Another month has quickly elapsed, and it is time for yet another report on the acquisitions and loss of petty property items as time goes by.
Between taxes and rent my monthly salary gets shrinked, so I need to adjust my consumption habit, especially if I want to save some money for my trip back to the east coast.
New Items:
two new front tires for the car
a change of oil for the car
1 new swimsuit model “eurogay”
1 pair of new sunglasses to replace the one I lost more than a month ago
4 small Tupperware for to pack my lunches
1 rembrandt toothpaste
1 travel toot brush (I lost the one I keep in my backpack)
1 travel toot paste colgate
1 new diaper cream for swimming
1 new douche gel
New items I have not paid for:
5 booklets with 100 checks each, from my checking bank account I have 500 checks , I just asked for one, but Americans are Americans.
1 hat (a present)
1 2009 porn for women calendar (a present)
Immaterial goods
50$ refill for my cell phone, (so far I have consumed the initial 100$ I had put in it back in New York in January)
Videopass for the 2009 Motogp season on Motogp.com to be able to watch motorbike races.
Food etc
New vitamin C tablets
New Soy lecitin tablets
New Potassium and magnesium powder
The remnants of a party: bottles of wine, beer, salads, salami, pesto sauce, barley salad, barley beans, one pineapple, etc. 1 kg ½ of linguine pasta, etc.
lost or worn out.
1 swimsuit (worn out)
1 pair of cuff link
1 travel toothbrush
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Eurogay swimsuit
I have already introduced the problem of finding a swimsuit in the US in various entries, I had various conversations and I learnt that among males the swimsuit commonly used in Europe are called Eurogay swimsuit, in an interesting formula that mixes the idea that those suits are for gays and that in Europe they are common. Oblivious of this, days later, I finally followed the advice of various people and head for a BIG FIVE, a sport megastore few miles east on Colorado, which is the main avenue that traverses Pasadena west to east. Fortunately there is a little section with proper swimsuit for swimming and not the huge things that Americans wear. As I look at the three models available I doubt if I should get a 32 or a 34 (do not try to convert it as measure, this is a measurement of inches at waist), the pants I am wearing are a 33, thus I ask a shop assistant about his opinion, this black tall young guy look at me with open unsure eyes that are saying "are you hitting on me?" I remember about the Eurogay thing and I try to straighten up my question. My accent clearly say I am European, it doesn't say whether I am gay. The guy say something and walks away quickly and I get to the cash counter.
Gay approaches in the US
By the way, this is also a good place to tell about the gay-approach-phrase in the US among the cultivated and not. The first time I was approached with this was in the male bathroom of a distinguished library, "is everything all right" this guy says as he get in and sees me. I did not understand and answered "yes it is" and look at him with a face asking "what kind of question is this anyway". The second time was at a party, the usual group conversing for a while, when the group split up, this guy on my left approaches me putting his hand on my shoulder and asks "are you all right?" at this point I realize what the previous anecdote was about and I answered "I am all right, thank you" and he took off his hand from my shoulder.
Gay approaches in the US
By the way, this is also a good place to tell about the gay-approach-phrase in the US among the cultivated and not. The first time I was approached with this was in the male bathroom of a distinguished library, "is everything all right" this guy says as he get in and sees me. I did not understand and answered "yes it is" and look at him with a face asking "what kind of question is this anyway". The second time was at a party, the usual group conversing for a while, when the group split up, this guy on my left approaches me putting his hand on my shoulder and asks "are you all right?" at this point I realize what the previous anecdote was about and I answered "I am all right, thank you" and he took off his hand from my shoulder.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Galleria Americana
Just 10 minutes away from Altadena, Glendale is the location of two famous shopping malls. Americana and Galleria. I had already visited Glendale when, during my very first week in LA, , in search for a spare for the car, I had gone to Brand Avenue in Glendale. Brand Ave. is a sort off gigantic open air multi-dealers boulevard dedicated to the 20th century horse. This time rather than from the south I reached Glendale going west on the 210/134. Glendale was already an LA large suburb (now about 200 thousands) but in the '70s saw a major development because also because of being at the meeting point of two freeways, the Glendale Fwy (now calle n 2) and the Ventura Fwy(not called 134). I landed from the freeway again on Brand but close to the hills and started to descend. The Galleria, the oldest of the two shopping malls opened in 1976 and department stores plus a multitude of restaurants and shops. It is the mall as we have seen in movies and television, as we have read in novels and essays. For the pleasure of either those who knows about Walter Benjamin and those who don't, the word "galleria" was adopted in mid nineteenth century as a translation of the word "arcade" which was used in english and french "passage" to indicate the new temples of shoppings, covered lighted streets. Surving in Italy today two in Turin, one in Milan and one in Naples.
