Joined: Sept 2003 Posts: 2,913 Location: London, LA, now Ann Arbor
Re: See above, RE: Talk. All Talk. « Reply #856 on Apr 19, 2007, 8:32pm »
Yep..me again... in case anyone happens to be in LA area tomorrow evening...
'10 years since start of Buffy' celebration -
though may be not for everyone
a sing-along to OMWF in Pasadena!
See LATimes for details (Calendar section) or of course email me... (well no once can say I didn't try). Anywhere else having any events of this nature?
Joined: Sept 2003 Posts: 2,913 Location: London, LA, now Ann Arbor
Re: See above, RE: Talk. All Talk. « Reply #857 on May 9, 2007, 12:23am »
Yeh, me again...just to say this time it's my turn to be in the smoke zone of one of Los Angeles brush fires, being very close to the west end of an LA landmark, Griffith Park. Anyone who'd like pics I took from nearby Barnsdall Park (a hill) 5 to 9pm send me an email. The breadth of the fire is overwhelming, all the way from west of Mt Hollywood to as far as I could see east. The famous, newly refurbished Observatory in the Park immediately north of my street is still okay and they've been watering the ground between it and Mt Hollywood to slow the progress of the fire towards it. Some other famous features are still under threat, others are already burnt. Because most of the fire is in a big canyon, it's like looking at a huge volcano crater, or, as a fellow photographer commented, towards the entrance to hell. It's very strange to hear all the street names that I know mentioned on the TV and recognsing the buildings in the background of TV reports. Areas have been evacuated but these are still north east of where I live. Now I am back in my flat, I hear the drone of helicopters, those on the way to drop water, and those providing the news footage that hover like so many strange vultures watching for a carcass. The fires seemed to be pretty much under control a few hours ago but suddenly flaring started in several new and old places at once; the sun set and the warm breeze stepped up; and there didn't seem to be any helicopters dropping water any more. That last aspect soon changed but not before a huge new pall of smoke arose. Fire as fingers, flares, sheets, webs, and tall twisting tongues could be glimpsed through it, behind the black silhouettes of houses, palm trees and bushes at the western end. These include Ennis House, which is okay, and should remain so as the westerly end is under less threat right now. But having seen things change so quickly earlier, I can understand why nothing can be certain until the whole thing is out.
I was in this part of the park just last weekend, enjoying the flowers and birds.
Joined: Sept 2003 Posts: 2,913 Location: London, LA, now Ann Arbor
Re: See above, RE: Talk. All Talk. « Reply #858 on Feb 3, 2008, 2:10pm »
Hope everyone who used to read this site had a good rest of 2007...
Ennis Brown House update
The engineering work having been completed last year it was great to walk up there and look on Christmas Day -exactly one year since I'd first been there - and marvel at the integrity of the structure. The huge retaining wall on the downhill slope side, the motif blocks above the long window in the main building,so much has been restored/replaced. The new blocks are a slightly darker/duller yellow but this is probably because the originals had been painted yellow at some point (which speeded their decay once the rain got behind the paint).
On a rare conjunction of my not being at work, it being daylight and it not raining (as we are getting at least an average amount of winter rain - hurrah) I visited the building again yesterday. Would you believe it? The far end of the retaining wall, where it is only four foot high and not flanking the building itself, has fallen down! By coincidence a tourist engineering contractor from Minnesota was walking past as I was looking and confirmed that this would most likely be due to the rain we've had recently. I've checked my old photos, the wall in that area was cracked and bowing but had not been replaced. Hope they have some spare blocks! I think they will have to replace many others over the coming year, as more of the painted originals are 'losing face'.
The view we see in episodes like B&tB is of the 'downhill' face of the building that looks south over LA (essentially down Vermont Avenue). A year ago, there were big horizontal metal girders stuck through it which then went vertically into the ground, not nearly so scenic! There are now leaflets by the small gateway on the uphill side near the main entrance, giving the building's history. I do hope they start tours inside this year (not what we see in BTVS of course).
Meanwhile, adjacent area of Griffith Park is still looking rather yellow and bare at this end but a carpet of bright green has appeared on some shallow slopes.
Joined: Sept 2003 Posts: 2,913 Location: London, LA, now Ann Arbor
Re: See above, RE: Talk. All Talk. « Reply #859 on Nov 1, 2008, 7:47pm »
Hello everyone who seems to log on at least...how are you? Is it hot or cold, raining, snowing or alight where you are??
Minor news to you but major to me since I last posted I have changed from Peangeleno to Peannarborean. So, sorry to miss the West Hollywood Halloween Parade this year (especially the political humour) but I'm enjoying a proper autumn (yes,yes, 'fall') for the first time in five years. I miss LA, but the tree colours, the sight of cardinals and blue jays, frost in the morning are all very invigorating for this Northern Pean. (Mind you even London has beaten us to snow this year. What's up with that? ) Ann Arbor is neat, though the bus service, excellent as it is for a place this size (ie would fit comfortably into the 'Big House' as I believe the Stadium is called ) is touchingly parochial relative to LA's, they clearly believe we should be home nice and early or die of exposure. Have to admit that the muscly guy in the short leather skirt and plumed helmet on the frisky white horse still makes me fight on more readily than a very grumpy badger makes me go blue (but the cold weather hasn't really set in yet). And there are 'people from Spart' somewhere nearby. One comes to the New World only to meet the Ancient ones. Meanwhile, still rewatching those BtVS DVDs de temps en temp and also managed to become a Torchwood-oholic somehow in my month in the UK in June, even though they need some serious plot and other script reworking (JMOMOOC now I have hung out with people in the Biz, sorry) and can't say I really related to any of them (except possibly PC Andy ). I can recommend the books though. (Can't help wondering what NOW thinks/would think about it - probably like general notion but apoplectic about actual events? Such great opportunity for silly skits though, as I have seen on YouTube) Can't remember where the US is in T!series, so won't risk spoilering any logger-on who accidentally reads this...but...some parallels..no I won't say any more until I've checked. (Where are you NOW? Did you get charred recently? Or long since fled?)
OK. That's me for now.
Questions? Comments?
« Last Edit: Nov 1, 2008, 8:22pm by CousinOfMina »
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) is touchingly parochial relative to LA's, they clearly believe we should be home nice and early or die of exposure. Have to admit that the muscly guy in the short leather skirt and plumed helmet on the frisky white horse still makes me fight on more readily than a very grumpy badger makes me go blue (but the cold weather hasn't really set in yet). And there are 'people from Spart' somewhere nearby. One comes to the New World only to meet the Ancient ones.
). I can recommend the books though. (Can't help wondering what NOW thinks/would think about it - probably like general notion but apoplectic about actual events? Such great opportunity for silly skits though, as I have seen on YouTube) Can't remember where the US is in T!series, so won't risk spoilering any logger-on who accidentally reads this...but...some parallels..no I won't say any more until I've checked.