Sammy – Photoshoot 3/10/10
Sample shots from a quick run and gun shoot for some promo shots of one of our favourite subjects, the ever talented and super bendy Miss Sammy! (:
So you’ve shopped yourself silly and you’re tired of trekking for hours and not getting anywhere. Time for a bit of relaxing sight seeing, and if you do it right, a lot less wallet intensive.
If you’re staying in Times Square then its an obvious first stop. Try to see it during the day and night for some vast contrasts.
Photo tip: If you wish to get a less cluttered shot at night or some long exposures you’ll have to wait till after midnight, closer to 1am before the bulk of the crowd has left. Worth it to keep the weirdos from standing in the middle of your frame staring at you and messing up your shot.
Ferris Wheel - Toys R Us, Times Square
Our faves in Times Square were of course the Toys R Us and M&M’s World stores. Even if you’re not a fan of toys or chocolate, in which case you may want to consult your local physician, both stores are a must see and are conveniently open late. Toys R Us sports a full sized 60ft Ferris wheel, Jurassic Park T-Rex, Empire State Building Lego replica complete with King Kong, a life size version of Barbie’s two story doll house and many more comic and movie characters. There are also plenty of hands on demos and lollies/candy section.
Lego Buildings - Toys R Us, Times Square
M&M World Times Square
Across the way, is M&M’s World, which, you guessed it, competes with Hello Kitty for the title of the most licensed products. Tees, mugs, stationery to collectible NASCAR models and shower curtains, it if it has a space for a logo then you’ll probably find it here. Also see the great wall o candy and stay on the look out for the M&M characters. Say “wassup” to Blue for me (:
Just in case you didn’t get enough of a sugar fix, a couple doors down is the Hershey‘s store, for those that like their chocolate sweet AND salty. Considerably smaller but just as busy, Hershey’s has the same deal but with Kisses and Peanut Butter Cups instead.
A few blocks north is “Top of the Rock” which, as the name suggests, the top of Rockefeller Plaza (aka 30 Rock, yep, the TV show in which its filmed along with other faves like the “Today” show). Whether you go here or to the Empire State Building is more a personal preference. For us the pluses over ESB were:
– cheaper
– only one security check point
– lines and wait time were almost non-existent
– no additional fees to go to higher levels
– no crazy stair climbing
– 1 enclosed and 2 open air levels
– only a couple stories shorter than the ESB (completely unnoticeable when you’re up there)
– the view is the same
– you get to see and photograph the ESB (frame it right and you can get the Statue of Liberty or Brooklyn bridge in there as well)
Try and get there about an hour or 2 before sunset to beat the rush, find a nice spot and watch the sunset and the city light up. We were fortunate to have decent visibility when we went, but like any big city, be prepared for smogged out days with dirty brown sunsets.
Regardless of which vantage point you chose remember its really high up so as soon as the sun sets it can get quite cool, so bring a jacket. Times 2 plus beanie and gloves if its in the cooler months.
NYC view north from "Top of the Rock" (click for big)
NYC view south from "Top of the Rock" (click for big)
If you chose ESB, you’ll only be a couple blocks away from Grand Central station. The location of many a movie scene’s meeting point, abandonment and “we’ll lose em here” ‘s. Check the Sky Ceiling in the main concourse for zodiac art painted by Frenchman Paul Helleu.
Main Concourse - Grand Central Station, NYC (click for big)
If you want to jump on a train then this is the place to do it, there’s a line that will take you pretty much anywhere and on the chance that you rush and catch the one heading in the wrong direction its only a matter of getting off at the next stop and crossing to the other side of the platform, just make sure your Metro Card is topped up.
One stop that may not immediately ring any bells is Bowling Green, right near Battery Park on Manhattan‘s southern tip. Here you can have a relaxing day in the park, no doubt very popular in the warmer months with is sea side location, but for us it was to take the short walk to the South Ferry Terminal for the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.
