ENCHANTED AND ENCHANTING, NO HATE HERE! AND THE CLOONEY CONUNDRUM

ENCHANTING

    Pacific coast evenings are the stuff of novels or cinema.

    Cozy, eclectic and exquisite dinning with family,friends   and sometimes with "show biz" luminaries. Part of the unique vibe.

THE MONUMENTS MEN

     I don't understand why there is such a disparate range of reaction to George Clooney's latest project-The Monuments Men. I wouldn't nominate it for a film of the year, but it is a good film, entertaining and important. Important because it tells history, revealing a little known aspect of the larger destruction of WWII. But some simply do not like it and find faults that I did not see.  It's a great cast, with subtle but studied performances. The film moves by story line, a creative treatment of what actually happened. Had it not been for this special team the Nazi horror and the Allied bombing response would have extracted a cost that fortunately  we do not have to calculate.  Still the film has moments of poignancy as we contemplate what Germany under Hitler did, the barbarity of his mad plans and the extraordinary human toll. It reminds me of a good 1940's film. There is a kind of reminiscence of combat films I saw as a kid, but minus all of the shoot 'em up with more emphasis on the team played well by the entourage cast.

    Is a painting worth a human life?  President Truman asks that question but getting to the answer requires a bit of knowledge and Professor Clooney provides that in a history lesson, entertainingly delivered.  We are better because of knowing it. Thank you Robert Edsel for the book and Clooney and Grant Heslov for the screenplay and movie.

Here's a project

      I read once there are more original VW buses on the road in California than anywhere else. After 7 years of residency, I guess I agree having seen more in the last few years than maybe the previous 40 in Indiana. Most are in great shape, but occasionally you see a "project."

NO HATE HERE

     The regional office of the Anti Defamation League (ADL) responded quickly with a packed house community forum after a jerk crawled out of their rat hole. A cranky woman confronted a new pharmacist and said "you look like your Chinese. I don't appreciate you coming into our town taking jobs from white people."  The pharmacist was born in the Philippines and has lived in the US since he was 4. He had recently purchased the pharmacy. As THE CAMBRIAN columnist John Brannon reported, the man got two "nasty notes" in his mail box. It frightened his wife who cares for their 18 month child. 

      More than 100 people jammed into the auditorium of the Cambria Center for the Arts to affirm support for the man and his family and to discuss how to respond.

       The panel included, from left, history professor Emeritus and columnist Daniel Krieger, Commander Jim Voge of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Department and a Cambria resident, Dr. Elizabeth Myer of Cal Poly, an educational expert in bullying and Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay It Forward and 24 other books, representing the LGBT perspective.  Moderator Deborah Linden served ADL and as a former Police Chief in San Luis Obispo.

      As Commander Vogue and former Chief Linden affirmed, a hate crime incident is so out of character for Cambria. NO HATE HERE buttons, posters and bracelets are showing up around the village. Many have made a point to voice their support of the pharmacist. In more than one way, it takes a village.

      You can read The Cambrian editor Bert Etling's report here.

       See you down the trail.

GETTING THE HAWK EYE-CAT AND THE BASKET-A CHRISTMAS REFRAIN LIKE NO OTHER-THE WEEKENDER

HAWK EYE

Photo by Kristin Cochrun

    Kristin, our eldest, surprised me many years ago when she asked if she could borrow my Nikon for a shot of a Water Lily in a fountain in Key West. She was very young and I was was a bit nervous as she held the camera over water, but she got a beautiful exposure and she's been a great shooter all her life.  She grabbed these shots of a hawk at Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria. 

Photo by Kristin Cochrun
 NAPS AND HIJINX

Hemingway wants to picnic

  There is no place where Hemingway is not comfortable, nor where his curiosity is not aroused.

POSES OF JOY

   She is of a oft mingled blood line, a bit of a mutt I suppose, but a sweet natured cat.  Her markings reflect her rich heritage, her coat is extraordinarily soft and for some reason her tail is always up and angled over her back.

   Unless she is perched in the bottle brush tree, where she spends a lot of time, probably watching birds.

WEEKENDER VIDEO

A LATE CHRISTMAS GIFT

This needs to be seen to be appreciated, perhaps.

See you down the trail.

NEED A SUNSET? HOFFMAN'S NEXT ROLE

DIFFICULT TO RESIST

    I'm resigned to accept my inability to watch a sunset without reaching for a camera. It is a daily magic show.

