Sommelier Wine Glasses
Posted by Amon | Filed under Friggin' Cool
If I had it like that I’d buy a few sets of these novelty glasses for around the house. Since I don’t maybe you can Hook Me Up!
We Ain’t Bored Promo
Posted by Amon | Filed under We Ain't Bored
I’ve been playing a lot of basketball over the last few weeks. I’m still a tad rusty.
I’ve also been working with Steve-O over at McFadden Creative on a number of W.A.B. video projects, I will keep you posted.
The Keys To NYC
Posted by Amon | Filed under Open Florida
I think today is Thursday but it feels so much more like a Friday. Hold on…wait…wow…it is Friday.
The first two above lines are what I like to call starter lines. It is the section of the post that I write but rarely ever publish. It is a technique I use just to get the ball rolling when I am drawing a complete blank. Pretty much my literary catapult or my creative ice breaker to pick up where the caffeine dissipates. Try it, love it, and expect more of it from my end. Especially since, even at this very point in the post, I still don’t where I’m going with this.
I think I know the angle I’m going to take with this one. I’m going show a dozen or so images and then write captions under them. Does this sound like something that you’d be interested in checking it out? If so, you can get your scroll on…now!
Key West
Skipper, Sunshine, and I headed to The Keys for an expert shoot with Smart Travel Expert, Mitzi Gordon. Here are Mitzi and I taking a smile on Duval Street.
One of the many highlights of the shoot was the Hemingway House. We were granted access behind the great steal gate that guards Hemingway’s writing studio. After the interview, I got to sit in Mr. Hemingway’s actual chair and pretend to type on his typewriter. I gotta admit, I was a little inspired.
On the way to the Kino Sandal Factory, I found this street stencil of Mr.T and Rocky. I don’t remember the movie, but I will remember that day for the rest of my life.
Going to Key West and not taking a picture in front of this monument is like going to Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower.
New Kicks
When we were heading back to the lab from Destin, I stopped by the Reebok Outlet and dropped 30 bones on a sweet pair on Ventilators for my adventure back to NYC. To see the whole sneaker, stop by my office tomorrow and I’ll see what I can do. Bring Jelly Belly Beans.
South Jamaica Queens
Here is the intercom to get into the building where I grew up. Why am I showing you this? Because I have your attention, yo.
Money-Making Manhattan
I took this picture waiting for my sister to call me back before I hopped on the train.
While I was waiting, I suddenly became infatuated by the style of this crosswalk sign.
Grabbed a pic of one of the music spots I used to hit when I was in high school. If you don’t know about Colony, then you don’t know about music. Well, maybe you do. Plus, I was just kiddin’. Sheesh.
My Little Sister
This is my little sister, Delilah. She is about as cool as little sisters get. Just don’t ask her to make you a sandwich with mayo on it. She hates the stuff. Won’t touch it. D if you are reading this, your Swiffer Sweeper is on the way. Congrats on your new apartment.
Staten Island
My grandmother lives out on Staten Island. When I was a kid, my family and I would take 2 buses, 2 trains, and the Staten Island Ferry just to get to my grandparents’ house. Nowadays, there is a bus that will take you there in a jiffy, but I thought it would be fun to travel the old way.
While on the ferry, I looked at my mom’s wrist while she was eating a bag of pretzels. I thought her bracelets had a cool texture to them and I took a picture.
This image is on a wall in my grandma’s home. Ever since I can remember, this drawing has been there. It is my mom back when she was 18. The artist sketched it about the size of a movie poster.
These are my grandma’s hands and my favorite picture from my whole trip. She thought I was joking, but I’m going to sell this one to a coffee shop and she is going to be famous. You’ll see. You’ll see.
I bought this sculpture for my grandma one Christmas and I love taking pictures of it. They never quite come out right but this one made the cut.
Back In Queens
This is a small sign somewhere in my uncle’s shop, better known as Ritz Auto Body. It is one of the staples of the neighborhood as well as of my upbringing.
Here is my cousin Rush fixing a van for a client at the shop. I can’t think of too many cars he can’t fix. As a matter of fact, he is building a car from scratch! Can your cousin do that? I didn’t thinks so.
And here is his boot. This picture is also going to the coffee shop.
If this Go-Kart could speak, it would probably tell humorous tales of me and Rush driving wildly through Brookville Park. Coincidentally, his driving style has not changed much since we were kids, yet it’s still fun driving with him.
Here is my other cousin. He doesn’t speak much but when he does, I listen. I seriously expect big things from this dude.
This is my other cousin who is also an artist. While I was there, she showed me a few of her latest pieces and let me get a few shots of how she does it. I was seriously impressed by her work and by the fact that she was welding. I’m very curious to what she’ll be creating in years to come.
This is one of my cousin’s art pieces. She gave me the run down on what it means, but I don’t quite remember. If you really want to know, drop me a line. I will give her a call, and then I will reply to your email with the back-story.
I got a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens a few months ago and this picture pretty much explains why I love it so. There was an old oil drum somewhere in my Uncle’s shop and these bolts were on it. I took a picture.
The East Village
I took this picture on a walk-by because I thought it looked cool. Inside, there were people in the windows recording their radio show live on the air. I tried to take a picture but all I got was wild reflections. I deleted the image and kept walking.
New Jersey
At one point during my trip back home, I ended up in Jersey with my sister, Liz. She invited me to a BBQ and we had a few hearty laughs.
The food at the BBQ was incredible. As they say in some of the smaller towns throughout Florida, “Now That’s Good Eatin’!”
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse
Three days ago we headed up to Daytona to film our good friend Lucy Beebe Tobias. We all climbed 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse behind me. The trek was worth it for two reasons. The first is a given, and that is the view. The second was my favorite, and that was the breeze.
