San Francisco Photos of Jon S

Great Views and Great Drinks

2011-06-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

There are a few reasons I like hitting up different bars. Of course one reason is having an excellent cocktail or draft beer. The other reason is one that differs from bar to bar and that is The View. Below I document 3 bars with great views.

The Pied Piper Bar in The Palace Hotel

The Pied Piper Bar has no windows and yet the view is amazing. Sitting at the bar you stare up at a 16 foot wide painting by Maxfield Parrish. The painting is amazing and lighting really brings out the colors.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

There are 2 more paintings in the bar. I really like this one because it shows Mark Twain as well as Emperor Norton I

Grandviews at The Hyatt

The Grandviews at The Hyatt is on the 36th floor. It offers a different but equally impressive view.

Looking down on Coit Tower from the 36th floor

The Top of the Mark doesn't look so toppy from up here

Even normal parking garages look cooler from the 36th floor

Hawaii West Bar

Sometimes the view from the bar you are in comes from the interesting people you meet in the bar. This is the case with Hawaii West. It's a Tiki dive bar boarding Chinatown and North Beach.

I wish I could have taken photos of everyone in the bar because many of them were as interesting looking as our bar tender.

That's it for now but keep an eye out for more posts in the near future.

Jon

A Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

2011-06-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

Bay Area CA

3 day weekends are great. This most recent 3 day weekend was epic. We packed a ton into 3 days. We did 2 city tours, went to 2 bars on our quest to visit bars from A-Z and rented a car and got out of town for a day. Check it out.

We did the SF City Guides Tour of the Rincon Center Murals. These murals were painted during the WPA program.

The Rincon Center is a really great Art Deco building originally built to be the main post office in San Francisco.

I really liked this shot I took on our walk to North Beach.

We have been going to bars working our way through the alphabet. We went to Columbus Cafe for the letter C.

Here is me striking a pose at Columbus Cafe.

I took a picture of a nice selection of Bitters at Cask, a fairly high end Whiskey Store.

Donna and I went to Brentwood to pick cherries. It was the 2nd weekend of the season. It was fun.

I took this one of Donna while I was on a Cherry Ladder. I didn't fine the Chute or the HiHo....

Lovely Cherries

Donna wore her Cherry Tree camouflage.

More Cherry Picking. It was very picturesque.

Then we went to an Alpaca farm and saw the alpaca.

They were cute

This one liked Donna but Donna didn't know it yet. :)

Twins? Nope....

Cute hu?

A bit of grafiti art and a different view of the Transamerica Pyramid.

I like taking photos of buildings

This is a great shot of a bar we went to in North Beach. 15 Romolo. It's a speak easy in an alley. The photo doesn't do the view we had justice. It was so cool.

A candle and bitters at 15 Romolo

Donna anticipating her libation at 15 Romolo.

It was a great weekend. I look forward to the next 3 day weekend.

A Tough Day at Work - The How Weird Street Festival

2011-05-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA - Downtown

We are working hard at MunkyFun to release a highly innovative game and a little extra effort is needed. We all went to work on Sunday and at noon the How Weird Street Fair started. This is a Techno/Love festival so the there were DJs playing music in many locations. Our office looks out on 2 alleys and both were blocked off for the festival so some of the guys had to hop a fence to get to work. It was fun but it was also tough to be at work with all of the fun going on around us. I took a small break and went down to take photos.

Out the back window looking down on some resting revelers

Out the front window. It was some sort of commitment ceremony or something

The flier mentioned to wear a costume

Hula Hooping for Health

Now that's a costume!

Liza?

Dude! Your hair is this big!

I documented the documentary

He wasn't asking for anything, just having a good day

Rainbow Bright!

The glasses match the top. They are both small

Ewok!

Three Wheeling!

Big hair

Lucky kid has Halo Legos.....

A cowgirl in The City

This won't end well

Everyone was having fun

Even night elf Jedi

That's it for now. See ya soon.

