The Adventures of a Photo Junkie

Tis The Season

2010-11-30T17:30:00.000-08:00

Time just seems to run away from me. I blink and suddenly months have past and I'm left marveling at how little I've put here. Anyway, moving right along, it is the offical Holiday Season and with every Holiday Season The Great Dickens Christmas Faire comes to life in San Francisco at The Cow Palace. Dickens' London has grown in size this year, so don't miss out!! Be sure to check out this San Francisco treasure before 12/19 or else be forced to wait till next year-

Signage

2010-09-12T21:55:00.001-07:00

And so my love affair with signs continues...

San Francisco, CA

Oakland, CA

New Orleans, LA

Knoxville, TN

Atlanta, GA

Gatlinberg, TN

Tall Elegant Lines

2010-09-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

How about some lovely lines. Do you like lines? I like lines-

San Francisco, CA

New Orleans, LA

I still have miles of backlog to get through. Be on the look out for more treats. Until then, see ya on the road.

Some Catch Up

2010-09-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

Since, as I admitted earlier, I've been slacking this month, I figured now was a good time to plow through some backlog. I've got a smattering of stuff here from May-

580 East on Your Way to I5

Marina District San Francisco

Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco

And the rest of these are from here

The Golden Gate Bridge

I'm sure I'll post a few more from the massive backlog as I get to them. Until then, see ya on the road.

August?!

2010-08-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

*blink*

How did it get to be the end of August already? Man, time flies when you aren't paying attention. Obviously I've left you guys for too long without any new photos, and sadly, I've been a slacker to boot.

So where did August go? Lots of random running around that's where. All of these snaps are all off of my cell phone since the last time I updated-

Snapped at my friends going away party in Berkeley

This one and the next one are both some where waaaay far north on I5 in California, right before you roll into Oregon

Mt. Shasta as viewed from Weed, CA

Fat Slice in Berkeley, CA

South of Market in San Francisco, CA

Woodwside, CA

Golden Gate Park- San Francisco, CA

After all that running around, I know I could use a treat. How about some bacon cinnamon rolls?

September is shaping up to be just as busy as August. So until next time, see ya on the road.

Out & Proud

2010-07-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Now for something completely different. June was a crazy busy month, as Pride Month normally is. Of course I went to the full Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco, and today seems like a rainbow day to me-

The Quarter

2010-07-09T17:54:00.001-07:00

Hello fellow Junkies. Today I'm sitting in a hotel room in Atlanta GA. I realize it's been a while since I promised you the French Quarter of New Orleans, but life these days has a way of running away from me. Not to worry, that means more shots for you later. And believe you me, I have some gems.

But first, as promised, some choice snaps from The Quarter-

I'm saving some other hidden treasures for later. This wont be the last you'll see of New Orleans, that's for sure. I'm not sure what you'll get next, but I'll be back home in a few days. After a quick rest at home I'll be going back north to Oregon again and staying for a bit. Don't worry, you'll get another post out of me before I run off again. Until then, see ya on the road.

Detour

2010-06-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally shown up here in the SF Bay Area. Last weekend I spent Saturday in San Francisco and took a walk down the pier-

I had lunch in one of my favorite parks, Union Square-

It made for a great Saturday afternoon. Next time, the French Quater, for real.

A Cup of Coffee From The Past

2010-06-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Getting back to coffee basics. You can't go to New Orleans and miss eating at Cafe Du Monde. The coffee is to die for, the beignets amazing and like nothing else on earth. I was sure to stop here first for breakfast before I explored the French Quarter-

This was the view outside from my table

a small coffee and 3 beignets is under $5

Next up, the French Quarter.

Scales & Lines

2010-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to photograph is textures. Scales, feathers, fur, grass, layers, water, pretty much any thing. I've been known to stop randomly in the middle of the street/road/trail to snap a shot of how something looks right at that moment, so the Zoo can be a long experience if you come with me. Just call that fair warning. ;)

After this, it's on to New Orleans. Stay tuned.

Zoo Time

2010-05-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Zoo is a pretty cool zoo. They have all sorts of animals, from the common to the unusual. First, you're greeted by this on your way in-

Then it's off to the animals-

Lemurs

Flamingos

All around the grounds they had these bronze sculptures. Some of them were cooler then others-

Ok, back to the animals-

Feeding Time!!

