Month: March 2010

  • Look Ma, No Photoshop!

    We had a great weekend in the San Francisco Bay area.  Bassam, Bine and I drove up Friday, and arrived at Tom & Cathy’s oceanfront home just as the party was getting started.  Youenn flew in from Boston and Mariana graced us with her presence all weekend.  Risa & Luis invited us to a most amazing brunch in the Castro on Sunday; and with our stomachs full and our hearts happy, Bassam and I drove back to Santa Barbara.  Bine flew back to Germany last night, but she’ll be back in LA in May.  It was a whirlwind 9 days with little sleep, but our GLY Gang had a great reunion, as the photos will attest.  Speaking of photos, have you seen the new “Content Aware” feature of the new Photoshop?  Watch the video on the left first, and prepare to be amazed.  The video on the right takes it to a whole other level.  I actually don’t use or know how to use Photoshop.  If I did, I would probably never leave the computer.  I use Picasa to edit my photos.  I typically crop them and remove the red eyes.  Sometimes I’ll saturate them, but lately since I got my new camera, I haven’t had to.  I do sometimes use the graduated tint filter if the sky is too bright, and I will occasionally warmify flesh tones.  That’s about the extent of my editing capabilities.  Nothing like this:

        
    Photoshop’s new “Content Aware” and “Clean my room and make me a sandwich” features

    Saturday morning, Patrick and I had a treasure hunt.  Take a look at the video:

    Click play to watch Patrick find oceanside treasures

    Here are a few of the weekend photos.  I’ll be in New York later this week and may have some exciting news on Thursday.  Keep your fingers crossed  for me and stay tuned!


    Another beautiful sunset from Tom & Cathy’s back yard


    Playing a new form of tag with Patrick


    Body by Patrick


    Self portrait at 2 AM in the back yard


    4 hours later, we were up


    And breakfast was served


    Mariana playing with the kids


    Seaside rock collecting


    Buddies


    Sun roof photo while heading to brunch in San Francisco, approaching Dolores Park


    The brunch menu included:  Jalapeno Avocado Soup, Torta Rustica, Shrimp Etouffe, Arroz con Pollo, Pan Perdue & Strawberry Rhubarb Tart!


    The Mission in Santa Barbara


    Photo fun with Patrick.  Click for more…


    Best of the rest…

  • This is What Change Looks Like

    “Tonight, we answered the call of history as so many generations of Americans have before us. When faced with crisis, we did not shrink from our challenge — we overcame it. We did not avoid our responsibility — we embraced it. We did not fear our future — we shaped it.” President Barack Obama

    We got home from Santa Barbara last night just as the President was finishing his remarks.  Though the debate rages on via my Facebook page (thanks to both the Davids); real reform is on its way.  After this vile display last week, it’s pretty clear that the Republicans and the racist teabaggers really thought this was all about welfare:

    Sunset in Santa Barbara last night

    Anyway, we had a great weekend with very little sleep.  Bine and Lindsay arrived Friday night along with Carolina, Eva, Vonda, Nate, Bianca and Julia.   We had 9 people sleeping in my little condo, so it was similar to this.  Saturday we went to Claudio & Ryan’s for a Brazilian barbecue.  Sunday we spent a hazy day at the beach in Santa Barbara before dropping Marcelo off at the airport.  Two hours later, I got a text that there had been a small plane crash in Santa Barbara, and Marcelo was being shuttled to LAX.  So off to the airport again I went, and we had him for another night!  Everyone woke up at 5 this morning, and we were on our way back to the airport at 5:30 AM.  Next weekend, Bassam, Bine and I will head up to Tom & Cathy’s in San Francisco to see little Patrick and Youenn (who I haven’t seen since we traversed the Alps last summer!) and Mariana.  Should be another great weekend!  Here are this past weekend’s photos:


    Who knew Chazz was part giraffe and part Scooby Doo?

     
    The gang at LAX and The Hotel Careyfornia


    No caption needed!


    Lindsay & Chazz


    Ryan & Chazz


    Good food, good friends


    Bassam finally showed up!


