Capturing the Soul

Above The Clouds

2009-07-30T00:29:00.000-07:00

From above they look so soft and cushiony, almost as if we'd bounce if we landed on them.

Gold

2009-06-25T00:31:00.000-07:00

See that shimmering in the stream bed? Those are flecks of gold sparkling in the sunlight.

Colorado Street Bridge

2009-06-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

I went hiking in the Arroyo Seco today and ended up under the historic Colorado Street Bridge. It's a little overwhelming to be underneath such a massive structure. I kept hoping the "Big One" wouldn't hit while I was in the vicinity!

The Love House

2009-06-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

I hope that much love and happiness goes on inside this house. It seems to be expected when you walk through the door.

Speeding

2009-05-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

I know, I should slow down.

Butterflies at the Bug Fair

2009-05-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

These butterflies will not be flying away anytime soon. Instead, they were available for purchase at the 23rd annual Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum. Just think how lovely these beauties would've been in-flight.

The First McDonalds

2009-05-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

I ordered a #5: A Big and Tasty (with no meat and no mayo) at the very first McDonalds in the whole wide world. Yes, the cashier looked at me funny, as usual.

Fathers and Electricians

2009-05-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Which one are you gonna call? The 1-866-72-DADDY or the electrician?

One Stop Shopping

2009-05-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

Banking, shoes, dry cleaning, insurance, beauty supply and lots of food options. This is the epitome of Los Angeles.

Arlington West in Santa Monica

2009-05-11T00:36:00.000-07:00

Part of my Mother's Day was spent honoring fallen solidiers from the Iraq War. The original sentiment of Mother's Day was born out of the horrors of the Civil War, in the hopes that more mothers wouldn't have to bear the grief of losing a son or sons to war. I hope more mothers band together to protest the current atrocities of war, the nightmarish violence that awaits our soldiers.

No Cell Phones

2009-05-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Cell phones are everywhere in Los Angeles, even on signs saying, "No Cell Phones"!

Chinatown Streets

2009-05-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Dragons in the bricked crosswalks would only make sense in Chinatown. I wonder if specifically stepping on the dragons brings good luck.

Los Angeles City Hall As Viewed From Chinatown

2009-05-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Silver Lake Reservoir at Twilight

2009-05-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

The Pacific Ocean may be a short drive away, but when I get the desire to walk along the water, I head to the Silver Lake Reservoir. It's especially beautiful and relaxing on gorgeous evenings when the moon is rising.

The Bag Lady

2009-05-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

Our local bag lady scavenges the trash for whatever recyclables or food she can find. Parks on the weekend are the home of cookouts, birthday parties and lots of kids eating and drinking.

She did not go home empty-handed today.

Sounds of the Universe Billboard

2009-04-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

This billboard for Depeche Mode's new album, Sounds of the Universe, is only a few blocks away from where I live. I don't know why I feel so special that there's an advertisement in MY neighborhood.

Wires & More Wires for Depeche Mode

2009-04-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how all the wires and plugs fit together, but I have no doubt it's gonna make Depeche Mode sound marvelous tomorrow night! (not that they need any help, mind you!)

Depeche Mode's Stage Equipment

2009-04-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

This equipment is going to morph overnight into a stage for Depeche Mode.

Hollywood Boulevard

2009-04-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

In 24 hours this little section of Hollywood Boulevard is going to be overrun with thousands of Depeche Mode fans.

The Hollywood SIgn

2009-04-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

The Hollywood Sign sits atop Mt. Lee in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. This photo was taken from halfway up Mt. Hollywood, which is directly in back of the Griffith Park Observatory.

Sunset Glow

2009-04-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Sunset viewed from the roof of the Griffith Park Observatory.

Downtown Los Angeles

2009-04-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

I love the view of Downtown Los Angeles from Griffith Park. It never fails to leave me awestruck.

Morning Mist at the Griffith Park Observatory

2009-04-06T23:44:00.001-07:00

The morning fog had not yet fully risen from this city by the Pacific Ocean, yet the beauty that is Griffith Park cannot be denied. Set against the majestic background of Downtown Los Angeles, the Observatory sparkles like the mountainside jewel it is.

