FRANKENSTEIN DODGE

Spotted this Dodge conversion parked in front of the defunct Wiener Factory in Sherman Oaks. It had a note taped inside one of the windows that said it was for sale for $6,995 and that it had $20,000 in customization. Is it a van, a truck, a semi, a camper? What the hell is it?

Adding to the customization, it has two doors on the passenger side and one door on the driver's side.

Frankenstein Dodge
Photo © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed July 12, 2009 in Sherman Oaks, CA

GREETINGS FROM MALIBU, CA

Photo credit: © Lydia Marcus 2009 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Sent From My iPhone

GET YOUR QUEER FILM ON!

Outfest_Orpheum, originally uploaded by fotonomous.

Opening Night of Outfest
Photo by © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed July 9, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA

BACKYARD BASH

Saturday I had my 2nd Annual 4th of July BBQ and Pool Party. Preparing for the party and having friends and family over kept me busy so I didn't have as much time to focus on missing Lucy. I bbq'd traditional burgers and hot dogs, and everyone snacked on fresh fruit, cheese, guacamole, homemade potato salad (thanks Ros!) and we had tons of desserts like homemade brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and lemon bars (thanks Jeff!), and Canter's cookies (yummy - thanks Paul and Zelde). The weather was perfect for hanging out all day in the pool and jacuzzi.

Here are some photos from the day. Most of these came from my trusty Sony Cyber-shot U DSC-U60, a long in the tooth (circa 2003) but still awesome 2 megapixel waterproof camera.

S & Me


Jon, Jeff, and Me


S' sister Sonya


Patti and Me


Tina & Val


"Libbit Ladies" - Donna, Liz, and Michelle


My Dad, Michelle, Val, Tina, Adam, & Donna


Tara, Tina, Val, & Patti


Jeff - baker extraordinaire. His lemon bars should be illegal!


Amy & S before and after Jeff cannon-balled them!!! :-) Pure hilarity in action!!!





My Dad taking a break from the sun


S & Sonya's Dad (and my adopted Dad) George regaling a jacuzzi full of girls with a funny ad from the 99 cents store that had a top 10 Best and Worst Father's Day gifts ad. The Best and Worst turned out to be the 99 cent condoms. We all had a good laugh, but George's storytelling and presentation made it truly funny.


S & Sonya's Mom (and my adopted Mom) Joyce cooled her feet off in the pool.


Masha ("MEOW!!") and Amy


Sonya, S & Joyce


Sonya & S battle it out underwater - racing from the shallow to deep end


Patti & Me comparing our painted toenails.


Patti, Sonya & Lucia


Amy, Lucia, Patti, Masha, S, Jeff & Jon


Some of the food!

SOUL CONNECTION

"Soul Connection"
Me and Lucy - The Last Hour.

Photo by © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed June 30, 2009 in Encino, CA

HAPPY 4TH!

Polaroid Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed May 2008 at Los Angeles National Cemetary
Westwood, CA

SO LONG "GOOSE"

Lucy lost her six month battle with Lymphoma today. I adopted her on December 8, 2007 and let her go on June 30, 2009. Words just cannot express how I'm feeling. It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll let this photo taken less than an hour after her passing do all my talking for now.

Lucy The Boxador R.I.P
Photo © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed June 30, 2009 in Encino, CA

LUCY'S LIFE

I saw an oncologist on Monday to find out about possible chemotherapy treatment for Lucy's recently diagnosed Lymphoma. Lucy has been sick since January, but it's only been a couple of weeks since she was finally diagnosed with the Lymphoma.

After hearing the three chemo options for her (that range from about $350 a month for oral chemo to $4200 for a five drug cocktail that's administered over a 5 week period), I've decided not to pursue chemo. Apparently chemotherapy is not a cure for Lymphoma (or other cancers) in dogs, it only temporarily treats the symptoms. The cheapest chemo averages only extra months, the middle chemo (around $3000) just six months, and for the most expensive chemo, the average prognosis is survival of one year before the lymphoma returns. At that point, you can redo chemo (which is less effective for the second bout) or just let the dog go.

