Los Angeles

I can't find my camera. It might have fallen out at The Bridge while watching Miami Vice.

So: links instead of pictures.

Today:

Brunch at Jinky's in Santa Monica.

Browsing books at art & architecture bookstore.

Yesterday:

Tour of the Crystal Cathedral in the OC.

Drinks in the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Bought all of St. Exupery's flying stories at Acres of Books.

Dinner at Thai Boom.

Cocktails.

Car Club

A New York policeman browsing inside the Manhattan Car Club.

Lumber

Lumber at City Joinery.

Red Rooster

The Red Rooster Drive-In, Brewster, NY. Another Roadfood recommendation.


By row, starting from the upper left: chocolate shake, vanilla shake, unknown, vanilla egg cream; cheeseburger deluxe, clam roll, bacon cheeseburger deluxe, chili-cheese dog, double cheeseburger deluxe with onions and mushrooms ("the biggest, nastiest burger [they] have"); family size fries with cheese, chili and onions, and a bacon cheese dog.

One customer couldn't believe we were getting chili cheese fries with onions. He said that we wouldn't be able to get to sleep. He said we would need Pepto-Bismol. He asked the girl behind the counter if she had ever heard of such a thing as chili-cheese fries with onions. She shook her head.

WRX STi

Putnam County, NY. The brutally fast Subaru WRX STi, expertly piloted by Isaac and navigated by Jenny/Melody. I provided the white knuckles.


The Subaru's 300 hp engine. Isaac showed how the turbocharged engine works.

Air Travel, Part II

I still find flying pretty impressive.

Air Travel

Washington National Airport.


Inside the cabin of a Boeing 737-800, seat 16F.

Air and Space

There is a new and very impressive Smithsonian Air and Space Museum out by Dulles Airport. There is still plenty to keep aviation fans happy at the old Air and Space Museum, but one exhibit is so completely out of date that it was impossible to focus on the content of the exhibit, which was supposed to be "Aviation in the Computer Age". The exhibit appeared more like a snapshot of technology around 1980. The examples of personal electronics on display in the entrance to the exhibit are shown above and below.




There was a CRAY 1 supercomputer on display, as well as video showing the HiMAT, both of which were cutting edge back in the late 70s.

They could maybe modify the exhibit to show how changes in technology have affected aircraft design, but it would take some work.

Hot Dog Signs

Positioned around the National Mall are dozens of mobile refreshment stands. While the stands use standardized posters advertising certain items, they also use hand-painted signs that reflect different aesthetic sensibilities.

The woman working in the truck with the sign featured above noticed that I was taking a picture of her sign. She came out and talked to me about how she had hired an artist to paint a more realistic hot dog. More realistic, that is, than the hot dog featured on the sign of the van parked about 20 yards away:



I didn't want to argue with her, but I think the bun is pretty well executed on this one, and the overall effect is kind of Howard Finstery.

The following shiny hot dog looks like it was modelled on the Wienermobile:


And another example from the realistic school:

Sideways On

Roy Lichtenstein's House I in the National Gallery's sculpture garden.

Reading Room

Library of Congress, reading room, Thomas Jefferson building.

I spent an enjoyable rainy afternoon in here reading a book about British paratroopers capturing a strategically important bridge on the eve of D-Day.

Basement Earth

In the basement of the Library of Congress, James Madison building.

Parade

Washington, D.C., 4th of July Parade.

Masks

Outside the White House.

Ben's Chili Bowl

Washington, D.C. Another Roadfood recommendation. The chili burger was excellent. The chili fries were good, but turned into a Labrea tar pit once the pump cheese cooled, trapping the fries forever.

Falls can Kill

Shenandoah National Park.

Southern States

Disconcertingly fascist gas station sign, somewhere in Virginia.