ZJLA: Design Every Day

The Show Must Go On

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

We went to see a Queen tribute band last week. It was a great show. It reminded me that Freddie Mercury was amazing and it also reminded me that are people all around us who have so much talent as well. Bear McCreary (composer for Battlestar Gallactica) was on synths and his brother Brandon did an incredible job with the vocals. The poster is an interesting mix of retro and contemporary.

Inside a Can

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Do you remember those Jumbling Tower blocks that come in the rectangular can? My youngest was more interested in the container than the blocks one day and requested an interior investigation.

A New House

2011-11-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm calling it new but it has been 8 months already. It felt like home right away. There are reminders of the '70s everywhere, like the house number font and placement. No matter. Disco and big hair and the yellow tint of photographs are sweet to remember.

For My English Friends

2011-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

You will appreciate the website of this realtor. For my American friends randy=horny.

Goodness!

2011-11-15T20:34:00.000-08:00

I finally figured out how to log back into my blog. That's what happens after a prolonged absence I guess. Mushy Mommy Brain. I've been doing illustrations for a friend's book. Here is a sample. Enjoy!

A Building

2010-04-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T00:01:00.001-07:00

The kids always look forward to the Easter Egg Hunt at Tosha's house. This year she had this beautiful display in the front foyer welcoming us to join in the festivities. Her mom made the lovely chocolate kiss flowers in their little pastel flower pots.

A Daffodil

2010-04-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Bread

2010-04-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Berries

2010-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Indian Sweets

2010-03-31T20:52:00.000-07:00

Many of the Indian sweets are made from thickened milk (khoa) crafted into beautiful shapes and dyed. They taste amazing too!

Caution Tape

2010-03-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

iPhone Malfunction

2010-03-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

The camera on my iPhone only creates posterized images now. Looks cool here.

Flower Garlands

2010-03-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

These amazingly fragrant flower garlands are made fresh, by hand every morning.

Indian Market

2010-03-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Last summer when I was in Bangalore on an early morning walk I came across this alley market. There are certainly many American-style supermarkets but the open air markets with their fresh produce and regular visitors truly are a feast for the eyes as well as the mouth. There is such an unhurried atmosphere here. Look at that guy meticulously buying beans while the other one with the handlebar mustache is just stopping to watch.

More Piggies

2010-03-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Piggies

2010-03-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Treasure Box

2010-03-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sled

2010-03-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Off on a Snowy Adventure

2010-03-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sad Leopord

2010-03-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Green Mesh Window

2010-03-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sandbags at Sunset

2010-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lamp at Dusk

2010-03-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Happiness

2009-06-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

My life is full. And I am happy.

Power of Three

2009-06-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Windy Day

2009-06-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Tractor by the Sea

2009-06-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Rahm's Menagerie

2009-05-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Look at those Antlers!

2009-05-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

Feeling a Bit Batty

2009-05-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

How we send letters now

2009-05-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Public. 1 sentence. Impersonal.

Old Car

2009-05-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lemon Rice

2009-05-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lemon Rice is also called Chitrannam and is a South Indian recipe. Spicy and tart at the same time.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 cups water

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon husked black gram dal (urad dal)
2-3 dried chilies (optional)
1 tablespoon peanuts or cashew nuts (optional)
I sprig curry leaves (can leave out if not available)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
Juice from 1 1/2 – 2 lemons
Cilantro leaf to garnish (optional)

Method:
Wash and drain the rice. Add water and bring to a boil, simmer on low for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave for an hour to cool or spread out on a plate to cool faster. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan on medium-high and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add black gram dal, curry leaves, cashew nuts and dried chilies. Saute for a minute or two until the black gram dal turns light brown. Remove from heat and add salt and turmeric. Add the lemon juice. Toss in the rice and heat through. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so all the flavors blend. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve with papadums and hot pickles.

Kale...bleeh!

2009-05-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

The texture is all wrong: bubbly and rubbery. It has many health benefits but I just can't do it.

Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory. It is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. As with Broccoli and other brassicas, it contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties, particularly when chopped or minced.

The Doppler Effect

2009-05-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have always loved this idea in physics. Like how a sound changes as it goes by. The Doppler effect (or Doppler shift), named after an Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who proposed it in 1842, is the change in frequency of a wave (for example, a sound wave) for an observer moving relative to the source of the waves. It is commonly heard when a vehicle with a siren approaches, passes and recedes from an observer. The received frequency is increased (compared to the emitted frequency) during the approach, it is identical at the instant of passing by, and it is decreased during the recession. The vehicle is pushing up against the medium in front (air) as it goes making it "thicker" and creating a lag behind causing the waves to elongate.