If spending the money meant that Lucy would live a normal life and live for many more years to come, I may have considered it. But for the possibility of just one extra year (a period of time that may only have her feeling so-so), the chemo is not really something I want to pursue. As much as I love and adore her, I've already accepted that she's not going to be around long. Right now, the only thing I can do is continue to give her twice daily prednisone and occasional steroid shots (that really seem to give her a nice pick me up for a couple weeks), plus continue to give her a tasty diet and treats for as long as she is able to eat.

Right now it's just a waiting game as I continue to just be grateful for the time we have left together. Good days where she has a little pep in her step, a smile, and a healthy appetite fill me glee, bad days where she is lethargic and sad looking and not wanting to eat just makes me sad on a very heavy level.

I just have to take it a day at a time and keep thinking that when one door closes, another opens. There is a dog out there that will take over her spot, but never her place in my heart.

Photo credit: J. Herbert
Photographed May 18, 2009 in Encino, CA
© Lydia Marcus 2009

DOXIE LOVE

Meet my doggie "nieces" Mathilda and Talullah, blue Dachsund sisters that are two months old. Their human mommies are very close friends of mine. They just brought them home yesterday. They're the first blue doxies I've ever seen!

Talullah (on the left in the Polaroid below) is the one that seems the most photo savvy - she stared straight at the camera in practically every shot. Mathilda (on the right) seems to be more shy (or maybe less interested) in the camera. Talullah is larger but a lot more easy going and gentle. Mathilda has an obvious Napolean complex and is a raging little scrapper!


Sheryl & Denny (aka Shirley and Lennard) with their new doggie babies.








Photos by © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed in Lake Balboa, CA on June 7, 2009

PURPLE CALALILY TRIO

This is a perfect example of what makes Time Zero film so special and irreplaceable. It's why I have 13 boxes of it stockpiled in my fridge and literally wait for special things to photograph with it. There is nothing quite like TZ blue - it is just dreamy. Something about TZ makes images look like paintings. I love calalilies and these were a present. Since they only live a few days or so after they're cut, I thought this was the best way to immortalize them. The blue backdrop is courtesy of my swimming pool.

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Polaroid SX-70 Alpha / Polaroid Time Zero Film
Photographed in Encino, CA

THE DIAGNOSIS

My apologies for being an erratic blogger, but my mental energy is really consumed with taking care of my dog Lucy right now.



On the previous post I wrote about Lucy's experimental drug therapy with Pamindronate. Well it turns out that was the 1st and last Pamindronate treatment she will ever receive.

Here's what happened since the treatment:

The vet wanted Lucy to take Pamindronate instead of the steroid shots and Prednisone pills we had been giving her. About 4 days after the Pamindronate, when all the last bit of steroids had left Lucy's system, she got VERY sick again. Stopped eating and drinking and just pretty much didn't want to move from Friday night until Monday when we got her back to the Vet. Spoke with our Vet over the weekend, and she said to put Lucy back on the Prednisone. She said that although her blood count was getting better as far as the Calcium numbers, clearly she was not faring well without the steroids in her system.

Saturday night, my Dad discovered a lump on the side of her neck. So Monday we returned to the Vet and did a biopsy. After six months of not knowing exactly what was wrong with her, we finally get the diagnosis - Lucy has Lymphoma. All the visible signs of illness go back to January when she first started vomiting and not eating for days on end, but I have a feeling the Lymphoma was lurking way before those symptoms arrived.

After a day back on the prednisone (and a steroid shot at the Vet), the lump in the side of her neck has become smaller right away. The steroids kind of suppress the lymphoma but doesn't completely take it or it's symptoms away.