What happens in SF gets put on my blog...Family Visit

2011-03-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

San Francisco CA

A few weeks ago Sharon (Donna's Sister) visited us. We spent a nice weekend exploring the city and eating its fine food. Here are some photos from the visit.

Both Sharon and Donna close their eyes when photos are taken. It's in their genes. Luckily my 11 years in the Tech Industry has allowed me to meet some of the best digital artists around and one of them was able to quickly make some adjustments to this so that their eyes appear open. Keep in mind this is an altered photo when looking at it. It's amazing what we can do with computers these days.

Here is a shot of Donna and Sharon on the Golden Gate Bridge in the wind. I used my Lensbaby.

Another Lensbaby shot.

And another shot with the Lensbaby.

I was Lensbaby crazy.

Crissy Field in a dream.

China Town was ready for the Chinese New Year

Donna and Sharon took some time to do some shopping in China Town

Just before Sharon's flight we took her to the Irish Bank and she had a nice Ice Tea in a San Jose Sharks Glass.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2011-02-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Irvine CA 2004 Point of View Inc. Chuck's Office

On this day in 2004 Chuck was coming in to work early to paint a bomber jacket for his friend. They are both into old planes. I took progress pictures of it every few days. It turned out very nice.

This is a pretty early progress shot of it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2006

2011-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Orange CA 2006 Johnny Rebs

On this day in 2006 we took our niece Erika to Johnny Rebs in Orange. She got to color, play with her My Pretty Ponies and eat good Southern food. It was a good night.

One A Day - Catching up....

2010-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

So I had pictures all picked out but failed to post them. It's due to being pretty busy, being a bit lazy and the new World of Warcraft Expansion so here is what I missed posting so far this month.

Donna and I at the Disney Holiday Christmas Party in 2005

Our House in Orange all decked out for Christmas in 2003

Some of the old POV Gang at Hooters for a birthday in 2006

A visit to a Japanese place for Lea's Birthday in 2005

A very Doggy Christmas Celebration Party at our house in Orange in 2005

Lea's office on her Birthday in 2003

Mom and Bill visiting us in San Francisco in 2008

The Disney Scheduling Holiday Party in 2006

More of our Orange House decorated for Christmas in 2002

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-12-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2002 I took a photo of the place the magic happens. This is our BBQ area. This was taken before we got our fancy cast iron BBQ but Webbers work well too. I think I took the photo because I had just put up the Christmas Lights.

The Holidays are here...

2010-12-04T23:14:00.000-08:00

San Francisco CA The Holidays

Happy Holidays everyone. Festivity is in full swing here in San Francisco. Thanksgiving is is in our rear view mirror for 2010. I hope everyone had a good day. We did. We roasted duck this year. It was very good but a lot of work and didn't yield as much meat as a turkey. I think we will go back to turkey next year.

We are all decorated for Christmas and enjoying all of the decorations throughout The City. We plan on going to as many fancy hotels to enjoy the decorations, holiday cheer and to take photos. Be on the look out for those in the near future.

Our Duck

Jean Luc makes another appearance this year. This was a decoration we made very early on in our marriage and he is still with us.

The Tiki Mug with tinsel and a snowman top is new this year.

These are actually Asian Tour Pins from our Disney Days. These Christmas Tree "Decorations" have been with us since the beginning too. We have many more than just these but we didn't pull them all out this year.

This year the Santa Pub Crawl happened again. Giant groups of Santas and Mrs. Santas hop from bar to bar in The City. It's pretty fun to watch and we got a few shots. This group of Santas wouldn't let people pass by without a hug and a Merry Christmas. There was a lot of holiday cheer going on with this group in more than one way.

Fisherman's Wharf is all decked out with Holiday Cheer.

The Santas and Ms. Santas stopped by Hooter's for some brew and wings.

Donna and I had a goal to ride each of the cable car lines from start to end and we finished up that goal tonight while taking pictures of the Pub Crawl and Holiday goings ons.

Macy's has their decorations up in Union Square and it is quite a site.

Happy Holidays from Jon and Donna!

