2013 Museum of Flight Seattle

Hey everybodeeee!

I went to Seattle with some of my people for the first time!  I just got back and I will tell you all about it.  We stayed in downtown Seattle and that was cool because you can walk around to most things.  One of the more impressive things I saw was the Flight Museum. 

 

 

This is the SR-71 "Blackbird".  This is the fastest plane. 

USA used it to spy on the Russkies.

 

I saw another one on the USS Intrepid in Manhattan.

 

 

 

Here is the backside of it.  I noted that the paint has been removed exposing the bare titanium.

 

They took the jet out and put it on the right.  The pilots were practically astronauts. 

They went up so high that you could see the curvature of the earth.

 

Here is the back of the jet. 

 

 

Here is a 1967 Russian MiG 21 PFM

 

 

This is a 1968 Taylor Aerocar III 

They actually thought that everyone should have a flying car.  Wow.  People can barely drive now...

 

Here we have the impressive British Airways Concorde. 

They let you get inside.  For free! 

This example is a 1978 and could go twice the speed of sound!  

A flight from NYC to London took half the time as a conventional plane.

 

One thing about it is that the windows are TEENY!

 

 

Here is an interior photo.

 

Here is the cockpit. 

 

Here is the Concord toilet. 

Only 20 airplanes have been made and 14 were built for the airlines.

 

 

Here is Air Force One! 

 

 

 

 

Numerous telephones were all over the plane.

Presidential Potty.

 

 Communication center.

Here is the cockpit.  Lots of buttons!

 

So inside the museum they have a part where they have the "Red Barn". 

The original Boeing Airplane Factory

 

It is actually red.

 

You can see the airplane parts being made here out of wood!

 

Here is the process where they made the propellers

 

Here is an airplane being made.

 

Cool pilot's suit.

 

Here is the very first Boeing 747 made.

 

This one is designated 747-121 and built in 1969.

Too bad we couldn't go inside!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pasadena Water Fountain on Lake Ave!

So I was driving to work today, and I looked at the horizon and saw this thing that looked kind of like a ghost. 

Keep in mind that I am like 4 blocks away.

So I approached it and it was enormous!

So I got off the freeway to see what happened and there was a major traffic jam.

This is one of the bigger water fountains I have ever seen.

So I got out of my car and took some more photos.  Note the blue suv on the left.

I suppose this guy has something to do with the fire hydrant in front of it and the fountain behind it.

Here it is from another angle.  Whoa.

Nike Barkley Posite Max "76ers"

Hey everyone!  I got something really special!  I as at my favorite shoe store in Old Town I saw these on display.

Unfortunately, the box was rather unspectacular.  

This was one of the only disappointment. 

I had to put tape on there.  Otherwise nothing noteworthy. 

Brand new! 

And here we are. 

 They were originally displayed at the 2013 All Star Game. 

Real Carbon Fiber detail! 

I was impressed by many things, but the thing that struck me the most was that the soles of the shoe actually glowed in the dark!

This was taken in the dark.  I will get you some better pics soon.

Not a Role Model!

We all know Chuck embraced this motto.

And here we have the front corner photo.



April Stuff!

This Easter I thought we should change things up and get a whole pig.  I have always been fascinated with eating a roasted pig.  I am not sure what exactly about it that appeals to me the most but I do have a list of things that I love about it.  I like the entirety of it. You get the whole darn thing.  Amazing.  There is something primal about it too.  You definitely feel more indigenous eating it this way.  Another aspect is that whenever you go to a restaurant, you always only choose ONE cut of meat at any given time.  This is THE way to have every cut of the pig.  How profound. 

Say "Hello!" to Wilbur.  This was our 25 pound, invited guest for Easter.  I am very grateful that he "took it for the team" for us.  He was very popular at the Easter event.  Unfortunately some of the younger kids were kind intimidated by seeing the head but it is OK.  I believe that people should be more familiar where their food comes from.  This style was prepared Cuban style.  They have this mojo sauce which is mostly garlic.  I highly recommend it for any occasion.  Wilbur was not cheap either: coming in at $230 "out the door". And speaking of out the door, that didn't include delivery, so you literally have to get a couple of people to take it out the door into your car.

 

 

Next up is Shirin Polo rice.  At authentic Persian/Iranian places they offer "Orange Peel Rice".  I just learned about it and was kind of impressed.  I was aware of cherry rice and a couple of other ones but have never seen of the orange peel one.  This style is a bit sweet and there are actual chunks of orange peel, almonds and pistachios! 

Very unexpected!  So I recommend giving this a try any time you see it.

 

Lamborghini LM002

I ran into something I have never EVER seen before on the streets: a Lamborghini SUV!  I have only seen photos of the Lamborghini LM 002 (also known as the "Rambo Lambo") because there were only 328 produced.  That makes this ugly SUV super rare!

I was heading North on Van Nuys Blvd in the lovely city of Van Nuys.  Then I heard this strange sound and noticed this bright red SUV.  This car actually has a V-12 Lamborghini Countach engine and makes this shriek like no other suv.  I got some more photos of it.

The thing that struck me the most was the bright red like from an expensive sports car.  Then as you approach it you see how enormous it is.  You are talking about Hummer H1 proportions.  Speaking of which, this Lambo was supposed to be a military vehicle initially. 

The tires are enormous and extremely expensive.  

Sorry for the crappy color from my phone.  This car is cherry red.  The owner was super cool.  I talked with him for a few and he appreciated that I knew about his car.  I asked him if he is going to take it off road and he replied yes to Pismo Beach.  That would be definitely a sight to see and to hear as well.  I can only imagine a Countach engine whailing constantly to go up and down on the dunes.  The last fun filled fact about this car in that the last time it was in the news was in 2004 where the US forces found one in Iraq... which belonged to Uday...

 

Vincent van Gogh's Self Portraits @ Norton Simon

There was a new exhibit at the Norton Simon!  They had some new  Van Gogh's self portraits I got there @ 5pm so I had a whopping one hour to go through the entire museum... and I made it work!

"The Thinker" was guarding the front.

 

This guy greets you when you come inside.  You purchase tickets on the right.

 

And here is the main attraction!

The self portrait is very vibrant and seems like it is alive somehow. 

When you look at it seems that time slows down a bit.

 

 

 

This is the O.G. 3D.

 

 

 

Here is 1885 "The Winter"

This one is a trip because they did an X-Ray and found that he was

drawing something else and painted over it.

 

So Van Gogh painted this first and then changed his mind.

 

 Next up is a tree!

The Mulberry Tree 1889.

 

 

They have a cool patio you hand have your coffee and chill out.