We have an appointment with an Oncologist next week. The Pamindronate didn't really work out BUT had we not tried it and taken her off the steroids, the Lymphoma would not have shown itself - so ultimately this is a good thing to finally know what has been wrong with her since January 09. I don't know what the long term prognosis is - we may start chemo - but just taking it a day at a time. At least with the steroids in her system, Lucy's personality comes back, and she enjoys eating and playing with her Kong toys. She doesn't have as much energy as when she was healthy - our walks are pretty brief - but at least she isn't lying around looking like she's at death's door. I will continue to update Lucy's story as I know more. And when I find myself in the mood, I'll continue to post some new images of my beloved Polaroids and some digital too.

Lydia & Lucy photo by J. Herbert
Photographed May 18, 2009 in Encino, CA

LUCY THE TROUPER

Today Lucy got her first treatment of the experimental drug Pamidronate, used to treat high levels of calcium in the blood that may be caused by certain types of cancer. Lucy's increasingly high calcium levels have been making her sicker and sicker since the beginning of the year. The high calcium levels indicate that she has cancer in her body but where it is and what kind, we don't know. The cancer itself is not treatable by the Vet, but the Pamidronate will hopefully bring her calcium levels to a more normal level so that she can have a good quality of life. The Pamidronate is being given in place of the steroid shots and Prednisone pills that have been keeping her stable so far.



Lucy did remarkably well at this all day procedure. My Dad took her in at 8am and then we switched off shifts every couple hours throughout the day. In the end, Lucy didn't leave the vet until 4:30pm - a whopping 8 and a half hours being hooked up to an IV drip - 4+ hours of the Pamidronate followed by 4+ hours of just basic fluids to flush her kidneys. We have to repeat this treatment every 3 weeks.



Dr. Svenja Viete checks Lucy's heartbeat.



Photo by © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed May 26, 2009 in Van Nuys, CA

AERO CRUISIN' AMERICANA

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 10, 2009 on Route 66
Cool Springs, Arizona
www.coolspringsroute66.com

LYDIA & LUCY THE BOXADOR

My dog Lucy has been very sick since the beginning of the year. She vomits and stops eating for days and gets very lethargic. Plus she's lost a lot of weight.

The vet has gone down the line testing for various illnesses. Finally she's figured out the culprit is cancer or lymphoma but doesn't know where it is occurring in Lucy's body. The only thing that shows up in blood work is that she has very high calcium levels and each time we test her, they're higher and higher.

As a temporary fix for her symptoms, Lucy is on daily Prednisone, gets occasional steroid injections, and even takes a pill to stimulate appetite. She also has to be given occasional Pepcid pills for her upset stomach.

This week, Lucy's appetite and personality has returned with a force thanks to upping the dosage of Prednisone and the steroids.

A few days ago the vet told me Lucy has anywhere from a couple weeks to six months to live. The calcium will shut down her kidneys eventually.

But in the meantime, the vet is going to try a new injectable cancer drug on Lucy to see if it can bring the calcium levels down - the very thing that is making her so sick. If the drug works, maybe I'll have Lucy around a little longer.

Whether that will her snap out of this illness or not remains to be seen. I'm trying to deal with acceptance - that Lucy is probably not going to be around a very long time. She's only 3 and I've only had her in my life for a year and a half. That's what makes this so hard. It just isn't how life should be. Every other dog I've had in my life has lived to be 12 or 13. That's a long time to enjoy their company and love. I don't want to let go of Lucy yet, but I will if she starts to suffer.

Right now, I'm enjoying her personality and quirks and special Lucyness for as long as the shots and meds allow. Because I'm the one always taking photos of everyone else, I realized that I really did not have a good photo of me and Lucy. So I asked Jon, one of my closest friends, to come over today and shoot some shots of me and Lucy. Jon isn't a photographer, but I'm comfortable with him and Lucy adores him, so I figured with a little direction, he'd get a great shot. This one is my favorite.

Photo by J. Herbert
Photographed May 18, 2009 in Encino, CA

A FACE IS LIKE A WORK OF ART, IT DESERVES A GREAT FRAME

My Dad and Lucy The Boxador.

