good intentions

chawarma and falafel

2009-09-25T14:51:00.001-03:00

Seu Jorge

2009-09-15T04:08:00.002-03:00

I went to the Hollywood Bowl last night to see Seu Jorge and Bebel Gilberto perform with the LA Philharmonic. Seu Jorge was impressive, Bebel, was well - Bebel. She sounded like a Bossa Nova singer - pretty much could've just streamed her on my computer and gotten the same feeling. In terms of Brazilian female singers - Maria Rita still takes it, for the performance she gave at the bowl last year. Anyway, back to Seu Jorge - not only did he sing his ass off, he came correct with a fresh looking suit. I noticed that it was super fitted - maybe even a tad undersized, perhaps a nod to Wes Anderson's Marc Jacobs suits that he was rockin for a bit. Pinstripe shirt, bowtie, and his vibe, led to the conductor calling him Nat King Cole. Baller. He nailed "Carolina," and destroyed "Life on Mars," the David Bowie cover translated into portuguese that he did for the Life Aquatic Soundtrack. On top of that, and perhaps what made him really stand out, was his willingness to engage the crowd in portuguese, unlike Bebel. He laid it out saying he had to give props to brazilians, which totally was appreciated by the brazilian community, which roared back at him. For me, part of the joy of going to see brazilian performers, or going to a brazilian restaurant, or a capoeira roda is getting that piece of culture/brazilian vibe which is so important. I thought Bebel dropped the ball by just speaking in english the whole time. Oh well.

So, after I got home I was feeling Seu Jorge, and did a little youtubing, which resulted in finding a couple of gems that I'll link here. I hope you enjoy.

The first one is a cover of that song done for that movie CLOSER that he did with Ana Carolina.

Next is the LIFE ON MARS cut:

Finally, CAROLINA, go figure:

downtown pics

2009-09-03T03:25:00.004-03:00

Leisure

2008-12-12T06:57:00.002-02:00

I wish this was me right now. I took this picture in Playa del Carmen in July 2007.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

2008-11-21T05:56:00.002-02:00

I want to positively impact communities by helping to make them more livable, equitable, and sustainable. To realize this goal I must first further my knowledge of Urban Planning, so that I can influence change in favor of underrepresented communities and eventually help empower others to become agents of change within their own communities. Pursuing a Masters Degree in Urban Planning at UCLA will help me to attain my professional goals by providing me with a strong theoretical framework coupled with the necessary technical skills to make me an effective planner. In addition, UCLA’s commitment to social justice makes it the ideal program in which to study.

I first became aware of the Urban Planning field as an undergraduate student at UCLA while I minored in Policy Studies with an emphasis in Urban Planning. While surveying Professor Leo Estrada’s “Planning for Minority Communities” class and later through independent research with Professor Donald Shoup, I developed an understanding of the important role that planning played in shaping both the physical and social aspects of cities and communities around the world. Professor Estrada’s class was particularly interesting, because it looked at planning for multiple publics. As a Latino and as a non-native English speaker, who grew up in an Anglo dominated city in Orange County, I reflected on my family’s own difficulties with language and culture and consequently realized how planning decisions could have helped to alleviate problems associated with such differences.

Following my initial introduction to Urban Planning, I moved to Brazil to participate in the Education Abroad Program and complete courses for my Latin American Studies major. Having been recently exposed to the politics of planning, I approached Brazil with a zealous attitude towards planning; questioning and analyzing issues such as housing, transportation systems, and community development. Through a community development course at the host university in Rio de Janeiro I was able to gain valuable experience working in favelas, with low-income communities by volunteering with a health awareness project. This experience taught me the importance of fieldwork, because I was able to apply newly learned techniques to increase community dialogue, which strengthened the effectiveness of the program’s purpose.

As a result of my continued interest in Urban Planning I have consistently and actively sought out experiences that could help me to better understand the field. Upon returning from Brazil I worked with Professor Leo Estrada, conducting research with the Latino Community in Los Angeles. It was through my discussions with Professor Estrada that I was able to verbalize and better analyze some of the planning issues I encountered in Brazil associated with the urban poor living in Rio de Janeiro. As a result I was able to affirm my interest in the international aspects of regional planning, with particular interest on marginalized communities.

Under the supervision of Professor Donald Shoup and through an internship with the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C., I was able to conduct independent research pertaining to the use of Empowerment Zones (EZ) and Renewal Communities (RC) as a solution to economically depressed areas. It was through my fieldwork with the Baltimore EZ that I was able to compare a successful model of an EZ at work against other models that had failed to take advantage of the program and come to an analysis of what attributed to program success. In addition to my own research, I also gained invaluable work experience working on the Empowerment Zone and Renewal Communities Program Competition. The combined experience demonstrated that I was able to conduct independent original research that addressed questions related to the field of urban planning.

Upon graduating from UCLA I began working for an urban planning consultant in Orange County that serviced cities in Central and Southern California. As a program manager for mobile home rehabilitation and replacement programs, I worked to improve the quality of life of low-income households by aiding them in receiving federal and state financial assistance. In addition to managing the rehab and replacement program, I was also involved with interviewing laborers to ensure that they were being paid in accordance with the Davis Bacon Law.

Through my experiences working with and doing research associated with marginalized populations, it has become clear that I want to work to create planning solutions that help to reduce the disparities between the different classes in society. By understanding the different relationships within planning, I hope to achieve my goals of providing equitable housing and the development of communities that foster interaction and dialogue between all its members. My research interests will mainly focus on looking at how these goals can be achieved within the urban landscapes of Los Angeles and Northeastern Brazil respectively and then comparatively.