Maybe because I arrive at 8 but I am struck by a couple of things, one is the performative character that the place impress onto the people. The number of people who have dressed up to go to the mall is clearly superior to those in the Galleria where people are just dressed casually. The second is the great spectacle of eating: restaurants are filled with people who, disregarding the tacky golden apollo/superman/athlete statue at the center forged in pure capitalist realism style, are performing their dining out with formalized poses and attitudes. The non blasé among them enjoy looking at the elaborated water games of the central fountain, maybe uncounsciously longing for an off-night of sprinkles and spoutings. One of the building has an elevator tower, on top of it something that reminds me of both an water well structure and the Eiffel Tower, the entire structure it looks like a multilevel hotel by its entrance, but nobody checks me at the entrance, when I get to the second level I realize it is the parking. The mall is all at ground level, but the parking lot has 7 levels!
The mall has three levels and fountains. People walks and window shops, as it is usual there is one end which is more up-market and another more popular where the department store is located, here is slightly more complicated for the presence of 5 department stores.
To immerse better myself in the mall I got myself a shopping task, finding a new pair of swimming trunks. The one bought in New Haven are worn out and almost transparent on my buttocks. Thus I visited shops, and looked at windows, and at people, asked sale assistants, and with some hopes I entered a couple of sport stores. But in the US, whether east or west coast, to find a swimming trunk and not trousers you need a specialized shop, in the entire department store I was not able to find one pair of swimming trunks made for swimming.
Time to move to the next one. The two malls close both at 9 pm. The construction of Americana, started in 2005 and it kicked open in 2008. It is a mall of new generation, open air, with a number of pedestrian streets around a central square; cinema and restaurants tends to be located in this central focus place. A fountains plays with water and there is even a street-car, red, circling around the entire area.
Time to move to the next one. The two malls close both at 9 pm. The construction of Americana, started in 2005 and it kicked open in 2008. It is a mall of new generation, open air, with a number of pedestrian streets around a central square; cinema and restaurants tends to be located in this central focus place. A fountains plays with water and there is even a street-car, red, circling around the entire area.
The entire mall is built to resemble to an east coast southern city, Charleston as it was in the 1940s. I've been told that Charleston did not have a street-car back then. In any case the inspiration is generally southern states. Buildings are 4 storey, the ground floor is shops the rest looks like they are flats. Large billboards invite people to come and live there. Abandon reality, come and live in the Centre.
Maybe because I arrive at 8 but I am struck by a couple of things, one is the performative character that the place impress onto the people. The number of people who have dressed up to go to the mall is clearly superior to those in the Galleria where people are just dressed casually. The second is the great spectacle of eating: restaurants are filled with people who, disregarding the tacky golden apollo/superman/athlete statue at the center forged in pure capitalist realism style, are performing their dining out with formalized poses and attitudes. The non blasé among them enjoy looking at the elaborated water games of the central fountain, maybe uncounsciously longing for an off-night of sprinkles and spoutings. One of the building has an elevator tower, on top of it something that reminds me of both an water well structure and the Eiffel Tower, the entire structure it looks like a multilevel hotel by its entrance, but nobody checks me at the entrance, when I get to the second level I realize it is the parking. The mall is all at ground level, but the parking lot has 7 levels!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Desert gardens
Finally I managed to visit the entirety of the Huntington's gardens. Beside the Chinese gardens, there are the Japanese with an entire Japanese house in it and a zen garden. On the way from the Chinese to the Japanese, there is the Padillon for Washing Thoughts Away, a very useful one and of course one of my favourites. However from time to time I would like there be one for putting the thoughts in order.