This is VERY special Polaroid film called Image Wild Sides. I got it from polapremium.com where it's $16 dollars a pack (plus shipping). I never knew they made Wild Sides for Spectra cameras. I used to love shooting the 600 version in my One Step. I held onto my last pack for years and just tried shooting it and it was a total dud - what a disappointment. Well at least I have 3 boxes of the Image Wild Sides to shoot. They're dated 10/2008 but the color is perfect. I gotta get my hands on more of this stuff!

Photo by © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed May 10, 2009 in Encino, CA
Polaroid ProCam with Image Wild Sides film (sold by polapremium)

LETTING GO

SOLD!!!!!!!!! Enjoy the car Barry :-)

1995 Audi A6 For Sale. $3199 OBO
Smog certified until May 2011. Registration good through July 2009.





(More photos below)

I purchased this 1995 Audi A6 used from McKenna Audi in July 1999 when it had 53,000 miles.
I have loved and maintained this car for nearly 10 years. Mileage is currently 165,000. I work from home so the car has pretty low mileage for a CA car.

The only cars I have ever driven have been Audis. Once you drive an Audi you are hooked for life. This was my third Audi after two 5000S models. The only reason I'm selling the car is that I needed a wagon for the utility and have just bought a used 2004 Audi A6 Avant. So now my blue baby has got to go. Even for a 14 year old car, the luxury and driving pleasure and timeless Audi styling are still there. A joy to drive and own.

My Dad has always supervised the maintenance on this car and he knows how to keep things nice and running for years. He still has his 1966 Buick LeSabre convertible in original condition if that tells you anything. So this 1995 Audi A6 is in excellent mechanical condition inside and out.

1995 Audi A6
Europa Blue Metallic
Leather seats (light tan color)
Burled walnut wood inlays for dash, door panels and console
8-way power front seats with manual lumbar adjustment and memory functions for driver seat and outside mirrors
4 Wheel ABS (anti-lock brakes) and Four disc brakes including two ventilated discs
Dual Airbags (driver and front passenger)
Keyless entry. 2 keys provided. Each key can be programmed for a different driver so that you have two separate seat and mirror settings. There's also a third memory setting located on the drivers door.
Power Windows
Moonroof (sliding and tilting)
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
Professionally tinted windows (3M with lifetime guarantee)
Full power (windows, moonroof, seats)
CFC free liquid air conditioning with climate control (Ice cold Air Conditioning including vents in the back seat!)
Anti-theft vehicle alarm system
Cruise Control
2 cupholders
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Leather shift knob and hand brake
Ski Storage sack (run from truck through pass through in backseat armrest). I've never used it for skis but it has come in handy to transport some long items.

Audio:
Sony 10 CD Changer
Prewired for Sirius Radio (professionally installed antennae and power supply). Just buy a Sirius brand radio, plug it into the two connectors, and activate it. That simple.
AM/FM stereo cassette radio with anti-theft and 8 active speaker sound package

Fuel Economy 19 City / 25 Highway (21 gallon tank) Typically if you wait to fill up until the reserve light comes on, you will get at around 350 miles per tank under normal driving (without even using the 3 reserve gallons). On road trips, I have actually gotten 450 miles!) This is a very well tuned engine. My 2004 A6 is the same size but has a bigger engine and gets nowhere near this fuel economy. Something I will definitely miss about my '95 A6.

2.8 Liter, 12 valve, V6 engine

Car Fax report available. Car Fax shows it had one accident in 1999 (before I owned it) and since I've owned it, zero accidents or body work.

The first couple years I owned the car, I serviced it at Keyes Audi in Van Nuys. Then I switched to the Auto Gallery in Woodland Hills. Most recent service has been done at Ingolstadt West (an independent Audi/VW/Porsche shop) in Woodland Hills and through my Dad's personal mechanic in Reseda.