Now you can easily spend big bucks for the countless tours to see the ol’ girl but at a cost of not just money but time in queues and security, not to mention when you get there, Liberty Island (the island its on) is very small, so photos are all upskirts and internal access is limited, so no, you cant climb into the crown and blast Jackie Wilson, Ghostbusters 2 styles. Another misleading note from the same movie is the misconception of its actual size. Its less than 50m high so its not Godzilla or even the Stay-Puff man.
That aside, if you want the cheapest and least competition from other tourists, then the Staten Island ferry is the way to go. It’s a commuter ferry so mostly business/everyday types. We had no problem getting a spot for some photos on either the front or back decks.
Photo tip: Leaving Manhattan the statue is on your right (starboard) side. Take a long lens for a nice tight level crop
Not long ago, you could actually stay on board the ferry and just wait for it to “reverse” back to Manhattan, however now they ask everyone to disembark. Make sure you don’t leave the terminal otherwise you will have to pay, instead just circle back round to the entrance side. If you got a couple minutes to kill, grab a bite to eat in one of the eateries or fresh fruit vendors in the terminals. If not, don’t sweat it, there’s food (and beer) available on board the ferry.
Statue of Liberty
Back on the mainland, head back to Fulton St. station to visit the World Trade Center.
That whirlwind run was all we had time for in Manhattan before we hitched a subway ride to Brooklyn.
New York City 2010 part #1 – The flight in…
New York City part #2 – Shopping: Midtown
New York City part #3 – Bronx Zoo
New York City part #5 – Sight Seeing – Brooklyn Markets and Gardens
New York City part #6 – Shopping: Soho
New York City photo gallery here
QLD Raceway Sprints 27/11/10
Its been quite some time since we last ventured out to the track. While it has lost some of its soul (and fun) with sky rocketing fees and a grid of exotics and dedicated track cars, its still a great way to spend an afternoon and a chance for me to practice my panning.
This was the last meet for the 2010 season, for more info or to sign up for the 2011 season head to the
Queensland Raceway website
Getting to the Bronx Zoo couldn’t be any easier or cheaper. Catch the BxM11 Express bus from Madison Avenue (don’t forget your fistful of quarters!), about 30min later youll be at the stop. Make sure your driver knows you want to stop at the zoo as the stop is not at the zoo itself, you have to walk under a small bridge to get to the entrance. So try and stay awake!
Photo tip: keep your eyes open as you cross the bridge into the Bronx you will see the dilapidated “Welcome to the Bronx” sign, authentic in an unintentionally cliched way.
A measly 15 clams will get you into the Zoo. Remembering, animals are seasonal creatures so different times of the year will mean different things for different animals. In general, the colder months will see less activity, on the plus side, there is less activity from visitors as well, so its very easy to get around and also finding that perfect photoing spot. Walking through the first section its clearly noticeable that they have quite a bit of land to play with and it doesn’t feel like its in the middle of one of NYC’s toughest burroughs.
First stop was one of the biggest aviaries we’ve seen in quite some time. Many smaller enclosures along with a few large “free fly” areas, very easy to lose track of time if you spend too long trying to find each type of bird in each enclosure.
Back on track, everyone’s must see are the tigers. That day, as announced by the rangers, they were a little lethargic and not really in a playful mood so they weren’t treated like circus animals to “perform” for their food.
Heading over to the seals, fans of “Friends” will see Marcel and his mates. The seals themselves seem to love the attention and were only too happy to pose and perform with an uncanny awareness of where the cameras were and which was their good side!
Waterbirds like Puffins and Penguins surrounded the seal areas.
Head to the eatery for some lunch, outside has fastfood staples at less than average fast food quality with meals sitting under heat lamps, good if you like soggy burgers and fries. Inside you can get healthier options with prepackaged salads, sandwiches and rolls and hot beverages. Service was hit and miss at best but on par with just about any place with staff that weren’t working for tips.
