We were kind of disappointed. We didn't get to see the two things we booked the Getty for: the photography collection and the post 1800 paintings. "Closed until January 2022."
Scenes From A Road Trip, Day 3
Scenes From A Road Trip, Day 2
Scenes From A Road Trip, Day 1
Glitch in the Matrix
I spotted this at work when I got back from lunch on Thursday. I couldn't make out exactly what it was, but from the distance it sort of looked like someone wearing sunglasses and a suit and tie looking out the window. I took a photo in hopes of blowing it up and putting the question to rest, but alas, that didn't provide an answer. It was gone completely when I left work, so whatever it was moved or had been moved—as was the sheet draped over the window.
I'm going to write it off as a glitch in the Matrix.
Everyone Remembers Their First
A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Throwback Thursday
Throwback Thursday
Well This is Fun!
I Was Incorrigible
…even when I was using a film camera.
I lusted after this gentleman on the daily since I walked past the hotel on my way home from work. He was always very friendly—bordering on flirtatious—so I finally got up the nerve to ask him out. He ever-so-politely turned me down.
I suppose I should also add the Palace Hotel to the list of venues from my previous post, although I never really frequented the place. It was one of those locales that had a reputation for a very low tolerance for menz gettin' busy in the restrooms, and arrests were commonplace. I happened to stop in for legitimate reasons once, and immediately understood why it was so popular—and so risky. The floors were a mirror-finish marble, and you could easily see everything going on in the stalls.
Throwback Thursday
I've Always Liked This Building
I Don't Know Art…
But I know what I like.
Oops!
Took this accidentally the other day while trying to get a car selfie. I rather like it.
They're Fake, But They're Still Cool
Just Some Old Glamor Shots
Anderson and I had some fine adventures.
Phonics
The venerable Westward Ho needed this filter, trust me.
I Haven't Posted Any Personal Photos Lately
Probably because I haven't been out doing any photography lately!
Sexy MoFo
I realized yesterday that it's been a while since I assaulted you with any pictures of Rabbit. It was a beautiful spring day so I whipped out the iPhone.
I Never Get These
I certainly would've picked other photos for my Top 9 Instas of 2020, but whatever…
Flashback Friday
Picacho Peak AZ, June 2007
A couple glamour shots of Anderson when he was new; shots I'd love to recreate with Rabbit but sadly haven't had the opportunity.
Glamor Shots
When I got Anderson, my first MINI, back in 2007, I photographed the hell out of it, like a doting father would do with his newborn. When I got Rabbit this past March, I had intended to do the same thing…and then COVID hit.
Opportunities for road trips and glamor shots have been next to non-existent, although we have managed to eek out a couple over the past few months. Still, it's nothing like what I had hoped for.
So…when an opportunity presents itself, I go for it, even if it's someplace local. At least it's not our carport…
Red
One of the great disappointments of living in Denver was discovering that trees did not do this there. Yellow, yes. Orange, yes. But no red.
Then and Now
More fun from Shorpy and Google Street View:
Film Noir
Then and Now
More fun from Shorpy and Google Street View:
Girls in the Windows
"In 1960, while a construction crew dismantled a row of brownstones right across from my own brownstone studio on East 58th Street, I was inspired to, somehow immortalize those buildings. I had the vision of 43 women in formal dress adorning the windows of the skeletal facade.
We had to work quickly to secure City permissions, arrange for models which included celebrities, the demolition supervisior's wife (third floor, third from left), my own wife (second floor, far right), and also secure the Rolls Royce to be parked on the sidewalk. Careful planning was a necessity as the photography had to be accomplished during the workers' lunch time!
The day before the buildings were razed, the 43 women appeared in their finest attire, went into the buildings, climbed the old stairs, and took their places in the windows. I was set up on my fire escape across the streeet, directing the scene, with bullhorn in hand. Of course I was concerned for the Models' safety, as some were daring enough to pose out on the crumbling sills.