Recent maintenance:

new brakes on the front
new front tires
replaced both catalytic converters 2 years ago and new spark plugs (so it will pass smog for many years to come)
new belts
new water pump
overhauled radiator
replaced the seals on the moonroof
replaced the airbag sensor/monitoring system on drivers side steering wheel





















































Some road trips I have enjoyed in the A6:

White Sands, New Mexico


Capitol Reef, Utah


Arches National Park, Utah


A recent photo shoot for a lighting class I took:





Model not included with car ;-)

GOT WINDOWS

Photo by © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed May 9, 2009 in Culver City, CA

THE BAGDAD THREE

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 8, 2009
Bagdad Cafe, Newberry Springs off Route 66

FLY PEGASUS FLY

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 8, 2009 in Barstow, CA
at Tom's Welding near Route 66

PURPLE 'STANG

© Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed May 4, 2009 in Encino, CA

MY NEW RIDE!

2004 Audi A6 Avant Quattro. Dolphin Gray exterior / Dove Gray interior. Bose 6 disc cd with Satellite radio. Cold Weather / Ski Package. Moonroof. Homelink. 27,000 miles. Just need to get the windows tinted and give it a nice polish!







© Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed April 30, 2009 in Encino, CA

AN EVENING WITH WOMEN

Friday night I shot stills at An Evening With Women - a yearly fundraiser for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. Here are a few of my faves from the night.

Sharon Stone (she hosted the live auction)




Sharon and Jennifer Coolidge


Sarah Silverman

- Bet you wish you knew the story that went along with this gesture! Sarah had the audience in STITCHES!



Newly out Clementine Ford and her mom Cybill Shepard


DJ Samantha Ronson

- The main event didn't end til midnight, then Sam came on and got us stragglers, or as I like to think of us, diehards, revved up til nearly 2am playing a lot of great tunes from the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

My fave scene / crowd shots:



















The Center CEO Lorri L. Jean


An Evening With Women Photo credits: © Lydia Marcus 2009

Photographed April 24, 2009 in Beverly Hills, CA at the Beverly Hilton Hotel

HOLLYWOOD PICKUP

Photo © Lydia Marcus
Photographed November 10, 2007 in Hollywood, CA

GO TEAM SHARP!

Mike, Laura, Leah, Sonya, Amy, Serena, and Me

April 19, I participated in the Walk MS: Greater Los Angeles 2009 - a 5K walk around the Rose Bowl. I was supporting my "forever sister-in-law" Sonya (who happens to be my ex's little sis). Sonya has MS and in fact it runs in her family. Her Uncle Jay not only had MS but a very severe case and died as a result of complications from the disease just last year. He was only in his late 40's. I have a second cousin who also has MS and she is in her 90's - so the disease really runs the gamut in how it affects a person's health. I was glad to be there to support Sonya and in remembrance of Jay.

The heat can be a real bitch to people who have MS, so the fact that it was about 98 degrees in Pasadena during the walk was certainly a real hardship to many people. I salute the brave spirit of all the individuals with MS who participated in the Walk MS event. And I will continue to support Sonya in future walks.

Sonya


A Sea of Walkers!


This t-shirt pretty much says it all


Photo © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 19, 2009 in Pasadena, CA
at the Walk MS: Greater Los Angeles 2009

"Can MS be cured?
Not yet. There are now FDA-approved medications that have been shown to "modify" or slow down the underlying course of MS. In addition, many therapeutic and technological advances are helping people manage symptoms. Advances in treating and understanding MS are made every year, and progress in research to find a cure is very encouraging." - www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/FAQs-a...

www.nationalmssociety.org
walkms.org

FEELING SPRINGY

Photo © Lydia Marcus
Photographed August 15, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA at the Getty Center

THE NOHO 3

1951 & 1950 Chevy Panel Trucks and a two-tone 1981 Datsun 280Z




A phallic hood ornament from the Chevy

Photos © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 12, 2009 in North Hollywood, CA

NOT SO REGAL

Photo © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 12, 2009 in North Hollywood, CA

TWO FRIENDS ENJOYING EL PUEBLO DE LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES

Friday I had a fantastic day hanging out with one of my old high school buddies Brad. He lives in D.C. so it's rare that I get to see him. We had lunch with two of his friends in Burbank, took a nice drive on city streets to downtown, and made an impromptu visit to Griffith Observatory where we each enjoyed a hot cup of Wolfgang Puck soup (Me-Butternut Squash, Brad-Tortilla) while dining alfresco with a full view of the wide expanse that we lovingly call the City of The Angels.

