Two in particular.
The front gates for Pixar, a place I would absolutely love to work at…
The absolutely gorgeous Jewel Strait. She was so nice to me. I kept constantly apologising for disturbing her and she kept saying it was okay. Total fan-girl moment.
First day of comic con is over and I’m exhausted. All the joints in my legs, including my hips, ache. Standing in a line for five hours is not fun. It was probably closer to four hours but I’d been standing and walking on a concrete floor since 10am with only small breaks.
However, expect a few new additions to my CAF gallery when I get home.
I didn’t go overboard with the purchases but I did buy this. I’m kicking myself now for not buying another piece that Dustin Nguyen had in his folio but I didn’t want to spend too much money on the first day. I did pretty well, I got seven new pieces today but only spent money on two of them. Not too shabby!
Hhhmm… what else? Well, I talked to some interesting people, got a hug off Matt Wagner, Jimmy Palmotti remembered who I was again and gave me a hug and I hung out with Richard Starkings. (I’m such a name-dropper!) Funny how I managed to squeeze all this in when I was also standing in line for Barry Kitson.
I was stupid. George offered to let me go in front of him for Barry’s list and I said no. Eugh. So dumb! But it was the right thing to do as the Arizona crew had pretty much gone straight to Barry’s table while I’d ambled over to Tim’s. If I’d had any sense I would’ve gone straight to Barry’s and gotten at the top of the list. It doesn’t really matter. I enjoy hanging out at Barry’s table and it’s not like I’m permanently stuck there. Like I said, for someone who was supposed to be standing in a line, I got an awful lot of stuff done. I’ve lined up things for tomorrow (including a sketch from Bruce Timm – finally!!). Right now I’m contemplating whether or not to try for a fast past from Tim. Haven’t decided as yet but I don’t think I’m interested in doing the dash when the doors open.
This evening I had the most wonderful dinner with Tim’s parents. They were gracious enough to invite a very select few over and I was included. His parents are simply fabulous and Roger, Tim’s dad, is a sensational cook. However, I think I horrified him when he told me to make sure I got some green beans he’d prepared to go with the pasta and I said that I can’t stand beans. Such simple food but it was so tasty I went back for seconds and I never do that. The conversation roamed across so many topics – although I’ll admit to getting lost when the discussions about basketball, football, baseball and hockey started.
It was a great evening and I feel honoured to have been included.
Friday night a few of us got together to have dinner at Von’s. We were a little rowdy but it was loads of fun.
Kelly doing strange things to his glass of beer whilst Jared looks on.
Jen and Rich
Trina and Kelly, my two favourite Canadians
Trina and I doing the hold the camera out in front of you photo
Doing the same with Jen
After dinner, we headed back to the hotel for the “official” Tim Sale forum get together. I meet the Arizona crew for the first time 🙂 Barry Kitson also put in an appearance which was fun.
The three minute sketches kick off
Tim working on my Commissioner Gordon sketch
All the completed sketches. I was going to take on from the other end but they started cutting it up before I got a chance to. It was a really long piece of paper.
To sound terribly ignorant, I didn’t realise Washington was a state until planing this trip. Guess what? It’s a state and I’m in it right now.
I was totally unprepared for how cold it is. Today it was in the mid 40s which translates to 9 degrees!! I’m so not ready for that sort of temperature. When I left Melbourne, the days were still in the mid 20s with the nights not dropping below the mid teens.
Weather aside, Seattle is a lovely city. The downtown part is built right onto the bay and you can look down a street to see shimmering water. Very pretty. Unlike Baltimore, Seattle feels like a much more sophisticated place. I’ve been fortunate on this trip to not be confronted with the levels of homelessness like I did the last time around. Seattle looks like a more affluent place and it’s snobby to say but I do feel more comfortable here then I did in Baltimore.
If only it wasn’t so cold!
After getting three hugs from Steve at the security gate, I had an uneventful flight from San Francisco and can recommend Virgin America. Their planes are brand new A320s. They’re kitted out with mood lighting (!!) so my plane’s interior was set to blue down the aisle and pink near the windows. Made me chuckle.
I meet up with Jared and Rich at the airport and we decided to take the bus into the city. When our appointed departure time came, we dutifully went outside to get on the bus only to discover the one that was there wouldn’t start. What can you do but be grateful it was only a bus that wouldn’t start and not a plane.
