Thursday, June 30, 2016

iT'S STreeT arT THurSDay iN eaST HoLLyWooD! with Malibu afternoon picture of the day - Thursday, June 30, 2016

Dear Street Art Lovers and assorted friends,

It's the last day of June, and so begins the downward slide toward December 31. Don't want you to panic, but if you have plans for 2016, half is gone ...

Since Monday is 4th of July, I was wondering if anything was patriotic among the collection. This one has the American flag and Liberty, so it'll do.

Today we have an ancient East Holly mural that was recently refreshed by mural artist Artoon Art. Look him up on Facebook and see what else he's done. He's the artist who has executed those exquisitely political murals on the Armenian Genocide that I have shared in the last two years. He has added his touches to it, but it's also a political statement.

Original artist unattributed, recent collaborator Artoon Art, Liberty Pieta, paint on brick wall.
























Lady Liberty playing the part of the Blessed Virgin in the classic pieta pose.

On the left side of the mural we have this homage to Van Gogh. An ancient temple sits at the foot of the mountain.










And on the right side, an apostolic church building and flags.












And here is the whole thing ... the artist has given us a lot of flat planar space. Very different from other street art which tends to want to fill up all gaps with busy-ness. You look at this mural and feel like you can breathe. Hope you dig this as much as I do.










AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED SEASCAPE





























Remnants of haze can be seen, but this was shot at about noon (got in late today - car repairs and all ...). What a difference 5 hours makes.

That's it for today folks. Got in late and so I'm playing catch-up. But, better late than never. There's all of you who come and see things after the Thursday posting, so Hello to you!

Love,
Pops


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

Happy Wednesday to you all! Cloudy again here on the coast.

























I'm not apologizing for the monotony. Unlike the picture postcards you get of Malibu, this is the reality of Southern California beaches in early summer--sorry Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Board. Even so, there is no shortage of visitors.

The few times I've ridden the Expo Line, it's full of white European tourists on their way to and fro Downtown LA and the Santa Monica Pier. Those people understand and expect to take trains places--what a no brainer. It's so crowded that I usually have to stand up for the whole 45 minute ride from SM to LA. I think Metro has found their cash cow and their going to wonder why they didn't do this year ago.

OK, gotta go. An order just came in.

Love,
Pops

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

Didn't make it into the office Monday, so sorry if you were missing your Malibu picture, but here it is today as we wind up into  the 4th of July Weekend ...
























Morning overcast as is normal for June. When it burns off, as it has been, it's been mildly hot (80s on the coast). Here's a 2nd look.

Hey, a few months ago on a Saturday I was taking the train down to Long Beach to visit a small museum of Pacific artwork.

While there, I happened to pick up the OC Weekly newspaper. The theme for that issue was to celebrate various Orange County citizens who had made significant contributions as entrepreneurs, businesspeople, or distinguished themselves with talent.

As I flipped through, something jumped out at me. I took the issue home and decided I'd take some pictures of the pictures just to document something to myself. Here are the pictures:








I won't re-report names; you can go to the OC Weekly website and find that issue if you want, but we've got a surfing champion athlete, a couple of art curators-bloggers, a screenwriter/author, a restauranteur, and a business dealmaker. Six AAPI faces out of a field of about 36, and they're featured in a pub that is NOT an AAPI-themed magazine or AAPI-themed issue of publication. They're photogenic, they're relatively young, but not overly glamorized or fetishized.

And this is a good thing. It seemed that the only AAPI people you ever saw in this kind of pub was on the back pages along with the tag: "Date Asian Girls!" (Your mind can fill in the rest.)

So to be a person considered on your own terms of professional accomplishment where the ethnicity you happened to be born was NOT the your entry point to being focused upon in being profiled, is some progress I'm glad to see for these folks. Nice job OCW for not paying attention to race or ethnicity, even if that issue had the vibe of reading a college alumni magazine. (I know that vibe well because I write for a college magazine once in a while.) Just when the world makes you a bit more cynical, you see some progress and it doesn't seem so bad.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Love,
Pops








Friday, June 24, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Friday, June 24, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

It's low clouds today at the coast this morning.





























I'm showing you this one because but for the little white slash in the lower middle, there is no indication in any of this morning pictures that there is an ocean, let alone a horizon out there.