Hands

2009-05-23T22:05:00.001-07:00

I was looking at my hands, off-handedly, this evening and realized how much is accomplished by these amazing parts of the body. I remember, many years ago, seeing a model of the human body at the Natural History Museum in London with the various parts sized proportional to the number of nerves they possessed. The hands were by far the biggest.
M.C. Escher performs the ultimate sleight-of-hand in the mystifying “Drawing Hands.” Escher (1898 – 1972), a Dutch artist who worked with lithography, woodcutting and mezzotints, created optical illusions that defied concepts of infinity by manipulating space and geometric patterns. His works all employed advanced mathematical and scientific principles, although he lacked training in either field.

Downward Facing Dog

2009-05-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

(Original image from Cecilie's Moto Journal)

Bhangra

2009-05-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been very interested in Bhangra as my kids just did a play that had a couple of Bollywood dances that they really got in to. This great image is from vickysingh.us and it looks like it was originally a black and white print that was colorised by hand. Baisaki is a dnace festival in Punjab where the men perform Bhangra, an energetic dance that is associated with the ripening of crops.

The Seven Chakras

2009-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Making a Paper Boat

2009-05-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Birthday Party in Beverly Hills

2009-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Balloons, bouncer, basketball and lots of amazing trees.

Crossing a Bridge

2009-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Bipasha carries Priya on a hiking trip to Switzer Falls in the Angeles National Forest.

Here and Now

2009-05-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Artwork by Cate.

Tandoori-Style Chicken

2009-05-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
8 chicken thighs (skinned and boned)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tandoori masala
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons canola oil for cooking

Method
Traditionally, tandoori chicken is baked in a Tandoor oven. This is a quick cook method that results in a moister consistency. Marinate the chicken in a mixture of the ingredients for 1 hour to overnight. Heat the oil in a frying pan and carefully place the chicken pieces in one layer. Fry chicken for 5 minutes per side and then turn often so that the pieces become coated in the thick gravy (approximately another 10-15 minutes). Drain off any excess oil. Num num!

Two by Two

2009-05-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

I like this phrase in light at an entrance to the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Center. Especially because my identical twin boys seem to have embodied this sentiment right from their inception.

Birds on a Wire

2009-05-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

This photo, appropriately taken by my musician husband symbolically brings music into a gloomy day, the birds' bodies creating notes on an urban stave.

Doesn't look so friendly...

2009-05-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

I know this sign is meant to welcome children to play at this park, but the high fence and strange bear look a bit creepy to me.

No Voice

2009-05-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

This world is no place for no voice.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ladybug in Ivy

2009-05-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

My Boys

2009-05-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

The Triangle

2009-05-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Nerd Question: 1. Which geometric shape is the strongest?

Nerd Answer: The triangle has a characteristic shared by no other polygon, it is rigid. As force is applied to the vertex (or top peak) of the triangle, the force is deflected down the sides of the structure. The sizes of the angles do not change because the bottom (side opposite the vortex) holds the other two sides in place.)

Nerd Examples in Nature: It seems that they are very uncommon but here are a few examples:
- The fractal patterns on some cone shells
- There are some tetrahedron shaped crystals (fluorite)
- In the arms of starfish
- Orca fins are pretty triangular, as are some shark fins
- In the geometry of spider webs
- Carnivorous Incisors (sharks)
- Serrated leaf margins (maples form a fractal)
- Triangular stems (Yellow Nutsedge)
- Cross section of fruits (orange)
- Star fruit

Om Ganesha!

2009-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Even the miniature idols are beautifully carved. This one is made in silver.

What's for Breakfast?

2009-05-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Apparently the painted rocks are eclairs.

Graduation Invitation Segment

2009-05-04T00:32:00.000-07:00

School Play Program Segment

2009-05-03T00:23:00.000-07:00

School Play Poster Segment

2009-05-02T00:22:00.000-07:00

Tickets for a Play

2009-05-01T00:19:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season for the end of year school play. This year there are three performances and here are the tickets.

An Irish Love Story

2009-04-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

It is awesome to discover other people's design. The above photograph is from an Irish blog called In Photos dot org. And right now I'm obsessing about a song and its design (by Spandau Ballet from 1986). It is a Romeo & Juliet-style love story set in a troubled Northern Ireland. A boy and a girl, one a Catholic and one a Protestant, betray their families and their upbringing to meet on the bomb sites and the no-man's land between divided communities. The setting is given away by the drum and pipe marching music, so reminiscent of the parades mentioned in the second chorus. Like Shakespeare's play, there is a tragic ending. The "hearts go to their graves," but it is not clear whether this refers metaphorically to the end of the affair or a suicide pact. Incidentally, the phrase "a terrible beauty we've made" is very like "a terrible beauty is born" from the W. B. Yeats poem about the 1916 rising in Dublin.