My decision to specifically pursue a Masters Degree at UCLA comes from my positive experience in working with faculty members Leo Estrada and Donald Shoup. Furthermore, I look forward to working with Professors Michael Storper and Abel Valenzuela, Jr., because of their involvement with planning issues in Brazil; specifically Professor Storper’s interests in regional development in the Northeast of Brazil and Abel Valenzuela, Jr.’s familiarity with built environment issues in Brazil through projects such as the “Community Development in Brazil” Seminar that he taught in the Spring of 2002. I also hope to work with Professor Vinit Mukhija’s, because of his expertise in housing policies in the developing world. In addition to the relationships I intend to seek out with the Urban Planning Department’s distinguished faculty, I also look to contribute to the Center for the Study of Urban Poverty and the Center for Globalization and Policy Research.

As a student in UCLA’s Urban Planning Program, I will bring conviction and enthusiasm to my studies in community development. My experience working with the public and private sectors of urban planning, as well as my regional and international experience has provided me with a unique perspective in planning. With my diverse background in planning, I look to contribute to UCLA’s continued focus on social justice, while gaining the necessary tools I need to become an agent of change for underrepresented communities.

december 2004

"you leave it up to me, I paint the white house black." -MC Breed

2008-11-10T16:47:00.006-02:00

A week in black and white photography

2008-11-03T02:03:00.004-02:00

absolut olivier

2008-10-08T04:59:00.000-03:00

I took this photo about one year ago in Mexico.

ensenada

2008-09-30T05:53:00.001-03:00

alcapulco, mexico

2008-09-29T03:56:00.000-03:00

coke bottle

2008-09-29T03:54:00.001-03:00

2008-09-22T20:12:00.001-03:00

Think Cure

2008-09-22T19:07:00.001-03:00

IMG_7231
Originally uploaded by xxmarcelxx

RIP Tio Eduardo. Thank you for your wisdom, laughter, and guidance as my Godfather.

Bowling at the Shatto 39

2008-08-18T14:06:00.001-03:00

swing of things

2008-06-07T15:17:00.003-03:00

Yesterday was the end of the first week at the new job. Leaving City Hall on my first Friday and making my way through the maze of hallways and back entrances - I quickly made my way to the Civic Center Metro stop, intent on meeting Alex and Sylvia at Fat Fish in K-Town, and tired from walking in overpriced outlet Ferragamos. Crossing Main Street, I quickly realized that I wasn't exactly sure where the metro stop was. "Perdon," I asked this woman, who I sized up to be a transit user, from the hanging wallet on a strap that was hanging from her neck, and mini lunch cooler in tow. She turned around and looked at me. "Where is the nearest metro station?" I said, quickly shifting my language to English, not wanting to assume/offend her for thinking that she didn't speak English. "Second and Grand," she casually spoke with a soft accent of a Spanish speaker who had been speaking English for the past 30 years. I thanked her with a slight up and down nod, not too different from a bow that I would give my exgirlfriends Korean parents, and strided towards my new destination. I exited Vermont and Wilshire, experiencing the TOD recently built within the past year as a way to increase density and ridership along tranit routes. Unfortunatley, a quick glance left much to be desired. Perhaps not enough seating area - maybe a water fountain would have worked - maybe not enough cafes. I noticed two miserable benches that were fixed - unable to provide choice and flexibility in where people gathered. Oh well, I thought. Fat Fish Sushi was my priority. Again, I asked for directions. This time, in Spanish, and definitely because this woman looked more Latina, indigenous even. "Quieres ir al West," she told me. She was right I was looking for West Sixth Street. I took off, passing the bacon wrapped hot dog vendor, zipping down Wilshire, right on New Hampshire and left on Sixth Street. Alex had said that it was right next to Pink Berry. Of course. I passed Berendo and then this great Old Fashioned Hamburger Sign and storefront. Closed. It was one of those places that you could imagine foodies writing about on food blogs. Shit, I wanted to discover this place and tell all my friends about it. Out foodie those of my friends not that into hunting for new places, like I tend to do. Oh well. Fat Fish. Sylvia and Alex were seated at the bar staring at the tiny plates of sushi on the conveyor belt, and trying to hold off their appetites. Sylvia couldn't. As I walked up she was biting into a spicy tuna avocado dish. Perfect. 2 hours later, 40 tiny sushi plates, and 3 empty tea cups of beer, we took off back to echo park, to lay like the fat fish that we now were on the couch and not so casually be amazed by Cesar Millan as he trained humans and counciled dogs.

Being Away

2008-05-22T06:00:00.003-03:00

So, being away means, really being away. At least, thats how I think people really see it. Living abroad for 10 months really made me understand what being away means. Being away means not being able to run home real quick for some of my mom's cooking, or to catch a movie with my dad. Being away means not being able to eat a nacho bellgrande from taco bell. Being away means not being totally familiar with everything. Being away has meant missing your friends and missing everything you are used to doing.

So, here's the other thing about being away. Not only are you away in terms of what you experience, but you're away in terms of the way that people experience your friendship and love. Once you're home, you're accessible again, you are less scarce. There is the availability of you. YOu are less in demand, because you are closer. So now, being in LA, rather than in Mexico, makes me less scarce than X's friend who lives in Santa Barbara. Thanks. I feel better.

So, I decided to go away, because being back in Los Angeles means that I am missed and desired in mexico city. Here I come guys. your desires will last a week. trust me. i know.

happily unemployed

2008-05-22T05:47:00.001-03:00

how else would i get to see my friends living in San Francisco?

Zipcars, StreetArt, Architecture, and Tequila.

2008-05-22T05:39:00.001-03:00

California

2008-04-22T20:11:00.001-03:00

California

Almost Gone

2008-04-17T19:46:00.007-03:00

So, Im almost out of Mexico City for good. I´ve been here for almost 10 months, not counting the trips that I´ve taken to go back home, and out to the East Coast. 10 months is a long time. But short as well.