I let drop earlier this week that I'm working on another book, one about angels. I decided to have a short visit with an acquaintance of mine, who will wind up in the book one way or another. Folks, meet the Cosmic Barmaid.


CB: Hi there! This is exciting. Nobody's written about me, or to me for that matter, in a looooooong time!"

POPS: So tell us where you work.

CB: I'm the bar hostess at Ye Olde Windy Crag Taverne.

POPS: Where is said tavern?

CB: It's right at the bottom of the mountain pass road on Perdition Road. Can't miss it. There's nothing around for like miles. Last place you can get a cold one before you descend into Hell.

POPS: Literally or figuratively?

CB: Silly! Both!

POPS: You get angels in there?

CB: Angels, demons, lost souls, foundlings, changelings, fair folk. We get them all.

POPS: How about gods, kami, demigods?

CB: All the same to me. Those differences are totally on their business cards.

POPS: Demigods have business cards?

CB: You've never asked them for one?

POPS: I just come in and talk with whoever's at the bar with me. What can you tell us about angels?

CB: Loners mostly. Keep to themselves. SOOOO serious. If they don't have briefcases handcuffed to their wrists, they should. And it's like they don't even see each other unless their on a paired assignment.

POP: Odd. I'da guess they were happy gregarious people. How about demons?

CB: Oh Gawd, totally totally  different personality. You know. You're a regular. Loud, sexy, friendly, ready to talk, always handy with some kind of offer for anybody.

POPS: Why do you think that is?

CB: They're always in "sales" mode.

POPS: Oh sorry, I meant about the angels. We read that they sing in groups. And that it's awesome when they do.

CB: Me personally? Never heard it. Hard to imagine them cutting loose. I've heard the stories too.

POPS: Choirs who sing in structured harmonies never cut loose.

CB: That's right? That'd be counter-intuitive wouldn't it? Great customers though. They always pay. Never ask for tabs. Lousy tippers.

POPS: Can you recommend one to talk to?

CB: About what?

POPS: I dunno. His work?

CB: You gotta watch using those gendered pronouns with angels. They really don't apply. But if it helps you, go for it.

POPS: For now I'll use he.

CB: Most writers do. But don't let that make you think that I take it for granted that you're an idiot.

POPS: Now wait a minute...

CB: [giggle] They don't talk. They come to you. Pay YOU a visit when they want something. But you might try this one guy coming in lately. Name's Michael. I think M has a missing person case they're on, so they're willing to be more chatty than any I've ever seen. You probably need to pretend you've got some info they want though...

POPS: Lie to an angel? Isn't that dangerous?

CB: Maybe. But ... I wanna see you try. I think it'll be hilarious. Hey! Aren't you supposed to be interviewing ME? So everybody can learn about MOIS?

POPS: Uh ... OK. So, uh. How did you get this gig?

CB: When the owner interviewed me, he liked that I had a double major in comparative religion and world literature. Oh, and MY vodka tonic was perfect too he said.

POPS: Well wouldja look at the time? I gotta get to work. 

CB: Jerk. Bye Pops. On the tab, as usual, right? All of you out there! Drop by. First one's on the house.

POPS: What she's not telling you is the last one will cost you your soul and so you're compelled to keep coming back, so be careful out there!

CB: Shhhh.


Have a great weekend kids. Stay tuned to me and you'll learn about angels; I guarantee it.

Love,
Pops

Thursday, June 23, 2016

iT'S STreeTarT THurSDay iN eaST HoLLyWooD! and Malibu pic of the day - Thursday, June 23, 2016

Dear Street Art Lovers and all the rest of you,

Today's offering is no huge or monumental, but it is different from the rough-on-the edges name are we typically see on walls.

Artist Girl Barf, Alien Amidst Plant Life, paint on commercial building (2015).





































Why it's a cute little alien with blue eyes and a golden mohawk hairstyle hiding among some pastel colored plants. There's a couple of secondary panels to the side. This almost looks like premium gift wrapping paper.

It would not surprise me if the proprietors of Limited Ink Studios are the ones who painted the very mural itself. I did not knock on the door and ask.