The authentic exotic experience are the desert gardens, Cactuses, Agaves, aloes, and all the miriades of forms those hard to kill creatures have taken. Of cactus there are all those you see in western movies and read in Tex. The tall ones ou hide behind as you approach the buffalo, the round one you cut in search of liquids under the desert sun when your horse has abandoned you.
I actually went around it in a very torrid day, with temperature above the 90 F and the sun raining down on the sparse visitors.
It felt like july in Italy and actually Agaves and aloes and some of the cactuses were quite familiar if you come from the south.
I just put here a couple of pictures, the rest you can see in the slideshow. 
Friday, April 17, 2009
Dodger stadium
Baseball, as a friend of mine wrote to me, half of the US is obsessed by it, the other half thinks is boring. One game is of course not enough to give a judgement, however I can see both possibilities.
We set out on a colleague's car, he has flown into a LA and here got himself this old car through a company called rent a wreck, http://www.rentawreck.com/ that is the cheapest way to get a running car in the US. His car is actually squeaking.
We set out on a colleague's car, he has flown into a LA and here got himself this old car through a company called rent a wreck, http://www.rentawreck.com/ that is the cheapest way to get a running car in the US. His car is actually squeaking.
Dodger's stadium is an example of 1960s architecture (1962) located just north of downtown los angeles, north east of Echo Park, on the hill opposite to it a large sign THINK BLUE (the colour of Dodgers) is standing up. The dodgers were actually a team from Brooklyn who moved to LA. LA does not have a american football team, of course beside the dodgers there are the famous LA Lakers for basketball. The stadium painted also in blue is surrounded by a huge area for car park.
The game starts at 7 10 and we are there around 6 30, the stadium is full for less than half of its capacity. As for many other activities food is central to the experience, the rings at the back of seating ares are filled with stands selling you any kind of fast food you fancy, mainly hot dogs. People selling candyfloss and a sort of frozen yogurt are circling the seated audience.
We got seats right on top of the hitter post, not ideal I am told because you cannot see the exchanges taking place between coaches and players. Very good view otherwise.
Most of the time before the start of the game is spent between the advertisement of products and some policing of the event, recommendations on correct behaviour on the part of the audience displayed in points and read by baseball players are repeated at least a couple of times, a tel number is given to ask for help "if somebody is hindering your enjoyment". When they play the national anthem, everybody really stands up, like they do on movies or tv. However I remember they did not stood up in New Haven for it on inauguration day. I stood up as well, a little embarrassed, but it would be very stupid not to do so. I do not recollect the last time I stood up for a national anthem, hardly ever of course for the Italian one.
The game starts and during the first inning I do not understand anything of it. The dodgers in white are playing the Giants (San Francisco) in grey. Right at the second inning there is a home run for the Dodgers, this I recognize, just from the little you learn from movies.
People continue to flood in and by the beginning of the fourth inning, more than an hour after the beginning of the match the stadium is full at 80% and more of its capacity. Each change of field or end of inning, one sees a huge movement of people towards the food stands.
There is hardly any loud support for the team but for some cheering and some clapping of hands. Giants' supporters are seated among the rest of the public.
By the sixth inning I start to get logic of it, getting the hitter out for the pitcher's team and getting the run round the diamond for the other team. When somebody reach second base the game starts to become tense. It is at this moment that the speakers play the 'charge' -trumpet, like in John Wayne movies- and the audience go 'yeah' or 'go'.
While I am having a piss at mid seventh inning there is a pause for "god bless America" it plays in the restroom too.
The most remarkable thing however is again the audience. Starting at the seventh inning they start to leave the ground, it is now about 9 30 pm.
The game ends with a smashing victory for the Dodgers, 7-2 the final score. Because there is a gap of 3 or more victory at the exit you get a bonus slip for three mini burgers at Jack in the Box. Yuppie ye.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Pasadena from above
On sunday Morning, I went with my landlady to have a walk on the hills just north of Altadena. I should not say walk however, if you are on a trail and you are on the hills it is a hike. Sunday was a beautiful day, with a little mist.
At the moment everything is very green, it seems that by october is very dry and there is a significant danger of fires.