We finally made it into the city centre and to our hotel. It’s a nice place and it turns out nearly everyone else is staying here too. It was brilliant to see John, Jen and Bill before dinner and to then see Trina and Kelly in the foyer. I really have missed this guys and I didn’t realise how much until I saw them. The irony of the situation is that the Tim Sale forum is currently down. The thing that brought us all together doesn’t have server space at the moment and it’s very strange to know it’s not there. I know I haven’t been checking it in the last few days but I fully expected it to be there when I got home.
The other thing that amazes me about these people is how well we all get along. I feel so comfortable with them all and I’m usually not a social person at all. I love the fact that Trina and Jen come along. It’s just great to be in the company of people I admire and like so much. I suppose it’s also because they’re all happy to see me and it’s really nice to feel that.
Dinner was a hoot. Kelly, Trina and Jared were in cracking form and in the end my face hurt from smiling so much which is the best reason ever.
The “official” forum get together was after dinner and I got to meet the Arizona crew for the first time. It was also a fund raiser for the Hero Initiative as Christina has started working for them. We all got given a ticket and the first twenty people would pay $30 to get a three minute ink wash of a character from The Long Halloween or Dark Victory which were inked onto a large piece of paper to make up a communal piece before being cut up. I managed to sneak in at number ten and secured Commissioner Gordon as my character. (I wanted Poison Ivy but I missed out by a few people.)
Right now I’m tucked up in bed and charging the battery of my camera which is why there are no photos. Must get to sleep. Big day tomorrow 🙂
Thursday I was at a bit of a lose as to what to do as Steve had classes and really needed to do his homework. I asked him what he thought I should do and he said I should go into San Francisco and have an explore on my own. But then Lisa called 🙂
So instead of spending the day on my own, I got my own personal tour of San Francisco.
After touring around with Lisa, I’ve decided that I’m definitely more a San Francisco girl than an L.A. girl. It’s hard to explain why though. Maybe because the weather reminds me so much more of Melbourne and there’s actually a public transport system. I don’t know. San Francisco just seemed more friendly than L.A. I also ended up thinking the people in San Francisco are (there’s no way to say this without sounding harsh) much less superficial then those in L.A. Anyhoo… that’s enough critiquing of the two cities.
Lisa took me on a cable car ride. We went from the city centre to Fisherman’s Wharf. I had been expecting something resembling a tram like I’d see every day in Melbourne and they did look a little like that but instead of drawing their power from overhead cables, they got it from the tracks. They were also a good deal noisier than Melbourne trams because they’re not really enclosed. You can hang off the sides. What’s also nifty is the way they turn the cable cars around. I had expected some elaborate system of doing it but nope, it’s a very simple wooden disk built into the road that pivots. The cable car is docked (for want of a better word) and the driver and the conductor turn the car around by hand.
Conductor and driver turning the car around so we could get on.
I can now say with complete honestly that San Francisco is one hilly city. Every time we climbed a hill, I’d slide into Lisa if I wasn’t hanging onto the rail. But it’s just as well we were crammed into the end of the car otherwise I probably would’ve had a conniption if I’d seen exactly how steep the hills were. We arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf and immediately went looking for the In-n-Out burger place. I had In-n-Out the last time I was in California and it’s delicious. It was one of the favourite things I ate last time and this time was no different. For a fast food burger, they’re pretty damn good. They actually remind me a lot of the sort of hamburger any Australian would get at their local fish’n’chips shop.
We wandered down towards the water’s edge and were overwhelmed by the smell of fish. San Francisco is known for its clam chowder but of course I didn’t have any as I’m really not a seafood person (fish yes, anything with a shell, no). All of the cafes and restaurants had mountains of crabs out the front, ready to be cooked for anyone passing by. Again, not willing to try it because it’s not my thing. Lisa asked if I wanted to go on a ferry but I decided against it as it was really windy and the bay looked quite choppy. But we did walk to the water’s edge and I got my photo of Alcatraz (after struggling to keep the camera steady because it was so windy).
