Dad's Library

My father loved movies as a kid so as an adult he took it upon himself to educate his family on some film history. This was a lot harder to do in the late 70’s and early 80’s then it is today. We’re talking about a time when renting video tapes required a $500 deposit, and buying video tapes was just an astronomical expense. So, his pickings consisted of whatever happened to be playing on broadcast television or laying around collecting dust at South Gate’s Weaver Library. And still, through these meager methods he was able to amass quite the film archive. While film heavies like Citizen Cane, Casablanca or Some Like It Hot escaped my early education I was able to get a strong dose of West Side Story, Singing in the Rain, and Gone With the Wind.

It’s this that I remember most about my childhood relationship with my Pops; him telling me I “have to see this” film. When you combine his library with his love for Super 8 and video tape equipment it's no wonder why my career lies in the film industry.

Nowadays I seek out my own movies and every once in a while I see one with my dad, though not as often as I’d like. And I collect too, it’s so much easier to do so these days. I don’t like clutter so I go through my library and every year about three members of my collection are dealt in a garage sale. If ever I don’t know whether I should keep a particular title or sell it I ask myself the simple question, “if I were dad would I tell my kids, ‘you have to see this.'” At that point the decision makes itself.

So, Carlin's Dead.

Hwy 101

from the "8 Things that Hipsters Love About L.A. that Actually Suck" series

Here's how the call went:

Waiter (on phone): Cafe 101.
Me: Yeah I'd like to place an order for take out.
Waiter: *sigh*
Me: Okay I'd like a Denver omelette.
Waiter: We don't have Denver omelettes.
Me: What??
Waiter: I said we don't have Denver omelette. None of our omelettes have names, you just have to tell me what you want.
Me: Oh...um...okay, then I'd like some cheese, onion, avocado, tom-
Waiter: We don't have avocado.
Me: You don't?
Waiter: No. We Don't have avocado.
Me: This is California right?
Waiter: Look, what else do you want?
Me: I want you to go fuck your sister.

Let me tell you something about Cafe 101, the place sucks. Don't get me wrong, the food is average- but you will never, and I mean NEVER get service with a smile. I'm serious, it's like Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces up in there. Sure, I know, you love it because Swingers was filmed there, or because it's a greasy spoon, or you're caught up in the Hollywood hype and you're a loser. Well none of those things make up for the wait staff- excuse me- failed actors who "attend" to you. I don't care what time of day it is, what you order, or who you are, you're gonna get treated like shit. And yet, there's still a line of ripped jeans and no socks, of Technicolor sunglasses, well-groomed mussed up hair and tight-fitting 70s style T-shirts hanging around outside smoking Camels and begging for a table.

Seriously, there are better places.

You want better service with a Holly-grunge flair- go to Fred 62's. Or better yet, ditch the hoi polloi hipster and go to Armon's in Eagle Rock. Hash browns that will blow your mind and all the avocado you can eat! No substitutions though.


photos from Highway 101 between Santa Cruz and Los Angeles.

Sandra and Diana

My sister Sandra just graduated college and picked up her teaching credential. It was a job that she started at Berkley in 1987. If her college career was a baby it would able to drink legally. During the 21 years it took my sister to graduate she's gotten married, bought a house and mothered two amazing children.

My other sister Diana took the more traditional route. She finished UC Santa Barbara, most of which she paid for without my parents help, and picked up her teaching credential in five years. She too got married, bought a house and is raising two incredible kids, daughters both.

My whole life I've looked to them as female role models, both possessing a strength and bravery that I'll never know. They're my big sisters and I'm immensely proud.

Of course now this makes me the only one of my parents' children who hasn't finished college. Oh the shame!




Photos of Boulder Creek, where Sandra now lives.

This is my President!

Not Obama, Kareem Abdul Jabar.



Equal time to the Republican candidate of course .



This election's third party candidate also brings it strong.