Justin Rudd presents: Interfaith Blessing of the Animals - Saturday, 10/4, 11-2:30, Marine Stadium

The Interfaith Blessing of the Animals, presented by Justin Rudd and his nonprofit 501c3 Community Action Team (C.A.T.) and co-sponsored by Councilman Gary DeLong... is the second largest pet blessing in the U.S., held in conjunction with St. Francis Day.

This year, organizers are working with a wildlife education team to bring some more unusual animals to get blessed by the various faith leaders. These animals will be brought out one at a time at the very beginning of the outdoor service:

This will be a really interesting event, and a great time to enjoy community and our adorable animal friends! The blessing will begin at 12pm and will last for 45 minutes. Pet Vendors and a Pet Adoption Fair will begin at 11am at the Stadium, closing at 2:30pm.



more photos to come!

University by the Sea, Sunday, 10/5, 10am-10pm

The University by the Sea is a neat one-day educational festival, with tours, classes, workshops, bands, weddings (?!), etc.

Come out and support a really unique event in the city of Long Beach.

On October 5, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., local artists, musicians, educators and activists will flood the transformed downtown streets with creativity and insight. Restaurants will open their doors to host classes ranging from sushi making to wine tasting to ballet.

And everything will be eco-conscious, right down to the facilities used at Schooled in Song II-Long Beach's most anticipated music event of the year. Featuring Sustainable Waves' solar-powered sound and lighting and a carbon dioxide-eating main stage, this Schooled in Song's set-up is U-Sea's centerpiece of sustainability.

Stroll through the Goods Gallery, made entirely out of recycled shipping containers. Lollygag around the Live Arts Corridor, where hundred of local artists will be impromptu-creating. Mosey over to Momentum Mobile Galleries-converted U-Haul moving vans coordinated by Flood, the world-renowned arts organization behind SoundWalk. Renew your wedding vows at House of Hayden-which will lapse back in time to its days as a wedding chapel.

But whatever you do, don't be late for class!

You can buy your tickets online at www.universitybythesea.com.

I took photos for Gregorio Luke, lecturer and recently installed part-time curator of the Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture, from last year's University by the Sea presentation on Che Guevara.











and my favorite photograph of Gregorio, which I shot on his last day at molaa:

Field Trip: Canon Captures Catalina 2008

We had a chance to help out Barbara Ellison, Canon Pro Market Rep and floral art photographer, this weekend at Canon Captures Catalina:


Barbara following the afternoon session.

I enjoyed taking photos of the city and the Catalina Artisans Market:

Early morning fog


Sally's Waffle Shop = Deliciousness


Courtyard, Hotel Villa Portofino


Robin's Egg Blue


Deco-liciousness


Hotel Catalina


Plaster duck fountain


VoltoCathedral


L'il Snapper


Sparkly mermaid


Songs in the Key of Life


Sodapop shop


Organic technology


Lisianthus catapillar


Snapdragon dazzling

We met some great people: Frank from Nelson Photo in La Jolla, the two Michaels - both reps at Canon, and Dennis from Chrome Digital, the best professional photo print lab in San Diego since 1982. Good people - good times! Special thanks to Stacey Foster, District Sales Rep at Canon, for her invitation and the great photo retreat she puts on every year.

Lovingly shot with a Canon 1Ds Mark II, and my favorite lenses: 50mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.2 with an extension tube - what fun!

Long Beach Certifed Farmer's Market!

Thoroughly enjoyed my first time visit to the Thursday Long Beach Uptown Certified Farmer's Market q 3-6:30pm, located in the frontage road at Vons on Atlantic and 46th. I usually go after church to the Farmers Market at the Marina, but would rather not feel pressured to race across town, so this was a nice change of pace.

Come for the 5pm produce raffle - tickets are FREE! I won a gorgeous bouquet, winning ticket #180!




I also bought several bags of peaches, plums, tiny red potatoes, various squashes, and radishes, for under $20. Long Beach Farmer's Market info can now be found at their new website: www.goodveg.org. I think the Thursday night market produce is priced a little more reasonably than during the weekend and the community vibe is very welcoming.

Remembrances of things past...Long Beach Modern

Farmers Market at the Promenade.

Gorgeous Garden, Cal Heights, Long Beach.

The Little Nest, Downtown Long Beach.

Provence-Boulangerie.  You are missed.

Pirate ships on fire mural, MLK - across from molaa.

Oatmeal at the Village Cafe.

Summer moonlight to Fall.

4th and Broadway.

Wheatpaste Girl, Broadway and Cherry, across from Rite-Aid.

Meaningful directionary, downtown Long Beach.

405 South, very early in the morning.

4th and Linden during filming.

the girls, Bixby Knolls Block Party.

Alamitos Beach.

Pediatrans, Keep Out!

End of workday, molaa parking lot, view of St. Anthony's Church.

Previous images lovingly shot with Canon Powershot SD300 DigiElph- O, how I would love to try the Canon G10~

Perez Celis (1939-2008)

Angel de las Americas, Perez Celis.

House with the dead possum

I'm not sure how we managed to have a poor possum die inside the low-hanging branches of the tree next to our kitchen, but after a day of searching under the house and calling the landlord to find out if we could the exterminators, I noticed a little furry dangling body hiding in the leaves and ran startled into the street. Mr. Mod called the city to have them remove it, and thought he would draw a diagram of the location for the animal services technicians, in case we were out. It's both cute and a little overboard: Enjoy!

We Love LB BBQ - Saturday, 9/27, 1p-5pm

Here's a little viddy by the effervescent Jon Palsgrove, from a We Love Long Beach picnic earlier this summer. As always, Good Times!

Props to Scott Jones, for helming the We Love Long Beach project. Good work, Scott!!!

(you may want to pause the bossanova radio to the left, prior to viewing)

Show at Shelter! Surf Shop, Saturday, 9/27 at 7pm

See the Art and listen to the charmingest Long Beach band, Tijuana Panthers! on the Toy Records label.