I suck at blogging. Is anyone (aside from Frank) even reading this anymore??

Ok hopefully I will be able to update this nicely. Lets see, last week I went with Charles Gouldilocks to the pre-screening of the new Christopher Guest movie, For Your Consideration. Good stuff. What else...Met Sully for dinner halfway between he and I on Wednesday. On Thursday, I was on my way to see this band I love, the Mother Hips, and my car died. That sucked. A lot. I picked up a rental on Friday for the weekend. On Saturday Lori came up from the OC and we shopped Rodeo and hung at Zuma Beach in Malibu. Sunday I headed to Laguna Beach for the Annual Summer Art Festival. Some interesting stuff, but a lot of decorative stuff as well. I drove back up to the City on PCH and stopped at Fashion Island (a mall) and Huntington Beach Pier. The US Surfing Open is all this week there, but I missed it that day. I think I may head down on Saturday AM and shoot some surfing photos. Friday night I also saw a midnight showing of PeeWee's Big Adventure with Mona. It was amazing to see it on the big screen. Yes, I thought of you, Aunt Maggie : )

This week has been kind of crazy, dealing with the broken car and all. I returned the rental on monday, so I had to take a cab to work on Tuesday, and my cellphone disappeared somewhere between calling the cab and getting to work. SUCKKKKS. So the phone is gone. If I havent harrassed you for your phone number through another form of internet communication, I am asking for it now. Please email/IM it to me. My cat Salty back home is also not doing well. She's been at the vet for 2 days. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, she is the love of my life and an angel here on earth. (She is also 19 and diabetic and has lived a long and fulfilled cat life.)

Tonight I am going to a dinner hosted by some Clark Alumni for LA area Clarkies. This weekend I am gonna go shoot the surfers and go see my friend Ryan who is spending some time in Malibu.

LAST NIGHT I SAW WILL FERRELL. He was at the opening for Talladega Nights at Graumann's. I was driving in the far left lane going east on Hollywood and they had the westbound side closed for the event. He was on a platform on what would have been the lefthand lane, putting him really close to me and my psychotic needs. I didn't say anything as he was being interviewed by the press, but its all good. He rules.

Okay one more thing. THE RADIO STATIONS IN LA SUCK. They are 90% Spanish, which is fine, but I am also kind of over it. The remaining 10% of stations suck. I would LOVE it if my friends/family/enemies would make me mix cds. Thank you.


MIX CDS AND PHONE NUMBERS PLEASE.

I see London, I see France...
B

Im tired

But im gonna post quickly anyways.

Last weekend Sully and I went to Joshua Tree. Awesome. We saw a fire in the desert.

Also checked out the South Bay-- Manhattan, Redondo, & Hermosa Beaches. Cool Stuff. Also Topanga Canyon, which if I ever decided to live out here permanently, would definetly be a place I would look into.

This week, more work. Work is going well, and I am learning quite a bit. Its a lot of reading and writing.

Hiked around Runyon Canyon, which is right by my house.

I've also been using the pool at my building as well. It's relaxing, especially after a long day.

Yesterday I checked out Bergamot Station and saw some good art and some lame art. Mostly good though. I also tried on a pair of $450 pants. I have been searching for the perfect pair of brown pants for about a month now. I found them and I cant have them.

Today I went to the Hollywood Farmer's Market-- awesome. I have also watched the entire 1st season of "Weeds". Check that show out, its pretty amazing.

I got an invite to a pre-screening to the new Christopher Guest movie, For Your Consideration, on Tuesday. I have been dying for it to come out, so I'm pretty stoked to be seeing it 6 months earlier than the release, and free.

I think thats it. Hope all is well. I love and miss home.

B

Art in LA

So, I am trying to take in as much art as I can while I am here in the city, since so much of it is so tangible. Last week, I saw Societe Anonyme at UCLA's Hammer Museum.

http://www.hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/100/

Definetly a cool experience to see all these great artists in one exhibition. It was supposedly installed (at least in parts) similarly to the original exhibitions in NY. I was just stoked to see my first Duchamp, as well as some wierd Man Ray pieces, among all the other works. At the gift shop afterwards they had Kristina Wilson's (a Clark Art History Prof.) book on the display table with the exhibition books. Was nice to have an unexpected touch from home.

