Monday Mongoose Blogging

Mongoose - Hawaii  2012

Seen from our breakfast table in Hawaii. It took us a while to find out exactly what these strange-looking creatures were. I find it interesting that the plural of "mongoose" is "mongooses."

Poke, Banyan Tree

Poke - Hilo  2012

Banyan Tree - Hilo  2012

Hilo. We got some poke at Suisan on Kamehameha Avenue, then wandered around the Liliuokalani Gardens, checking out the Japanese landscaping and the banyan trees. Afterwards we purchased some mochi treats, then went in search of the notorious Saddle Road.

Wabi Sabi, Tsunami

Wabi Sabi - Hilo  2012

Tsunami Area - Hilo  2012

Mike checked out the wabi-sabi window while waiting for mochi to be prepared.

Tsunami sign seen while walking from our motel to downtown Hilo.

March Rain

From the front porch. I used a tripod-mounted Canon G12.

. . . from the archives #70: Tear Gas, Berkeley 1970

Tear Gas #1 - Berkeley 1970

Tear Gas #2 - Berkeley  1970

Not the Peoples' Park riots. No, I'm pretty sure that these riots were in response to the Kent State shootings.

At some point in the day, I grabbed my Kodachrome-filled Nikon F and headed over to . . . what was the name of that building, anyway? Doesn't matter: a tall ugly structure, but climbing the stairs I knew there was a view towards the northwest. When I got there the campus lay beneath me like a diorama and Sproul Plaza was filled with drifting clouds of tear gas.

The action developed randomly, with cops shooting tear gas cannisters and protesters flinging them back. Suddenly a little bit of the action appeared directly below me, tear gas flowing from a newly-shot cannister, people scurrying out of the way. Soon the gas began to rise, so I had to make a hasty retreat.


Wikipedia: Kent State shootings
Youtube Video: My First Quarter at Berkeley

Malasadas

Malasadas - Hawaii  2012

Malasadas: fried dough, beignet-style, but chunkier. Yum! An elderly couple was operating the stand, the customer in front was sitting there every time we drove by.

This was a return visit for us.

More Botanical Garden

White Flowers, Ocean - Hawaii  2012

Cats Whiskers - Hawaii  2012

Two more pix from our garden visit. Nice bokeh!

(Bokeh.)

Monday Cat Blogging

Cat - Marin County  2012

Stable cat.

Seen before, here.

Trying out the Olympus 40-150mm telephoto lens (80-300 equiv.).

Botanical Garden

Red Leaves & Ferns - Hawaii  2012

Branches - Hawaii  2012

We visited the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden as we did during our last Hawaiian trip. The weather cooperated by staying mostly overcast with nice even light.

Hali in Jungle - Hawaii  2012

Garden website.

Earlier post.

More Hilo Sightems

Stephanie's Lounge - Hilo  2012

Plants, Chainlink Fence - Hilo  2012

Top: Stephanie's. Should have gone there, late at night, but didn't.

Bottom: More corrugated iron. Very cool.

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day - Marin County  2012

Yes yes. St. Patrick's Day was last month. But here's a sign that had to be put in somewhere, so it's here.

And, a nice long Mike shadow.

Even more: a link to the recipe for the bizarrely-titled Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes! Chocolate and beer . . . hmmm.

Hilo Sightems

Hilo Moped Guy - Hilo  2012

Plants in Alleyway - Hilo  2012

Taken in the vicinity of the Wednesday AM Hilo Farmers Market. Nice light . . . overcast, light rain.

The lower shot kind of reminds me of the 1980 "from the archives" Hawaii photo.

Mike Sells A Photo

SF Bay View - Point Richmond  2012

Redwoods & Fog - Del Norte County  2006 (Framed)

Redwoods & Fog. I delivered it to the elegant space pictured above, in Point Richmond.

Check out the view. Whoa!

Also of interest: this photo (a best-seller) was taken as a JPEG file using an Olympus C-8080 camera (as were a number of other best-selling photographs.) Thus we see the source of the most recent direction of my thoughts concerning cameras, file types and etcetera. Also of interest: my observation in the linked C-8080 blog post that "Print sizes from the C-8080’s JPG files can’t go much over 11x14." Of course I've been making much larger prints from those 8MP C-8080 JPEGs for a while now.

Hilo Clouds

Couple - Hilo 2012

Clouds, Breakwater, Palms - Hilo  2012

Although Hilo has a reputation for rain, we only experienced a few showers. Lot of nice-looking clouds, however.

Monday Deer Blogging

Deer - Point Lobos  2012

Deer - Marin County  2012

Top: Point Lobos, in February.

Bottom: Going for a walk in Fairfax, late afternoon last month.