Keep an eye out for friendly neighbours like squirrels and peacocks, only too happy to say hello in a scarily over domesticated way (caught a Tienanmen square stand off with a peacock and park ATV transporter). This is a good time to grab a few souvenirs as well and if you missed out on Disneyland or Santa Monica pier, the large indoor carousel is your next best thing.
Last major stop on our way out was the reptile display with all matters of frogs, lizards, snakes, ‘gators and turtles which always make for some good photos.
The park is open from 10am-4.30pm and on the right day you should be able to leisurely see the whole thing in 4-5 hours depending on how many kids you have and the time of year. If you did bus it there, just make sure you leave enough time to get back to the bus stop (outside the main entrance near the bridge, there’s only a little sign, no bench or anything) as they tend to be rather sporadic and infrequent.
The bus ventures back into Manhattan via Central Park so you may want to include an afternoon stroll in there as well.
Next up, we start to wind down our whirlwind holiday with some good ol fashioned mouth opened, eye squinting sight seeing, NYC style.
New York City 2010 part #1 – The flight in…
New York City part #2 – Shopping: Midtown
New York City part #4 – Sight seeing – Manhattan
New York City part #5 – Sight Seeing – Brooklyn Markets and Gardens
New York City part #6 – Shopping: Soho
New York City photo gallery here
Complete Bronx Zoo photo gallery here
Stepping out of the hotel, those Arctic winds still can catch you unaware even near the end of March. If you’re travelling round this time of year, keep your softshell on you at all times. Trust me, you’ll thank me for it. Your other senses like your smell might also take a hit from the Air de City Pollute’. Some say its like someone set fire to the Valley (Brisbane), a smoke filled aroma ballasted with rich exhaust fumes, road grime, a dash of hot garbage with a hint of urine. But like any over populated city in the world be it London, Hong Kong or Sydney, its more an expected garnish than an obstacle. Still, would it kill the street vendors to clean their frying grills once every 5 years?? Note, that “seasoning” is added to your – charcoal outside, old tyre rubbery inside pretzel too. Best to stick to retail chains if you want something that resembles bread. The hotdogs are a little better albeit rather small and for $3USD (quite possibly inflated due to the pre-included tourist tax) you can easily find something more filling. Contrary, those roasted peanuts and cashews are absolutely delish and work great as a temp. hand warmer!
When it comes to shopping however, there’s very few cities that come close to NYC, especially when it comes to “street” culture and a weak US dollar. Larger shopping centres and thrift stores like Walmart are off the list in Manhattan but for everything else, you’ll find it here.
We started towards Uptown with Nintendo world – a multi storey store with, you guessed it, everything Nintendo, right down to a mini museum of retro consoles, controllers and portables. Remember to check with the store clerk when buying games, some American versions wont work on AU consoles.
Nintendo world NYC
THE NBA Store a little further north – if you’ve ever had a passing interest in the game then this is the store for you. It has everything to do with basketball; memorabilia, uniforms, apparel, the works; even a life size Lego version of Celtics’ big man, Kevin Garnett. Sneaker wise however its rather limited to sport shoes, no retro or “street” style releases. You can however get a bit of a dose a couple blocks up at Niketown.
NBA Store
While not the mecca some would like it to be, Niketown still has enough oo’s and ahh’s to deserve a good look through, just don’t expect any retros or rarities, in fact nothing that isn’t a current model. They did have a small sale section which had a couple odd/older models and colourways but nothing to write home about. The floors are divided into sporting applications with the ones to note being the basketball level – complete with a display case of every Air Jordan all in a white with red trim colourway and life size Lebron James mannequin. Top floor is the most interesting with the Nike iD studio, wall of sneakers piled behind glass in the change rooms, ceiling art made entirely of white sneaker soles and our new favourite sub-brand “6.0“, targeted at the crowd that spends any amount of time upside down in the air with some kind of sporting equipment.
