Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Astoria

Plaque, fancy civic numbers, LivornoThe “Residenza Astoria” is a quite new condominium built off “Via Ricasoli” in the center of Livorno. I really don't remember why the name, the place has always been called this way.Plaque, Astoria Residence, LivornoNothing peculiar about the building except for the location: it was built in a large space inside a city block, with only a private street leading to it.Building of the Astoria Residence, LivornoIt faces the tiny “Parco Centro Città”, featured in an old post. A friend of ours will be happy to see that this place has a palm tree just in front (and many more in the adjoining park).Prickly pears and agaves, Astoria Residence, LivornoPrickly pears and agaves complete the Mediterranean setting of this sunny building. This once was a “Hotel Astoria”, built in the 50's and definitely closed in the early 80's. It was transformed into an apartment building a few years ago.

See also: Parco Centro Città
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28 comments:

  1. brattcatSeptember 22, 2009 at 1:52 AM

    This looks interesting. Can you take us inside?

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  2. mo_inohSeptember 22, 2009 at 2:03 AM

    cool blog. i really love the pictures and would like to go to some of those places some day.

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  3. LowellSeptember 22, 2009 at 2:19 AM

    Not a striking building, but it looks solid and functional. The name is something of a puzzle...I don't think John Jacob Astor was hunting beaver skins in Livorno...

    Yes, I see the palm tree. Messy old thing. I've got a few others I could ship over to you!

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  4. tapirgalSeptember 22, 2009 at 2:20 AM

    Your Astoria is even smaller than ours, but like ours it has to be a little strange, yes? It's located INSIDE of a city block? At least they had the good sense to have pretty tiles for the numbers. Thanks for pointing out the palm trees :) We actually have none in our Astoria, but I grew up with them in California.

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  5. Leif HagenSeptember 22, 2009 at 2:32 AM

    I wonder what it looks like INSIDE! The outside is "middle of the road." The building is lucky that you're such a good photographer!

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  6. JamesSeptember 22, 2009 at 2:58 AM

    I love palm trees and I'd like to have a peek inside too.

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  7. KateSeptember 22, 2009 at 3:28 AM

    It has clean lines and looks like it would be a comfortable place in which to live. I noticed that the lamps along the sidewalk are very modern and contemporary.

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  8. TashSeptember 22, 2009 at 6:20 AM

    Fancy & new. I would like living there. As a kid in Bosnia, I thought that highrise living was the ultimate (even when we had to walk up 7 flights of stairs during power outage). So when I came to California, with single family homes all over suburbia, I was not impressed. :)

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  9. AndreeaSeptember 22, 2009 at 7:51 AM

    Looks like a nice place to live. Central, park nearby, not to mention the palm tree :)

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  10. Unseen RajasthanSeptember 22, 2009 at 8:18 AM

    Beautiful and Cool Place !! Great..Unseen Rajasthan

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  11. VPSeptember 22, 2009 at 8:40 AM

    Our usual apartment building faces a busy street with a narrow pavement, usually occupied by parked cars and scooters.
    If it has windows on the sides, which is true only for the newer ones, they look just inside the windows of the adjacent building.
    The windows on the back usually see no more than a small court inside the block and more windows.
    So, for our cramped standards, this may not be a fancy building, but it is quite good.

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  12. WolynskiSeptember 22, 2009 at 9:52 AM

    Living here would be very nice. You can't tell a building from the outside - lots of buildings, especially in New York, look so-so from the outside, but are fabulous inside.

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  13. Cezar and LéiaSeptember 22, 2009 at 1:27 PM

    Beautiful and perfect pictures!What a fabulous sunny day there and I loved the decorated tiles at the first shot!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Léia

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  14. TinsieSeptember 22, 2009 at 2:05 PM

    Indian figs? Is this what prickly pears are called in Italian? In Greek we call them "Frankish figs".

    I thought you might appreciate this tiny bit of information :-)

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  15. VPSeptember 22, 2009 at 3:32 PM

    @ Tinsie - Ooops, it slipped out my fingers... Yes, in Italian we call prickly pears fichi d'India.
    Thank you!

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  16. Benikos placeSeptember 22, 2009 at 3:41 PM

    I like the style of this building very much!!Regards

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  17. B SQUAREDSeptember 22, 2009 at 3:49 PM

    I could see this building In my city but it does not look like it belongs in yours.

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  18. TinsieSeptember 22, 2009 at 4:04 PM

    A ha! Another word to add to my Italian vocab (you never know when I might have a craving for prickly pears in Italy). Grazie!

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  19. tapirgalSeptember 22, 2009 at 6:17 PM

    That's interesting about the windows. Yes, here they have a view. That makes such a difference and would certainly make this a good place to live. Maybe someday you will meet someone who lives there and we can see the inside. It could be very nice!

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  20. amatamari©September 22, 2009 at 6:49 PM

    Can I buy the building in many small payments?
    :-)

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  21. CopenhagenSeptember 22, 2009 at 9:34 PM

    I wonder what it looks like inside.

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  22. UnknownSeptember 22, 2009 at 11:39 PM

    The building looks great and very well preserved but what I most like here is the succulent small garden! :-)

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  23. stromsjoSeptember 22, 2009 at 11:48 PM

    That's my kind of number plates. Way to go, tiles!

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  24. VPSeptember 22, 2009 at 11:52 PM

    @ Per - I have to admit that those funny tiles aren't placed on the building itself, but on a nearby one.

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  25. GunnSeptember 23, 2009 at 12:38 AM

    Residenza Astoria is my favorite ! So elegant and sooooo nice!:-)

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  26. prashantSeptember 23, 2009 at 7:38 AM

    cool blog. i really love the pictures and would like to go to some of those places some day.
    Make website india

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  27. NishantSeptember 24, 2009 at 8:41 AM

    cool blog. i really love the pictures and would like to go to some of those places some day.
    How to make a website

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  28. stromsjoSeptember 27, 2009 at 11:12 AM

    As for the tiles we should allow ourselves some artistic latitude now and then. And they're just as fine anyhow.

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