Do-Over

Okay, now to re-do the blog that got eaten. Keep in mind the first time I did it was spectacular, so if this is lacking, blame WordPad. I did more exploring. Finally got my VTA pass. Still didn't make it very far away from SJSU but found some really neat places. I'm sure most of them have been shot so many times they have started to schmooze for the camera, but really what's wrong with schmoozy buildings?

I guess I'll find out later today when I have my first photography class. :)







This is all out of order, but first comes the light rail. This is part of the public transportation that will be seeing my shoes on board a lot while I'm here. I don't have a car, never have had a car, and frankly was terrified of driving in and around LA. Plus I can't afford a car, so I've gotten pretty good at being plonked somewhere and having to find my own way around.

If you plan to hop on or off the light rail at the 1st St stop, this is where you'll be. Stop and grab a bite to eat at Johnny Rockets? *yuck*








Out of order, totally different day and time of day, but here's a cool pic I took of the light rail when I was out near and after dark to take pictures of the 4th St Parking Garage and the MLK Library.





I can't remember where I saw this guy, but he was part of a mural - I don't know if it was a legit mural or just graffitti but he was cute nonetheless. Sorry, I know he's sort of a *C* but he's too cute to be a bad one. He's more like a wandering minstrel who got robbed and had to borrow some clothes from a dumpster where a circus had been, don't you think? It's worth a thought.











Here are a couple other random buildings in downtown. The Knight Ridder building, the Fairmont Hotel and its clock, and a little side street beside the clock.










They're a little out of order. This blog thing is a pain in the ass sometimes. It won't let me move it where I want it.


























This is the artwork that was on one of the doors of the Fairmont Hotel. It's by Oak Grove H.S. and is part of the "San Jose Downtown Doors Project".


















Okay, next comes City Hall. This place is amazing and I probably took 30 pictures of it total, but that's the handy part about having a digital camera. :) I can get rid of the ones I don't want. And it's the handy thing of being my own blog editor because I can put up the pictures I want you to see. *evil take-over-the-world laugh*

Yeah, whatever. So here's City Hall. It's a beautiful set of buildings (or one building, it's hard to tell). The funky things out front are water misters like the ones they have at amusement parks to keep people cool. The buildings themselves have one long low wing, the dome thing in the center, then a big tall building behind it.














That's a lot of pictures of City Hall.























Okay, now the ones I promised from the other day. Here's the 4th St Parking garage the way it's lit up at night. I have no idea how they do this, but it looks really neat. I have one of it around dusk and it's prettier, but I can't find what I did with it.









This is MLK Library right after dusk. The first one is looking up at it, the other is the atrium.




















I'll leave you with two random pictures.





This really cool building is the Bridge Bank. The entire facade is glass and the reflections are so neat. I'm planning on going back there and taking another picture toward sunset to compare what they look like.






This is a place I passed while getting lost looking for my bus stop. It was an abandoned building that had a bunch of kids' bicycles hanging over the front of it. "Bicycle Accident Investigation" struck me as ironic because I pictured all these bicycles falling off on people as whatever is holding them up there rusts away. I'm assuming it was abandoned, I'm not really sure. But it had an interesting door and I like things with character. So here you go.

Oh, and in case you didn't know or hadn't realized yet, if you click the pictures in this blog, they do blow up to larger pictures. :)






When I did this blog originally, I yapped about making tempeh and all the rest of the stuff I did that day. This time you don't get that, but I will include the ending to the original blog that got eaten just in case you ever decide you want to try something new.


TLT's are yummy stuff. :) (Tempeh, lettuce & tomato)



Seasoned tempeh for sandwiches

1 package tempeh, sliced 1/4" thick
1 c warm vegetable broth
1 T soy sauce (if you like it salty, use more)
1 t liquid smoke
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t chipotle seasoning
1/4 t chili powder


Mix liquid ingredients and seasonings, pour into skillet.
Add tempeh.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 mins.
Halfway through, turn the tempeh.
Remove from heat.

Spray another skillet with cooking spray.
Place tempeh slices into skillet over medium heat.
Brown on both sides.
When they're almost done, add a few tablespoons of the sauce and let it evaporate to give it even more yummy flavor.


It's great on sandwiches, in eggs, on salads, be creative. And you think healthy food has to taste bland. Pffffttt... My TLT has dill spread on it, but you can use mayonnaise or if you want a version that's not half-solidified fat, try veganaise. Stop turning up your nose, I saw that.













Okay, class soon. Getting the scary one out of the way first with Beginning Drawing. I hope they don't expect much. :}



And watch out, I'm breaking out my B&W film on Friday.