Niketown NYC - Air Jordans
Niketown NYC
The piece de resistance of the store however would be the very Futurama/Jetsons style tubing that whisk your boxed sneakers from the basement to and from the levels and registers. Cool? Way.
Niketown NYC
Also up that way is the Apple store for you Lemmings ;p and a few blocks north is Dylan’s Candy bar for those with a sweet tooth.
Getting back down to mid-town is as easy as jumping on one of the many buses travelling on 5th Av. If you don’t have a Metrocard make sure you have those Quarters ready as they don’t take notes!
Back to Times Square you’ll be hard pressed to miss Footlocker, Journey, Modell’s and Champs. All with a huge range of models and colours and plenty of items on sale as well. Footlocker had the biggest range and had a lot of the winterized boots on special being end of season. Plenty of other clothing items too including jerseys, singlets, hoodies and tees all reduced, some down to single figures! Girls will need to look no further when they can get a Mets game jersey as a nighty for $20US (yes yes, its still the Mets but you’re sleeping in it, not wearing it to a game!).
Journey’s, as on the west coast has a more alternate/skate range with a wide selection of Dr. Martins, Converse and Vans. They also had a good assortment of Adidas (Superstars and similar skate models).
Modell’s reminded me a bit of Rebel Sport for some reason, possibly the layout, possibly the exuberant prices on some items. Sneaker-wise the selection is similar to Rebel sport, only current models and an unusual selection at that, mostly in the sporty vain. Where they differ is they also have sporting equipment, work wear and jeans. Work wear in the way of Dickies and the like are average priced, possibly a bit on the high side but the jeans are a steal for $10-20US for Mecca Apparel and similar.
Finally Champs is like a smaller version of Footlocker but they had a few “in between” models that Footlocker didn’t. They also had many items on sale, some being cheaper than Footlocker.
The best thing about these stores is they’re open till 11pm-midnight some cases 1am so if you get back to your hotel and realise you just HAD to have those 2010 Spiz’ikes then it’s a only a short walk back to buyer remorse heaven.
Heading south down Broadway take a right on 34th-35th and pop into the Kmart for some bargain clothing or travel amenities. Probably not everyone’s choice of a must see, but for licensed game apparel on clearance its worth a look. Knicks sleepwear, Yankees tee’s, jerseys, jackets etc fill several clearance racks along with the standard “Dad” affair at a fraction of the cost, it was perfect for souvenirs. The work wear re: Dickies were some of the cheapest non-sale prices we came across at around $20US for pants and $13 for shorts. Just hope its after they’ve received an order as a lot of the sizes and colours were non-existant.
About half a block further is B & H Photo for all your camera bits and pieces.
Back east passing Madison Square Garden (say Hi to Spike and Jack for me) and over Broadway, pass another Footlocker and another Forever 21 (the American Supre/Jay Jays, yes, keep walking) is one of our fave one-stop shops, Dr. Jay’s. If you’re into hiphop clothing then this is the place for you. Every major brand is covered from LRG to Adidas to Lacoste and the unintentional brands like The Northface, its all covered. Caps on street level, a level for menswear then a level of women’s wear. They also have an ok selection of sneakers, some with decent reductions, especially out of season stuff like the Nike winterized Spiz’ikes and Goadomes. Both were the cheapest we saw for $100-120US, so it went with out saying that the Spiz’ikes found a new home. Good selection of work wear and one of the few places that we saw in Manhattan that sold Dickies Girls. For those girls looking for black pants that actually fit them, try the Bullpant or Lowrise models, you’ll never look back 😉
Nike Air Jordan winterized Spiz'ikes
Most of the other clothing was all around standard retail prices though there were quite a few models that we didn’t see anywhere else. Some of their range is available online with some great sale items, at the moment the deal is sweetened with a 20% off all orders over $100. With the AUD at almost 1:1 its definitely worth a quick browse, Dr. Jay’s.