You´re reminded how long, when that Mexico City sewage smells hits you.

When you get tired of tacos - too long.

When, you´ve been here long enough to experience a no smoking in doors rule go into effect.

When you start complaining about tipping 10%.

When you start haggling old ladies at the fruit market to save 50 cents.

When you get too lazy to buy $1 bootleg DVDs.

Ten months is too long when a friend of yours tells you they got robbed by a guy on a motorcycle.

10 months is too long when you can´t wait to get out of the fuckin city. Anywhere. Just out.

On the other hand. It can be to soon. The ten months seem to have flown by when you consider things like:

Never having gone to eat at the best restaurant in the City. Damn.

Its too short when you haven´t had enough time to get back into tacos.

Its too short when you haven´t been able to win your rec league champíonship.

Its too soon to go home when you´re leaving people you really care about.

Its too soon to go home when you have to move back in with your parents.

Its too soon to leave Mexico when you havent had the chance to travel everywhere. I still need Chiapas, Puerto Escondido, more beaches, more people, more experiences. Too soon.

At the end of the day though. Sometimes its time to go. Be it too soon, or about time, sometimes its not up to you. Play the cards your dealt.

So, at least I´ll be home, eating moms cooking, having good beer with friends, breathing less smelly air, playing in a new league, and having conversations with people who can relate once again. My friends.

Peace Mexico. About time. Too soon.

PS. My girlfriend was in her second bus accident of the week. A fellow passenger fell out of the bus while hanging in the door. Definitely time to go home. Fuck unsafe transportation in this City.

Splash of Color

2008-04-08T14:50:00.001-03:00

Oaxaca is for Mezcal Lovers

2008-04-05T14:29:00.003-03:00

old vs. new

2008-03-03T01:29:00.003-03:00

Metrobus Line. Organized. Bus Rapid Transit. Standards. Efficient

Pesero. Dangerous. Polluters. Add to traffic. Poor standards.

Inside View of a Pesero Bus. Bucket of water next to battery? WTF?

Lastly, in peseros, drivers handle the money and drive, at the same time. This is so dangerous. Drivers of Metrobus don't handle money, because fare is prepaid like in metro systyems.

camera features

2008-02-29T16:57:00.001-03:00

photo mix

2008-02-28T12:53:00.001-03:00

FIRST AID STATION

View of the Zocalo from the Torre Latinoamericano

Mexico City Street Shot

Torre Latinoamericana

2008-02-27T12:19:00.000-03:00

Bar with a view.

Teotihuacan

2008-02-26T20:11:00.000-03:00

Pyramids outside of Mexico City.

The Mall °° DC

2008-02-21T15:58:00.001-03:00

This picture was taken in mid January. 2 days later is snowed.

Pilgrims

2008-02-11T04:20:00.000-02:00

This picture was taken on the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Thousands of devout catholics pilgrimage to the Basilica in Mexico City to give praise and thanks. These kids were just hyped on the free food.

Xochimilco

2008-02-08T15:19:00.000-02:00

In the southern part of Mexico City there is a canal. There are also boats. Canal + Boats = Good time. And although we are technically in winter, it was in the mid 70s.

Neighborhood Chill

2008-02-07T03:52:00.000-02:00

Maruata (Playa de Michoacan)

2008-02-05T14:14:00.000-02:00

This is how I spent the Holidays. Eating fish, baked goods from a huge stove that a woman dragged to the beach and set up shop with. Very memorable indeed.

||MY SONG OF 2007 IS||

2008-01-04T02:14:00.000-02:00

Now that 2007 is officially over, and from a challenge to choose my favorite song, I've settled on
ALL MY FRIENDS by LCD SOUNDSYSTEM. Apart from being a great song, LCD performs the hell out of it, with, well, all of their other songs. This I know from watching their show at the El Rey last year. I've included the lyrics, and if you're interested I've also placed the song here for you to download. Have a great 2008.

That's how it starts.
We go back to your house.
We check the charts,
And start to figure it out.

And if it's crowded, all the better,
because we know we're gonna be up late.
But if you're worried about the weather
then you picked the wrong place to stay.
That's how it starts.

And so it starts.
You switch the engine on.
We set controls for the heart of the sun,
one of the ways we show our age.

And if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up
and I still don't wanna stagger home.
Then it's the memory of our betters
that are keeping us on our feet.

You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan,
and the next five years trying to be with your friends again.

You're talking 45 turns just as fast as you can,
yeah, I know it gets tired, but it's better when we pretend.

It comes apart,
the way it does in bad films.
Except in parts,
when the moral kicks in.

Though when we're running out of the drugs
and the conversation's winding away.
I wouldn't trade one stupid decision
for another five years of lies.

You drop the first ten years just as fast as you can,
and the next ten people who are trying to be polite.
When you're blowing eighty-five days in the middle of France,
Yeah, I know it gets tired only where are your friends tonight?

And to tell the truth.
Oh, this could be the last time.
So here we go,
like a sail's force into the night

And if I made a fool, if I made a fool, if I made a fool
on the road, there's always this.
And if I'm sewn into submission,
I can still come home to this.

And with a face like a dad and a laughable stand,
you can sleep on the plane or review what you said.
When you're drunk and the kids leave impossible tasks
you think over and over, "hey, I'm finally dead."

Oh, if the trip and the plan come apart in your hand,
you look contorted on yourself your ridiculous prop.
You forgot what you meant when you read what you said,
and you always knew you were tired, but then,
where are your friends tonight?

Where are your friends tonight?
Where are your friends tonight?

If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight

Home: Then and Now

2008-01-04T00:45:00.000-02:00

Living in Mexico City and having spent some of the best moments of my adult life in such cities as Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro, its easy to find myself comparing my current stomping grounds - to my last. So, in a new years urge to do some virtual posting here is quick comparison, that I hope to add as a regular feature to GOOD INTENTIONS. HOME: Then and Now

PLACES I LIVED.

