November 11, 2007

Today's photo sequence.

The window reflection lets the digital camera get a sense of how a film camera felt when it did a double exposure:

DSC06450.JPG

Where I was sitting — at Bocca Lupo — there were flowers on the counter:

DSC06453.JPG

A little while earlier I saw this odd Coke sign. ("Weak sauce"?)

DSC06443.JPG

Then back home, I had to record another harbor sunset:

DSC06458.JPG

34 comments:

Ralph L said...

My apologies if your arms are different lengths, but why is your right sleeve pulled up to the fingers?

wrt the next two photos, either you're not getting enough, or I'm not.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Zachary Sire said...

Well, we still don't know what happened to Maxine during Christmas 2001.

All we do know is that she spends her holidays at the Disney Grand California Hotel.

Seems lonely, no?

rhhardin said...

Poisoned sign controlling traffic in Ohio, August 18.

No crass commercialism here.

Zachary Sire said...

Wow! A quick Google search doesn't bring up anything too tragic happening during Xmas 2001 in West LA, so it must've been something private. A break-up, a falling out, a burnt Pumpkin Pie? Still, Maxine makes us wonder:

"But, I'm sure few spent that day (12/25/2001) in as terrible circumstances as I did...the worst you can imagine."

former law student said...

weak sauce = lame
I've heard it mostly in the context of someone who can't hold his liquor.
Your students would know and use such terms -- don't you ever hang out with any?

Maxine Weiss said...

It's called the 'Grand Californian'.

At least when I stay at an expensive hotel, I take pictures of the lavatory:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/34/94764153_2b2ce3ec4f_b.jpg

Ann Althouse said...

I think it's odd to have it on the Coke sign.

"Weak tea" is a more familiar expression.

There's also a skull and crossbones on the Coke sign.

Maxine Weiss said...

You'd think that, given everything else, Althouse would take an interest in textiles:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/94758892_86501c9436.jpg

Ann Althouse said...

Egad! Maxine, that lavatory was not very attractive. I would have found it depressing. The colors, the wall paper. The Ritz-Carlton was much nicer. No comparison. Sorry I didn't show it to you, but they probably have pictures on line. You know I was disappointed by the bathroom, because there wasn't a super-large bathtub. The best hotels have a big bathtub and a separate (excellent) shower. A bathtub that is the same place where people stand to take showers is a mark of shame for a hotel that purports to be the best in town. Crazily, they still offer a service that involves a butler coming to your room and drawing the bath for you. For $100 or so, a guy comes to your room and fills the tub -- plus scents and candles and so forth. But if it's not a big separate bathtub, that's perfectly silly. It's kind of silly anyway. Really, if I'm going to take a bath, I don't want some strange man coming to the room to help me.

Maxine Weiss said...

Not even if he's good looking?

Zachary Sire said...

George W. Bush XLIII
President of the United States 2001-present

Christmas Greeting to the Nation
December 25th, 2001

Good morning, and Merry Christmas. During this time of conflict and challenge, Christmas is a day on which we celebrate hope and joy, when our thoughts turn to justice and compassion and to a Prince of Peace born long ago. This is a day on which we give thanks for the wonder of God's love, for the blessings we have received, and for the families we love. And this year all of these things seem particularly important.

Charles Dickens wrote that Christmas is a time when abundance rejoices and want is keenly felt. This Christmas finds many facing hurt and loss, especially the families of terror victims and of our young men killed in battle. America grieves with you, and we hope you'll especially find the comfort and hope of Christmas.

Laura and I send our good wishes to all the families in America that have come together in celebration. We're especially grateful to all the men and women of our military, many of whom are today separated from their loved ones because they're serving our country.

Even in this time of war, we pray for peace on Earth and good will toward men, and we continue to ask God's blessings on the United States.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year.

Unknown said...

Ann Althouse said...

Really, if I'm going to take a bath, I don't want some strange man coming to the room to help me.

------------------

Damn.

--G.

Zachary Sire said...

Only the best for Ann:

http://www.gushmagazine.com/images/uploads/stoneforest.jpg

Or, might I suggest this one (for your upcoming vlog):

http://purecontemporary.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/glass_bath_lecob.jpg

Maxine Weiss said...

Here's a picture (that I took) of the Grand Californian bathtub. It's not a separate show, but the tube was enormous, and one of those deep soaking tubs.

