Unlikely (Mt Victoria, Wellington)

An unlikely spot for a garden.

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Big Sur (CA)

The Pacific Coast of California was the final leg of our road trip, and one last place I would love to spend more time. Big Sur, where the mountains rise from the ocean; home to a young Hunter S. Thompson; an isolated hideaway. During my first few days in California I learned that LA had something to offer which wasn’t what I’d expected. During my last few, I discovered what was so compelling about the West Coast. The scenery, the ocean, the light and a feeling that, though I’ve tried, I just can’t put into words. It’s something I’ve felt in movies and music and now experienced in the reality of this stretch of coast.








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The Accidental Sea (Ransom Riggs)

One of the many places I’d liked to have spent more time on our US road trip is the Salton Sea. It’s probably the strangest place too. Mostly I feel compelled to spend less time in conditions like these. Isolated. Stinky. Unbelievably hot. Getting out of the car felt like opening the door to a hot oven. But it intrigues me, as a man made catastrophe and further, a failure of development. It seems like an utterly crazy place to live, coming from my point of view as a freezing wind swept Wellingtonian. I also believe they grow dates there. Below is a beautiful and interesting short film by Ransom Riggs about the California’s strange lake. (brought to my attention via Roger Ebert)

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Monterey (CA)

I’d hoped many times to take a photo of a Hummingbird while in San Francisco. Though they often fluttered around outside while we were having breakfast, they never hung around long enough for me to get the shot. The day we left San Francisco I happened upon one at the Monterey Wharf, camera in hand. Thanks little guy. We also spotted this lone seal hanging out near the wharf. Monterey was really nice but it was only a brief stop on the way to San Luis Obsipo, a little more time there would have been great. Hopefully next time we can visit the aquarium and if I’m really lucky spot a sea otter in the wild.

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Paper Gifts

Kate & I have been supremely lucky lately and received an abundance of great gifts lately (to what do we owe this great karma?). We had our first wedding anniversary, and not just because it’s traditional, but because it is cool we ended up exchanging paper gifts. Kate gave me The Road and two Sarah McNeil prints. I’ve added issues 3 and 4 to Kate’s Lula Collection. One of my grooms-people, Fi, sent us an anniversary present, also paper. And the other, Seb, brought back some paper gifts from Taiwan. Hannah scored us some great postcards of the beautiful art deco posters for Black Swan. And Kelly sent me a signed copy of Patton Oswalt’s book.

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