Mexico City

First Neighborhood::Coyoacan
Great Coffee Shops, Colonial Architecture, Frida Kahlo's House, Two Plazas, Weekend Street Fair, Daily Market with Tostadas, , Pinatas, and bootleg DVDs.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Current Neighborhood::Villa Olimpica
A new BRT stop being built for the MetroBus line, a view of the mountains and my basketball gym from my 8th floor apartment, and dense apartment living.

Rio de Janeiro

"Alto Leblon"
10 blocks away from the beach. Great weather, music, food, and vibe. This city was great because of the people and the landscape. I wish I could go back and live there without the 30 american students I was studying with. No offense guys. Anyway, I lived at the base of the mountains you see in the distance.

Silver Lake: Post to be continued, and unfortunately i dont have good pics of silver lake. pathetic, i know.

Penance or Awe?

2007-11-11T20:48:00.000-02:00

This picture was taken in the neighborhood of San Angel at this little church which is pretty amazing. You can check out more pics of that day here.

Cheese Delivery Guy

2007-10-18T05:58:00.000-02:00

Multiple Choice

2007-10-03T05:16:00.000-03:00

I shot this last year in Little Tokyo while doing field work from my site planning class. Not bad ay.

El Grito de Independencia

2007-09-30T14:34:00.000-03:00

This picture was taken at the Zocalo during the "Grito," which is Mexican Independence Day.

signing streets in mexico.

2007-09-21T22:13:00.000-03:00

brotherhood

2007-09-21T04:36:00.000-03:00

no hay palabras que pueden explicar lo que es tener un hermano.

pozole monday @ mayra's

2007-09-12T13:23:00.001-03:00

Pozole (from Spanish pozole, from Nahuatl potzolli; variant spellings: posole, posolé, pozolé, pozolli, posol) is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew made from hominy, with pork (or other meat), chile, and other seasonings and garnish, such as cabbage, lettuce, oregano, cilantro, avocado, radish, lime juice, etc. There are a number of variations on pozole, including blanco (white or clear), verde (green), de frijol (with beans), and elopozole. I had the white one and it was the BOMBzole! Special thanks to Mayra's dad, and to the guy who brought the bottle of Herradura Tequila.

mexico looks like orange county

2007-09-04T02:58:00.000-03:00

one weekend i went to the city of queretaro. looked like parts of orange county that i grew up in. it wasn't strange that i felt oddly relaxed.

umbrellas edited

2007-08-30T04:41:00.001-03:00

Umbrellas

2007-08-30T04:23:00.000-03:00

In Mexico City it rains a lot, and it hasn't been any exception for my time here. Fortunately, the rain lets up and we have beautiful mornings.

olivier

2007-08-23T03:32:00.001-03:00

french. of course right?

Bellas Artes

2007-08-22T02:52:00.000-03:00

The line to get into the Frida exhibit was 2 hours plus. We managed by taking turns to walk around the neighborhood. I ventured into Sears and made my way to the eighth floor to have a coffee and shoot this photo.

red

2007-08-21T09:52:00.000-03:00

look who made it to el Districto. Helen.

German. His name - not his nationality. He's actually from Brazil.

2 years of braces. i'm flashing the grill all the time now.

homeless in l.a.

2007-08-16T18:45:00.000-03:00

Found this today rummaging through my pictures folder. Middle of the day on a weekday around 7th and Hope Street.

blurry portrait

2007-08-14T15:40:00.000-03:00

i took this picture last weekend at our sunday supper club.
olivier is one of my roommates, and rudi is my landlord.
rudi manages about 6 properties and lives in one of the houses. he has 7 roommates and i have 5. you can understand how sunday supper club can instantly include 14 guests.
i like blurry pictures.

PORNOTITLAN

2007-08-13T14:24:00.000-03:00

Roommates

2007-08-09T21:15:00.000-03:00

-Caroline-
representing France/Germany
Anybody hear of Lorraine? (I still can't pronounce that city).
As in Alscace Lorraine.

-Ivo-
Representing Curitiba, Brazil.
And yup he rides public transit and is into the environment.
He also has a weak spot for Dutch girls.

-Andres-
Puerto Rican Power was in the house via New York.
Film Student
Salsa Dancer
Bad Budgeter

Oliver, Dani, and Alberto still to come.

Randomness.

2007-08-08T16:14:00.000-03:00

Old Building in Center of Coyoacan

Taco Guy = 4 tacos for 1 buck.

Greatest Salsa Classics CD

2007-08-07T14:45:00.000-03:00

Some of you know that I'm colombian - some know that I like salsa - some don't care. Anyway, here is a link to download a mix of great colombian salsa. The link will be active for 7 days. You may have to create a log in. Well worth it. Also find here a scholarly article from a professor at UCLA titled: Du Bois' Double Consciousness versus Latin America Exceptionalism: Joe Arroyo, Salsa and Negritude

Play list.

1. El Preso - Fruko Y Sus Tesos
2. Tania - Fruko Y Sus Tesos
3. Barranquillero Arrebateo - Fruko Y Sus Tesos
4. El Caminante - Fruko Y Sus Tesos
5. Una Aventura - Galileo
6. Cali Pachanguero - Galileo
7. Cuerpo A Cuerpo - Grupo Cariaco
8. Las Cajas - Joe Arroyo
9. Rebelion - Joe Arroyo
10. Yamulemau - Joe Arroyo
11. Pa'l Bailador - Joe Arroyo
12. Sobre Las Olas - The Latin Brothers
13. Las Caleñas Son Como Las Flores - The Latin Brothers
14. Si Supieras - Los Niches
15. Por Retenerte - Lot Titanes
16. Sobredosis - Lot Titanes

el zócalo

2007-07-28T21:27:00.000-03:00

every sunday in the zócalo of mexico city, they lower the mexican flag. it was a big scene - and was definitely cool to take in. the zócalo has the cathedral, the national palace (diego has some murals in there), the remains of the templo mayor (temple built by the aztecs), and the oldest bar in latin america (also liquor license no. 1 of mexico). Most interesting thing was that the cathedral was built with the stones that had be used for the templo mayor. Talk about stickin it to the aztecs. geez.

disclaimer - i think it was the aztecs. excuse my ignorance if not.

corner boutique in coyoacan

2007-07-27T13:11:00.000-03:00

Around Coyoácan

2007-07-25T20:06:00.000-03:00

Party at my spot.

