For most people, it's Christmas. For me, a non-religious person, it's a day off alone to get things done. The imagery of this seasonal holiday also reminds me of sad things that have happened. But being alone also let me get quite a few things done.
On the other hand, it's a fine excuse to post one of my most favorite 80s music videos of all time.
This is one of those songs that is not only special for being great and iconic music but also because the lyrics say something very personal.
(Ironically I had a big "holiday lunch" by my lonesome at a Thai restaurant. A remake of this song came on and after it finished, a little Chinese kid started singing the song out loud for like 5 minutes. Yup, the tune is that good on an intuitive level.
So, I spent this weekend to clean up the place. Recently I had a visitor and I didn't feel comfortable taking that person back to my place (or any other local friend) because...well, the place is a mess! As a collector of so many things living in a small house, I have way too much stuff crammed in here...
But it's almost organized.
And then, wrapping up some boxes/presents...some late b-day gifts and just some items I picked up for people on my travels.
On 12/12/12, I had a special visitor from Pennsylvania! Pesky and I decided to meet up and, because I wanted to be hospitable from the bottom of my heart, I took her my most favorite place in LA...The Huntington Library.
She did not live up to her namesake...she was neither annoying nor did she get in the way. The girl was actually quite sweet and, to my great delight, was someone who can be called an intellectual. I just wish the weather gods in LA were a bit kinder as I think she got a bit carsick as I fought traffic between destinations. After the Huntington, we went to Amoeba Music to shop!
I got a few pics there and I edited them (and re-edited them again for SG) for your viewing pleasure!
(CONGRATS GIRL ON GOING PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
FYI, as I mentioned before, it was raining and a rather gloomy day outside so I had to use the ole PS on these shots.
The girl is rather photogenic, don't you think? Those tight black stretchy pants just killed me...
I was trying to take a shot here and here she comes prancing in...I really like this shot a lot even though she's blurry...you can really see the emotion in her body language as she encounters the beauty of this area...the same beauty I was trying to take a pic of...
It turned from a nice shot into a favorite shot.
And then she posed...yup, genuine joy.
This is the Liu-themed tea house and eatery inside the Chinese Garden in the Huntington.
On our way out, we stopped by this leaning sculpture of columns and a pair of statues.
Pesky capturing and sending a pic to Chaotique.
The girl's a natural.
Picture yourself with a minotaur head...
(Yo dawg, we heard you like to take pictures...so I took a picture of you taking a picture so you can see yourself being photographed while you're being photographed! - X)
Some more of Peskypie
And here are some shots I got this time that I feel turned out well, despite the gloomy day.
Chinese Garden
Love this angle...I always wind up taking this shot...as you can see it's rather overcast.
Civil War temporary exhibit
A lock of Lincoln's hair.
A real picture of Lincoln. Or a real picture of a facscimile of a real picture of Lincoln. C'est Ce n'est pas une pipe!
This was in a glass case, greeting you as you walked in.
Euro Art exhibit
Another tough shot...the subject is jet black but glossy with a bright white light shining on it. Tough to shoot without losing detail...this is exactly the sort of subject that makes you want to shoot in P programmable mode rather than Auto. Turned out well I think...check out the color on the vessel, the golds and bronzes...the purples.
A functional lamp of delicately blown glass...a few hundred years old. The glass is lit up by an external spotlight.
Sculptures are rather tough to shoot...not only are they three dimensional so there may be multiple angles, but pictures of them always seem to turn yellow like the bottom one even in person they look white like the top one.
Random Art stuff
I don't remember where this was but I do remember it was another tough shot as things are tilted at different angles and are reflective...you can see that tripartate tray in front so bright. But all of the colors came through so mission accomplished.
They had a cardboard art exhibit and this was a rather cool looking lamp.
Japanese Garden
Autumn in "Japan."
The garden gate.
Bell house...I love taking pics in this area.
The lower garden and pool.
American and British portraits
Strange that I don't recall seeing this striking painting before.
I need a suit of armor like this.
Love this table.
American Literature
Letters from Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Outdoors
Same statue yet the color is so different depending on the angle you take it at. I loved the color in the lower shot but it has that ugly yellow wall. On the above shot, the overall composition was just much more appealing.
I've taken pics of this area every time I'm there but this is the only one that has ever turned out.
On the way out.
Rose garden. I keep expecting a satyr or faun to jump out but...
They have several of these outdoor hallway passages and they are all cool as hell (like the one of Pesky earlier with the vines).
History of Science and Exploration Exhibit
Nikola Tesla handwritten document.
Random flower shots:
Some other decent shots...
It's been a long time since I've had something really fun and joyeous to blog about; thank you Pesky! Let's do it again sometime.
- R
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