Also at the Hammer were exhibitions by Elliott Hundley's sculptures, Jesper Just's video pieces, and eerie photography by Walead Beshty. I reccomend checking out all three of these guys. Good good stuff.

After work tonight I went to the MOCA and saw Rauschenberg Combines (which I had already seen a more extensive version at the Met in NYC this winter) and Lorna Simpson (who I had never heard of before).

http://www.moca.org/museum/

I can't really get enough Rauschenberg-- His process and use of materials just makes me want to go home and get messy. Lorna Simpson was also a great inspiration-- a video artist/photographer/mixed media artist who explores a lot with gender and identity, adding words and captions to many of her pieces, and playing with alternative photographic processes that I am going to bug certain professers to show me in the fall. I liked her stuff because weather I like it or not, in a lot of my art I also explore gender and identity, and I always want to do something a little bit more to my images, tweek them with words or whatever.

I tried to go see the some other museums and galleries on Monday, but it seemed as though Art is closed on Mondays. There is a great place called Bergamot Station in Santa Monica that not only houses the SM Art Museum, but tons and tons of galleries (including one that actually has a Rauschenberg show right now...maybe I'll pick up a piece or two). I can't wait to see how cool it is when its actually open. There is also a great paper/bookmaking shop that I am looking forward to checking out more thoroughly.

Today I was walking through the Grove (a shopping area in W. Hollywood) and they had a gallery filled with Todd Goldman's paintings. He is the founder of the "David and Goliath" brand (the one that sells little gifty items that say things like "boys are stupid, throw rocks at them". They are funny and clever, but not THAT funny and clever. In fact, everyone I know could find something more funny and clever to make than what I saw today. And he is pulling in 4 Grand a painting. Sigh.

As for my own art, I have been starting to scan negs, and have gotten some fun ideas I want to explore. More to come.

Love and Combines--

b

Live From LA

Hey all, thought I would check in. Frank, you can breathe again.

The internship is going well. Everyone I work with is really nice and helpful, and so far, its been a huge learning experience.

Last week, I had some fun for sure. Brad from Chicago and I hit up Drag Queen Bingo on Wednesday night which was clearly amazing. Friday night I went to a Hookah bar with Mona and her friend from out of town. Saturday we went out to dinner at this great Greek restaurant in Malibu. Sunday, Sully and I decided to drive up the coast. We got as far as Morro Bay, which was beautiful and I could totally live there. I definetly needed that road trip-- it was the most relaxed I felt since I left home. California sure is beautiful. For the fourth, I went up to Malibu and BBqed with Mona and caught the fireworks off her deck (which overlooks the ocean). Good good stuff.

This is a short work week, and then time for the weekend again. Does anyone know of any good Hot Springs in SoCal? Great Day trips I can't miss? Tonight I will hopefully be meeting up with Danny Greeney who I haven't seen since 5th grade, but am SOOO excited to see.

Thats it for now. Be well.

Love and Beach Blanket Bingo,

Bridget

LA (I am going to have to start getting more creative with these post titles now that I am not being a nomad)

So things are going pretty well. Mostly I wake up feeling a little anxious and overwhelmed, but come this time of night I feel like everything is going well for the most part.

Friday night, Mona and I hit up Westwood for dinner and shopping. The LA film fest is going on, so as we were walking around the neighborhood, a free showing of West Side Story was playing on a huge screen set up in the middle of the street. If you know me well, you know I love my musicals, so this was just a good time. Everyone clapped and cheered at the end of each song (though I wish I had been brave enough to start a sing along!!)

Yesterday was Laguna Beach with Lori. Actually, it was a lot of Orange County. She was a great tour guide. We ate at a really nice restaurant on the water, and went hiking around this mountain overlooking all of OC. We also walked along the cliffs and watched the waves which were friggan huge. I didn't have my camera but i took pics with my phone. Then, when we were walking back to the car, the LB Art Museum was hosting a showing of Dogtown and Z-Boys (a documentary I love about the invention of modern skateboarding) and like 5 of the original Z-Boys were there! The movie was just about to start, so I only got to talk to Peggy (the only female of the group) which was perfect cause she is one of my faves. She was so great and cool, and I am so glad I got to talk to her : ) Lori also took me to The Spectrum, which is like a mall with only restaurants, movie theaters, and other sorts of entertainment. There are a few stores, but mainly its just a place to go to be entertained. An entertainment mall. Crazy. They just go nuts in California, huh?