2007-07-20T18:06:00.000-03:00

the new spot.

2007-07-19T22:43:00.000-03:00

Work

2007-07-16T02:42:00.000-03:00

Rachelicious.

2007-06-28T16:29:00.000-03:00

this is my niece rachel.

she's a new yorker.

usually she looks all angry and wants to beat people up and talk with an accent.
like most new yorkers.
luckily i was able to capture her softer side.

Murals and Ballerinas

2007-06-06T04:33:00.000-03:00

101 Fwy - North of Downtown.

Freud Theater - North of Sculpture Garden

Apparently this is what they want....

2007-04-12T18:56:00.000-03:00

* Leading Change;
* Leading People;
* Results Driven;
* Business Acumen; and
* Building Coalitions/Communication.

2 for 1 : Mexican Wrestling Night

2007-04-10T02:50:00.001-03:00

Jump Around

2007-04-08T00:32:00.000-03:00

Plenty of people have sang about it, from Van Halen, to Kris Kross, to House of Pain: jumping. What's the fascination? Perhaps, it;s because it's such a big part of growing up. Regardless, it's pretty dope, and on my recent trip to Baja California, me and a group of friends decided to do just what we did so much of as kids.....Jump Around. So, below is what I hope to be the first in a series of many "Jump Photos." I recommend it to all. And shooting it is even more hilarious. It kind of gives everybody a reason to do it, if they're to shy to do it just to do it at first.

Furthermore, I've seen these types of photos around before on different personal websites, and so after a quick little websearch I found an article describing one of the first people to employ this technique or style.

Here's an excerpt...

The freezing of motion has a long and fascinating history in photography, whether of sports, fashion or war. But rarely has stop-action been used in the unlikely, whimsical and often mischievous ways that Philippe Halsman employed it.

Halsman, born 100 years ago last May, in Latvia, arrived in the United States via Paris in 1940; he became one of America's premier portraitists in a time when magazines were as important as movies among visual media.

Halsman's pictures of politicians, celebrities, scientists and other luminaries appeared on the cover of Life magazine a record 101 times, and he made hundreds of other covers and photo essays for such magazines as Look, Paris Match and Stern. Because of his vision and vigor, our collective visual memory includes iconic images of Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Oppenheimer, Winston Churchill and other newsmakers of the 20th century.

To read the whole article click here

And here are some of Halsman's photos.

And here are mine.

Peace. Marcel

Price.

2007-04-07T21:34:00.000-03:00

The central role of price is to allocate - across the board - scarce resources among competing ends to the point where the value of another unit of any good or service is equal to the incremental cost of producing that unit. Expressed loosely, in th elong run we turn from using prices to dampen demand to fit a fixed supply to adjusting the supply to fit tthe quantity demanded, at a price which reflect the production costs.

Baja, aqui vengo....

2007-03-25T00:30:00.000-03:00

It's Saturday night around 8:30 pm, and I still have to pass by Oso's place to eat a couple of pieces of Kalbi, have a shot of soju, and sing some karaoke before swinging back on to the freeway to meet my parents at a birthday dinner near La Cresenta. And yeah, this is all before I finish packing for my 7 day road trip to Baja California tomorrow. Our first day is going to take us to a National Park in Baja, of which name I do not know cause I didn't plan. I'm hoping by at least the third day we'll be sitting on a beach somewhere drinking corona's and eating fish tacos. I'll be shooting pics with my Digital Cannon SLR, as well as with two new film cameras I got. Both from Lomo, one a fisheye and the other is called the Holga, which is a medium format camera that uses 120 mm film. I'm stoked.

Wednesday Walking

2007-02-22T01:23:00.000-02:00

Signage

2007-02-20T23:41:00.001-02:00

this sign always makes me want to eat.

Los Angeles, I'm Yours

2007-02-07T02:15:00.000-02:00

Griffith Observatory.

2007-02-07T02:05:00.000-02:00

At of all the pictures I've taken this year, this is perhaps my favorite. It combines my love for discovering new things, such as the Observatory, along w/ something I don't do that much....which is really shoot something that has varying scales. The different elements such as the grainy finish, and the clear text guiding you to the telescope really bombard the senses. I think I shot this with 1600 speed. Hope you guys like it as much as I do. Peace.

Planning Party

2006-11-20T07:44:00.000-02:00

Notre Dame, Southbend, Indiana

2006-11-01T17:36:00.000-03:00

Here are some pics from my trip to watch the UCLA vs. Notre Dame game. It was epic. Until we lost. :(

West Coast Graffitti

2006-10-12T01:27:00.000-03:00

This picture is East of Downtown of LA bordering the Artist District and Little Tokyo.

back in l.a.