Around the corner is the Empire state building but brave the lines, wait and security at your own peril. More on that later.
Down to W30th Street between 7th and 8th is one of the best anime, toy and collectibles shops that we came across in NYC, Image Anime. They have a very respectable range of figures (inc. Revoltech and Figma), busts, models, Manga, clothing and general knick knacks from all your fave anime and animated shows. Just take caution when buying large or boxed items, you’re suitcase space will disappear very quickly. Also remember that some of the more fragile items will have to go in your carry on, so even less room there. Personal experience acquired from purchasing an 18″ hard plastic Gloomy Bear. At <$30US it seemed like a good idea at the time but when it couldn't fit into any bags and had to be carried separately everywhere it got very annoying very fast! The final point of interest for florists and wedding organisers on W25th between 6th and 7th is the famous event organiser, Preston Bailey. Absolutely stunning work but with an office on the 30th floor and no visible street level show room, its all appointment only, if you can afford him!
Preston Bailey
Next up we swap the concrete jungle for an actual jungle. Ok its more like a woodlands at best, but we’re they’re to see the animals not the trees at the Bronx Zoo!
Times Square NYC
New York City 2010 part #1 – The flight in…
New York City part #3 – Bronx Zoo
New York City part #4 – Sight seeing – Manhattan
New York City part #5 – Sight Seeing – Brooklyn Markets and Gardens
New York City part #6 – Shopping: Soho
New York City photo gallery here
Disneyland 2010 part #2
Toontown panorama - click for big
On to something a lot more innocent and pretty much a must when hitting Disneyland… the Teacup ride, as part of Fantasyland! So simple yet so fun, even the most motion sickness prone will have no problem on this ride as you can control how fast the cup spins, via a “steering wheel”. Wait time was around 20-30min.
Tea cup ride
Also in Fantasyland you’ll find the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the grand King Arthur’s Carousel and of course the renowned Disney castle. With the success of the current remake the Alice in Wonderland movie, the ride based on the original animated version had about a 40min wait but worth it for a bit of nostalgia. Just ignore the kids asking where Johnny Depp was *facepalm*
Alice in Wonderland ride
Hang around the castle entrance for song and dance routines from Disney classics like Mary Poppins and later in the evening for the closing fireworks.
Mary Poppins show
Try as you might but you’ll be hard pressed to escape Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Pixie Hollow features without a set of fairy wings or a fluffy glitter wand!
Heading towards 12 o’clock on the Disney map clock is a place that would have WHS and building code inspectors in fits but I’d be damned if I don’t want a curved house, rainbow coloured with oversized tiling and supports! Mickey’s Toontown, is the home to all the Disney toon characters, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and friends and their wonky architecture buildings where you don’t know whether they’re real or drawn on!
Toontown
In the streets you’ll also see objects and fixtures perfect for a holiday snap, there’s even signs to guide you where to take the photos. Completing the warped world of toons are random objects like mailboxes and telephones that talk! I don’t know who was on the other end of the line but I was pretty certain if I slammed the phone down hard enough it would explode at the other end.
Toontown
Toontown is also the opposite stop to the main entrance for the Disney Railroad.
Continuing on is Frontierland. For some, the highlight would be the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster, for others it would be the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ – an all you can eat meatfest, but alas that too had a wait time of 45min, so it would be best to get in early if you want something to fill you up before you hit the bobsleds.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The rest of Frontierland, namely the riverboat and pirate features were closed for maintenance. So, again, if there’s a particular ride you want to go on, make sure you check the schedule for maintenance days before booking.
Adjacent lands are Critter Country with “can we go, can we go, can we go to..” Splash Mountain, Adventureland with Indian Jones and more Tiki and tribal paraphernalia than a New Zealand drum and bass gig and New Orleans Square celebrating the deep south in the 1800’s minus the slavery with another staple attraction, the Haunted Mansion.