Opuntia Indian figs, originary of mexico and very common in sicily and in the mediterranean, are quite common in this area too, as you can see, for instance, in this house
As you climb the hills the view towards the south shows the urban area of Pasadena and surroundings. Pasadena alone makes for about 150.000 inhabitants. Pasadena downtown is that urban white area quite far at the back,
downtown LA is hardly visible in the mist behind the hills quite far in the background. It took about a couple of hours to get up and down again. I managed to get home at 1 pm for the start of the Motogp, but as you know it was raining cats and dogs in Qatar and the race was postponed. I took a nap and then went with John to the movies. We watched Sugar,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990413/
a movie on dominican young people, would be baseball player, who immigrate in the US. An very good movie, we watched it at ArcLight on Hollywood Bd. One of the producers showed up after the screening and did a Q and A session (questions and answers).
At the moment everything is very green, it seems that by october is very dry and there is a significant danger of fires.
Opuntia Indian figs, originary of mexico and very common in sicily and in the mediterranean, are quite common in this area too, as you can see, for instance, in this house
As you climb the hills the view towards the south shows the urban area of Pasadena and surroundings. Pasadena alone makes for about 150.000 inhabitants. Pasadena downtown is that urban white area quite far at the back,
downtown LA is hardly visible in the mist behind the hills quite far in the background. It took about a couple of hours to get up and down again. I managed to get home at 1 pm for the start of the Motogp, but as you know it was raining cats and dogs in Qatar and the race was postponed. I took a nap and then went with John to the movies. We watched Sugar,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990413/
a movie on dominican young people, would be baseball player, who immigrate in the US. An very good movie, we watched it at ArcLight on Hollywood Bd. One of the producers showed up after the screening and did a Q and A session (questions and answers).
oil and tyre change
I left the car at a gas station, I chose it just by the look at it. Old fashioned 1980s pumps, and eastern european looking people. It turned out they are armenians, their father emigrated in 1975 and they opened the mechanic place here in 1985. Their place stands between Allen and Del Mar, on my way to work, I could also walk from their place to the library.
In this country oil change is being done at much shorter intervals. No idea of the reason. 3000 miles is the advised interval, I had, 5000 on mine and thought I should adjust to the local tradition. Moreover the front tyres are quite consumed on the outside and I am getting those two changed. The deal is not exactly great, about 200 $ for the job, but I am getting decent goodyear tyres. In the end I discover that they service the Huntington's cars and they gave me a ride here.
250 $... oil change is cheaper but definitely tyres are more expensive than in europe. Odometer at 127310, the car runs more smoothely now, wroom!!
In this country oil change is being done at much shorter intervals. No idea of the reason. 3000 miles is the advised interval, I had, 5000 on mine and thought I should adjust to the local tradition. Moreover the front tyres are quite consumed on the outside and I am getting those two changed. The deal is not exactly great, about 200 $ for the job, but I am getting decent goodyear tyres. In the end I discover that they service the Huntington's cars and they gave me a ride here.
250 $... oil change is cheaper but definitely tyres are more expensive than in europe. Odometer at 127310, the car runs more smoothely now, wroom!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
John Waters
Saturday afternoon, there was the opening of an exhibition of John Waters, the Baltimore based filmmaker, do you remebere Hairspray or Serian Mom? him. The show was taking place at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills. At 7 20 there was a cue long 100 meters to get in. Inside the space was a two storey high hall plus some smaller spaces, all painted in white. http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/2009-04-11_john-waters/
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/04/john-waters.html
Exposed a number of photos and photomontages plus some three dimensional works, these latter guarded each by two security men. I was personally unimpressed by the works. To me they looked like the grandchildren of Warhol's stuff. And the pictures like faces of stars projected on peoples' bums were funny but not witty. The crowd was very happy to be there, to look around and at each other. Some weird characters, at least for a provincial boy like me, hanged about, gothic girls and other of these sorts. Waters was in great shape, with a grey suit with dark grey edges he toured the room saying hallo to friends and getting photographed together with young men.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/04/john-waters.html
Exposed a number of photos and photomontages plus some three dimensional works, these latter guarded each by two security men. I was personally unimpressed by the works. To me they looked like the grandchildren of Warhol's stuff. And the pictures like faces of stars projected on peoples' bums were funny but not witty. The crowd was very happy to be there, to look around and at each other. Some weird characters, at least for a provincial boy like me, hanged about, gothic girls and other of these sorts. Waters was in great shape, with a grey suit with dark grey edges he toured the room saying hallo to friends and getting photographed together with young men.