You can find this bit of building decoration on Santa Monica Blvd. west of Hobart on the south side. You'll probably miss as you drive by, but it's nice to notice if you drive this way often. I always look for it on my to and from Hollywood Proper. If you are heading due east on Santa Monica as you approach Western and cross, always, ALWAYS ride the #2 lane. There is nearly always someone wanting to make left turn onto Oxford right before Western (no left-turn lane) even if you get behind a Metro bus. You will get trapped there in #1 for at least one or maybe to cycles of streetlight at Western.

When they built the Hollywood Freeway, they effectively trapped a residential neighborhood of several blocks with only a couple of good entry/exit points. When they did that back in the 1950s, they were probably all small single-family houses on narrow streets so it was probably OK then. But they've since been replaced by multi-family apartment houses, and that area is so dense with people and cars, it's claustrophobic. I rented an apartment in there for about 7 months ... and then I eloped and got outta there. But the rent was cheap. Back then it was about $300 a month for a 1 bedroom, I think $250 for a single. If you needed the services of a porno theatre or adult book store, Western Avenue was lined with them at the time, a veritable shopping mall of vice.

Here's a head-on shot of  the doorway. You can see the treatment of a McDonald's restaurant drinking cup. there in white, yellow, and light blue on the bottom.

And here's the context shot:





This is the oddest corner for a business pod mall. The freeway is right next to this corner, it's really an afterthought, but all these businesses have been here for years. They're not walk-ins for the most part, and I suspect the rent is pretty cheap since it's such a ugly corner.

AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED SEASCAPE























Another typical June morning here on the SoCal coast. Twill be hot this weekend though.

If you're in the vicinity of LA Trade Tech this evening, or even subway-close, drop by the campus for a free outdoor summer evening concert on their north quad from 6 to 8ish. My band is participating in the lineup among other fine groups. Should be nice out to eat your almost-weekend supper on a lawn with someone you love. We're playing pop tunes, so nothing heavy or complex.

Love,
Pops




Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

As far as the coast is concerned, the heat wave has passed and we're back to June Glume big time this morning. To wit:


























There is so much moisture and cloud cover that we don't even have what? 1,000 yards visibility today, at least in that direction.

Hey, I'm starting to work on a new fiction narrative; this one will have an angel co-protagonist. Angel!? You say harumphing ... yeah sure. Maybe I'm copying Anne Rice and trying to chase the bestseller subject trend, but hey, I can't do my day job forever. I better try to find something that sells ... and I think the vampire thing is over.

Anyway ... did you know there is an angel mentioned in The Lesser Key of Solomon named Gedobonai? You invoke this being to control the loss or gain of wealth, perfect for all you greed-heads out there.

Image result for child wreath
If I were a powerful supernatural being,
I might take on this guise, the better
to do mischief, I say ...
"When conjured, it appears as a child or small woman dressed in green and silver, wearing a wreath of bay leaves decorated with white and green flowers, and leaves a sweet smell behind. It appears as an angel that can invoked in magic in other works as well."

There are no instructions on how to invoke this being, but be careful if you try. I ain't no witch, so there's  no telling what kind of trouble you would make for yourself if you actually succeed.

If you are a Christian, there are precious few mentions of angels in the accepted canon and nearly all of them are just mentioned as a matter of course, assumed to be part of the biblical landscape and ecology--absolutely no teaching about them.

Image result for fallen angels in paradise lost
Good guys vs. bad guys, can you tell
which is which? And what if
bats are considered good luck and white equals
death, as they are in Chinese?
OF COURSE all of that vagueness has allowed the folklorists of Christendom to speculate all kinds of backstories and adventures for them (including sex with human women--really? this again? are all of these storytellers hetero men?), the most prominent being Dante and Milton in our day. (Makes you wonder what a fallen-angel story written by Walt Whitman would have looked like ...) And there are many current novels in English about angels, just go to Goodreads and do a search.

And who am I to eschew, chewing on my imagination about these ill-defined mysterious beings of the spirit world? I write about dragons and witches and princesses and petroleum engineers, for the gods' sake. All in the name of greed too. Are you listening Gedobonai? I think I'm well acquainted with that angel regarding her duties regarding loss of wealth--we're old friends. If I were Japanese (Wait! I AM 1/8 Japanese by blood!), she would be the Poverty God!

But I digress. And it's time to get to work. Angels sing thee to thy wealth.

