Friends from the other side

All the way from the Buffalo, NY and NYC, a couple of friends decided to pay California a visit this past week. California’s home for a couple of them, but for the rest, it’s a place with great food, spectacular scenery, and no snow for the winter. Why would anyone want to spend their time elsewhere? (shameless pride; I’m not even a Cali native.)

Anyway, got a call about their trip to the Bay and I was asked to be a tour guide. With me just chilling at home and working six, if not seven, days a week, it’s difficult to imagine myself being a tour guide…outside of my house. Now that I was crowned the title, I really gotta do my homework on some “urban cool spots” to show them around. Plus, it’s been quite awhile since I last seem these folks, so the pressure’s on:

↑ If you followed my blog avidly (yea, you), then you might remember Mic. We’ve endured a night long camp out for Fry’s black friday sale three years ago (2009.) This time he’s brought his crew. No camp outs, just day long stroll across the city.

Kailin and Kevin’s back, too. They showed me a good time in NYC, now to return the favor.

First stop: the Lomography Gallery Store.

↑For those who aren’t familiar with Lomography, here’s the wikipedia page. In a nutshell, they’re using simple and modern analogue cameras to produce organic and spontaneous photos.

Similar layout with their other existing store.

↑I’ve been to the one in Taipei, Taiwan, and it was pretty awesome. It’s only been a few months since their SF store opening.

Their iconic two-story tall wall paper:

Gold chains is what Kailin’s into.

Very cool.

Lomography’s all about fun and excitement, you can tell by the way they designed the cameras.

↑ Does neon green shout subtlety? I don’t think so.

There’s also a conference room on the second floor. Place for presentation, guest speakers, and projects? I’d like something similar for my future store. If I ever opened a store.

Moving on.

Cody swung by to join the crowd:

The second destination: Cartoon Art Museum.

↑$7 for adults and $5 for students. Located diagonally across from the downtown Academy of Art University.

Pardon the quality of the photos below.

Although, I’ve never heard of some of the comic artists in the gallery, I was still fascinated by the detail crafted art work and the process all the them have gone through before being printed in the papers or published in books.

Wish I have one of these in my room:

↑Steven Spielberg caricature (during his Jurassic Park phase) by Zach Trenholm

The color coordination stage:

↑It’s no child play.

Tom and Jerry – I watch this growing up. (even back in Taiwan)

↑Mel Blanc, the voice of Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Barney Rubble, Daffy Duck and countless other animated vertebrates.

Dinner at Ike’s: Kev and Kailin’s been craving for it. There’s just nothing similar on the East Coast.

↑Ike’s a delectable sandwich joint. It was first introduced to me by Michelle a year back.

Bi-Rite ice cream just happen to be a few blocks away from Ike’s new location.

They’re known for creating unique and delicious flavors with local, handmade and organic ingredients in a responsible and sustainable way. Great dessert, except most of us were too full for any of it (yup, even our second stomach stuffed with the sandwich.)

↑R35 on the street. no bigs.

After we’ve satisfied our hunger, it’s time to pleasure our sights. Our next stop: Twin Peaks.

Over exposed.. in a cool way.

The Golden Gate Bridge.

With little light source to distract from the exposure, we tried using the flash on the back of our phones for a few quick light graffiti:

..then, we took it a step further:

Like watermarks, we light ourselves to be imprinted onto the photos – all under a single exposure.

And yet, an even better idea. With the second camera blasting off its flash onto us while keeping the first camera’s shutter open:

Two flashes from the camera:

Andrew nailed it – 5 separate flashes created this:

To make the most out of the night, we drove down to the the pier to capture the glory of the Bay Bridge. But an unprecedented incident occurred on the way there:

↑ It says “Devil in car.”