In one of the pier sheds was this museum of sorts for old mechanical novelties and games. There were some very strange machines in there. We had a good giggle at the sheer amount of machines that would predict how sexually appealing you were and the state of your love life. There were ones that promised to shows what belly dancers did on their days off, urged us to look to find out what every married woman should avoid to ensure happiness and to check out the sultan’s harem. All these games worked and you could put in a quarter and see what they did. We didn’t but we did watch a bunch of guys trying to a ring a bell with a hammer. It took three of them to do it. But the weirdest thing we saw was towards the end.
I know, there are no words…
We were originally going to walk to Pier 39 but it was essentially the same as Fisherman’s Wharf so we opted to head towards Ghiradelli Place which has a very large chocolate shop (I cracked and bought some chocolate) and then to the cable car to go back into the city centre.
It’s not a trip to San Francisco if you don’t take a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge
Cable cars lined up to be turned around and one about to leave
We were right at the front of the line for a cable car and Lisa was insistent that she wanted to ride on the side. I was just as insistent that I didn’t want to. So she got to hang off the side and I spent the trip hugging my pack to my lap as there was no side and if I’d dropped it, it would’ve been gone. This time we managed to get right up the front of the cable car so I got an excellent view of how steep the streets in San Francisco really are. They’re a bit scary to be honest when you’re in a large wooden tram that doesn’t feel like it has the best brakes in the world. But you couldn’t get the smile off Lisa’s face.
Top of the hill
And then the rather sharp descent down. The photo really don’t do justice to just how sharp the drop was.
More downhill…
San Francisco is a beautiful city. I couldn’t stop looking at the apartment blocks and houses. We don’t really have anything like them in Melbourne so it was an experience to see them. Some are lovingly restored, others are incredibly run down but they all have character. The other thing I noticed about the city is that, like Melbourne, people walk. Melbourne is definitely a walking city so it was nice to be somewhere that had a similar feel to it. It didn’t feel strange to be walking around like it did in L.A. (I may have been naughty and walked right into a Virgin Megastore that was closing down and had 30% off all its dvds.)
In the end, we headed to the car because it was getting so cold. We headed towards the mission area and stopped in at a Mexican place where I had the best burrito I’ve had in a long time. So delicious.
I had a fabulous day with Lisa. I definitely enjoyed myself so much more than what I would’ve if I’d gone into San Francisco on my own. It was great to have someone to hang out with. I was so pleased when she called me because it meant I got to spend time with a person whose company I really enjoy. It kinda sucks I won’t get to see her again for so long but there’s nothing I can really do about that.
Wednesday was a relaxing day. I didn’t get up until 11am and even then I ended up jumping into Steve’s bed and watching episodes of the West Wing with him because it was so cold in the house. A slow, leisurely start to the day.
Steve had class so I tagged along, mostly to use CCA’s internet access (which I’m doing again right now).
It seems like it should’ve been such a boring day but I spent the afternoon is the animation students’ lounge, listening to my ipod and working on blog entries. I could also hear the people in the room talking. I’m standing by the point of I don’t have an accent, everyone else does! I do wonder what they think of me – this quiet Australian girl who’s suddenly landed in their space. Being on the campus is kinda cool. It feels remarkably familiar and the place looks just like an uni campus you’d visit in Australia (except of course RMIT because it’s in the city). I might not have studied for a while now but it all sounds so familiar and I’d be lying if part of me didn’t miss being in an educational environment where I’m learning rather than doing a job.
Plus these people are doing the coolest possible course (animation) at one of the coolest universities (California College of the Arts) in the world. How could anyone not want to join in? Not that I have anything to contribute…
Anyhoo… seeing yesterday was a chill-out day, I don’t have any touristy photos to put up. However, I did take two photos yesterday…
I showed it to Steve and his response was puzzled. As weird as this’ll sound, that’s actually what I’m going for. Just because you can’t immediately identify something doesn’t mean it’s not a decent photo. I think the way the light was falling on the leaves was amazing and I really wanted the solid black background. I like the idea of the leaves having no context.
Lisa is here now and we’re off to adventure in San Francisco 🙂
(I decided this stop on our road trip deserved an entry all of its own.)
Lisa and I had been told that we had to stop at this place called the Madonna Inn. It was on the way and we decided it’d make a good break in the drive.
I haven’t laughed so much in a long time.
It was awe-inspiringly tacky or as I said truly tack-o-rific!. I don’t think there’s anything in Australia that would get close to it in sheer tackiness. The chick in reception must’ve known we were laughing at the place and I couldn’t look at Lisa for longer than about two seconds without wanting to burst out laughing. When we got back into the car we both cracked up.