Love,
Pops



Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Tumon Bldg Street Art and Malibu morning pic of the day - Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

I recently spent 6 days on the island of Guam, roaming around their urban area with a camera like any tourist. I wondered if I'd see any street art, or if this was the kind of place that suppressed that kind of thing. I did find a few things, but they all apparently were commissioned.

Artist PLUSH1 (?) DIVA, Pacific Clan, paint on office building.















This is 3-panel set that is on a small commercial building; the first floor business is an entity called CROWNS and you will find that corporate name on this panel and the next.

Artist OPAKE, Crowns Name Art, paint on cinder block.













This treatment of the company name Crowns (apparently having something to do with clothing) is on the brick wall facing the parking lot. And finally, a continuation of the sky blue of the top panel over from the side of the building (top) to the front.

These artists are definitely inspired by the American street art aesthetic, but Diva's work definitely has the tourist postcard color palette (limited of course) going on here.



Here's the context shot. It's a boxy modernist expression of standard domestic American commercial architecture. This is sitting on the same street as all of the fancy resort hotels and designer malls catering to all of the Japanese and Korean couples and young families on shopping vacations.

As you walk or drive around, your eyes are drawn to the newer fancier structures, but if you pay attention, it's mostly this kind of structure, and this one is in better repair than most.

So, this is your introduction, by way of the "Out of Bounds Gallery" to Guamanian street art. There are a couple other murals I found which I will share on future Tuesdays.

A.M. ON THE MALIBU COAST

























Meanwhile, here on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, in a place with more Filipinos by quantity if not by percentage, it continues in the high heat of a hot summer which has arrived ahead of schedule.

Gotta pay the rent kids. See you around!

Love,
Pops




Monday, June 20, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Summer Solstice, Monday, June 20, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

It's the official first day of summer, as opposed to Memorial Day (customary), and in L.A. it's ushered in with a blast of heat.


























You can't tell from this morning's pic, it's just a blue-on-blue ocean day with surface haze, but it's supposed to be the hottest day of a several-day heat wave. Yesterday was 109 in Burbank. I was out for Father's Day in the evening with my family to see Finding Dory with dinner afterward. When we walked out of a restaurant in Glendale, it was 98 F outside.

Image result for finding dory




If you are an animation/Pixar fan, Dory is well worth your time. Although I will say that if you know the premise of the plot, it's practically a foregone conclusion where the story will end up (character with amnesia searches for lost family). Of course in this classic plot, there are two possibilities: 1) character finds the lost family; or 2) character learns they are gone/dead, but comes to terms with that loss and achieves personal growth. I will not say which standard ending you get (or maybe there's a non-standard ending), but the end is fully satisfying to young and old sensibilities alike.

I suppose the real question is whether Pixar told a story about successful completion of a goal, or a more complex resolution that would separation address the issues that kids face who suffer family loss or breakup; not hitting an intended goal, but maybe getting something more valuable in stead. What do you think? What story would you tell? Considering the complex nature of Disney's recent Inside Out, it made me wonder which way it would go. Make a prediction and see if you're right ...

I would say if the Photo-Realism School of painting has a branch in animation, the preceding short Piper about a baby shore bird learning how to find its own food is is Pixar's fully fledged achievement in that category. I'd say they could now effectively manufacture any documentary footage you want. It's quite impressive--sure beats the hell out of "Lava" as shorts go. Thanks to my kids for treating me to these films. I guess it's full circle as I took them to so many Disney films when they were kids.

Enjoy this longest day of the year, wherever you are (except in the tropics where it's just a never-no-mind day).

Love,
Pops







Friday, June 17, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Friday, June 17, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

It's Friday morning at the coast as we head into the Father's Day weekend, to be followed up by the Summer Solstice on Monday, all leading into an expected heat wave for the next few days. And this morning we have an orange tinge to to sky.





























Why orange? You may ask? Well, we've got us a big brush fire about 100 miles north in Santa Barbara County  putting lots of particulate matter into the sky. Project sunlight laterally through the atmosphere at the start or end of day and you get red and oranges. This almost looks like the kind of sky JMW Turner would paint.

Here's a second look to the south, away from the sun. Is it fire season? Hell, when you're in a 3-5 year drought, it's ALWAYS fire season.

They say that the Scandinavians observe the Summer Solstice by lighting huge bonfires. Perhaps we should just think of this brush fire in Southern Cal as an homage to that part of our many multicultural roots.

