fo-ton-o-mous [foh-ton-uh-muh s] noun photo + autonomous = fotonomous 1.Web identity of Lydia Marcus, an individualist, Piscean & native Los Angeleno (Encino/WEHO) raised in diametrically opposed communities shaped by culture, status, sexuality, and spirituality.This multifaceted upbringing informed her ability & desire to always seek to blend out instead of blend in. 2.Blog of Lydia Marcus, a writer, photographer (Nikon & Polaroid shooter), filmmaker & unapologetic Valley girl.
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.
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.
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 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 :-)
"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
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.
I got a special birthday treat yesterday - my friend Cathy took me along as a guest to a promotional Marlboro Drift Racing event at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA. We got to do two ride alongs with professional drift racers in Ford Mustangs on the race track. A super exciting and exhilaring event! And it happened to be on my birthday! The event was called Hot Laps.
Here's me in front of one of the racing Ford Mustangs.
In case you don't know what drifting looks like - here's a short video I shot with my Sony T100 point and shoot camera of a few of the Ford Mustangs squealing around the track.
To start the experience, there was a photo op where we got to put on professional racing suits and stand in front of a blue screen where later an image of the racing Ford Mustang would be superimposed. I'm not posting the shot we took because Cathy and I both look like Stay Puff Marshmallows women in the gear - not cute - but it was fun to do nonetheless.
I thought the racing suits and helmets looked pretty cool though.
Then we were given "gators" to go over our heads and were fitted with the right size helmets so when we got out to the track they would know what size to give us.
Here's Cathy and Me in our gators looking doofy.
Then we went out to an area where they had snacks and a real Indy 500 race car that we could sit in.
Here one of the guys from the event was explaining to me what all the buttons on the steering wheel do.
Then we were taken out to a tent just off the track to wait for our number to be called to get into one of the Ford Mustangs.
Then I walked up onto some bleachers to be able to get a better vantage point to watch the cars racing on the track.
Before we got into one of the cars, we were given hand sign instructions: thumbs up (okay, more thumbs up - go faster), thumbs down (slow down), and pointing to the left (LET ME OUT NOW!!!)
I thought people looked cool lining up waiting for their ride wearing the required helmets.
I wasn't allowed to take a camera into the car (they didn't want anything that could possibly fly around and distract or injure the driver or passenger), but I got this great shot of Me and Cathy after our second race while we still had our helmets on.
Riding along with the professional drift racers was thrilling and scary - kind of like being on an insane roller coaster ride only with more danger and less predictability. You hear the wheels squealing and you smell the tire rubber burning and it's all very loud and fast. I had my left hand gripped onto the edge of the seat and my right hand gripped onto the door and I didn't let go for a second of the ride. If you were drifting sideways in a regular car on a real road, mentally you would be preparing yourself for the worst scenario, but on a track with a pro driver you just have to let go and embrace the fun and uncertainty of the thrill ride. It mentally goes against everything you are used to doing in a car.
After the rides, we were taken to another tent to relax and enjoy a fancy buffet lunch. I'm not a smoker, but Marlboro put on one very nice and adventurous event.
To end my birthday festivities, I was joined later that evening by a few close friends for dinner. We had a great dinner at Anajak Thai on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. Their food and ambience is really nice. (Clockwise L-R: Tina, Sonya, Serena, Me, Sheryl)
So all in all, I had a really great 39th birthday! And a few of my friends and family are still taking me out on different days later in the week so I can stretch out my celebrating a little longer. :-)
Click image to enlarge my birth announcement, scanned from my baby book. "Unbelievable?" my Mom wrote because my parents were married almost 15 years before they finally had me - their one and only child - my Mom was 38, my Dad 48! No IVF, no multiple births, just moi! I share a birthday with Elizabeth Taylor, Joanne Woodward, Chelsea Clinton, Ralph Nader, and writers Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John Steinbeck. Happy Birthday fellow Pisceans!
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