Friday, April 10, 2009
"We have weather today"
After a couple of weeks of sunshine, this week has been quite clouded and today is also fresh and it my rain a little. In southern California, they say "we have weather", as opposed to the 'normal" condition of sunny clear sky, so weather is only "bad weather". Certainly the weather over here is mild and sunny, a cloak-room is nowhere to be found, and this is a very good way to represent the difference between East Coast and West Coast. However, it seems to me that this is also a cultural expression, derived by the fact that but also by the fact that somehow good weather is essential part of the identity of southern California. I think that over one year the days of "weather" may account to a good number.
netflix targeting me..... 3 months later
Now, you know how I basically feed on movies, and how the second week I was in the states I got myself a subscription to Netflix to get myself a fix whenever I needed it. Evidently those motherfuckers have got a program that tracks what you see and targets you with tailor-made offers organized in personalized genres. Tonight as I get onto the homepage this is the staggering ensemble I found:
I swear it is all true, I saved the page for future reference, you can ask me for it if you don't believe.
Understated Indipendent Movies on Marriage (based on my interest on Independent movies and my good ratings of Shortcuts and Sex lies and Videotapes )
Mind Bending Horror Movies (Based on my interest on Mind Bending and Horror)
Visually-striking Suspenseful Movies from the 1950s (Based on my ratings of The Bad Seed and Touch of Evil)
Crime Thriller based on Classic Literature (based on my ratings of The Big Sleep and The Lady From Shanghai)
Sci-fi and Fantasy (based on my interest on Sci fi)
Can you believe somebody out there got the job to invent those names?!!! And had fun for ten minutes looking at my records. Or is it computer generated? Gee, I wonder what I will get next... and what everybody else gets...
Inspired by such sublime and refined example of marketing, here are some in-style suggestions from my own movie experience and my imagination
Manneristic gore movies with big titted blonde girls
Serial crime thrillers based on true torture stories
Pseudo-historical movies from the 60s with middle eastern backdrops
Romantic comedies from the 1980s with guys in torn blue jeans
there is hardly a limit to the fantasy, come on, invent your own genre....
Next Morning Update. This morning, the first thing I did was checking "my" netflix homepage, with results not as exciting. Interesting that they seem to focus on whatever uncommon you've been watching...
this are their suggestions:
Mind bending independent movies (based on mind bending and independent)
Suspensful Cult horror movies (based on horror and ratings of Scream Blacula Scream, and I spit on your grave)
Critically acclaimed dark movies from the 50s (same as yesterday Bad Seed and Touch of Evil)
Sci fi and fantasy
Crime movies based on classical literature (same as yesterday, big sleep and lady of shanghai)
I swear it is all true, I saved the page for future reference, you can ask me for it if you don't believe.
Understated Indipendent Movies on Marriage (based on my interest on Independent movies and my good ratings of Shortcuts and Sex lies and Videotapes )
Mind Bending Horror Movies (Based on my interest on Mind Bending and Horror)
Visually-striking Suspenseful Movies from the 1950s (Based on my ratings of The Bad Seed and Touch of Evil)
Crime Thriller based on Classic Literature (based on my ratings of The Big Sleep and The Lady From Shanghai)
Sci-fi and Fantasy (based on my interest on Sci fi)
Can you believe somebody out there got the job to invent those names?!!! And had fun for ten minutes looking at my records. Or is it computer generated? Gee, I wonder what I will get next... and what everybody else gets...
Inspired by such sublime and refined example of marketing, here are some in-style suggestions from my own movie experience and my imagination
Manneristic gore movies with big titted blonde girls
Serial crime thrillers based on true torture stories
Pseudo-historical movies from the 60s with middle eastern backdrops
Romantic comedies from the 1980s with guys in torn blue jeans
there is hardly a limit to the fantasy, come on, invent your own genre....
