3/2/22

I put together some photos of what we've been up to recently. The photos have captions when you click them and you can flip between them with the arrow keys.

HIKING IN THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST
Our apartment in Glendale is Northeast of downtown LA and nestled in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest. If we drive north from our place, it's only around 15 minutes before the buildings and sprawl gives way to rocky cliffs and some wonderful hiking. We love that we're such a quick drive away from some nature. We have a particular hike up on Mount Hillyer that offers a nice looping trail, stunning views, and some respite from the city (only ~45 min drive from our place, despite feeling like we're hours away from any sign of civilization).
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1.8.22 - Christi and I - Snowy, solo hike up on Mt Hilyer. We were surprised by the amount of snow. it certainly made hiking a little slower.
1.8.22 - Christi and I - Snowy, solo hike up on Mt Hilyer. We were surprised by the amount of snow. it certainly made hiking a little slower.
1.8.22 - Angeles National Forest, View from Mt Hilyer, Moccassin Trail near Chilao Campground
1.8.22 - Angeles National Forest, View from Mt Hilyer, Moccassin Trail near Chilao Campground
1.8.22 - We picked up a giant italian sandwich on our way out. We packed it and ate it on top of a large boulder about halfway through the hike.
1.8.22 - We picked up a giant italian sandwich on our way out. We packed it and ate it on top of a large boulder about halfway through the hike.
1.8.22 - Snowy Panoramarama
1.8.22 - Snowy Panoramarama
1.30.22 - Only a few weeks later and all the snow was gone. We brought our friend Matt along and shared our new tradition of mountain top italian sandwich eating
1.30.22 - Only a few weeks later and all the snow was gone. We brought our friend Matt along and shared our new tradition of mountain top italian sandwich eating
1.30.22 - We got a later start than we'd ever had before, and the drive back down the mountain with the sun setting gave us some beautiful lighting.
1.30.22 - We got a later start than we'd ever had before, and the drive back down the mountain with the sun setting gave us some beautiful lighting.
1.30.22 - Angeles National Forest, View from Tippy Top of Mt Hilyer
1.30.22 - Angeles National Forest, View from Tippy Top of Mt Hilyer
1.30.22 - Trekking Back Down
1.30.22 - Trekking Back Down
1.30.22 - Christi getting the SHOT!
1.30.22 - Christi getting the SHOT!
RUNNING
Once the pandemic kicked off, the park I ran at, Barnsdall Art Park, closed its gates until further notice. There was a small, hilly circuit that I'd loop a few times around Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House with some nice views of the Hollywood Hills, Downtown and the backside of the Scientology Headquarters...
I've always considered exercise an essential mood-booster and anti-depressant, and I was pretty upset to lose access to what was at the time, my favorite place in LA. After we moved to Glendale, I reached out to the community college up the street and got access to their track. It's just a mile north of us, so it offers me a good opportunity to hop on my bike, ride up there, lace up my sneakers and run a couple miles after work. It's up on a hill, so it offers a nice view as the sun goes down. I've been getting in a run about 3-4 times a week and the track is a lot nicer to my legs and feet than running on pavement.
1.29.22 - Sunsetting on my ride back home from Glendale Community College
1.29.22 - Sunsetting on my ride back home from Glendale Community College
Late 2021?
Late 2021?
2021 - Before I found the track I used to run up this giant hill that we live at the foot of. Nice views, but the pavement and constant climbing did a number on my shins.
2021 - Before I found the track I used to run up this giant hill that we live at the foot of. Nice views, but the pavement and constant climbing did a number on my shins.
Late 2021? - Some rare rain clouds. I only got to run in the rain once out here, but it felt great.
Late 2021? - Some rare rain clouds. I only got to run in the rain once out here, but it felt great.
ACADEMY MUSEUM
We went to the newly opened Academy Museum recently with our friends Brandon and Brooke to see their opening exhibition on Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese animator and director. It was incredible. Getting to see so many of his original pieces of concept artwork (sketches and watercolors) and storyboards was really inspiring for me. Also, seeing it in the context of a museum really hit home the sheer quantity of artwork that artists in animation generate in comparison to other disciplines. Afterward, I felt incredibly grateful to live in this city and have access to something so special. Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed in the exhibit, so I bought an enormous exhibition book to page through when I'm feeling down on animation.
