Alive in Wonderland

Pictures in Wonderland: Space Mountain

One of the main purposes of having this blog is to show people who aren't from Orange County, just how beautiful it is here and help people who do live here notice how interesting and remarkable it is in Orange County. 

I know, lofty, but I believe it. 

This is a photo of Disneyland's Space Mountain on one of those not so perfect Disneyland days. It was a packed, sticky, loud, crabby, two-hour-wait for any ride kind of day. But, I looked up and there it was, this sharp and perfect summit. That's what I love about Disneyland--every time I go I find something different. 

I wrote "I'm Geeking out about what's new at Disneyland this summer" over at MomCrush.  It includes a must-see video of Disneyland's The Vice President of Parades and Spectaculars from a press day at Disneyland a few weeks ago.  Seriously--must-see! If you want to see a collection of my Disneyland photography, head over to my Flickr set here.

Pictures in Wonderland: It's like a David Lynch movie in there

I don't know what's  going on at The Army & Navy Surplus Store on PCH in Newport Beach...

But I can tell you this much--It's not good, whatever it is...

It's like a David Lynch movie in there.  I can't even tell you for certain the guy who was working behind the desk had pants on.  He might have been talking to himself in just his boxers.  It was truly bizarre....in other words, totally worth the trip down there.

I immediately emailed Susan at StrangePulse to alert her to the photo opportunity.  She's probably there right now taking pictures of helmeted wig mannequins and dusty sabers.

We all used to shop there in the '80s when The Alarm made military garb cool.  Here I am with some of my friend--bring on the hair banter--in '86 wearing my military surplus shirt and satchel bought and that now demented store.

✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲

All this David Lynch talk got me thinking about Twin Peaks, which got me thinking about Chris Isaak, which got me listening to this cover of  "Only the Lonely."

                                          

                                                          

Pictures in Wonderland: Hey, there Mr. Blue

I haven't been feeling blue, but when I downloaded my pictures from the last few days there was a theme: They were all steeped in these blues.  The top picture are some shop fronts in Costa Mesa, the far right is the Edison Power Plant in Huntington Beach (see Martha's post about them here) and the last two are from Old Towne Orange.  A cute little birdie and a wall decoration from an antique store there....see what I did?

✷✷✷✷✷✷

All this blue got me humming "Almost Blue" and then "Perfect Blue Buildings" by Counting Crows and then I couldn't help myself and I made you this mixed tape of all "blue" songs. 

Surprise! It's a little sad.  The poor color blue is saddled with heartbreak and melancholy.  If it weren't for blue skies, there wouldn't be any cheerful songs involving blue.  I wonder if the color yellow rubs that in, like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is SO uplifting...Am I the only one who thinks of this sort of thing?

                                                                     

Perfect Blue Buildings, Almost Blue, Blue Monday, No Blue Skies, Suite Judy Blue Eyes, Famous Blue Raincoat, Mr. Blue Skies, Blue Skies, Goodbye Blue Skies, and Forever in Blue Jeans.  

Pictures in Wonderland: The Bolsa Chica Wetlands

Ben and I walked The Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach today. It's one of Orange County's unsung treasures. The Reserve is about 300 acres of preserved coastal wetlands, including bluffs, marshes, and mesas.  It's a major migration spot for thousands of birds each year --kind of like a hotel along Route 66, but for sandpiper and pintails.  When you get there you cross a wooden bridge, over a coastal inlet*, that leads to a looped trail which takes about an hour to walk (if you're not with a five-year-old who has to jump off every rock).

As a high school student, some of my friends and I trained as docents through Amigos de Bolsa Chica to lead tours on Saturdays (which they still do).  Sadly, all I can remember is the term "Pacific Flyway" and talking bitterly about urban runoff.  It's entirely the only reason I know what a coastal inlet* is.  I only "led" one tour and promptly quit because it was WAY too cold out there. Pathetic? Yes. Shallow? Yes. True? Unfortunately, yes.  

It's still a beautiful place to take a stroll and get your fill of nature, wildlife, the great outdoors and all that kind of thing...

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

We listen to some Van Morrison on the way home: 

Tupelo Honey

                                                                                        

Pictures in Wonderland: Looking out from Anthropologie

 

Today at Anthro at The Irvine Spectrum. 

(That's what we addicts call it "Antrho.") 

