PIN-UP

Joaquin selling oranges at the market in salvador courtesy of my buddy- nicolas de urquiza

RICK CASTRO LOVES HOLLYWOOD

in case you didn't know i walk to work everyday.
if i don't walk i take the subway or bus. i highly recommend the DASH line. you can go anywhere in hollywood for 25-cents! on a rare occasion i drive my car if i have to bring in something large or if i'm late.

why do you walk you may ask.. it's not a very LA thing to do... well besides going against streotype here are the reasons i walk to work-

* i need to loose weight. when you get older the pounds come on quickly.

* i refuse to pay $3 per gallon to all those fat cat- oil barons.

* it's my little way of going green. minor, but at least i'm not contributing,

* when you walk you expose your self to new things and people on daily basis.

* I LOVE HOLLYWOOD!


there is no place like it in the world.
yes, i am one of those true-blue hollywoodphiles. i love the idea of hollywood, what it once was, the dream of hollywood & the disillusion of hollywood in it's present state. there really is no place like it in the world. hollywood has glamour, style, seediness, trash, sex, lust, romance, longing, fashion, phony & fucked-up all in one city block. the only place left that still resembles times square-NYC of the 70s and london's soho of the 80s.

here is my walking diary for friday- January 15th.. the route i took was franklin ave to las palmas ave.


(the alto nido apartments- the first scene of sunset boulevard)


(supposedly the black daliah lived in this room. that was her window)


(the lily pad pools of the alto nido)


(backside of the foutenoy-
the residence of johnny depp during the early 80s when he was in a rock band called six gun method)


(the ojai-
current residence of john carpenter & j. explosive. they have a great lobby. i am waiting for a tea invite)


(chateau de fleurs) - former residence of club fuck founder- cliff diller


(front door of the montecito, once a seedy building thru the 70s, former drug dealer & beautiful trannie jane gaskill used to live there.


( my bus stop on franklin & las palmas- the dash bus only 25-cents!)


(the methodist church on highland & franklin-
back in the 80s we used to call it the AIDS church, (very politically-incorrect) one of the first churches in the country to raise funds for AIDS)


(las palmas senior citizens center)


( a great view of the catholic church on sunset blvd. looking from las palmas ave... hollywood has allot of churches)


(the tip of the highland tower, one of the oldest buildings in hollywood.. with construction in the foreground)


(here is one of the many reasons i love hollywood. from the street i notice the quaint little apartment)


(as i get closer i see that there is a courtyard and fountain)


(on closer inspection i find a sweet little statue)


(and surprise another hidden treasure of hollywood. this beautiful 1920s courtyard. one of the residents- barry- was very pleased that i enjoyed his building.... he's seated on the right side)


(the las palmas apartments. can you believe this was the location of the final scene in pretty woman)


(yet another church. this one is baptist, located on las palmas ave & selma ave,,, made famous as a hustler location for john rechy -circa 1948 and then peter berlin in 1974)


(these construction sites are ubiquitous around hollywood.. spacecraft is the construction/design company for all the "new hollywood" spots like geisha house, opera, citizen and all things new, rich and generic)


(bella ristorante- the new hollywood, the atmosphere is generic, but the food is actually very good)


(the decay and ruins of old hollywood. the leftover sign for university newsstand on las palmas ave since 1928, closed permanently in 2008. the tattoo shop is in the building that was once the goldcup- the infamous hustler coffeeshop from the 1970s)


(a great "muriel." of frank sinatra next to miceli's. they also have piped in sinatra music playing all day)


(miceli's restaurant- since 1948)


(hollywood plaques- since 1990)


(cavern and cerre- two shops of "new hollywood.")


(my final destination- antebellum gallery, the only fetish art gallery in america, and perhaps the world)


(the tea garden of antebellum gallery)


(the alley gardens of las palmas ave.. our own secret hollywood gem)


(my neighbor- FLAVIE's orchids)


(my neighbor clayton webster of cerre.. isn't he cute?)


(the interior of clayton & FLAVIE's shop- cerre)

NIC & JOHNNY

a shout out to antebellum's webmasters & graphic artists-
NIC & JOHNNY!
aawwwww.... my favorite german couple.

PHOTO LA- 2010

The 19th Annual International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition or PHOTO LA
January 14 - 17, 2010

Opening Night Reception Benefitting the Wallis Annenberg Photography
Department at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
January, 14th 6 - 9 pm
Hosted By David La Chapelle & Christopher Lowell

The opening night reception was a benefit the Wallis Annenberg Photography Department at LACMA and is hosted by noted photographer David LaChapelle and actor/photographer Chris Lowell.

Over the past eighteen years photoLA. has earned a reputation as one of the foremost art fairs and the leading photo-based events in the country. Presenting the finest galleries from around the globe, this 19th edition of photo l.a. promises to be the best ever.
*****************************************************************
i agree - opening night of photoLA was very special.
i have been a regular @ photoLA since 1995. i look forward each year to viewing the past, current and future masters, but i think this year was the most diverse and fun combo of art and people.
the art work on display had so much variety, creativity & range- mixing vintage with the classics, and a healthy does of modern technology, ( like 3D images).








my personal faves-


pete eckert and THE BLIND PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUILD.
you have to be legally blind to be part of the gallery.. inspirational and amazing photography. a testimony to creative people and art.

(below- peter eckart & his guide dog- UZU)



DAVID FAHEY presents MARK LAITA @ FAHEY/KLEIN GALLERY.
i have known david fahey for many, many years. he consistently presents quality photography with a dedication to the media and craft.




LAURIE FRANK @ FRANK PICTURES GALLERY, laurie has been an art dealer for as long as i can remember. she is a trail-blazer, (a "maverick!!") and has excellent taste. * check out the candid pic of NIXON behind her- priceless!



DAVID LA CHAPELLE. the reigning pop photography king of america.
i have known david for eons. i reminded him of the first time we met waaaaay back in 1982, @ a party on 14th street - NYC. we were both wearing dresses for men. he said it must have been by english designers-BODY MAP, but i know mine was just an extra long, hanes black t-shirt & black leggings, paired with beatle boots.



JOHN SONSINI, (pictured with his longtime-lover-wayne shimabukuro). creates classic portraits of working class latino men. his technic is perfectly executed. his approach fetishistic. john and i go so far back, i don't even remember when we met. i do rememember going to his studio one day and he made me a baloney sandwich with all mustard.


(cute bartender!)


(vicki bohannon @ photoeye gallery- santa fe)

(cute-as-a-button & antebellian-dale johnson.. his twin sister is on the right)


(benjamin ariff- palm springs photo festival)


(the lobby of photola)

The 19th Annual International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition

January 14 - 17, 2010
Santa Monica Civic
1855 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3209
310.458.8551

Click here for visitor information.
Fair Hours
Friday, January 15th 11am - 7pm: Public Hours
Saturday, January 16th 11am - 7pm: Public Hours
Sunday, January 17th 11am - 6pm: Public Hours

Tickets-

$20 1-Day Pass
$30 3-Day Pass
$80 Collecting Seminar
$10 photo l.a. Lectures