Beckham Armani on the Sunset Strip

2009-03-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

No drive down the Sunset Strip would be complete without noting the giant, larger than life-sized billboards that scream, "Buy me, and you will become beautiful, rich, sexy, smart, respected, powerful."

... And you will also have great underwear and a hot husband/wife.

But Victoria looks angry, not sensual. And David, he looks like he wants to reach for the Jack Daniels.

Is this "love" in our modern age?

Scientology on Hollywood Blvd

2009-03-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

Drive down Hollywood Boulevard at night and there's no way you can miss the glowing green of one of the Scientology signs.

Just don't go inside the building. Remain an observer.

The Rat Destroyer

2008-11-08T22:16:00.000-08:00

I have never seen a rat roaming through my small neck of the woods. Now I know why: One of my neighbors has acquired Moore's Wonderful Rat Destroyer. The Rat Destroyer must work exceptionally well to keep our neighborhood so perfectly rat-free. Perhaps New York City should also acquire a Rat Destroyer. I'm sure they would be quite popular there.

Veronica Speedwell

2008-07-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

Veronica Speedwell sounds like the name of a ne'er-do-well, film noir Jezebel. Fortunately it's only the name of these lovely lavender blue flowers growing in my mother's garden. There are many sub-varieties of Veronica Speedwell's, and these particular ones are called "Sunny Border Blue". As an added bonus, they smell as wonderful as they look.

Bride and Groom

2008-07-03T11:07:00.001-07:00

While everyone else was either headed to or from the Taste of Chicago festival, this bride and groom were hustling along Michigan Avenue, headed for the steps of the Art Institute. As I followed them and watched them jostle against the crowds of people, I wondered if they would see the jostling as a funny thing or as an annoyance. Perhaps one of them wanted to take photos on the steps and the other did not. Would the choice of location be the first fight of their wedding day? These things I'll never know, but surely the whole experience created some memorable moments for them both.

The Prison

2008-07-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is a view of a prison that's just outside Michigan City, Indiana. I was riding by on the commuter train, headed to South Bend from Chicago. The abandoned industrial materials outside the prison made me think about how jobs have vanished from areas dominated by manufacturing. I wonder how much the prison population increases every time the layoffs come.

Storm Clouds

2008-06-21T23:15:00.000-07:00

It was unbelievably hot and humid in Los Angeles today. Other than smog, the sky was clear except for this mountain storm forming in the mountains to the northeast of the city. This shot of the gigantic cumulus clouds billowing over the top of this hill and the wires from the telephone polls stretching across the street definitely caught my eye.

Self-Aware Graffiti

2008-06-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

Clearly, this tagger has gone to therapy and identified the key issue he or she needs to work on. Given this graffiti on a preschool fence, I'm guessing a few more visits to the therapist are definitely in order.

The Hippie Van

2008-06-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

What would it be like to check completely out of the world you and I inhabit and simply live in a van you decorate with marbles, colored glass and toys?

I Madonnari

2008-06-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

I went to the Santa Barbara Mission last weekend and saw the remains of the pastel paintings done during Memorial Day weekend on the concrete in front of the Mission. It's all part of the I Madonnari Festival that takes place there. There were dozens of these beautiful drawings and I felt exceedingly lucky to get to see these since at a week old, they were already a bit faded.

These two were some of the most beautiful drawings:

The Attribute Staircase

2008-05-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

How could I not love a city where people paint concrete steps so creatively? I wish there were more reminders around of the attributes we all should strive to develop in ourselves.

Jacaranda Shadows

2008-05-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles has been incredibly hot over the past week, but the Jacaranda trees are still blooming beautifully. They make a wonderful lavender canopy overhead while casting such majestic shadows on the street.

Jacaranda Blooming

2008-05-10T19:56:00.001-07:00

Jacaranda trees have been blooming in earnest across Los Angeles. I snapped this photo of some Jacaranda's a bit before sunset tonight. The way the flowers are set against the clouds really caught my eye.

Some people hate Jacaranda's because the lavender blue petals are moist and leave a sticky residue on your car. To me, the inconvenience of having to wash your car a bit more frequently is well worth the beauty they bring.