Today I went to a Trading Post, which is like a flea market. Totally fun. I also found a car wash that not only washes the outside, but also the inside for 10 bucks. I drove around and wandered (like ive been doing most days) and found myself in Pacific Palisades, which is gorgeous. I went down to the beach and got a little wet, then went home and watched entourage. its so crazy to watch that show and at the same time know that similar things are going on right outside my door. i love it.

i just discovered that my wireless connection works on the roofdeck. this makes me a happy camper. i can smoke and surf the net again. .

Tomorrow I start interning!!! Keep your fingers crossed!

Love and roofdeck smoking-

b

The End of Route 66

I can't believe I forgot to write about the end of the road.

After Phoenix, we traveled back north onto Rt. 66, back through Flagstaff and up to Williams, which is a real live functioning Rt. 66 town that has a gun show every night. We ate at Twisters, an old 50s style diner, and then headed up north towards the Grand Canyon, and stayed at the Canyon Inn. The next morning I layed my eyes on the Grand Canyon for the first time in my life, and it was a humbling experience to say the least.

We headed back to Rt. 66 and traveled to Seligman, AZ which has a gift shop and a great restaurant called "the Snow Cap," run by a family who has been on the route for a very long time. They were all funny cats, and I'm glad we stopped there.

We drove through the windy old road to the end of Arizona, through a bunch of old towns and throush some pretty steep and curvy land, past Ed's Camp, and filtered out into Oatman, a functioning ghost town with wandering burros. Just beyond this, we entered the land of California.

We didn't stop a lot along this way, aside for a few photo ops. It began to get dark and we were the only people on Rt 66 in the desert other than the train engineers, so when it met back up with the interstate, we cheated and got on. It was a tough decision to make, but for safety's sake, it made the most sense. We took the interstate into Barstow, where we spent the night at the Rt. 66 Motel.

After Barstow, we headed onto LA, back on 66, of course. We stopped in Victorville and ate at Emma Jean's Holland Cafe-- excellent burgers. We headed through and past everything, and into Rialto, where we saw the second Wigwam Motel (where they wouldn't let me go to the ladies room). At this point we are in LA traffic, but we trucked on to my new apt. in Hollywood before we hit the end of the Mother Road. (My new apartment is just a few blocks away from Santa Monica Blvd, also Rt. 66.) We got the keys and unpacked the car, and then headed to the end at Santa Monica Pier. We didn't really have time to stay, because I needed to go find a bed, but we returned a few days later to do the ending right, and see the Will Roger's Highway Plaque, and hang out on the pier. I have to say, i got a little choked up at the end when I was reading the plaque.

So the Route 66 adventure is over. But only for now. I hope I will have the time at the end of the summer to do it again, or at least parts of it. If not, I know I will be back on the Mother Road in the future. Its really an awesome and different way to see the country, and everyone should do it at least once in their lifetime. I love Rt.66, just as much as I thought I would, and perhaps more. I am so thankful to those who have made such an effort to preserve it. I definetly "got my kicks".

Love and Tire Tracks-

Bridget

Hollywood, CA

Hey all!!!

Thanks for your patience with my lack in posting!!! I've been here about a week, and so far, so good. I have three totally great roommates and live in a kickass apartment 3 blocks from all the crazy tourist stuff in Hollywood (Chinese Theatre, Walk of Stars, etc.), but far enough that I am not in the middle of it all. The place has a ton of balconies, a pool and a roofdeck (where i go to smoke my cigaroos.) From the roofdeck you can see across the entire city, and behind are the Hollywood Hills and Mulholland Dr. It is good stuff for sure. Pics to come.

Kayce left on Saturday, and since then I have been exploring a bunch of different areas in the city. I hung with Mona and Sully out in Riverside, and also saw Mona's place in Malibu (amazing beachside guesthouse!!!), Every day, I leave the house with different missions and ideas and see where the day takes me. I was really overwhelmed by the LA sprawl at first, but I am definetly feeling more comfortable and such. I found my favorite area so far today-- Venice Beach. Cute stores, awesome houses, things of the sort. I am going back tomorrow to get my hair done at a salon there-- fingers crossed.