One A Day - On This Day in 2005

2010-12-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Orange CA Our BBQ

On this day in 2005 we gave our new rotisserie a spin. Ha! See what I did there? The roast was wonderful.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2002 Shatzi took a nap. She always liked using a pillow or a pole.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Newport Beach CA The Goathill Tavern

On this day I was at The Goat with some work friends and clients. One of the guys I was with was impressed with the number of taps. It's a cool place. You should go.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2004 Foxy played in some paper. We were probably decorating for Christmas.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

San Francisco CA Alcatraz Island

On this day in 2008 we went to Alcatraz Island with a few friends. It was a really cool night time tour. It was very spooky and picturesque. You can find photos of the trip here.

One A Day - On This Day in 2005

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Long Beach CA Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles

On this day in 2005 we went to the wonderful Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. It's great! Go there! Now! Go Go GO!

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-11-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

Irvine CA Toys R Us

On this day in 2004 I waited in line to buy a Nintendo DS. It was launch day so there was a lot of action at our local Toys R Us. It's a great system and still going strong. It will soon be replaced by a really cool 3-D version (not like the crappy Virtual Boy).

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

San Francisco CA Pearl's Burgers

On this day in 2008 we went to our favorite burger joint in The City. Pearl's Burgers serves up great burgers, shakes and fries. They were featured on The Food Network on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Some photos for you during my break

2010-11-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Up and Down the West SoCal, NoCal, Vancouver and Idaho

I did mention in my last post that things are pretty busy. I decided to take most of the month off from posting pictures but I am working on December now and I thought I would give you a few pictures to hold you off and to prove I am busy and still taking photos.

Hope you like 'em.

I can't wait!

Posters Unleashed!

Say what?

Yummy!

Cheese!

Fleet Week!

Windy

iPhoning

Street Art

Hello!

Me and my girlie looking drink

Not Post-Apocalyptic even though it looks like it.

What do I do here?

Traffic Calmed and Hoser on the same sign finally

An Angel in Sausalito

Donna - You can do that? Daxter the Dog - Yea he does that all the time....

I'm in Idaho!

Boo!

More to come and December will be back to normal.

Jon

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Chrissy Field

On this day in 2007 I was on my lunch and I saw this bird taking a bath in a mud puddle in Chrissy Field. I took 4 or 5 shots and this is the best one.

Also things are a bit busy and I didn't have time to queue up November so the One A Days won't be Once a Day for a bit. I am going to take a little break and come back with more photos here and there. Keep checking back, I'm not going away, just taking a break.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

On this day in 2008 I had The Floor Tortillas. They aren't as bad as they sound.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Pearl Burgers

On this day in 2009 We went to Pearls (the one featured on The Food Network) and I had my camera. We enjoyed a great burger, some good fries and a shake. I also took this picture.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-10-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sunset Beach CA The Harbor House Cafe

On this day in 2003 we went surfing at The Water Tower and then ate breakfast at The Harbor House Cafe. I need to surf more.....

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Jose CA HP Pavilion

On this day in 2009 I went to the Kings Sharks game in San Jose with a friend. It was a good game and I had a great time. I think the Kings lost but that's okay because I am used to it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Tony's Car

On this day in 2004 we picked up the latest Grand Theft Auto and raced back to the office to play it. It's always fun to be around a bunch of gamers when a major release comes out. Oh on that note, go buy Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2. It came out yesterday for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and I worked on it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA San Francisco Comedy College

On this day in 2007 we went to see a friend perform at The Comedy College. His racket is Nerd Comedy so I usually get every joke. It's fun to live in The City because there is always something to do.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Coit Tower

On this day in 2008 Donna and I went to the Coit Tower celebration. They had classic cars so we took a self portrait in the reflection.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The ILM Halloween Party

On this day in 2009 we were at the ILM Halloween Party. We dressed up as Typing of the Dead Characters and found a Zombie to pose with. It's a fun party and it's one of the things that we will miss about not working for Lucas but the new adventures we are having outweigh anything that we miss from our past.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-10-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2003 the dogs played on our bed. Larry was biting a hand and Tom was biting Larry. A good time was had my all.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA LucasArts