THE HOFFMAN CHORUS

    My beloved younger brother spent too much of his short life as a junkie, so the Phillip Seymour Hoffman overdose hit me extra hard. My brother was the smartest, most creative of the three of us. He died young, though he lived a big life before his body, damaged by street drugs, blew an artery, a brain aneurysm.

    It's been moving to see the sense of loss felt by those who knew Hoffman and those of us who were simply impressed by his extraordinary talent. Poignant and bitter. Such a waste!

     And there has been this phenomena where his death, syringe in arm, has become the poster child of the heroin scourge. Law enforcement and the more alert of the media have attempted to warn of a new flood of heroin. That it's in our high schools, colleges and a choice of young professionals has been largely overlooked by most. Hoffman's demise has been the launch of a new round of reporting and hopefully this time we'll learn.

     When I was a street reporter, smack, skank, crank, jolt was mostly "an urban" problem. In those days that translated as African American, or ghetto. Later it crossed over into other strata's, and there was a time when more affluent white kids tried "chasing the dragon," smoking it, thinking it was impossible to become addicted that way. Not true.
      Hoffman talked of his battles with addiction, though we seemed to put that out mind when we were dazzled by his talent and the creation of those characters he played with such mastery.  Heartbreaking to think of him going the way he did. In all of the talk the last few days there's been an examination of the way some European countries have lowered their use heroin. And there has been focus on good intervention and education programs, though they are too few and often struggle for survival.
     My kid brother was smart.  He knew what he was doing, but like so many who get started and hooked, there was that youthful feeling of being immune or bulletproof. He told me it was the "perfect drug."  He amassed a small fortune, real estate, boats, exotic locales, but the drug took it all, beat him, broke him and put my parents through hell. He never intended for any of that. He was a sweet person. Hoffman almost certainly didn't want to die the way he did, leaving behind a love and 3 children. Those who sell heroin never tell you that part of the story.  
   In death, Hoffman may be playing his most important role.
   See you down the trail.

DYLAN SCORES-SEATTLE POUNDS-USING THE RAIN AND OTHER GOOD THINGS-CHEERS

GOOD THINGS
(For the Dylan surprise and the Super flop
read below--but first....)

     A painted sky, from the deck of friends Jacque and Mike.

THE FIRST RAIN OF THE YEAR

   The California drought was dampened with a bit of rain on Super Bowl Sunday.  A little more than an inch fell in the first measurable rain since last year, but conservation minded Californians went to work gathering what we could.

 Lana made repeated visit to empty a catchment vessel, filling storage containers. 

    The harvested rain water will irrigate a vegetable garden.

  All communities ought be more aggressive in harvesting rain flow. 

 MORE GOOD STUFF

   Comparing French Burgundy to Windward Pinot. Vintage tasting from 2000 to 2014. Our favorite was Windward in each year and these women are two of the best wine hostesses in the state, any year.

    Carpaccio covered with a Parmesan and truffle sauce!

    Catching the Moon and Venus in a ballet.

   And one more look at a rain wet deck-a delightful scene to dry Californians.

NOT SO GOOD

    Disappointed by the Super Bowl-not just the outcome, but the lack of excitement, balance, and competition.  Seattle's defense was relentless and effective. Denver's was not. 
     It is almost a sport to criticize Peyton Manning today, though not fair or objective. Manning never really got a chance, his line did very little to help, though his performance still set a record, but is of little consolation. Seattle's offense and especially Russell Wilson were champions. Seattle won the game, handily and deserve accolades.I wish it would have been closer, just because it would have been more fun. And while the Red Hot Chili Peppers are fun, I would have preferred a half time show with more Bruno Mars and less Peppers. But the party was cool, the company was great and the food was good, so, why should I complain.  Go 49ers!
     And while some of you are yelling "sell out," I was knocked out by the Bob Dylan Chrysler commercial. I certainly didn't see that coming! I was surprised that he'd do a commercial, yes, but I loved the tone and vibe of the piece he did.  
     I can't understand why folks would be upset. After all the music biz is just that, a business. Why shouldn't a poet, songwriter or rock star be able to earn a bit more by doing a commercial? It raises the quality of the advertising. Are artists supposed to give away paintings, or songs, or novels? I'm not sure it makes me want to buy a Chrysler, but I give them credit for making the American road, a patch of Highway 61.

    See you down the trail.

