My schedule these days leaves little time for anything behind sleep, drink, an ocassional workout, and of course the daily grind. Now and then we get a break, though it usually takes some kind of formal event I can't say no to! This past week was the commencement ceremony at USC for Julia's grad school, the Rossier School of Education, and I wouldn't have missed it for anything - I'm very proud of her, and very relieved it's over for now! So here are the pictures, my first new gallery online in a long time.

Last night was date night, so we decided to go to the movies for the first time in nearly 2 years! Being Tarantino (Jackie Brown, True Romance, Kill Bill, how can you go wrong?) and Robert Rodriguez fans we couldn't think of anything better to see on the silver screen than their new collaboration, the double-feature umbrella Grindhouse featuring "Planet Terror" by Rodriguez and "Death Proof" by Tarantino.

As expected, both features are pure homage to B-film suspense/horror/sci-fi, with gratuitous violence, lots of boobs, and some incredible action sequences. Throught, from the opening frame, the picture is cut with grain, intermittant focus problems, miscuts, fake trailers for even trashier movies ("Don't!" was particularly funny) and other elements meant to (and they do!) evoke the pre-digital, pre-perfection days of cheap B-movies in a cheap movie house. Tarantino is, as always, obsessed with cinema days past, and I can dig it.

So when we're at a point where the first feature is obviously almost over - the final action scene is unfolding, bullets and explosions, zombies, and dead good guys everywhere, the picture goes bad, the sound screeches to a halt, and we watch what appears to be the film melting before our eyes, the 20 people in the theater just laughed at the audacity of the filmmakers. We sit there for at least 10 minutes watching the picture devolve, wondering just how far he'll take it, and how he'll recover and bring the movie back on for it's final scene. And then we wait some more, figuring this is the demented "intermission" we had all been expecting already (two features back to back, with some form of intermission is what we had all heard). Even the standard slide show of local business ads that finally comes up seemed particularly filled with dark humor and irony, and possibly part of Tarantino's sick plan for this film.

Eventually an usher comes in, stammers something or other about going upstairs to check, and we finally realize - after some hushed speculation - that the film did in fact catch on fire and melt in front of us, during a screening of perhaps the one film in recent memory where the audience figured it was just a part of the twisted presentation, and not a real annoyance.

The management all but asks us to leave, offering us free passes, but everyone wanted to finish the film. After about 20 minutes they get the film rolling again and we missed maybe 5 minutes, so we're dropped right into the closing moments of the first feature. No big deal, it's easy enough to fill in the gaps, and we do get to see the final scene, which wraps the movie up.

Then, 15 minutes of twisted, hilarious faux-trailers for non-existant horror films (all the trailers were written and directed by other, well-known schlock filmmakers), and the next feature, Quentin's "Death Proof" comes on, the one I'm waiting for.

Alas, just as the feature is picking up - what a cast! - BOOM! It happens again! The project goes crazy, the image devolves, and we're stuck with another dead film! Arghhhh!!! At this point the amusement of the first incident becomes annoyance, and we decide to leave. Up to the box office for our refund - "no problem, here's your $15 dollars... " says she. "Yeah, but I paid $19" says I. "Oh, but your receipt says $15". "You're right, but I paid $19, so your employee must have pocketed the rest". So, not wanting to argue the point, but after making it clear I absolutely paid more than my receipt, we get our refund plus passes for another film, and go spend the money elsewhere.... Starbucks, and then on to H&M for a shopping spree!

I never knew H&M had men's clothing, and they actually have a lot of nice stuff; I will be returning, even though it is located on the 8th ring of hell (aka, 8th floor of the Beverly Center). Hard to call a $200 receipt a "spree" except that I got a new suit, several pairs of slacks and some nice shirts, a belt, and a few pairs of sunglasses for Julia. Amazing what they can do with sweatshop labor these days.

After H&M we went to Bulan, neé Busaba, one of my favorite dinner spots - a vegan Thai restaurant on Melrose that, aside from their pad thai (which I'm not impressed by) has the best Thai dishes I've ever had, meat-free or otherwise! We had a crispy fish with apple - some kind of vegan "catfish", topped with sour apple shavings, that is unbelievably good - a "duck" curry that is easily in my top 3 curries of all times, and a chicken satay that's better than the real deal. Mmmmmm. Yes, it's that good.

Finally, we got home, kicked back, and watched a few episodes of "Heroes" while I geeked out. A very pleasant Saturday night, even if we did miss our (likely) only chance to see Grindhouse in the theater.

12/07/2006, Downtown.
Hill St and the 101 (3)
Driving home from work through downtown, avoiding the freeways because of traffic, I had an itch to stop and shoot. Clear skies and a beautiful sunset were a slight diversion, and I'd spent the past few weeks thinking about shooting some freeway scenes from an overpass or footbridge, so stopped between Chinatown and Downtown in Hill St. to watch the cars go by on the 101 freeway.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama

12/07/2006, Downtown.
Hill St and the 101 (1)
Driving home from work through downtown, avoiding the freeways because of traffic, I had an itch to stop and shoot. Clear skies and a beautiful sunset were a slight diversion, and I'd spent the past few weeks thinking about shooting some freeway scenes from an overpass or footbridge, so stopped between Chinatown and Downtown in Hill St. to watch the cars go by on the 101 freeway.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama

11/26/2006, Venice Blvd, Los Angeles.
Rest in Paradise
I've recently started capturing various bits of graffiti, murals and other street art around town. This is one that always catches my eye, about half a mile from home, just off Venice Blvd, an elaborate memorial mural, with elements of graffiti and LA-Latino memorial murals.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama

11/26/2006, Venice Blvd, Los Angeles.
Rest in Paradise
I've recently started capturing various bits of graffiti, murals and other street art around town. This is one that always catches my eye, about half a mile from home, just off Venice Blvd, an elaborate memorial mural, with elements of graffiti and LA-Latino memorial murals.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama

11/11/2006, Los Angeles River (3)
Neither Side of the Tracks
Down on the LA "river", just below the 4th Street (I think) bridge. Across the river is the downtown Los Angeles skyline.

11/11/2006, Los Angeles River (2)
Neither Side of the Tracks
Down on the LA "river", just below the 4th Street (I think) bridge.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama

11/11/2006, Los Angeles River (1)
Neither Side of the Tracks
Down on the LA "river", just below the 4th Street (I think) bridge.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama

10/29/2006, Terminal 4, LAX
Flight Delays and Turkey on Rye
I was supposed to be nearly to Chicago by now but the flight is delayed as usual. Fortunately I've got wifi and a sandwich. Veggie turkey on toasted rye with sprouts, shredded carrots, pickles, jarlsberg, and dijon mustard.
click here for a fullscreen Quicktime VR version of this panorama