Random LAFD

So I was meandering my way back home when I spotted an LAFD truck just off 7th & Hill Streets.. The firefighters were pulling a small ladder off the truck and headed to the sidewalk. Being the nosy person that I am (heh) I stopped to see what was up.. (I didn't smell any smoke but that doesn't mean something isn't amiss)

Apparently not much other than the ladder..


here comes the ladder..


and UP it goes!







meh.. they're done.



See?? Random! =)

World of Color Road Show

The World of Color road show wrapped up its 4 city tour in downtown LA... Although it's nothing like the real World of Color (which is full of most awsomeness.. like the Bellagio fountains on steroids.. 200ft water cannons, fire balls and flamethrowers, along with several hundred feet of projected water screen amazingness)

Sean & I wandered over there after having dinner at Starry Kitchen last Friday.



We just got new his & her's iPhone 4s from the Glendale apple store Saturday before this, and so this was the first real test for them. Taking videos was alright but the flash seemed to over-expose the images.. and without the flash you may notice it's a bit blurry. The phone takes forever (in the sense of taking an image) to decide to shoot something..

Day time or dusk images shoot way better.. but despite the frustrations, we we gave it a go. Luckily the 10minute loop repeated itself


So here you go..




and a little bit of video:


the projected images where first abstract..




later you could see snippets of the Blue Fairy, Fantasia, Aladdin, and Sorcerer's Apprentice portion of Fantasia..

This is NOTHING like the real World of Color.. but if you haven't seen it, hopefully it makes you curious to go to the park and check it out.. FWIW I heard a few people heading off discussing how they haven't been to Disneyland in a while and "We really need to make another trip to Disneyland soon!" I guess Disney marketing accomplished their task with this one..

my complete flickr set here

Around the Historic Core

Walking around the neighborhood..

cleaning up the Rosslyn Hotel sign..


This side all done!

7-11 7-11!

opposite Rite-Aid..

future location of a new 7-11 at 5th & Broadway.

and lastly, (but NOT least!) in the Old Bank District..


Old Bank DVD will be headed around the corner..


sometime soon** ("AUGUST") Old Bank DVD will be relocated.. They will be in the same building (San Fernando Bldg @ 4th & Main) but taking over the currently empty former home of MJ Higgins Gallery.

**update: 22 August 2009 After talking to Old Bank DVD it may be late August or early September for the relocation of the store.

Hope For Firefighters 2009

TODAY June 4th!!!
If you haven't heard elsewhere, today, June 4th, is the 12th Annual Hope For Firefighters event at Hope Place (333 S Hope Street)..

If you don't already have lunch plans.. (or if they are easily changed) be sure and head over to Hope Place at the top of the hill behind the LA Central Public Library. There you will find an amazing event to help raise funds for Los Angeles Fire Department Widows, Orphans and Disabled Fireman's Fund.


one of several hot LAFD food booths from the 2008 Hope For Firefighters!

There will be hose pull and bucket brigade relays, apparatus demos, live music, special guests, and of course the AMAZINGLY delicious food cooked up by various LAFD fire stations around the City.. mmmmm BBQ!!! Plenty to see and do on your lunch!

The event runs from 1130am-230pm. If you miss it today you'll have to wait another year, so I encourage you to BE THERE!

You can find more info at: Hope For Firefighters

May Art Walk

I ended up staying in during May Art Walk last Thursday to relax and enjoy not being out in the noise and crowds. I was tempted to go out but figured there were other folks out taking photos and I was right!

Under the Alexandria has some shots here: May Art Walk

This just makes me realize I need to start getting out again.. I'm getting some cabin fever.

Getting the word out..

While we have you in the mind of voting, don't forget the local Downtown LA Neighborhood Council (DLANC) elections are coming up next week, June 12th.


While out in the Arts District today, I ran into General Jeff as he was seen breaking for lunch during a busy day of campaigning for the Central City East Residential Director position on the Neighborhood Council. General Jeff wants the CCE Skid Row neighborhoods to know that "we need one of our own to make the decisions to better our community."

The way to make things happen and your voice heard is by voting in the DLANC election.

Thursday June 12th, 2008 at the Los Angeles Theatre (that's 6th & Broadway) The polling location will be open from 2-8pm day of election.

There are many new faces and open seats on the DLANC board. While it's too late to make your own bid for office, you can still make a difference by familiarizing yourself with the candidates in your area. One way to do that is of course show up for the DLANC candidate forum tomorrow night at the Palace Theatre, June 4th at 630pm.

Also, be sure and vote next week!

It's still the 3BN.. right?

This time is full of so much.. I know I was going to have some photos but I'm choosing instead to use ones I have already..

I still find it amazing my shaking hands took this photo.

Lost Souls.. I keep thinking I've lost my compass.. I'm making decisions I'm not used to dealing with.

Today I looked at a place in the Continental (still GilVille) and a couple hours later, having to still clean up & turn in the keys in South Park.. (a couple conference calls and a trip to the bank), not to mention we're still not 'moved in' or 'settled' into the one here on Main, I find myself in another flux.

I have a place. It's co-signed.. However, it will be mine. More changes to come in June. All this to enjoy the silence and the process of the thought. Quiet Writing and creation. Hopefully, a blooming of work as well.



Times like this I miss my compass. I'll be taking possession about a year & three weeks to the day. I'll have his namesake (Alexander), and Kiki to keep me company though.

EDIT: UPDATE: KEYS ARE TURNED IN.. No More "South Park" for this girl who walks/meanders downtown =)
this installment is again dedicated to BigCityPoz & perhaps to my Honorary Uncle LA & Tante Janine, who I still miss very much.