Hiking the Mount Hollywood Trail

2008-04-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

Foggy Los Angeles mornings are perfect for hiking the trails on Mount Hollywood. As the sun rises, the layers of low-lying clouds burn away, revealing the splendors of the city below. I started my hike at the Griffith Park Observatory which is the building visible in the distance. It always amazes me how it doesn't feel like I've walked as far as I have.

Graffiti Transformations

2008-04-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

A month ago the side of the taqueria down the hill was covered with graffiti. The blank wall was a magnet for taggers.

But now, it's been transformed into:

A whole week has gone by and the taggers are respecting the art. If it does successfully keep the taggers away, I'm sure the owners will wish they'd thought of painting the wall a couple of years ago. They could have saved hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in painting costs.

Silent Street

2008-04-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

Even in a city known for it's headache-inducing traffic, there are those moments when even the busiest streets are silent. This particular side street is a rush hour traffic-shortcut favorite. But for just a moment, the only cars around were those parked on the side of the road.

Spring Street

2008-03-25T16:26:00.001-07:00

Spring Street is in Downtown Los Angeles but this sign is clearly taking a break from letting us know where we're at. Instead, it's resting in this city-block long space that's filled with abandoned light poles. I wish it a speedy recovery.

Blooming

2008-03-23T22:16:00.001-07:00

On my first visit to Los Angeles I fell in love with all the flowers tucked everywhere in this city. But, despite our warm weather, sometimes certain flowers, like these small yellow blooms, are only around for a couple of weeks before they die off. I suppose the flowers match Hollywood: When something old begins fading, something new emerges, eager to take over the spotlight.

Frankenstein in Los Angeles

2008-03-17T07:16:00.001-07:00

Frankenstein appeared on this electrical box down the street from me. This is clearly done by someone trying to put the words "artist" and "graffiti" back together again, and, in case we didn't know, he or she helpfully pointed out that Frankie is "dead'.

However, the City of Los Angeles was unimpressed with this rendering. The graffiti removal folks had it painted over two hours after I took this photo. I'm glad I almost always carry my camera so I can catch such urban masterpieces before they're destroyed.

Gated Stairs

2008-02-29T22:40:00.001-08:00

I have a love affair with the many staircases cut into the hillsides around my home. This one rises up a mere two stories, a short distance by the standards of this neighborhood.

I've never climbed these stairs because the gate's always locked, accessible only to the residents of the apartment building above. I fear I'm destined to never discover the mysteries that dwell at the top of the gated stairs.

Oaxaqueño Wall Mural

2008-02-16T01:25:00.001-08:00

The owners of this market proudly proclaim their heritage via this beautiful wall mural located on Santa Monica Blvd. Oaxaqueño means they're from the Mexican state of Oaxaca. I walk past this mural a couple times every week and each time I admire the beautiful patterns on the woman's dress.

These sort of wall murals are found all over Los Angeles and, interestingly enough, usually are respected as a tag-free zones. But as you can see , not every building is so lucky. Perhaps this small food stand should get a huge mural painted on the side. That way maybe the taggers will stop writing "BONK" on the side of the building.

El Coyote

2008-02-12T00:41:00.000-08:00

El Coyote is one of those restaurants I've never been to but have driven by a thousand times. At night it's always packed. Throngs of people stand outside, waiting to get in. The line to valet park considerably backs up the eastbound traffic on Beverly Boulevard. And just when you think the traffic couldn't get any worse, a bus comes and jams things up even more.

But during the day, it looks downright abandoned. It's supposed to be authentic "California Mexican". Maybe I'll try it one of these days.

Speeding in Beverly Hills

2008-02-04T05:46:00.001-08:00

I plead the fifth as to any knowledge of who was simultaneously speeding and taking pictures on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. And the gas prices on that sign used to seem outrageously expensive. Now they just seem normal.

Sunset at the Observatory

2008-02-02T01:05:00.001-08:00

The Griffith Park Observatory is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. It's only ten minutes from my house so whenever I want, I can zoom up the south end of Mount Hollywood and watch the last remaining remnants of light fade from the city below.