On this day in 2008 Haden and the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed team received an award from Popular Science. It was a fun presentation and acknowledgment after working so hard on the game for so long.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

On this day in 2008 I was out and about with my camera and I took this photo of neon. I like neon and I like signs so I have a lot of photos of neon signs.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2002 we had a Dog Party. We invited some of our dog owning friends over and ate good food, had good cocktails and had good times. We miss those days. Our apartment in SF isn't large enough to entertain.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The Presidio

On this day in 2009 I took a photo out my office window at LucasArts. I like rainy days especially when I can be near a window and watch the drops run down the glass.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Hyde Street Pier

On this day in 2008 we walked down to the Hyde Street Pier and saw the classic boats they have there. this is a Tug called the Hercules. It's a fun thing to do for a few bucks if you are ever in the area.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles CA A Nintendo Power Event

On this day in 2002 a few of us trekked out to LA to go to a Nintendo Power Fanboy event. It wasn't an industry thing, it was open to the general public but I think it was by invite only. It was fun but not as fun as E3.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-10-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day in 2004 POV was decorated for Halloween. There was a very modest skeleton on the wall.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-10-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day in 2004 Jon (not me) was feeling overworked so he created a system to help control the flow of work coming in.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-10-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Koki Teppan and Sushi

On this day in 2004 we went out to lunch as a group for a Co-Workers birthday. This is Mark who was the VP of Point of View Inc. at the time as well as my friend and mentor. Those were good times but the clock doesn't stop and things change. These are good times too so I am lucky to be able to transition from good times to good times.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Our Apartment Building

On this day in 2009 it rained a ton and the drainage pipes couldn't take it. One of the open out door areas within our building (I am sure they have an official name but I don't know what they are called) flooded pretty bad. Shortly after this shot was taken our apartment manager was out there trying to fix it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Our Apartment

On this day in 2009 we were nursing Larry back to health. He had gotten into a foxtail plant and tried to swallow a foxtail. It lodged between his lower teeth and cheek and got infected. They had to put a drain in his neck. Poor guy was dripping ooze for a few days but he got better and he got to eat baby food while he was on the road to recovery.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Some Golf Course in Southern California

On this day in 2002 we went golfing for work. It was my first work golf outing and I haven't had one since. I don't recall where we played but it was foggy and Ivan found the beach.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The San Francisco Bay

On this day in 2008 Fleetweek practice was under way. We all walked down to The Bay to watch the Blue Angels practice. Fleet week is great. It's crazy being in a city and seeing fighter jets buzzing around. The sound reflects off the buildings and you have no idea where they are coming from. It makes me very glad that we don't have hostile fighter jets flying around our city.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

On this day in 2009 I took a photo on the say to work. I was in a photography class at LucasFilm and needed to take a photo with a narrow depth of field. You can see that only part of the sign is in focus.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-10-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2004 Donna was relaxing in her recliner and Fox was sitting with her.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA St. Marks Church

On this day in 2007 we went to St. Marks. It was dog blessing day so many people had their dogs with them. I snapped this cute picture during the proceedings.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View

On this day in 2003 we were in the process of shipping Spawn: Armageddon. It was an aggressive schedule (like all schedules at POV) so we worked many hours. It the end it got done on time. This is our common dev area where we had the game running so we could all sit and play it together and comment on it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Bruno CA

On this day in 2008 we went to a mall just off of Bart. Inside is one of those indoor playgrounds you often find at malls. What you don't often find is the playground being Horse Racing themed. Pretty cool in my opinion but I don't know if I would want my kids exposed to horse racing at an early age.