When St Patricks Day is over.. the cold begins!

holidays come & go and with it a big cold. Suffice to say I'm glad to be out in the fresh air, and we'll see how long that lasts =)

This is who I've been spending my days with.. curled up next to me purring to her heart's content:

Kiki (named from the Miyazaki character)

Ok.. enough about me, except maybe that there's nothing better than hot tea and fresh air to get me feeling better about myself.

Oh, and Walter if you are reading this you passed me by as you walked by Banquette this morning. I don't have my lungs back but I would have shouted to you if I could have. *grin*

Here's hoping the good luck hasn't left me along with the cold.

beautiful banquette breakfast

Went downtown to check out Ed Fuentes "Main Street Recovery" mural up at the Regent and had breakfast at Banquette.

Fritata with cheese, arugala, onions, peppers and sausage. OMG good! and filling too, I couldn't finish it. That and a cafe au lait was a perfectly filling meal to keep me going the rest of the mid-day and afternoon.

Joe in Blue

..a bit out of focus, but I like the way he looked against the backdrop of the cafe wall. I like how his hands stretch out forward creating a depth and shades of color in his shirt.

Maybe one day I'll get this photo right. =)

Lost Souls.. for Coffee

I filled myself with you.

There's a poem in there somewhere.

Triforium!

Ok so I had a long and interesting day.. capped off by getting to take pix from the top of City Hall and taking a quick video of the Triforium!



I got some stuff to work on (including said photos) so I'll get to that but I just wanted to send a shout out to some of the cool folks I got to meet/ hang out with at the last minute policy planning meeting. I don't want ot leave anyone out so I won't mention any names this time)

My first! (I'm getting a lot of those firsts in lately.. *grin*)

Banquette and bikes... and blogger

Today I ended up trying two new places.. Yorkshire Grill and later in the day coffee at Banquette. Walked around, checked out a bike shop on Main Street.


Yes there is a bike shop downtown!!! No excuses not to run over there and pick up a new or used bike! Good exercise for us over-indulging downtown dwelling folks (and a very out of shape Meeko!)

Then finished an errand or two and hung out at the Banquette Cafe on Main Street with some fun blogger folks, Urban Memo, Big City POZ (whom I met briefly once before) and of course View From a Loft's Ed Fuentes. He was actually the one who introduced me to Urban Memo, so thank you!

I had fun at Banquette and even though there were so many folks whose names I didn't catch they were all so very cool and nice. A good place to go and get a coffee for certain and a nice place to relax before the hike down the hill back to South Park. =)

Boxing Day Walk

So the husband is out & about in Chicago,doing his thing this week. Me I need to find something to do and keep busy, not just sit inside on such a beautiful day. I had a secret wish I'd wander around and find someplace comfortable to have coffee or lunch, treat myself.




While I didn't find anywhere I wanted to stop on my own (I really need to get some kind of lunchtime friends or something.. when it's convenient. Unfortunately, there's just me). However, I did get some walking in, and while I'm not sure if I recall everywhere I walked, I didn't extend too far afield. I also took a couple dozen photos in what I could call faux B&W. Shannon from ShaInLA had shown me some tricks with my camera from the ShootDowntown photo meet back on the 12th, and so I thought I'd give it a go on my own taking photos in B&W.

I know the difference (or like to think I do) in the photo quality of real B&W and the kind you get from having actual print film. One of the things I liked to do when I lived in Germany or New Orleans was to, on occasion get a roll of B&W and shoot some stuff with it. While I'm no good at the stuff myself, and the film processing was a bit much, (expense-wise) the photos turned out better and lovlier than they may have in color.

So after my 3hr walk and a stop at Ralph's (having left empty-handed) I at least got some photo up on my flikr and am happy with some of the photos I shot. I'm not a professional. I just you know, like taking pictures. =) I guess next I'd like to figure out exactly how far my route took in distance (I double-backed a lot and covered some of the same blocks twice just to keep seeing what was there.




Maybe I'll have better luck at lunch or a coffeespot next time. =)

Holiday Celebration at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

One of many photos I have to work on from this afternoon. The husband had a bunch of work to do, so he opted out of attending with me. Instead I wandered downtown (and up the hill) by myself to attend the festivities.

I left around 230pm and got there around 3 o'clock. By the time I was seated, I was sent up to the 4th floor with the rest of the folks making their way in. Actually being there was nice. I know I could have stayed back at the apartment and watched it on tv, but the balcony, despite being far away, gave a good vantage to the set up and how the show was hosted and filmed.

Up on the 4th floor it was hot though and the seats were.. close. Maybe too close. It got to be a little warm up there for me. Also, after getting poked a few times with a lady scavenging in her purse one too many times and dealing with the odd issue of my hearing, I apologized and headed out. It seemed the best place to be was outside with the multitudes that didn't get in (or were in this never-ending queue to get in).

Being out on the Plaza was wonderful. The air was good, the sky blue.. Families, couples, singles and all sorts of people were everywhere. Children laughed and skipped through the fountains despite the security trying to discourage them. People out on dates took pictures of each other. Little boys stomped and splashed. Little girls danced with their moms.. Grandmas or Aunts giggled and pointed at the large screen set up to broadcast the KCET program when they saw their nephews or grandsons. So much scampering, clapping, singing, talking.. and the air was nice. It was good to be outside with it all.

I headed back down Grand Ave around 530 after the "Kultura Phillippine Folk Arts" performed and got back just in time for "Klezmer Juice" at 6pm. I know it's not the same as being there, but I got to sample a lot of good times and positive energy.

So now I'm going to finish working on those photos.. I just wanted to write some of it down before I started to forget. It was all good. I hope some other folks I know were able to go at one point or another.. It was well worth it and hope you had at least as much fun as I did, whatever you chose to do for the holiday.

Best Wishes,

Meeko