Photo tip:If you’re up for taking photos inside, you’ll need fast glass, super high ISO and slow shutter. Try to meter on the holographic ghosts as anywhere else is pitch dark so the holograms will be completely blown out. Be ready at the end of the ride for a shot of yourself in the mirror with a new friend 😉
Ghosts in the Haunted Mansion
By late afternoon, you’ll more than likely will be seeking refuge from the crowd and from being on your feet all day, then what better way than to spend 20min or so on the Disney Railroad. The train circles the whole of the park and makes 4 stops. To liven up the journey between the “behind the scenes” areas, there are 2 recreations, one of the Grand Canyon complete with wildlife and the other of a prehistoric era with a variety of dinosaurs, both very impressive and look very realistic. They come up and go by rather quickly (depending on the enthusiasm of your driver) so have your camera at the ready.
Grand Canyon scene
Prehistoric scene
At the end of the day you can choose to fight the rush at the souvenir store at the main entrance, hang around for the closing parade and fireworks or you could pick up your gifts through out the day and choose to get back to West Hollywood for more shopping, then you’ll want to beat the rush and step out a little early.
If you’re on a “tour”, you should still have a couple departure times to choose from, which you will be told when you are dropped off, or will have it as part of your itinerary. Also remember that the bus will make multiple stops so check with the driver if you want to be dropped some where other than your original pick up point to save on redundant traveling. If it’s a little out of their way don’t forget to be a good American and tip them for their troubles 😉
So that concludes a big day at a big theme park and the end to the Los Angeles stop. Next up, its time to start spreading the news, we’re going to wake up in a city that never sleeps to find we’re king of the hill.. A number one…. NEW YORK CITY.
Disney castle
Complete Disneyland gallery here
Some more highlights and shenanigans from the ceremony and reception of Tiffany and Brendan’s wedding
Tiffany and Brendan tied the knot at the exclusive Deux Belettes country guesthouse in the northern NSW hinterland last month.
A beautiful ceremony and fun reception filled with rose petals, black and white lace style decor, cupcakes, balls of roses with Phalaenopsis orchids and one hell of a ribbon mobile centerpiece.
Congratulations to the happy couple who have just returned from their honeymoon to New Zealand. We wish you the best of happiness and the brightest of futures together!
Tiffany and Brendan wedding highlights here
Centerpiece (available for hire) and decor by Paradise Brides. All floristry by Flowers in Paradise.
Disneyland 2010 part #1
What is there really to say about it? Its Disneyland. You cant really hate on the “happiest place in the world” can you? Sure the lines are miles long and prams/strollers out number people but you’ve gotta be dead inside if you don’t want to don some mouse ears and skip everywhere you go!
Firstly, some advice on planning your day. Once you’ve decided that you’re going, or your girlfriend/kids have nagged you so much you just want to shut them up :p you need to decide where you want to go and for how long. For the uninitiated Disneyland consists of 2 theme parks, Disneyland and California Adventure. Disneyland is the classic Disney character affair while Cal Adventure is all the thrill rides and is targeted to the bigger kids. With only a day to spare and a gaping hole in my childhood we went with the classic.
California Adventure park
The best way to get some kind of discount is to prepurchase your tickets and get it combined with a “tour”, which is basically pick up and drop off from your hotel or one of many pick up points. There are so many of these companies and they make a lot of stops so you wont have any problems getting to and from your hotel. We went with VIP Tours who picked up from our door at Double Trees Santa Monica, all inclusive tickets (travel and entry) were around $100USD. There’s even bigger savings if you get multi-day multi-venue passes, shop around, you’re bound to find something. Also keep an eye out at certain times of the year, even Disney has coupon specials.
An additional feature is the Disney Fastpass. Basically you pay a premium so you can jump the queue. Possibly worthwhile if you only have one day and want to ride as many rides as you can but otherwise we couldn’t justify the cost since it only works at certain times for each ride, times are posted at ride entrances and of course you’ll be competing with the thousands of others who thought the same thing.