Afterward, we walked through the rest of the museum. The museum as a whole feels like a desperate (and expensive!) attempt at cementing the academy's legitimacy as an authority on what constitutes important cinema history, but it was fun regardless. I wish I had taken more pictures.
2.5.2022 - Look at these suckers. This movie thing is horrible AND a fad. This technology is surely in accordance with the devil!
2.5.2022 - Look at these suckers. This movie thing is horrible AND a fad. This technology is surely in accordance with the devil!
2.5.2022 - The infamous sleigh that Orson Welles slips on and bonks his head in the comedic cult-classic, City's Aunt Kay
2.5.2022 - The infamous sleigh that Orson Welles slips on and bonks his head in the comedic cult-classic, City's Aunt Kay
2.5.2022 - I didn't realize Saul Bass storyboarded parts of Hitchcock's films apart from some of the title sequences.
2.5.2022 - I didn't realize Saul Bass storyboarded parts of Hitchcock's films apart from some of the title sequences.
2.5.2022 - Frame from Gertie the Dinosaur
2.5.2022 - Frame from Gertie the Dinosaur
BIKE RIDES
Matt Liljegren moved out here this past July and it's been great having him around. He was an avid bike commuter in Chicago as well, so together, we've been exploring the bike-friendly areas of LA. We've tried a few paths along canals, but recently we've been biking down the coast. We put in a 42 mile trip to Torrence and back a few weeks ago. We found a Korean restaurant on the pier in Redondo beach where we can order fish stew (or fried fish) and some beers for lunch. We even saw some Otters splashing around in a kelp forest at the bottom of the cliff in the panorama shot below.
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2.12.22 - Panoramarama from Torrance, south of LA looking north
2.12.22 - Panoramarama from Torrance, south of LA looking north
2.12.22 - Nothing like some HOT fish stew on a hot day!
2.12.22 - Nothing like some HOT fish stew on a hot day!
2.12.22 - Poking around the alleys of the rich and powerful looking for old iPhones and designer bags in the garbage! Not really, but we saw some nice cars
2.12.22 - Poking around the alleys of the rich and powerful looking for old iPhones and designer bags in the garbage! Not really, but we saw some nice cars
2.12.22 - Looking south at Torrance before beginning our climb up the cliffs
2.12.22 - Looking south at Torrance before beginning our climb up the cliffs
LITTLE BITS
More info in the captions!
11.20.21 - Cooper after surgery to remove enormous mass of ~20 hair ties from his stomach. He wasn't allowed to jump on any furniture and had to wear this cone of shame for a couple of weeks. We slept on the floor with him for three nights with our sleeping bags. We felt terrible.
11.20.21 - Cooper after surgery to remove enormous mass of ~20 hair ties from his stomach. He wasn't allowed to jump on any furniture and had to wear this cone of shame for a couple of weeks. We slept on the floor with him for three nights with our sleeping bags. We felt terrible.
12.17.21 - Coop's back to his ol' self and looking trim as ever after his tummy tuck. LA, right?!
12.17.21 - Coop's back to his ol' self and looking trim as ever after his tummy tuck. LA, right?!
12.18.21 - Some college friends sent us a Chicago hot dog kit in the mail.
12.18.21 - Some college friends sent us a Chicago hot dog kit in the mail.
12.25.21 - I got Christi, not one, but 12 birthday cakes.
12.25.21 - I got Christi, not one, but 12 birthday cakes.
2.28.22 - College friends, Morgan and Steven, came in from Portland for a wedding and stayed with us this past weekend. We had a lot of fun with them.
2.28.22 - College friends, Morgan and Steven, came in from Portland for a wedding and stayed with us this past weekend. We had a lot of fun with them.
2.28.22 - Prom Pic
2.28.22 - Prom Pic
2.28.22 - We've decided to start a new tradition with our guests.
2.28.22 - We've decided to start a new tradition with our guests.
3.2.22 - Christi's 'Jungle Corner'
3.2.22 - Christi's 'Jungle Corner'
3.2.22 - We put up some temporary wallpaper in the dining room a few weeks ago. Now we just need a new dining table.
3.2.22 - We put up some temporary wallpaper in the dining room a few weeks ago. Now we just need a new dining table.
3.2.22 - Zero Discretion
3.2.22 - Zero Discretion
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