DTLA, Getty, & Griffith

I was in LA this past weekend. Went without too much of a plan. Gave a few friends a heads up that I was coming, made a few notes of things to eat/see/do, and flew out. The first day I met up with my friend, A, from BU and hung out in Downtown LA and Echo Park. We went to this very cool sausage place, Wurstküche, where I had a pork and alligator sausage. More or less immediately after, we headed to Cole's, which is allegedly the originator of the french dip sandwich. We sat in the darkest corner of the bar for a while to escape the midday heat having a few drinks. Cole's was actually my third lunch that day - before those two I went with another friend, J, to Din Tai Fung. I was told it was the best Taiwanese food this side of Taipei, but I can't say that I could tell the difference. Shanghai Cafe for me any day. Don't judge me.



After my superfluous lunches, we went and hung out in Echo Park, where A used to live. We got super hipster coffee from Intelligentsia, where almost every worker wore a ridiculous hat and looked like they were dressed as Hemingway characters. We wandered a bit, in and out of record and comic shops. Eventually we found ourselves at a Spanish bar, the name of which escapes me. Over some giant margaritas, we witnessed what appeared to me some old Spanish high rollers partying with old Spanish prostitutes while a live mariachi band played in the corner. It was surreal.

The next day, I went to check out the Getty Center. It was beautiful. I always find that it kind of takes the wind out of my sails when I try to photograph something so iconic with 100 other Asian tourists around me with cameras. This is part of why I love nature photography. Photographing a landscape, iconic or not, after a hike feels more earned. Either way, I took a few shots and browsed the galleries. Eventually I took a nap in the shade of a column on the veranda. It was warm and quiet. A humming bird flew by my ear, weaving in and out of the tall stemmed flowers in an adjacent planter. I haven't seen many humming birds in my life. I watched its precise, punctuated movements until it flew away.



That afternoon, J and I went up to the Griffith Observatory. It was right around sunset and the views were breathtaking. The sky was clear and there was a cool breeze. J pointed out that one downside to such a beautiful day was that everyone has the same idea. The observatory was teeming with families and couples



When the sun dipped below the horizon and the lights of the city grew brighter, I couldn't help indulging in some bokeh.



That evening, I linked up with another friend, C, from back home. We went to Pizzeria Mozza for dinner and it was pretty damned good. I had read that Mozza made the best crust in LA and, though I didn't have anything to compare it to, I'd be inclined to agree. C and I caught up over our pizzas and wine, after which, the both of us pretty tired, we crashed relatively early.

The next morning I got up early and flew home. It was a good weekend. Back to the grind in the morning.

no one else could hear its call

"Then, all at once, he thought of the ocean - the ocean he had seen from the deck of the ship that brought him from Japan to Manchuria. he had never seen the ocean before, nor had he seen it since. That had happened eight years ago. He could still remember the smell of the salt air. The ocean was one of the greatest things he had ever seen in his life - bigger and deeper than anything he had imagined. It changed its color and shape and expression according to time and place and weather. It aroused a deep sadness in his heart, and at the same time it brought his heart peace and comfort. Would he ever see it again? He loosened his grip and let the bat fall to the ground. It made a dry sound as it struck the earth. After the bat left his hands, he felt a slight increase in his nausea.

The wind-up bird went on crying, but no one else could hear its call."

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami

Puppy Porn

We got Shimu from our neighbors and one of Shimu's litter mates recently had puppies. This is his nephew. It was a little difficult getting anything in focus with this little guy running around incessantly and trying to steal Shimu's toys and blanket. It's hard to believe Shimu used to be that size.

Post School, Work, & Wolverine

It's an odd feeling being back home and done with school. Suddenly the timeline for all my plans is so much longer. Career goals, savings, personal projects, and other things concerning life now extend for, well, forever. There's no significant foreseeable interruption (God forbid I go back for a Ph.D.) and it's a new feeling. I took a look around my house and found some pictures of myself from my childhood. It's an interesting thing to be able to see how much I've changed both outwardly and inwardly. These are a few photographs from the early '90's:



If it isn't clear, I'm the littler one in the first picture with my older brother. I appear to be wearing some awesome looking boat shoes and some sweet corduroy overalls. As I got older I went through some pretty embarrassing phases (let's all of us forget the long AZN bangs period). It's only been very recently that I've felt as though my personality has stabilized somewhat into a state where I can build and grow on a foundation of sense and willingness to change. As much as I dread, if facetiously, getting older, I look forward to opportunities to challenge myself and become more of a complete human being.

Speaking of entering real adult life, I recently accepted a position at a prominent development consulting firm. I really like the company and the work they do and it's encouraging to be going into a job knowing that I want to be with them for the long haul. I haven't started yet though, so how it will actually play out remains to be seen.

On another note, I recently picked up a pair of Wolverine's 1000 Mile Bradford Oxford. It took me a long time to track down a pair in my size (they were a one season release back in 2010). They are fantastic. They're made with Horween Chromexcel (like the Oak Street Trail Oxfords) and it smells and feels so good, it probably wouldn't take much convincing for me to eat them... Or, you know... I'll just wear them. I'm totally sold on Wolverine now though. Once I start getting paid again, I may have to pick up a pair of 1000 Mile boots.

2011 Retrospective

2011 was a good year. Some firsts, some lasts. Traveled. Good friends. Finished school. I've put together a handful of shots I've taken this year of memorable moments:



Unfortunately, it kind of cuts off right after the summer. I haven't had much opportunity to take my camera out very often this last semester or be very active on here. Here's hoping I'll have a lot more to share here in 2012.

So, I've finished graduate school with a Masters in Global Development Economics and the job hunt is underway. I'll refrain from any speculation or moaning on that subject for a while.

On a more personal note, I've mentioned that I've learned a not insignificant amount about myself through my time in grad. school. I think I've changed a good bit for the better, but have also stagnated in some other areas that could do with some improvement. That's a bit cryptic, but suffice it to say I plan on taking greater initiative in being deliberately mindful about some areas of my life that I've not given as much thought to as I have in the past (...that's not any less cryptic.) If nothing else, I think I may at least be a little less tightly wound. Maybe...

I hope everyone had a great New Years and has a happy, healthy, and adventure-filled 2012.