For ideas on the best days to visit, there really isn’t too much difference as its always packed. Obviously, avoiding school holidays, weekends and the warmer months will give you some relief but expect between 15-30min average wait time and up to 45-60min on some of the popular rides. Also take note of their park hours schedule, rides can be closed for maintenance and some don’t open in the colder months. The schedule also shows special seasonal events like Halloween etc.
While the lines and the sheer number of people is quite daunting, they are very efficient at handling everything the masses can throw at them and all with a big smile. From the fleet carpark shuttle “trains” and the wall of entry booths to the cleverly designed cattle runs for queuing, its clear that its all been fined tuned after many years of capacity crowds. While a lot of the time it can seem futile, most of the masses move reasonably quickly and orderly, as far as “festival” crowds go anyway.
Disneyland shuttle
So you’ve made it through the gates, the first thing you’ll notice is the bright vibrant colours of everything and the quirky shapes of buildings and fixtures and a melodic unmistakable soundtrack playing almost subliminally over the PA system. Take a moment to soak it all in, it may be the last bit of peace you get all day :p plus you’ve got planning to do.
Some people are happy to just wander around the park and check things out but due to the size of the venue and the spaghetti layout you’ll more than likely miss more than you see. A high recommendation is to, at the very least, grab the daily performance times and a map and make a few pokes at it with a stick (with accompanied four finger direction pointing of course).
Its also a time to make note of when and where the performances are and whether you’ll get to them in time for a good vantage point. Also consider grabbing a bite to eat at the café/sandwich bar at the entrance before kicking off, this will help you last pass the normal lunch times and hopefully miss some of the lunch rush.
Mickey with marching band
We chose to make a rough anti clockwise zig zag, taking notice of queue times, posted at the entrance and end of queue points at all rides, as we went. In this direction our main priority was the Buzz Lightyear ride, but not before we ran into Mickey’s marching band in Main street. The wait time listed at Buzz Lightyear was 25min but we were through in just over 15min. As you enter the ride, like many of the rides, they have incorporated part of it with the waiting queue, to keep you occupied with a sense of “almost there!”, definitely a welcome for those with impatient kids. It also adds to the flow and “storyline” of the ride. In this case it was characters from the movies and a full size Buzz animatron giving a mission briefing, “blah blah blah, kill zorg, blah blah To infinity and beyond!”. No probs Buzz, shoot the hell out of everything, gotcha!
Buzz Lightyear ride
Now, normally I’m all up for taking out aliens with a eyeball blinding barcode reader gun but with such elaborate and lifelike scenery and characters, I lasered with my left and shot (with my camera) with the right.
Photo tip: If you’re thinking of doing the same prepare to use extremely high ISO, I’m talking up to 256000 if your camera can do it, to help your shutter speed manage the movement from the ride and the targets. Also be ready to lose pitifully on the scoreboard!
Buzz Lightyear ride
A cool feature on leaving the ride is being able to email an in-game photo of yourself from the ride’s photo booth in the gift shop.
The Buzz Lightyear ride is of course part of Tomorrow Land so you also have all the classic rides like Space Mountain but of course with the classics come the long wait times, most hovering round the 60min mark.
Tomorrowland
If you have kids, there’s a Pad Wan Jedi class, complete with light saber and Mace Windu look alike instructor. No Natalie Portman but the Dads will have no complaints about her stand-ins, if you know what I mean 😉
Jedi training
Tomorrowland
Next up, Fantasyland, Toontown and more!
Complete Disneyland gallery here
Santa Monica pier
If you’re staying in Santa Monica, its only natural that you find yourself making a bee line to the Santa Monica pier, thanks partly due to its ferris wheel beacon. The wheel is accompanied by a small group of amusement park rides and “side show alley” type games. There are also a few restaurants/eateries including Bubba Gump Shrimp (yes the one and the same), souvenir shops and a historic display case to mark the end of the famous Route 66.