Through the Barricades by Spandau Ballet

Mother doesn't know where love has gone
She says it must be youth
That keeps us feeling strong
See it in her face, that's turned to ice
And when she smiles she shows
The lines of sacrifice
And now I know what they're saying
When the sun begins to fade
And we made our love on wasteland
And through the barricades.

Father made my history
He fought for what he thought
Would set us somehow free
He taught me what to say in school
I learned off by heart
But now that's torn in two
And now I know what they're saying
In the music of the parade
We made our love on wasteland
And through the barricades.

Born on different sides of life
We feel the same
And feel all of this strife
So come to me when I'm asleep
We'll cross the line
And dance upon the street
And now I know what they're saying
When the drums begin to fade
We made our love on wasteland
And through the barricades.

Oh, turn around and I'll be there
There's a scar through my heart
But I'll bare it again
I thought we were the human race
But we were just another border-line-case
And the stars reach down and tell us
That there's always one escape.

I don't know where love has gone
And in this troubled land
Desperation keep us strong
Friday's child is full of soul
With nothing left to lose
There's everything to go
And now I know what they're are saying
It's a terrible beauty we've made
So we make our love on wasteland
And through the barricades.

Now I know what they're are saying
As hearts go to their graves
We made our love on wasteland
And through the barricades.

Public Announcement Sample

2009-04-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hate is a hateful thing

2009-04-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

Shoebox

2009-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

The packaging was as cute as the shoes.

My Grandfather

2009-04-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

My grandfather used to sit
On a simple wooden chair
Outside his small room
In a dusty, ancient Calcutta tenement building.

Broken sunbeams lay on the ground, brilliant.
Interrupted patchwork of shadow and light in the open plaza,
Within enclosed cement and tile
umber and gold, muted.

My Dadu was a proud man
Era of Indian Independence in his blood
Freedom and veracious ideals.
He filled his chair with girth and authority.

With cane in hand and ominous presence
He would sit toothless
Central
Brooding
Observing.

Remember I a small child, running down the long dark crooked alley
That wove inside and through other crumbling buildings
Shifting and cutting angles. Abrupt.
Then unexpectedly huge
His dominion.

And I would stop in my tracks
and shuffle past. Quiet. From a different world, a different generation.
Afraid again to say
“Dadu, I love you.”

Uncontrolled my tears
The last time we said “Goodbye”.
In his perfect Oxford English
He said I would never see him again.

I wonder now what he used to think…
Perhaps about his youth
And how success had shown him
Her generous hand for a few brief years
And how in a game of karmic trickery
She closed her bright eyes,
Turning away from him
Leaving only the reminder of golden light
Intangible at his feet.

Layers

2009-04-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Mosaic

2009-04-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

One square is geometry, many squares make poetry.

Mayfly In April

2009-04-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

After this photo, I left my delicate subject alone. She is absconding somewhere in our residence.

Two Towers

2009-04-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

The place where I get my car washed is opposite the Disney towers. As I waited for my car, I remembered that in late 2002, we had watched an air display of fighter airplanes in formation from the black tower building. And a sick thought had come to mind. What if those planes had flown into the two towers as had happened in New York a few weeks earlier?

Too hot to play

2009-04-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Statement as of 6:14 PM PDT on April 20, 2009 ... Preliminary record high temperatures set across southwest California...

A record high temperature of 100 degrees was set at downtown Los Angeles (usc) CA today. This breaks the old record of 96 set in 1958.

A record high temperature of 95 degrees was set at Los Angeles Airport today. This breaks the old record of 86 set in 1986.

A record high temperature of 100 degrees was set at Long Beach Airport CA today. This breaks the old record of 93 set in 1986.

A record high temperature of 99 degrees was set at San Gabriel CA today. This breaks the old record of 98 set in 1958.

A record high temperature of 86 degrees was set at Santa Monica pier CA today. This breaks the old record of 79 set in 1958.

A record high temperature of 99 degrees was set at UCLA CA today. This breaks the old record of 94 set in 1958.

We come and go

2009-04-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, I found a letter from my late father typewritten on an Indian aerogramme with little pictures of planes going in opposite directions printed on it. Things in the universe peacefully move from one state to another. Departing and arriving. And in so recognizing, nothing can really ever be lost.

What was the question?

2009-04-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Although it is supposedly not physically addictive, chocolate is the food most commonly craved by women in the U.S.

Paper Butterflies

2009-04-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

These clever creations adorn a very realistic fake tree inside a library in Burbank, California.

Fifty

2009-04-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Separate

2009-04-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

At the end of a dream, I was left with this image. And a sadness that my mother lives so far away.

Tax Time

2009-04-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

mmm...

2009-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are those moments.