Here's some snaps from my Sony T100 recounting our fun.

Brad & Me in Burbank


Some lovely flowers - this shows how AMAZING the macro setting is on my Sony T100 - AMAZING bokeh for a point and shoot!


I snapped this pic out the window as we were driving down Glendale Blvd towards downtown.


We made a quick stop at Walt Disney Concert Hall and I shot this snap from the car.


The very famous Hollywood sign, viewed from Griffith Observatory


The Astronomers Monument on the front lawn. George Stanley, one of the artists who created this work in 1934, was also the creator of the famous "Oscar" statuette. The monument features six of the greatest astronomers of all time: Hipparchus; Copernicus; Galilei; Kepler; Newton; and Herschel (yah the one Jew!). Not sure which of the brilliant minds I captured here.


Calcium close up (another great macro!) - part of the elements display.


I love these shots of Brad! He looks so cute.




Brad got down on the ground to get this great shot of me. He encouraged me to get a little sassy and it worked!

DESERT BUG

Photo © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 8, 2009 at Tom's Welding near Route 66 in Barstow, CA

"DAVID BOWIE" - THE ROCK STAR OF DOGS

Photo © Lydia Marcus
Australian Shepard Photographed April 5, 2009 in Encino, CA

SOMEWHERE IN TIME

1955 Packard Clipper Custom Constellation Polaroid Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 4, 2009 in Encino, CA

Q IS FOR QUEER

"I would like to advocate replacing the word "gay" with "queer" when talking in broad terms about our collective experience. Queer isn't just about same-sex wedding tackle. Queer is about sensibility. You don't need to be gay to be queer. Indeed, some of the queerest people I know are straight. My mum is a bit queer. Obama is definitely queer. Little Edie Beale was very queer. I think if more people embraced their queerness, we'd all be the better for it."
- Alan Cumming (Newsweek April 13, 2009)

Photo © Lydia Marcus / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed April 23, 2006 in Santa Monica, CA

YOU AIN'T NOTHING BUT A HOUND DOG

Photo © Lydia Marcus / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed April 5, 2009 in Encino, CA

TRASHED TORONADO

This Oldsmobile Toronado belongs to one of my neighbors. It's been sitting and rotting for a few decades. That makes me sad. The guy who owns it is an old WWII military guy. My entire life, the guy has been going everywhere in the neighborhood on foot, always walking around in khaki pants and a short waisted, olive military jacket. I guess he always liked walking better than driving, so the Toronado will sit rusting, locked up behind that fence until the day he dies.

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 2, 2009 in Encino, CA

GET A LITTLE CLOSER

Spring has brought my front and back yard some nice blooms just begging for the macro treatment. I'm pretty much a learner when it comes to macro photography but the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 micro lens I have kind of does all the work for me.

I call this one "Riding The Wave"


A beautiful two-tone Rose




Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 2, 2009 in Encino, CA

BOKEH HOUND

Lucy models for my new Nikon 85mm f/1.4 lens. BOKEH WOW! It would have been even creamier had I not shot my D80 on 1600 ISO (which added a little bit of noise). I am in LOVE with this lens that I bought barely used off Nikonians. That bokeh is why you pay more than double $ to jump from the f/1.8 to f/1.4 lens.

I was trying to figure out where the burnt orange in the background came from and I realized it's my hardwood flooring. That's why you shoot at f/1.4 when you can!