This weekend should be fun. I am meeting up with my friend Lori from Clark, who is gonna show me the "real Laguna Beach", so I am really stoked about that. Brad and I will be getting together soon as well, so I am not going to be the lonely soul I feared to be.

I also bought a Canon 8400F scanner for my medium format negs, so hopefully in the near future I will have some Rt. 66 images posted on my photo site (in addition to the images from my last two trips to New Orleans).

Mona and I found Ozzy's house the other day!!! I live like 2 miles from the awesome Osbournes.

OH!!! I was wandering the neighborhood today, waiting for my car to be fixed, and did something to make me an official californian-- i went to an oxygen bar!!! It cost about the same as a massage would, and the girl actually massaged my back while I huffed on the aromatherapy oxygen. Good stuff.

I start my internship on Monday! Wish me luck!!! Thanks to everyone who has been posting and emailing, and I am sorry that I have been such a bad keeper in touch. I promise to be in touch very soon!!!

Love and Oxygen-

B

OHHHH and an amendment-- I was just rereading an old post and saw that I called Jerry McClanahan "Jim"!!! This is being changed and I just turned slightly purple from embarrassment.

and...GO SEE CARS!!!! Its based on Rt. 66 and I got to meet the people and see the places used in the movie!!! Old and young alike will love it, so go check it out.

LA

I am writing this from my new apt. in LA. Here safe. Will write more soon.

Love and Traffic-

B

Phoenix, AZ

Wow, a long time has passed since my last post. I am here at Kayce's friend Natalie's place in Phoenix. Its hotter than hell here. Since Amarillo, lots has happened, and its early here,so I know I won't remember all thats happened.

We stopped at the Caddilac Ranch outside of Amarillo. Amazing stuff.

We went through Tucumcari, NM to check out the Blue Swallow Motel, didn't stay there but bought lots of stuff, and I left one of my cameras behind. The awesome dude that owns the place is sending it to me in LA.

Then came the fun stuff. I saw my pal Brian from high school in Albuquerque!!! He met up with us, drove us around the city and showed us around, and took us to a kickass Mexican restaurant called Sadies. We also met up with him for a bit in Santa Fe the next day and he showed us around the State Capitol, where he works. He has become such a gentleman! (Not that he wasn't before or anything!) So awesome to see him after all these years.

So yes, Santa Fe and Albuquerque are both beautiful. We stayed in Santa Fe at the El Rey Inn, which is a beautiful and affordable place in town. When we were walking around Santa Fe, I ran into this girl Rebecca that I used to work with at Coach in Natick, MA, like 4 years ago! She was visiting her mom, and we both walked out of stores across from each other and were just like whaaaaat???? Small small world.

Ok, so the next night we got to stay in a WIGWAM in Holbrook, AZ. The guy who owns the place is a character to say the least. That's all I am saying though, because I want you to go stay in a wigwam and see for yourself. We also ate at Joe and Aggie's in Holbrook, the oldest restaurant on the mother road.

We stopped at the Jackrabbit Trading Post (with the famous sign that says "Here it is!" and at the Meteor Crater National Park (insane big crater stuff.) Then onto Flagstaff, where we at at the famed Museum Club bar. We decided before we took the trip that the detour to Phoenix would happen, to check in with Kayce's friend. She couldn't meet up with us until yesterday afternoon though, so we spent the night in Sedona, at the Sky Ranch Lodge, another nice/affordable place in town. So yeah, Sedona is clearly amazing and quite possibly the most beautiful place on earth. Go there. Relax. Spend more time there than we did!!!

So we got to the Phoenix area mid afternoon. Brian had told me that Adrian, also from high school, was working at a resort down there, and we plotted my showing up without him having any idea why I was there. So I did this. He was really confused when I walked up to him and said hello, which was funny to me at least. We met up later last night again and had some good times talking about craziness. He is such a good guy, and has grown up quite a bit.

Kayce's friend Natalie is so nice and hospitable. She is in med school and planning a wedding. I can't imagine that. Today we head to the Grand Canyon, and then onto California! I anticipate getting there around Wednesday.

Love and Dry Heat-

Bridget

P.S. Bill Kinnane is the winner of posting the most on here!!! Thanks kiddo, I love it and I love you!!! You should all learn from him!!!