If you don't have the good fortune to live in Orange County, here is what a typical trip to the Spectrum entails: browse Anthro and dream of pitching a tent and living there; sit at the counter of  Ruby's Diner and have vanilla Diet Coke and fries; go to the Apple store to put blog up on every computer let the kids play on the computers; fend off son's endless requests to go on the ($4) train; buy caramel apple with peanuts at Rocky Mountain Chocolate and eat it on the bench outside; take picture of caramel apple and post it on Twitter;  tell son if he mentions train again you will take his DS and throw it from the top of The Big Wheel; now, fend off requests to go on Big Wheel; fight your way through the crowd and tiny dog sweaters to see the puppies at Russo's; take your 749th picture of The Big Wheel; give in and go on the ($4) train.

See? So fun.

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

Today I'm listening to Ingrid Michaelson's Keep Breathing.  

Which isn't just a great song, but sound advice. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Pictures in Wonderland: Vans Skatepark at The Block

My four-year-old son has become fascinated by skateboarding.  His grandparents bought him a one-notch-above-plastic "Hot Wheels" skateboard last week and he's been practicing in the house, on the way to the car, and once even IN the car.

I told him I would take him to the Vans Skatepark at The Block in Orange.  What I didn't make clear was that we would just be watching--he wouldn't be actually riding his skateboard.  It broke my heart a little when he jumped out of the car with his board under his arm and headed toward the Vans' sign.  

"Sorry, Bud we're just going to look at the skateboarders, you're still too little to go out and ride," I told him.  He argued with me a little and we compromised that he could bring his board in to watch--which we did for over an hour.

We asked the guy behind the counter for some stickers--which they have always given out free--and he asked to see Ben's board.  "Dude! You're board rocks!" he said as he turned it over to examine the Hot Wheels graphic on the back.  Ben just responded with a tight-lipped nod of agreement.  

He knew that already.

<

You can follow the Vans online community on Twitter by clicking here.  Excellent.

✹✹✹✹✹✹

Seeing all the old styles of Vans in the shop in front of the park put me in a '70s mood, so I made you this mixed tape filled with songs that I listened to when I wore my Hawaiian print Vans slide-ons:

                             

Pictures in Wonderland: Huntington Beach Pier

One of my favorite places in Orange County is the Huntington Beach Pier, especially right after the rain.  

✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴

Today I'm listening to Colin Hay's "Overkill"

                                                                          

                                                                                                              

Skywatch Orange County: Nixon's birthplace

Nixon's birthplace is located in a far off land called "Yorba Linda."  It was worth the trip. The Nixon Library is an interesting place to explore.  You can tour his famous helicopter and the house where he grew-up.

I snapped this photo from inside the house.  

If you want to see the sky from all over the world, check out the website 

SkyWatch Friday.  

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

Today I'm Listening to Lloyd Cole's "Perfect Skin."

                                                                                                        

Pictures in Wonderland: A dreamy window

 

In the wee hours of the morning, while all of you are tucked warmly in your beds, I will be waiting in line to secure a place for my son in Kindergarten.  I have my chair, blanket, and pillow and a simple mission to be at least one of the first 19 to arrive at 4 a.m.  

Are the roads even open at 4 a.m.? 

All I can say is Kindergarten better be his breakout year.

✹✹✹✹✹✹✹

Today I'm listening to Elvis Costello's Beyond Belief 

Take a listen 

SkyWatch Orange County

This is one of those pictures I took out of my car's window in Orange. I drive with my iPhone and camera perched on my lap at all times--you just never know. If George is riding in the car, then he's jockeying for his place on my lap, too. 

(Please don't send me emails about how dangerous this is--I know--I just can't help myself.)

If you want to see the sky from all different locations in the world, click over to SkyWatch Friday.

✳✳✳✳✳✳

Today I'm listening to Dire Straits' Romeo & Juliet.

" Juliet the dice were loaded from the start

And I bet and you exploded in my heart"

Such a sad and pretty song. 

Pictures in Wonderland: Ahhh, the trams at Disneyland

It starts here, on the trams.  It's the first ride on our visits to Disneyland.  It's also the first real gauge to how busy the park will be.  You'd think it would be where you end up parking--the lower the level in the garage, the lighter the crowd. (Oh, poor misguided Disney novice.)  It's actually the line at the trams that is the best indicator.  If they are running two loading zones, be prepared to wait 20 minutes for your Dole Whip Float.  

