After visiting two museums over on the UT campus I stopped by the Medici Caffe for a very nice cappuccino. A very nice cappuccino. I'm not sure why but the staff at this coffee shop always treats me with almost comical deference. I think, since it is across the street from the UT campus they rarely see people who are old enough for Medicare coming in off the hot streets for a coffee. Whatever. If people want to be extra nice to me I'll take it... Did I mention that the product was superb? Cuz it was.
I got all my business stuff done early. I scheduled a scouting expedition for after lunch on Thursday. My favorite creative director has a project that entails food, design and high end photography. I can't wait to see the comps (comprehensive layouts). And the lunch should be fun because it's with an old friend and client who is now the executive director of a big theater in Oklahoma. Can't wait to hear what he's up to and what we might be collaborating on.
I had a lunch yesterday with a psychiatrist/writer/golfer who has written two fun and successful books about psychological approaches to success at golf. I did the book covers for the first two and, over lunch yesterday, I found out that he's almost finished with his third book. We met to go over creative concepts for the book cover images and some fun (and funny) images for the inside. We're booked to hit the putting green on Saturday morning this week to shoot the cover photo. More to follow.
The work day got capped off with introductions to three doctors who need to schedule with me in the next week or so for "official" portraits for their new practice. I have a feeling the 135mm f2.5 Mitakon lens is going to get a workout on those three shoots. Glad I snagged one.
So, with all the work done and the taxes paid I had a free afternoon. That coincided with a drop in temperatures. Instead of a high near 108° (that's coming back again on Thursday...) the heat barely nudged 100° and the lower humidity made everything feel so much better. I tossed on my favorite hat and my favorite sunglasses and fired up the VSL squad car. Raced over to the West campus area, parked and made the rounds. First stop was a quick look through of the Bob Bullock Museum of Texas History. Nothing of note to report. Of my three stops they definitely had the coldest air conditioning and the only café.
I ambled across the street to the Blanton Museum. I'm liking their new plaza more and more. The main gallery was closed in order to prep for the next big show but I had a great time just going through the modern art collection on the second floor. And taking exterior images of their great arches. And I take every opportunity to walk through the Elsworth Kelly "chapel" to see the colored windows. After that it was time to head over to the HRC and take a gander at...the first photo. Ever. And a nice copy of the Gutenberg Bible. And an exhibit about Norman Mailer. And another exhibit of dance materials by Deborah Hay. I even ran into an old friend who is one of the curators of the Helmet Gernsheim Photography Collection. One of the biggest repositories of 19th and 20th century photography in the world. We had a short conversation about the working methodologies of HCB. Counter to current suggestions on the web.....
After my fine coffee I headed home to play with a few files and to send my next door neighbor some images I took on Sunday at his 3 year old's birthday party. Photos of little kids trying to destroy a piñata. Seems three, four and five year olds aren't so good at piñata destruction. They'll learn.
So, as I ambled about in the cool 99° weather I took some images. Here are some of them...
Sun shades on the plaza in front of the Blanton Museum of Art.
All images are from the Leica Q2.
that's about the long and short of it. Now settling in with a Lee Child novel.
I ran out of John Sanford Novels. But I think another one is coming out shortly.
fingers crossed.
Looks like I'm back at work for now. It's a good thing. I was getting bored.
Still fascinated with the Fuji 50Sii. Fun galore. Just because it's new and different to me.
14 comments:
#5 because diagonal colours is my favourite of course! love your photos and prose as always!
But wait! Some of these pictures have non-converging verticals! Is that a feature of the Q2? :) I really like the last shot. I think there are lots more good pictures waiting out under those shades.
The Blanton is such a jewel and the new sun shades just make it even more so. I so love the cool blue tiles in the lobby.
Hi David, I stood on a chair and leveled the camera. It was hard work. Had to take a nap afterwards...
Kirk - my father-in-law ordered a Tilley hat online to wear on an upcoming cruise, but the order got cancelled due to the item being out of stock for the foreseeable future. He is most disappointed. I know you have great respect and fondness for Tilley hats. ;-) But, given these circumstances, what type of hat are you now recommending?
First of all....Craig....you might want to check for the Tilley hat of your father-in-law's dreams online at REI. I was in REI on Monday and they had a good inventory of assorted Tilley hats. In stock. Just sitting there on the shelves. Me? Right now? I guess that Fjallraven hat I bought a month or two ago. It's an "Abisko Summer Hat"
Here's Fjallraven's site page for that hat: https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/women/accessories/caps-hats-beanies/abisko-summer-hat?v=F77273%3a%3a7323450857998
And here it is on the REI site: https://www.rei.com/product/217050/fjallraven-abisko-summer-hat
Good hat hunting!.
Try John D MacDonalds Travis McGee books. Lee Child listed him as a major influence for his Reacher books. They are a bit deeper than Lee Child.
oh jeez i missed the last shot! agree with David! Fab!
I love the last one! Always a sucker for a sunburst ;)
Eric
I've given up on the Reacher series since Lee Child's brother took over the writing. They're not the same quality and Reacher has become unlikable to me. I'm hooked on the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly. The books are meticulously written and plotted and are dependent on the compounding of facts and details. And there is always a surprise ending - or two, sometimes three - that is unforeseen.
When you're thrilled about a drop in temperature to 100, you know you've living a different reality.
These days, I'm greeted personally by the owners at 2 local coffee shop/bakeries. I feel a bit like Norm from Cheers. I've never been a regular anywhere before.
My family ancestry is Italian so I feel obligated to have one or two cappuccinos every week. An ex-colleague British ex-pat friend refuses to have cappuccinos after 11:00 am, the poor guy.
"You wanna go where everybody knows your name" <-- that's Revolver Coffee at 325 Cambie Street, Vancouver for me. Kirk to make up for my gmail fiasco :-), next time you are in Vancouver, I'll treat you to coffee there!
Roland, You're on. I'd love to.
K:" You're on. I'd love to." Me: yay, love to meet you and anybody else you drag out like B or other VSL readers!
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