Los Angeles in the Rain

I have a wonderful friend that has lived out in LA for years. Last January I finally visited him. Since he has been to see me in New York twice, I felt it was time to make the trip, and it would be a welcome break from the cold winter. 

The first thing I was surprised to see was an active oil well on the way from the airport. Set against the desert flora, it was strangely beautiful in a Paleozoic way.

Griffith Park was also amazing. The sweeping views of the canyons were fantastic. I wanted to start walking on the trails but the rain started so we headed inside the observatory.  The observatory itself is worth the trip. It has some of the largest meteors I have ever seen. It's hard to imagine large chunks of iron being thrown at the earth. This is a great photo of one, note the large crystal pattern caused by slow cooling.

I also enjoyed walking around downtown LA. It has such a concentrated art deco influence. 

Thanks for putting me up Phil! And I hope to return the favor soon.

Arms and Armor

I love the metropolitan Museum of Art. Over the past 10 years, I have visited about a hundred times.  It is one of those magical places that always has something new to offer. My all time favorite section is the Arms and Armor. The skill of the craftsmanship is breathtaking. I am so dependent on my flex shaft and torch I could not imagine the amount of time it took to finish these pieces by hand.

This is a head defense for a horse. It is the elaborately decorated example ever found. It is made of iron, silver and gold by Tibetan craftsman in the 15th century.

The helmut is from 16th century Japan also known as the Momoyama period. It was made of lacquered iron for old men to wear.

This is a replica of traditional 12th century Japanese armor. It was made in the Edo period (18th century) It is made of lacquered iron slats that have been woven together with leather and silk.