Jungle Cleanup

Every year Playa del Rey has its annual Jungle Clean Up Party. I have to say... I'm not sure which is done more cleaning up or partying. Either way, it is a great way to have a cocktail while getting rid of all the things you have been intending to throw away. The bonus is that the cities special pickup is right at the end of the curb all day. We used to just throw all the garbage on the side of the street and loaders would come in and scrape it up. That doesn't happen anymore to the dismay of the rummaging neighbors. Now, we have these big metal bins which makes it quite difficult to find those treasures that you get to store in your garage until next year. Some treasured items have been preserved by many a neighbor through the course of a decade. Go to someone's garage and you could quite easily find the next custodian of that fine mirror that is vintage 70's. Cool enough to keep but somehow such fine craftsmanship doesn't quite yet deserve the living room status. Oh yeah, the jungle is definitely a treasure trove of antiquities.

Others in the jungle excel at the game of flip cup. It is a serious sport as you can well imagine where contender is up against contender. The winner is just a heart beat away from a luscious, tasty Bud Light. Luscious? Tasty? Bud Light? What am I thinking? I was drinking tequila. Now, that is luscious and tasty. And... as usual, there is always that one who shows the most spirit with his spirits. He goes on to be the one most remembered even though he can not.

Enjoy!

Photo Trip of Durango, Durango, Mexico

Last February I was fortunate enough to visit the quaint town of Durango, Durango, Mexico. (The one closer to Mexico City. There are two Durangos in Mexico that share the same name.) All of my travels thus far to Mexico have been on the Baja side. So, I had pretty much determined that Mexico was not for me. Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito seemed to be just too dirty for me. But, Durango is far from those impressions of Baja. The town is tidy, friendly and bustling with every day life. For the past two years, I have been on a photo expedition attempting to chronicle the every day lives of people I pass, attempting to capture the magic of every day ordinary life. As a visitor, the magic is easier to see since it comes with a fresh perspective. But, the more I become aware of life in other cultures, the more a realization sets in that we as humans are very, very similar. We eat, drink, laugh, cry, work, etc. Some cultures approach these needs differently but the net effect when you step back and watch is that there really is no difference. The language may be different. The color of one's skin may be different. Even the tools may be different. But, the one thing that is not different is that we all have the same basic needs and as those needs arise. The similarities bubble to the surface. For me, the beauty in people comes from watching every day life unfold and hopefully I am there to capture it with my camera.

Summer Solstice Hike 2008

I just wanted to share some pics of my hike up Mount Hollywood which is part of Griffith Park. It was quite a hot day to hike but so worth it once you reached the top. We were rewarded with a 360 degree view of Los Angeles and a full meal provided by the Screen Actors Guild. Tom LaBonge is the city councilman who sponsors this hike every year in conjunction with the Los Angeles Sister Cities Program. The flags in the photos represent the sister cities of LA.