We were expecting some spectacular sunrises while we were there with the cooler mornings and clear days, unfortunately the one morning we dragged ourselves out of bed at 4am it was completely fogged over. Not only that, it continued right into the early afternoon! We had never seen anything like it. The fog casted a blueish tone over everything, and with the odd sign board creaking, it definitely added to the eerie deserted boardwalk at that time of the morning. We were just waiting to catch a glimpse of a shadow of a zombie scurrying between the carts of the rollercoaster! Lol
Santa Monica pier
By chance, our stay coincided with the LA marathon (could be why the breakfast buffet was full of people in shorts while it was < 10C outside) so there was some setting up of the festivities for the finish line party on the beach as well as a war memorial for fallen soldiers.
[caption id="attachment_571" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="War memorial Santa Monica pier"]
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Photo ops: end of the pier looking back at the ferris wheel, on the amusement park side shooting the pier, down on the beach below the pier and also back on the road just north looking down over the pier and beach. This time of morning is probably the only time you get to see the paths and boardwalk relatively empty as well.
While the beach area is by no means vast and you can leisurely walk down and back in a few hours, it doesn’t beat the fun and convenience of hiring a bicycle to get around. I recommend Sea Mist Rentals, one of the cheapest places, yet the quality of the bicycles are still well above average. For $6/hour or $15/day you get a choice of several different style of bicycles and a bicycle lock, but when in “Rome” you cant go past a beach cruiser. Fixed gear and a fat comfy seat will have you looking cooler than the ‘Fonz in no time. Though if you don’t ride very often or that style of bike you may find the position a little uncomfortable after an hour or 2. Your forearms may get a little sore and sun burnt too so remember to lather up before hand.
Santa Monica beach
Off down the boardwalk, remembering to keep right and watching for the crazies that ride flat out, you’ll see the beach “scenery”, volleyball courts and kite flying areas. Further along, you’ll come across the legal graffiti walls and the Santa Monica skate park. Check out some of the little grommets there, without a doubt the breeding ground for the next Tony Hawk’s. Some of the kids look like they should be singing along at Wiggles concerts but instead they’re busting huge Method-air grabs over transitions 5 times their height!
Legal graffit walls - Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica skate park
Once you hit the markets you can either keep cruising along the boardwalk or dismount and wander through. There’s plenty of buskers and performers but all the drummers and percussion types all seem to culminate to a grassy knoll area where they just go at it like a Swedish masseuse. Picture the dude in the Brunswick st. mall on a Saturday night but times 30-40 in a large circle with belly dancers and hippy types getting down in the center. Quite the aural and visual spectacle indeed. Also keep an eye out for the KUSH Clubhouse a medicinal Marijuana clinic while you’re in the area. God bless America.
edit: as of June 2010 it is now closed thanks to a new ordinance which has ordered over 400 dispensaries of this “nature” to be closed in LA.
Percussion jam session - Santa Monica beach
As the bongos fade and you get further into Venice Beach, the beach side buildings go from tatty markets to lush modern townhouses and New Orleans styled houses. The bike path ends at the carpark for the Venice Beach pier, but you can still pedal up the long pier and see scores of people fishing. Thanks to the fog that day we could barely see the beach from the ocean end of the pier! Back on land, there are plenty of restaurants and seafood eateries to choose from, all bustling with tourists and locals alike.
Venice Beach pier
If you’ve only hired the bicycles for half a day, keep an eye on the clock so you don’t have to pay extra, though if you ride quickly you
could probably make it back in 20-30min.
Early to bed, early to rise, cos next up is a trip to the happiest place in the world, Disneyland!
Los Angeles holiday photos here
Los Angeles part #1 – West Hollywood
Los Angeles part #2 – West Hollywood(pt 2)
Los Angeles part #3 – Santa Monica and Venice Beach Shopping
Los Angeles part #4 – Santa Monica and Venice Beach Sightseeing