There's still lots to come from the zoo yet. Stay tuned.

Texas In Bloom

2010-05-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Some more shots from the Fort Worth Botanic Garden-

Next, it's on to the Dallas Zoo. Stay tuned.

Flora Bliss

2010-05-11T17:35:00.001-07:00

One of my stops in Fort Worth Texas was their Botanical Gardens.

Most of the garden was in bloom-

And that's just the start of the gardens. Stay tuned.

Train Windows

2010-05-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ways to travel is by train. Any kind of train really, light-rail, subway, Amtrak and so on. I just love how the windows on trains can frame some fantastic snapshots-

BART

Amtrak

Monorail, Seattle WA

And windows can make a pretty backdrop too-

Seattle WA

There will be more photo goodness coming this week as I work on my backlog and travel shots. Stay tuned.

In The Hot House

2010-05-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

So you might not know, but The Conservatory of Flowers is one of the many old Victorian survivors here in San Francisco. The whole building is a testament to the old style grace of the Victorian Era.

One of my favorite installations is this miniature-

and the flowers...

And of course, who can get past SF's quirkiness-

With that, I'm off to work on some more travel shots. Coming up next, random Texas. Stay tuned.

Some More Mash-Ups

2010-05-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to settle on taking new photos, working on prior backlog or working on my latest travel shots. Lucky for you, that means you get more things at once.

First, some shots off The Big Gun (Canon 40D) from Arizona-

Have I mentioned yet that I love Quentin Tarantino movies?

Next is some catch up backlog from December from Golden Gate Park-

And while these are from the same trip, they aren't Golden Gate Park-

San Francisco City Hall

Yesterday was so nice we took another trip to Golden Gate Park, this time for some flowers going to both the Botanical Gardens and The Conservatory of Flowers-

I'll post a few more from this trip after they've finished uploading. Stay tuned.

Some Video Fun

2010-05-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

Since I was going through my backlog, I found some videos that still needed to be put up. So of course, I'm sharing them. Both of these were taken at Easter with The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

ejector

a Welcome Back Mash-up

2010-05-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

So I've been home for just about a week. I'm still in the process of getting all my photos in line and trying not to neglect my backlog too badly. So today you get some of this, and some of that, and some of that over there.

Austin TX Amtrak Station

Medieval Times, Dallas TX

on the train, some where in TX

Superdome, New Orleans LA

taken on Mt. Diablo before I left

Spring seems to have sprung. I'll come back when I have more stuff up. May is shaping up to be a busy month already. Till then see ya on the road.

Live from the Big Easy

2010-04-18T18:41:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow Junkies! today brings me to New Orleans. Sadly, the rain has followed me from Texas. So far I've been down my own coast to LA, took a right turn to Tucson, went on to Austin and then Fort Worth before coming here. I'll be here for another full day before I get back on the train and head off to DC and then Jacksonville Floria before I head back to the Bay Area again. It's been a wild ride so far complete with stories from felons, watching people kicked off the train, raided by Boarder Patrol and taking showers on trains without causing myself injury.

I haven't pulled any of the shots off the big gun yet, and the connection here is so iffy that it took me a hour and a half to watch Lost, so there's no way I'm going to attempt to upload any of those now. At this rate, it won't be until I'm back in the Bay. But until then, here's what's come off the Point and Shoot and my Cell Phone-

San Antonio, TX

Some where between CA and AZ

And this one is just a little further down the track, I believe AZ

Half way between No Man's Land and Palm Springs, CA

This one comes with a tiny story. So I have this friend of mine who's planning on hiking the WHOLE Pacific Coast Trail. this is roughly where it starts. Yes, there are people who are really that crazy, and yes, there's still snow in freaking APRIL! This is again not far outside of Palm Springs.

Just so we're clear...

This is a honest to gods working train station some where in Texas between Austin and Fort Worth

Outside of El Paso, TX

Tucson, AZ

A wall in Tucson

And this guy apparently used to be part of a Mini-Golf coarse in Tucson before he was bought and put in this parking lot/bar/patio

The thunder is getting louder and the TV is calling, so until then, see ya on the road.

