Saturday, June 28, 2008

Happy 70th LA Chinatown!

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Yesterday's fire on Winston St...

Make that Thursday's fire on Winston Street was covered better by Big City Poz and other folks, so I didn't bother posting. I too caught a lot of the action from the apartment window, and ran out & downstairs to shoot some up close.

Only problem? I locked myself out! Luckily I got back in thanks to Erik at the leasing office.. (thank you so much!) and was able to access my laptop as well take more photos including this one of Alexander.


Alexander vs. the LAFD
Here he is checking out the action as it's wrapping up..


He & Kiki were fine through the whole 'ordeal' and we're all grateful that no one was injured while fighting this warehouse fire. Between the added (and un-needed) adventure of being locked out of the apartment, my flickr didn't like uploading all those big files, so I was beyond late getting them up.

Thanks to Joe & to Ed for linking my photos on their individual blogs.. much appreciated. =)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Monday, June 23, 2008

nola ice

Thanks to LAist's Zach Behrens, I got to have the closest thing to a real New Orleans snoball on Saturday. My first one in like, 9years.. (I moved from New Orleans/Metairie area in March 1999).

NOLa Ice
you can see more of the flickr set if you like.

***
course, it's no Sal's.. and it's not served the same way either.. what can you do? It's LA! (in new orleans the snoball trailer in summer is as ubiquitous as the taco truck in LA). =)

***
will I go back? Definitely.. next time I'm anywhere near Sherman Oaks.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Weekend Wrap-up, Pasadena-style!

Saturday was mostly me recovering from sleep debt and other stress related stuff. I moved some more things, then Sunday was a day to hang out in Pasadena at the Pasadena Police Classic Car Show & the Pasadena Chalk Fest 2008. Left later than anticipated, but the MTA Gold Line got us there. It was super hot so we were glad we brought some bottled water and when we were out, there was a Starbucks van handing out samples of Frappachino. sweet! (seriously).

I was up super late getting these pix up so you can see my flickr groups HERE and HERE respectively. There were so many photos I had to break it up into 2 parts. The first is the car show, then the 2nd is lunch at Islands and the chalk fest. Included are some pix of some bands that were there entertaining as well. We stopped in Filmore station to pick up some groceries on the way back at the first TJ's (or one of the first) and I got some shots later, but honestly this stuff wore me out. Here are some highlights!

Pasadena Police Classic Car Show:
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1948 Chevy Pickup

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Entertainment was provided by "the answer to classic rock" who did a pretty good cover of 70s/ 80s hits.

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another Chevy!

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Citroen!


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Classic Ford Engine

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Lunch at Islands:
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Island fries with cheese. =)

Meeko's favorite Island burger:
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Aloha burger with bacon (extra on the bacon).. I dare you to click on the photo (or better yet the original!).

Chalk Festival:

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"Girls drawing Girls"

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A little Lakers pride.

some art had serious themes:

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gazing on a classic theme.

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working out the details.

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finishing the details.

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shading...

There's many more in the flickr groups but you get the idea. It was a lot of really cool and sometimes amazing work all done from a picture or an idea, drawn & colored ot large scale and put down in chalk and judged.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Post-Art Walk update

Art Walk was made interesting by the substitution of "Hippodrome" the 1940s era Art Walk bus which was hosted by Kim Cooper & Esotouric (the folks that bring you the Black Dahlia tour and the "1947 Project Crime Bus").

You can see my flickr set of the JUNE 2008 Art Walk HERE. Most of them are out of focus just to warn you.

Here's a few of the 'better ones'
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Hopping on the Art Walk bus in front of the Regent Theatre.

Poet on Spring
Running into Richard McDowell,(Downtown Poet) outside the Continental Gallery on Spring St.

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Blues on the Bus

keeping watch..
More Music on the street (outside Sphinx) as watched over by our fantastic LAPD. (seriously cool dudes let the fun go reasonably then asked for folks to shut the mini singing/drumming/ jamming down which they did with little to no protest at all). I'm glad this shot came out. The rest are rather frenetic.

@ Old Bank (after art walk)
After the Art Walk at Banquette & Old Bank DVD's patio.


****
Today SeanYoda had to go in for court duty yet again (but he got dismissed so he's done!) However, before he knew that, we went to LIME for lunch.. (now I owe him for 2 lunches!):

Sean tried the "free-range chicken" burrito this time (he had the carne asada last time):
LIME cafe
yeah I know you can't tell much by the photo...

Thanks to Eric (white boy/ white dog) I decided to try the carne asada tacos:
LIME cafe
I pretty much have it down to: "It was good. It was messy." (Repeat 3x)

****
Personal note: I got the office mostly set up (and am blogging from my desk). My dsl is up & running. I still need to connect the wi-fi router so I can *maybe* get some wifi when I'm on the MacBook. I'm not sure that I can get it all the way to Banquette though, as I can't get Sean's wifi up here.

It feels weird. I don't feel odd working up here at all. It's the night alone in the city. Maybe it'll be different once the cats are up here, but for now it feels more like a quiet office away from it all, which I guess is what I really wanted to begin with. That and a diet coke. ;)

Thursday, June 12, 2008

2nd Thursday.. ART WALK!

Today is what is usually one of my favorite days of the month lately.. Art Walk day! It starts earlier in the day but many of the receptions (and the crowds)start at 6pm.. and wrap up around 9pm. Lots of opportunities to see some great (and not so great) art!