Next Morning Update. This morning, the first thing I did was checking "my" netflix homepage, with results not as exciting. Interesting that they seem to focus on whatever uncommon you've been watching...
this are their suggestions:
Mind bending independent movies (based on mind bending and independent)
Suspensful Cult horror movies (based on horror and ratings of Scream Blacula Scream, and I spit on your grave)
Critically acclaimed dark movies from the 50s (same as yesterday Bad Seed and Touch of Evil)
Sci fi and fantasy
Crime movies based on classical literature (same as yesterday, big sleep and lady of shanghai)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
lunch break in china
Once a week, no visitors are allowed in the gardens and we have the site all to ourselves. A good moment to take pictures. This is just the Chinese section of the gardens, opened just over a year ago, large enough to set few scenes of a Kung-fu movie. The interesting thing is that the local chinese community is involved with it. A way to claim legitimacy and visibility.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Observatory Sunday
Sunday morning of this weekend with glamorous people, Market, at 8 30 we set off with John toward Hollywood farmers' market, that takes place every Sunday on Ivar Avenue between Sunset Bld. and Hollywood Bld.
A rather ugly head of James Dean commemorates Rebel without a cause. A strange site for an observatory, so close to the lights of a city. A 1934 PWAP (Public Works Art Project, one of the New Deals program) realist monument to great astronomers decorates the courtyard. However one of the halls inside is called Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theatre. One wonders if the stars it is supposed to point to are solely those in the sky.
The air is very clear and it is a great day to enjoy the panorama of LA. City views get standardized, LA is seen almost always from north to south, as in this case.
this is its main entrance.
It is such a treat, the most interesting moment is probably the forties and early fifties, before the wall. The seventies with terrorism are touching.
The evening is spent cooking dinner with what was bought at the market in the morning. And a couple of beers.
Breakfast.
After open air farmers' market, organic food, hippies style clothes and nostalgic singers, one leans towards nature again, thus, there is nothing like a good coffee and cholesterol based American breakfast in a diner: two eggs, bacon, potatoes and fatty muffins with butter. One feels is connecting with the world again.
One of the way this day functions is also with on and off conversations about work, and breakfast is a good moment for that.
On our way to the Griffith Observatory () I ask John to stop, there is a construction site. It is a good opportunity to show to viewer of stone and bricks countries like me, the wood houses here.
Reiforced concrete is only used for the platforms and for the walls that have to sustain the land around, however both the structure and the walls are entirely in wood. This technique makes houses cheaper to build, (however, not to buy) and gives you a completely different perception of the house, when you are in. I should talk more about this in a future entry.
The Griffith observatory is strangely positioned, overlooking LA, right over Los Feliz (pronounced los feelis), right down from the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park.
A rather ugly head of James Dean commemorates Rebel without a cause. A strange site for an observatory, so close to the lights of a city. A 1934 PWAP (Public Works Art Project, one of the New Deals program) realist monument to great astronomers decorates the courtyard. However one of the halls inside is called Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theatre. One wonders if the stars it is supposed to point to are solely those in the sky.
The air is very clear and it is a great day to enjoy the panorama of LA. City views get standardized, LA is seen almost always from north to south, as in this case.
this is its main entrance.
It is such a treat, the most interesting moment is probably the forties and early fifties, before the wall. The seventies with terrorism are touching.
The evening is spent cooking dinner with what was bought at the market in the morning. And a couple of beers.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
desert in bloom
This blog, people have commented, lack variety of characters... There is only one hero, the lonesome cowboy... Which is fine, and even very good for talking of the long rides accross country. However, after attentive reflection and conscious of the formal implications, I have decided to include other humans starting from today.
Desert in bloom. Today is poppies day at Antelope Valley, with my new friend, Susan, we set off at 9 from LA direction north east towards the natural reserve. We stop over at Palmdale about 40 miles from LA in the middle of the desert and we get a plentiful breakfast at a Salvadorean restaurant. The area around Palmdale, almost as large as LA itself is covered by a grid of roads, It is so desertic that streets have no proper name, those going N to S are named with numbers and are called streets, those gong E to W are named with letters and are Avenues. The officer at the parking of the Reserve warns us about rattlesnakes in the fields. I think it is a polite way to say "do not go off trail". The ladies at the visitor centre are dressed in orange, like the poppies. Yes, orange. Unlike the poppies in Italy, red and delicate, these Californian poppies are bigger and they are orange. They mix with very small yellow daisies, and other desert flowers. The desert is not completely covered as it happens from time to time however Susan, who is a professional photographer, http://www.susanandersonphoto.com/ solves the problem by taking a worm eye view pictures.
here is a pallid imitation from my part.
