Evenings in Venice Beach are nice, but Sunday evenings have a different rhythm. Every Sunday at sunset drummers from all walks of life form the Drum Circle. It would have been nice if the Police allowed it a bit longer.
Everyday
30
Jan 12
Evening in Venice, CA
22
Mar 11
Michael Mann
I had the wonderful pleasure of being at the 25th anniversary screening of MANHUNTER (1986) at the Egyptian Theater (@SidGrauman) in Hollywood. The print was a 35mm that seemed as current as the year it was first shown. Director Michael Mann, and family, were present throughout the event and after the presentation the director answered questions about the movie and other works. I have been a big admirer of Michael Mann’s career, especially when he takes part as the writer and director; with works like Heat (1995), The Insider (1999), The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and going back to the Crime Story and Miami Vice days, I believe Michael Mann is somewhere at the top of a short list of best directors today.
Watching Manhunter at the fantastic Egyptian Theater was a refreshing example that a good story, good photography and adaptation are only some of the ingredients that, along with great direction, turn a movie into a great experience and Michael Mann did it wonderfully. This video is part 1 of the full 49 minute Q&A session; part 2 is coming up shortly.
4
Feb 11
Winter in SoCal
Living in Southern California one never fully realizes the benefits it may have. I used to always complain that it never rains in Los Angeles (I still do) or that it is too hot in the summer and we never get a break, but seeing photos of snow covered cars in the east coast makes me reflect and I can’t help but admit that having a weather this good in January/February is a bliss. These photos were taken in the last couple of months.
The main activity around the beach area is always on wheels.
January at sunset
Surf buddies at Huntington Beach
26
Oct 10
Home
Friends and family. People usually separate those in two words although some of the friends we make throughout our lives are family. Life goes on even though you are not with them or if you don’t see them all the time but nothing changes when you see them again. Thanks for all the dinner invitations and to anyone who adjusted their schedules, stayed up later on a weekday or squeezed some time between work hours. Rosario is looking great. The only down side of going home is that you never get to see everybody you know… Next time.
21
Sep 10
Destination: Seal Beach, CA
The trip I take to Seal Beach is about 29 miles each way and goes along the river bed. It’s a non-stop bikes only path that is in good condition and gets a lot of avid bikers on Saturdays. The scenery is not all that great but for anyone looking for a continuous bike ride of 2.5 to 3 hours each trip is a good choice. For more info here’s a wiki entry
13
Sep 10
Manhattan Beach
The summer is ending but for Manhattan Beach residents a cloudy afternoon is as cold as it gets. The bike path along the Los Angeles beaches is long but in some areas the route goes through the street and then continues along the coast. This video is a not-so-long ride from Redondo Beach to Manhattan Beach.
26
Apr 10
Metropolis Restored
Robert Osborne thanks people who made the first TCM Classic Film Festival possible and introduces Metropolis at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Metropolis came back to life. The version played on Sunday night is the closest to the original version played in Berlin in 1927. It includes the footage found in 2008 at the Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires which is significantly important to the interpretation of the movie. The added footage extends many scenes throughout the film and adds many more of the Thin Man and Joh Fredersen. I very much enjoyed seeing Metropolis once again and there’s nothing like seeing this classic in the big screen. Sunday night’s presentation was accompanied by the wonderful performance of the Alloy Orchestra
13
Apr 10
Hedging Redefined
Amazing 7 month investigation by ProPublica (@ProPublica) on the question ‘Nobody in Wall Street saw what was coming’? regarding to the financial crisis. I mean; are we just going to accept that the crisis caught Wall Street by surprise and nobody saw anything unusual?. Banks giving mortgages to people who couldn’t afford it and then selling it to other banks?. What the investigation discovers is more than an answer to the question. NPR’s This American Life played the piece and it’s a must listen. The first 40 minutes of the podcast explains CDOs, Equity Tranche, Credit Default Swap and how a hedge fund like Magnetar ended up making millions. The podcast is HERE
12
Apr 10
58 Days
In 58 days the world will experience the most important sport event in the world once again. Like it or not the only event that brings people together from all over the world with a common passion is the World Cup. Anyone that has ever been to or watched a soccer game in nations like Italy, Brazil or Argentina will have probably noticed the participation of the audience in a game. The photo above was taken at Ye Olde King’s Head in Santa Monica during the Barcelona – Real Madrid game. I was glad to see the interest in people that seems to be growing as the World Cup nears.
12
Apr 10
Wilshire Boulevard
Take a walk around Wilshire Boulevard on a Sunday afternoon and it would seem as if you just took a blast to the past. Art Decó buildings surround the area and diners that were left intact as the day they opened. Enter Callahan’s Diner on Wilshire Blvd and 12th and you are in 1930′s again. The diner gives out a particular ambiance seen in many Noir movies and even the waitress might reminds you of some classic diner scene; perhaps one filmed there. Nothing much changed at Callahan’s; they still use the original register and vinyl booths.
