A New Year's post!

Okay, in all honesty, I tried to post earlier than this, but for some weird reason, Blogspot was acting up with my photo uploads! So, with my new year's resolution of continuing my procrastination, I figure I'd wait until now to finally get around to posting (Note the new thing that the kids are doing nowadays, it's called SARCASM).

Before I can get to posting new stuff, I'd like to post a few photos from the holidays.

This is my good buddy Aaron T and I at the Rosebowl game watching the greatest college football team beat the hell out of another "Small" 10 team, Illonois.
Final score 52-17. Oh yeah, it was a close game - NOT!


Christmas day with the Del Rosario clan. This is what holidays are all about, family and great food!


This is me with Helen's nephews and niece who were visiting from Hawaii. I know you can't tell, but we're on the parking tram at Disneyland the day before they left. That little cutie shying away from the camera is Hailee. The other two boys are Justin (middle) and Casey (right).


Here's Hailee in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle - what a little sweetie!

Okay, so this is far from being really up-to-date, but I really wanted to post some photos from the last few weeks. I'm going to make it a point to blog more often this year, what with a few weddings coming up, and of course, a lot of great "life" stuff!

Hope you guys are all doing well and stick to those resolutions!

50 plus 50 equals an Awesome time!

For the second straight weekend, I was privileged again to be asked to photograph another 50th wedding anniversary, this time for my friend Kerry's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Kimiko Kawahara at the Redondo Beach Cheesecake Factory. What a spectacular evening it was!

What was unique about this event compared to last week's (which was equally awesome BTW) was that the children displayed photographs from the couple's original wedding ceremony and reception 50 years ago. And here they were, 50 years later, celebrating that same love that brought them together. And I was there,asked to add to their family photo history book. How can I not love this job?!

The night also included a terrific slideshow presentation made my Kerry for Frank and Kimiko which included photos from both their childhoods, growing up, when they met, their travels, etc. All the pertinent memories that one would want to share on a momentous 50th anniversary. It was so touching to watch Frank and Kimiko's memories displayed on a big screen for everyone in attendance to see. I truly was honored to be there, and to have the opportunity to add to their life slideshow.

Enjoy the slideshow of some of the images I photographed last night. And wish that if you are with someone, or when you find someone, that you too can live such a glorious, love filled life like Frank and Kimiko :)

Click on this link to see the night's photos.

A 50th Slideshow Presentation

Yes, the holidays have been pretty hectic for me lately, plus, I got SICK again with a pretty stubborn head cold! Nonetheless, I wanted to post something up just to be sure you all know that I'm still around and ALIVE for that matter.

This past weekend before Christmas, I was honored to have been invited to photograph the 50th wedding anniversary of my friend Denise's parents, Roy and Nancee Iketani in Las Vegas! (How cool is that?!) They are such a close knit, and loving family! The night began in the parents' suite at the California Hotel in Downtown Vegas, where the kids (all 7 of them, including spouses and grand-children (2 of them)) presented a slideshow of photos from the distant and not so distant past. A visual walk down memory lane. From there the party moved over to Vic and Anthony's Restaurant located in the Golden Nugget Casino for some awesome steakhouse kind of food! (I was lucky enough to have been fed, and boy did I EAT!)

It was such a great time, watching and listening to their family rant and rave about their parents and their siblings. It almost brought a tear to my eye :)

So a big thank you goes out to Denise for asking me to photograph this momentous occasion, and here's to Roy and Nancee! Check out the slideshow!

My First Triptych!

Yes, as my subject heading reads, I have created my first triptych (trio) and have used Denise as my first victim, I mean, subject.

I actually created this a while ago, but had not used it till today.

This series was shot during one of our Cold Tofu rehearsals. The legs off to the side are Zakiah's.

Let me know what you think!

This should be frickin' cool!

Okay, I admit it, I'm a big Johnny Depp fan, but have only become one since "Edward Scissorhands" and not during his "21 Jump Street" days. I've always admired the roles that he has chosen to play. Avant guard, risky, and downright awesome. Naturally when I heard he was doing "Sweeney Todd", I found it interesting that they would choose him, but teamed up with Tim Burton, it has to be a hit! After watching the trailer (below), I am convinced it should be awesome!

