Posts Tagged: Los Angeles

Ranking the Months of the Year, via Scalzi

Posted by & filed under fun stuff.

In a blog post today, a one Mr. John Scalzi ranked the months of the year and why. He then asked commenters to do the same.

Here is my comment:

Ms. Jen says:
October 1, 2015 at 9:56 pm

I live in SoCal and I don’t suffer from SADs but some opposite disorder where I get happier the darker it gets, so:

1) November : Thank all the possible deities that humanity has ever thought up, it is getting darker and the temps have dropped into the 70s.

2) December: OMG, best month of the year, we may have one actual day were a sweater is possibly needed. The horror is when all the young humans break out their UGG boots to wear with their sweater vests and short shorts.

3) February and March: The only real reason to live in SoCal/LA – Snow on Mt. Baldly with cool-ish, crisp-ish days makes the traffic somewhat bearable. Don’t get in a fender bender as you stare at the snow covered mountains while stuck on the freeway.

4) April: The return of the Santa Ana winds to bake all the lovely new spring green hills to a golden brown and the birthday type object.

5) October: On a good year this means slightly cooler temps and possible rain, on a bad year it means Fire Season.

6) January: As the trees finally lose the last of their old leaves, the new leaves are coming in along with pretty tree flowers, esp the Mume apricot/plums and the ornamental pear trees. The bad is the spate of 85-90F days that remind you that hell is coming down the road.

7) May and June: May Gray and June Gloom, if you have SADs this is when SoCal makes you want to slit your wrists, for others it just gets monotonous.

8) July: The marine layer retreats to San Francisco to join Karl the Fog and the hot, too bright days begin. Plus idiot neighbors blow things up all month long, too bad that they don’t synchronize with the 9:30pm Disneyland fireworks.

9) August: July plus 10F more heat. Blazing sun, no relief.

10) September: The most evil month of the year. The fish hurricanes off of Mexico contribute to 100+ temps and humidity, plus a good old fashion haze/smog layer. Poke eye balls out with toothpick while sitting in the A/C.

This year, September started at the end of June compliments of Super Duper El Nino.

Interchange

Posted by & filed under oh, california, photos + text from the road.

110 / 105 Freeway Interchange

Fri 06.13.14 – I have made a few too many trips to and fro Los Angeles this week and am now officially knackered. But this afternoon, as I drove southbound on the 110, I set the Nokia Lumia 1020’s camera focus to infinity and took two nice photos the 110 / 105 freeway interchange. I love the impossibly tall and sweeping carpool lane flybys that soars two or more levels over the ground floor of the 110 freeway and the second story of the 105 freeway.

If you like a good, complex interchange the way I do, go look at this 2011 article from KCET on the 110/101 freeway interchange with some great photos from the early 1950s when it was first built.

I am Speaking at Social Media Week LA on Mobile Photography, Come Join us!

Posted by & filed under art + photography, moleskine to mobile.

I am Speaking at Social Media Week Los Angeles

This Wednesday, Sept. 25th, I am speaking twice on Mobile Photography at Social Media Week LA in Santa Monica. Please come join us! It is free to register, click through on the session titles to register, and both venues are within walking distance of each other:
Master Class: Mobile Photography–Tips, Tools, and Future Opportunities
Wed Sept 25th, 2:00pm – 2:30pm at SMWLA HQ at ROC Santa Monica

With the explosion of mobile devices worldwide, there is a connected camera phone in nearly every pocket, purse, or hand leading to billions of mobile photos taken in each year and over a billion images shared on Instagram.
Whether the mobile device is a 2 megapixel feature phone or a 41 megapixel smart camera phone, how do we improve our image taking for greatest impact? What tools are we using to share and connect with our photos right now? And what are the the opportunities and challenges to change the future with mobile photography?
This session will examine how to improve our mobile photography, the current tools, and the future opportunities for social media, creatives, brands, and developers.

And THEN Happy Hour and a photowalk with a few mobile photo tips:
How To Get The Perfect Photo: Use The Tools + Happy Hour
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm at the AT&T Store

Using a mobile phone to capture a fantastic photograph isn’t rocket science. Join Jenifer Hanen as she breaks down how to use basic techniques to make sure your photo turns out right, every time.
All are welcome! Join us at the AT&T Store for a photo walk and happy hour afterwards as Nokia is hosting!

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Pacific Standard Time and Photos from Wandering Around the Getty Today

Posted by & filed under art + photography, nature + environment.

Travertine blocks and Crow
Walking up to the Getty Center entrance Erika and TM4 View of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island Rebar and Bougainvillea Stream Three Squares Gyratory The Water Maze and Gardens Looking up into a Belladonna flower Color Contrast Curly vine flower Tram stop in golden light Sculpture in the last bright light

Photos taken by Ms. Jen with her Nokia N8.

Fri 10.07.11 – This afternoon, Erika and I went to the Getty Center to see the Crosscurrents Paintings in the Pacific Standard Time exhibit and we walked out to the Getty’s gardens to see the sculpture that was also a part of the PST exhibition and to wander around the maze area.
The afternoon was the perfect Los Angeles weather right after a rain storm has pulled out and the air is sparkly, the surfaces clean, and the view spectacular. The best time to go to the Getty.
I recommend if you live in SoCal or are visiting any time in the next six months to get out to one or more of the various Pacific Standard Time art exhibitions that are in museums and galleries in LA, Orange County, Palm Springs, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. The scope of modern and contemporary (1945 -1990) that was made in Southern California in so many different spaces is monumental.
Two weeks ago, Erika and I went to see the Sam Maloof PST show at the Huntington, the Crosscurrents Painting exhibition at the Getty today, and sometime within the next few weeks I will be going to MOCA to see “Under the Big Black Sun: California Art 1974 – 1981” as Kim Vollstedt has recommended it. Anyone want to join me?