The Other Stuff I've Been Doing

2010-04-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

This month turned into catch up in photo-land. One of said catch ups was a venture to The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park waaaaay back in December. Here's some of my favs -

this one isn't Golden Gate Park, it's Civic Park actually, but still a winner.

and this one is a cell phone capture from Monterey CA.

So tomorrow I set off to venture across the bottom of the country. I leave home and arrive in Tucson AZ, continue on for a pit stop in Austin TX, then on to Fort Worth. After that it's on to New Orleans and then Jacksonville FL. I'll have hotel check-in's along the way, so you very well might get updates from the road. Until then, see ya on the road.

The Land Of Ports

2010-04-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

Better known as Portland OR. I've been through Oregon a few times, even stopped a handful of times. After this last visit, I'll be going back. In fact, I've already planned at least one trip back, for FaerieWorlds at the end of July/start of August. There is something about a laid back simple life that entices me.

and who could forget the Almighty Voo-Doo Doughnuts. Yes, they really are as good as the stories say they are. *nods*

Expect more shots of Oregon in the future. I'll post one more of some of the random stuff I've been doing this month since I haven't been on the road and let you know where I'm off to next. Stay tuned.

Man How Time Flies...

2010-04-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

Seems like I just got back from the North and now I'm off to the South!! Before I go running off again though, I figured I should show off some more shots from up North since I apparently didn't get around to it before now.

this has certainly been thought of plenty of times this month...

and some more for my collection of signage

Next on the photo journey will be Portland. Stay tuned.

of Misanthropes & Dramatic Skies

2010-02-24T21:17:00.000-08:00

You know, they say Reno is "The Biggest Little City in the World," but I really think that title belongs to Seattle. Sure it has a large spread of territory, huge buildings and even a lightrail system, but it distinctly has the personality of a little city. Most people you see walking the streets in downtown are clad in black and studs, messenger bags strapped to their person with either an iPod or Camera dangling out of it and it's obvious that book stores and coffee houses reign supreme.

I met some wonderful people and had some pretty amusing times during my stay. I'll get to those with my next installment. Thanks to sleeping on the train on my way back home, my back is now tweaked, so typing is a tad annoying. So until then, see ya on the road.

An Ode to Urban

2010-02-10T23:10:00.000-08:00

Alright, so life got a little crazy. Don't you just love it when that happens? So I apologize for this being late, but better late then never.

A well known fact about me is I love the city. Urban landscapes and cement mountains are my playground. It should be no surprise that I fell in love with Acapulco. The city is a wonderful combination of a modern urban dirtiness and old world tradition-

My travels have brought me to Washington, where I'll be for another week before venturing back down the coast towards home. Until then, see ya on the road.

Sunny Skies

2010-01-23T13:23:00.000-08:00

I truly am a fan of sunny skies. I'll take them how ever I can, and Mexico is full of them.

-Zihuatanejo-

This place is so laid back. You could totally spend a week here and not even notice. Granted, I'm more a city girl, but even I could spend a whole week here and enjoy it, complete with margaritas and tacos on the beach.

There will be one more batch from Mexico before I wander north. Next stop on my adventures will be Washington state. As for today, I'm off to Santa Cruz, where amazingly enough, it's sunny. See ya on the road.

The Land of The Ocho & Coca Cola

2010-01-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

-Acapulco-

The cabs are bugs and look like new. Small children drink Coke like water. Dance halls don't even start to fill until well after 11pm. A girl could get used to this.

On To Mexico

2010-01-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

Well kids, it's time to leave again. This time I'm off to Mexico. The bag is packed, the gear is ready and now it's on to killing some time. Since I had to clear off space on the ol' hard drive again to make room, I've been working on my backlog from over the crazy month of December. Here are some of my personal fav's-

Thankfully there's WiFi on the boat, so I very well might post while I'm away. Until then, see ya on the road.

