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

OUT OF REACH

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed December 3, 2006 in Palm Springs, CA

4x4

Truck Quadtych photos by Lydia Marcus.
Photographed February, 8, 2009 in Barstow, CA on historic Route 66

A COUGAR IN KINGMAN

Photo by Lydia Marcus.
Photographed February 9, 2009 in Kingman, Arizona on historic Route 66.

AREA 66

Photo by Lydia Marcus

Photographed at Area 66 (off historic Route 66) in Yucca, Arizona on February 9, 2009

CHARACTER

Photo by Lydia Marcus

Photographed at the Queen's English All British Car Meet in Encino, CA on March 8, 2009

THE GOOSE

IMG_0681, originally uploaded by SB_Photography.

Lucy captured by the sharp lens of Flickr shooter Soupy aka SB Photography.

Photographed at Lake Balboa on March 8, 2009.

GEYSER GAZING

I visited Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2001. Old Faithful gets all the fame but honestly it was one of the least impressive geysers that I saw at Yellowstone. Old Faithful is known for it's frequency of eruption and the great height it achieves, but this tiny geyser called Pink Cone Geyser was probably my favorite at the park. While Old Faithful's bursts last anywhere from 1-5 minutes, this little guy generally sprays for 1 - 2 hours at a time!!!!! Plus you don't have to deal with the crowds to view it. If you ever get to Yellowstone - go check it out! - Lydia Marcus

Polaroid Photo by Lydia Marcus. Pink Cone Geyser photographed at Yellowstone National Park, July 5, 2001.

HOLE N" THE ROCK

Hole N" The Rock is one of the wackiest and most unique tourist stops I have ever visited. I HAVE to stop here every time I visit Moab. I look forward to checking out the gift shop for one of a kind items and stopping by the petting zoo to see an unusual assortment of animals that includes those wacky and very odd ostriches. Hole N" The Rock is a kitsch tourist attraction at it's very best. - Lydia :-)

From the website www.theholeintherock.com :

"Travelers along U.S. Highway 191 in Southeastern Utah are amazed to discover this unique 5,000 square foot home and gift shop. Inside are fourteen fabulous rooms arranged around huge pillars. A fireplace with a 65 foot chimney drilled through solid sandstone, a deep french fryer, and a bathtub built to the rock are among the attractions.

Outside the living quarters is a rock and cactus garden and nearby are picnic tables and benches carved from stone.

In a 12-year period Albert excavated 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone from the rock. During this time he completed his famous painting "Sermon on the Mount" and his sculpture of Franklin D. Roosevelt on the face of the rock above his home.

When Albert died in 1957, the home was not complete. Gladys, in keeping with his wishes and lifelong dreams, continued to develop the home and gift shop into the world-renowned attraction it is today.

When Gladys passed away in 1974 she was laid to rest next to Albert in a small cove within the rock near the home. The simple stone markers were sculpted by Gladys.

Hole N" The Rock Home, Gift Shop and Tradin' Post 12 miles south of Moab, Utah U.S. Highway 191"

Polaroid Photos by Lydia Marcus. Photographed at Hole N" The Rock in Moab, Utah, July 3, 2001

A SUNDAY AT THE GETTY

I visited the Getty Center on Sunday afternoon to catch the last day of Dialogue among Giants: Carleton Watkins and the Rise of Photography in California. I'm so lucky that I can get to the Getty in literally 10 minutes. I could actually get there faster taking the 405 Freeway, but it's such a joy to drive the gently winding curves of the Sepulveda Pass, that I'll take a few extra minutes of driving time to enjoy the road with my sunroof open and the radio blaring.

As usual, the Getty did not disappoint with wonderful shadow and light play on the Richard Meier designed architecture, a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean, yummy dining at the cafeteria, intriguing people watching, and amazing photography on display.



Self-portrait in a Getty reflection.






Vines and leaves growing over the Travertine.