    Up on the roof


    Eva’s neighbor’s front yard in Santa Barbara


    Chazz & Riley the herbivore


    The haze cleared when we went to campus


    One last supper


    Before heading back to Los Angeles


    Best of the rest…

  • Let The Sun Shine…In The Beginning

    I’m starting to get the hang of my new camera, and like it more each day.  Yesterday, we celebrated Colby’s 9th birthday at Knott’s Berry Farm (America’s first and oldest theme park) and the kids really had a great time.  This was my favorite shot of the day:


    For a full screen version, click here.  Even though Colby wasn’t smiling, I didn’t use this. LOL

    I didn’t do anything special…just waited for the light to be right, and used a manual setting at 1/60 of a second, 200 ISO, F 2.8, average white balance, and Canon’s vivid color setting.  I’m admittedly still leaning how to use some of the touch screen’s focus and balance features.  I haven’t even played with the blink detection yet, though it seems like more of a gimmick; along with the smile detection.  I wonder if they will ever add any of these features??


    LOL

    By the way, this was my first camera ever.  I got it from my aunt when I was 8 years old in 1973.  It cost $9.95, and I still have it.  I don’t remember what film and flash bulbs cost back then…not to mention developing.  I’ll have to dig out some of the photos I took with this camera and show you guys some time.  They weren’t bad!

     

    I’ll have a lot more practice later this week, as we’re having another mini-GLY reunion.  Sabine is flying in from Germany and Marcelo and Emily and Vonda & Nate are coming down, along with a few other surprises.  Should be a very busy visit, but we’re all looking forward to it.  Here are a few more photos from yesterday.  Enjoy!


    I got soaked on the log ride!

     
    Tommy went on his first big roller coaster and wasn’t too sure at first; but he eventually loved it, as did his friends!


    Snoopy, Colby & Carey


    The birthday boy


    6 boys and 1 tomboy


    The money shot


    More of Shane’s crazy California hair


    Taking the birthday train


    More fun shots


    Best of the rest of the 172 photos!

  • ‘Twas the Day After Oscar

     
    Apologies to Clement C. Moore:
    (For this year’s poem, as well as last year and the year before!)

    ‘Twas the day after Oscar,
    And all through the “‘wood”.
    Stars were nursing hangovers,
    The best that they could.

    The statues were given,
    The parties were done.
    And Mo’Nique was braiding
    her leg hair for fun    .

    And poor old James Cameron,
    Though richer than dirt.
    Still lost to his ex-wife,
    Now that’s gotta hurt!

    And there’s Sandy Bullock,
    With Oscar in tow.
    Bet Keanu now feels,
    Blindsided, ya know?

    And faster than Na’vi,
    The celebrities came.
    And fans whistled and shouted,
    And called them by name.

    There’s Clooney and Winslet,
    Matt Damon and Ben.
    And there’s little Precious,
    Making eyes at Sean Penn.

    And poor Tarantino,
    Minus Brad Pitt.
    With his Inglorious Bastards,
    In a funk he did sit.

    So here’s to the movies,
    That made lots of money.
      Too bad Alec & Steve,
    Really weren’t all that funny.

    So yesterday I walked to the grocery store before leaving for my Oscar party, and they even had a red carpet out. LOL.


    Only in West Hollywood, LOL

    Then I swung by the Pacific Design Center to see them setting up for Elton John’s party:

     

    I made it home right before the rain started.  It only rained for about 10 minutes and then the sky was beautiful again.  On the way to my Oscar party, I got stuck in traffic, but enjoyed the sunset.

     


    Stuck in traffic trying to make it in time for Neil Patrik’s awesome opening

    I won the pool for the third year in a row! This year the purse was $120! I only missed two categories, and they were both short features. After I got home, Jay and I went to Millions of Milkshakes and walked over to take a look at the Elton John Party. The police made people stay so far away that you couldn’t really see much. One of the paparazzi told us when Kate Winslet came out, but we soon left. When I got home, I walked a block up the street to the Vanity Fair party. It’s right in front of the dog park where I take Chazz. Again, the police were kind of being dicks, so I just snapped a few shots with my little camera and walked home. I got to see Sandra Bullock hold up her Oscar, so I was happy.  Until next year…Happy Oscars!


    I bumped into Mr. & Mrs. Samuel L. Jackson on my walk home.