Oh Those Crazy People

2009-12-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

I don't know exactly what it is with me, but people of all sorts are drawn to me. This makes for lots of interesting meetings and amusing interactions. Case in point, the photo above. My Parents and I were walking through Downtown Santa Cruz when this kid asked for a light. So I paused and helped him out, and then we got to chatting. Soon as the camera came up he was more then happy to strike a pose-

and then do a little dance

Santa Cruz is a great place to people watch. All sorts of interesting characters just roaming the streets without a care-

To Santa Cruz & Back

2009-12-28T00:58:00.000-08:00

The trip to Santa Cruz and back was a mostly quiet affair. The Boy came into SFO early, which got us to Santa Cruz early. The next day was spent wandering Downtown and then the next day on the beach. I do love NorCal Xmases though. Just look how pretty they can be-

that's totally a red velvet seat he's got there...

And So it Begins

2009-12-23T12:51:00.001-08:00

Today The Boy comes back from NC and we head down to Santa Cruz to celebrate Xmas. Xmas isn't either of our holiday, but it makes for a good excuse to go see Mom and in The Boy's case, take time off work.

Santa Cruz, CA

That's how I plan on enjoying my Xmas. The presents are all wrapped, Gremlins is on the tube and now all that's left to do is pack. See ya on the road.

Happy Solstice

2009-12-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

Enjoy our shortest day of the year with warmth, comfort & happiness

Oh I Love This New iPod

2009-12-19T15:34:00.000-08:00

So the boy and I had an iPod xmas this year. We each bought the other the new iPod Nano 16gig. Another thing to know about me is I'm a serious music addict. Don't believe me? Go See for yourself.

Since I had it in my pocket during Dickens Fair last weekend, I decided to test out the new video feature. Sadly, it took until today for me to figure out how to get the damn videos off the iPod.

I also had it while playing with Pixie and her boy J at the CA Academy of Sciences -

I think I like this new video thing.

A Night Out

2009-12-19T01:07:00.001-08:00

IMG_2598, originally uploaded by Gun-gun.

We certainly kicked things off with a bang. The best part? It's only just begun and there's still the weekend to come. Hooray for Dickens!

The Place I Call Home

2009-12-15T23:49:00.000-08:00

Home to me is the San Francisco Bay Area. I am a 3rd generation San Franciscan by birth, but I've spent by far most of my time in the East Bay. Berkeley, Oakland and the lands that lay beyond the Caldecott Tunnel are the places I know the best and spend the most time in. I do love these places like none other, and I also love to show them off-

Tomorrow (or rather, today) we start things off with a birthday. A 21st birthday to be exact. stay tuned.

Getting to know you...

2009-12-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

Getting to know all about you.

So... as I sit at my soon to be old desk at my soon to be ex-employer, I figured now would be a good time to get this out of the way. Here are some big things to know about yours truly.

I am a lover of events and odd people. Any event that's out of the ordinary, more then likely you'll find me there if I'm within 50 miles of it. Some of those from the past include:

The Great Dickens Christmas Faire-

LoveFest-

Ren Fair-

I am also a lover of the outdoors and interesting details. I'm always collecting images of little things that most people don't notice-

And don't forget signs. I spend so much time on the road that I've grown to love signs of all shapes and sizes-

So, now that we have a better idea about the things that might show up here, I'm off to take some of my stuff to my car and wait on my exit meeting. Remember leaving is always sweet, it's the start of a new begining. Here's to the new begining and the adventure to come. See ya on the road.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2009-12-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

So my lovely employer is still making me come into the office, 2 hours earlier then I used to. Thanks to said adjustment in schedule I was treated to stop and go traffic, and this-

SNOW

It looks like the Sierra Nevada's around these parts instead of the SF Bay Area. Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy.

My Plight

2009-12-04T12:52:00.000-08:00

Hello Interweb. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gunz, and I'm a photo junkie.

In just 11 days I'll be setting off on my own as my current full time employer will be giving me (and several others) the axe. Most people have expressed their condolences for this, but really it's all for the best. Not only will I now have the time I need to devote to Photography, I'll also have the time to explore all sorts of new places, and take photos of them. This blog is will be devoted to those adventures, and the photos I find during them. Many stories and adventures await, so settle down and enjoy them with me.

The Start of the adventure will be 12/15. Stay tuned...

~Gunz