As with the coming halloween it also means recession be dammed decorations! I personally have two on the opposite spectrum. If I want great lights and decor on the cheap you cant do better then Big Lots which is were I got this giant black light strobe for like $5 I believe when they were located on york blvd before it turned into El Super. But I have travelled to the south pasadena location I say they even have a better selection then the highland park ever did on halloween decor for the cheap and reasonable quality. If you feel like the cream of the crop and im sometimes guilty of going alittle over board, you can't do better then Stats in Pasadena. Now I know you think of Stats and picture christmas trees and grandmothers but im serious when I say you are greeted by fountains of blood and killer clowns all the while to the left side of the store contains all your christmas angel needs. In the end, halloween is always a great excuse to grab some unique lights that otherwise would be difficult to obtain along with decor :)

Graffiti skies

One thing that I always felt abit underrated about HP was some of the awesome mural pieces we have in our little town. Some are well hidden while some just beg to be seen. If you follow the back parking lots/ alleyways behind the Highland Park theater all the way up to the Radio Shack/Baskin Robbins you'll treat yourself to a artwalk of sorts with huge pieces from the strange to the inspirational. While close to there I also stopped by Culebra Park which is much like an open canvas for artists to let loose. Along with follerios pizza and Estrella tacos this is simply a part of Highland Park.

Heat

during these dog days of summer, is when indoor experiments are best. I always find it uselful to take something mundane and just think outside the box and try to make it interesting. It's alittle game that always kills some hours of my time ad if pulled off, its always a nice reward. So today my Marine came by and I worked on a 1920's lock from my house here in the HP.

Cheers

I live three blocks away from Galco's but much like going to Amoeba records, I keep myself away because once in I end up buying a whole lot more then I should of. But sometimes I love to browse the new sodas comming out and there crazy new designs. Sometimes in browsing these sodas one can find a great prop if applied correctly. Would be cooler to take a photo within its aisles but maybe that would be abit too much hehe.

Gutter Glitter

Attending Pillar of Fire christian school on Fig was quite the experience. The 8th graders had an awesome teacher who would take them to the L.A River and take them deep in man size drain tunnels in pitch back. Us lowly 7th graders dream of this rite of passage. So when it came time all I can think was "omg this shit is scary" I mean it is what it is, a pitch black tunnel with weird sounds and a never ending path. Especially comming off of seeing the movie "IT" two weeks prior, I thought seriously this is were im gonna die. Beyond that is graffiti should the teacher "feel" like bringing a flashlight. Allot of it from the 80's , allot of it racist like KKK etc, which makes it the wierdest part of HP cause that stuff aint around no more. I do remember a friends mother saying in the 60's and 70's white clubs use to stage parades back when this place was majority white which makes the graffiti all the more crazy. But in the back of my mind I always knew I would end up back in the labyrinth of Highland Park, only this time with a flood light hehe. And so i did with my sister which not only to her but to all 0 people who read this, that there is always photos to be made in whichever dark place you are at, all you need is to use what is given to you. To get to the tunnel I used which is actually very clean and very dry and not smelly at all, you should go towards the Adubon directly across the street from the Adubon is Montecito Park, and you'll see the entrance to the bridge but right behind the bridge is the entrance to the la river. Upon first arriving walking down to the river youll see the first drain tunnel but that one is always full of water and not very nice, but make a note of how it looks. Make a right and walk down for about 4-5min and one your left youll see another one of the same tunnels, thats the one.

Model: Ximena Gil

Lummis

The Lummis Home much like Heritage Square is a place near my parents home but I always seemed to just pass it. There are two things I associate with the Lummis Home. One : It's my entrance to the 110 and Two: When I was small I picked up a stray around there and it was my cat until old age. But recently I decided to visit this home because frankly I got tired of putting it off that I should go. I really do regret not going sooner. Not that it's awe inspiring but simply, it's a quaint garden so close to my old home. The garden is nice with benches for some evening relaxing. I loved the garden variety, from dessert to almost orchid type flowers. I notice also should you like a plant they have plants for sale in the back, a very nice touch. The house itself is again quaint adobe style. Walking in gives you a sense how it must of been in highland park during those farm days. All in all this place can be covered in like 15-20min but as far as photos go there is only one person working the place so your pretty much free to roam and use the enviroment as you see fit. So have some tacos around and then stop by this place. for 20 min of your time, you will deffinitly find it worth your time.

Impasse

The SouthWest Museum has been much abit of controversy as of late. With it being aquired by the Autry center, there isn't a Highland Park event without Mt.Washington and Highland Park residents handing out petitions of some sort to keep the museum as well.... a museum. I am on the fence really, I can't see why they dont just keep the museum as is but also continue those Autry events that seem to gather allot of people. Oh yeah and keep the Indian market. But politics aside, the SouthWest offers some great oppertunities for photos. One day while bored out of my brain I grab my friend and said "you know I have never taken pictures of the museum". So with that we drove all 3 min to the museum. Only to be greeted that some event was under way. On the tunnel entrance they had some colored string suspended by a metal frames. In the plaza inside the museum, they had kids preforming mariachi and later folk dance. It was quite cool to stumble into such an event and I suggest maybe on your trip to do it when an event like this is going on. On it's own the museum offers allot of very, very unique photo spots. Mostly notably the tunnel entrance at the bottom of the hill (you can see it in the front page of the museum website). The tunnel is mostly always deserted so you can take your time taking cool tunnel shots. There is also at the bottom a very winding set of cobble stairs leading all the way up to the museum that can give to some good stair shots. Beyond the obvious great view of the city from the top (may I suggest were the parking lot is), there is also some very nice desert plant life, some that I only saw before at the Huntington Gardens. There is also an indian totem and a plaza. At the front of the museum near the flag pole they have a cannon, which I used in a photo. The inside I was only there briefly, I liked there main stair case with the big windows and im sure some guerilla shots will come out nice from that. Overall I wished I spent more time there but I will go back to see what else I find.

Model: Manfred Vargas