>>>>>>>Lately I have been reading the mystery novels of John Lescroart (thanks again, Tamar). They are all set in San Francisco with a you-are-there specificity. The cover art of the next one on deck is a shot of the Golden Gate Bridge. It got me thinking about what our most iconic structures are. Man made, not natural wonders like the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls. So maybe we can bat this around a little in the best chat tradition.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>These are in no particular order and not intended to be definitive. In fact I had about 8 before realizing I had left out my #1. Here is what I have so far ---
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Statue of Liberty
>>>>>>>White House
>>>>>>>Capitol
>>>>>>>Washington Monument
>>>>>>>Lincoln Monument
>>>>>>>Yankee Stadium
>>>>>>>Mt. Rushmore
>>>>>>>The Hollywood sign
>>>>>>>Golden Gate Bridge
>>>>>>>Empire State Building
>>>>>>>Pentagon
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Yeah, I know, that's 11. This is a work in progress. The floor is open.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Also, don't forget the Welcome to Las Vegas sign!!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>also... Hoover Dam (along with the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (Colorado River Bridge) )
>>>>>>
>>>>>>and soon to be 1 World Trade Center (Freedom Tower).... just a few off the top of my bald head!
>>>>>
>>>>>How could everyone have overlooked the obvious: Graceland.
>>>>
>>>>We are in rare disagreement. It's not only tacky beyond words, it is the place where a once great artist met his final demise.
>>>
>>>Many are. What's the definition of iconic? However tacky, Graceland is a place where thousands go to gawk. On his birthday it's pandemonium. So, what's the definition of iconic? I'd have to say the home of an icon is iconic.
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Can we substitute Sun Studios in Memphis?
>>>
>>>Or maybe the Apollo Theatre?
>>
>>I will have to give more thought to Graceland.
>>
>>The Apollo is historic but I don't think iconic. You could drop most Americans into a seat 8th row center and they wouldn't know where they were. The Golden Gate, we know what that is. The White House, we know what that is. That's what I meant.
>
>But you could drop most Americans into a seat in one of the meeting rooms in the Whitehouse and they wouldn't know where they were either.
>
>If you dropped someone into an office in the Empire State Building, would they know where they are?
>
>>
>>Here is the acid test about Graceland: can you describe it without having to look it up? "Elvis's mansion" is not a description.
>
>Frankly no. But there are many thousands who could probably describe every crack in the foundation. Empire State Building - Well it's an office building. Pretty old, not that tall, but people used to think it was, so it has an observation deck. How's that for a description?

Not one of your better ones ;-) You know you are one of my favorites here so I can just say that. Not that tall? It was the tallest building in the world for quite a long time before the fetish for height left it "only" near the top. More importantly, it's a beautiful building. You notice I went for the Empire State over the Sears Tower (sorry, the Bruce Willis Tower) right here in Chicago. Architecturally there is absolutely nothing to say about it other than it's tall. Even Sears doesn't want to be there any more. I know people who have worked there and they say it is the most horrible office building imaginable.

Now here is a funny. A woman I worked with, one of our best, left us for Ernst and Young and worked in their office in the Sears Tower. This was soon after the 9/11 attacks and there were persistent rumors that it was on the target list. (Among the rumors was that the plane that was taken down by passengers in Pennsylvania was headed there). She said her mom gave her a parachute to keep in her office. Like a parachute would have helped much from a height of a few hundred feet, LOL.