’23 March – where the Heck is mom

A Pomegranate And A Stroll

'23 March / March 17, 2023 March 19, 2023

Rome and I went for a short walk after lunch at Eat At Joe’s, one block down and one block back, because I felt up for a short walk(!…look at me walking!). We took some pictures and made a cool collage with both of our contributions. Rome did the photoshop while I hovered.

And then we went to Starbucks as usual and as usual Rome bought me my favorite treat. This time they were having a Friday special which we happily took advantage of it. Rome’s favorite drink is on the board of barista recommendations: “Pistachio Cream frappe w/2 scoops of Macha and 1 pump of Hazelnut..”

AI Art

'23 March / March 16, 2023 March 18, 2023

Susie and I went to the Jeffrey Deitch gallery in Hollywood to see the exhibit “Refik Anadol: Living Paintings”. It’s all ooozy and constantly reshaping itself – psych-o-delic of the first order.

I was trying to find some details of both the exhibit and the artist. Then I decided since this was an AI art project why don’t I ask **ChatGPT**! about it and the answer was so on point I include it here:

Refik Anadol is a Turkish-American artist who is known for his innovative work with data, artificial intelligence, and immersive media. One of his notable projects is “Living Paintings,” which explores the intersection of technology and art.

“Living Paintings” is an installation that uses machine learning algorithms to create dynamic and ever-changing paintings. The artwork is created by feeding thousands of images into a neural network, which then generates new images based on the patterns and features it has learned.

The result is a mesmerizing display of moving colors and shapes, which are projected onto a large screen. The images constantly shift and evolve, creating a unique experience for each viewer. Anadol describes “Living Paintings” as “a living, breathing artwork that is never the same twice.”

The project was inspired by Anadol’s fascination with the way that technology can be used to create new forms of art. He sees “Living Paintings” as a way to explore the creative potential of AI and to challenge traditional notions of what art can be.

“Living Paintings” has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, including the Pera Museum in Istanbul and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. The installation has received widespread critical acclaim and has been praised for its innovative use of technology and its ability to engage viewers in a new and exciting way.

Overall, Refik Anadol’s “Living Paintings” is a groundbreaking project that showcases the incredible potential of technology and its ability to transform our understanding of art. It is a powerful reminder of the creative power of human imagination and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

Some near-by buildings that caught my eye.

Remember Darryl’s Wires

'23 March / March 14, 2023 March 16, 2023

He made one every day for a year (March 2015-2016). Every day, and this one was from day 100. I put dibs on it from day 100 because I knew it was the one I wanted. Darryl came over, put up a new shelf, and tidied up the sculpture. If he ever makes the 365 Wires site live again I’ll add the link here!

Maxine’s Corned Beef And Cabbage

'23 March / March 13, 2023 March 14, 2023

Right Side Wisteria And The Shed

'23 March / March 11, 2023 March 14, 2023

The right side is coming out. The left side isn’t even budding.

Lona has been away for a while so I got to hire Cecilia for a couple Thursdays and one of those days she cleaned the shed. It’s still not a room but getting closer and now at least it’s clean!

Food From Around

'23 March / March 9, 2023 March 15, 2023

I made kumquat preserves from the kumquats in my tree. One time a neighbor asked if he could have some kumquats but mostly people stroll by, I see them furtively looking all around, and then they help themselves to a few. I don’t seem to really mind too much since there are hundreds of them, but asking is nice.

I also made a pot of chicken and vegetables so I would have something for the freezer. I had yummy phở Jo Ann, perfect for a cold rainy night, and another night Muriel made gorgeous pasta and tomato sauce. Have you ever had tomato sauce made with a stick of butter? Rich!

Three Movie Days Until The Oscars

'23 March / March 8, 2023 March 9, 2023

Nancy and I went to the Laemmle to watch the Academy Awards Nominated Documentary Shorts and it was a shockingly excellent program. In recent years the shorts (Documentary, Live Action, Animated) have been a source of one misery after another but this time the documentaries were all wonderful. Catch ’em if you can!

Here’s the site: https://shorts.tv/theoscarshorts/

HBD Merlyn

'23 March / March 7, 2023 March 8, 2023

Merlyn and I went out for some photophoto and food in celebration of Merlyn’s birthday. We do well on outings enjoying as we do a similar pace of walking and stopping for a picture. Stepping and stopping, it works out well.

We went down to the area in San Pedro that takes us to views of cool bridges..

..and to Fermin Park with the Korean Friendship Bell. The top picture is from the park. Below is the figure welcoming guests to the Friendship Bell.

That’s Merlyn and Catalina Island, 26 miles across the sea.

We had lunch here at the 22nd Street Landing Seafood Grill & Bar, serving port people, locals and visitors alike since 1990. And then we brought home Happy Birthday Ice Cream. What’s a happy birthday without a sweet treat?!

Forgotten Birthday Picture

'23 March / March 6, 2023 March 9, 2023

Happy Birthday to the twins Ljubica and Marija, and to Alicia. Our Monday February birthdays but I forgot a picture during the party so I took one two Mondays later.

Strathearn Historical Park and Museum

'23 March / March 4, 2023 March 9, 2023

Burt and Char took me to visit this Simi Valley landmark. We had Italian lunch first, and tea and cookies after. It was a lovely day. Both of the ‘boys’ John and Bradley, were home so I got big hugs which is a delight. These are the grandsons B&C have been raising since the boys were small, and now 18 years later, they are very much Not small. Time flies!

Our tour. You have to have the tour if you want to get into the buildings and it is very interesting! Our guide was a slow walkin’ slow talkin’ guy but full of info and love for this place.

Down By The Sea

'23 March / March 3, 2023 March 6, 2023

It’s a song kids. I seem to have a tune for every expression drawing confusion and eye-rolling from the youth. I asked Leo what he did today and he said he Got Up, Got Out Of Bed, so what’s a gal to do? Did you drag a comb across your head?!

Today we had a beach party (Down By The Sea-eee)! What FUN!

Rome, Leo, Amandine, Lilly (sorry Lilly, I didn’t notice your eyes!)

Lilly’s picture. Me too! We brought a picnic cloth, a table, a couple bags of food, and had a beautiful time. The kids all ran back to the Strand for ice cream, then they ran down to enjoy the shore, and I just sat here on my comfortable seat soaking up the cool refreshing sun.

Lilly’s pictures of the lifeguard station.

Oh yeah, Leo, cute, sweet, fun, good job Rome.

Rome’s pictures. They have a treasure chest of craft supplies and we dressed up my phone Real Good.

Seriously Engaging The Practice of Stoicism

'23 March / March 1, 2023 March 6, 2023

My computer bit the dust. Deep breaths, sigh, look to the practice of Stoicism. It was time. Now I have a new ‘good!’ computer for photoshop And a new ‘good!’ computer for most other things. I’ll still have to take the photoshop computer on trips but the internet computer is amazing and all I’d need for kicking around town!