MANNING UP THE SUPERBOWL-A SHORE REFRESHER-THE WEEKENDER

HERE'S HOPING

    Peyton Manning exemplifies excellence. He is testament to the virtue of hard work, preparation and discipline. He's a role model as a leader and he could be the best, or smartest, quarterback to ever play the game.  He might be both. I became a fan of both the football player and the man when we were both in Indianapolis. I didn't like the way Jimmy Irsay, owner of the Colts, handled Peyton's employment when he was injured and fighting to recover and I've told him that.  So with all of this as preamble it is no surprise who I will be rooting for this weekend.  It would be a sweet thing if Peyton can steer the Broncos to a win, gaining himself another ring and validating the extraordinary effort he's put into rebuilding himself and proving the power of overcoming.

THE SHORE

   The Pacific Coast is forever fascinating and begging for a camera.

WEEKENDER VIDEO

     If you are feeling landlocked, suffering cabin fever, tired of winter or maybe just a little tense, this weekend's video may be for you.  Three minutes of peace by the pacific.

See you down the trail.

YOU WON'T FORGET IT and SUN ON CARMEL WHITE

FILM AS MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT

     From the beginning, film has also been about sociology, politics, or explorations of the nuances of the human experience. Many people connect with cinema as the modern novel; entertainment, escape or a medium for drama. Over the years I've explained to friends why a director, writer, cinematographer, actor or perhaps the scope of a project itself will lead me to plunk down the money for a ticket, even if the film is not, in their minds or the minds of many, entertaining or enjoyable. My attraction might be the craft, skill, artistry, approach or even the topic. This, then, is my raison d'être for raving about AUGUST:OSAGE COUNTY.

      At lunch today I was asked if I "enjoyed" the film. I told her enjoy was not the correct word, but I was enthralled and maybe even mesmerized by the extraordinary acting.  If you are a film fan you've no doubt read the stunning reviews this work has gathered. There is little more that I can add, but to say there was not one character in the film who was not brilliantly portrayed by their actor. The characters were indeed dysfunctional, flawed, pained and painful, deep, conflicted and extraordinarily human and real.  They make you laugh and they make you cry and they confound.  

      Meryl Streep's work will blow your mind, even if you've seen her award winning roles and have marveled before, thinking she can't be any better. Yes, she can and this is it.  Julia Roberts, who I've enjoyed as a movie star but never given much credit to as a deep actress changed my mind about all of that. She's got serious chops. Margo Martindale and Chris Cooper are worthy of Oscar nominations, despite not being nominated. Misty Upham is compelling in her small, but essential role. Benedict Cumberbatch, who seems to be everywhere these days, Juliette Lewis, Ewan McGregor and Dermot Mulroney all bring characters to life with brilliance, subtle and otherwise. Sam Shephard in his all too brief role, Abigail Breslin and Julianne Nicholson are haunting in their portrayals.  In the case of Breslin and Nicholson some of the most compelling scenes are fueled by their expressions in poignant moments.

       So, dark, sad, riveting and even laugh out loud hilarious delivered by acting at it's best may not make for "enjoyable" but certainly is memorable and powerful.  

PHOTO PLAY

SUN ON WHITE

    January sun and sky mixed with Carmel white and shadows.

See you down the trail.

SMILE-A DRONE IS WATCHING YOU plus IT'S ALL IN THE FOAM-THE WEEKENDER

DRONE SKIRMISHES

      Several years ago while running a large television news operation I had my first relationship with a drone.
      A contact/source with whom I had worked previously called to say he was working with a technology guy and they had developed a flight platform and wanted to test it. He brought a very sophisticated and light weight "miniature"  airplane to the station.  Some of my news managers attended and we were joined by the developer, an investor in the project and two fellows identified as interested parties and potential buyers.  Later I was to learn they were  from a federal agency that had high hopes for the plane.
     The plane fit on a conference table but was rigged so it could take a lightweight camera mount. This was long before "drone" had worked it's way into the public lexicon or  before being pressed into action as they are now.  I was excited by the prospects of flying it over traffic jams, fires, emergency situations and getting images back for broadcast at much less expense than what our helicopter cost to operate.
      My corporate boss lacked vision on this and despite my best efforts he passed and did so in a derisive way.  I told him he was passing up a chance to be the first to use something from the future. Still to no avail.  
      Fast forward to 2014.  They've become ubiquitous and in some cases practical. But I think we've entered a new chapter in our relationship with drones, as this piece of video tape from California demonstrates.

SHADOWS AND FOAM

       I was fascinated by the interplay of the shadows and 

kaleidoscopic flow of waves and sea foam. It provided a sort of black and white shape puzzle.

   See you down the trail.