Well, whatever you do this weekend, try to stay healthy. Have a good one, and we'll see you on Monday.

Love,
Pops


Thursday, June 16, 2016

iT'S STreeTarT THurSDay iN eaST HoLLyWooD! with Malibu morning pic of the day - Thursday, June 16, 2016

Dear Street Art Lovers and other friends,

We've got a sideways glance off of Melrose Avenue this morning:


Artist, various, Melrose Group Show, paint on old retail building.




















You normally cannot see this fellow most of the year. The tree that is reaching up between his eyes has very broad leaves (dropped in winter), but I caught this when it was bare and visible. This mural has seen better days--it's peeling off--but you still get the sense of its impact.

This is on the side of a building where there are a mashup of other images as well, all from different hands over time I'm sure.










Just below him is a painted riot door covering a newsstand, with some identity art.














To the left of the riot door is a patterned window treatment along with some meta-art indicating the painter putting up a tag.

Capping off the end of the building at the far left is this face that trails off into a vapor.


Just to the right of the first big face is a kid leaping up holding a star.

The slogan says here "WE ARE CONNECTED" which is an admirable thought for humanity, but these images are anything but.

But here they all are getting my attention. and that's good enough.


AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED SEASCAPE





























This is not early morning today, so there may have been cloud cover, but I doubt it. The weekend heating and clearing is starting up I think. But here we have a blue-on-blue day.

Things are running late and I've gotta go. Hope you have a wonderful Thursday.

Love,
Pops


PS: the context shot for above.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

It's Wednesday, and it's time for your picture of the day:
























Muted grey this morning. Drizzly in parts on the way here. I understand it's to be clearing up and quite hot in the next several days, so I'll just savor this. My daughter from Phoenix is visiting for a few weeks. She said it was in the 110s there and had just cooled down into the 100s. It's all relative isn't it?

Hope you're having a great Wednesday.

Love,
Pops


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Paleo-Disney Streetart and Malibu AM pic of the day - Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Streetart Lovers,

We're back after a break and the Out of Bounds Gallery of the East Hollywood Online Streetart Museum is here with a Tuesday offering.

Artist CA Axis Lyte(?), Paleo Disney Wall, paint on brick wall.



























Sometimes you run into a brick wall and it's a good thing.Who is this monstrous blue creature on the wall? If you're an animation nerd, you'll recognize him as a tribute to Oswald the Rabbit, Mickey Mouse's senpai, a creation of a young Walt Disney whom he had to leave behind at the company he used to work for. There's another large-toothed creature living in his mouth, but the world of 1920s cartoon characters were pretty damn surreal (you would be too if you just came out of WWI, talk to your history and philosophy profs about that ...). The more modern Donald Duck seems to have a chokehold on Oswald, but I'm sure it will be to no avail. Those early characters were quite flexible.

























Here we have a cigarette-smoking house amidst name art.




































And looking on suspiciously from the right, I believe we have the original King Kong? But here's the whole shootin' match:


You'll find this in Downtown Long Beach, somewhere near the first Blue Line stop coming up northward from the terminus. There a lot of dang stuff on the walls down there. I'll share some more later.

But right now, here's a dose of June Glume today:





























With more clouds over the ocean.

Enjoy the coolness because it'll be sizzling summer before you know it.

Have a wonderful Tuesday all of you.

Love,
Pops



Monday, June 13, 2016

Malibu morning picture of the day - Monday, June 13, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

It's Monday in Malibu and no really bad "June Glume" today. In fact, it's quite pleasant at 7 AM thereabouts.






















And here's a second look. I'm not going to say much today. Just got back after two weeks of vacation and duty calls me to empty out the e-mail backlog.

Hope you're having a wonderful Monday. It's of course a sad day across this country for all the national news, but for we the living who must carry on and make things better, let's persevere, shall we?

Love,
Pops




Sunday, June 12, 2016

Tumon Bay morning picture of the day - Friday, June 3, 2016

Dear Family, Friends, and Gentle Readers,

I probably totally lost all of my regular blog readership by taking a 2-week vacation, but it's not like this blog gives me any income ...

In any case, I went to Guam for the quadrennial Festival of Pacific Arts to enjoy some intense performances of ethnic music and dance by artists of the various island nations from the "Blue Continent, held in Guam this go-round.

