BLINK

blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink

1927-2007

Charles Francis Spain

youtube: saying hello from Molly's porch

CELEB #12: HERE COMES THE JUDD

Who: Wynonna Judd
Claim to fame: her voice
Sighted where: Chicago O'Hare Airport. I believe she was text messaging while walking with an entourage down terminal B.
Why I was there: flying from Boston to Iowa for my father's memorial.

MORE LIFE ON MARS

My photos of the Life on Mars filming downtown are now featured on a blog for the British version. Check it out, yo: http://lifeonmarstv.blogspot.com/2007/11/us-lom-pics-stuff.html

CELEB #10 & #11: BRITS + BOOBS IN BLOOM

Who #10: Orlando Bloom
Claim to fame: most likely Lord of the Rings
Where: the Tracey Emin (looking very booby) at Gagosian Gallery, Beverly Hills
Why I was there: i was dragged kicking and screaming
Gossip bonus: My friend's brother was at Kate Hudson's Halloween party and the word is that Orlando was all over Kate, but she'd have none of it.
Who #11: Julian Sands
Claim to fame: no idea, he's all over the place

CELEB #10: THE KILLER... COFFEE

Who: Zachary Quinto
Claim to fame: serial killer Sylar on NBC's Heroes
Where: in the long line at Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea in Silver Lake
Why I was there: I realized I'm a coffee snob and this place delivers the most delicious latte.

CELEB #9: NO ENTOURAGE

Who: Adrian Grenier
Claim to fame: HBO's Entourage
Where: Flying solo at Gagosian gallery during Tom Sach's funny and eventful lunar lander demo.
Why I was there: Various reasons, including that I know Tom from a former job and I wanted to check out his new project. That's him at the controls.

CELEB #8: MODEL HOME AT IKEA

I forgot about this sighting... it must have happened in late August.
Who: Janice Dickinson
Claim to fame: It's said that she was the "world's first supermodel."
Where: filming what I assumed to be some reality TV scene...?
Why I was there: pickin' up some curtains and napkins

THE ALMIGHTY

My ceiling fetish encountered a sharp climax during a recent trip to Italy.

OTHER SUNDAY SCENES

While we didn't do a good job of escaping the heat, we did manage to find some nice distractions. Started out on Olvera Street looking for a hat. You can find plenty online about its history and tourism, but not much about how Olvera Street area attracts thousands of local immigrants. Less than a block away from the market area, there is an active street scene full of vendors selling flowers, candles and food to those visiting the oldest Catholic church in LA, La Placita Church. Next, is a photo of a suspiciously clean alley near the location filming at 8th and Broadway. Finally, an image of a vaulted ceiling in the downtown public library. The globe chandelier is hanging down several feet from its center. Click the images to see them larger.

CELEB #7: LIFE ON O'MARA

Who: Jason O'Mara
What's he doing: Lead actor on David E. Kelley's new series "Life on Mars"
Where: 8th and Broadway downtown
Why I was there: They were filming on location and my brother does set construction for Boston Legal. We went to join him for lunch. Jason O'Mara is in the tan leather jacket, standing on the corner. It was a 70's era shot. Peter was there to change the marquees, storefronts, etc. I think it was 100 degrees outside.

PETER BUILT

Had to throw in a picture of Peter on the job at 8th & Broadway. He's holding double stick tape - tools of the trade, man! You can see production on the opposite corner, where I took photos of Jason O'Mara. Peter's in front of one the old cars and a hippie character.

CELEB #6: BEN WHO?

Who: Ben Weber
Claim to fame: OK, so I use the word "Celeb" lightly. Ben Weber's been in enough for me to suspect he was an actor when he and his wife came into the gallery. His TV credits include Sex and the City, West Wing and Medium.
Where: already covered
Why I was there: paid to be there

SUDDENLY, CEILINGS

I started taking pictures of bedroom ceilings. Exhibit A: Madelin's guest room. It provokes ceilng envy with its arched, vaulted ceiling and diamond plaster work. Exhibit B: Our bedroom. Not the best, but I like it just the same, with its fixture and blue hue.

CELEB #5: THE PEET ON 3RD STREET

Who: Amanda Peet
Claims to fame: Studio 60, Something's Gotta Give, The Whole Nine Yards, etc.
Where: She was ordering from the counter at Joan's on Third, a gourmet marketplace. She wore flip flops, had dishelved hair and held her young daughter. Nice and normal.
Why I was there: Well, I just finished viewing a 13 foot beard getting installed at Gagosian and decided to pop in J.O.3. to get desert for company the next evening. Those were some serioulsy good coconut chocolate meringue cookies.

CELEB #4: ROBELESS

Who: Hamish Linklater
Claim to fame: "New" Chritine's brother Matthew on the TV show New Adventures of Old Christine
Where: Ordering "three white vinos" at Eagle Rock hot spot The York
Why I was there: Grabbin' a beer with Jim and Christine after work.

WHAT WAS CAUGHT

Walking along the beach in Carpinteria with friends, I came across two women fishing. One was casting and this one came to unhook the line. They were smoking the whole time and not saying much at all. I don't know what they caught.

CELEB #3'S COMPANY

Who: Pricilla Barnes of Three's Company.
Where: performing in dress rehearsal and fundraiser for the production of "Hillary Agonoistes" at Studio/Stage in Hollywood.
Why I was there: We went to see our good friend Rebecca Metz perform in the same production.

THE HOOKER, THE HOMELESS + THE HUNGRY

With a "Back in 10" on the door, my simple walk around the block to retrieve a sandwich gives me an eyeful. A fit, but smudged, transexual hooker fans herself dramatically on a bench. Black 80s-style basketball shoes, short pleated orange skirt and a lacey tan tank. An Asian woman searches a trash can as a 7 ft square painting rolls by on a dolly. Tourists sip their bobas and smile for the camera.

Made it in 6. Open for business.

STOP BELIEVIN'

I must apologize to Steve Perry for my failed attempt at karaoke last night at Backstage. Ouch.

4TH + 28TH = GOOD TIMES

As soon as night hinted at its arrival the sky lit up in every direction. Smoke from the fireworks blanketed the neighborhood. I felt bits of casings fall like rain. Kids scrambled to be the one with the match. Families sat on porches, on curbs and watch from the windows. A lowrider was moved further from the epicenters. The '66 Impala reflected the fanfare beautifully. A cop car cruised by the outlawed activities. Outnumbered, I suppose. It was a magical night.

We were invited to a BBQ near the 28th Street community of West Adams, LA, which blocks off their own street each year. They have games during the day and a light show until dawn. Such a variety of cultures, ages and interests that gathered. I was glad to be in the mix. Los Angeles shows its demographics on the 4th, as it seems most illegal fireworks are lit throughout the poorer communities. There was quite a show all the way home.

CELEB #2: SURESH FINE

Who: Sendhil Ramamurthy
Claim to fame: plays professor Mohinder Suresh on "Heroes"
Where: greeting his friends at Edendale Grill, Silverlake
Why I was there: having a drink and chatting about Italy with Donna

PINEAPPLES TO ORANGES

The light was lovely and the folks at this auto center were too. Had to check it out. Lucia laughed when I took her photo and had me talk with the person at the other end of the line. It took crossing my comfort zone to capture some life in the neighborhood. I left with with some delicious fruit.

CELEB #1: WHERE THERE'S A WILL

There's a way to start this and Will it is! While there have been plenty of celeb sightings prior to this, from here on out I'll document them.

Who: William Shatner
Where: sitting at sidewalk table at Aroma Cafe in Studio City
Why I was there: meeting my sis' for lunch