 Club – where Catapult Seacoast held its latest event in the Business Speaker Series that featured the fascinating mind of thinker/painter/scientist/filmmaker Chase Bailey of Left Bank Films. Some beautiful shots await…
Today’s post features two views from the corner of Bow Street & Ceres Street. The shot above features the view towards Market Street with The Dolphin Striker off to the right with its blue canopy, and the NJM Gallery to the left with its painted red bricks & bright blue trim around its colorful windows. Below, the restaurant known as Two Ceres Street can be seen at the bottom of the staircase next to Izzy’s. Though I’ve yet to stop in for dinner or drinks, I’ve heard great things about both – and something about a special “green drink”.
Please come visit tomorrow for a very special post and a beautiful photo of a new scene.
THE DAILY PORTSMOUTH 