This picture is of the beach at Tumon Bay as I took my last morning exercise walk on Friday 6/3/2016; had to get on a plane to Tokyo then to L.A. in a few hours.





























Basically I spent several days watching people who look typically like this (see below, these are men, by the way) present their traditional dances with the accompaniment of traditional music, many times just chant of the human voice, or in other cases voice and percussion instruments, or sometimes arranged and recorded with modern instruments.

This troupe is from Yap Island of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM); the FSM is part of the territorial system of the U.S., so I believe we can pretty freely travel to one another's homelands. You will probably remember Yap from your grade-school social studies as the place where they once used a system of stone money. Yeah, yeah, and in case you're a man who gets overly excited about exposed female breasts, the Yap women had decorative chest coverings, but they did not cover their breasts entirely in bikini tops (they do not wear tops in the outer islands; they maintain the most traditional lifestyle in Micronesia). 

By and large these cultural dances across boundaries are synchronized, unison movements, where everyone in the group does the same thing. I think most of these have been trimmed into performance lengths, but they use highly repetitive movements and I suspect many are designed to allow the dancers to enter into a trance state and lose one's individuality into the moment. They are great feats of endurance, strength, and stamina being done in tropical heat. I saw one dancer collapse from exhaustion; I'm surprised I did not see more.
Group from Norfolk Island, descendants of Tahitians and the mutineers of the HMS Bounty.

These guys are not small. In fact, Micronesians and Polynesians are pretty large folks. It would have been nice to have someone to comment and interpret what we were seeing on all nights that there were presentations, but this festival is not run by Americans or Germans who would probably put everything on tight schedules and have comprehensive program notes. Even though I was technically in the U.S., the management seem to have slow, let-it-happen-as-it-needs-to kind of sense to it. Next time in 2020, it'll be in Hawaii, so we'll see how Americans run it.

Dance group from Palau
If you're wondering why you have never thought about ever taking a trip to Guam, I'd say that's a valid question. It's pretty, but it's hot and humid--reminded me of summer in Louisiana. There are a few remnant architectural artifacts from the Spanish occupation and some examples of ancient stone columns that the indigenous Chamorro people quarried as building foundations, but there's not too terribly much else to see. 

It IS a popular travel destination for Japanese and Korean tourists who want a short tropical island vacation only 3 hours away by plane. In using the tourist shuttle bus system, I found myself to be the only American or even English-speaker amid a busload of Asian faces. And what do all these east Asian tourists do there? Why, shop at the 6-7 upscale American-type malls (Gucci, Versace, Coach are all there), eat at fine restaurants, and take bus tours. Of course I was assumed to be Japanese much of the time (Asian face ...?) but since I spoke English, I was assumed a couple times to have been Australian; that's a first for me (Stateside visitors who are not military are apparently rare).

Food from the "American Bakery" presenting American culinary specialties: A hot dog cooked in a waffle,
a baked bao filled with a beef-and-raisin (kinda Chilean, but Chile is part
of the Americas right?) filling,and an empanada with a chicken filling. 
Guam was sort of like the "truck stop" for Spanish galleons as they made their way from the Philippines and Mexico and back. I suspect it sort of maintains that waystation nature vis-a-vis Americans as well. It's pretty ghetto. Streets, sidewalks, and buildings outside the posh tourist areas are all a bit worn-down and in need of paint and repair. In the business districts, it looks a lot like Van Nuys--they drive the same cars as we do, buy the same gas (Mobil/Shell/Unocal), eat at the same corporate franchise eateries like KFC, Chili's, and Burger King. If this sound depressing, I don't mean it to be. It made the place seem very familiar to me. Not unlike East Hollywood; just hotter, very humid, but the people are friendly and the other drivers don't cut you off. And for an Angeleno, that makes for a very pleasant "other side of the world."


Here's what Thursday morning looked like. In fact, all mornings I was there started with this red-bronze cloud cover. I always thought these sorts of morning views were kind of spooky. I was hoping to see some stars being in the middle of the ocean, but there were frequently clouds and the city lights of Hagatna, Tamuning, and Tumon give you the same kind of light pollution like any city.

Much more can be said, but I've probably overrun the attention span of even my devoted daughter who bothers to read this.

We're back to Malibu pictures tomorrow.

Love,
Pops