One A Day - On This Day in 2006

2010-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Morrow Bay CA

On this day in 2006 Donna and I were on Vacation on our way to San Francisco. Little did we know that we would be living in San Francisco just 6 short months later. The trip helped us make the decision to pack up and move to SF for a new adventure at LucasArts.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA The Old EA Building (The new ((at the time)) Point of View Building

On this day in 2003 the Old EA sign was going down and the new Point of View sign was going up. I'm not sure which sign ended up being up the longest. I think it was the Point of View sign.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Union Square

On this day in 2009 USC was in town to play Cal. They always have a really cool pep rally in Union Square and we were there. We happened across this event in 2008 and made it a point to go in 2009 and we will be there this year too. It's really fun and I enjoy band music.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Costa Mesa CA Wing Nuts

On this day in 2003 Tony got hot sauce in his eye (I think). If that is what happened it was funny and we all laughed and Tony was fine in the end. If that's not what happened Tony probably had salt in his eye from surfing that morning with me. Oh the good old days......

One A Day - Not realy on this day

2010-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Christmas Day 1980 Our 70s looking livingroom

On Christmas morning of 1980 I got Pitfall! and my video game playing world turned upside down. What an amazing game! Animating sprites, more screens than you can count and bi-linear gameplay (you could go left or right). I played the game all day and ended up getting a score high enough to send in to receive the Pitfall! patch.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Anaheim CA The Arrowhead Pond (Honda Center now)

On this day in 2002 we picked up great preseason tickets to a Kings game. The game happened to be at the Arrowhead Pond (home of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) but it was still a Kings game. For a while there whenever the Kings were in Anaheim it appeared that there were more Kings fans than Ducks fans. Not sure if it is the same now.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-09-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Point Reyes CA

On this day in 2008 we hiked around Point Reyes. I liked this fence and the way the color complimented the grass.

One A Day - On This Day in 2005

2010-09-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day in 2005 I put rubber bands on my head and took a self portrait. I'm not sure why.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-09-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Anaheim CA Disney's California Adventure

On this day in 2002 we went to Disney's California Adventure and I took this photo of The Tower of Terror being built. It's a really fun ride and we were excited for it to open.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-09-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

Here is a sunset in San Francisco taken in an alley. I don't remember what I was doing or where I was going so there isn't much story about this photo. Just a sunset in San Francisco.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-09-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day Tony and Vince fixed the satellite TV at work. We had a joke around the office that you could fix anything with a level and a piece of string so we set out to use this method to fix the satellite alignment. It didn't work but we got it fixed using other tools.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Chinatown

On this day in 2007 the sky was awesome in San Francisco. I bet if I knew a bit about how to process HDR photos this would be a good one..

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-09-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Cabo San Lucas Mexico

On this day in 2004 we were still in Cabo San Lucas. We went for a long hot walk on the beach and I ran a head to take this photo of Donna. It felt like we were on the edge of the world with no one around us. It was a good vacation.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Cabo San Lucas Mexico

On this day in 2004 I was in Cabo San Lucas eating Lobster and drinking a beer. It was a very good day.

One A Day - On This Day in 2006

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Diego CA The San Diego Zoo

On this day in 2006 we were in San Diego visiting The San Diego Zoo for Donna's Birthday (Happy Birthday Donna!). We purchased some nectar to feed the birds. They swarm all over you to get to it and screech in your ear when you run out of nectar.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Lake Tahoe CA

On this day in 2009 we were in Lake Tahoe for a bit if relaxing and hiking. On this day we chose the hiking park. It was a lot of fun. We should have brought along a personal photographer with us.

"Portraits" from the past 8 years

2010-09-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

Far and Wide in the USA

Over the past 8 years I have taken many photos. I take so many photos that people get used to me clicking away and when they get used to me taking photos, they relax in front of the camera. When they relax in front of the camera, I get good shots. Here are some of my favorite "Portraits" that I have taken over the past 8 years. I hope you like them.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Diego San Diego Harbor

On this day in 2002 Mark and Chris and I went on a deep sea fishing trip. We left San Diego and when we woke up we were in Mexico. We fished all day and then headed back to San Diego that evening. This photo was taken while we were still fresh and didn't smell like fish.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-09-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

On this day in 2008 I walked to work and took this photo of this cool sign. If you watch James Bond in A View to a Kill he goes to a Hot Tub place in Japan Town but the sign to the Hot Tub place looks a lot like this one.