    Best of the rest, starring Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Sandra Bullock’s shadow, Katie Perry,
    Russel Brand, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Lopez, Mark Anthony and Gerard Butler.

    In case you missed it, Jimmy Kimmel’s latest Oscar night video, “A Meeting of the Handsome Men’s Club” was pretty epic:

  • Multiple Hummers

    Lisa, Joel and the boys moved into their new house over the weekend and our family gathered to celebrate.  The house is in Dove Canyon, but it might as well be called Hummingbird Canyon.  There were about 20 of the little buzzers lined up at the feeders to drink (as evidenced by this photo that Lisa sent last night).  They were really aggressive too, and didn’t seem to be scared of people at all.  They were no doubt celebrating the long overdue demise of the ridiculously gas guzzling Hummer.  (I had no idea how culpable Arnold Schwarzenegger was in the destruction of our planet.  What a hummer bummer!  Fascinating read though!)  I got pretty close to take these photos.  I’m still learning how to use my new little camera, but I’m pleased with the results thus far:


    There are actually four hummingbirds in this photo!

    Did you know that:
    • Hummingbirds are part of the Trochilidae family found only in the Americas. They are unknown in the Eastern Hemisphere. With 343 species, hummingbirds make up the Western Hemisphere’s second largest family of birds.
    • The most astonishing quality of hummingbirds is their ability to broadcast color. Hummingbirds radiate like hot coals in the sun. The color that reaches your eye is created by pigment, which absorbs some colors and rejects others. Like soap bubbles, hummingbird’s color comes from iridescence, not pigment. It winks on and off, depending on the light source and the angle of the viewer. This allows hummingbirds to flash colors or hide them which is useful for males who want to impress females or threaten other males.
    • Hummingbirds are built for power and dazzle, hummingbirds are little more than flight muscles covered with feathers. 30% of a hummingbird’s weight consists of flight muscles.
    • Hummingbirds require lots of energy. They have the fastest wing beats of any bird and their hearts beat up to 1,260 beats per minute.
    • A Hummingbird’s flight speed can average 25-30 mph, and can dive up to 60 mph.
    • In their non stop quest for fuel, Hummingbirds may visit 1,000 flower per day. For protein, hummingbirds eat spiders and strain gnats from mid-air. They will pull insects out of spiderwebs including the spider itself. Sapsucker holes are a double treat, netting both insects and sap!
    • The hummingbird’s tiny brain, 4.2% of its body weight, is proportionately the largest in the bird kingdom.
    • Many species that migrate to the U.S. travel impressive distances. Many ruby-throats make a 2,000 mile journey between Canada and Panama. The trip includes a non-stop, 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
    • Hummingbirds are very territorial and will aggressively protect nectar sources especially when migrating. It is important to have several feeders, out of sight of each other, to prevent one hummingbird from dominating your feeders.
    • Hummingbirds have a unique way of keeping warm or conserving their energy – at night, or any time they cannot get enough food to fuel themselves – they go into torpor – a state in which their metabolic rate is only one-fifteenth that of normal sleep.
    • A hummingbird can rotate each of its wings in a circle, allowing them to be the only bird which can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways or sit in sheer space. To hover, hummingbirds move their wings forward and backward in a repeated figure eight, much like the arms of a swimmer treading water. Hummingbirds can move instantaneously in any direction, start from its perch at full speed, and doesn’t necessarily slow up to land. Hummingbirds can even fly short distances upside down, a trick rollover they employ when being attacked by another bird.
    • Hummingbirds have weak feet and are more at ease using their wings even to shift in the nest or on a perch.
    • Hummingbirds do not mate for life – the female raises the young on her own. The male hummingbird is not involved with raising the young. The female does all the work of raising her young alone! Females will lay a clutch of only two white eggs and will produce only one brood per season. The hatchlings will remain in the nest for three weeks.
    • Hummingbirds can live a decade or more in the wild.

    I’m still out of town and very busy this week, but here are the rest of the weekend photos:


    Sunset from my office


    The Spectrum


    A gorgeous morning in Irvine


    Great Grandma & Andy, note the hummingbird


    Favorite Cousins


    Tommy got a merit badge this weekend!


    Sandy Andy


    Best of the rest…