The photography came off as planned. What had seemed to some as too dangerous or difficult to accomplish, became my fantasy fulfilled, and my most memorable self – assigned photograph. It has been an international award winner ever since.
Most professional photographers dream of having one signature picture they are known for. Girls in The Windows is mine."
Girls in The Windows. Ormond Gigli, 1960.
This really spoke to me.
Road Trip!
Last week was Ben's fall break, so on Monday he and his friend Barry drove up to the Grand Canyon. I had never really considered that as a day trip, but they proved me wrong. To be honest, I was more than a little jealous simply being able to get away from all. the. shit. going on, so Ben suggested we make the same trip on Saturday since his park pass was good for a week.
It has been forever since we'd gone on a proper road trip (the Arcosanti* visit in August really doesn't count as it was so close to home), so we got up early and hit the road yesterday.
To be honest, I am filled with angst at the thought of any road trip in the "new" car. This is for a variety of readily-admitted ridiculous reasons. First off, Rabbit is the first car I've bought used. Granted he's not that old and has low mileage, but not being the original owner I don't know his complete history, and while his CarFax was clean and he received all his scheduled maintenance, I'm still…apprehensive.
I never worried about hopping in Anderson for an impromptu trip. Hell, one of the first things I did was take a scenic, multi-day trip through New Mexico right after I'd gotten him. And then there were the trips to Yellowstone, White Sands, Green Bay, and of course, more than one round-trip to Denver. I think it's because the car was new—or relatively so—at the time and I knew its complete history. In addition, the car had never done anything to have me question its reliability.
Of course the reliability thing came into question over the last two years, which I think spooked me enough—even though this is a completely different car—to have trust issues, even with a few months remaining on the original factory warranty as well as having an extended warranty in place for another 50,000 miles after that.
Something else I was thinking about as we left Phoenix on our adventure was how all those times I hopped in the car by myself to go on these thousands-mile trips; the first time without even having a cell phone!
I don't know; maybe it's the additional ten years I've aged since my last major solo trip, but I just don't feel (and frankly I'm hesitant to use the word) as confident as I once was being out and about on my own. I don't expect anything to happen, but as you get older it's something you at least need to have at the back of your head.
Anyway, the combination of getting spooked by Anderson's troubles last year and my advancing age has definitely put a dent in my desire to throw caution to the wind and just hit the road for a day or a weekend. And then there's the question of the dogs…
But I digress.
Our little trip north was enjoyable. Being on the road kept me disconnected from the endless online assault of the horrors of the world and allowed me to decompress emotionally, something that was much needed. And the Canyon was thirty degrees cooler than Phoenix, always a welcome respite.
Rabbit behaved beautifully, and while Anderson got a little better MPG, I certainly can't complain. I think a few more trips are in order to dispel my motoring angst with this new ride, and if nothing else to simply keep reminding myself that at 30K, Rabbit is still a young'un, and even Anderson didn't have his first major issue (a clutch replacement, covered under warranty) until 60, so relax and as MINI tells us, "Keep Motoring!"
*I posted photographs to Instagram but never blogged about it – probably because it wasn't near as impressive as the hype had lead me to believe all these years. In fact, after seeing it, I now refer to it as "The place where old hippies go to die."
Then and Now
More fun courtesy Shorpy and Google Street View:
Truth
This is so true, especially in the days before cell phones and digital photography. On those rare occasions when I want to remind myself of what a truly horrible person I was prior to my cancer diagnosis and start reading through my journals, I run across names of men I had dated and were absolutely obsessed with—but for whom I am totally unable to conjure forth a mental image.
And it's not just the dated-but-ultimately-went-nowhere guys in my journals. I had friends in the 70s, 80s, and even 90s—good friends—for whom I have not a single photo. I at least retain somewhat of a memory of their faces and their smiles, but it saddens me I have nothing tangible to refer to. Was it the cost of the film and the developing? Possibly, but I don't honestly know. I have tons of photos of other shit from those years, but for some reason the people closest to me are totally absent.