The wind is blowing, the scenery of course is quite wonderful, and even sublime, especially if you think (oh Freud!) of all those rattlesnakes sneaking among poppies and daisies.
When around we start heading back a long line of cars is waiting to get in the Poppies Reserve car park.
The afternoon is devoted to the opening of an exhibition at Culver City, the arty/trendy area of Los Angeles. http://www.ccgalleryguide.com/
This specific opening is a dedicated to Kehinde Wiley considered very good, of a series of his portraits of brazilian boys. http://www.robertsandtilton.com/exhibitions.html/ A long cue of cool dressed people wait to have the artist's signature.
Here we meet a friend of Susan, Chris Pete, a curator and an artist himself, is a cool guy, he will come to Massa (tuscany) in september, we may meet then. http://www.christopherpate.com/
after a while we move, together with to Mandrake, the bar most "in" at the moment in Culver City. http://www.mandrakebar.com/ There is not sign on the front (you have to know...). Nobody seems to be aware that Mandrake is an comic strip hero, I thought it may be an italian invention but it is American, howeverlooking around on the top shelf behind the bar I see two issues of the comic strip, funnily they are in Italian, and Italian is the bottled water they are serving, what's the connection here?
Friday, April 3, 2009
the magic lives on
and why should I hide it? my dear friends, today I have been with my hearth low, and my stomach tight, the feeling to have passed the middle of this journey is not an easy one. A kind friend told me, you have reached Paradise without Virgil and Beatrice. Well, she might be a little generous, however, she cannot be completely wrong since I have journeyed all the way to the city of Angels, I figure I have reached paradise.... Anyway, folks, even if I am aware that life is all ups and downs, the idea to go back to purgatory in july is not too appealing.
Out of all this, tonight I headed for a historic cinema on hollywood bld, the egyptian theatre I was told to go, has been renovated very well and it is also called the American Cinemateque, today opening night of a Noir Festival.
Out of all this, tonight I headed for a historic cinema on hollywood bld, the egyptian theatre I was told to go, has been renovated very well and it is also called the American Cinemateque, today opening night of a Noir Festival.
As I was strolling along Hollywood Bld. just looking at the starts on the walkway with the names of actors directors etc, I was already feeling better.
Here is Von Stronheim one, with whom I share some fondamental peculiarities. Baldness.
The cinema theatre large and technological, half filled, many aficionados, about 40% with incredible quantity of pop corns on their laps, even the bald-headed eye-glassed grey-chothed slight-overweight gay couple near me.
A guy from the festival introduces the evening, it's the eleventh year of the festival, we get to see very rare movies from the archives, they are not in DVD these movies. Tonight a hommage Jane Greer with two movies. Then the writer of a book on noir movies steps in, and starts to talk about the actress and how great she was when he went to interview her on her house just off the 405, opposite to the Getty. And keeps talking, very LA. I am thinking am I really listening to this, here?
notes on the audience behaviour, they respond with cheers at names or facts to the speaker's word, then as the movies starts they clap their hands, as the stars names appeared they again clapped their hands, before diving them again in popcorns.
As the two movies unroll, Out of the Past, a classic with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, and The Company She Keeps, I see they are both set in california and Los Angeles. I feel the magic is still on.
A guy from the festival introduces the evening, it's the eleventh year of the festival, we get to see very rare movies from the archives, they are not in DVD these movies. Tonight a hommage Jane Greer with two movies. Then the writer of a book on noir movies steps in, and starts to talk about the actress and how great she was when he went to interview her on her house just off the 405, opposite to the Getty. And keeps talking, very LA. I am thinking am I really listening to this, here?
notes on the audience behaviour, they respond with cheers at names or facts to the speaker's word, then as the movies starts they clap their hands, as the stars names appeared they again clapped their hands, before diving them again in popcorns.
