Music- Lightning Crashes

Buena Park, Brea, and O.C. Railroads

This map of Buena Park's Japanese Village & Deer Park appears on a number of websites, but I did at least clean it up a bit in Photoshop. This tourist attraction had a fairly short life, opening in 1967 and closing in 1974. It was north of Knott's Berry Farm, near the intersection of Manchester and Stanton Ave.
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The Brea Museum & Heritage Center, 495 S. Brea Blvd, will host an exhibit July 3 to Sept. 18 on early U.S. aviation history – with an emphasis on Southern California. The exhibit includes historical photos and documents and a walk-in diorama booth featuring the famous Jan. 1910 Air Meet at Rancho Dominguez Field. The Museum is open on Saturdays, 10am to 3pm.
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Rob Richardson will discuss and sign his new book, Railroads and Depots of Orange County, at the Old Orange County Courthouse on July 1, from noon to 1pm.

The Unbearable Shortness Of Being

When my husband died he was in his mid fifties and I was in my early thirties.  At that time I thought that the age of fifty something was unfathomably old.  Naturally my perspective on the matter has changed greatly. At least, when he died, I could say that he had lived a rich and full life. Strangely knowing that he had five decades to live up to his potential, including having two marriages, five children, a successful business and a multitude of friends, made his death less traumatic.

But how does anyone deal with the death of a young adult.  There is no way to put an ameliorating layer of "he lived a full life" on the comprehension of death.  The death of the young is so very sad because it is also the death of potential.  Who would this young man have become if he had lived out his life?  What would he have brought to the world?

In this particular situation there are even more questions about how a strapping young man of 20 could disappear on his way home from a friend's house in Bel Air a mile away from his home in Brentwood.  How the police and coroner could mistake the identity of a hit and run victim for two days after the family had filed a missing persons report, searched the neighborhoods and trails of western Bel Air by foot, hired a private investigator and searched by bloodhound and helicopter.

A rather amazing thing came out of the senselessness of this situation.  Through the use of Facebook and Twitter, the news of his disappearance spread quickly and many more people than just the immediate family and friends could be on the lookout for him.  Unfortunately, by then it was too late but it was an important reminder of how technology can help in times of crisis. 

Jamie O'Connell, had your grandfather lived to have seen the fine young man that you became, he would have been very proud.  
Jamie O'Connell, R.I.P.

Black Fashion Models 2009

The current issue of Italian Vogue looks at how the fashion industry has moved past the rail thin negative size models to the lack of black models in the industry.

In a move that is causing the industry to take a deep look at itself the July issue of Italian Vogue features only black models shot by fashion photographer Steven Meisel. Mr. Meisel is also the photographer behind Madonna’s infamous 1992 book, “Sex”.

black fashion models
black fashion models
black fashion models
black fashion models
black fashion models

Fashion Models 2009

Tao Okamoto. Tao Okamoto, Japanese (1987), mysterious, elegant. She had long hair, now it is short. Very professional, very perfectionist.

models interested in being featured, interviewed or photographed can inquire via e-mail: models (at) asianglam.com - of course replace (at) with @

Fashion Models
Fashion Models
Fashion Models
Fashion Models
Fashion Models

Veuve Clicquot Classic - Go Polo!

Forgetting about the World (snore) Cup action in South Africa
Heather Clawson over at Habitually Chic blogged last week about this new book Polo: The Nomadic Tribe
and last weekends Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic starring Prince Harry and polo superstar and face of Ralph Lauren Black, Nacho Figueras.

Harry had a little tumble, ouch

but Nacho was a suave as ever... and Black Watch won the match...of course.
More on polo out in blogland
The Trad has been weighing in on the the lack of spectator chic at Palm Beach Polo compared to how the polo crowd dressed for the games back in the 1980s.
Having seen these photos of the 2009 Westchester Cup  I can report that there are still plenty of well turned out fans at Palm Beach.

But no matter how the fans dress, the game is still the most elegant professional sport out there even if the life is nomadic....and it is. 
And it's not all champagne and caviar because you don't get to be a top American polo player like this talented horseman and to play on the team that won the Triple Crown of Polo without years of hard work and training.  Yes, the Argentine players like Nacho add the sexiness and excitement, but the American players like Julio add the goals.

Izaak Walton League, Orange Chapter

Today I'm posting a few more photos from the cabin/clubhouse of the Izaak Walton League's Orange Chapter. The cabin is located at 1714 W. Santa Clara Ave., in Santa Ana. I have no solid information on these photos. I just photographed photos that were hanging on the walls there. The one above was clearly taken inside the cabin -- probably in the 1950s.

The photo above shows the groundbreaking for one of a couple additions that have been made to the cabin over the decades. It appears to be sometime in the 1960s.