Look What I Saw Today!

2010-09-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Our Apartment

So the job search is going very well but we decided we could use some extra income so we are making realistic looking DoggyDos (not to be confused with Doggy Doo or DoggyDon'ts). Our Larry is modeling the Sassy Red Model but we will also be offering other looks soon like the Bob Marley, The Tina Turner and the Pee-Wee Herman. If you are interested in purchasing a DoggyDo for your fine pooch contact us at 415-555-DogD.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange County John Wayne Airport

On this day David Duchovny took another trip. This American Way magazine was taken when Steve and I went to Spain. We were very bored on that long flight so we did funny things with the magazine (like hiding him halfway down the pocket in the back of the seat so just his eyes were peaking out). I secretly stored him away and brought him out on my next flight with Steve. It was pretty funny. We had a good laugh and he traveled with me on every trip I made after that. I would always take a picture of him. I think he is in storage now.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Novato CA Olaf's Backyard

On this day in 2007 Olaf invited us to his house for a BBQ. It was great fun and I took this great "portrait" of Olaf.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The Embarcadero

On this day in 2008 it was Sunday Streets! For a few Sundays during the summer they shut down a major street and people can walk, bike, skate or do whatever along the street that is closed. On this Sunday it happened to be The Embarcadero. Various businesses set up free booths to do things as well as advertised. The group had a big pile of jump ropes and you can see a giant parachute in the background. Remember playing with a parachute and a ball when you were a kid? Well I did that on this day in 2008.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day in 2004 we were doing a video shoot for a video game we were making. we wanted to splash the screen with "vomit" at a certain point in the game and so we decided to shoot fake vomit against a piece of plexi-glass with a green screen behind it. It worked pretty well but we didn't end up using it or even shipping the game for that matter. Here is me with an accordion like container with fake vomit in it. I was going to shoot it through a small hole in a green screen.

Here is the aftermath of one of the shots.

Tony, Steve and Jesse discuss how to make the effect better.

Take 2. this one needs to fill the screen!

Brian likes the method behind the madness

Here I am excited about a successful "vomit"

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA The Irvine Spectrum

On this day in 2002 The Scorpion King was on the shelves. It was our first original game. It had it's flaws but we worked hard and met our goal so we went to The Irvine Spectrum to celebrate by looking at it on the shelves and going to lunch.

Here we are pooring into the game store to see our accomplishment

Here we are at Dave and Busters. It was a fun tradition to all go to lunch on the day the game appeared in stores. I wasn't able to carry this tradition on at LucasArts. The teams were too big, I didn't have a budget and people tend to get let go after a game is done and before it is on the shelves. I am hoping to carry this tradition on the next place I work.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-09-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Tower Records

On this day in 2002 Steve points out that you must be this tall to see Jaws (the best movie in the universe). Not sure why Tower Records had a Jaws poster in the window in 2002 but hey it was Jaws so I had to snap a photo.

Look What I Saw Today!

2010-09-10T23:56:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

So I have had some time off recently. If you don't know why go back to 9/1/2010 for the surprise. I have been out and about in The City and taking more photos than ever. This is what I saw today through my lenses.

I really cool triangular shadow creeping up a tall building

The blue sky reflecting in these widows up close

The same photo but a less intimate crop.

A Chinatown Foo Dog taken with my Lensbaby.

And Chinatown taken through my Lensbaby

One A Day - On This Day in 2005

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA Our House

On this day in 2005 we took our new fondue pot for a test spin on our Tiki themed patio. It's a great patio and a great fondue pot. One day we will be back to enjoy it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2006

2010-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Anaheim CA Disneyland

On this day in 2006 Donna and I were visiting Disneyland. I am pretty sure it is the Monsters Inc. ride at Disney's California Adventure. If I am wrong I am sure one of my sharp eyed Disney Peeps will correct me.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-09-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Fort Mason Area

On this day in 2007 Donna and I went rollerblading in The City. We stopped to take a photo in front of this statue of Congressman Phillip Burton, who sponsored legislation that created the Golden Gate National Parks in 1972. I think she did a pretty good job of matching the pose.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-09-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Ghirardelli Square

On this day in 2008 Donna and I headed down to walk by The Bay. I stopped her to take a photo in front of the famous Ghirardelli building.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Newport Beach CA

On this day in 2003 we brought home our little Larry. He is the shy one in back. He has since come out of his shell and is a huge part of our family. He and Tom are the best of friends.