So, without further ado… The Madonna Inn.
At first you think the sign is that pink to get attention…
…but then you notice the lamp posts are also pink.
We needed to use the bathroom and this was waiting for us. Did you know your beauty is in your smile?
We then went into the main dining room to be greeted by a girl on a swing.
Yup, that’s definitely a pink dining room.
The chandelier defies description.
Isn’t the entrance into the bar just alluring?
I’ve never seen a bar dressed in pink leather before.
Mmmm… pink and blue leather chairs. Check out the carpet!
There was also a female loo downstairs that I just couldn’t take a picture off because I couldn’t stop laughing. It was all pink. The walls were covered in shiny, pink, patterned wallpaper that unfortunately flared big time when I actually tried to take a photo. The doors featured quilted pink leather on them. It was stunning in its tackiness.
The drive north from Los Angeles to Oakland was simply amazing. I think it took us twice as long as it would’ve if we’d gone the quicker way but it was so worth it. I’m in Lisa’s debt for agreeing to the trip.
The coastline was startlingly beautiful. However, it looked vaguely familiar because there are stands of eucalyptus trees everywhere you look. But the undergrowth is totally different and the leaves on the gum trees are a healthy green instead of the faded khaki they are at home at the moment.
Our first stop was in Ventura for lunch. We headed towards the beach to see what we could find in the way of food and settled on fish and chips eaten whilst sitting on the beach. I’m not sure what made me do it but I decided I should try the cherry coca cola. And I… eerrr… actually quite liked it.
A mermaid painted on the building next to the fish and chips place.
The chick in the shop went a little overboard with the condiments. That’s a lot of sauce for two people and there was more in the bag.
Lisa and I sat on the beach, watching people play in the surf (which must’ve been freezing) and talking. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the beach but you can’t be in California on the coast and not stop there at least once. One thing I did notice is the seagulls are enormous, about twice the size of the ones I’m used to seeing at home. They’re actually quite intimidating.
I probably could’ve gotten a better shot of this if I’d moved closer but I couldn’t be bothered to get up.
Eventually we decided we had to move on but I had time for one more photo…
Just so I remember I have been on a beach in California.
Heading north, the scenery becomes more and more dramatic. I was mid sentence when a mountain loomed up in front of us, filling the entire windscreen and I stopped talking. All I could think was wow and I’m certain I said it several times.
The other thing that really stuck me was how green everything is. There are parts of Victoria that are white now because they’re so dry. It’s been a long time since I’ve been surrounded by so much green.
This is what hills are supposed to look like!
The coastline starting to get more dramatic as we headed further north.
We stopped again at a pier in San Simeon State Park. We were originally going to visit Hearst Castle but they were closing up for the day. So we crossed the highway and walked up the pier instead.
Blue, blue and more blue.
One final photo…
On the road, Highway 101 curving away from us.
Unfortunately this is where the photos stop. The sun was setting into the ocean and that’s what I wanted to shoot. I did try take a few photos but they’re overexposed and if I’m honest, not that good. Plus I think I was a little overwhelmed with how beautiful it really was.
The coastline reminded me a lot of the coastline along the Great Ocean Road. The further north we got, the more dramatic the scenery became. Huge cliffs looming on the right and a sheer drop on the left. It really was incredible. The drive got a bit hairy on occasion as there were loads of sharp corners and the sun was setting making it very hard to see but much kudos to Lisa for managing it.
We stopped for dinner at a tiny place in Big Sur. The sun was setting when we went in and when we came out about half an hour later is was pitch black. My comment to Lisa was that I wouldn’t want to break down as it’s the middle of nowhere and there’s no assistance readily available. It’s such an isolated place. It was hard to reconcile the fact that I was in California. My impressions of the place have always been heavily influenced by what I see on TV and the emphasis is always on Los Angeles. It’s kinda strange to think of this wildness existing in the same state as a city that has huge urban sprawl and awful pollution.
We finally made it to Steve who was waiting for us at CCA. We then made our way to Oakland and he took us on a quick tour of his campus before we parted ways with Lisa. It feels kinda strange to know I probably won’t see Lisa again for over a year. But it was awesome to spend a day with her. She’s a really cool chick and I’m eternally grateful that she allowed me to have this experience.