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 2, 2009 in Encino, CA

BITCHIN' BLACK Z

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed April 1, 2009 in Sherman Oaks, CA

FOR SALE

I just purchased a used Nikon 85mm f/1.4 so I'm putting up a few items I'm not using to free up some cash.

For Sale:

SOLD! Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-D $650

SOLD! Expodisc Professional Digital White Balance Neutral 77mm $70

SOLD! B+W 77 mm Circular Polarizer Glass Filter (Mfr# 65062162) plus free Tamrac case $89

BRAND NEW Swiss Army Victorinox Infantry Watch Model 241083 $99

email me at fotonomous at earthlink dot net if you're interested in anything. - Lydia :-)

Full details - only 1 item left!:

$99 BRAND NEW Swiss Army Victorinox Infantry Watch Model 241083
Retail $249.99

I got this watch as a gift from the recent Marlboro Hot Laps event in February. I would love to keep it but the watch is just too big for me. Totally Mint in the Box. Never worn or used.

- BLACK dial with RED military time!
- Date window.
- Luminous hands & hour markers.
- Water resistant to 100 meters!
- And of Course comes with the 2 piece gift box.

Product Information:
Brand: SWISS ARMY VICTORINOX
Model: VICTORINOX INFANTRY 241083
Watch Type: THREE HAND ANALOG QUARTZ
Gender: MALE
Style: BROWN LEATHER BAND
Face Structure: BLACK ROUND FACE IN STAINLESS STEEL

KITCHEN KITSCH

These are tchotchkes perched on my kitchen window sill. The two female figures belonged to my Mom and were probably a garage sale find. The slender flower vase is either Murano or a look-a-like. It was one of my Mom's favorite pieces and it's always been one of my favorites as well. The lavender jar I recently bought it at an antique shop in Oatman, Arizona while I was on my Route 66 trip. The antique shop had a note next to it that said it was a "ghost town bottle" dug up from an early mining camp in either California, Nevada or Arizona. MOUTARDE DIAPHANE LOUIT FRERES & CO is embossed on the glass. I researched it and apparently this stylized "barrel" shaped bottle dates from the mid-19th century until the early 20th. The last item is a small, cobalt blue glass pitcher with chevron details on each side. It dates back to the 1930's. I always had a thing for cobalt glass so I probably picked it up at an antique shop or garage sale but I have no memory of ever buying it. When I was cleaning out some kitchen cabinets I found it tucked in the back and decided it would go well with the rest of the kitchen kitsch. It sure picks up the afternoon sunlight nicely.

Polaroid Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed March 5, 2009 in Encino, CA

RETURN TO STONEY POINT

I returned yesterday to Stoney Point with the goal of making it to the top. I made it just short of the crest - it was a challenging climb both up and down! I hiked with my friend Jon and he found the stick I'm holding for my descent back to terra firma - it really helped me down some steep and slippery parts. But even with the stick, I STILL slipped on some loose dirt and fell into some plants and branches and cut up both my hands pretty royally. One spot on my right palm looks like somebody put a cigarette out on it! I also got some scrapes on my arms and legs. But it could have been worse and nothing really hurts. Luckily, the plants kind of broke my fall - if it wasn't for the scraggly branches - I would have been fine. And p.s., it shocks me how much I look like my Mom in this picture - it's like someone cut her 1970's and early 80's era head on my body.

This is Jon and Me - we've known each other since we were 14 - we're like brother and sister (and born only 5 days apart)!


Self-Portrait


I got these little aliens at Area 66 in Yucca, AZ on my recent Route 66 trip. They have parachutes attached so I thought it would be fun to fling them off the the rocks at Stoney Point. Jon's chute didn't open and his just dropped like a rock. Mine sailed a little before getting stuck on a branch. We were able to retrieve them both so the aliens can fly another day!


A panoramic stitch of the Valley view I saw from near the top of Stoney Point. The photo doesn't do the view justice - it was really amazing to see all the homes and streets below. Despite the hubbub of the city, it was extremely quite at the top of Stoney Point - the only thing we would hear was the sound of the cars whizzing by on the nearby 118 freeway. I could even see Universal City in the distance and make out the tall white bank building attached to the Sherman Oaks galleria. If it had been a clear day, I think we would have been able to even see the ocean!