Well people, I love you but I gotta go. Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you at the beach…I can’t say that. That is David McRee’s line. My line is:
Till Next Time,
Gnarls Barkley - Going On
Posted by Amon | Filed under Friggin' Cool
Gnarls Barkley’s releases are usually on and off to me. This video and song is definitely on. I might even bring a few of these steps with me next time I go to the club.
A Few Parks, A Beach, and A Fort
Posted by Amon | Filed under Open Florida
I know after reading the title to my post you are wondering what I’m going to write about. It’s pretty simple actually. I’ll be writing about a few parks, a beach, and a fort. And because you’ve been very kind in the past, I’ll also include a number of miscellaneous pictures with descriptions as well. Thanks to The Skipper, I’ve got pictures galore.
So what makes this picture-packed post different from all the rest? Well for starters, these pictures are different. Plus, these pictures are of a few parks, a beach, and fort as well a few scattered showers of random images along the way.
Are you ready to scroll this post until the tips of your fingers are numb? I am. So I’m going to start things of with a park and then a beach…just kidding.
Stephan Foster State Park
This park was quite interesting. If I were ever given a choice to where I would go to “rough it” in the wild, this park would be the place. Their cabins can easily compete with some of the rental properties I’ve seen on some golf courses. Each cabin on the grounds has a fireplace that turns on at the flick of a switch. I got a chance to turn on the fireplace in the cabin we filmed and then I turned it off. I only turned it on to film the fire plus the AC was cooling the cabin while we there. Due to the temperature outside the cabin, I handed the victory to the AC and allowed the fireplace to gracefully bow out until the appropriate season arrived. It had no problem with this so I left its presence and made my way to the bell tower.
In the park was this magnificent bell tower that played a number of Stephan Fosters songs throughout the day.
I got a chance to go inside the bell tower. I was a fan of the stone walls. This would be a cool place to throw a party if it had more exits. In case you are wondering about the khaki cameo in the picture, that is Skip’s knee.
I made my way up 200 some-odd steps to the top for an aerial shot of the Stephan Foster Museum, which is sitting behind me. You can’t see the breeze in this picture but I must say it was quite pleasant.
The Skipper took this picture and I thought it was cool. So I’m sharing it with you.
Daytona Beach
We caught up with Beach and Surf Expert David McRee for a shoot. We hopped on the SkyRide on Dayton Beach Pier for a unique shot.
I’m focusing quite heavily on whatever I’m filming here. Mostly because I’m trying not to look down. David thought it was pretty funny.
At lunch, David spoke about a book he wrote called How to Be Safe From Sharks, Jellyfish, Stingrays, Rip Currents and other Scary Things on Florida Beaches and Coastal Waters. I checked it out on his site and it is FREE! I downloaded two, one for me and one for the crew.
Exiting the beach I saw this picture op and I said to Skip “One for the blog?” and he said “Sure Amon!” I should have taken off my hat.
Castillo de San Marcos
We also caught up with Authentic Florida Expert Lucy Beebe Tobias to film Castillo de San Marcos and The Kingsley Plantation.
This monument has over 330 years of history and was built with a unique limestone known as “coquina”. Coquina has seashell fragments throughout it and did a great job absorbing the blow of canon balls from many of ships years ago that were just passing by.
Here I stand with a very knowledgeable translator. He answered every question we threw at him with ease. I wanted to ask if I could buy his hat but deep down I knew I couldn’t pull it off without the whole ensemble.
Random pic in front of a canon, part one.
Random pic in front of a canon, part two (with flag).
A few blocks away from the fort I caught up with MJ. You may know him as Michael Jordan and might even point out that this is wax figure. I’ll probably ignore your comment and pretend I really met him. So now what?
After we wrapped the Fort shoot, Missy, Skip, Lucy, and I headed for grub. During lunch I learned about Lucy’s cool personal blog and her latest book. She gave us autographed copies before we ate and I immediately went right to the index of the book. Lucy has discovered tons of cool places to go for a stroll and I am all about that. As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this post I’m going to wait for the RV to stop and I’m going for a walk.
The Kingsley Plantation
Right now, you are viewing a picture taken by Skip of the Kingsley Plantation slave quarters. Located on Fort George Island, the plantation consists of slave quarters, a barn, a garden, a plantation house, and the kitchen. I learned a lot interesting history.
Random serious face pic standing in front of slave quarters.
Before we left the plantation we ran in to an archaeological dig site. I was very impressed by their methods and findings.
Whelp, its about time for that walk.
Till Next Time,
Bruce Gilden
Posted by Amon | Filed under Photography
I’ve just become an instant fan of Bruce Gilden after watching the way he takes pictures in NYC. He’s in and out of your face before you get a chance to care about what he is doing.
Cold Fresh Air…
Posted by Amon | Filed under Music
I still get chills when I the drums drop in this track. A straight classic. I also dug how Hype flipped it it Belly too.
Laura Alejo
Posted by Amon | Filed under Friggin' Cool
If it were up to me, I’d own a gigantic print of this image and hang it some where in my home. Big shout out to Laura Alejo, her work is pretty dope.
Thoreau
Posted by Amon | Filed under Inspiration
I found this Stumbling through the net.
I Agree.
Skipper’s Video Blog
Posted by Amon | Filed under Open Florida
One of the guys I work with who we call “The Skipper” prefers to do video blogs about our adventures on the road. The other day my assignment was to shoot and edit Skip’s video blog. Instead of aiming the camera in his direction and uploading a static shot of him talking about his experience, I decided to have a little bit of fun with it.