As the two movies unroll, Out of the Past, a classic with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, and The Company She Keeps, I see they are both set in california and Los Angeles. I feel the magic is still on.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Halfway in my journey, March monthly report
Dante was at in the middle of his life, when he took his journey, I have past that point in my life and I have now reached the middle of this journey in the US. Almost three months have elapsed since I lay my foot on the land of Orson Wells, Gene Roddenberry, William Burroughs, Herschell Gordon Lewis and many others.
As it is customary with this blog at the end of the month I do a review, intended for the future enjoyment and puzzlement of fellow social scientists of a compte rendu of the way in which my material belongings have evolved in the past month.
This month however, because of the cross-country drive, the entry is going to be divided into two, the journey, and the first 3 weeks in LA.
The Drive
A large blue dust cover, or dust towel, to cover up my stuff in the boot as it is visible from the back window.
A pair of sunglasses to drive into the sunset (I've lost them last Saturday, on the same day they are recorded for the blog, when I went to Santa Monica Beach)
An Elvis Presley key holder.
An Elvis Presley mug with the Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich recipe printed on it.
An Elvis Presley double CD
A Navajo songs CD
A bag of land from the source of the Navajo River
Triple A (AAA) guides and maps to all the states I have passed through, They occupy about 30 cm in my shelve.
In Los Angeles
A new lock for the glove department of the Car
A comfy chair for the patio of the new house,
two headset for the cellphone (a spare one when the first will break)
one hat
one pair of flip-flap
one suncream protection factor 70
a beach towel
a towel (for the swimming pool)
a lock (for the swimming pool locker)
two pairs of light trousers (one is a jeans)
One pair of black long socks, (a present)
One plate, laquered with a scene from Gone with the Wind
four plants: Basel, mint, sage and parsley
one glass
one knife
a black adesive tape for electrical purpose
a set of toilet paper rolls
a facial tissues box
items that are not anymore in my possessions
a pair of winter light brown trousers (threw them away)
one cellphone headset (the one I left with, tried to fix it with the adesive tape and did not work)
FOOD available at the moment (not including spices I brought from Farmington)
onions (blonds and red) tomatoes, few potatoes, carrots, garlic,
oatmeal, cucumbers, lemons, pears
dry black beans, a can of ditto,
spicy tea, ginger tea, coffee,
coffee filters
buckwheat, sour cream, kefir, butter,
sugar,
curry
yegheknadsor cheese (Armenian)
puff pastry squares
As it is customary with this blog at the end of the month I do a review, intended for the future enjoyment and puzzlement of fellow social scientists of a compte rendu of the way in which my material belongings have evolved in the past month.
This month however, because of the cross-country drive, the entry is going to be divided into two, the journey, and the first 3 weeks in LA.
The Drive
A large blue dust cover, or dust towel, to cover up my stuff in the boot as it is visible from the back window.
A pair of sunglasses to drive into the sunset (I've lost them last Saturday, on the same day they are recorded for the blog, when I went to Santa Monica Beach)
An Elvis Presley key holder.
An Elvis Presley mug with the Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich recipe printed on it.
An Elvis Presley double CD
A Navajo songs CD
A bag of land from the source of the Navajo River
Triple A (AAA) guides and maps to all the states I have passed through, They occupy about 30 cm in my shelve.
In Los Angeles
A new lock for the glove department of the Car
A comfy chair for the patio of the new house,
two headset for the cellphone (a spare one when the first will break)
one hat
one pair of flip-flap
one suncream protection factor 70
a beach towel
a towel (for the swimming pool)
a lock (for the swimming pool locker)
two pairs of light trousers (one is a jeans)
One pair of black long socks, (a present)
One plate, laquered with a scene from Gone with the Wind
four plants: Basel, mint, sage and parsley
one glass
one knife
a black adesive tape for electrical purpose
a set of toilet paper rolls
a facial tissues box
items that are not anymore in my possessions
a pair of winter light brown trousers (threw them away)
one cellphone headset (the one I left with, tried to fix it with the adesive tape and did not work)
FOOD available at the moment (not including spices I brought from Farmington)
onions (blonds and red) tomatoes, few potatoes, carrots, garlic,
oatmeal, cucumbers, lemons, pears
dry black beans, a can of ditto,
spicy tea, ginger tea, coffee,
coffee filters
buckwheat, sour cream, kefir, butter,
sugar,
curry
yegheknadsor cheese (Armenian)
puff pastry squares
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