A yellow lab named Lucy I saw checking out the view at the very top of Stoney Point.


Lucy coming down from her hike. I have to bring my Lucy with me next time.


Jon jumped back quite a bit when he saw this bug on the rocks. I didn't understand why he made such a fuss until I saw it close up on my way down - it was HUGE!


My goal was to climb to the top of the rock where the graffiti "Bob" was but I stopped just short of it when I couldn't figure out a way that I could climb higher. Will have to try another route next time.


Wildflowers (or just wild mustard plants) at Stoney Point.


I left the nice stick that had helped me down - hopefully someone else will get great use out of it too.

L8S ANG3LES

Banners announcing L8S ANG3LES - the inaugural exhibit at the Annenberg Space For Photography - have just started popping up all around Los Angeles. I'm very excited and can't wait to see the new Space (located on the former site of the Shubert Theater) and show featuring eleven celebrated LA photographers: John Baldessari; Catherine Opie; Greg Gorman; Douglas Kirkland; Tim Street-Porter; Julius Shulman; Lauren Greenfield; Carolyn Cole; plus three Los Angeles Times staff photographers Lawrence Ho, Genaro Molina, and Kirk McKoy.
- Lydia Marcus

L8S ANG3LES
March 27 - June 28, 2009.
2000 Avenue of the Stars #10, Century City, Los Angeles 90067
http://annenbergspaceforphotography.org





Photos by © Lydia Marcus
L8S ANG3LES banners photographed in Encino, CA on March 23, 2009

M*A*S*H 'N MALIBU

Me at the old M*A*S*H site at Malibu Creek State Park. This is an old, rusted out remnant of one of the military vehicles used on the show. It's approximately a 6.4 mile round trip hike from the trailhead to the M*A*S*H site and back.









Most of these people at the site were from the Flickrmeet from the Los Angeles group.


Group shots of the Flickr group on the dilapidated Jeep.

IMG_0734, originally uploaded by SB_Photography.

IMG_0737, originally uploaded by SB_Photography.

fotonomous, originally uploaded by brian blevins.

Photos by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed March 21, 2009 at Malibu Creek State Park in Malibu, CA

THEY GROW UP SO QUICKLY

Diana Quadtych Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed March 20, 2009 in Venice, CA

STONEY POINT

Even though I grew up in the Valley, parts of it - like Chatsworth - are really unexplored territory for me. I only learned about Stoney Point two years ago and have only driven by it, never explored or hiked around it. My Dad and I drove past Stoney Point last week because it's only a mile or so from our tax preparer. When my Dad saw it in the distance he commented that it looked like something out of the Ice Age. I don't know how far back Stoney Point's rocks date back, but it's definitely not your usual Valley scenery. Today I had to go back to the our tax preparer to pick up our finished paperwork, so I thought I'd finally go check out Stoney Point. I was there from around 4:30pm to 6pm and there were plenty of people hiking, bouldering, climbing, and just enjoying the park. I noticed a couple that were standing on the top of Stoney Point and thought I'd try and figure out how to hike up there. There are no actual trails - you just have to figure your way through brush, plants, and over rocks. I went about half way up and decided that I'd feel safer climbing through to the top with a friend. So that gives me a great excuse to go revisit Stoney Point another day.







Okay I'm not Spiderwoman like the lady above, but I did manage to climb up on a fairly sizable and steep boulder. That's my shadow on top of the boulder.





The second I saw this rock I just thought it looked like McDonald's Grimace so I'm nicknaming it Grimace Rock.




While their Moms and Dad's were bouldering, these kids had a blast running on the trails and climbing rocks.



This sweet greyhound belonged to one of the climbers.

MR. SCRUFF ENJOYS THE L.A. RIVER

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 10, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA