what's up?

talk to her

1951 chevy deluxe

another from the trunk n treat show. wasn't familiar with this club, and they didn't have plaques, just tshirts with their logo.

really should be posting a picture of a truck—belonged to one of the members, who called their presidente over to tell me about the club. he seemed distracted by the setting up activities, so didn't really get much out of him, more than a handshake.

now two days later, i can't remember if this or another next to it was his car. they're both light green, they're both the same year. only difference is one has a white roof, the other a black roof. i'm thinking it's the other one. i suppose someone will let me know, one way or another and put me out of my misery. i'll have to post up the truck too.

better half is sick, but we had planned to go uptown to watch the princess bride for classic movie night, so i flipped a coin, and i'm going to go by myself. so no new pictures until maybe tomorrow, if i'm in town.

picked up a ticket earlier, but due to "technical difficulties," they're substituting it with indiana jones and the last crusade. better half says it was a good flick. i only remember it had sean connery in it, and they had to cross the bridge to the knight guarding the chalice. i have a bad memory when it comes to films i saw long ago and far away.

more popcorn for me, i guess. he's sick, but he'll be there to walk me home afterwards. hmm. almost time to start walking back...

probably full of stars

1962 buick riviera

quick post...gotta head to the office in a few.

saw this first thing in the morning uptown, at the dia de los muertos show. i'd seen it before at mooneyes open house, but that was midday sun and where it was parked, couldn't get a shot i really liked, or at least enough to post yet.

but here, sun just coming up, street lights still on, the layers of metal flake and clear coat were really just amazing. i shot it again later in the day, but i like these early pics better by far. this was my fav.

caught a ride

1954 chevrolet bel air

my better half needed to take his mom out for a little shopping at hobby lobby yesterday. she rarely goes out, and when she does, he makes it a priority to get her where she wants to go.

closest one of those crafty stores around here is over in west covina. well that's convenient—there happened to be a trunk n treat show hosted by the los angeles bombs starting up in the afternoon, not too far away. hadn't completely decided against going on my own, but since they were headed that way, figured i'd hitch a ride and shoot a few pictures while they took off and shopped.

his mom was ready to go about one-thirtyish. my problem was roll-in really wasn't advertised to start until three. factor in the horrible traffic that backs up the ten freeway, it would put me in the parking lot about two-thirtyish. we chose to avoid traffic, and do surface streets, which still got us there about the same time, but at least we were moving, not sitting in traffic.

vendors were still setting up, but there were at least a couple of cars i could start with. wasn't sure how much time i would have before they would be back to get me. was pretty sure more cars would start showing up than i would have time to shoot. and they did.

took a bunch of pictures in the lot, then during a lull in incoming cars, noticed a couple outside, or just at the edge of the taped off area. wandered over to take a few of this bel air.

was admiring it and the color, when the owner walked up behind me, munching on what looked like a breakfast burrito. i asked him why he'd parked out here instead of in with the rest of the cars. he said he'd just been passing by and saw the show. stopped to check it out. said he'd seen a flyer, but had forgotten about it happening that day.

not long after, my better half let me know they were on their way back for me. i headed back to the main area, and took a few more shots. some guys letting me know more of their cars were coming, so i could shoot those cars too. too late. better half arrived, and i had to leave.

saw lots more cars coming in as we left. also saw that this one had decided to join in, and was driving through the entry way, past the vendors. hope he won one of the trophies.

-------

better half isn't feeling good today, so we skipped going to the pomona swap meet. i'm thinking i'll wait a bit, for high noon sun to pass, then head over to the cruise at legg lake.

told you it shines

1940 chevrolet special deluxe

how'd it get so late?

quick post, then to bed.

ran into my friend ernie and his wife at the dia de los muertos, uptown last week. they said it was the first one they'd participated in, and i don't think any of their other club members were there, unsure that it would be worth the drive.

they offered me a bottle of water, which i gladly took, as i was overheating about that time, and still hadn't had breakfast.

they took a picture of me, so i took a couple of pictures of them. camera wasn't quite the right setting, and it's not quite sharp as i know that lens can be, but it's ok.

i think they might just have had the best spot on the street, as far as shade goes. probably had shade most of the day, which was quite pleasant on a hot day. being their first time there, they didn't know if pop-ups were allowed, so they lucked out.

i told them their car was glowing, with the light sifting through the tree branches. not sure if i captured it, but there's at least a hint of it here.

to the other couple of people who offered me bottles of water, thank you so much if i refused it—i'd just chugged one right before you asked...

two second

1960 chevy impala

out of town today, but i have this second car from last sunday ready to share.

still have barely looked at all that i shot that day, but i know when all is stacked, tagged, backed up, there are more than two-hundred cars i managed to get decent pictures of (apologies to all my english teachers for ending a sentence with a preposition). working first on the ones i promised to post, which are what i tag on the first glance of the download. hoping i remembered all of those. please shoot me an email to remind me which was yours, if you don't see it in the next week or so.

this one was parked over by the bank, in a high traffic area--so many people walking by and in front of the camera. it happens when you stay at a show after it opens, just have to be patient and wait for those in-between moments to click the shutter. but i was at the far end of the street earlier, and didn't work my way to this end for a couple of hours.

unbelievable how time flies when i'm out having fun. i was there before the sun came up, and next thing i know its ten-thirty and my better half is texting to remind me to have breakfast and drink water.

there was a dj that set up almost directly behind, just out of the frame, who started blasting music about the time the aztec dancers were doing their thing about half a block away. from here, could barely hear the drums, but i could see the flurry of befeathered movement as they marched and pirouetted their blessings. i passed by the dj's speakers several times that day; i don't see how any of the people sitting in chairs nearby didn't go home deafened later. at least it was a good sound system, and you could recognize the songs clearly, without any muffled, muddy mumbling lyrics.

i took a handful of angles before my ears couldn't take it any longer.

yes, please

1948 chevrolet fleetline

i love when the circus comes to town, err, i mean community events. especially car shows. they happen just up the street; i don't have to drive or worry about parking; i can sleep in a little later and still be there before the sun comes up; i can walk home and take a break when it gets too hot or if i want to get my hat. its a happy side benefit i got when i moved in with my better half and his mom.

so now, aside from the annual uptown whittier summer car show, we have a dia de los muertos celebration. what originally was just a dead-themed art show, that had maybe a dozen cars with memorial altars, has become a full car show, with themed vendors and face painting. it was clearly fifty-fifty cars vs vendors, food, and live entertainment. sponsored by casita del pueblo, a local shop in town, it has just gotten better each year. i thought it was well organized, and well thought out in placement of participants--vendors and cars.

on some streets with vendors, they only put them on one side, and left the tree-shaded side open for all the people to move or just cool off. it has grown to fill about four blocks long by two or three wide, cars located at each end and up side streets. car clubs were able to park together and save spots for their members that were late for whatever reason.

it was a good show, perfect weather and with something for everyone.

this is danny's car. i met him several years ago at car show in santa ana, and run into his club at local shows only once in a while. he's always very friendly, and i get a hug most every time.

he had his hood up, and i was about to keep on keeping on, but he jumped up out of his chair asking if i wanted him to close the hood. i responded, "only if you want me to take a picture of it!"

i took several, actually. such a beautiful car--i love the curves of a fleetline. these are a couple of the pics of it i liked best. was good to see you again, danny.

early riser

1954 chevrolet

we're back, and obviously, i'm up late. that's not good, since i'm planning on being uptown by six in the morning for the dia de los muertos show. they've posted no parking on a good bit of the street and cross streets, so hoping for a good turnout of cars, and oh, maybe some vendors and artists with dead themed wares, as well as people dressed up and painted in traditional dead makeup.

many car owners last year had little devotional displays for lost loved ones, so i expect more of the same.

and i'm so tired, and still at least an hour from sleep. i woke up at six, and watched the sun rise and color the other hotels and buildings, and things get hopping along the waterfront. we left san diego about eight thirty this morning. back home before eleven, unpacked, and started running laundry.

the old washing machine started doing it's loud thumping dance, trying to commit suicide, inching toward the ledge to throw itself over. each time, i ran to push the stop button, swearing like a sailor. better half just says i have a potty mouth, but it's much more effective than just flipping it the bird. the drum must have a broken drum, it spins so violently if you don't catch it, it will knock itself over.

had enough of that thing, and just said i was going to go buy a new one. better half drove me around town, stopping at several stores comparing models and prices.

i finally texted my ex, who knows all about these things, and is an all around handyman kind of guy. he recommended one brand over another, and where to look. when he asked who it was for, since it wasn't for my own place, he said he had a couple just taking up space in his garage.

he happened to have borrowed a truck to go fetch his grill back from my son, so he loaded the washer and drove out to pick up my son in the o.c., to help with the lifting, then drove the washer up to whittier, (thanks albert and vince!). that's a few hours out of his way, and i really appreciate it, as i was ready to use a baseball bat on the old one.

my better half installed it a little while ago. so it's running a cycle to clean it out and to check for any leaks. gotta wait for it to finish before catching a quick shower before bed, otherwise, the washer will take all the hot water, and i'd be suddenly caught in a cold jolt of reality, and wide awake. bink bink.

check out the reflection on the door, of the chevy next to this gem. the sun had just been glowing on the hood of this car. i had just missed it in this shot, because i didn't get over and setup soon enough to catch it, but i still like the picture anyway.

ready to go

hot rod

saw this car at moon eyes. it was a bit different, a piece of art in progress. i just liked the headlights for some reason, so old timey.

happy birthday to my sister. really should see her more than just at thanksgiving and xmas, when she just lives out by the beach.

san diego has been nice for a week, but i think we're ready to go home. back to the grind, gotta pay for this trip and save up for another in six months.

spent the day in balboa park. tried to visit museums that we'd never been in, so bought a one day pass to up to five. i think we made it to about four, with a cannibal exhibit as an add-on charge at the museum of man. they also offered a climb to the viewing deck of the bell tower, which had been closed to the public for about eighty years, and recently opened to visitors in small groups. they said it will close again soon for additional "renovations."

in the tower, you climb about four flights of stairs, about one-hundred twenty-five steps. each landing, they give you a break and talk about some historical facts, and the carillion. there are open windows that allow fresh air to blow through.

the final level to the viewing level is an old spiral staircase, one person at a time. we were with a dad with three kids and another group, with a couple of women and a guy.

one of the women happened to be wearing a short, floral dress, so she was not only having to deal with climbing steep stairs, but having to hold the dress firmly around her thighs to keep the wind from blowing it up.

on the viewing level, there are four open windows, to four different views of balboa park. out one, if you squint very hard, you can spot a mexican flag in the distance, which is the border crossing. another looks over the old globe theatre and toward the zoo. each of the other two looked either way up and down the street of museums, and out to the city and waterfront.

we were all taking pictures, or using a pair of binoculars they had up there to see what you could see out the windows.

better half said at one point, he turned around, holding up his camera, ready to take a shot, when one of our escorts started shouting and waving her hands to stop him. apparently, short dress woman's dress had at that same moment, caught more than a breeze, and he got quite a show. but no picture.

needless to say, they let her climb down the spiral staircase first, when our time was up.

hot rod

hood ornament

waiting is the hardest part

harley davidson softail

harley harley harley. not sure why i shot this bike versus any of the other bikes at legg lake last month. maybe i just liked the rolled up serapes, with it's colors.

both my brothers live in florida. hurricane matthew is barreling toward one of them now. the other is further south, and out of town for work; his wife is staying with her dad, but she says so far, nothing happening where she is staying.

i think my brother who is in the direct path, is far enough inland, he'll be ok. he moved there from cali only a few months ago, so this is his first time dealing with real weather since we were kids in virginia.

his house came with window coverings just for the purpose of protection from hurricanes, but they weren't marked which went with which window. should have just nailed up some boards.

pretty sure he is shitting bricks about now. his wife would take an earthquake over this any day.

being overly dramatic last night, he said he was exhausted, but ready to face the storm like lieutenant dan tied to the mast in forrest gump.

Update

on 2016-10-08 05:24 by kathy

p.s. hurricane missed both brothers' houses, just got a lot of wind and rain. they lucked out this time.

chief on the field

pontiac

hood ornament

saw this purple pontiac at the oldies san fernando show this past summer. first time i've seen it out. since then, been seeing pics of it all over instagram.

its different, that's fer sure. at least the hood ornament seems to be original, and not painted over.

looking forward to sunday, being back home in time for the día de los muertos car show/art show. was more carshow than art show last year, so i can only hope there are more cars this year. just down the street from the house, couldn't get much better than that.

better half is out washing his clothes at a random laundromat in the gaslamp, and i'm kicking back, watching forrest gump on tv. i slightly over-packed; he planned on underpacking and just washing clothes to get through the week.

started the day driving out to a shoe store in encinitas. better half has big feet...

anyway, he needed new shoes that wouldn't hurt. we're doing a bit more walking than we do at home, and his old shoes were hurting him. sales guy was very helpful, and he's hopeful the new pair will help.

turned out we were only three minutes from the house of an old friend, and former boss of mine. would have been nice to see her, but we had other plans, and figured she'd be busy working. hey carol -- miss you!

from the shoe store, it was either go to a museum at miramar afb or take a tour of the taylor guitar factory on the way back to the hotel. we did the guitar tour, since we both own one; i have their smallest model; he has a couple of bigger, nicer guitars. it was interesting to see how they make the guitars. really wish i could learn to play mine, more than a few random songs plucked out badly on the strings, since it has such a good tone, but i'm more of a piano kid, thanks to my mom.

guess i'll get ready for dinner. better half is almost done with his clothes, and jumanji is starting on tv now.