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/26669/1412890359075413908S600x600Q85.jpg

(I hope that link worked)

Maxine Weiss said...

Ann: You don't like this wallpaper?

http://inlinethumb42.webshots.com/30057/1412888825075413908S600x600Q85.jpg

I think it's very cheerful, and look at the way they fold the towels! Everything at the Grand Californian is done with a flourish.

Look at the way the pillows are placed at an angle turndown:

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/25932/1412886805075413908S600x600Q85.jpg

These are the things that your readers wanted to see.

It matters.

Zachary Sire said...

The amount of bacteria found in ANY hotel room (Ritz, Disney Grand CaliforniaN, or a Motel 6) is intolerable, which is why I prefer to form real-life friendships with clean people who own their own homes with guest rooms. If I'm in a city where I happen to not know anyone, I'll sleep in my car or just keep driving.

At hotels, they don't wash the comforters, scrub the floors and the sinks, or disinfect the bathtubs. And don't even get me started on the mattresses they use. Can you say feces?!?

And in all honestly, why should the Latina maids spend any more than 30 seconds giving the hotel room a once-over? Just change the sheets, swish a towel around in the bathroom for a sec, and toss a mint on the pillow, Conchita. You're getting paid $4.00 an hour to clean up after the very same (majority of) Americans who don't believe you should be in this country anyway because you snuck across the border. Screw 'em. Staph for everyone!

http://justinsomnia.org/images/motel-6-shower-stall.jpg

michilines said...

If you swan across that water, would you be a wetback?

Would you live in a shack?

Would you live with a Yak?

Would you go to the zoo?

Would you be happy there, too?

Would you say, I'm a smooze?

Would you say, I'm no news?

Would you admit that you are only in this for yourself and that your wingnut commenters are on your 'hit' list?

Dude, as they say in Amazing Race speak, you are all about you.

As long as your peoples get that, well you'll do fine. As to winning any awards, sadly you fate is to be ignored.

Happy revenant and all :)

Anonymous said...

tc said...

jewsyonkersislam # 437 Poetry in motion...in life

To Ann Althouse: as Maxine Weiss has noted, " cognitive dissonance "
is mine. And it is a curse, a real physical pain in my head and another one of my numerous disabilities -courtesy of my Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) at the age
of 13 (followed by a 40 coma and then complete paralysis).
But I am a published poet. And I paint pictures with words...including of beautiful naked women (somehow the words just appear in my mind, especially when the women are sitting in front of me).
However, I also do other kinds of word-pictures. By staying back, words appear before me. See below how it works, for I am using comments from your blog to create actual pictures in the mind of the reader.

Discussion of Hillary and Bill Clinton on Ann Althouse's blog on 11-11-07

1) Bob said... " former law student said...Let's face it, if she were any good even as a fellatrix Bill would never have strayed off the reservation ". As I see it, gettin' a blowjob aint nuttin' to stickin' it in and ridin' dat horse.
" Poonhounds like Bill don't stray because of the skill of their wives (or lack thereof), they stray because they crave novelty. They want some strange, as Bill himself might vulgarly put it. " "strange" ? Shee-it man, dat be a new word, maybe one a dem used by dem sex-starved mid-western lassies who can only dream wet-dreams.
2) Simon said..." former law student said...'Let's face it, if she were any good even as a fellatrix Bill would never have strayed off the reservation.' Oh, that really is grotesque 'blame the victim' crap. Of course, Bill strayed because Hillary was in some way (specifically sexually) inadequate. Had nothing to do with him - if only she hadn't been inadequate, he wouldn't have needed to cheat." Now "Simon", he might be one a' dem mid-western lassies who aint got nuttin to live with but her wet dreams... and her despised but necessary dildo.
3) Ralph said..." She either isn't as smart as she would like us to believe, or wasn't as well prepared as everyone else was Or worse, she panicked. More likely, she called Bill the night before, and a woman answered." That's what ya gits with these stupid wimmen...they hate it but they love it. Dey aint no answer why.
4) tc said..... simon, is you a fudge-packer, a hump-thumper...? Because you sure sound like one of those tiny shrinking prick boys (unless it is "former law student"). "Blame the 'victim' say you" ? I say to blame feminism, for feminism has made all women into far greater "victims" than they've ever been. And if you be one of these rump-riders, I'd advise you to keep that conclusion to yourself -and whack-off in private. And dont disturb any other male party. 5) Clang!Honk!Tweet! (said she was getting married -but not whether it was to a man or a woman OR what sex she [something makes me think that she IS a she, no matter how deluded she is because of feminist rot] was ) said.... "Apropos of what john Stodder said..." You know we in NYC once had a fudge-packer named Stoddard; hope this boy Stodder aint one a dem hump-thumpers
6) Simon said... " Tom, that's simply adorable. No, I'm not a "fudge-packer" (I have no idea what a "hump-thumper" is, but I suspect it's a synonym for the former, in which case the answer's naturally no)." This boy Simon says he not a be one a dem dere fudge-packers... but who can tell. I know the insides and outsides of women better than the back of my hand -but I have no desire to know the insides or outsides of another man (I've got enough problems trying to live with my own problems). Of course, as my wife once told me after sex, "women are sooo devious", so "Simon" could be one a dem dere mid-western dildo-users.

michilines said...

Oh and, as far as diminishing, you do that all by yourself.

brad said...

Ann, next time you wanna talk about me, have the courtesy to let me know so I can reply, eh?
Easy to find me in the comments of Sadly, No! or at the little niche blog my name clicks to.
Always glad to know you still care, tho.

Ann Althouse said...

ZPS: Great bathtubs! The glass one would be especially fun to take photographs of someone in what with those aquarium sides. I think even people with ungainly bodies would look cool in it, so don't be shy. I don't want the butler lurking around though! I can't imagine having a butler around under any circumstances. Too intimate.

Zachary Sire said...

Ann! Your aversion to butlers is troublesome. Not all butlers are bad. For example, if this guy walked in, well, I'd be hopping in to that glass tub faster than you can say "rubber ducky"!

http://www.wonderlandavenue.com/big/M41.jpg

Ann Althouse said...

LOL. I was trying to picture a butler that I would accept helping me take a bath.... Sorry, I just don't have butler fantasies....

Peter Hoh said...

"Weak sauce"? At first glance, I thought it said "Weak since . . ." as a reference to the year they stopped putting coke in coke. Closer inspection shows that it really was "weak sauce." How disappointing.

Maxine Weiss said...

....That's why you always take a bottle of bleach to any hotel room. The Mexican maids will do a good job of cleaning if you tip them well. Althouse has neglected to discuss how much she tipped the Mexican maids each day.

The Grand Californian uses designer linens (Frette) that they remake the beds with and give extras too. The linens at that hotel are beyond anything.

I want to see Althouse patterned linens and state the threadcount.

Maxine Weiss said...

This might be too risque, but here's a picture I took while in my bath:

http://pisces.smugmug.com/photos/120757143-L.jpg

....in all my glory!

jeff said...

"weak sauce = lame
I've heard it mostly in the context of someone who can't hold his liquor."

Really? I have never heard that one. Man, I'm getting old.

"which is why I prefer to form real-life friendships with clean people who own their own homes with guest rooms. If I'm in a city where I happen to not know anyone, I'll sleep in my car or just keep driving."

I had a ex-girlfriend that was like that. I always turn the channel when shows like dateline take the ultra violet light into the hotel room. There are things I just don't want to know.

michilines-is there a point to your jackassary, or is this like a hobby for you?

MadisonMan said...

You have a dimmer switch in your bath?

Zachary Sire said...

Yeah, right:

http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/14/17/23061714.jpg

This is more like it:

http://images.inmagine.com/img/image100/06004/060041070.jpg

Maxine Weiss said...

http://maxinesplace.blogspot.com/2006/07/original-fiction-lady-who-bathes.html

Ralph L said...

I travel with my own pillow and one all-cotton sheet I fold over, because poly-blend sheets make me itch, and most pillows are too flat and soft for me to get any sleep. Oddly, my brother's lumpy hide-a-bed and hard futon don't bother me a bit. Thankfully, I haven't flown since 1988.

Anonymous said...

Maxine,

Send me a fully nude picture of youself and I might write a poem and post it here (tbitom58@yahoo.com).

Tom

Zachary Sire said...

TC,

Send me a fully nude photo of yourself and I might pleasure myself while looking at it. You like gay guys, right?

Love,
ZPS