 Zagats just release their very first Disneyland edition.  So new, it doesn't even have a picture of the cover on Amazon.  MUST. BE. AMONG. FIRST. TO. OWN.  I wonder if they would agree with my tram theory.

✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺

Today I'm listening to The Plimsouls "The Oldest Story in the World."

Pictures in Wonderland: Orange County Carousels

One of the great things about being a photographer is that I'm always looking for beautiful and interesting things--looking at everything from a different perspective.  It urges me to be positive, by always scanning for the unique, small elements or moments around me.  

I've been working on this collage of carousels around Orange County for a couple of months. We have some nice artistry in Orange County, you just have to keep a keen eye out.

❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥❥

Today I'm listening to "Falling Slowly" from the movie "Once." Did you see it? So good.

Pictures in Wonderland: Orange

To kick off my return to my blog I thought I would start with a picture of a subject that is apparently near and dear to me: Bikes against brick walls. (In Newport, on Balboa, 17th Street).  Maybe I'm drawn to them because neither are stereotypical Orange County fare.

This one I shot next to The Starbucks in the Orange Circle.  They take their orange VERY seriously in Orange.  As you can see by all the orange.

※※※※※※※※※※※

Today I'm listening to The Pogues "Sunny Side of the Street." I wish you all a "Sunny Side of the Street" kinda New Year!

SkyWatch Orange County: Great Park Balloon

This week's SkyWatch Friday is of Irvine's Great Balloon.  

This is a much more stark view of it than this one I posted.  

You can click here and go to SkyWatch to see pictures of the sky from around the world. 

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

Today I am listening to Kate Bush "Cloudbusting"  Click play below to listen to the song.

You can go to my BLIP.fm Channel to listen to all my songs.

Pictures in Wonderland: Deck the everything

In Brea they Deck the Halls...and the lawn...and the garage...and the roof...and the...After trapsing around this neighborhood I'm starting to feel Christmas.  Then I listened to this song and really felt the season kicking in.  

David Bowie and Bing Crosby signing "The Little Drummer Boy."

(I tried and tried to center this video. I finally had to give up, which wasn't too hard, actually.)

Pictures in Wonderland: Balloons

I spent today with my son at The South Coast Plaza.  I had to get down on the floor to get this shot.  The great thing about taking pictures with a four-year-old is he gets right down on the floor with you--was happy to do it.

✻✻✻✻✻✻✻✻✻✻

Today I'm listening to Crowded House "It's Only Natural."

e="text-align: center">You can go to my BLIP.fm Channel to listen to all my songs.

Pictures in Wonderland: All my changes were there

These are the State Beach lifeguard towers in Huntington Beach. I spent so much time on this beach while growing up. When making the plans to meet friends at the beach you would always use the lifeguard station's number as the marker.

They look like minions of some weird aquatic army in this picture. I like it.

Here are two more shots of lifeguard towers in Orange County: Laguna Beach, Huntington City Beach.

❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋❋

Music in Wonderland Neil Young's "Helpless"

You can go to my BLIP.fm Channel to listen to all my songs.

Pictures in Wonderland: Corona del Mar palm trees in the fog

The beach has had heavy fog lately. I love the look of the fog against palm trees. I wasn't sure until I got home whether I got that bird in the shot. I don't take pictures with my glasses on, which makes downloading a little like Christmas morning--lots of surprises.

Music in Wonderland: Tori Amos "Winter"

You can go to my BLIP.fm Channel to listen to all my songs.

Pictures in Wonderland: Blue bike

I've decided not to post a daily photo, but instead post pictures of Orange County when I have one I especially like. I'm still determined to prove Orange County is beautiful and compelling with a lot of fun places to explore.

This picture continues my unintentional series of photos of bikes in front of brick buildings.

❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁

Music in Wonderland: Joe Jackson's "Breakin' up in two."

You can go to my BLIP.fm Channel to listen to all my songs.

Pretty Disneyland

Disneyland has invited some local bloggers to a special event on Friday night. Be sure to check in with me and Marcy as we blog live from the Happiest Place on Earth. Oh, there's going to be A LOT of funny anecdotes, clever puns, and pictures of food...and don't forget Twittering. If you are going, please leave a comment and I will add you to my post on Friday.

✾✾✾✾✾✾✾✾✾✾✾✾✾

Today I'm listening to "Painted from Memory" by Burt Bacharach/Elvis Costello