Both animals were very la-dee-dah about the photographer.

Hilo Fishing

Fishing, Clouds - Hilo  2012

Fishing, Cruise Ship - Hilo  2012

Top: across the street from the Farmers Market.

Bottom: taken on a bridge near our hotel.

Probably the same fisherman.

Nori's Saimin

Palm Trees with Lights - Hilo  2012

Interesting Japanese restaurant in Hilo. To quote from a Yelp review: 

The food is pretty standard in quality and taste for a  Hilo restaurant. This is not a put down.  There just aren't amazing restaurants in Hilo.  That being said the food is good but nothing to get too excited over.

Its kind of an odd location lending to its customer base being primarily Hilo dweller's.  It is across from the bowling alley in a parking lot next to Bamboo garden.  There is no sign street side leaving it lesser known to the passer by.  Even if you find your way into the parking lot their signage is small and obstructed by a stairway leading down into the restaurant. 

The Atmosphere is pretty typical to the area.  Its just out of downtown so its kind of town-y with hints of ruralism.  Its not the Ritz but definitely short of ghetto-fab.  Sometimes, It smells like piss right before where the counter is.  I have no idea why. Only sometimes it smells but most times it doesn't.  I have seen a roach once and killed it.  I was then awarded a free meal.  Its a restaurant in Hilo,  It happens,  they gave me free food for killing the roach, fair enough.

No free food for us, luckily.

Also, lots of Hello Kitty items at a little auxiliary store next door.

White Building

White Building - Point Reyes  2012

. . . seen at Point Reyes Station in the rain. No relation to Friday the 13th.

Hi Dive Follow-Up

Hi Dive Open - San Francisco  2012

Hi Dive Interior - San Francisco  2012

Yes, there was a prior post concerning the Hi Dive.

Mike decided that it was imperative that he actually have the full Hi Dive Experience. So he talked his luncheon companions into walking the short distance from the Ferry Building, underneath the Bay Bridge, to the Hi Dive.

It was open! Yes, kind of a dive, but a nice kind of dive. A Hi Dive.

Mike had a hamburger, fries and a beer. It was good! Unfortunately, he was then on day number one of what proved to be a weeks-long cold, so his taste buds might have been a little off. It would seem that a return trip is needed.

. . . from the archives #69: Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles 1988 / Melrose Avenue #38

Melrose Avenue - Los Angeles  1988

I took my Mamiya C-220 twin-lens reflex, the telephoto lens mounted, down to Melrose Avenue, inspired by the photographs of Max Yavno (urban, close-up night scenes). I made it down to Melrose and Gardner when I came across this tableau. I remember setting up my camera - on a tripod - across the street and taking a few photographs. (One of my fellow onlookers was admiring my gear.)

I have no idea what was going on, or who these people were. Never did find out, either.

(For blog purposes, this is Melrose Avenue post #38.)

Max Yavno: some images.

Monday Lizard and Cat Blogging

Lizard & Pay Phone - Hilo  2012

On a side street in Hilo.

Easter

Rabbit, Tulip - Marin County  2011

Can't go wrong with the old rabbit and tulip routine.

Passover

Piute Creek - Sierra Nevada 2004

Nice serene mountain scene for Passover, "the sacred season of rebirth."

House

Iron Roof - Hawaii  2012

We particularly liked the corrugated iron roofs found on a number of building in Hawaii. In Hilo, where it rains a lot! The sound must be great.

Waipi'o Valley

Waipi'o Valley View - Hawaii  2012

Seen from the scenic overlook on the way to Hilo. (A four-wheel drive vehicle is required to go actually go down into the valley.) I had read about this view in one of the guidebooks and made plans to visit the overlook driving from the Kona Airport to Hilo. It's nice when reality finally matches your penciled-in itinerary.

Bridges

Golden Gate Bridge, Middle Span - San Francisco  2012

Bay Bridge, Upper Tower & Gull - San Francisco  2012

For this S.F. trip, Mike fooled around with his new telephoto lens.

San Quentin . . .

Guard Tower,  San Quentin State Prison - Marin County  2012

Exercise Yard, San Quentin State Prison - Marin County  2012

. . . State Prison. Can be observed when taking the Larkspur Ferry into San Francisco.

Monday Lesser Goldfinch Blogging

Lesser Goldfinch - Marin County  2012

I saw this nice-looking bird in a front yard a few houses down the street. Using the LCD screen at the maximum telephoto range is not that easy!

Merrie Monarch

Merrie Monarch Poster - Hawaii  2012

Mike and Hali spent a few days recently on the Big Island in Hilo and the Kona Coast. But unfortunately their visit didn't coincide with the Merrie Monarch Festival.