Laundry

2009-04-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, he wouldn't think it was so funny if he had to fold it.

Bunnies

2009-04-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Joyfully welcoming spring.

Easterish

2009-04-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

A new family tradition is born.

With all the superstitions surrounding the traditional hot cross bun, it's just as well. One of them says that buns baked and served on Easter Sunday will not spoil or become mouldy during the subsequent year. Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover. Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if, "Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be", is said at the time. Because of the cross on the buns, some say they should be kissed before being eaten. (Although, I can't tell if they mean that they should be kissed or the bun should be kissed.) If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. Thankfully, the hanging bun is replaced each year.

Culinary Ode To Our Dog

2009-04-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

For the best dog ever. 8 years old.

Just checking...

2009-04-10T08:42:00.001-07:00

Are you doing what you thought you would? This cool bench is at Chicago Children's Museum.

UCLA Commencement

2009-04-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Cate and I collaborated on this logo a few years ago. I never went through an American commencement, but I love the use of that word. The beginning of a great new journey.

The Cookbook is Here!

2009-04-08T00:59:00.000-07:00

Local school charity drive. This design is 110 pages, more than 65 recipes from all over the world contributed by the kids' families and with tons of pictures. The project is raising money for a school in Zimbabwe. Very happy.

So Sweet in Santa Barbara

2009-04-07T13:43:00.001-07:00

Lemon Drop

2009-04-07T13:42:00.001-07:00

Sublime at the Palace Grill.

2 days in Santa Barbara

2009-04-07T13:40:00.001-07:00

On the way there was a cafe in Ventura.

The World's First Ferris Wheel

2009-04-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

The first ever ferris wheel was made for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. American Engineer, George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. made this huge structure where a 250-foot wheel would rotate and carry 2160 people in boxes the size of train cars. The ferris wheel currently up on Chicago's Navy Pier has a 140-foot diameter and carries 240 people.

Familia

2009-04-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead of having all the toes connected by webs, each coot toe has lobes on the sides of each segment. I like how the jet black bodies contrast with the water and create a random yet cohesive pattern.

Bananas

2009-04-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

I wonder if bananas are like showfakes where no two are alike.

Road to the Beach

2009-04-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

Dreaming of sunny, sandy days.

Welcoming Spring

2009-03-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Holi is also called the Festival of Colors. It is a popular Hindu spring festival and is celebrated by people throwing colored powder at each other. Observed on the full moon day in the month of Falguna, it usually falls in the later part of February or early March. This year Holi was on 11th March.

TreePeople Park

2009-03-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful sanctuary away from urban L.A. life. Coldwater Canyon Park (44 acres) is home to TreePeople Park. TreePeople, which has planted more than a million trees, maintains and improves Coldwater Canyon Park. It includes a tree nursery, fruit orchard, organic garden, and the Magic Forest Nature Trail.
And here I found this odd post made with a metal sphere, red bricks, slate and concrete, with a strange rock thrown in for good measure. I like how the different materials have weathered differently, and although from different sources are united in a common purpose.

Timeless

2009-03-29T07:49:00.001-07:00

An instrument for measuring time placed on the timeless.

Car Wash Special

2009-03-28T18:17:00.001-07:00

The repeating criss-cross patterns create a nice focal point for a retro car wash sign. It's not quite clear how much the Wash & Wax special is, but it's certain that Tue-Ladies and Wed-Mens. Love it!

Toxic Assets

2009-03-27T00:02:00.001-07:00

It was my impression that an asset was supposed to be good; you know, something valuable and desirable. But when that asset goes bad, the equilibrium is disturbed, and then who knows what can happen. Hey, remember silicone implants?

Ripples

2009-03-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Like a thought that washes over the mind.

Urban Space

2009-03-25T00:34:00.000-07:00

Where urban space is limited, micro-shopping villages meet a wide range of needs. Here you could start your day off with a nice cup of java and a deep fried pastry, get your hair done, cover any car insurance or medical needs you might have and then take a lunch break at your choice of dining establishment. Ooh and then you could relax with an afternoon therapy session while admiring the greenery outside. Quite efficient really.

Descanso Gardens

2009-03-24T09:14:00.001-07:00

I was listening to "Ordinary World" (Duran Duran) yesterday. There are so many things that make life ordinary, that it is easy to forget the extraordinary. Like the magnificent form of a flower. What is extraordinary in your life?

At Kidspace

2009-03-23T12:30:00.001-07:00

There is a great climbing feature at Kidspace in Pasadena that is made up of clear blue discs that spiral upwards to a dizzying height. Children joyfully jump up and down these stairs as their parents take a moment's reprise on the ground.

Tree Roots at Switzer Falls

2009-03-22T00:27:00.001-07:00