Now, I say this after having watched the original Broadway production with Angela Lansbury (on DVD, I was too young when it initially opened), and the East West Players' version of it as well (TWICE!). Seeing this trailer is convincing me that this should be a great film, although probably not a blockbuster, unless you are in to stage musicals or perhaps Sondheim, as I am.

Enjoy the trailer, and let me know what you think.

Sweeney Todd Website and trailer links

I Haven't Posted Since Hawaii

Coming back from Hawaii was tough! Not only was I a bit melancholy coming back to the daily grind of life in L.A., but that same week, I caught the flu which took me out for a solid week and a half! A lot of stuff happened after that, photography wise, including a video shoot with Cold Tofu, and a cool gig with Nathan Wang for his upcoming musical "Denis the Menace" (yes, THAT Dennis the Menace!).

Now that I'm "back" physically and mentally, I'll be posting more often. But here are a few images from the past month.

We did a birthday gig for a terrific group of 16 year olds in Torrance!


This shot is from an upcoming Cold Tofu "commercial" we did for our upcoming sketch show.
It's kinda like "Wife in the Box". I'll post it up when it's ready.


This is Steve in another Cold Tofu "commercial".
Scary.


This is what a professional reading looks like. Cold, dark rooms with chairs, with producers/directors on one side, actors, etc. on the other. This was for the upcoming musical
"Dennis the Menace".

Hope you all are getting your Christmas shopping done. Happy Holidays!

Final "Aloha" blog entry

Well, as the subject heading reads, the vacation is over and I’m already back in L.A. It was so nice to be back in the islands after two long years away, and even though it rained our first two days there, and although it was only for a week, I once again realize why I love Hawaii so much. It’s everything I can think of. All my trips there have always been with people I love and adore, mostly my family, and what makes these trips so awesome is the fact that we are able to spend time with oneanother, away from the daily grind that is our lives in L.A. You’re able to relax, and literally not think about the stuff you “have to do”, but stuff that you “want to do”. For me it was just being there that was so rewarding and memorable. For this trip, to once again travel with my Mom and Grandmother, cousin and nephew, to do nothing but shop, eat, and sightsee. To go to places that we’ve been to before but never get enough of. Each time we go, one week is never enough as the allure of “aloha” keeps us wanting to go back for more, and soon.

Things I’ll take away from this trip:

- Some of the best photography I’ve done in Hawaii to date

- Leonard’s Malasadas

- Zippy’s as usual

- The Rain! And lots of it.

- Going to the Aquarium for the first time ever

- Surfing at the “Wall” after almost a decade

- Visiting Alice and the kids, and my friend Eve

- As with every trip, all the great new t-shirts from HIC, T&C, and of course swap meet

- Visiting Auntie Enang

- That the Waikiki Banyan sucks (despite this being my 3^rd time there!)

- Getting a little bit sunburned on my forehead!

- Driving by a surf competition on the North Shore – finally!

- The Ocean. Always, the Ocean. The water is what I’ll always miss.

There are more memories that I’m certain I’m forgetting, but as of this writing, these are the things that come to mind. I’ll always have the photos to look back upon, and the thought that I was able to share them with you all.

For those of you who have followed me on this week long vacation, thank you. It was great sharing our daily outings with everyone.

So enjoy these photos from yesterday, and some from other days as well. Thanks again for reading and following along with me.

Until next time, Aloha and Mahalo.

Clown Fish at the Waikiki Aquarium

The "L & L" we ate at in Haleiwa, North Shore

The Kualoa mountain range where they film "Lost" presently

President Clinton once visited this little mini-market in 1996

The Haleiwa sign at the North Shore

Can you believe that this is a McDonald's?! Cool!

My mom and grandma at the Dole Plantation

Helen's new nephew Bryce - what a cutie!

Finally, what Hawaii is all about:
The Aloha spirit :)