Edinburgh/London Vacation

Views from my hotels.

Technically, my hotel in London was nicer than the hotel in Edinburgh, but the view from my Edinburgh hotel was nicer. A little distorted here. I had to look out of my window at an angle. A straight look out of my hotel room was a view of buildings across the way.




And my view from my London hotel.

London Vacation: Random Shots

Photo from the Millennium Bridge.



Underground.




Think Wedding.

London Vacation: Random Shots

Such a good time in London.


Tribute to Nothing Hill, the movie.



London Tower






Bridge



Palace.



Ferris Wheel.




Big Ben.




Protesters.

London Vacation: Stonehenge

There are certain places in the world that I want to see.  Stonehenge is definitely one of those places.  Checked off.  Yes!!!

Edinburgh Vacation: Random spots

Some random photos of the train station, artwork, protest graffiti and one crazily designed government building.

Edinburgh Vacation: Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh has one massive castle that has a rather impression position in the city. 

Edinburgh Vacation: Adam Smith

So I don't post economic blogs anymore on this site -- transferred those to another blog.  But here's looking at you Adam Smith.

Edinburgh Vacation: Calton Hill

So at some point I'll be posting something up on Intraffik about this vacation.  It potentially could have ranked as the worst vacation ever, but it instead turned out to be perhaps the best.  Below are some photos from Calton Hill:  a place that caused much financial distress for this city way back when.

Calton Hill

Up On Intraffik.com: New Zealand Part III

Up On Intraffik.com: New Zealand Part III: Whammy Bar. This got posted second in the series on New Zealand by error. It really is part III.

Up On Intraffik.com: New Zealand Part II

Up on Intraffik.com: Part II of New Zealand: Amanda Palmer/April Fish. This article actually got posted as the last New Zealand piece by accident.

Up on Intraffik.com: New Zealand Part I

Up on Intraffik.com: Hanging out in New Zealand: Thirsty Dog.

A Movie Review: Hangover 2

Hangover 2. Are there laughs in this movie? Yes. Is this essentially a repeat of the original? Yes. Does it matter that it is the same storyline? Yes and no.

The gang is back and this time Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married – again. Though not explained in full, his marriage to the Vegas prostitute ended quickly enough. His new bride is from Thailand so off to Thailand they go for the wedding. Though no one really wants Alan (Zach Galifianakis) along as they are all leery after he drugged them the first time around, arms are twisted and he is allowed to come. Well, the drugging happens again and this time it happens in Bangkok.

My one big problem with this movie is Teddy (Mason Lee) -- Stu’s future brother-in-law. He’s the one who goes missing in the movie. Considering what happens to him, when they do eventually find him he has a far more cheery outlook on his circumstances than I would think one would have.

A Movie Review: The Dilemma

The Dilemma. Another movie I saw while on an airplane. The caveat associated with this review is that I was watching on a small screen and probably missed 20% of the dialogue.

Ronny Valentine (Vince Vaughn) catches his best friend’s wife, Geneva (Winona Ryder), in the act of cheating. His dilemma is rather or not to tell his best friend Nick Brannen (Kevin James) about his wife.

I have to say that this movie wasn’t that bad. I wouldn’t put it up there as a great movie, but I would say it is a movie to watch. One has to come to this movie with the understanding that it has a dark side to it. The honest truth is that I think the dilemma has two sides to it. There is a dilemma for Ronny, but there is also a dilemma regarding who really is to blame when marriages/relationships fall apart.

Races, Californian and Black Flamingo at The Satellite

It was off to The Satellite to catch Races, Californian and Black Flamingo.

So I got there just in time to catch Races. I saw them a few weeks back at Silver Lake Jubilee. What was memorable this time around was seeing one of their friends show up about midway through their set. She had the biggest smile throughout. It just added a wonderful touch and actually got me more into their music.

Californian was up next.  They're the residency band for June.  (Next week, I'm hoping to head over to Bootleg to catch another residency band.)  At this point in time, my friend showed up from catching a Dodgers game.  This was her favorite band of the night (she caught just a bit of Races and Black Flamingo.)

Comment of the night (Californian):  I didn't want you to have it anyways, you're an asshole.  (Playful banter.)

To end the night, I stayed for a trio of Black Flamingo songs.  This is also a band that I saw at Silver Lake Jubilee.  I would have stayed for the full set if it wasn't for the fact that midnight was behind me and work was in front of me.  My friend called them ethereal angels.  That sounds good to me.

Races









Californian







Black Flamingo

Sarine Djabrayan and Goharik Grigoryan: recital

It was off to see my friend Sarine Djabrayan along with Goharik Grigoryan in concert/recital. This was the first recital I've been to in years. It was an evening of arias from Italian, French and Armenian operas. I know my friend has spent significant amount of time improving her vocal skills. A fun night.

A Movie Review: No Strings Attached

No Strings Attached. A movie I saw while on an airplane. The caveat associated with this review is that I was watching on a small screen and probably missed 20% of the dialogue.

Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) decide to be friends with benefits. Complications arise like a Seinfeld episode.

What a painful movie to watch. And has there been a more awkward character than Lucy (Lake Bell). Maybe awkward is the wrong word. Essentially, it was painful to watch her on screen. And it was amazing how Adam never “cheated” on Emma – saved both times by the arrival of Emma. He didn’t cheat with the two bimbos. He didn’t cheat with Lucy. “Saved” in the nick of time by Emma’s obvious ESP abilities.

A Movie Review: The Tourist

The Tourist A movie I saw while on an airplane. The caveat associated with this review is that I was watching on a small screen and probably missed 20% of the dialogue.

We have agents watching Elise Clifton-Ward (Angelina Jolie). We learn soon enough that these agents are tracking her in hopes that she leads them to her lover – an individual who stole billions from mobsters. She is tipped off by her lover to meet him in Venice and to attach herself to a random male who has similar characteristics as him. This happens to be Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp).

This isn’t some action packed movie and you have to know that going in. It is a movie that takes its time with the story. Did it deserve a Golden Globe nomination? No. The twist at the end is totally crazy. Angelina and Johnny seem not to be totally into the movie – of course, it could just be how they decided to act it out as they keep this laissez-faire attitude throughout the movie. Is it worth watching? If you’re on a plane, yes. Not great, not horrid.

A Movie Review: Little Fockers

Little Fockers. Okay, I have to admit I saw this on an airplane, which obviously means you’re watching on a little screen and you miss about 20% of the dialogue . . . but anyways my opinion is that this is an okay movie. Not great, not horrid. Well worth wasting time while flying across the globe.  Of course, why they titled this movie Little Fockers doesn't really make sense to me as the focus of the movie really isn't on the twins.

This movie, of course, continues the adventures of the Focker/Byrnes family union via Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and Pam Focker/Byrnes (Teri Polo). In some ways, the movie centers around temptation in marriage highlighted by the arrival of the temptress Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba). Yes, she does provide one with a temptation to stray.


This movie brings along a certain familiarity with it, which is why one watches this movie.  It is like watching an aging sitcom where the best days are behind it, but you still like seeing your favorite characters.

Most painful scene: when Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) attempts to convince his daughter that she should divorce Greg and marry Kevin Rawley (Owen Wilson) while both Kevin and Greg are standing there listening to the conversation. Just a stupid scene.  What kind of father would embarrass his daughter like that.  Maybe a father might do that in private, but in public . . .

A Book Review: Democracy's Prisoner.

Democracy’s Prisoner: Eugene V. Debs, the Great War, and the Right to Dissent by Dr. Ernest Freeberg. If you’re read any of my economic posts via this blog or my separate blog that I set up specifically for economic posts (enotesfromvivace), you probably know that I’m not one who supports socialism. However, I was at the LA Times Festival of Books in 2010 and was at a panel discussion where Freeberg was discussion his book about Eugene V. Debs. Freeberg sounded interested and the discussion regarding Eugene V. Debs sounded interesting, as well. So I bought this book and, yes, it sat on my bookshelf for awhile.

So what did I think about the book? No matter if you’re a socialist or not, one would find this book fascinating. Though the book doesn’t go through the history of how we’ve gained greater freedoms in this country, it does focus on a turning point where we gained greater freedoms to protest. I’m not going to say that Eugene V. Debs and others spearheaded (given all the credit) free speech rights for Vietnam/Iraq protestors. Times change and I’m sure the rights of free speech would have expanded even without Eugene V. Debs, but this book explores brilliantly how at that moment in time free speech rights expanded.

Though this book casts a very favorable light on Debs, it also makes some critical points such as the fact that he was very supportive of Lenin – though admittedly as Lenin’s actions in Russian became better known, Debs back off of his support.

Wet & Reckless and Duniven at Silverlake Lounge

It was off to Silverlake Lounge to catch Wet and Reckless and Duniven. This was my first time out at a Los Angeles music venue in perhaps three weeks.  Yes, I went to Silver Lake Jubilee, but that is a street festival.  In between, I was on vacation.  So this being the first time in awhile, it was cool to catch a band I enjoy seeing, Wet and Reckless, as well as catching a band that I'm not familiar with, Duniven.  In regards to Duniven:  They had an extra band member along for the night.  She's in one of the below photos, person on the left.  This is the third band I've seen her in.  I feel like an unintentional stalker.        


Wet and Reckless












Duniven

Up On Intraffik.com: Silver Lake Jubilee Day 2

Up on Intraffik with a write-up on Day 2 of Silver Lake Jubilee. So more than just photos.

Up On Intraffik.com: Silver Lake Jubilee Day 1

Up on Intraffik with a Day 1 write-up. More than just photos.

Up On Intraffik.com: Indie West Fest

I'm up on Intraffik.com with photos from Ventura's Indie West Fest.

Up On Intraffik: May Playlist Part II

I'm up on Intraffik with Part II of my May Playlist. Bands listed are:

Kiev
Kinch
Rose’s Pawn Shop
Ruby Friedman
Francisco the Man
The Fling
The Belle Brigade
Carnage Asada
Million Kids
Hidden
Hands
Gardens and Villa
Barb Wire Dolls
Suddyn
Prima Donna

Click on the above link for photos and song lists. Enjoy!

Up On Intraffik: May Playlist Part 1

I'm up on Intraffik with Part 1 of a May Playlist. Actually, this is the April Playlist, but the publication date got delayed.

Bands listed are:

Ingenue
Coyol
Bullet and Snowfox
Sweaters
Barrie Rose
Tommy Santee Klaws
Feel Free
Run-On Sunshine
Devon Williams
Black Elephant
Group Love
Guards
Act As If
The New Assembly
The Americans

Click on the above link for a song list and photos!

Up On Intraffik: Silver Lake Jubilee and Day Two Photos

Day 2 photos of Silver Lake Jubilee are up on Intraffik.

Up On Intraffik: Silver Lake Jubilee and Day One Photos

Back from vacation. Check out some additional photos of Silver Lake Jubilee on Intraffik.

Lady Danville: Silverlake Jubilee

I'm on vacation so I'm entertaining you with photos from Silverlake Jubilee.

Lady Danville