Maybe it's because of those images of a newly sprouted neighborhood from the 1920's, I always think of Westwood Village as somewhat charming or refined. But in reality it is a rather ugly collection of overpriced crap, extortion deli's, and - wether it be a bank or a cafe - typically bad service. Westwood Village is caught in a downward spiral of lousy property maintenance and ill-conceived development. So I am starting a new photo album of all the ugly crap I see everyday in Westwood. So now you can laugh and cry along with me.
Since my favorite Westwood movie theater, The National, has been torn down -oh, even typing that I still feel it like a gut punch - I feel it is time to transfer my attention to my number two favorite, The Village. It is the oldest theater in Westwood, and still the biggest. Despite the tacky carpet and gold-adjacent paint on the plaster details, I still love it! Oh, and I highly recommend the front row center in the balcony.
I love the FlyAway bus that runs directly from LAX to Westwood. For $4 you can't beat it for fast, comfortable transportation. Just sit back relax and soon you are home. Sometimes I want to smack inane girls talking loudly on their phones, but the FlyAway still beats the criminally slow Culver City 6, or any of the extortion vans that prowl the terminals for victims.
One of my favorite things in the Kansas City area is this geodesic dome in Mission, Kansas. It serves as home to the United Art Directors Studio. It is just off I-35, Lamar Ave exit and on the way to see Thad, Krista, and Caden. There is even a smaller dome just up the hill which I think serves as cover for salt for the icy winter streets.
A winter hush has fallen across Osage City, with its small town landscape now wrapped in a gentle blanket of snow. OR this place is deadly quiet. Even more dead than before. Last night I had a smack down with the crummy local Pizza Hut and their attempt to feed me a miserable vegetarian pizza with errant pieces of sausage. I mean, WTF. So I settled instead on the gourmet Sonic Drive-In.
Yes, I had a Gatchaman flashback as we approached MCI (the Kansas City airport). The airport was once a super-cool-cast-concrete airport-of-the-future by Kivett & Myers. As a child its bold modernist-part-brutalist made a lasting impact on my design psyche. However, now its form and materials have been smothered by a hokey mid-western chic. Myers died earlier this month - but the battle lives on! Underneath the carmel colored paint job, the concrete shell is itching for a rematch.
A few weeks ago I was visiting my LA Eyeworks Posse, and tagged along for a little window shopping. I had no idea where we were going (and didn't care) as I knew we would end up someplace interesting. These lovely salvaged-but-not-yet-saved signs and mascots are on Pico, awaiting a nice new stable or loft to call home.
Kotori and I met in Fujisawa, and took the the Enoden Train to Kamakura to see the stunning Daibutsu (Great Buddha). It was an amazing day trip.
Well, at least a view of Shinjuku from my 8th floor mansion. I am staying in Okubo, which is just to the North. (Finally a place higher than the 3rd floor.) These pix are from yesterday morning, just as I was heading out of Tokyo on a day trip to Fujisawa. Eventually I ended up in Chigasaki and had a lovely night with Kotori, Katusda, and the ever handsome Eiji. Mmk?
My lovely friend and playwright Rodney Hom is finally back in town for a much anticipated vacation. So of course we headed to the Getty Center for the Edward Weston: Enduring Vision exhibition?! We enjoyed the gossip on all the photographer's former lovers. Rodney complains it is too cold here - clearly desert dwelling has finally gotten to him.
Sent from my iPhone
Brian & I met today to resume our epic-length walks - there is nothing better than 2 Bryan/Brian's bitching on the sidewalks of West LA. Today the skys were huge and blue, and I had to snap this pick of the white tower on the Westwood Village Theater. After a cookie fix at Diddy Riese, we hit the pavement hard for a few hours, racking up 6.3 miles of walking.
Crime Scene photos from Diddy Riese
Sent from my iPhone
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