2006-09-27T04:40:00.000-03:00

It's nice to be back in Los Angeles. And what better way to commemorate my return then to take a walk through hollywood, check out the new FAMIMA!! convenience store chain from Japan, cruise to the Hollywood Bowl for the Massive Attack concert, grab a bacon wrapped hotdog, and take in some street performers. Being in Brazil for the past two months has motivated me to look at the city through the eyes of a tourist, discovering new things each day. So, I'm now thinking that this blog will become more of reflection of that, which is also a way to keep my friends and family abroad up to speed on what I'm doing, and to dispell the myths that L.A. is just a massive, sprawling, metropolis, with nothing more to offer than traffic, the Hollywood Sign, and enormous portions of food.

this is why i want to live in Rio

2006-09-26T01:21:00.000-03:00

Cumbia Lessons

2006-09-17T22:49:00.000-03:00

This is how I spent Sunday afternoon with the family in Brasilia

test 1, 2.

2006-09-10T23:42:00.000-03:00

IMG_3170
Originally uploaded by xxmarcelxx.

Memorial of Sao Paulo

Family Visit

2006-09-10T23:24:00.000-03:00

Os Gemeos Exhibit

2006-08-31T00:35:00.000-03:00

So, I went to check out this exhibit walking distance from my house the other day. The artists are native Brazilians from the City of Sao Paulo. They are twin brothers are in their thirties and have now claimed major status across the globe. Nike used them for a project recently. Anyway, they go by "Os Gemeos," which means twins in Portuguese. Their work is also splattered across the city. Link to my flicker site for over 100 fotos from the show. Peace.

Nike and Their Ever Genius Ad Placement.

2006-08-30T14:48:00.000-03:00

This I passed on my way to school today. So, notice the billboard hovering above the "os gemeos" grafitti work. Nicely done.

The second picture is a little more upclose of one of the characters. Notice that someone at NIke planted some Air Max 1's. Smart.

Weekend in Rio de Janeiro

2006-08-14T20:14:00.000-03:00

Living in Sao Paulo is great, but there is nothing better than leaving to Rio de Janeiro for the weekend. I left on Thursday night with my french homie, Gaetan. After $30 bucks, and a six hour bus ride, we arrived in Rio de Janeiro at about 8 am. The weather was amazing. 80 degree Winters are the best. Even when I lived 2 blocks from the beach in Rio 5 years ago, I don't remember enjoying the beach this much. 3 consecutive days of eating, drinking, swimming and gazing at the Cariocas (native from Rio), was just what the doctor ordered. here are just some of the pics from that amazing trip. Thank you to Moema and her family for having me, and inviting us to father's day dinner. Thanks to Nicole and Serginho for showing us that distance and different cultures are not enough to keep love apart (they met when we studiesd there in 2001 and are getting married soon). and also thanks to the criminals for not ripping us off as we took a nap from 5 to 6 am on the steps of Lapa (also where Snoop and Pharrell filmed the video for "beautiful"). Obrigado Rio de Janeiro.

PICS FROM THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF.

2006-08-03T18:52:00.000-03:00

Moema (top left), Ratao (Japanese Guy), Cris (Japanese/Brazilian mix), and Me. Moema is my old friend from Rio who came to visit for the weekend. Cris, is her old friend that she met working in London (it had been 6 years since they saw each other last), and Ratao, short for big rat, is Cris' husband. Hanging out with them was a blast.

This picture is just a glimpse at some of the stuff they sell on the street for dirt cheap. This stuff varied from $3 to $8 bucks.

These are two of my roommates.

This is on Avenida Paulista, which is the main strip in Sao Paulo. They sell everything from bootleg dvds, and software, to yakisoba and hotdogs.

This was at Animamundi, an animation festival that was really cool.

Day 17: August 2, 2006

2006-08-02T21:45:00.000-03:00

The City of Sao Paulo, is the third largest City in terms of populous, in the world, behind Tokyo and Mexico City. And like all major cities, it has it’s share of problems….from prisoner directed murders of public officials and police officers, to bus bombings done by the PCC (at least they make sure the bus is empty), to traffic congestion nightmares, and so on. And being that I’m here to do research for the summer, what better way to get to know the city than to walk it, drive it, ride it, and cross it. So that’s what I’ve been doing. Walks and trips that only those foreign and oblivious to a city and it’s problems would venture to do. Well not oblivious, but willing to engage the city from a different perspective. It would be the Los Angeles equivalent of when Ian from London came to visit and wanted to go see NASCAR in Irwindale, or when he wanted to go check out Compton. So, when I tell people that I want to go to Carandiru, the former site of the prison made famous by the rebellion and subsequent self-titled Documentary, they ask if I’m crazy. Why would I want to go there? Well, for one reason, as GMO and a couple of other students who beat me to the punch to go there found out (they went on my recommendation), there is a beautiful park, complete with new skatepark, and a complete system of ziplines in the tree canopy for visitors to enjoy, the place is not what it once used to be. I imagine this is just one of the many ways that Sampa (Sao Paulo) attempts to better the city’s image.

Another funny little story I heard was related to a neighborhood in the north of Sampa, that frequently hosts Formula One racing is pretty run down, particularly the one part of the track that is bordered by a favela. So instead of worrying about improving the neighborhood, he did a façade improvement on the area that was most frequently caught on camera, leaving the rest of the favela to lay there as normal. Effective for improving the international image of the city, but utter crap for really improving conditions for the poor living in the area.

Switching gears, kind of, there is a project that I just started getting involved in that would implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) from the center of the city to the east side (why is it that the east side is last to get developed? East Germany, East LA, East Sao Paulo…I’m exaggerating of course). The plans have been completed by Logit, a brazilian consulting firm that I just started interning with Big problem, is that plans had been temporarily shelved due to the fact that political support has waned recently. Logit, being the cool type of consulting firm that takes on it’s own projects, has blown a small amount of life back into the project, and I’ve been assigned to help out Juliana, inhouse architect/associate, to revisit the project and improve those areas of the plans that lacked full development. I guess. At least that’s what I understood from my first meeting with the people at Logit. That’s it for now.

