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July 4th

5 Jul

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With the always possible threat of fire or riot, the helicopters patrol the night skies; tonight its concerning that a flare is released nearby.   A bright red dot on July 4th is a near miss – who’s going to see it amidst all the fireworks?

The helicopter:

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The Flare:

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Fireworks were scaled back to only a handful of shows across L.A. because of California’s budget crisis.   The Hollywood Bowl, a local concert and event venue, has their own celebration off of Highland Avenue which, although fantastic up close, only makes the hills look like they’re on fire.  Above the city, only a handful of colorful bouquets can be seen above the Los Angeles skyline.    There’s 15 million people here, so there’s never going to be a single destination.    It’s a penury display but a satisfying day.  Requisite grilling was done, skin got sun-scorched and we ended up amongst friends.

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Daily Photo: Ants Go Marching…

4 Jul

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Argyle Avenue

Daily Photo: Blank Space

3 Jul

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How this happens in L.A. I have no idea. Grass growing in a plot that would nicely fit a small apartment building seems foreign. However, with the economy in the throes of a melt-down, construction projects have stopped, and the shiny buildings we were all looking forward to are now uninspiring steel skeletons.

Dodger Day

1 Jul

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Daily Photo: Messages to the Public

1 Jul

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In front of Whole Foods. Fairfax Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.

Berd AKA Browne/4eightyone

1 Jul

Banksy is not alone in his endeavor to turn L.A. into an open gallery. The enigmatic Berd, who like Banksy, wears a bandanna and strikes during the wee hours of the morning, is bent on swaddling telephone wires with his small, handcrafted wooden “Berds” that look like something out of a Mario Brothers video game.  The Berds are connected to a padlock and wire, an easy swing skyward and up they go.  At first a diversion, (Browne wanted to do something other than spraypaint city property) its quickly become an art phenomenon that started in Venice Beach, California.  The whimsical objects continue to grow in numbers from Venice to New York since 2006, easily seen whirring above some of the busiest intersections.   Though Browne has admitted to mixed feelings about tagging property, he seems to have no remorse about the flocks he’s loosed on the city; but no one seems to mind. Amid the Graffiti, electrical box posters and billboards flooding the city space, Browne’s birds are an amusing distraction. Though it looks like he’s taking a new approach:

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I can’t decide if this is a “B” or Boobs.

And…there might be a new kid in town:

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Cute C Maw looks an awful lot like a Banksy: I allege an imitation artist is at work. Or Banksy got sloppy.

The real thing:
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Weekend News

30 Jun

Approach with caution: 8am   So very, very sore….

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Breakfast: 9am

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Beverly Hills Park Art

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Afternoon Tea: Royal/T Cafe

The Maid Cafe: A Review

I was really here to visit the Poketo pop-up shop, but was drawn to the artwork instead.   While artists worked on cardboard pieces for Poketo’s window display and a little Asian girl held her own cardboard tree up high for a cameraman taking photos, I took some shots of my own. 

Royal/T Cafe is noted mostly for its Japanese maid theme, and I wonder if they are allowed to hire anyone outside of Asian, least it ruin the otherworldliness of the restaurant and gallery.   Although the service was a bit slow, the food is rich in flavor and texture (the tiramisu heaven), and the aromatic teas attractive.    I think the Cafe achieved what it is meant to; a serviceable space for artists and patrons alike.

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He Was Found

29 Jun

The week before Father’s Day weekend, I found out about Banksy. Though his graffiti pops up on concrete walls across the world, he has recently infilitrated the L.A. parking lot and started tagging. So I went hunting.

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La Brea, one block from Pico Blvd.

If you continue up La Brea towards Hollywood, there are more images to be found right before you hit Santa Monica Boulevard.

Daily Photo: Beverly Hills: Rodeo

29 Jun

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Death Knell

26 Jun

Photobucket Photo by Polly Cole.

The city mourns its loss as flowers continue to build against the pop stars vigil on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His death hangs over the city.