Feeling Inspired to shoot again...

2010-09-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend in The City

So I have been feeling this layoff coming for 2 months now. It isn't fun to not know and now that I know, I am starting to feel less stressed and more inspired to take photos. Saturday we went to a concert in the park and I took some photos but this self portrait is really the only one that turned out but today we went to the Science Academy and I took my LensBaby. I had some fun.

I took this portrait on the way home from lunch. I like how well the colors work together and the fact that as long as you have a head, you have a place to hang your coat (Donna thought of that one).

So here are the LensBaby shots. I won't comment on each one. I hope you like them as much as I do.

That's it for now but now that I am more inspired I will be taking more photos so I will be posting more photos. The one a days will continue and I will be sure to let you know what my next work adventure will be shortly after I find out.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The Haight

On this day in 2008 Donna and I went to an art opening to see a friend's work. There were about 6 artists and the theme was Rubber Ducky. The place was packed, hot and loud so we made our way to Dela's piece, snapped a shot and then got out of there after congratulating him. We ended up hanging out with a few friends at a local bar. It was a great night.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-09-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA Orange County Street Fair

On this day in 2004 we were at the Orange County Street Fair. It was the one fair we went to every year in Orange County. It was really cool back then but now that I know cities like San Francisco have one or more of these types of things every weekend it makes me sad that people in Orange County have to wait a year.

One A Day - On This Day in 2006

2010-09-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Costa Mesa CA David's Bridal Shop

On this day in 2006 I was hanging with my awesome wife while she tried on Bride's Maid Gowns. It was in preparation for an up and coming wedding that she was going to be in. The wedding didn't end up going off but at least I have this photo.

Look What I Saw Today!

2010-09-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Crissy Field

Today is my first day of being unemployed. It was a busy one. I spent much of the morning talking to colleagues and companies. The game industry is amazing. It's times like this that you realize how many friends you have and each time it happens you have more friends than the last time so it's the perfect scenario.

On to the fun stuff, the pictures! A group of my amazing friends put together a BBQ for people that had been let go. It was last minute and many were busy but what a fun time it was. We cooked hot dogs, enjoyed the sun, played with the dogs and had a few beverages. Some people from LucasArts (the place where I worked as early as yesterday) heard about it and walked over on their lunch to hang with us and eat our hot dogs. It was great!

You can't pay for that view, you just have to come here and see it for yourself.

Tom took charge of the BBQ because I was manning the camera.

EJ came by on lunch and brought some carrot cake. I jumped at the chance to be in yet another photo with him and Eva.

I tied the dogs together so they couldn't reach an all out sprint without cooperating. They didn't figure it out in the time that we were there.

Even in Crissy Field the networking continued. I caught Matt checking a lead.

We had the necessities. It was great.

Tom takes a break on Tom's lap.

What a great way to start a long weekend. Thanks for making it happen Sarah and Eva!

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Van Ness and Union

On this day in 2009 I took a photo of the sky on my way in to work. It looked extra cool. It's nice having a camera in your pocket for moments like these.

Look What I Saw Today!

2010-09-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA First and Last Day

Today was my last day at LucasArts.

My first day in 2007. I am looking very hefty and happy.

My last day at Lucas. I am looking leaner and yet still happy. I wore my LucasArts Shirt and Hat to celebrate the event. It was a hard day for many but without change, things could never get better. I'm not saying things were bad but they can always be better. I will let you all know what the next adventure will be when I find out.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA

On this day I totally found Waldo. It was much easier than I thought.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The Independent

On this day we saw Beck in a tiny club. It was an awesome show. One of my friends at work tipped me off that he would be playing there and I hit the website hard when the tickets went on sale. I was lucky enough to get a pair.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Down Town Civic Center

On this day in 2009 we were at the main branch library. I was walking around taking pictures when I saw this commotion outside. There was a broken water main that caused some flooding and traffic problems. Luckily we were walking...