Monday, July 24

2006-07-24T15:14:00.000-03:00

Cool Story: Renata and Rogerio.

Before getting an apartment in Vila Madalena I took up residence in the Hotel Concorde, located in the Bela Vista area. Being that I did not have a space to cook in, my meals consisted of bar food, hot dogs, and meat pastries, with the occasional juices. When hunger would hit, while at the Hotel Concorde I'd step out and walk about 20 yards to Bar Metaforas. This is where I met Renata and Rogerio, a couple living together in Sao Paulo and working together as owner-operator-cook-bartender-server of Bar M. I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever been made to feel so welcome at a bar/restaurant before in my life. Bar M was to me what Cheers was to Norm. Serious. Aside from having great service, they had the intangibles that can't really be taught.

First off, you feel like part of a family there. Renata and Rogerio are clearly in love, and that positive energy just invades the whole bar. Second, Rogerio went out of his way...actually maybe it wasn't a stretch for him...maybe he's just cool like that...but I digress. In the couple of times that I've been there, Rogerio has given me apartment leads (asked other customers, if they knew of any leads), recommended me to another bar that I should go to, where his friend from the past runs the bar. Seriously. He said and wrote for me on a napkin, "go to Finnegans Pub, and ask for Lineu. Say you're a friend of Renata and Rogerio from Hot Dog." I mean c'mon. Does that really happen? It does at Bar M. After receiving this last gem of a recommendation, I broke down and started inquiring about his life and what the hell was Hot Dog all about. Turns out, Rogerio is a lawyer and Renata is a psychiatrist. About 2-3 years ago they both quit there jobs to open up a hot dog stand in the Pinheiros area. Over the course of a year and a half they sold enough hot dogs (about 300 a night) to save up and open up Bar M. I'm not surprised. Needless to say, I'll be going back to Bar M to have a Skol Gelada, a burger with fries, and pick up more gems of advice from Rogerio and Renata. Oh yeah. They call me by name, remember what type of beer i drink and Rogerio drinks out of his own chilled glass that used to be his great grandfathers. need I say more?

Day 4 and Day 5

2006-07-21T13:35:00.000-03:00

Flashback:

I keep on thinking about Korean BBQ. This is a picture of Chris and I. Chris is vegetarian.

Day 3:

Guillermo and I walked around and just sat for the first time in a while. We sat in this plaza by the Museum of Art of Sao Paulo (MASP) and walked through this dope park.

Day 4: Thursday, July 20, 2006

Wow. I’m exhausted. Days have been so long. It’s 7 pm right now and I just got back from a day of adventuring. I’ve done a lot this past week and come to some quick realizations about what the deal is here in Sao Paulo. First of all, there is little to no support from both UCLA and/or the University here in Sao Paulo. There is still the option to go to the city of Campinas and do an internship with the University out there. Thinking about it, I’ve decided it’s not really an idea I’m too fond of. Thinking about spending another week familiarizing myself with a city does not sound like something I’d be too interested in. So for now, I’ve decided to make Sao Paulo work. Basically, I’m going to start looking for a permanent place to live. G-Mo, is on the same plane…I think.

So, to reiterate, I’m staying in Sao Paulo and continuing with the plan to do my own research/investigating.

Quick cool thing to note. Sao Paulo has a grip of cultural planning that’s free. I have a laundry list of things I want to do. Galleries, museums, photo exhibits, live music, etc. The city is amazing and they have everything, from food, to clothing, to graffiti. Today blew me away. We went to the neighborhood of Vila Madalena and cruised around. The line was at the end of the green line, which was about 4 stops from Avenida Paulista, which is the main shopping/financial/cultural drag in S.P. So, Vila Madalena is total upscale/bohemian. Bars, furniture shops, really nicely put together stores and houses. Architecture was pretty fresh. The best stuff had to do with a mural project that was done fairly recently. Some old cat I asked said that it was done within the past year. 100 murals through this back street, done by local artists. Check the pictures to see what I was talking about. Another nerdy planning thing that I noticed was the dope feeder buses that shuttled people to and from the metro stop. Okay, anyway, check the pics. I’ll post again soon. Also, thinking about planning a weekend trip to the beach. Peace.

Tchau, tchau.

Marcel

Day 5: July 21, Friday.

I just got out of portuguese class and while all of my classmates are going to have lunch, I figured I didn't deserve any until I sent out some crucial emails, made some important phone calls and of course update this blog. I'm still living in the Hotel Concorde, which is far from luxurious, but definitely has its own charm. Specifically Jose, the counter guy/bartender. He's a little rough around the edges, but definitely cool. Most brasilians are. I'm going to begin looking for a place today. I am hopefully going to meet up with Tequinho, whom is a childhood friend of my cousin Edgar in Brasilia, and talk about moving in together. It would be a tremendous relief moving him with him, cause I trust him, and he can deal with negotiating and getting a fair price. I also have spoken with another Edgar connection, living here in Sao Paulo. Her name is Fabiola, and we're possibly going to meet up tomorrow to have a beer or coffee. Not sure yet.

Sidenote. Yesterday when I went to Vila Madalena to walk around we went into a trendy shop that sold t-shirts, jeans, etc....They wanted $80 U.S. dollars for a pair of slip on checkered vans. Crazy.

uno mas

2006-07-18T01:01:00.000-03:00

One more picture in Liberdade. (j-town)

pics from first day and one of me and mom.

2006-07-18T00:57:00.000-03:00

skyline from hotel

madre y hijo

subway pic.