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The photo below shows some of the members with their catches at Newport Harbor on August 11, 1947. They've just gotten off the Lorna Pat or the Lorna Pat II, day fishing boats that were operated by J.H. "Bert" Mills. I'm admiring how empty the San Joaquin Hills are in the distance behind them.

Sorry I don't have more information on these, but I thought they were interesting and wanted to share them.

Bong Model Rinku Ghosh In Bikini

Make Mine Mid-Century

If you haven't seen this month's Vogue editorial with a homage to Mid-Century Style
with Ewan McGregor and Natalia Vodianova
You can view the slide show here
Could this be the beginning of the end for oversized handbags and sky high heels?
I can only hope so

Metal egret stolen from old Orange fountain

Our lovely Orange correspondent (Orange is her city of residence, not her color) writes, "...One of the egrets on the original 1880s Plaza fountain, now installed next to the library, was stolen Tuesday (6/22)! ...Security cameras captured the shadowy image of three young men detaching it from the fountain base and running off into the nearby neighborhood. Scrap metal hounds? College prank? We don't know. However, if you see anything or hear anything... please alert the Orange Police Dept."
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This is pretty sad. By all accounts, crime and delinquency has been on the rise in Downtown Orange over the past couple years. Maybe it's time for a few more police patrols in Old Towne.
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The photo above shows the fountain at its original home in Plaza Park in the 1920s. The image below is a close-up of the egrets. Today, the egrets are painted white all over, rather than the more realistic paint job of yore. (Egrets? I've had a few. But then again,... Too few to mention.)

New York Fashion Week 2009 2010

For Spring 2009, Nanette Lepore delivered a collection that radiated sultry femininity with hints of mischievous romance. Capturing the carefree essence of spring was the "anything goes" vibe exuded by each look where there are no restrictions when it comes to mixing patterns, shapes, textures, silhouettes, style, and so on. Ethereal silk dresses with cropped leather coats, sleek stripes paired with flirty florals, statements frocks with statement jewelry and super statement shoes- you get the point. Never one to stray too far from her ultra-femme aesthetic, we saw ruffles galore, lush garden florals, cinched waists, and loads of vibrant colors that can€™t help but make you embrace your inner girly girl.

new york fashion week
new york fashion week
new york fashion week
new york fashion week
new york fashion week

Olympus Fashion Week 2010

Today starts the best week on the planet,Olympus Fashion Week Spring 2007. If only I could be in the mix!!!Tonight at 8:00 pm Baby Phat will roll out their collection. Whether you like her not,Kimora Lee Simmons is hustling chick and eye is inpecable. She know glam,fab, and what divas are made of. Plus, her shows are packed with hip hop gliterrati. I always check www.Style.com every day.This website is good on posting the current days shows online. Also,Fashion Rocks Show is coming on tonight on CBS at 8:00pm. Because I don't have a "friday night social agenda" I'll be front of the tube.

olympus fashion week
olympus fashion week
olympus fashion week
olympus fashion week
olympus fashion week

Men's Fashion 2009 In Italy

The Burberry Prorsum fashion show for Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2009 in Italy. Burberry is such a great brand. The colors for next Spirng/Summer season were too Fall colorish to us, but the bright mustard and soft powder blues really worked well. The dark olive green is a color you don’t expect to see at summertime, but they do make it airy. The grays had a soft touch to them. The hats you can do without.

Men's Fashion
Men's Fashion
Men's Fashion
Men's Fashion
Men's Fashion

Cyndi Lauper Fashion 2009

The 80’s fashion may be coming back, but some things never left. The music of the 80’s has been a permanent fixture on the radio and in the stores, possessing some timeless quality that allows it to stay a constant flow of electric guitars and erratic drum solos. Maybe it’s because some of the bands from the time haven’t left yet, serving as a reminder of ‘the good old days’. That still doesn’t explain why the younger generation is still listening to the same songs their parents did when they have no nostalgic attachment to the music. Be it because their parents have subjected them to it as a child, or some freak alignment of the planets, the music looks like it has taken up residency in our lives.

cyndi lauper fashion
cyndi lauper fashion
cyndi lauper fashion
cyndi lauper fashion
cyndi lauper fashion

Virtual Fashion Models 2008

Our fashion section puts the spotlight on designers, fashion parades and events and feature the best of Second Life models. These pages are constantly updating as we add more feature stories and attend events in Second Life. If you would like your event covered, or would like me to focus on a particular avatar or aspect of an event that I am attending, just ask - IM me! We have a great team of fashion experts & models to help you show off your range of clothes - designers, editors note these models & pictures are available for hire ~ GaiaGirl Pearl xx

virtual fashion model
virtual fashion model
virtual fashion model
virtual fashion model
virtual fashion model