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-08-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA

On this day in 2004 we received this flier with an interesting offer. Take a loot at it and see if you can see it. If you can't (or don't feel like playing along) scroll down for the answer.

0% off Birthday Party! What an amazing deal. Needless to say we booked our next 10 birthdays before they had a chance to retract the offer.

One A Day - On This Day in 2002

2010-08-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day in 2002 The Dart was loaded with boards. We had just gotten back from surfing before work and I decided to snap a shot with the doors and trunk open. It was a fun car but I don't miss the "I'm going to die in a car accident" feeling I got when I drove it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-08-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Presidio CA Letterman Digital Arts Center (LDAC)

On this day in 2009 I took a striking photo of one of the buildings at LDAC where I work. George has leased the land where the Letterman Hospital used to be and built 4 of the most environmentally efficient buildings with the hope to attract digital art companies (his and others) to this location. With the economy the way it is right now a lot of the space is empty.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-08-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Lombard St. (the famous twisty part not the practical part)

On this day in 2007 I took a shot of the famous Lombard Street. It shows the twisty part in all of it's normal glory. Most photos of this street show it's beauty with maybe one lone car coming down but the reality is that on the weekends the line to drive this section of road blocks traffic (close to my neighborhood) all day long. People wait in line for close to an hour just to drive down it slowly. If you want to see Lombard Street (the twisty part not the practical part) walk it don't drive it.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-08-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Presidio CA Presidio Bowl

On this day in 2007 we went to The Presidio Bowl for Jeff's birthday (happy birthday Jeff). Here you can see Leslie and Crystal teaching their son how to bowl. It was a really fun day. Thanks for putting it together Jeff.

One A Day - On This Day in 2007

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The Lumiere Theater

On this day in 2007 Donna and I went to the San Francisco premier of The King of Kong. It was being presented by the director. It is a great documentary about people trying to get the Donkey Kong high score. If you look closely you will see Billy Mitchel on the left. He is prominently featured in this film as the villain who will do anything to retain the high score. A week ago my post featured Billy in real life years before this film was made. If you haven't seen it I am sure you will like it if you read my blog.

One A Day - On This Day in 2008

2010-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA Ocean Beach

On this day we took a trip to Ocean Beach and saw the Camera Obscura. It was really cool. The area is beautiful as well. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who is into photography or looking at cool things.

One A Day - On This Day in 2009

2010-08-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco CA The San Francisco Bay

On this day in 2009 Donna and I were taking the ferry over to Sausalito to go to dinner with friends. It was a nice ferry ride and an even nicer dinner with very nice company.

One A Day - On This Day in 2004

2010-08-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Orange CA

On this day in 2004 Donna and I found a few cool bike trails in Orange. We were riding them for the first time and we came across this little playground. I took a reflection picture. In the reflection you can see my very first digital camera.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-08-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Costa Mesa CA Wing Nuts

On this day in 2003 we were celebrating MiMi's first last day at Point of View. It was fun. These types of pictures aren't the ones where you say wow...... unless you are in them. This was a close knit group of guys working 7 days a week on a project and now they are all spread out over the world. I miss you all.

One A Day - On This Day in 2003

2010-08-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Curry House

On this day in 2003 The Curry House was having a contest. They asked that we submit a Curry Smile photo. I'm not exactly sure what a Curry Smile is but I took a photo of what I thought it was.

Chuck is showing off his famous Curry Smile while Chang looks at something more intersting.

One A Day - On This Day in 2005

2010-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Irvine CA Point of View Inc.

On this day in 2005 we brought Paul Darden in for a voice over session. Paul is on the right. He is a somewhat famous poker player. John and Paul were discussing something on the couch in my office as I listened on from my desk and also took this photo.