Day 1: Monday, July 17, 2006

2006-07-18T00:32:00.000-03:00

So, today we arrived in Sao Paulo, Brasil or Sampa as the Brazilians call it. We flew out on Sunday afternoon at 2pm and our plane touched ground at 8 am or so. Some how I managed to tire myself out from the stupid flight. The second leg of the flight which was from Lima, Peru to Sao Paulo took about 5 hours, but for 3 of those hours I sat, trying to sleep, convinced that I had sat in some crappy chair that wouldn’t recline. It wasn’t until complaining about it to Guillermo (G-Mo), that he reached over and very simply found the button on the other armrest. Lame. Of me. After arriving in Sampa we rented a car (for 2 days) and checked into a hotel for another two days. Due to the fact that we had an hour until check in this afternoon, we decided to grab a eat and cruise down the main drag, which is called Avenida Paulista. I personally think it kind of sucks. I guess it’s on the level of 5th Avenue in New York, but not as cool. So, as we walked down the street exploring little shops, we ended up with an address where we could go get G-mo’s phone chipped. As we were wandering around the lobby and the second floor we totally came across this Gym, catching both of our interests. Being the fellas that we are we decided to side track our phone mission to investigate getting a gym membership. Fernanda, the sales rep, was super nice and took us around the gym with the expertise of a car salesman. I’m sure she was hyped to be pitching a membership sale on two Americans whom, only 4 hours after arriving in Sao Paulo were looking to find a training ground for their soon to be Adonis bodies. Uhuh. You thought wrong Fernanda, because spending $220/month is not my idea of a good deal. I was annoyed for the second time in the day and it was only 12:30 pm. Aside from my bitterness, I was impressed with the big flat screens and blairing sound system in the treadmill room, and the garment bags given to you in the gym for you to fill with your suits/clothes etc. and return to the clothing valet dude. Crazy. Other stuff happened later on in the day, but that was most of the excitement. G-mo and I just finished eating Udon in Liberdade (the Japanese enclave in Sao Paulo), we both also finished typing away on our obnoxious laptops, and are now moaning about the fact that we’re exhausted and it’s really only like 3:30 pm back home (7:30 pm here). We have decided to fight through until 11 pm and then call it a night. I miss everyone and all the great hanging out I did prior to coming on this summer adventure. I’ll be in touch.

M

on what lies ahead

2006-06-22T20:26:00.000-03:00

moving out, traveling to brazil, conducting a research project, a new do-it-yourself attitude, photographs, poetry, and meditation. oh, and find out what is up with my sinuses.

bike dreams fulfilled

2005-09-06T12:50:00.000-03:00

so it may seem that the bike god - Cyclovius - has been working to fulfill my bike dreams. with my new move to Silverlake pending, I had once again started daydreaming about a bike that would take me to the market, one that i could use to complete part of my commute to school, and one that would help me get to know my neighborhood.....so with these thoughts in my head and the even more ambitious thought of building a bike at the http://www.bicyclekitchen.com/ I began to think of ways to get the job done. so about a week ago - i dialed in a call to my favorite East Coast Verizon (unlimited cell to cell minutes) buddy, Cameron. I wanted to check and see if the romance was still on, if there were any cool bike stories, and to catch up in general. Cameron told me that she had been working on restoring two pre-war bikes with her roommate and that she was beginning to notice that the bike that one of her two other bikes (total of 4) was going to be seeing no action. at this point Cameron - offerred me her bike if I paid for shipping; evidence that Cyclovius was working his magic. So, after a failed attempt to piggyback the bike to my brother's move to San Francisco, Cameron and I agreed that I'd have to pay for shipping. And as our long bi-coastal relationship goes - we haven't talked about it again - due mostly in part to the 3 day weekend that we both just had.

Now with the feeling that I was going to get a bike I was satisfied to rest my feelings of bike anxiety. But of course being known for his impatience, Cyclovius was not going to be satisfied until i was two wheeling about town. Enter Friday night. After a night of booty shaking hip hop moves at the Firecracker in Chinatown, a serendipitous encounter presented itself that solidified Cyclovius remarkable powers. Drunk and dejected by a botched attempt at making out I stumbled out of the club and began walking with my friend Chris to my car. At this point I see this guy sitting on a milk crate working on a BMX bike on the corner of the street at 2 am with his girlfriend hovering at his side. Looking back at this - it seems like a mirage - like these two people were bike angels or something. after admiring the bike and chatting with the bike angel for a minute I asked him if he'd sell the bike. he told me $40. I checked my pockets and I only had $10. damn! i ran to chris and cleaned him out of his last $20. 20+10=30. how's 30? ummm...ok, how's 30 and my watch?! DEAL. Dope. I got on my new bike and rode it to my car - threw it in the back and drove home.

Cycolvius you amaze me!

snippets of intent

2005-06-21T12:38:00.000-03:00

So, upon having received some new news from Pam in Italy, and Cameron in New York, I've been inspired to post again. And like so many times before, I plan to make a List, or something like it of things that I "intend" to do. Most of the following will be forgotten, some will make an encore presentation on some future list, but for now I hope and intend to do at least one of the following....

Build a Bike and Ride it.
Use Public Transportation as my main means of getting around for a week.
Volunteer at a Film/Music Festival.
Blog more.
TAke more pictures (note to self:: get digital camera)
Write A Letter to someone in a different country.
Read a Book a week. 52 books in 52 weeks.
Refrain from getting Incompletes in any of my course work.
Write a Poem.
Karaoke a song.
Learn HTML and create a web page.

So...that's what I intend to do. If you have any suggestions or words of encouragement feel free.

Peace.

my first blog

2005-03-05T18:43:00.000-03:00

this is my first blog. how you like me now! ? I get physical therapy on my ankle yesterday and it feels better. electroshock, sonogram (my ankle is not pregnant), and some "adjusting" was done. I wonder if he just numbed all the feeling in my ankle or if he actually triggerred a healing effect? Anyway, the good news is that I got into UCLA and UCI for their planning departments. Yay! Now it's a matter of who shows me the dinero. My first blog is officialy done. ciao.