One of the new installations tonight is at Pharmaka Gallery; "Rebel Legacy - The Abstract in Latino Art" showing through July 31st. The show is curated by Kathy Gallegos of Avenue 50, (according to the Pharmaka website).

Robert Vargas is showing new work at the mezzanine level of the Spring Arts Collective tonight. There will also be live music at about 8pm.

Another place to check out if you haven't already is the Winstead-Adams Gallery which is owned by the 3BN's own Celia & Jim Winstead. Expect to see a great art supply store called "Raw Materials" opening in the same location in August. ;)

There's way more to see and it's listed on the Artwalk website at:
Downtown Art Walk

But don't forget there's more! Comedy Walk is also the 2nd Thursday and starts around 830-10pm (and you can link to it off the the official ArtWalk website as well).

Downtown Neighbors
can also head over to the Los Angeles theatre if they haven't done so already and VOTE for your DLANC representatives. You have til about 8pm I think, (but don't quote me on that!) Just vote early! *grin*

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Yesterday.. last night.. Lakers downtown

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Like a festival at Staples Center

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Mounted Police

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Laker Fans

LAPD mounted, watching over..
LAPD Mounted Police keeping watch over the foot traffic heading to Staples Center.

Meanwhile...
LAFD heading.. somewhere
LAFD still on the job too.


Lakers at the Redwood
So the BlogDowntown & other downtown Bloggers can meet up and enjoy watching the game..

and eat some tasty game food...

Meeko & the Redwood Cheeseburger
Meeko & her Redwood Cheeseburger
photo by Eric (white boy/white dog)

Redwood Cheeseburger (close-up)

Eric (skidrowdude)
this photo by Meeko.. cause it was only fair. ;P

there were 8 of us in attendance at one point or another and the Lakers won! Not bad at all.

and.. we're back! (sort of)

What does a burrow move, several trips to IKEA, a LA River fire, a beauty sunset, floor to ceiling windows, game 3 of the Lakers/Celtics NBA Finals, mounted LAPD and a filling cheeseburger with Blogger pals at the Redwood all have in common?

...er, digital photos! (also another rash of pix of how I spent the last few days) and I'm up all night just so I can upload them on my laptop (cause my DSL hasn't been connected on schedule!) to the flickr account, edit some and direct you to gawk at all my Photoshop free editing (it's called Picnic but it's not).

starting with my "new view" set:
tilework
inside my closet (notice I'm not in it, but then again, neither are my clothes. Dangit)

Other than getting my keys and moving a few items into the new place, Saturday night I made it around to a few of the galleries open for the 2008 Dowtown LA Open House.. sort of an "Art Walk Light" and while I didn't really take pix of the happenings, I did try a few practice shots, of which this is the first one:

First/Last Gallery
Looking through the window of Jim & Celia's "First/Last" Winstead Adams Gallery that will eventually become "Raw Materials" a great LOCAL place to get art & architectural supplies. That's Ms. Celia to the left of the white posted gallery show sign.


Edgar
Running into Edgar Varela, owner/curator of EVFA (Edgar Varela Fine Arts) he was kind to let me practice my sad photo skills on him. ;) I'm still needing practice on night shots, but I thought it turned out alright. He has his sunglasses with him because he's working all day, and in this case, into the night.. he always has a smile ready too.


SUNDAY:

on our way to running errands, I took about 4 pix of a pillar of black smoke coming from the LA River basin.. not sure what it was.. and I was wondering what I should do in cases like this.

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Is this a controlled fire like it seemed or was it bad? Either way do you call 911 for that? I wanted to but was convinced not to.

MONDAY:

out shooting around my neighborhood in the evening:

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not sure if it's really open.. but hey! steak fries!

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light play against the sky and the skyline

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looking toward downtown

ok.. and now for Tuesday, the 10th....

Monday, June 09, 2008

Meerkat Manor.. er, Meeko's off Main

Little bit of Monday Morning Placeholding..

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The subject is in reference to how I've been feeling the last couple days.. like a Meerkat changing its burrow.. I'm inbetween places.. shuttling boxes and things, including bits of old and new purchases.. shiny things,too.. down the long corridors and down the elevator through the White Rabbit's door.. and up another elevator.. Got a ways to go.. it's not that I own a lot it just takes some time getting it all from here to there.. and back again.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

More "Hope" and then some..

Finally got around to uploading pix from the last few days from my flickr.. so I give you the:
"Hope for Firefighters" set from Thursday:
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Afterwards, we sort of stumbled upon a " budget cutting rally" which had a pretty good turnout!

My photos aren't the best but I figured I'd put them up anyway.. LAPD were there on their bikes and leading the way through the street!
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Thursday night I had dinner at Weeneez and had the yummy cheddar cheeseburger with everything (this is my fave!)I had it as part of the 'combo' which included my choice of coleslaw or potato salad, a bag of chips & a drink:
Weeneez cheeseburger combo


Wow! It sure was cheesy!
Weeneez cheeseburger w/ everything & cheddar!

***

Friday I was out and about in the afternoon where I came across more LAFD action as they were just leaving the King Edward:
LAFD responding

LAFD down from Werdin PL.

and finally, making a turn onto Main Street..
LAFD making a turn..

So.. lots of pix and it's no wonder I'm up late.. =) There should be another set coming up over the weekend.. I'm having more mini adventures starting this morning.. oh and nevermind what the time stamp says, with the editing and all it's now about 5min after 3am. *blink blink*

PSST! hey.. you're not done.. I got a question for my neighbors, so keep scrolling to the next (previous) post: