i-Observer

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2009-12-25T00:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from i-Observer!

Saint Vibiana's Now!

2009-11-09T00:52:00.000-08:00

From Wikipedia...

Today, the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, is simply called Vibiana and serves as an Event Space (ex: Emmy Awards Party, Art of Elysium's Annual Charity Gala. In the past, it was the mother church cathedral parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles under the pastoral care of the Archbishop of Los Angeles. It is now the site of a performing arts complex as well as the Little Tokyo branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. The original cathedral structure is one of the last remaining buildings from the early period of Los Angeles history. In the fall of 2010 Grace Restaurant will open up in the decommissioned Cathedral after moving from Beverly Boulevard in Hollywood. ^[2]

Aside from Awards Parties and Charity Galas, you can also book Vibiana's for weddings and receptions. The photo above was from a wedding shoot by Jasmine Star, one of American Photo Magazine's Top 10 Wedding Photographers of 2009. Click here to visit her blog and to view more pictures of this event. Click here to visit Vibiana's website

What about the old Cathedral?

2009-11-07T00:44:00.000-08:00

While taking pictures of the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, I suddenly found myself asking "what about the cathedral before this?" So I did some research and found that before Our Lady of the Angels was built, The mother church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, dedicated in 1876.

Circa 1880

So what happened to Saint Vibiana? Here is an excerpt from Wikidpedia:

The facility was outgrown by the region's rapidly expanding population, and the Archdiocese decided that it needed a larger main facility; however, preservationists pressured them to not destroy the historic landmark. The situation was complicated further when the 1994 Northridge Earthquake caused extensive damage to the cathedral and its 1,200-seat sanctuary.^[1] Deciding that the damage was not worth repairing in such a small structure, the Archdiocese began demolition on the site in 1996, without permits. However, the sudden dismantling of the bell tower on a Saturday morning prompted a frantic save-the-cathedral campaign, and work by the Archdiocese was halted by preservationists who had a temporary restraining order placed on demolition.^[1] The Archdiocese argued that it had the right to level its own facility; preservationists and the city wanted the church to be preserved. The structure was listed on the country's "11 Most Endangered Places" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A state Court of Appeal rejected the archdiocese's argument to be allowed to quickly demolish the cathedral; then City Councilwoman Rita Walters had moved to strip the cathedral of its historic monument status, an action that would exempt the archdiocese from having to prepare the full environmental impact study normally required for destruction of a city landmark.^[1]
Finally a compromise was reached: the City of Los Angeles agreed to swap land with the Archdiocese, giving the Church a much larger plot next to the 101 Freeway. The Archdiocese agreed and the land was developed into the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, constructed and consecrated as the new mother church cathedral parish of the Archdiocese. Some items from St. Vibiana's Cathedral were used in the new Cathedral. The stained glass and sarcophagus were placed in the new Cathedral's crypt mausoleum. Pipes from the 1980 Austin pipe organ have been incorporated into the organ at the new Cathedral. An Oratorio about Saint Vibiana was written by Peter Boyd and performed in Pacoima in 1997.
The Cathedral site was taken over by the city. The city sold the former cathedral building to downtown developer Tom Gilmore in 1999 for $4.6 million.^[1] The non-historic 1940s Education Building was demolished, making way for the new Little Tokyo Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

The Cathedral Entrance

2009-10-05T23:27:00.001-07:00

Closer view of the cathedral entrance.

The ornamental space above the pair of bronze doors contains the 8 foot image of Our Lady of the Angels. The modern figure is presented as a woman "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet" (Revelations 12:1). The halo shaft above her head shines God's light on her as the sun travels from east to west.

Mary does not wear the traditional veil. Her arms are bare, outstretched to welcome all. Her carriage is confident, and her hands are strong, the hands of a working woman. From the side can be seen a thick braid of hair down her back that summons thoughts of Native American or Latina women. Other characteristics, such as her eyes, lips and nose convey Asian, African and Caucasian features. Without the conventional regal trappings of jewels, crown or layers of clothing, she has a dignity that shines from within.

Originally, two bronzed angels were to be placed one on each side of Our Lady of the Angels. However, the first Spanish name for Los Angeles was El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora, Reina de los Angeles. Mary is Queen of Los Angeles, so the people in her city are her angels.

Source: Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Abstract view of the cathedral skylights.

Cathedral wall

"I am the door; and if anyone enters by me, he will go in and out and find pasture."

-- John 10:9

Cathedral of The Our Lady of the Angels #4

2009-10-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Another view of the pedestrian entrance from Temple Street. To the left of the photo is the parking structure which also includes administrative offices, a gift shop and cafeteria. The cathedral bells shown here ring every 15 minutes.

Cathedral of The Our Lady of the Angels #3

2009-09-29T22:27:00.001-07:00

Another view showing the stairs on the right side leading to the Cathedral Square.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels #2

2009-09-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

To the lower left side of the picture is the pedestrian entrance from Temple Street. A very unique feature of this structure is that its main entrance is located at what is usually the rear or altar end of the cathedral. From this photo you can see the main entrance with the 8 foot image of Our Lady of the Angels directly above the bronze doors. A 50 foot cross lantern that is illuminated at night adorns the facade.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

2009-09-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw it I said to myself, "those walls remind me of armor plating on an M1 Abrams Tank". When you hear the word cathedral, one usually envision something Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine, Renaissance or maybe Neo-Classical. This cathedral is neither! It is a modern place of worship for a modern city.

Click image for larger view

Building Cut in Half Part 2

2009-09-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

A different view.

Click image for larger view

Office Building Cut in Half!

2009-09-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Located next to the Orange County Performing Arts Center is this office building that looks like it has been cut in half!

Click image for larger view

OCPA Sergestrom Hall

2009-08-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

Late afternoon view of the Segerstrom Hall with sunset lighting at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Notice the steel sculpture "Connector" in the background.

Click image for larger view

The Connector at OCPA

2009-07-25T23:29:00.001-07:00

Located at the pedestrian plaza between the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Segerstrom Hall and Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Connector is a steel sculpture by Richard Serra.

"The Connector consists of five twisted, sinuous steel plates that stand together, forming a hollow structure that visitors can walk into and through. The steel plates are fused at the top, leaving a pentagonal opening to the sky. Up close, the surface of the steel is painted beautifully by natural oxidation and weather, leaving a complex pattern. At 64 feet tall and 360 tons, the structure is an impressive focal point."

From South Coast Metro site: www.southcoastmetro.com/visual_arts.html

Segerstrom Hall of OCPA

2009-07-13T23:18:00.000-07:00

Below is Segerstrom Hall, the opera house of the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

2009-07-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

Today is a holiday and didn't have to go to work so I decided to go on a walkabout with my camera. I ended up at the Orange County Performing Arts Center and found the place deserted.. perfect for taking pictures!

Above is the newest addition to the Performing Arts Center, the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall which opened in September 2006. It was getting dark when I started to take pictures and was worried that the lights will not be turned on but they did, for about 30 minutes then the place went dark. Luckily I was able to take a few shots!

The "P" Has Fallen... I think!

2009-06-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

This was the scene that greeted me on my way to work yesterday morning!

I had a couple of blog entries early this month about the falling letter "P" at this photo studio. Click here and here for the previous posts. Now the letter "P" is completely gone and I hope it didn't fall on someone's head! Maybe the owner finally found time to start fixing it! Stay tuned...

Newport Beach Pier!

2009-06-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

I was was walking down the pier when these birds came out of nowhere and started buzzing the pier! It was a crazy sight - good thing I had the camera ready! It was cold, drizzling, windy and the guy on the right almost lost his shirt! The guy next to him brought his blanky to stay warm!

This is why people line up at 5am waiting for the pier to open! It gets really crowded!

Newport Beach

2009-06-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

It was a typical June Gloom day last Saturday but I still dragged myself out of bed early to take pictures at Newport Beach Pier. I decided to take the bus so I wouldn't have to worry about parking. As I was walking to the bus stop, it started to drizzle and I almost turned back home! I'm glad I didn't!!!

Taking a break from a cold day of surfing.

The pier was full of people fishing! The pier opens at 5 am and I heard people wait in line that early to get the the best fishing spots.

Happy Father's Day!!!

2009-06-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all Dads. Just want to share with you my Father's Day Card from my daughter! Although she wont admit it, she has the same quirky sense of humor like I do that's why she got this card for me! Love it! Make sure you turn up the volume!

Flowers in your face... mine actually!

2009-06-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

I was standing at a busy corner waiting to cross the street when this lady in front of me turned suddenly around, almost smacking me in the face with a bundle of flowers! So what did I do? I pulled the camera out of my backpack and started shooting!!!!! Well, I took two pictures.... here's another one below.

That ought to teach her to be more careful!

Monk!

2009-06-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

I shared a bus ride with this monk today and took this picture as we crossed the busy intersection. He walked a straight path over the white line of the pedestrian lane . . . and so did I . . . at least today anyway!

Update - Falling "P"

2009-06-14T01:18:00.000-07:00

I got some interesting comments about the falling "P" from the blog comments, e-mail and flickr account. One commenter asked if this was intentional and a flickr contact said:

"i think photography is sometimes that way "it just hits you on the head"

flickr - Posted 47 minutes ago.

Well, I stopped by this place hoping to talk to the owner and ask him about the falling "P" but he was out shooting a wedding. His assistant did tell me that it wasn't intentional and the owner will eventually fix it when he finds time to get a tall ladder... then he told me not to hold my breath! Hmmm... business must good that he doesn't have time to fix it! I looked at some their work while I was there and I must say, they do nice work! Click here to visit their website.

Out and About . . .

2009-06-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the back row of the bus reading a book then I looked up and saw this! My Chinese co-worker said the tattoo means "Happy".

A fellow passenger on the bus on his way home from a day of fishing at Huntington Beach Pier. He didn't have any fish to bring back but he said he had a wonderful day!

Out and About on the Bus!

2009-06-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

I take two different routes on the bus to and from work. In the morning I go by Santa Ana and Westminster, also known as Little Saigon, then through through Seal Beach. Every morning when I transfer buses near Little Saigon, this is what I see.

In the afternoon, I take a more scenic route on the way home. I ride the south-bound Bus Number 1 and it travels along Pacific Coast Highway through Seal Beach and Huntington Beach. Check out the "Tsunami Evacuation Route" sign on the bus stop on Beach Boulevard.

Click images for larger view.

Out and about in the OC on the bus!

2009-05-30T02:49:00.000-07:00

I ride the bus to and from work everyday. To encourage its employees to take public transportation, my employer pays for our monthly bus passes. It's actually a great way to commute. I save over a hundred dollars a month in gas and I don't have to deal with traffic. There is less wear on tear on the car and I get to reduce my carbon foot print! Another great thing about riding the bus is having more opportunity to take pictures and I've already taken quite a few. So here are pictures of my daily scenery when I commute.

I walk by this spot every day on the way to the bus stop. Click image for larger view.

Standing at the bus stop, I decide to take a picture of my shoes!

Out and about in the OC!

2009-03-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

Orange County has a lot of nice things just like what you see in the TV series. Nice beaches, huge mansions, trendy shopping malls with lots of designer stores. But the OC is just like any other place. It also has a less glamorous side.

I wonder if this motel will befall the same fate as what the signs says if it closes. By the looks of it, it's almost there! This was taken on Harbor Blvd, one of the main thoroughfares in the county that run from north to south from La Habra all the way down to Costa Mesa.

March Equinox! It's Spring!!!!

2009-03-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

This year, the vernal equinox will be on March 20 which also marks the beginning of spring on the northern hemisphere (autumn in the southern hemisphere). This means that the sun will shine directly on the equator and the length of day and night are equal in all parts of the globe. This year it will occur exactly at 11:44 am UTC. The word "equinox" is derived from the latin words equal night. Spring also means, spring break, daylight savings time and warmer days ahead so it's time to shake the winter blues away and to stop worrying if someone let the cat in last night!!!

Brought you by the Kitties of "I Can Has Cheezeburger!"

Plane Spotting at LAX is moving to air-foto images!

2009-03-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Click picture for enlarged view

Late afternoon departure for British Airways Boeing 747-436 Flight BA278 bound for London taking off from LAX Runway 25R. Click picture to enlarge.

This is the last Plane Spotting entry on i-Observer! I don't want i-Observer to turn into an aviation blog so I created a separate blog for my aviation photos and aviation related articles. Effective today, all aviation related entries will be posted on a new blog called:

air-foto images

Plane Spotting at LAX . . . .

2009-03-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

Taken from the northside of LAX (In-N-Out Burger side). Singapore Airlines Boeing 747 waiting in line to take-off on runway 24L behind a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737. In the background is an El Al (Israel) Boeing 777 Flight LY06 bound for Tel Aviv taking off from runway 25R.

Typical Los Angeles traffic even at the airport. A Northwest Airlines 757 that just landed on Runway 25L is on hold, waiting for an American Airlines MD-82 taking off on Runway 25R to clear before crossing the runway en-route to its gate. Click on the picture to for an enlarged view and look for the "HOLLYWOOD" sign in the background.

Landing gear and flaps retracting as Lufthansa Flight LH457 continues on its journey to Frankfurt, Germany.

Plane Spotting at LAX from Imperial Hill

2009-03-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did some plane spotting at LAX from Imperial Hill. I've never been to this location before but I've heard that it's a great spot for taking pictures. Here is one of the pictures I took yesterday.

Afternoon departure for Lufthansa Boeing 747-430M Flight LH457 departing on runway 25R for Frankfurt, Germany.

Out and about in the OC - Part 2

2009-02-22T23:10:00.000-08:00

More oil drilling platforms off the coast at Huntington Beach

Plane Spotting at LAX Part 2

2009-02-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

This picture gives you a better perspective of how low they fly at this spot.

Plane Spotting at LAX

2009-02-19T23:02:00.000-08:00

Photo of American Airlines Boeing-777 Flight 137 arriving from London Heathrow Airport.

I've always been fascinated with airplanes and enjoy taking their pictures. One of the best places to spot airplanes is at a little park next to an In-N-Out Burger at LAX on the corner of Sepulveda and 92nd St between Lincoln and Westchester. Here you can grab a burger, sit outside and watch the planes make their final approach to LAX's runway 24R. Click here for location map. The planes fly so low at this spot that you almost want to duck when they fly overhead. This is also a good spot to hang out if you are waiting to pick someone up at the airport. Instead of paying for parking, come early, grab a burger, have the person you're picking call you on your cell phone when they're ready at the curbside then Bam! You're there in five minutes! Mission accomplished!

Out and about in the OC! (Orange County)

2009-02-18T15:02:00.001-08:00

I was on my way home from work the other day and decided to take the scenic route along Pacific Coast Highway instead of taking the 405 Freeway. The sun was setting so I parked the car along PCH at the southern end of Dog Beach (Designated area of Huntington Beach where dogs are allowed on the beach), jumped out of the car and took some pictures. Here's a picture of one of the oil drilling platforms off the coast at sunset. I think I'll call this one "California Gold". Stay tuned, more pictures to follow.

Happy New Year from the i-Observer

2009-01-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to my 9 readers including the wifey and relatives! Arrival of the New Year usually means New Year's resolutions! If you are having trouble deciding what your New Years resolutions will be for 2009, click here for a wonderful clip from "I Can Has Cheezeburger" for inspiration. I also recommend daily visits to their website for the rest of the year to keep things from getting too serious. Just click on the picture below to visit the LOLCATS.

Filipino Flavors - Southeast Asia's Most Misunderstood Cuisine

2008-12-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

I'd like to share with you another great article about Filipino Cuisine written by Robyn Eckhardt of Eating Asia. The article appeared on the October 3, 2008 issue of the Wall Street Journal in the Life & Style Section. The article gives a wonderful insight into the different regional cooking styles in the Philippines. Click here to read the article.

Anthony Bourdain - No Reservations!

2008-11-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

For those of you who love Filipino food and watch Anthony Bourdain's TV show No Reservations on the Travel Channel, you will be very happy to know that he and his crew were in the Philippines last October to film an episode for the show. Find out where they went and who they interviewed by clicking the links to The Philippine Star Articles below.

Beyond Balut with Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain doesn't need a reservation at Bale Dutung

Why Claude?

Anthony and his crew also went to Cebu to interview "MM" - the man behind the famous food blog Market Manila! Click here for more details. The episode is scheduled to air January next year. Check your local TV listings for details.

Christmas Holiday Feasting in the Philippines

2008-11-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was at the mall the other day and stopped by my favorite magazine stand. I was leafing through the December issue of Saveur Magazine and to my great surprise, found a nine page article about home cooking in the Philippines during the Christmas Holidays - specifically in Arayat, Pampanga! It is a wonderful article that showcases Kapampangan Cuisine. It even includes the Medina Family recipe for Ensaimada.

The article was written by Robyn Eckhardt, a free-lance writer based in Malaysia with photography by David Hagerman. Visit Robyn's blog at http://eatingasia.typepad.com
and David's website at http://davidhagermanphotography.com
Visit Saveur Magazine on-line at: www.saveur.com

The December issue of Saveur Magazine is now available at your local book stores or magazine stands.